THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS PEACE

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV

On the cross, Jesus bore the punishment that was due us, to bring us peace. The peace He paid for is peace with God. Unless you are reconciled to God and He has forgiven you and you are brought into right standing with Him – you cannot begin to know peace in any form.

“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 48:22 NKJ

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. Ephesians 2:14 KJV

When sin entered into the heart of man, peace departed. Where there was once fellowship with God, there was suddenly a wall of partition, with God on one side and man on the other. It was an impenetrable wall that divided God and man and held them at a distance, man having become an enemy of God. Never again would man know peace without divine intervention, because his heart was wicked and full of sin. Jesus came to earth, God in human form, to pay the price, shed His blood, die and rise again, bringing down the wall that separated man from God. Man could once again freely enter into the fellowship and presence of God!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJ

In God, our future is peace. He desires peace for us and His plans for us are peaceful plans, to give us hope and a future. We can walk in His peace and we can know His peace if we will walk in obedience to His Word. When you are at peace with God and when your heart is right with God, you will live always in peace.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. Psalms 37:37 NKJ

We can walk in His peace and we can know His peace if we will be full of His Word.

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. Psalms 119:165 NKJ

My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Proverbs 3:1-2 NKJ

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 NKJ

God’s Word will fill you up with faith and hope. You must meditate on it day and night, filling up your mind and thoughts with God’s Word. God’s Word needs to be in your mind and on your lips. It must become a real and living thing to you and you need to see and understand God’s plans for your life now and in your future. If you meditate on what the devil wants you to meditate on – his thoughts and plans for you – you will be tormented and full of fear. You must fill your thoughts with things of the Spirit of God, not with the things of the flesh. God’s plans for you must dominate your thought life if you truly want to walk in His peace. Peace is not the absence of conflict in your circumstances, but it is the presence of God in your life that will carry you through every adverse circumstance of your life.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6 KJV

1 John 5:14-15 says that if you pray according to His will, He hears you and if He hears you, then He will answer your prayer. Do not be worried or anxious about anything. Whatever you need – you can tell God about it and then you can relax and enjoy His peace, knowing that your situation is in God’s hands and that He is faithful and can be trusted to work everything out for your benefit. Then His peace will guard and garrison your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NKJ