04-11-24-ENG.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6
To live as a peacemaker is to live as someone who truly reflects God. As a result, you will then be called, or known as, the son or daughter of God because you reflect His character. The Bible tells us that God’s character is composed of peace. We read that God is a God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Jesus is known as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). His birth ushers in a season of “peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). Jesus told His disciples that His attribute of peace is what He would leave with them (John 14:27). In fact, when you read through the New Testament, you’ll see that many of the epistles are introduced by the words “Grace to you and peace.” Peace is a central component of the character of Christ. That’s why to live as a peacemaker is to publicly identify with God. It is to publicly align yourself underneath this key kingdom value.

When you do that, you will be blessed by being recognized as God’s son or God’s daughter. To be called the son or daughter of God is to be referred to as someone who knows God intimately. This is because if you share the character of God where His character has rubbed off on your own, that means you have close contact with God. I’m sure you’ve seen a married couple who, over time, start to look like each other. And I’m sure you’ve heard a married couple talk and finish each other’s sentences. This is because, over time, they begin to rub off on each other. Their mannerisms, styles, and even their expressions become more closely aligned as they spend a greater amount of time together. To be so close with God that you reflect His mannerisms, heart, and even His expressions reveals this intimacy to a watching world. When you live with this kingdom value, or even with all the kingdom values we are exploring in our time together, you are reflecting your intimacy with the King. Conversely, if you are living with an attitude and character of conflict, bitterness, and divisiveness, you are reflecting the closeness you share with the devil.

Satan’s agenda is to create conflict. His agenda is to divide. The reason he makes this his overarching goal is because he knows that God is a God of unity. He knows that God is a God of peace. Anytime Satan can get believers quarreling or divisive, he is taking aim at the very heart of God. Satan knows that God does not hang out with division. God does not abide in disunity. Conflict within families is one of the devil’s favorite forms of disunity. He enjoys stirring things up between parents and children as well as between siblings, and especially between husbands and wives. Satan knows that if a husband isn’t living in a considerate manner with his wife, his prayers will be hindered (see 1 Peter 3:7). A favorite pastime of Satan’s is sowing bitterness, arguing, and confusion in the church. The more he can divide us, the more power has over us because he has distanced us from the only thing able to overpower him: the kingdom authority of God. In addition to spreading dissent among believers, Satan is working overtime to divide people in all sorts of ways in the culture at large. Satan is not solely after you in destroying your emotions or disturbing your thoughts. In doing so, he’s after everyone else as well.

The more people with messed up emotions and destructive thoughts living together or interacting together or working together, the easier it is to keep people apart. And when Satan keeps people apart, he also successfully keeps them from being able to access the authority of heaven in a hellish world. When you and I resort to living as conflict contributors rather than as peacemakers, we have inadvertently chosen sides. We have aligned ourselves with the agenda of the devil. God is a God of harmony and oneness. That doesn’t mean we all have to agree or see things the same way, but it does mean that in our disagreements, we express ourselves in a way that demonstrates we are unified on a common goal—that of advancing God’s kingdom agenda on earth. 

Reaction:
Describe the link between seeking peace and experiencing peace. Why do you think Satan likes to go after your thoughts when trying to disrupt your peace? What practice can you put in place to help you protect and preserve the level of peace you experience in your personal life? 

Prayer:
Jesus, I want to master my emotions and thoughts to such a degree that I do not give in to Satan’s ploys and strategies as he seeks to trip me up. Help me recognize his tactics so that I do not go down a path of disunity in any area of my life. I love You and want to reflect You in all I do. In Your name I pray, amen.