When the Holy Spirit lives in us, the Spirit will produce fruit, which is PEACE in us (Galatians 5:22).
We can only obtain peace from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and peace are both gifts from God. Peace of mind is knowing God’s character. He is the Creator of this world that sustains life. He also has the power to create peace in you, if it is your desire.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give you is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).
The peace of this world is temporary and physical. People often refer to “world peace”—or living without war—as the ultimate goal, but it is not a deep, personal, and abiding peace. This world’s pathway to peace often results in living with focus and fear of protecting self. We feel we need to protect ourselves, our country, and everything that belongs to us: family and possessions. Fear can motivate us to go to any lengths to fight with our neighbors, and fight for our rights. This does not result in true peace.
But having peace from God is living without fear and living in complete trust in Him. This is true peace—a deep, abiding peace. We must trust God with our whole heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). Do you trust God? To trust someone with our heart, we need to know they love us more than we love ourselves. It is in God’s heart to love us (Ephesians 1:4). Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.
For God is love. If we know how much God loves us, we can put our trust in Him. “Perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18 NLT).
It takes two to start a battle. Know who your enemy is. It is not God. It is Satan, the accuser, destroyer, and thief (John 10:10). The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. He desires to take away our peace. God’s purpose is to give life in all its fullness, which includes peace and joy in Him. Satan wants the world to be in chaos with no unity; at war with each other. Observe Satan’s character for who he really is and his deception in this world. Choose the gift of Christ: “peace of mind and heart” (John 14:27).
Call to Action
I encourage you today to develop a close relationship with God. Let Him build trust with you and you with Him, and you will find perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). He is the only One who can change the heart to love and to see the best in others. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Turn to God today. Get to know how much God loves you. After all, He has offered you and the world eternal life!
This article is the third in a series of articles on the fruits of the Spirit. We plan to publish a new one every 1-2 months. The next fruit of the Spirit = PATIENCE.
