Kathi Pelton: "Peace: The Pathway to Breakthrough"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

There's a term I've heard people use often: "Follow your peace," meaning let peace be your guide in life's decisions. As always, Kathi Pelton shares from her own personal story... and how God lead her family on their journey... with HIS PEACE. Kathi shares here:

God is reassigning many in His family. This is a time of change, and with change comes the threat of fear: fear of the unknown, fear of being unknown and fear of feeling lost in the maze of the unfamiliar. If God is calling you into change then peace is the pathway that you must embrace. He will forge new pathways that you've never traveled to take you into the fulfillment of many promises.

As you make any necessary changes ahead, be encouraged in this word by Kathi... and what her own family walked through.

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

If peace was a location, I would build my home there.

Peace is a state of being that strengthens us to travel any of life's roads unscathed by turmoil and trials. True peace resists every fear and every demand fear attempts to put upon its victims. Peace leads us to still waters and green pastures; peace escorts us to the banqueting table that the Lord sets for us each day.

Peace is a Person and His name is Jesus

The past year I have been on a journey into greater peace. Both my husband and I have invited the Holy Spirit to walk us into the paths of peace in our daily lives. This has brought us the greatest growth in our spiritual lives we have yet experienced, because peace has made room for joy and for God's presence to lead us. It has not been a perfect journey; we still have to overcome old mindsets where fear built roadways and paths of unrest and doubt. But we continually allow the Holy Spirit to "bulldoze" those roads and plant green pastures in their place. (Photo via Pixabay)

Changes

This past year has been a year of great change for us. We moved to a different state; we experienced being strangers in crowds of close friends; we transitioned into new ministry assignments; and we learned the disorienting feeling of being visitors when we returned to our hometown.

When you have lived in one region the majority of your life, it is disorienting to go somewhere new and spend a good amount of time introducing yourself. In our previous home, everything was familiar. Most of our friends had known us since our teen years, our extended family all lived nearby, and every street name was not only familiar but had meaning and memories attached. We could connect with almost any group, and if names were mentioned, we usually knew—or knew something about—that person. Everything in the city carried some connection with our personal history.

Moving to a new state and city has made it vital that we walk in peace and make greater room for His presence in our lives. Names are no longer familiar or part of our history or our story. The scenery is different, the culture is different and others' view of us is different (not bad, just different). We have been comforted to realize more than ever that we are fully known by our Prince of Peace. No introductions needed! He knows us better than we know ourselves. We are not strangers or foreigners to Him and because of that we enter into great peace.

God is reassigning many in His family. This is a time of change, and with change comes the threat of fear: fear of the unknown, fear of being unknown and fear of feeling lost in the maze of the unfamiliar. If God is calling you into change then peace is the pathway that you must embrace. He will forge new pathways that you've never traveled to take you into the fulfillment of many promises. (Photo via flickr)

Isaiah 43:18-19 (Amplified Bible) Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

The Atmosphere of Breakthrough

Peace creates an atmosphere of blessing, but fear creates an atmosphere of warfare. The Holy Spirit spoke to me one day and said, "Fear is like bait for demons. They smell it and they gather to it in order to feast of its many delights. It gives strength to demons and leaves its victim weak and vulnerable."

Then He went on to say, "Peace is absolute confusion to the enemy. He doesn't recognize it; he cannot work within the atmosphere of peace because chaos and peace cannot coexist. Peace is the pathway to the banqueting table that I've prepared for you in the presence of your enemies. Peace is to fear like light is to darkness; it dispels it."

This was one of the greatest revelations that I have ever received. Honestly, the majority of the warfare that I've faced in my life has come from lack of peace. The loss of peace increased my warfare, because fear came in and the enemy had an atmosphere that he could breathe and work in. As I have allowed the Holy Spirit to take me into deeper levels of peace I have found that it is an atmosphere of breakthrough. It is as if peace creates a portal that bypasses the enemy's opposition on some level.

Peace Brings Wisdom

As I have come into greater peace, I have also discovered that I can more clearly hear the voice of wisdom. Peace calms the storm and the noise produced by fear, allowing us to hear the counsel and wisdom of the Lord.

Job 33:31-33 Give heed, O Job, listen to me; hold your peace, and I will speak. If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. If [you do] not [have anything to say], listen to me; hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.

If anyone had a reason for fear and anxiety it was Job, yet he was counseled to enter into peace and quiet so that he could learn wisdom. God's counsel and wisdom are the answers that we need. It is very difficult to be taught wisdom as we are tossed about on the sea of our anxious thoughts and words. I believe that this is a truth and exhortation for many, "Quiet yourself in My peace so that I may teach you wisdom."

The Invitation

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

I have learned that many Believers lately have been regularly seeing 444 in various encounters. I have had this same experience many times a day over the past year. It has become my reminder to go deeper into peace. Psalm 4:8 (4: 4+4=8) is my invitation to dwell in peace. Peace ushers me into safety and confident trust.

Peace is defined as the freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility. It also means the freedom from or the cessation of war or violence.

Where has the warfare gone when we enter into peace? Where has the constant disruption and violence against our minds gone? It has been dispelled by the presence of God's peace. The Prince of Peace is even now inviting us into this land of peace. We can build our homes and lives there, feasting on the marvelous bounty provided for us at the banqueting table of our Great Provider. The Lord is inviting us to dwell in the land now and forever more. Let us go there together.

Peace Be With You!

Kathi Pelton
Email: jkpelton@sbcglobal.net
Website: oceansinthedesert.com

Kathi Pelton has a passion to encourage, uplift, and serve. As well as being a published writer, she has traveled extensively with Watchmen for the Nations, spoken at conferences, been a member of a national prophetic round-table, and co-directed a house of prayer. Her favorite pastime is to spend time with her husband and children.

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