“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

What a spectacular wedding – the United Kingdom’s Royal Wedding at Windsor Castle for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Having enjoyed my visits on two separate occasions to Windsor Castle, I too have a story to tell…but not quite as glamorous as the royal wedding, of course.

On one of our trips to Windsor Castle, the Queen of England was residing as the royal flag was flying high. Enjoying a casual stroll through the castle grounds there was a hustle and bustle among the Royal Guard. Dressed in their red tunics, their black bearskin caps, and armed with military rifles, they were swiftly being replaced by a new Guard. This was not the typical “changing of the guard” that most people are accustomed to. This new Guard was dressed in full military combat gear with a long grey coat, black bearskin cap, and now carrying SA80 Bayonets. The transitioning was done with such haste and precision that it brought all tourist attention to a motionless halt. Everyone was so awestruck as this new military Guard powerfully took strategic position throughout the castle. At this moment, civilians were not privy that a terrorist attack had occurred in London and the Queen was now to be protected and guarded by the new replacements. A high alert was now imposed throughout Windsor Castle!

Bystander photography was now hyped up with the new entourage of soldiers and I was encouraged to stand beside one of the military Guards for a picture. It’s not uncommon for tourists to take photos with these seemingly inanimate objects and so I inched my way towards one of the Guards standing fiercely stoic. As I began to pose and smile I heard my friends yelling out, “Get closer to the Guard!” and so I did. However, what happened next, took my breath away.

My shoulder unintentionally rubbed against the royal Guard’s arm. This is a big no-no. Without hesitation, he immediately took three stomping steps forward and one swift step turning entirely to face me eye to eye. As he dropped his SA80 Bayonet waist level, he bellowed in a deep, loud, military voice, “Don’t touch the Guard! Don’t touch the Guard!” I was literally frozen, paralyzed, my heart pounding. With the stomping of his boots, he reversed his steps back into his guarding position, standing motionless as though nothing had occurred. I kept saying, “I’m sorry…I’m sorry,” as I shied away fearing he might retaliate once again upon my movement. All I could hear were the gasps of onlookers starring in astonishment! I discovered from my experience that when the Queen is present in the castle and the guard is placed on high alert – if provoked – the Guard has a right to shoot and kill contingent upon the heightened aggression level.

That was a moment I’ll never forget. The Guards protected the Queen’s life to the fullest degree.

Consider God’s heavenly peace that “guards and protects” us as believers. How amazing this is! Whenever I have been in a state of tremendous turmoil or have floundered under great pressure of decision making…when circumstances are beyond my control such as diminishing health or sadness over the loss of a loved one…and when I’m feeling threatened by the Devil’s attacks…these are the times when I must enter into God’s “peace that surpasses all understanding.” My fear flees…quietness and calmness fill my senses and my hope and vision are restored. We’ve all experienced apprehensive and tumultuous times. When these times appear, no one can bring relief or protection to your soul the way that only God Himself can. This is what God’s peace can do for us in such assailing times of life…it guards!

The Apostle Paul knew the hardships of life; he also understood the power of Christ’s peace (2 Corinthians 11:23-31; Philippians 4:8-9). Paul says in Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” The word, guard, gives us insight into how Paul was able to remain strong under the pressures of life by seeking God’s heavenly peace that brought him power to succumb above all circumstances he faced in his life on earth. Paul was guarded by the peace of Christ. You, too, can have this same endurance and strength that comes from God’s peace.

Notice we entered this passage with anxiety and worry, but we come out of the passage with thanksgiving and heavenly peace. Between the two was prayer. Prayer gives us the power to receive God’s peace that guards over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The word “guard” in the Greek is phroureo. This was a military term (2 Corinthians 11:32) meaning “to keep by guarding; to keep under guard, as with a garrison; of providing protection against the enemy, as a garrison does.” When Paul uses the word “guard”, he is speaking of the security of the Christian until the end. 1 Peter 1:5 says, “who by the power of God are guarded through faith…” (ASV). This is our security when we put all matters into the hands of God. When the Devil fires his flaming arrows to devastate us, we’re to raise up our shield of faith in God (Ephesians 6:16). When we feel hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:7-9), we can know with confidence that it is by God’s intervention and the power of His peace that preserves and keeps us safe. We are guarded on all sides!

J. Vernon McGee, says of this verse above, “Have things changed? Not really. The storm may still be raging, the waves still rolling high, the thunder still resounding. Although the storm has not abated, something has happened in the individual. Something has happened to the human soul and the human mind. In our anxiety we want God to change everything around us. “Give us this.” “Don’t let this happen.” “Open up this door.” We should be praying, “Oh, God, change me.” (J. Vernon McGee, Through the Bible with J. Vernon McGee).

Our spiritual enemy, Satan, may attempt to foil, deceive, wear you out, steal all blessings and peace that come from our heavenly Father, and may even attempt to have the upper hand in your present circumstances – yet, don’t be fooled! For when you endure the road of affliction such as loss of health, marriage hardships, emotional hurts, burden of finances, sense of loneliness, spiritual depletion, or the passing of a loved one; He is there for you. When “you fix your eyes upon Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and “turn your thoughts” upon Him (Hebrews 3:1) the “…peace of God” … and the “God of peace will be with you” in the midst of the storm (Philippians 4:7a, 9c). From out of the tumultuous, storm driven and thunderous clouds, you shall see the clearness of day. His faithfulness and peace will prevail and guard over us even when we have been faithless, downcast, depressed, burdened and carrying a weight beyond our strength (John 14:1; 2 Corinthians 1: 20-22; Ephesians 2: 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6).

They say that once a revival touches your heart, everything in life thereafter is unto God.

Why then should we fear when the storms of life come, if indeed we believe our Master is at the helm of our ship? Our God has set the course and has promised to not only give us His grace and power, but also His peace which “protects and guards” over us. Paul sums it all up very succinctly, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! … and the God of peace will be with you.”