Hearing God Amidst Life’s Noise: Holy Spirit’s Role in Peace That Surpasses Understanding

When God first began to deal with me about moving out into a pulpit ministry, I was mortified because I was very shy, introverted, and easily intimidated by others.

I know that’s hard to believe, but it’s true. My heart was to walk in the complete will of God. I wanted my will to be His will.

When you have these desires, it’s hard to ignore what God is saying to you, but you still try. That’s when you get to the place where you pray in the spirit but don’t stop to listen. You know what He is going to say, but you don’t want to hear it.

I said, God, I can’t do that. You know, even when I’m called on to give a short testimony or share something, I shake all over. I shake so bad, my voice shakes and everybody knows I’m frightened out of my wits. So what good is that going to do? But God said to me, You’re looking at the wrong person. Well, I knew exactly what He meant by that, so that was the end of that conversation. Over the years, I have learned that obedience is better than sacrifice.

When God began to move me into a pulpit ministry, it was a big change for me. In the past, I held prayer groups in my home and taught the women about prayer and the Holy Spirit. I loved doing that, but I never got up in the pulpit. Then God said, You need to. That’s what I want you to do. That meant that I had to allow the Holy Spirit to work in me and through me to get fear out of my life, because shyness and intimidation are byproducts of fear. I had to let go of all my fears and allow the Word of God to heal me and bring me into the fullness of what God had for my life.

Many years before I began teaching, God had me study the topic of love. For two years, I studied everything about God’s love. I used to tease our congregation when we pioneered our first church, Faith Christian Fellowship. Of course they knew I loved them, but sometimes I would say things like, “You know, you’re the reason that God had me in the love chapters and studying God’s love for two years.”

There was more truth to that than I realized at the time. It wasn’t because of those people; it was so that I could understand the heart of God. That’s who He is. First John (NKJV) says, “He who does not love does know God, for God is love.”

God wanted me to have the right kind of love for people. He wanted me to love people the way He loves people. The world’s love is “performance-based” love. I had a lot to overcome, but thank God He put me in the right place to overcome it. I learned about Him and who He is. If I can do it, you can too!

Are you in complete obedience? Are you seeking Him daily to walk out His plan for your life? That’s what’s important. It’s very important.

Even though we may know the love of God and how to pray in the Spirit, build ourselves up, listen to God, and hear what He is saying, we can still allow our minds to overtake us at times. When we do this, we allow ourselves to get in unrest or unpeace.

And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever (Isaiah 32:17 NLT).

God has called us to be people of peace. We are the only Jesus many people will ever see. The reason they are drawn to us is because they see the attributes of Jesus in us—joy and peace.

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us, by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace (Ephesians 2:14-15 AMPC).

We need to meditate on these scriptures and look at the different translations. God created one man, abolishing or annulling the law so there’s one new quality of humanity. He made peace. Peace is here because Jesus made peace for us. He did it in His own body. Until Jesus came to earth, died, rose again, and was seated at the right side of His Father, this supernatural peace wasn’t available

The kingdom of God is within us. Luke 17:21 (NKJV) says, “Nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Because Jesus is the King and we have received Him as our Lord and Savior, He lives in us. We cannot find peace in outward circumstances. So why are we looking out there for peace? Peace is right here on the inside of us. Jesus said, “If you receive me I come to abide with you. Not only that, I bring the Father and He abides with you. And then I have left the Holy Spirit here on the earth for you, which is the Spirit of God who speaks forth that which God wills.”

If we look through the Word, we will see that time and time again, God wills it, Jesus speaks it, and the Holy Spirit does it or demonstrates it in our lives. Because the kingdom of God is on the inside of us, we have righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (see 2 Thessalonians 3:16). In that scripture, He says we should have the peace of God surrounding us at all times. The reason we can’t get into that flow of praying in the spirit, yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and listening to what God is saying to us by His Holy Spirit is because we have not brought our minds into control. Our minds are running here and there, and when we finally get quiet we think, Well, what’s the use? I might as well get up because I can’t control my mind. My mind’s just running wild.

Well, speak peace to it. Bring that peace into your mind. Just because you have a bunch of thoughts coming to your mind doesn’t mean that you should receive them and think about them. You are responsible for taking authority over your mind.

When a thought of worry or fear comes, speak to it: “No, I don’t receive you.” You replace that negative thought with God’s Word about your situation. For example, this thought comes, I don’t have the money to pay this bill, and with it comes the emotion of fear. You speak to that thought: Devil, you’re a liar. I do not receive that thought. That bill is not my problem. God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. My Father knows what I need, and He gives me everything I need for life and godliness. Then you begin to praise and thank the Lord for taking care of you. Because you are speaking God’s Word and praising Him, your mind is stayed on Him and you will experience His peace. Your peaceful presence witnesses to others and brings glory to God.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. So if you bring peace to your mind, then you bring Jesus to your mind and it won’t wander here and there. You will only have the thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God. It may be through a revelation, an impression, a knowing, a prophecy, or a vision. It doesn’t matter what form it comes in; it only matters that you take the time to listen. You cannot do this when your mind is in unpeace.

God created you, the body, your earth suit, as well as the spirit man. He set natural and spiritual laws into motion and they work together. The spirit man, the real you, has an understanding of all these natural and spiritual laws, but your mind does not. Your mind is not redeemed; therefore, you must renew it with the Word of God.

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 (Philippians 4:8 KJV).

We need to keep our mind on Jesus, and as we do the Holy Spirit will work all things in us, including God’s peace.