Peace - The Fruit of the Spirit

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:22‭-‬25 NLT

• peace can be hard to find
• we lack peace because our lives are filled with worry

“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 NLT

• Jesus leaves us peace, in the Spirit

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

• some of us look for peace by:
  • toughing it out
  • escapism
  • this doesn't work

What is real peace? Peace is not just the absence of things.

Peace is contentment in the midst of conflict and hardship.

Waves are powerful yet peaceful. They crash down with amazing force, yet we find them very peaceful.

Shalom

• to experience Shalom is to experience the deep peace that God brings
  Eirene
• new testament equivalent of Shalom

• if we want the personal peace of God, we must first find peace with God
• we need relationship with him
• God is repulsed by sin

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Romans 5:1 NLT

What does Personal peace with God look like?

In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song: Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation. Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Isaiah 26:1‭-‬4 NLT

• Isaiah talks about God, then to God, then about God
• We can trust God, because he is the rock of ages
• knowing the Lord gave Isaiah peace even in the midst of his whole nation being taken into captivity

Christian peace comes not from the thinking less, but from thinking more and thinking deeper.

Think it out. Think about the Glory coming until you see the peace you have. Put your troubles in perspective.

There's a relationship between living in the gospel and living in peace.

There's a conflict between how I want to live my life, and how the gospel lives through me.

Sin will steal your fruit.

Sin hinders out fellowship with God. It robs is of the spirits fruit. It robs is of peace.

• this is why confession of sin is so important
• God knows we sinned, but he wants to hear us say it
  • he wants a repentant heart
  • it is a different thing to feel sorry vs. To approach the person you've wronged and apologize face to face

When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

Psalms 32:3‭-‬6 NLT

When Isaiah admitted his sin, he was restored to peace.

To experience peace, we need to weed the garden of our hearts. Kill your sin lest it kill you.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Why "perfect peace"?

• in the Hebrew, these are the same word
• "Shalom Shalom"
• it is peace without ripples, no undercurrent of anxiety

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.

Psalms 112:7‭-‬8 NLT

• when we focus on God's love, we can experience peace
• But we are distracted people
  • these distractions threaten to steal our peace
  • we need to learn how to harness our thoughts
  • we are to bring every thought into captivity and to make it obedient to Christ

Stapling roses onto a dead rose bush doesn't solve the problem.

The fruit of the spirit is only produced by driving our roots deep into Jesus.

• the foundation of sin was a desire for independence from God

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NLT

An apples tree doesn't eat its own apples. In the same way, the fruit of the spirit is not just for ourselves. We are to share it with others.