By John David Hicks
These six words of Jesus can free your heart and stop Satan’s accusations. They will help you overcome trouble, fear, and condemnation: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27 nkjv).
Jesus is addressing your mind and emotions. With this encouragement, “Let not your heart be troubled,” the Lord gives you a promise of peace.
A few years ago, I was involved in a car accident. I had stopped at a stop sign while a pedestrian was crossing the street from the other side. A car approaching on my right stopped to let him cross, and I thought it was clear for me to go straight ahead. But when I pulled out, I hit a new Porsche sports car coming from the left that did not slow down or stop for the pedestrian.
When the police arrived, they all admired the new Porsche and talked about what a wonderful car it was. Then the officer told me that I had violated the law and gave me a ticket.
I felt terrible. My car had just a scratch on the bumper; the sports car was dented and scratched from fender to door. I was upset. Satan came with condemnation. “How could you have been so stupid? Now your insurance rates are going up. This accident will be on your record. You should have gotten the names of witnesses. What are people going to think?”
For the next few days I would argue my case in the court of my mind. I was troubled, fearful, and condemned. Everything was blown out of proportion.
I cried out to God to help me: “Lord, I need mercy and grace. I can’t live with this condemnation. I am emotionally so upset over this. It was an accident. I am so sorry it happened. But You said that You will make ‘all things work together for good’ so that we can be conformed to the image of Your Son. Help me and have mercy on me; give me your grace.”
God brought John 14:27 to my mind. When I repeated “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” to myself when I was upset, God gave me peace and freedom from worry about the situation.
A few weeks later at traffic court, I pled guilty. To my surprise the judge said, “You have a good driving record. I will lower the price of the ticket and will take it off your insurance record, if you will attend a series of driver safety classes.” I agreed and praised the Lord. Peace and freedom flowed into my heart.
There are dangers and fearful things all around us. Bad things do happen to us. Sometimes others will try to minimize our problem. They may say, “That’s not so bad. Things could be worse.” Then they will tell you about someone in a worse situation than you. But Jesus understands. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Jesus has told us why we should not be full of trouble and fear in John 14:26: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” The Holy Spirit is with you. He will help you and guide you and will give you peace. The peace that Jesus gives us is the Holy Spirit. He is with you to strengthen you. “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]” (Col. 3:15 amp).
The choice is yours. You will focus on the problem or on God. Worldly wisdom and thinking comes from focusing on yourself and your ability. It produces worry, anxiety, stress, and fear. The apostle Paul explains it: “But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated” (1 Cor. 2:14 amp).
But the Christian’s focus is on God. “Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]” (1 Cor. 2:12-13 amp). “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
God is the creator and governor of His universe. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). God loves and cares about you. He is not too busy to look after you. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1 Peter 5:7 amp). Remember, peace does not come from denying that there is a problem, but from “casting” all your trouble and fears on the Lord.
But often what troubles us the most is not fear for ourselves, but for those we love. We often find it easier to trust God for ourselves than for those we love deeply. A father finds it easier to face his own surgery than surgery on his child. So how do we find peace regarding a deep concern for others?
First, we must find peace in the faithfulness of God. Your prayer for others comes out of a compassionate heart. When you pray for a friend who is ill or a victim of injustice, your heart is moved and your emotions are touched. For those we love, this means faithfully interceding in prayer and asking God to deliver them from evil, surround them with His protection, touch them with power, guide them with His wisdom.
This faithfulness can mean concrete acts of obedience such as giving counsel, finances, or service. The Holy Spirit is also faithful to tell us when our faithfulness is complete. Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light. The same Holy Spirit that comforts us will comfort them. God is deepening our awareness of our common suffering and drawing us closer together in His presence.
When those whom we are troubled about are not Christians—not yielded to the will of God—we must pray around their free will. For instance, we can pray for God to increase their hunger for Him, for the pleasures of sin to taste bitter, for the Word of God they once knew to be brought to their remembrance, and for God to be unrelenting in the pursuit of His purpose for their lives. These powerful prayers are important to our peace because we can easily feel helpless when praying for those who are making wrong choices and have become their own worst enemy.
Paul assures us, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:5-7).
Second, when we have entrusted those we love to God’s care, God will give us the assurance of His love and faithfulness. He is our creator, the healer, the one who is faithful and true. We can trust Him completely with those we love. Our children are safe in His care. And though we know God will honor their freedom, we also know that with perfect wisdom and power the Lord will work around the edges of their free will.
The psalmist understood this: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalm 107:19-20).
In 1895 Andrew Murray, a great Christian author, was in England suffering from a painful back injury. He was staying with friends when one morning a woman who was in great trouble wanted to know if he had any advice for her. Murray handed her a paper he had been writing:
“In time of trouble say, FIRST, God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest. NEXT, God will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. THEN SAY, God will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. LAST SAY, in God’s good time He can bring me out again. How, and when, He knows. THEREFORE SAY, I am here (1) by God’s appointment, (2) in His keeping (3) under His training (4) for His time.”
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). When Jesus spoke peace to the storm, His disciples “were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him?’” (Mark 4:41). Their faith in Him was made real because of the storm and trouble. Jesus gave them peace because He is the “prince of peace.” His words are “spirit and life.” Inner peace comes only from God.
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” When a friend or family member gets stressed out or is full of worry, anxiety, or fear, remind them, “Let not.” There are times we all need to hear, “Let not.”