Weapons for the Believer 4.2 – The Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

Weapons for the Believer 4.2 – The Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked earlier at The Fruit of the Spirit in the post “Weapons for the Believer 4.” If you haven’t read it I encourage you to do so.  Paul gives us two lists in the passage in Galatians.

Galatians 5:22 (ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The original post on The Fruit of the Spirit (Weapons for the Believer 4) I mentioned a popular way of looking at this topic. Some teach that the Fruit of the Spirit is singular, Love, with each of the other fruit coming from the one. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to go back and read it.

This time we are looking at Peace. Using Peace as the focus let’s see how it is reflected in our experience with the Lord.

            The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace.

Love is the birthplace of Peace.

Joy is the prize of Peace.

Patience is the reputation of Peace.

Kindness is the reflection of Peace.

Goodness is the nature of Peace.

Faithfulness is the duration of Peace.

Gentleness is the result of Peace.

Self-control is the confidence of Peace.

One of the most frequent prayers I pray for myself and others when facing trials is that God’ peace “that passes understanding would guard our heart and mind.”

Philippians 4:7 (ESV)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace is a force that displaces fear. Peace keeps us in a safe place. Peace guides us into everything that God has for us. God will never “lead us” by fear or pressure of any kind. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, so when He rules your heart He does so through Peace.

Peacemakers have a special place in the Kingdom of God. “They shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Peacemakers not only live life from a posture of peace, they help others find Peace. So many times we see peacemakers as someone that stops fights or arguments. It is so much more than that.

Stopping conflict is the negative side of Peace; needful, but not optimal. Helping others find the Peace of God is the positive side. I do not use “negative” meaning “bad.” Just as electric current has both positive and negative charges, Peace has the power to “neutralize” strife. However, the absence of strife is not Peace. That’s what I mean by “negative”; it brings us back to a place of new beginning in relationships. Peace then continues until genuine life can be enjoyed by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, and multiplying His Peace through us.

As the overused, but still very true, cliché states: No God, No peace; Know God, know Peace. Learn to live from a posture of Peace.