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God’s fundamental peace

God’s fundamental peace

God’s fundamental peace

Three quotes from the teaching on 2026-02-18

Peace is not the absence of problems, but peace is being in the presence of Jesus.

The peace that Jesus gives is a lasting peace.

You must let peace be the arbiter in your life.

Short description of the teaching

The teaching is about God’s fundamental peace and why many believers still walk around with anxiety, even though they believe in Jesus. The focus is on how fear, shame, control, old ways of thinking and a lack of trust in God steal the peace from our hearts. We are encouraged not just to know God’s Word in our heads, but to act on it in our daily lives and trust that His promises apply to us personally. At the same time, it becomes clear that peace often grows when our gaze shifts away from ourselves and towards service, love and obedience to God. We are called to let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts, so that life is not governed by worries, but by trust, calm and closeness to Jesus.

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Character and Attitude,Discipleship,God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit,Spiritual Life & Prayer

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  • Scriptures from the teaching on 'God’s fundamental peace'

Numbers 6:24-26
John 14:22-27
Matthew 28:20
Psalms 91:2
Psalms 46:2
1 Peter 5:7
Philippians 4:6-7
Isaiah 9:5
Matthew 10:34-39
Acts 7:55-56
John 10:10
Colossians 3:15-16
Galatians 5:22-25
Isaiah 26:2-4

NB! The summary below is an automatically AI-generated text from the teaching itself. Errors may occur to a greater or lesser degree!!
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  • Summary of the teaching on 'God’s fundamental peace'

God’s peace is not something superficial that comes and goes with one’s mood, but something deep, secure and real that He wants to place within a person’s life. Yet many believers go about without that peace, even though they believe in Jesus, have been baptised and want to live with God. How is it possible to belong to God and still be filled with anxiety, fear, shame and inner tension? Andreas Slot-Henriksen explains here how God’s peace is stolen by fear, shame, control and a lack of trust, and how to find your way back to the peace that does not come from the world. Peace is described here using the biblical word shalom, which is not just about tranquillity, but also about wholeness, well-being, protection and a sense of everything being in its rightful place.

When speaking of peace, it is made clear that God does not merely want us to survive the day, but to live with a heart that has found rest in Him. The problem is simply that there is much that can steal that peace. Fear is one of the greatest thieves, because it causes our thoughts to run ahead of us and paint pictures of everything that might go wrong tomorrow, next week or further down the line. Worries about the world, the economy, the future, war and uncertainty can take up so much space that there is simply no room left for God’s peace. When you keep living in that sort of inner state of alert, the unease becomes almost normal, even though it was never meant to be your home.

Another major theme is shame. Many people may have made peace with God and yet still carry around memories of old mistakes, old words and old actions that still linger in their minds. You may well know in your head that there is forgiveness, but your heart still tightens up, as if the matter is still unresolved. That is why it is emphasised that shame does not just make one feel sad, but also breeds fear, distance and unease. As long as shame is allowed to rule, it becomes difficult to receive the peace that God actually already wants to give.

A down-to-earth image is used of a child who has broken a window and does not dare to say so out loud. The point is that guilt and shame cause a person to hide, even when forgiveness is actually waiting right in front of them. In the same way, one might believe that God is ready with harsh words, whilst in reality He wants us to come out into the light and settle the matter. It is therefore said that confessing what one has done is not the path into more fear, but the path out of it. When what is hidden comes to light, it loses its grip, and then peace begins to take hold once more.

The teaching also touches on the human need for control. Many people feel most at ease when they can keep track of things themselves, steer the course and know what the next step will look like. But when control slips away, it quickly becomes apparent how much peace may have been built on one’s own efforts rather than on trust in God. That is why it is stated very clearly that where peace is lacking, there is often a place where trust in God is also lacking. Peace does not grow from everything going according to plan, but from remaining steadfast with God, even when the plan does not yet make sense.

A key theme in the teaching is that Jesus does not give peace in the way the world gives it. The world often promises peace if only circumstances fall into place, if money is available, if the body is functioning, if relationships are stable, and if the future looks secure. But that sort of peace lasts only as long as things do. God’s peace is different, because it can be present amidst pressure, opposition and uncertainty. That is why peace is not described as the absence of problems, but as being with Jesus in the midst of them.

