Jesus offers us a unique peace, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Jn. 14:27. What makes the peace He offers so different?
God created everything to work together for good, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom. 8:28. Here, we learn the key to the peace He offers. We must first love Him and accept the calling of His purpose. If we ignore God's advice on living, we will find paths that lead us away from His peace, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. 14:12. Remember, Jesus told us He is the way and the life, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Jn. 14:6. So, if Jesus is the way and the life, and He asks us to follow Him, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matt. 4:18-19, we should obey if we want His unique peace.
He does not promise His peace will be without challenges in this life, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:" Lk 12:51, as families will be divided; some will choose to follow, and some will go their own way. His peace can only come to those who choose to follow Him, for they will focus on heaven, not this life, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" Matt. 6:20. How can we have peace in this life when everything is so temporary, so tentative, where rust destroys, thieves steal, the selfish lie, and each person cares more about themselves than their neighbor? But nevertheless, He has promised us heaven and eternity to enjoy it, "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:3-4. This is where our focus needs to be.
His peace comes from knowing how to live in this world in a way that prepares us for heaven, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Phil. 2:3 & "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:8. He calls us to a life not dependent on the things of this world. So, in prison, Paul and Silas were able to pray and sing a joyful song, "And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." Acts 16:23-25. The deceiver wants us to think we can have happiness in this world apart from God and His way, as he told Eve, "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Gen. 3:4-5. He wants us to think we can be our own gods. But history has shown humans make selfish, fruitless gods.
So, if we want to experience His peace, we will choose to live the fruit of the Spirit in fellowship with other believers, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Gal. 5:22-23. This is the heaven He calls us to, and anything short of this behavior will not lead us to heaven. We cannot be afraid of the things of this world, for they are only temporary, "And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God." Phil. 1:28, and nothing in this world can take away what God has given, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39 & "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Cor. 9:8. Fear is the tool of the enemy and not God, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7. & "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Matt. 6:27.
In addition, He calls us to share His message to the ends of the world, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:19-20.