Peace

Recap on the previous fruit: Joy

Read Core Text: Galatians 5:22-25

So, let’s look at our text that we will be expounding upon. The Fruit of the Spirit for tonight’s lesson is Peace.

With all that is going on this world, Peace is something a lot of people and even teens are struggling with. So let’s talk about three areas where we can have Peace in our lives.

Firstly, the most important person we can have Peace with is God.

Read Romans 5:1 > Peace must start with a vertical transformation, not based off circumstances or people around us. Because let’s be real, if that were the case, we would all be an emotional wreck. 

Side Note: In this study, you will find that this is a common theme. The first Fruit of the Spirit, we talked about Agape Love from God. Next lesson, we talked about Abiding in Christ in that in order we have complete joy. So, let me ask those who are paying attention. Based on what we already established about Love, Joy, and now Peace, what is the common theme, or the common denominator in all of those?

Jesus / God - Don’t let people, friends, family, or circumstances dictate your life. Let Christ be the cornerstone or foundation of your life. You see, all of those other things will change. Christ never does. He is the unchangeable God.

Now back to our verse that we just read. When we read that verse, it states, now since this happened, you have this. Let’s fill in the blank. Since you have been justified by faith, you now have Peace with God.

Does anyone know what justified means? You are declared righteous or an easy way to remember is: Just as if I’d never sinned. To clarify and point out, it’s not that you never will and never have sinned. Rather, when you are justified by Christ, “He who knew no sin, became sin”, meaning that Christ took our sin so that we may be declared righteous before God. 

Ask: Now that we know what justified means, how are we justified? By Faith - Not by works or anything we can to do merit God’s grace, but by saving Faith in Christ. 

So since we are justified by faith, we have Peace with God. When we are Justified by Faith, we are in right standing with God and when that happens, later in Romans it goes into depth of how nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

Read Romans 8:37-39 > So now reading that further clarification of what happens to those who are justified by Faith, we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God; therefore, we have Peace. 

So now reading that we have Foundational Peace, that should in reality, transform our everyday lives and have secondly, Peace within ourselves because what Christ has done and Who is residing in us. 

Now humanly or fleshly speaking, we as Christians may know and understand that yes, Mr. Garet, Christ lives within us and He is our Peace and because what Christ has done on the Cross, we are justified by faith and nothing can separate us from the love of God. I understand all of that? But I still struggle with relying on God and in particular, His Peace. What is something that can help us with that? I’m glad you asked. There is literally a Bible verse that talks about what we should do and what happens when we do it. 

Let’s first before we read that text, identify what is the opposite of Peace: Worry, Anxiousness, Nervousness, Unease

Read Philippians 4:6-9

V6: So firstly, we received a command: “Do not be anxious about anything.” Now that’s hard is it not? Grades at school, parents, siblings, friends, sports, hobbies, money, boyfriend, girlfriends, what am I going to do after high school…. There certainly is a lot that we could be anxious about. 

BUT > in everything, and I’m going to insert “in everything that life throws at you, or you fill in the blank”, by “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.” 

Two things it list to do here:

Prayer and Supplication

With thanksgiving

Prayer & Supplication:

We all know what Prayer means, right? Bringing our request before God, often said as a “pouring out" one’s heart, desires, and soul. It is asking for things in accordance with God's will and for His glory. Supplication or some versions may say Petitions, involves a "pleading" before God's throne in dependent, fervent prayer. 

With Thanksgiving: 

These both should be done in gratitude, thankfulness for who God is, what He has done, and what He will continue to do in your own lives. This is not in an accusatory manner, but in a manner of praying our petitions before a Holy God. 

Then we read what happens, “The Peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.”

When we engulf ourselves and plunge into the throne room of God, when we fully rely on God with our life, with our prayers, petitions, cares, and anxious thoughts… God’s peace, not our own peace, but the Peace of God, which we can’t even comprehend, will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus. Often times, in the Bible, they separate man into the mind and heart. So, when Paul is saying this, he’s not just saying it will sometimes guard you. NO! But that it will guard your entire being with the Peace of God, which we just learned that God does not change and is our firm Foundation. The creation of the universe, gives us His Peace!

Not only does Paul provide us with praying and thanksgiving, but he gives us another action step for Peace:

Read V8: Think on these things. Think on good things. When life gets hard, think on these things. Then in V9, it states what we have just learned and seen, practice these things, and the God of Peace will be with you. 

Now we just discussed why/how we have Peace with God and how to have Peace within ourselves. But lastly, what does it say about others?

Read Romans 12:18 > pretty straight forward right?

Read Matthew 5:9 > Jesus is not only talking to those who strive for Peace and avoid quarrels among themselves, but who also strive to settle differences among other people. To instruct people to live at Peace, for when hatred and strife creep in, to kill it and provide Peace. 

Those are two clear verses on instructions to have Peace with others. But for those of us who have experienced anxious thoughts or struggle to find peace, why is it so hard? Lets look at a couple of things that can creep in:

Gossip

Friend Drama

Sibling Conflicts

Online Arguments

Jealousy

Those are just a couple of things that creep into our lives that destroy our Peace. Don’t allow them and feel the courage to step in when someone at school starts talking about someone in a way that is not building up, or when petty drama arises within friendships, or even when you find yourself to be jealous over someone or the things they have. Cling to God, He gave us the action steps to have His Peace. To Pray, to give God gratitude, and to think on positive, uplifting things, and you will see that anxious doubt escape from you, I promise, because God’s word will not return void. 

Discussion: 

• What is an area in your life where you need to rely on the Peace of God.