Next Step #20

Hi Everyone!

As you may recall from the last several next steps, we’re investing some time in investigating the “FRUIT” of the Spirit.  The Apostle Paul writes the following in Galatians 5:22-23:

         ²²But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, PEACE, patience,   kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The third trait in the fruit of the Spirit is PEACE! Many folks in our world today think that peace is simply the absence of war, and for many in our world life without war would be great. But the reality is for those who are filled with the Holy Spirit, PEACE is much more than the absence of war. Peace or “shalom” as we find it in the Old Testament, is an overall sense of well-being that comes from God’s presence and sovereignty in our lives. As with joy, peace, doesn’t rely on our circumstances.  In fact, a follower of Jesus, who has been filled with the Holy Spirit may experience peace in the middle of a battle field—whether that battlefield is one of a military nature, or a spiritual nature. Life will always be filled with “war.”  In fact, when Jesus was speaking of the “end-times” He said that there will always be wars and rumors of wars in our world, but that the end is “not yet.” Our peace, as ones who have been filled with the Holy Spirit relies solely on God. His presence is sufficient to bring peace in every situation. Take the time right now to ask the Holy Spirit to fill you anew, and then rely on Him to bring the peace that passes all human understanding to whatever situations you are experiencing right now that would otherwise be unsettling!