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Today we are going to take a posture of peace by becoming aware of our inner peace.

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Posture is a short audible fist bump to remind you God is with you in everything.

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Together we're going to be emboldened to take a daily posture of perfect peace.

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In John chapter 20 verses 19 through 22 it says,

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On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the

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doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said,

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Peace be with you.

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After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side, and the disciples were overjoyed

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when they saw the Lord.

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Again, Jesus said, Peace be with you.

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As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.

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And with that, he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.

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Inner peace, finding peace within yourself, peace of mind, so many are searching for these

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things right now.

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And I just love this moment in scripture.

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I love what it illustrates to us about the presence of peace in our lives.

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I've talked about this passage of scripture before, but it's a truth that I will always

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be astonished by, because Jesus comes right through the doors that fear tries to lock

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us behind.

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He cannot be shut out or shut away from you today.

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The Bible says that the presence of God now dwells in you.

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And just notice the shift in the disciples when they realize this truth about the presence

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of Jesus, never leaving them nor forsaking them.

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They went from being totally locked in by fear to being overjoyed when they saw Jesus.

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This is what happens when we become aware of his presence in our lives.

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No matter the circumstances swirling around us, you know, there's still angry leaders

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that were out to get the disciples.

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There was still a broken world they were called to reach.

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It wasn't that their lives became instantly easier or that the circumstances became fixed.

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It was that their awareness became fixed on Jesus.

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You know, when I used to search for inner peace, it's just some kind of relief from

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the fear and anxiety I was dealing with.

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I used to do so many unpeaceful things.

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I used to be so hard on myself for not having all the answers or for feeling the way I did.

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I used to scroll endlessly through social media, just trying to ignore or numb the anxiety

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or the fear or the panicking thoughts.

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I used to come to God's word or approach him in prayer like it was a transaction.

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Like if I just did the right thing or read the right thing or said the right thing, God

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would then fix my circumstances.

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Instead of resting in my relationship with him, resting in his word, resting in his promises,

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resting in the truth that he never leaves us nor forsakes us because he is now in us.

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So today, if you're searching for inner peace, if you're feeling locked in by fear or worry

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or condemnation, or if you just feel overwhelmed by the circumstances swirling around you,

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I want to encourage you to do not all the things, just one thing.

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Make a shift in your awareness.

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Make a shift in what you are fixed on today.

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Don't believe the lie that Jesus is distant from you or that he's unaware or unresponsive

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to what fear is trying to do to you.

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Instead, rest in the truth that your Prince of Peace is already in you.

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Instead of searching out there for inner peace, instead of inviting peace to come to you,

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invite him to rise within you.

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Become aware of his presence today and let that awareness spread through your heart

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and your mind.