Fruit Of The Spirit: Peace Series

-Tonight, we are continuing our series on the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23

-Last week we looked at joy

-Tonight we are going to look at peace

-Peace can seem like a very difficult trait to have

-The world teaches hatred

-The world lives in hatred.

-A proper definition of the word “peace” here may be helpful

-Jewish word “shalom” means “order and well being”

-Connotes a sense of security and foundation

-So, true peace is a sense of order and well-being to life

-Just as with joy, peace is an inner attitude, not based on outward circumstances

-This is why I chose the Kiwi to symbolize the fruit of peace

-Rough exterior, but smooth interior

-Let me remind you of what I said last week

-These fruit are gifts of the Spirit

-Enabled by Him, not by us

-But, they can be cultivated by us and given a fertile environment to sprout and grow

-Perfect peace is only found in obedience to God and assurance that He is in control

-This is the way we till the ground for this peace to grow in our lives

-Isaiah 48:17-18

-Tonight, let’s look at three types of peace the Spirit enables us to have

I. Peace With God

-This is peace in the spiritual area of our lives

A. It comes at salvation

-We stop warring against God and His ways for our lives

-Romans 5:1

B. It comes from God

-He puts us in right relationship with Him

II. Peace In Ourselves

-This is peace in the emotional area of our lives

A. It refuses to look to the past

-Past sins are not dredged up

-The forgiven ones, anyway

B. It refuses to look to the present

-The circumstances happening around us

-This is the nearsighted problem

-Philippians 4:6-7

-Helen Keller once said, “I do not want the peace which passes understanding, I want the understanding which brings peace.”

C. It continually looks to the future

-With faith in God

III. Peace Towards Others

-This is peace in the relational area of our lives

-Harry Emerson Fosdick once said, "Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat."

-Romans 12:18

-Matthew 5:9

A. How it is not found

1. Ignoring the conflict

2. Appeasing others

B. How it is found

1. Being a peacemaker

-Psalm 34:14

a. Take the initiative

-Take the first step

b. Act quickly

-Ephesians 4:26

c. Separate the problem from the person

-The problem is not the person, it is their action

-Which could be caused by misunderstanding

-Which could be caused by sin

d. Be willing to compromise

-Without letting go of convictions

e. Seek reconciliation

-Not just resolution

-That’s what God through Christ did with us

-II Corinthians 5:18

2. Being a peacekeeper

a. In your own relationships

-Sometimes, we need to work at keeping the peace with others

b. In the relationships of others

-Sometimes we need to step into the midst of the conflicts of others

-Especially those of fellow believers

-We do so, not with a desire to draw ill will towards us, though it may happen, but to draw those at ill will to God and each other

CONCLUSION

-Colossians 3:15