Returning to the Place We Never Left

One of the greatest promises Jesus ever made to us is His giving of HIS PEACE to us…not the peace the world gives or promises, but HIS!  Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul stated that this is the “peace that passes all understanding”?!? 

Read carefully what Michael tells us about OUR FAULT in not having Christ’s peace.

Returning To The Place We Never Left

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid. --John 14:27

There were two sisters. One left home and never wanted to return because she remembered it as a miserable place. The other left and always mourned for home; she could never return but always wanted to. She had never left home in her heart and therefore never really enjoyed her new family. What was the difference between these two sisters? One, in her heart, kept returning to the place she never left.

The prodigal son went to the pigpen, but actually he had never left it. There was a pigpen in his heart, and so he had only returned to the place that he had never left. We must leave the old place, the pigpen, allowing the Lord to destroy the place. Let me explain. For years I suffered with depression and suicidal thoughts. One day I prayed, "Lord, I am leaving this place of suicidal thoughts; You have destroyed it. I can no longer return there." Since that day, when the enemy brings the thoughts, I just say, "I cannot go there; that place is dead. Satan will have to tempt me with something else. That place I cannot return to." We have places of insecurity, depression, guilt, sin, addiction, and flesh that we must allow Him to destroy.How do we do that? It is simple! Just say, “Jesus, I give you that place. Please destroy it so I can never return there.” Once we pray, from that day forward when we are tempted to go there we can remind ourselves that the place is gone; there is no place to go. The truth is that we too often--like the prodigal son for a time--have not truly grown sick of the place and do not yet want to give it up. Do not worry; life is not supporting that decision, and we will come to a place where we are sick of it and allow Him to destroy it. 

It would do us well to often go back and read and meditate on God’s Word in Philippians 4:6-9...and find God's simple instructions on how to enjoy Him (God of peace) and His peace (peace which passes all understanding).

But, really, Michael gives us a simple truth that tells us why we are not able to receive and appropriate the truths of Philippians 4…”The truth is that we too often—like the prodigal son for a time—have not truly grown sick of the place and do not yet want to give it up.”  Ouch!!!  How does that feel?

And, yet, Michael gives us great hope…”Do not worry; life is not supporting that decision, and we will come to a place where we are sick of it and allow Him to destroy it.”  Yay!!!

- Mike Wells