It is also mentioned that many people end up making the Christian life very inward-looking. One can spend a long time filling oneself with teaching, videos, notes, prayer and good thoughts, and yet be left without the peace one longs for. In the teaching, this is illustrated through a longer story about a woman who constantly thinks that she must first feel completely at peace within herself before she can serve others. But this changes when she begins to act on what she already knows, giving of herself in small, simple ways such as visits, help, encouragement and time for others. Here it becomes very clear that peace does not just grow when one takes in, but also when one begins to give out.

It is therefore emphasised that one must not merely hold on to God’s word in one’s mind, but also live by it in everyday life. Faith is not just something one feels, but something one chooses to act upon, even when one’s feelings lag behind. When God has spoken, the next step is not to wait for the perfect mood, but to obey. This applies to both the small things and the big ones. Those who continue to act on God’s word discover, little by little, that peace grows stronger than fear.

The teaching also emphasises that the enemy tries to steal peace time and time again. This can happen through thoughts of not being good enough, through conflicts, through disappointments, through confusion about answers to prayer, or through the feeling of being left to one’s own devices. That is why we are called to ensure that the peace of Christ does not merely visit the heart from time to time, but is allowed to reign there. Peace must be the one who judges, chooses the direction and sets the tone, not fear, not shame and not the old patterns. It is an active choice, where time and again one casts aside one’s worries and holds fast to the fact that God is faithful.

Ultimately, it all comes together in a simple yet powerful image: when our gaze shifts from ourselves to God and to other people, things begin to fall into place. When we stop constantly revolving around how we ourselves are feeling, and instead begin to love, serve, give and trust, peace often comes quietly and gently. It does not always come as a great emotional outburst, but as a steady stream that fills us more and more. That peace does not make the world any less chaotic, but it means that the heart no longer needs to be in chaos along with the world. That is why the teaching concludes with a clear call to allow the peace of Christ to dwell, rule and spread within the heart, so that it may also rub off on others.

Quote from the teaching: “Peace is not the absence of problems, but peace is the presence of Jesus.”

Relevant keywords: God’s peace – shalom – inner peace – fear – worries – shame – trust in God – the peace of Christ – the fruit of the Spirit – the Holy Spirit – rest in God – service – discipleship – Christian life – peace in the heart – spiritual peace

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It’s about something as wonderful as God’s fundamental peace. And it’s just so important because there are so many people out there who believe in Jesus but just don’t have this deep, deep peace. And yet, the Bible talks about peace so many times. How is it possible to be a Christian, to have accepted Jesus, been baptized to belong to Him, and still walk around with anything but peace?

If we look at what peace really is, it comes from the Hebrew word “shalom,” which is also used as a greeting of peace. A hello. It’s used in Israel. Shalom. And it’s so brilliant because it covers everything from well-being, health, safety, prosperity, progress, wholeness, completeness. It’s simply a wish you place upon another when you say shalom. And it’s actually not bad. It’s also used as an expression for the absence of war.

That means, where there is an absence of conflict, there is peace. Where there is an absence of war, we can say shalom. Where there is friendship, where there is completeness or wholeness, we can say shalom. So it’s a fantastic greeting of peace. And yet, it is used several times in the Bible.

And you know from Numbers chapter 6, verses 24 to 26. I think you’ve heard that scripture so many times, and it’s so central. And it says: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. And give you peace, meaning it is a greeting of peace. It is a blessing of peace.

And it’s actually God saying to Aaron: “Speak this over the Israelites. Speak this, that it is my wish for them.” But why is it, when peace is so central in God’s word, why do we experience this absence of peace? Lack of peace, there are many reasons for it, but one of the reasons is fear. A very, very big reason is fear.

Many people worry. They worry about everyday life. They worry about tomorrow. They worry about Putin. They worry about the USA. They worry about all sorts of things they can’t do anything about. A big power play that people take part in and think, oh, how terrible it is.

I was down this morning when our furnace broke. I had to press some gears onto some bearings, and it was just a bit more than our tools could handle. So I drove down to the local sawmill, where there’s a good man who’s a farmer, and he just has the stuff. He has the equipment.

