House of Hope Online

October 6, 2024

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A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my wife, Nancy, about a word that the Lord had spoken into me regarding the following scripture:

Mark 11:

 23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be [granted] him.

 24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be [granted] you.

This passage had been speaking to me in the days leading up to my last medical test regarding my aortic heart valve.  When the results came in, they indicated that surgery is needed.   What amazed me is that, despite the bad result, I had great peace in my spirit, a peace that continues today as I take next steps toward surgery.  Afterwards, I asked the Lord if my faith was not strong enough for my mountain to be cast into the sea.  Here is what Jesus said to me:

“No, it was not a lack of faith.  It was just that you were wrong about what your mountain was.  Your mountain was not a leaky heart valve; it was fear of open-heart surgery, and that mountain has in fact been taken up and cast into the sea.  That is why you have had such a persistent peace that surpasses all comprehension – because that fear mountain had been cast into the sea.”

As Nancy and I discussed Jesus’ word, she said: “When fear gets taken up and cast into the sea, peace flows in like a river.”

Fear Out; Peace In

So, there is a relationship between peace and fear.  We could say that peace is the absence of fear.  We could also say that the devil uses fear to rob us of our peace and joy.  Jesus was clearly saying that fear of heart surgery was cast out of me, and peace came flooding into my spirit.

In Judges 6, Gideon got a word of the Lord that said essentially the same thing.  God had called Gideon as a judge, a prophet, and a military leader who was to lead Israel against the Midianites, who had been oppressing God’s people.

Judges 6:

 2 And the power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.

 3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them.

 4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey.

 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it.

 6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the LORD. (NASB)

In answer to the cry of the people, the Lord visited Gideon and asked him to lead the attack against the Midianites.

Judges 6:

 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.”

 13 Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

 14 And the LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

 15 And he said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

 16 But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”

So, God was telling Gideon he had to face this mountain that was the Midianites.  Note Gideon asked why all this had happened to the people of Israel, and where are all the miracles that their fathers had told them about.  In verse 15, Gideon also expressed a fear that he could not overcome this mountain, being the youngest of a poor family.

In a way, it was much like my discussion with Jesus after my medical test.  Where was my miracle?  Was my faith not big enough to cast the mountain into the sea?

And just as He did with me, the Lord spoke a word into Gideon that cast out his mountain of fear, and replaced it with peace.

Judges 6:

 23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (KJV)

Jehovah Shalom is a name given to God that means “The Lord is peace.”  He is the author and the deliverer of peace.  Jehovah Shalom has all authority over peace.  He is peace.   There is no way to have peace without Jehovah Shalom.  Gideon built an altar there to The Lord who is peace.

More than a Feeling

The word “Peace” in verse 23 means more than just an easy feeling.  In the Hebrew, the word is “Shalowm,” which means well, happy, and friendly, but it also means welfare, great health, prosperity, favor, rest, and safety.  Jehovah Shalom is all of that!

The Peace that is God includes my health, welfare, and prosperity, in addition to the feeling of peace I had when my fear was cast out.  I am claiming all of that today for me, and for you!

Peace Like a River

When He cast out my fear of heart surgery, Jehovah Shalom also commanded peace to rush in like a river.

We see this in Isaiah 66, when the word of the Lord commanded the people to rejoice in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 66:

 12 For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;…

I love this prophecy today as Israel intercepts missiles aimed at her from Iran.  Jehovah Shalom is saying that He is extending peace to Jerusalem like a river.  As the nations attack her, the word of God is promising her peace like a river.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Closing

In closing, let me leave you with two passages that confirm that Jesus wants peace and joy in our spirits in all circumstances.

John 15:

 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full.

Jesus speaks to us so that His joy would be in us, and our joy would be made full.  He cast my mountain of fear into the sea that peace and joy would return to me like a river, and they have.  When He speaks into our spirits, peace flows in like a river.

Galatians 5:

 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Joy and peace are prominent fruit of the Holy Spirit.  When they are lacking in our life, it is an indication that we are not walking in the Spirit.  Paul writes in Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”  Our fear comes when we look at our circumstances in the flesh, according to our understanding.  Let us walk by the Spirit so that fear would be cast out, and peace would flow in like a river.

Let us pray.

Father God, thank You for casting fear into the sea, and for sending in peace like a river.  We pray for the peace of Jerusalem as only Jehovah Shalom can deliver.  We look for her peace as Jesus comes to rule and reign.  Lord, help our weakness, strengthen our faith, and send Your shalowm, which includes great health, wellness, prosperity, favor, rest, and safety.  Command your peace into our spirits, in Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.