Phillipppians 4: 7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I have bilateral brain tumors and could develop more at any time. I’ve lost all my hearing in one ear and most in the other. I have severe balance issues. I’ve developed kidney disease. And I’m not even going to talk about the fatigue or my “wonky” head.

And yet…most days I have peace and joy instead of frustration, depression, anxiety, and/or anger. I am content in my life in spite of difficult circumstances.

There is no way to explain the peace and joy I have except that it comes from God. It is a supernatural peace that transcends all understanding. And you can have the same, no matter what difficult circumstances you find yourself in.

But that awesome and amazing peace doesn’t just happen. There are things I need to do to experience God’s best for me. 2 Corinthians 10: 3 tells us, For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

So what exactly are our weapons?

God’s Word is first and foremost. Hebrews 4: 12 tells us that “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,”

 But just reading it isn’t enough. It is one of our weapons so we must use like a weapon. When I was at my lowest point, health wise, I would read and reread verses that would encourage, uplift and strengthen me. And each time I did, I would feel the strength and peace and joy returning to me.

Another weapon is prayer.  Prayer keeps us connected God. Philippians 4: 6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” God wants us to present our requests.

Praise, worship, and thanksgiving are some of the most powerful weapons in our spiritual arsenal. At least that’s been true for me. When I’m feeling overwhelmed by my circumstances, these three activities will change my attitude and allow me to experience God’s supernatural peace and joy.

What do all of these things have in common? God’s Word; prayer; praise; worship; and thanksgiving? We have to make the choice to actually do them. We can’t just sit by passively and let our emotions control us. We have to make the choice to draw near to God. And then we will have the supernatural peace he promises.