And one of the first things he started talking about, because he has a sawmill, and I say, so what’s up? Are you sawing any wood these days? and he says: “No, I’m not. I haven’t had any orders at all since October.” I say, what? Why? Well, it’s because people are so scared because of all this war and uncertainty. And you don’t know how and what. And there are so many who don’t dare to make plans because, and he was talking up the fear, and then he talked about what TV had said, and now we were oh dear. And Trump, he was a real piece of work. And oh, it was incredible.

It was really funny to hear from this angle. But to hear how much fear actually lay there. And this man, he’s not scared. He’s fearless in many ways. And yet, deep down, there was that fear. What happens tomorrow? What happens the day after tomorrow? What happens in our lives? What happens? Will we have war?

Will we have World War III? Will we have whatever? What happens? People are so scared. And when you carry this fear, God’s peace can’t get through at all.

Many people also maybe don’t necessarily carry this fear into the future, but many people actually carry a shame. Shame over something they’ve done. Shame over things they wish they had never said. Or they beat themselves up over something that happened a long, long time ago. They find it hard to forgive themselves.

And somewhere deep down, they know they’ve made it right with God. They’ve made it right, but we are just reminded of it again and again and again. And then there’s a blanket of shame. And then it’s really hard to grasp this enormous peace that God has for us.

Or many experience this, if you lose your own control. If you lose control, many, many people, maybe a few more women than men, but many people need to have control. And if you lose this control, wow, you can’t handle it at all. Then you’re out on this ship that just rocks back and forth.

Lack of trust in God or lack of trust in people because you place people higher than God. It steals your peace. There are so many factors that can simply steal this deep, deep peace. Many people experience this, that they’ve done something wrong, and they don’t know how to handle it.

I remember a very funny example we had at one point when our son was little. The other kids were too. But what happened was, we had just moved into our newly built house, and it was just great. And then I suddenly noticed a huge star on one of the windows like a stone chip. I thought, that’s just strange. You could see it was at kid height, and I thought, that’s really strange.

And we asked the kids, do any of you know about this? Do any of you know why there’s a hole in the window? No, absolutely not. And we asked several times. No, there wasn’t. And I just had this feeling inside, I knew the guilt and shame were gnawing. And they were gnawing a lot. But I couldn’t get through because the shame was so overwhelming that they didn’t dare to come and say, it was me.

So that means the peace that could have been, and everything was fine, was suddenly replaced by an “Oh, I hope I don’t get caught.” And what did I do? 200 IQ. I said, well, it’s okay that it’s none of you. It’s probably just vandalism, and that’s what it is. So now you should just know that tomorrow I’m calling the police, and then I’ll report it, and then they’ll probably find out who it is, and then we’ll see what happens to the person.

And I knew perfectly well that it was one of the kids. But I needed to say, or I needed them to come to me and say: “Dad, it was me,” because then I could forgive. If I discovered it myself, I would have said, why on earth didn’t you come? And honestly, I had to take the situation to the point where I knew, now I’m pushing a bit.

And then you might sit there thinking, well, that wasn’t very nice of you. But what happened was that the son comes and says, “Dad, I need to talk to you.” Oh, what do you want to talk to me about? It was me. Oh, you know what? It’s so good you came and said that. Really, you know what? It’s so good you’re saying it.

You know what? You’re just forgiven. It’s absolutely okay. So, and it’s good you said it because now we don’t have to call the police. So you don’t have to worry about it anymore. It was so good you came and said it.

And for him, it suddenly becomes a positive experience to come and admit what he’s done wrong. The shame he carried inside, which he thought was driving him to fear. Oh no, what will mom and dad say? I’ll just get a scolding. And it’s exactly the same when we come to our heavenly Father. He doesn’t come and scold us.

Our heavenly Father, when we come to Him, says, “Oh, it’s so good you said it. Don’t do it again. Don’t do it again.” And sometimes He can say, you know what, it’s good you’ve said it. Here’s a new window. Can you just replace it? God can say that to us. And it’s completely okay. It’s fair. I’m the one who broke it. I’m the one who should replace it.

He couldn’t do that, the son. So it was good we had insurance. So never mind. Jesus walks with the disciples for three years, and so many things happen, and there are riots, and all sorts of things. People want to stone Him. People want to push Him off the cliff, and people want to get rid of Him. And a lot happens during the time Jesus is there. Many wild things and many troublesome things.

