In the previous post, we talked about how peace within us is untouchable by the storms and the waves in the outside world.
Peace not only crushes the works of the enemy (Rom 16:20), it also protects us from his works. It is both offensive and defensive, as shared in the previous post about Mark 4. It is uninterrupted and untouchable.
When there is faith, there is peace. Because faith releases peace. When there is unbelief, there is no peace.
Peace, therefore, is a powerful indicator of faith.
In Matthew 17, the disciples tried to cast out a demon from the boy, but they failed to do so. Jesus cast it out, and explained to them why they couldn't cast out the demon in Matt 17:20. He said, "Because of your unbelief."
In fact, He rebuked His disciples and said "O faithless generation!" (Matt 17:17)
The peace within Jesus calmed the demonic chaos in the boy. It wasn't what Jesus said out of His mouth that crushed the demon. Because the disciples must have said THE SAME THING while trying to cast it out.
It was the peace within Jesus, when released through His mouth, crushed the demon. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The peace within Jesus produced result in the world without.
The disciples had no result because there was no peace within them. Because of their unbelief. They might appear to do the same thing as Jesus, said the same thing as Jesus but it wouldn't work. i.e. the seven sons of Sceva.
Alot of believers can appear to be doing and saying the same thing on the outside. Yet it is only the Peace within (unseen by appearance) that is going to make a difference.
When we are restful, God is faithful. The faith of God is demonstrated by the rest of God. When we walk in that rest, when we walk in that peace, the world outside has to conform to the image of the Son and His Kingdom.
In the next part, we see how peace destroys sickness and how to walk in it.
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