For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV)

Today I want to pick up where we left off last… talking about the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah used some interesting language in describing the coming Messiah. The Child would be born, yes… and that’s why this passage comes to mind at Christmastime. And while Jesus would carry the “identity” described in this passage at His birth, clearly no government can rest upon the shoulder of an infant — even if He is the Son of God. Thus, it’s important that we let these words describe to us the man Jesus, and not just the baby.

Prince. It’s a nice term we use to think about someone who is the son of a king. And yes, Jesus is the Son of The King. But it’s also important to realize that in the 1500s and 1600s as the Scriptures were first being translated into English, it was perfectly normal to refer to the Sovereign Himself as “Prince.” In fact, the translators of the King James Bible wrote a letter to King James in which they referred to him as “Prince.” By then, James was certainly on the throne of England and was ruling as King. It was a reverential term ascribing to him the highest levels of authority in the land and it conveyed their deepest respect of him and his power. I assure you it was no slight… or it would’ve meant their heads.

Thus, when we see this word appearing in Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is being referred to as the King of Peace — the Sovereign Ruler whose life and reign would produce and be characterized by peace. It echoes back to Melchizedek who, in the time of Abraham, was referred to as the King of Salem. “Salem” is from the same Hebrew root as shalom, which is the word used here by Isaiah

Receiving Him as King of Shalom

Receive the King of Shalom

Both words refer to something that we need today… the real peace that Jesus promised and gave to His disciples. The concept is one that goes much deeper than we may realize. Jesus is the King of peace — the kind of peace that rises up, violently even, to overwhelm the onslaught of trouble, stress and anxiety that assaults a person whose life or livelihood is threatened.

The gift of this kind of peace means that we have completeness. It is utterly and entirely disconnected from circumstances and outward appearances. Regardless of what is going on around them, a person experiencing this type of wholeness is confidently assured of their security, safety and soundness. They understand that what they possess is greater than anything life may throw at them, and they draw from a deep well of resources that enables them to look fear in the face and overcome it.

Today, I believe the Body of Christ needs a renewed understanding of this powerful, precious, valuable gift of peace. When Jesus commanded his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid,” He wasn’t giving them an impossible directive. He was saying to them, “Here is My peace. It’s the peace you’ve seen Me use and will watch me use to overcome sin and shame on the cross. It’s yours to use so that you can keep your hearts from being overwhelmed by the great difficulties that are coming your way. Use it as I use it. Overwhelm your circumstances and dominate them. You are and will be complete in Me. Here is real power for you today and for always. Let this peace overwhelm you, and extend my reign of peace and wholeness into the lives of everyone you encounter.”

My friend, receive peace today. The power and promises of God are yours. You have real ability to conquer any circumstance, challenge or obstacle in your path. Look to Jesus and allow Him to teach you how to use it by His Spirit. It’s a powerful component in His plan for you to overcome.

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” (Psalms 35:27 NKJV)

I don’t know about you, but ever since I can remember, it has always been in my heart to please God. I am truly thankful for the heart that is in me to please Him.  It’s not something that I can really take any credit for. There’s a tender something in me towards Him.

Sure, at times, it has been less influential over my thoughts or my actions. At times, disappointments and discouragements may have caused me to move away from it to a greater or lesser degree.  OK, that’s not fair.  Nothing can “cause” me to move away from it… but I may have chosen to do so due to my poor reactions at times to life’s blows.

But regardless of what may or may not have been… my heart is toward God. Is yours?  Do you want to please Him?

I do.

And it’s like a warm soothing balm to know that He gets pleasure out of the prosperity of His people.

Before you jump on me for sucker-punching you on this one, think about what the Scripture says at the beginning of this post.  Did I take it out of context? A little. Does that change its meaning? Not at all.  In fact, if you read the rest of Psalm 35, you’ll find out that what David was saying was actually much stronger than what I am saying.

One quick note: “prosperity” in this verse is the Hebrew word shalom.  I’ve done a lot of studying about this word over the years and I can tell you that its true meaning is “overall well-being.”  It represents a state of wholeness, of peace, of prosperity, of abundance, of safety, of soundness.  It isn’t just financial in nature, but it definitely includes the financial side of life.

So… if you’re wondering today about whether it’s a good idea for you and/or your business to be successful… think about pleasing God.

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, (2 Corinthians 2:14 AMP)