“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27
The peace of God is out of this world…literally! The busyness, confusion, chaos, and all the things that stress us out in this world…all of us long for a remnant of true peace. I can’t explain it, but God’s peace is so different from the world’s peace.
I was under the assumption I could control things the way I wanted…everything would be great when I got a better job and made more money…a better education…when I had nicer “stuff.” But do you know what? All those “things” didn’t get me any closer to having real peace…as a matter of fact, they pushed me farther away. Real peace only comes from God, and having the confidence that He’s in control. It’s definitely not in the absence of conflict or in the “power of positive thinking.”
In the Old Testament, the Bible tells us whether or not there was peace in the land during each king’s reign. Know what? It was entirely dependent upon if they “did what was pleasing to the Lord”, during their reign. In other words, obedience to God leads to peace with others. Please don’t misunderstand….Just because you are obedient to God when it comes to loving your enemies and turning the other cheek, does not mean that you’ll always have peace with them. Our obedience to God will bring peace with Him, and in turn, His peace will pour out on us. Make sense?
One more thing we have to understand…Times of peace are not just times for resting. Peaceful times allow us to prepare for times of trouble. So we must get ready to fight in the Spiritual Realm. Arm yourself with God’s armor ~ get to know His Word, and meditate on it…then you will be more than adequately equipped for victory!