Useful Bible Studies > Philippians Commentary > chapter 4

How to know the peace that God gives

Philippians 4:7

Peace means the calm and content attitude that comes from a right relationship with God. It is the attitude of a person who, in every situation, is trusting God (4:11-13). That person believes God’s promises and he knows God’s goodness. Therefore, he does not worry about his troubles. Instead, he prays about them and then he waits for God to act powerfully on his behalf. He remains calm because there is no proper reason to doubt God.

That kind of peace cannot come from a person’s mind; it must come from God. The human mind cannot even understand it properly (compare 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 and Ephesians 3:19). Rather, by the gift of this peace, God protects a Christian’s mind from fear and other wrong emotions. God directs the Christian to think about such promises as Psalm 91, Psalm 121 and Matthew 6:25-34. God’s word enters that Christian’s mind, and the result is faith, trust in God (Romans 10:17). So, that Christian constantly fills his thoughts with the word of God (Psalm 1:2), instead of doubt and worry.

Christ gives to his people a kind of peace that the world cannot give (John 14:27). We must not imagine that we can find this peace without a right relationship with God. Rather, we must first turn from our evil deeds and put our trust in Christ. Then we must use the Bible and prayer and the other things that God provides to keep strong our relationship with him. That is how we can know the peace of God; in other words, the peace that God gives.

Next part: Thoughts that should fill our minds (Philippians 4:8)

 

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© 2020, Keith Simons.