If You Wish for Peace...

Prepare.

My first military unit was the 414^th Infantry Regiment, a reservist element whose motto is “SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM,” roughly translated, “If you wish for peace, prepare for war.”

Tough, realistic training is a cultural guide for the Army Training and Doctrine Command.

Leaders used to say, “The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war.”

Peace in spiritual warfare is not the absence of war. We will be fighting our enemy until we enjoy the ultimate peace of Heaven. Our peace is the “peace that passes understanding” (Philippians 4:7). This peace will guard our hearts and minds; it represents a factor of victory in our lives. This peace comes when we follow the command of the preceding verse; “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Jesus promises His peace to us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

This is the peace which comes from handing our regrets to God so He can return them to us as opportunities. It is the peace we experience from shedding unfruitful habits and toxic relationships. It is the peace of living guilt and worry free.

The peace of God comes through constant communication with Him and a single mindedness which blocks distractions and refuses temptations. If we wish for this peace, we must always be prepared for the battle ahead.

The more Christlike we become, the greater the peace we have. This is the test, beware of counterfeit peace. False religions have literally been started because someone felt “peace.”

If we are to have true peace, we must prepare for spiritual warfare.

“This is the peace which comes from handing our regrets to God so He can return them to us as opportunities.”

We must allow the Holy Spirit to give us a realistic assessment of our lives. If we want peace tomorrow, we must understand who and where we are today.

Use the Sword of the Spirit now, before the trauma and the temptation comes. Ask yourself the tough questions in the moment, so the enemy cannot rattle you in a moment of doubt. It is easy to pray without ceasing amidst trials, harder to pray fervently when things are going well. Even secular people pray in times of trouble, (pagan-in-a-crisis syndrome).

Now is the time to prepare for our next bout with temptation, depression, or any other attack from the forces of darkness. Vigilance, discipline and a fierce warrior spirit must be inculcated daily.

REFERENCE: The Art of Spiritual Warfare- Six “Rs” and Four Domains of a Warrior’s Discipline

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At my house, we are currently experiencing “Snow-meggadon.” The roads are impassable, church is cancelled and the temperature is approaching zero degrees Fahrenheit. Yet we are comfortable. We prepared the driveway for emergencies. We are stocked with food, and the cars are fueled up. We are at peace.

Spiritually, we can all do the same.

Desperate pleas to God during an attack are much less effective than a systematic and dedicated commitment to the Word of God and incessant prayer.

Prepare today for the fight tomorrow, or the fight in five minutes.

We should all ask ourselves questions to ensure we act more like disciples than pagans-in-crisis.

1. Are my devotions as regular as my other daily routines (grooming or feeding pets)?

2. Is my Bible study systematic or flip-and-read “Bible roulette”?

3. Do I attend a church with qualified leaders, teachers and prayer warriors?

4. Do I pray even when there is no crisis, and do I consider it time with the Lord? (Do I behave like a pagan in a crisis?)

Let us all be prepared to plunder Hell to populate Heaven.