Peace for the Nations

Tuesday 21 June
READ: Prov. 14: 34
MORE LESSON: Isa 57: 21

One of the greatest quests of the nations of the world is peace. There are peace keeping forces, peace movements and peace slogans like, 'Peace for Development', 'Say No to Violence' etc. The United Nations was created for the major purpose of maintaining peace in the world but there have been more wars since its creation than can be imagined. This shows that the strategy for peace in our nations must go beyond peace movements and the bilateral negotiations that political leaders engage in.
In Isa. 57:21, the Bible says, There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. This statement was made by God Himself; not a prophet, an apostle, a king or even an angel. When God says there is no peace for a particular set of people, there is no appeal, the only way to find peace is to exclude yourself from that category of people. No peace for the wicked; wicked man or wicked nation – as long as there is wickedness in the heart, there will be unrest in the environment. How can we find peace through round table discussions and peace treaty when the hearts of the people doing the discussion are wicked? The only way that there can be peace in the nations is when the heart is changed.
Hearts changed one at a time leads to global peace. It is individuals that make up families, families make societies and communities. When we have peaceful individuals we will have peaceful fathers and mothers at home, peaceful children in the schools and on the streets, peaceful workers in our sectors, peaceful leaders in the society, peaceful nations and a peaceful world. When individuals are not peaceful and the leaders are filled with wickedness in the heart and blood in their hands, there can't be peace in the nation. Remember, Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people: Prov 14:34 (NKJV). If wickedness covers a nation there cannot be peace in that nation.
If men will come to the Lord Jesus Christ, then as the Scriptures says, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh: Ezek 36:26. When the hearts of men are changed through accepting Jesus – the Prince of Peace-then the peace in the hearts of men will flow into the nations. It is by finding peace with God that we can find peace with fellow men. The secret of peace is righteousness and the strength of righteousness is faith in the blood of Jesus. If individuals will make peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, then the nation will have peaceful men and the world will have peaceful nations. Without Him there is no peace.

Prayer/Action
* Pray for peace today beginning from your home, church, community and the nation, in Jesus’ name.
* Speak prophetically to the four corners of the nation, let peace reign, in Jesus’ name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every evil ceiling of limitation placed over my life and destiny, in the name of Jesus, scatter by fire now.