I just want to read from the Gospel of John chapter 14 verses 22 to 27. It says: Judas, not Iscariot, said to Him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my words, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Those who do not love me do not keep my words. And the word you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me. I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”

So Jesus promises here. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. And what does the world give? The world promises peace. The world promises calm. But when you get there, where you thought, oh, there was calm, there’s just no calm. And then you just long for more because it was a false peace. It was a temporary peace.

But the peace Jesus gives is a permanent peace. It’s a deep peace. It’s a peace that reaches into the very marrow and bones. It’s a peace where worries don’t come crashing over you. That’s the peace He wants to give you.

And I would generally say to you, go home and read. Not right now. You can wait until later, but go home and read the Gospel of John chapter 14. There are so many nuggets of wisdom. It’s one of my favorite chapters. The Gospel of John chapter 14. Go home and read it. There are so many nuggets of wisdom. So much fantastic stuff.

Peace, it might be a bit of a strange expression, but to be at peace with God. Like you know, as you know, that you are right before God. You know, as you know, as you just know inside. I have no outstanding issues with God. I’ve made things right. I’ve laid my life down for Him.

If He tells me there are things I need to change or alter, then I change them because I’ve laid it down. I know I’m at peace with God. I don’t just believe in Him, but I know. And how do you do that?

You do it by starting with a choice. Starting with a choice to believe that the promises God has spoken to us and given us in His word are real. That the promises also apply to me. And believe that Jesus has conquered. Believe that it’s not a battle He has to fight, but He has fought it. Believe that it is finished. Not that it’s half-done or quarter-done, but it is finished. It means it’s completely done. Know it. Know it applies to your life. Know He has done what needs to be done. He has given you everything you need.

Often it’s up here or in our minds where it goes wrong. It’s old habits, old patterns, old things and matters, old wounds, old expectations, old reflections that run over and over again in our minds. And that’s what brings fear in, that brings shame in. You may have buried it in the waters of baptism, but if you don’t leave it there. If you don’t, when the devil comes, he comes and holds it up in front of you to tempt you. Then you can say, tempt, well it’s not tempting me to bring up something from my old life. Yes, because he tempts you to consider it again and stir up some feelings again. And that’s a temptation.

It can be a temptation to say, oh, but that’s true. I probably need to go to a psychologist now and process it. I thought I had laid it down. Now I probably need to process it again. And then you talk about it. And then you come to the exact same conclusion as before, that you had actually laid it down. The problem is just that you’ve spent a fortune on a psychologist, which you should have used in God’s kingdom instead. And you’ve spent amounts of time in your life, which you should have used to preach to other people to find out, how am I, how do I feel?

But you can, you don’t have it, and you don’t feel if you are dead to yourself in the waters of baptism. No, how is it? God says, I have it. And that doesn’t mean you can’t be frustrated sometimes. You can be sad sometimes. It’s okay, but it’s not those feelings that should drive us. It’s a choice to say, okay, I am who God says I am. I have chosen that I will walk on that path.

Now we have this huge, huge, huge building project. We’ve been building for three and a half years, and most days, we are alone. And you often find yourself in work where you think, oh man, things where you really, if you really feel it, you don’t want to do it. But you do it because we are called to do it. We do it because we know it’s what God has said we should do. So it’s not a question of feeling and saying, I really want to do this. No, we do it because we do it. We do it because God has called. We do it because we know it’s right.

Try asking Noah if he felt like building the ark. I bet there were many, many days when he absolutely didn’t feel like doing anything. I imagine he was super tired of chopping down all those trees. Super tired of dragging them in and having to saw them into planks. And it took an incredibly long time. I really don’t think he found it fun. And he had absolutely no goal with it. He was building an ark out in the desert. He didn’t know why he had to build it. He just had to build it. Okay. Peace be with it. But he did it, and he found the motivation because God had said so. And that’s where we all need to be, that when God has spoken, we do it.

And that’s what we experience, that when we act on what God says and go, no matter what the world says, because it’s not the world that gives us peace, it’s God who gives us peace, then things start to change. Things start to succeed. And it transforms, and it’s amazing. Some of the few promises that God has given, which we need to hold onto to truly trust that he is who he says he is, so peace can reign in our lives.

