Series: The Gifts only God Can Give: The Gift of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) by Pastor Paul Jacks

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is the Prince of Peace for us.

As Advent begins, remember that the child born is called the Prince of Peace — this means the gift of peace is rooted in Jesus’ reign and presence, a peace that stands over stress, loss, and the busyness of the season and gives security and hope that only God can supply. [16:02]

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Reflection: This week, name one area of your life where you feel unrest (work, family, health). Pray and ask Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to rule there; then choose one tangible step you will take today to yield that area to Him (for example: surrender a task, cancel an extra commitment, or schedule a needed appointment).

Day 2: God's favor brings peace to His people.

When the angels proclaimed the birth, they announced peace to those on whom God's favor rests—peace is not merely a condition to be earned but a gift given to God’s people; because God’s favor rests on believers, they can receive and live in that peace even when circumstances are chaotic. [17:10]

Luke 2:14 (NIV)
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Reflection: Identify one worry that makes you feel unworthy of peace this season; spend five minutes asking God to remind you that His favor rests on you, then write down one Scripture truth that counters that worry and read it aloud right now.

Day 3: Steadfast trust secures God's perfect peace.

The promise in Isaiah shows that perfect peace comes to those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in the Lord; when attention is fixed on God—contemplation and steady trust—anxiety loses its power and God keeps the heart in that perfect peace. [23:13]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Reflection: This afternoon, practice a 10-minute "mind-steady" exercise: choose a short Scripture phrase (for example, "Trust in the LORD forever"), repeat it slowly while walking or breathing deeply, notice the anxious thought that appears, then gently return your attention to the verse and write one way that truth reorients your response.

Day 4: Jesus gives enduring peace, not worldly peace.

Jesus promises a peace that is His own and different from the world's temporary quiet; because of relationship with the Father and the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers receive a peace that remains when troubles come—so they are told not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid. [28:20]

John 14:23-27 (ESV)
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Reflection: The next time fear or anxiety rises today, speak aloud, “Peace I leave with you,” then pause and list three evidences (past protections, answered prayers, God’s character) that remind you his peace is real; do this whenever your heart begins to race.

Day 5: Prayer and thanksgiving invite God's guarding peace.

Paul teaches that when worries are brought to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving, the peace of God — which surpasses understanding — will guard the heart and mind in Christ Jesus; gratitude combined with petition opens the way for God's protective peace to take hold. [34:29]

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Tonight before bed, write down three specific worries and for each offer a short prayer to God plus one sentence of thanksgiving for a past kindness of His; then read Philippians 4:6-7 aloud and notice any shift in your heart—repeat this practice nightly for three days.

Sermon Summary

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever. Coming out of Thanksgiving and into Advent, I called us to name our gratitude, to lift our needs together, and to look for the One gift we cannot buy or manufacture—peace. Advent reminds us to anticipate Christ, to reflect on a year that is almost gone, and to prepare our hearts for what’s ahead. In a season where stress, grief, and pressure often spike—health scares, economic worries, family tensions—I invited us to see peace not as the world defines it (absence of conflict, perfect circumstances), but as Jesus gives it: His own peace, rooted in relationship with the Father and carried to us by the Spirit.

We walked through Scripture. Isaiah promised “perfect peace” for those whose minds are stayed on God—peace peace, as the Hebrew doubles it, a settled wholeness that comes from trust. Jesus then gathered His disciples on the eve of chaos and said, “My peace I give to you… not as the world gives.” That peace didn’t spare them from storms; it steadied them in the storm. Paul taught us the pathway: rejoice, refuse anxiety, pray honestly with thanksgiving—and the peace of God, surpassing understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ. That “guard” is an active watchman. Peace is not passive; God’s Spirit stands at the gate of your inner life, deciding what gets in and what must stay out.

I asked us to practice attention. What we stare at grows. If we fixate on the glass we’re carrying, we’ll spill it; if we fix our eyes on where we’re going, we can walk steady. So set your mind on Him each morning. Ask the Spirit to rule your inner world. Name what tries to steal your peace and hand it over in prayer. Check on the men in your life during the holidays. And remember: the peace Jesus gives is not fragile or seasonal. It is His presence with us, His protection over us, and His promise before us. Receive it. Walk in it. Let it guard you.

