Let the Prince of Peace Reign
Isaiah 9:6–7 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counsellour, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of something that had not yet happened. He saw a people walking in deep darkness, waiting for light. Into that darkness would come a great light, bringing joy and transforming the lives of those who received it.
Isaiah then speaks of the Child who would be born: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” This was no ordinary child and no ordinary gift. The government would be upon His shoulders, and He would be called the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.
This gift is different from every other gift. A gift may be beautifully wrapped, but it must be opened before its value and wonder can be experienced. In the same way, it is not enough merely to know about Jesus or even to have once received Him. We must open our hearts to Him and allow Him to do the work for which He came.
Jesus must be given His rightful place in our lives. He is the Wonderful Counsellor—so who is directing and counselling your life? Is it your own mind, other people, or the Lord Jesus? If He truly has authority in our lives, we will experience the reality of who He is. If He is the Prince of Peace, His peace should reign in our hearts. If He is our Everlasting Father, we should live under His authority.
The condition of the world shows what happens when Christ is rejected. At a time when people speak about celebrating Christmas, there can be drunkenness, immorality, excess, revenge and disorder. Even Christians can become careless, saying that the festive season is a time to do as they please. But that is not why Jesus came. He did not come so that people could indulge themselves, become drunk or live carelessly. He came to bring us out of darkness and under His rule.
The warning is especially important for young people. What may begin as something small or harmless can become a means by which the devil gains control. People can leave home with purity and return having lost what they once valued. The glitter and attraction of the world can blind them until they let go of the very Gift who came to protect and keep them.
God Himself showed us what true giving means. He gave what was most precious to Him—His Son—for the sake of the world. Christ was born, knowing that His purpose was ultimately the Cross. Therefore, receiving Christ should also change the way we live and give. We cannot claim to follow Him while living selfishly, wasting what we have while others around us are in need.
Perhaps you once received this Gift and experienced joy and peace, but other things gradually became more desirable. Perhaps Christ has been pushed aside and the dust has settled upon what was once precious to you. If so, return to Him. Receive Him afresh. Give Him again the place that belongs to Him.
- Joosten emphasised that the key is allowing Christ to reign. We fail when our own minds and desires govern our lives. When the Prince of Peace reigns, His peace reaches beyond us and affects those around us. His government is everlasting, and His peace is everlasting.
The future of our lives and ultimately of this world does not rest in the hands of earthly governments. Christ is the true Prince of Peace. Therefore, the prayer is not merely that peace should come to the world, but that it should begin in our own hearts and homes.
Let us not merely hear these words. Receive the Lord Jesus. Make Him Lord of your life. Bow before Him and allow Him to reign. Especially for the young, the call is clear: take this Prince, make Him the ruler of your life, and do not allow the devil to confuse or deceive you.
Where Christ reigns, there is peace. Let us therefore pray: “Prince of Peace, come and reign in our lives. Rule our hearts, guide us and remain with us.”
If you would like, I can also make this slightly more forceful and sermon-like, while keeping it to roughly one website page.