For example, Matthew 28:20. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Just think about it. He is with you. Every day. It doesn’t say, sometimes you might feel like, God, I don’t feel you today. Why are you so far away? He’s not far away. It’s you who are far from him. It says, he is with you every day until the end of the age. Every. And if we look up the Greek word for every, it actually means every without exception. Every.

And it’s not Monday, Wednesday, Friday. It’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And I could go on. But they wouldn’t want to hear that. I can tell you that.

In Hebrews 13:5. I will never leave you nor forsake you. That’s a promise to you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Well, I feel pretty forsaken. Okay. Is it because you’re following your own plan, or are you following God’s plan?

Psalm 91:2. My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. So if he is your refuge, that’s where you flee when things are tough. You don’t flee into your own hiding place. You don’t run to friends and all sorts of other things. No. You flee into your refuge. You flee into your heavenly Father, into his embrace. That’s where you flee. And then he is your fortress.

What does it mean to be a fortress? It means there are walls of defense all around. It means there are angels all around. You are inside the fortress. He will take care of the protection. That’s not your job. Your job is to stay inside the fortress and do it the king’s way.

Psalm 46:2. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. First Peter 5: Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. And it’s so amazing. I don’t know if you realize, it says: “Cast all your anxieties on him.” Cast. Often we think, oh, we better go and lay it gently at the foot of the cross, so it can lie there. No, no, because then you have to take time to go there.

God wants, as soon as the worries come, you shouldn’t think, oh, now I have to go and deliver it to God. That’s quite a long way. No, cast it. Cast it. It doesn’t matter if you can throw far or not. Cast it. Away with my worries immediately, instantly. Cast it.

It means you shouldn’t own it, you shouldn’t have it. You shouldn’t take it upon yourself. You shouldn’t carry it. Not even to the cross. You should cast it away, because he cares for you. And often as Christians, we’re like, oh, I need to ponder over it a bit, and then I need to think a bit more, because maybe casting it now. If it’s a worry, just throw it away.

You’ll discover that maybe half a percent of all the worries you’ve had in your entire life have actually turned into something you should worry about. But precisely that half percent was the half percent you didn’t worry enough about. So in other words, just don’t worry. It’s not worth it at all.

God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That’s from Philippians 4:7. Thank you, Jesus, because my thoughts can be in you. Thank you because my thoughts, everything I am, everything I have, can be in you. My understanding, everything. Lay it over yourself. Praise God for it. Is it resting like a peace?

There is one of the messianic prophecies that came over Jesus hundreds of years before he was born, from the book of Isaiah, actually incredibly interesting. It’s from Isaiah 9:6. It says: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” I haven’t read the rest yet, but wow.

Prince of Peace comes from the Hebrew sar shalom. And sar shalom actually means a regular king, an authority figure, a ruler. That means that who Jesus is, what he is to rule over, is peace. That means when he has said “peace be with you,” what does it say? His words do not return empty. That means when he desires peace, when he speaks peace, he also wants that peace, you should accept it, for he is the Prince of Peace.

But how can that be? Because it’s fine, because we see that Jesus wants to give peace. But if there was anything that was absolutely not present when Jesus came to earth, it was peace. There was absolutely nothing but peace. And if we look at Matthew 10 from 29 to 42, verse 29 starts with this fantastic thing, about two sparrows being sold for nothing, and yet God is with them, and he loves you far, far more.

And if we take a step further to verse 34, it says: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” Aha. Didn’t it just say he was the Prince of Peace? Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Prince of Peace? Yes. But what did we read before? That the peace he gives is not for this world, but it is the deep peace inside. And what happens when we come as living lights for him, it means that people become, as my old grandmother would have said, they become upset. They get a thorn in their side about you.

If you had told them you became a Buddhist? No problem. Oh, how interesting. So you believe in reincarnation? Can I hear more? I believe in Jesus Christ. Ah, what did you say? Well, I’ve started reading my Bible. Your what? Excuse me. I think my ears just fell off here. What? Try saying that again. Well, I believe in Jesus. Okay. Well, that’s fine. I can be free. That’s how people react.

And that’s exactly why Jesus says he came to bring division. He doesn’t want division, but he comes because he brings good news to captives. He brings good news to those who need it. He actually brings good news to everyone. But so many won’t accept it. Many want to do it themselves. And many, we see how this spiritual battle begins. It’s no longer just flesh and blood, but it’s a spiritual battle.

