Peace Is My Birthright

Scriptures: John 14:27, Genesis 25:27-34, Romans 8:16-17

I had no idea I lived life in the fast lane until a doctor pointed out, “I think you may be addicted to stress.” At first, his comment offended me. How dare you say that! I’m not addicted to stress. I want less stress! But as the days passed and I pondered what he said, I realized he was right. Busy schedules, constant noise, and relentless rushing from one thing to the next felt normal to me. I didn’t know any other way. 

Do you long for peace and calm yet rarely seem to find it? You aren’t alone. In our world, anxiety and worry seem to be constant companions. 

Yet, Jesus promises us a different way. He offers us peace, and not superficial peace like the world gives, but an everlasting, unshakable peace. One the world cannot give, and cannot take away. 

Over the next five days, we will explore what it means to receive and live in this peace Jesus freely gave us. And here’s the first thing you need to know: peace isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you’ve already received. As a child of God, peace is your birthright. 

What is a Birthright?

Merriam-Webster defines it as a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth. We read about birthrights in Genesis, where Esau sells his birthright to his twin brother, Jacob, for a cup of stew. Birthrights were prized possessions in the Old Testament. 

But what do birthrights mean for us as New Testament believers? Jesus is the firstborn Son of God and therefore He received the kingdom from His Father. That means Jesus has the birthright blessing. And here’s the good news, because we are one with Christ, we have inherited this birthright status through Him. 

Romans 8:16-17 declares, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” 

Peace Belongs to You

What incredible news! As joint heirs, everything that belongs to Christ now belongs to us, which includes His perfect peace. 

Peace is not something we can earn, strive for, or achieve. It is an inherent gift and privilege given to us as adopted children of God. Peace is a part of our identity as followers of Christ. 

Peace is Your Birthright!

At the same time, our enemy does not want us to live at peace, and he does everything in his power to prevent it. Whether it’s planting lies that we believe and meditate on or keeping us busy, distracted, overwhelmed, or disorganized, his goal is to keep us frazzled and frantic. But we don’t have to tolerate this! 

We don’t have to wait until we have enough money in the bank, obedient children at home, or a put-together life to live in peace. We can have peace, rest, quietness, harmony, and order even in the midst of turmoil. 

Peace is possible—right here, right now. Even in the middle of uncertainty, trials, or turmoil we can claim our birthright of perfect peace. We don’t have to live life in the fast lane any longer, we can receive the peace Jesus promised us! 

Ask Yourself:

• What are some things in your life that you have allowed to steal your peace? 
• How can you remind yourself daily that peace is part of your identity in Christ? 

Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30, Exodus 20:8, Psalms 23:1-6

When was the last time you truly rested? Not just collapsed at the end of the day, but intentionally paused—breathed deeply—and sat quietly in peace? Our bodies crave rest, yet we often ignore the signs of exhaustion. Instead, we push through. We overload our schedules, overdose on caffeine, keep the news on too long, and every free moment we have we doom-scroll. Then, we wonder why we’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed. 

As a society, we have a problem with busyness. We’re all on a hamster wheel of stress, and it feels normal to rush from one thing to the next. Why? Because everyone else is doing it. Research confirms this hamster wheel. According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of people feel too busy to enjoy life. If you’re a parent? That number jumps to 74%. That means three out of four parents feel too overwhelmed to enjoy the everyday moments with their kids. 

The Difference Between Hustle and Holy Work

Now, you may be thinking, I’m not stressed, I just like to work hard. And is a strong work ethic really such a bad thing? You could argue Jesus led a productive, busy life. He woke early, traveled often, and always went about His Father’s business. But here’s the difference: His work wasn’t frantic. It wasn’t rooted in stress, fear, or people-pleasing. It was intentional, Spirit-led, and deeply purposeful. 

The difference between a busy, stressful life and a full, peace-filled life is intention. 

We must ask ourselves: What is our motivation? Why are we choosing to add specific jobs, tasks, roles, and activities to our lives? To be praised by others? Are we doing it because everyone else is doing it? Or to be praised by our Heavenly Father? 

Our life’s focus should always be heavenward. Kingdom work is time-consuming and demanding, but more than that, it’s intentional and purposeful. It’s not wasteful, and it’s not busy for the sake of being busy. 