Key Takeaways

1. Peace rests where God’s favor rests God’s announcement at Jesus’ birth was targeted: peace to those upon whom His favor rests. Peace is not random; it flows from relationship and obedience. Advent invites us to stand under that favor by trusting the Son. Peace is a gift already offered—our call is to receive it. [17:10]
2. Keep your mind stayed on Him Isaiah promises perfect peace to the steadfast mind. Attention is spiritual formation; what we repeatedly ponder shapes our inner climate. Shift your gaze from the “glass” of your circumstances to the God who carries you, and stability follows. Trust directs the mind; the mind escorts the heart into calm. [23:13]
3. Receive Jesus’ peace, not the world’s The world defines peace as the end of conflict or the presence of comfort. Jesus gives a different peace—His own—anchored in union with the Father and unbroken by trouble. This peace does not deny fear; it dethrones it. It allows you to move through uncertainty without being mastered by it. [28:20]
4. Pray with thanksgiving; anxiety unravels Paul’s path is concrete: refuse anxiety, pray in every situation, and lace your requests with thanks. Thanksgiving cuts anxiety’s roots by remembering who God is and what He’s done. Then God’s peace, beyond understanding, takes up guard duty over your heart and mind in Christ. The result is protection you can’t explain but can certainly experience. [34:06]
5. The Spirit guards heart and mind Peace is not only a feeling; it is the Spirit’s active presence fencing your inner life. He can keep harmful things from reaching you—and keep your soul from being shattered when they do. Ask Him to rule, to filter, to fortify. What He guards, He also guides. [37:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:27] - Call to Thanksgiving
[01:30] - Congregational Prayer
[04:28] - Announcements and Schedule
[05:21] - Men’s Health: Holiday Risks
[09:58] - Worship Through Giving
[11:59] - Entering Advent
[16:02] - The Prince of Peace Promised
[19:27] - Naming Holiday Anxieties
[22:54] - Perfect Peace from Isaiah 26
[28:20] - “My Peace, Not the World’s”
[34:06] - Peace That Guards and Surpasses
[37:31] - The Spirit Who Protects
[44:17] - Receive and Walk in Peace
[46:05] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

- Isaiah 26:3–4 — You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. - John 14:25–27 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” - Philippians 4:4–7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Observation Questions

Isaiah says God keeps “in perfect peace those whose mind is stayed on you.” What words or images in that verse help you see what “perfect peace” looks like? [23:13]
In John 14 Jesus contrasts “my peace” with “the world’s” peace. What specific differences between the two come through in the passage? [28:20]
Paul gives a concrete sequence in Philippians 4: “do not be anxious… pray… with thanksgiving… the peace of God will guard.” Which steps are present or missing in the life of someone who says they’re anxious right now? [34:06]
The preacher used the glass-of-water walking example to illustrate attention and peace. What was the point of that illustration and where did he place the responsibility for keeping peace? [24:28]

Interpretation Questions

How does keeping one’s mind “steadfast” (Isaiah 26:3) function as a spiritual discipline—what practices would actually keep someone’s mind stayed on God in ordinary mornings and stressful nights? [23:13]
When Jesus says, “My peace I give you; I do not give as the world gives,” what does that imply about the durability of Christian peace amid fear, betrayal, or chaos? [28:20]
Paul links thanksgiving to the unraveling of anxiety. In what way does thanksgiving change the posture of prayer so that God’s peace can “guard” the heart and mind? [34:06]
The sermon described the Spirit as a kind of guard who controls what gets into the inner life. What are some likely things the Spirit would permit versus things the Spirit would block, and how might one discern that difference in real time? [37:31]

Application Questions

Identify one worry or loss that tends to steal your peace during the holidays (money, grief, family tension, health). This week, write it down and pray it to God with one sentence of thanksgiving before bed for three nights—what changed? [34:06]
The sermon encouraged starting the day by setting the mind on God. What concrete morning routine will you adopt for the next two weeks (scripture reading, 5-minute prayer, worship song, breath prayer)? When exactly will you do it? [26:39]
The preacher urged the group to “check on the men in your life” during the holidays. Name two men you will contact this week, how you will check on them (call, text, visit), and what you will ask to see if they’re doing okay. [09:06]
When an anxious thought comes, Paul says to bring requests to God “with thanksgiving.” Write a short sentence you can use in the moment (for example: “Lord, I give you this fear about X and thank you for Y”), and commit to using it the next time anxiety rises—what happened? [34:06]
The sermon invited asking the Spirit to “rule” and “guard” the inner life. What is one boundary you can set this week (social media limit, news fast, turning off notifications at night) to give the Spirit space to guard your mind? When will you begin? [37:31]
The preacher said peace is a gift to receive. If you don’t feel you’ve received that gift, what is one step you will take this week to receive it (meet with a pastor, confess a sin, accept Christ, or join a prayer time)? Who will you tell so they can hold you accountable? [45:24]
Think of a recurring relationship or circumstance that consistently threatens your peace. What is one practical action (conversation, boundary, change of schedule, brief sabbath) you will take in the next 7 days to protect your heart and mind? [37:31]