And you see how you lose family members, how you lose best friends, how you lose one and then another and another. You see how you’re ridiculed as a huge fool just because you’ve found Jesus. And the wild thing is, in the midst of all this, of course, it can hurt, but there’s just peace in here. Oh, I just know it’s right. I just know I want to follow you, Jesus.

I saw a video the other day, was it Iranian prisoners, who in 2025 last year were executed, I think it was 10 or something like that for their faith. They had to kneel in a row, with their executioners standing behind them. They had to renounce their faith. And if they didn’t, their heads would be cut off. And in that film, you can just see the peace on their faces. And you can see how they pray to Jesus. They’re not just sitting quietly. You can just see how they sit with closed eyes and their mouths moving. We’re just praying to our heavenly Father.

In the midst of chaos, in the midst of the world’s evil, in the midst of the sword, they had peace. We read it when Stephen was stoned. One thing is to have your head cut off. Of course, fear can come. It’s not because it’s quite quick, then you’re dead. Stephen was stoned. It’s stone after stone after stone. It’s so brutal. His face shone because he knew what awaited him.

That peace, that peace, that’s the peace we should walk in. And that peace, that’s the peace the devil tries to steal from you again and again and again. He tries to take it so you don’t have rest. He tries everything he can to remove the calm and peace from your mind. And he has so many ways, so many methods, and we are so good at falling for all of them.

And that’s why it’s sometimes necessary to know the enemy’s tactics, so you can say: “Oh, there you are again. Still don’t have time. I’m on my knees before my Father. I want to be like those who were executed and had peace. That peace I want to walk with. No, I don’t want to be executed, but I want to walk with God’s peace right to the end. And I want us all to walk with that peace.

Peace is part of the fruit of the Spirit. You receive the fruit of the Spirit, and one of the bites you take is peace. But the fruit of the Spirit, that’s Galatians 5, 22 to 25. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Peace is often misunderstood. Peace is not the absence of problems, but peace is the presence of Jesus. Peace is not the absence of problems, but peace is the presence of Jesus. He should be with you.

When Jesus rises and shows himself for the very first time to the whole group of disciples. And this is enormously exciting, because the disciples know that Jesus is going to die, and he has told them he will rise. And he has said it so much that the rumors have even reached the chief priests and Pilate, who set extra guards in front of the tomb because they know he will rise on the third day. It’s not something you might read between the lines somewhere. There’s a reason the tomb is guarded. The disciples knew it.

And yet it says, when the disciples were gathered, this is in Luke 24, 36 to 43. While they were talking about this, he stood among them, and he says to them: “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. But he said to them: “Why are you troubled?”

And why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see. A ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them: “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

Peace be with you is his very first comment when he meets them. And then he asks, why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Doubt gives fear. And that’s why he starts by saying, why are you troubled? Starts by saying, peace be with you. Hey, what’s going on with you? Hey, pull yourselves together. Why are you troubled? Because they are tempted by doubt, by discouragement, by sorrow, by frustration. It completely takes over. And when they finally see him, he doesn’t come as they expected.

Satan tries to steal your peace. He does it by making you believe you’re not good enough. He does it by creating conflicts in your circle or marriage. He does it by making you feel wronged. Like your ego grows a bit too much. Now I’m just mad because I didn’t get my way. He does it through religious doctrines. He does it through thoughts like: God doesn’t keep his promises. The devil wants to create confusion about answered prayers. He wants to put in your head that you’re not led by God and that you’re walking on your own.

It says in Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” And when it says rule in your hearts, when we look at the word rule in your hearts, it actually means you have to allow it. It’s something you have to allow yourself. If you don’t allow it, it won’t happen. So it’s an active choice to say, okay, I actually want the peace of Christ to rule in my heart. And I actually want to lay down what’s in the way of it. Otherwise, it won’t happen when it says it should rule in our hearts. We must let it rule.

What does rule mean? It actually means that peace should be the judge, the chief judge. So you must actively let peace be the chief judge in your life. Interesting. Is it peace that is the chief judge in your life, or is it worries? Or is it shame? Or some of all the other things we’ve talked about. It’s so important that we allow it to be that way.