That is why I’m asking you to pause and reflect on your routines, rhythms, and schedules. Because when you do, you can typically discern if your busyness is from God, your own fleshly desires, or from the pressures of the world. 

When we get sucked into hurry, we don’t just lose time, we lose our peace. 

Reclaiming Peace

If you feel stuck on the hamster wheel, know this: You don’t have to stay there. God designed you for more than exhaustion. You can find restful rhythms, and you can reclaim your peace. You can refocus your mind and seek first the Kingdom of God. 

So today, I challenge you to pause and reflect to start spotting areas in your routines and rhythms that need to change to find more peace. 

Ask Yourself: 

• What areas of my life feel the most rushed or chaotic? 
• How can I intentionally create space for rest and stillness this week? 

Scriptures: Isaiah 26:3, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

It’s kind of scary how quickly we can become trapped in downward mental spirals. The negative thoughts are automatic, and the smallest inconveniences push us over the edge. We linger on questions about the future, we aren’t confident in our decision-­making skills, and we harp on everything we do wrong. 

Breakthroughs come when we understand that peace and calm aren’t contingent on our circumstances. Peace doesn’t come from an absence of trial. It comes by making a conscious decision to take captive our thoughts each day. The moment we realize we’re the ones who hold the power to claim what we think about, the direction of our lives changes. 

If we want perfect peace, we must learn how to focus our minds on God. That’s what God tells us in Isaiah 26:3: You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 

What’s interesting is that the translated word “mind” in this verse is not the usual Hebrew Word for intellect but rather is a word meaning “creative imagination.” 

Think about that for a moment. God isn’t just talking about the logical, rational part of our minds. He’s speaking to the deep, hidden places of our thoughts. The ones that create endless “what if” scenarios, fears, and anxieties. 

Let’s be honest: how often do we let our imaginations run wild?

We all have deep, dark thoughts that we don’t dare speak to anyone. Our minds can quickly spiral down rabbit holes, convincing us of worst-case scenarios, flooding us with fear, and burdening us with thoughts we’d never dare speak aloud. And yet, God already knows them. But instead of condemning us, He invites us to cast our cares on Him. 

When was the last time you had an honest conversation with God? Not surface-level prayers, but prayers where you admit your deepest fears, darkest thoughts and the worries you’re almost too embarrassed to admit you even think. Jesus can handle them. He wants to take them from you. 

Scripture tells us to cast our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7) because He cares for us and to hold every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Before we can do this, we have to be aware of what we’re actually thinking. 

The First Step: Recognizing Your Thoughts

The first step to holding every thought captive is to be aware of our thoughts. We can’t capture what we don’t recognize. We must pause and take time to ask ourselves: 

• What am I meditating on throughout the day? 
• Am I allowing any fears, anxieties, or lies space in my brain? 

The Next Step: Capturing and Casting Down

Once you identify a thought that doesn’t align with God’s truth, don’t entertain it. Instead, take it captive. If the thought doesn’t line up with God’s will or God’s Word, cast it down by surrendering it to Jesus. When a lie enters your mind, immediately bring it to Jesus, lay it at His feet, and declare His truth over the situation. 

If you want peace, it starts with what you allow to live in your mind. You have authority over your thoughts. You don’t have to be a prisoner to fear, anxiety, or discouragement. With Christ’s help, you can take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him. 

Ask Yourself: 

• What thoughts am I tolerating that I need to surrender? 
• What recurring thoughts threaten my peace? 
• What biblical truth can I meditate on instead? 

Scriptures: Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 4:1-4

We can’t talk about holding every thought captive and finding peace without discussing the power of God’s Word. The battle against fear isn’t won with sheer willpower or positive thinking, it’s won with truth. God’s Word is our greatest weapon, exposing the enemy’s lies and then pushing back the darkness. 

The trouble is sometimes we believe a lie and don’t even realize it. These false truths unknowingly shape our feelings, actions, and destiny. Thankfully, God’s Word can help us with this problem. 

Hebrews 4:12 tells us God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword, and it can expose our innermost thoughts and desires. When we read the Word, something shifts in the spiritual realm, and those lies in our innermost being that we may have accidentally accepted as truth begin to surface. 

