Refilling with Jesus' Peace This Easter

Glancing at Easter weekend on the calendar always brought a level of excitement as a pastor’s wife and momma. It was my favorite weekend of the year, in fact. 

For school teachers like me, Good Friday meant an extra day off to celebrate April family birthdays celebrations. The long weekend also gave us a nice long visit from the grandkids. That always included egg hunts, baskets of goodies, and having everyone together for Resurrection Sunday service.

But in 2020, things changed. Looking at the calendar brought different feelings. We didn’t know what to expect from one day to the next.

Good Friday ended up as just another day of exhaustion for many, and one more day running into the next for tired moms at home with all the kids. It meant anxiety for stressed out students and solitude for elderly or fragile family members.

It was the first time I could ever remember lacking the excitement I’d always had for Easter weekend.

How the Change of Seasons Affects Our Peace 

When life seasons change and what we’ve looked forward to comes to a screeching halt, it can mess with our peace. Uncertainty, worry, and grief over things lost crash in on us, and it’s hard to move forward with a smile on our faces.

We’re told we need to “pull ourselves up” and move on. We’re taught to embrace change. And that may be good advice, but we will continue struggling if we try to do those things without first inviting Jesus into our grief over what has changed, and asking for his peace to replenish us.

What Jesus Taught the Disciples About Peace

The disciples understood facing an uncertain future as Jesus tried to prepare them for His leaving. They  didn’t know what to expect in the next moment, much less the next hour or the next day. They wanted answers and feared the worst, confused by their own anxious thoughts. 

Sound familiar? In many ways, we can relate to what the disciples experienced as they listened to Jesus’ words. In the midst of their confusion, Jesus offered them something beyond what this world could ever provide. He gave them the gift of His peace.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Jesus knew how hard it would be for the disciples to witness what was about to happen to him. The days ahead would test everything He ever taught about the love of the Father. So He spoke this gift into being right before evil set its sinister plan into motion. 

Jesus said,

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.” John 14:30-31

Yet even in the horrific acts that followed, the disciples watched how Jesus remained peace-filled while enduring unfathomable hurt, betrayal, and pain. 

Jesus taught an invaluable lesson that day. Not just for the disciples, but for each one of us today. His peace is the only way forward, even in painful times of change.

He was about to face His most difficult time on earth, and He spoke about peace. So why do we, as believers, live stressed out, worried, and panicked lives? By looking at Jesus’ words, we can discover how the same peace that carried Jesus through the cross will carry us through our hardest days.

Since that vastly different season a few years ago, changes keep on coming.

Even though I try to embrace the change and focus on the good, I still fight against fear of the unknown. If this Easter weekend is bringing more dread than excitement in your world, and more doubt than expectancy, take heart my friend in the faith. Jesus prepared the way for us. He has given us the peace that surpasses human understanding.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

Find comfort in His gift as you allow your heart to be refilled with His peace today. This year or this season may not look the same as it has in the past, but the truth of what Easter means for us remains the same. Faith. Hope. Peace.

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God Hears Your Battle Shout

Sometimes it feels like the enemy has us surrounded. We sense him closing in and can’t find an escape. Maybe you feel that way right now, trapped from every side.

Does God Hear My Battle Shout?

That’s what happened to King Abijah when his kingdom of Judah was at war with Israel. (2 Chronicles 13) Abijah stood for what was right in the eyes of God. And even though he was outnumbered by Israel’s King Jeroboam and his armies, Abijah did not back down from battle.

 "But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him." 2 Chronicles 13:10 ESV

At the time, Jeroboam wasn’t leading the people of Israel in the ways of God. So he didn’t listen when Abijah sent his warning. 

“...do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.” (2 Chron. 13:12)

Abijah faced troops in front of them, while Jeroboam also sent troops to ambush him from behind. Judah was surrounded by the enemy.

What does the Bible say about our battle cry?

There will be times in life when there seems to be no hope. When we’re being ambushed by the enemy from the front and from behind. Like Abijah, we can choose how we respond when we’re surrounded by the enemy. The example we see in King Abijah still applies to our battles today.

When surrounded by the enemy, we need to have a battle shout ready.

“When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.” (2 Chron. 13:14-15 NLT)

When the men of Judah saw that the situation looked bleak, they called out to the Lord. God hears our cries of anguish. He is there, even when we feel like the battle lines have forged a chasm we can’t cross. Nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:35)

Knowing God will never leave us in battle helps us trust Him in every circumstance.

That’s a beautiful thought, but when a desperate situation comes crashing into our lives, it’s hard to hold onto that promise. However, if we know our battle shout, we will be ready when trouble comes.

When God heard the battle cry, He defeated Judah’s enemy. Sometimes, like in the battle King Abijah faced, we get to see God work immediately, taking down the enemy right before us. Other times, the outcome doesn’t turn out the way we think it will. It’s during those times we need to trust God to take care of it, regardless of what we see happening in the moment.

Are you facing a situation that seems hopeless? Have you questioned whether God hears you at all?

Let’s commit together today to develop our own personal battle shout. Let’s stand side-by-side, warriors believing and trusting in the God who loves us. And if doubt or fear threatens to take over, we will be ready.

Want to find your battle shout? Do you long to be ready when opposition comes? Check out these 5 Best Verses for Your Battle Shout.