Isaiah 26:2-4. It says, “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” Just think about that. You will keep in perfect peace. And what’s interesting here is that the word peace used here, in Hebrew, since it’s the Old Testament, doesn’t just say shalom, but shalom shalom. Why is that? Because when shalom is repeated twice in Hebrew, it means complete. Complete peace. So you keep the complete peace, Lord, for you are the eternal rock.

Where peace is absent, it’s because you don’t trust God. Have you ever thought about that? Where peace is absent, it’s because worries get in the way, and your trust in God disappears. And then you can measure yourself, okay, where am I in relation to peace? Where am I in relation to trust in God? And if you don’t have peace, you really need to go home and work on building a trust relationship with your God. It’s just necessary.

I won’t say much more, except that I want to read a little story. It’s a bit long, but it’s also quite powerful. And you can ponder over it.

It’s about Julie. Julie sat again at the kitchen table with her Bible open to Colossians 3. And you know what it says because we’ve gone through it. Anyway, she sat with her Bible open to Colossians 3. She had already prayed for a whole hour that morning, listened to two teaching videos, participated in online prayer, and had written a whole page of notes in her journal, yet her heart was still trembling with unrest.

Thoughts swarmed. You should be further along. Why don’t you have peace yet? What’s wrong with your faith? She knew the verses by heart. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom. She had done everything she thought was required. She prayed, she read, she listened, she filled herself with teaching hour after hour.

But the peace she read about was like a city she could see from afar but never really enter. In the congregation, they knew Julie as the eager one. She always had her notebook out, nodding eagerly and looking up all the scriptures, asking deep questions after the service. But when they asked for helpers for children’s church, practical tasks, or visitation services, she withdrew.

Ah, I’m not ready yet, she told herself. I need more healing. I need more teaching. I need more time with God before I can pass anything on. I also don’t have time because I’m involved in online prayer.

One Tuesday morning, she sat with John 14 in front of her. She slowly read Jesus’ words: Whoever loves me will keep my word. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. She leaned back and sighed.

Jesus, I keep your word, she mumbled. I read it every day. Why is my heart still troubled? Why am I still afraid of the future, of finances? Of whether I’m good enough? As if in response, a thought appeared that she couldn’t shake off. You hold onto it in your head, Julie. But do you act on it? It wasn’t a harsh voice, more like a gentle but sharp reminder.

She tried to push it away. She thought of Paul’s words about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, and patience. She longed for just that, but it was as if the fruit never really ripened in her own life.

Later that week, she sat in a Bible study at the congregation. The evening’s text was Colossians 3:1-17. When the leader read the words: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,” it was as if the verses lit up for her in a new way.

Have you noticed, said the leader, that it’s not just about what we fill ourselves with, but what flows out of us? Teach and admonish one another. Sing with gratitude. Whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Peace is connected to living for Jesus and not for ourselves. Acting on faith and not just isolating it for personal use.

The words hit Julie right in the heart. She could suddenly see herself from the outside: hours in front of the screen with teachings, podcasts, sermons, hours in prayer, but mostly prayers that she might feel better, get more peace, more joy, more calm. She loved learning, and she almost never shared it with anyone.

She was so focused on feeling good that she, without meaning to, had turned it all about herself. On the way home from Bible study that evening, it was quiet on the bus. She looked out the window and let her thoughts wander. She thought of Jesus’ words in John 10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. She began to realize that something had been stolen. Not God’s love for her, but her focus had been stolen.

The devil hasn’t just lied about who I am, she thought. He’s also made me believe everything else about me, that I need to be whole inside before I can serve others. But what if healing actually happens while serving? It dawned on her that maybe she should do the opposite of what she usually did. Maybe she should act on faith, regardless of circumstances.

The next Sunday after the service, there was again a message in the church bulletin. We need helpers for practical tasks, visitation services, and children’s church. Julie’s first reaction was the same as always. A mix of guilt and fear. I can’t do it. I’m too fragile. I haven’t got my own life together yet. The familiar voice from within sounded. But this time, it was interrupted by a thought. You are loved. Not when you have it all together, but now. You are an ambassador for Jesus. Not because you are perfect, but because he is.

