“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
(Galatians 5:22-23)
Happiness & Joy – Both very different
JOY – Not the absence of pain & suffering
‘fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ – Hebrews 12v2
Joy stealers…
- Comparison
- Forgetfulness – Psalm 103
The joy of the Lord is our strength! Satan can’t handle joyful Christians
(Isaiah 26v1-4)
‘Keep in perfect peace’ v3 – Shalom
‘Shalom’ – Wholeness & completeness. Peace – not mean no troubles (John 16v13). Perfect Peace of God is NOT found in the absence of problems but True Peace found in Presence of God. Peace is a battle in our minds
- v3 minds are ‘steadfast’ / ‘fixed’ on God
- Samak in Hebrew – ‘to lean on completely’
Lacking peace? Rest on God’s promises – Philippians 4v8-9
Jesus – ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you…’ (John 14v27) Jesus gives us His Peace
- Practice Peace
- Train your minds
- Capture thoughts
- Declare truth
- Pursue Presence
- Peace comes only from God
- Not absence of loss/pain/etc… more of Presence of God in our lives