Sermon Clips

``At the end of Jesus' life, Jesus says, I want to give you something, disciples. I want to give you peace. But not just any peace. He says, I want to give you my peace. I want to give you the peace that I have. And the peace that God had is, if you read all of the chapter 14, he says, we all know chapter 14, the very beginning. Do not let your hearts be troubled. If you believe in God, believe also in me. [00:28:38] (31 seconds) #PeaceFromChrist

If you notice, I haven't tried to define peace. I haven't. You know why? I can't put into words the peace of God because right here this verse tells us it surpasses all understanding. I wish I could tell you what peace is. I can try to describe it. It's a tranquility. It's an inner tranquility inside of you that your soul is at peace, but everything else could be going on and going crazy around you. It's this idea of assured salvation, that you know your destiny. You know your relationship with Jesus Christ. It's this idea that when everything is going on and going bad around you, that you're just okay. You're good. I can't explain it because it's not meant to be explained. It surpasses our understanding. [00:34:39] (60 seconds)

It's this idea of assured salvation, that you know your destiny. You know your relationship with Jesus Christ. It's this idea that when everything is going on and going bad around you, that you're just okay. You're good. I can't explain it because it's not meant to be explained. It surpasses our understanding. It transcends our ability to understand. You just know that you know that you got it. [00:35:13] (34 seconds) #SecureInSalvation

Here's how you know you got it. You know you got it when everything that would have normally caused you to give it up or go into depression or have high anxiety is now it's going to be okay. Your heart and your mind say we got this. It's going to be all right. That's a peace that God gives. Look what it says. It says, here's the great thing about it. It says, and the peace of God will transcend all understanding. [00:35:47] (30 seconds) #WeGotThisInChrist

In other words, the peace of God, when you have it, it's going to guard your heart and your mind. It's going to set up shop and it's going to control what comes in and what goes out. It's going to control what happens in your life. And here's the great thing about it. Oh, new creation, I wish I could get you to see it and understand it the way I see it and understand it. Because here's the thing. God, it's, it's, it's, it's God's peace. [00:36:58] (33 seconds) #GodsPeaceRules

He can guard your heart and your mind by not allowing you to go through that thing that will break you, but allow you to be okay and succumb or go around the things that might trip you up. See, we don't even know all the things that God has protected us from. We don't even know. We don't have a, we don't even contemplate how many things God has, has kept away from us because he knew it would destroy our peace. [00:38:11] (33 seconds) #ProtectedByGod

It says the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace. That means the Holy Spirit will give you peace when all the earth is going crazy around you. See, the Holy Spirit, we downplay the Holy Spirit and I, and I say this all the time. I, I pray that the Holy Spirit would come and he will rest, rule, and abide in our lives. He will take control of our lives. He will manifest himself in our lives so that we can be the displays, the image of Christ in this world. [00:39:22] (33 seconds) #SpiritGivesPeace

I, I can't explain it. I don't know what that feels like for you, but I know what it feels like for me. It, it gives me confidence knowing that I'm safe and secure in his arms. I, I know I got him. I know I got a relationship with Jesus Christ. So no matter what comes my way, I'll be able to make it through. But it also gives me a, uh, um, um, it gives me this idea and this remembrance that one day it's going to be all over and it's going to get better for us. [00:40:35] (31 seconds) #SecureInHisArms

Hezekiah Walker, it's going to get better. It's going to get better. It's going to get better. Why? Because God is in control. New creation. That's what the Holy Spirit would do. It will surpass your understanding. You won't even know how you got through. You won't even know how you got over you, but you just know you did. And that's the peace of God that's going to guard your heart and your mind. [00:41:10] (24 seconds) #GodIsInControl

He can change. He's the only one that can change the situation in your life. So even if you do get a phone call and say you got cancer, he's the one that can heal you. New creation. See, we don't serve a God that can't do nothing about it. And the peace that he wants to give us, that he's already given us, is security, knowing that we're saved. It's protection, knowing that he will guard our heart and our minds. And it's a future hope that we will be with him forever. [00:43:13] (37 seconds) #HopeAndHealingInChrist

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