In Philippians 4:8-9 Paul wrote, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
In these verses Paul provides a list of actions that believers are to put into practice in their daily lives. By practicing theses thing, Paul ensures believers that God, who is the God of peace will be with them. The peace of God is a peace that is different from the peace of the world which is temporary and based on circumstances. God’s peace is unshakable and not dependent on circumstances. It transcends understanding and unlike world peace is consistent regardless of external conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this sermon is to identify “peace thieves” that are subtle or not so subtle forces that rob us of the peace Jesus has already given.