She stood a little longer in the church hall than usual before she could convince herself not to do it. Yes. Then she went to the pastor. “I’m not quite sure what I can do,” she said hesitantly. “But if there’s a need for practical help or just being with people, or just… I just want to volunteer.” The pastor smiled warmly. I’m glad, Julie. We actually have an elderly lady who misses visits. And next month, we need an extra hand in the café after the service. Shall we start there?

She went home that day. The problems certainly hadn’t disappeared, and her inner critic hadn’t gone quiet overnight. But she felt a new kind of peace. It was as if a new line had been drawn within her. I’m not just someone who receives from God. I’m sent by him to others.

The next few weeks were busier than usual. One afternoon a week, she visited the elderly lady, Anna, who lived alone. They would have coffee together, pray together, and often read the Bible together, always talking about Jesus whenever they were together. Julie discovered that verses she thought she knew grew in depth when she read them aloud to Anna and explained them. Suddenly, “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” became very concrete. It wasn’t an ideal but a quiet little conversation at a dining table with red tea in hand.

She also started helping out practically in the church. It wasn’t anything big. It wasn’t a major preaching service or platform. Just coffee, washing up, cleaning, and a smile and time to listen. But all at once, she experienced God using her in small remarks and short prayers with people who needed encouragement. She discovered that when she focused on loving those in front of her, her own worries became less loud.

One evening after a long visit with Anna, Julie sat down with her Bible again. This time she turned to Philippians 4: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The verse was the same one she had read a hundred times before, but now she saw something she had overlooked, that Paul wrote these words to a community living in service, not an isolated individual sitting alone trying to find peace of mind. She began to see a connection; when she only focused on herself but didn’t give to others, peace stagnated. When she spent her time fighting the lies in her own head but rarely spoke words of truth to others, the battles were internal. When she used her resources on herself but didn’t give financially or practically, she became more focused on lack than on God’s abundance.

One Sunday, a guest speaker preached about us being ambassadors for Christ. The words struck something deep. An ambassador lives in a foreign country, he said. You live out the values, authority, and resources of your homeland. It means you don’t walk around as an orphan in this world, but you represent the King of Heaven.

Julie sat with tears in her eyes. For the first time, she truly realized that her identity was not primarily as someone who needed healing, but as someone who is sent. She made a practical decision that week. She set aside fixed time for prayer and the Word but halved her screen time with teaching videos. She decided to give a fixed percentage of her modest income to the church and a mission she had on her heart.

She prayed for God to show her one person a week whom she could encourage with a word about Jesus or a prayer or with practical help. To her surprise, the pressure didn’t increase, but the peace did. There were still days of struggle. Days when old thoughts knocked on the door. You’re not good enough. You’re not doing it well enough. You should feel more. But in the midst of it all, a small conviction began to grow. I am loved. I am not alone. I am sent. It’s not my strength that carries this. It is His.

One afternoon, when she was particularly tired and old worries about the future surfaced, she was about to dive into yet another long series of teaching videos to feel better. But she paused. Jesus, be still. You have given me your peace. Instead of just trying to feel it, I will now act as if it is true. Who can I love today?

That same day, she wrote a message to a fellow Christian who had seemed down and invited her for coffee. The conversation became honest, vulnerable, and encouraging for both of them. And when Julie went to bed that night, she felt a peace she couldn’t logically explain. The circumstances hadn’t changed, but something in her had shifted. Her focus had gone from how can I feel better to how can I, as a beloved ambassador, pass on what I have already received?

The peace didn’t come instantly as an emotional shock but as a quiet, steady stream that followed as she let the word of Christ dwell richly in her. Not as stock on a shelf, but as bread being shared. And as she passed it on, she discovered that the peace she had long chased had always been anchored in one simple truth. Julie was loved. She was not alone. She was sent. Yes, she was sent with peace, in the midst of a world of chaos.

A long story about Julie, but with so many wonderful truths in it. And I think sometimes what happens in our lives is exactly the same as what happens in Julie’s life. That we start thinking inwardly. We start thinking about how can I get God to do this for me. But when we turn our gaze outward, when we sacrifice for other people, sacrifice time, sacrifice love, sacrifice finances, then suddenly something happens, and things begin to change inside.

And then slowly, without us really noticing it, peace comes, and it just quietly fills more and more, and then it rubs off on other people, and people can see it.

So let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

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