Fruit Of The Spirit (Bible Study) - Peace Series

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(If you did the Armor of God series some may be a repeat. That’s ok. Remind everyone that we haven’t quite mastered peace, and it’s good to hear again.)

So far in this series we learned to be Fruit Inspectors for our own safety, God’s love is our ground and also a fruit, and joy is the base of the remaining fruit or offshoots. This week, we’re going to take a look at the fruit of peace and learn exactly how to produce peace in our lives. It’s much easier than you think, no praying, asking, or begging required. If you did your homework, and practiced letting your joy out, then peace will follow.

On that note, I’m full of joy to ask about your homework!

- Did everyone take their medicine this week? (Proverbs 17:22)

- Did you party like it was 1000BC?

- Anyone have a challenge and think themselves happy?

- Most importantly, did anyone do the Nehemiah 8:10 celebration? Please don’t say what it was over, just testify to the Lord’s Work. The last day in this study will be for sharing spiritual growth, or you can write your testimony and bring it in with you.

This week is going to be exciting too, but in a more mellow way, because it’s peace. This is the one time if you fall asleep while I’m talking, I will be happy and say, “The Word is working for you!” But if you do sleep, we haven’t made it to kindness, so there may be jokes or pictures!

Let’s look at our fruit scripture and then jump right into peace.

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

What is peace exactly? English dictionaries define it as harmony in personal relations, freedom from civil disturbance, not being interrupted or annoyed by worry or problems, and other surface-worldly meanings. If you Google peace, you’ll see most of the images related to peace are being out in nature, togetherness with different people, Buddhist mediating, and if you keep digging hippies passing herbs to the lefthand side. Why? Because this is the way people, who don’t know Jesus, can get closer to God. Nature is the Work of God; taking in its beauty, cleaner air, good smells, and calmness is all a part of God. The togetherness representing peace is actually the world trying to work God’s love in their own way, but by acceptance rather than using God’s true love. Mediating, often this is depicted in nature or by some water, is people trying to find God, the wrong way, but they’re searching. Finally, the hippies smoking herbs, it’s a way the world tries to calm their thought life, have no worries, go with the flow, and accept everyone (instead of loving everyone). These are all just different ways to attempt having God’s peace without going directly to the Lord.

In the Old Testament, peace is shalom and means completeness, well-being, safety, and prosperity. Yes, money! People who know both Hebrew and English agree a good Biblical definition of peace is nothing missing, nothing broken; both physically and spiritually. I think that’s a great definition, so please write it down: Peace, shalom, means nothing missing, nothing broken; both physically and spiritually. Yes, this word includes money and physical healing. Really quick, we have to remember Abraham was wealthy, everyone left Egypt healthy, and their clothes lasted 40 years in the dessert; that’s shalom, but still, that’s another study! We’re going to be studying peace in general, because we could camp out on peace for weeks.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 NKJV

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

The Lord of Peace give you peace. The Lord is all about peace. Peace is written 397 times in the New King James Bible. Peace is a very important topic. So, let’s jump right in how we get a steady flow of God’s peace working in our lives.

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

One of the ways we can keep His flow of peace is to keep our mind on the Lord. This is a huge topic, because whatever you’re thinking on, you’ll produce. If you keep thinking about recipes and watching people cook, you’ll end up cooking or ordering food that’s been dancing in your thoughts. Let’s be honest, how many cake videos do you watch before you end up eating cake? But being more serious, if someone stopped drinking alcohol, and all they think about are those college drinking days. They end up drinking again, and wonder how they got there. You’ll produce whatever you allow to dance in your head. If you keep your mind on the things of the Lord, we are promised it will produce peace.