God’s Word is Powerful

In our own strength, we may not be able to separate our heart’s secret motives, but God’s Word uncovers and separates them for us. It convicts, exposes, judges, and reveals the truth. If we want to find those hidden negative beliefs, we must read the Bible. 

God’s Word isn’t just a source of encouragement. It’s a weapon of war. In Ephesians 6, we read about the armor of God, which includes several forms of protection, like a breastplate and helmet. I find it interesting that the only offensive weapon in the armor of God is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 

God’s Word is essential to winning the battle of the mind. To fight back against the lies, we need to know God’s promises. That’s how we take back territory. 

We see this clearly in Jesus’ battle against Satan in the wilderness. When Satan tempted Him, Jesus didn’t ignore the lies, debate them, or respond with emotions. Instead, Jesus always answered with, “IT IS WRITTEN.” Jesus firmly and confidently spoke the truth of God’s Word and defeated the enemy’s lies. 

Declare God’s Truth Over Your Life

So, what are you battling? Fear? Anxiety? Sickness? Doubt? Whatever it is, I challenge you to find a scriptural promise that speaks to your situation directly. Write the Scripture down. Speak it daily. Meditate on it constantly. Declare it boldly. 

Use your situation as an opportunity to trust Jesus. Choose to believe His Word instead of the symptoms, circumstances, or creative imaginations. 

Victory doesn’t come from trying harder; it comes from standing on the solid rock of God’s Word. We can’t win the battle of the mind in our own strength, but thankfully, we have God’s Word to fight for us. The enemy can’t win against God’s truth. So pick up your sword and fight back. 

Ask Yourself:

• What specific Scripture can I declare over my situation today? 
• How can I make it a habit of reading and declaring God’s Word a regular part of my life? 

Scriptures: Psalms 34:19, Psalms 91:1, Philippians 4:8

While I firmly believe peace is one of our birthrights as children of God, I also realize we live in a broken world, and that means, at times, we will face trouble. 

Scripture tells us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 34:19).” In other words, we may face challenges or difficulties despite having birthrights of peace, sound minds, and God’s full armor. An anxious thought may pop into our minds, or somebody may give us a bad report. How do we continue to keep our peace even in a broken world? 

Thankfully, the Psalm doesn’t end there; God’s Word continues, “But the Lord delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:19). We can trust God to move on our behalf and deliver us from all challenges. In our final day together, I want to share two ways to help us keep our peace: dwelling in the secret place and keeping our minds fixed on Him. 

What does it mean to dwell in the secret place? 

We read about the secret place in Psalm 91:1, which states, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The secret place isn’t necessarily an exact physical location; it’s more like a time and place where we seek God’s face. 

To enter the secret place, we must set aside all distractions and worldly endeavors. Our God longs to be pursued. When we intentionally take time to seek His face, then we dwell in the secret place. 

Jesus shows us a great example of seeking time to be alone with God (Matthew 14:23). As followers of Christ, we must also intentionally find time to commune with God through worship, prayer, or the reading of His Word. And when we pursue God and abide in His presence, the beautiful part is we find rest and peace in Him. 

What would it look like to place your trust in God completely? To prioritize time with Him and seek intimacy with God? 

The second key to keeping our peace is to keep our mind fixed on Him. 

How do we keep our minds fixed on Him? 

While I love waking up in the morning and meeting God in my prayer chair, I’ve also found a need to commune with Him throughout the day. Experts tell us it’s just as beneficial or maybe even more so to exercise throughout the day instead of hitting the treadmill hard for 30 minutes and then sitting sedentary for the next 8 hours. Could the same be true about our time with God? 

I’m not saying we ditch our quiet times with the Lord in the morning, but I am saying we should consider how to walk out the command to pray continually in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. 

What if we acknowledged God throughout the day by pausing and thanking Him before each meal? Instead of turning on the news, what if we played worship music while cooking dinner or folding laundry? 

We can keep our minds fixed on Him by keeping a Bible verse in a place we’ll often see, like the bathroom mirror, dashboard, or our phone lock screens. These small acts can anchor our minds in God leading to more peace in our days. 

Remember, even when life feels chaotic, peace is never out of reach. Keep your mind on Him today, seek Him in the secret place, and watch His peace transform your heart.

Peace is your birthright—let’s reclaim it together!