07.27.22 | The Fruit of Peace
In Galatians 5, Paul encourages the church of Galatia to walk in the Spirit – something we all desire to do as followers of Jesus, as we commit to practicing his way. In verses 22-23, Paul then specifies that the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
This week is our last in this series focusing on the fruit of the Spirit. Today, we will consider the fruit of peace as we continue through the four steps of FAST:
- Focus: Find a quiet place to settle your mind and open yourself to the Holy Spirit’s presence.
- Adoration: Spend time honoring and exalting God, tell him what you appreciate about him. Contemplate on who he is and what he has done. You might even be able to get a sense of his presence with you.
- Speak: Commune with God, taking moments to both speak to him about what’s on your heart and to pause and listen for his voice. Use journals to write down what you hear him say. Ask simple follow up questions like, “is there anything else you’d like me to know about [fill in the topic]” to really get to the heart of what Jesus wants to communicate to you and what you want to say to him or plead for while you fast.
- Transform: Commit to taking active steps to change or address what the Lord revealed during your time of fasting.
During the third step, Speak, ask God what he wants you to know about peace. What is his peace like? Ask God to remind you of times in which you have experienced his peace – try to recall how this felt.
Throughout the gospels, Jesus often talks about peace. In John 14:27, Jesus says,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Consider these words and spend time speaking with Jesus about the areas of your heart that are troubled or afraid. Challenge yourself to share with him vulnerably and openly, even if it means honestly conveying what you are wrestling with and where you are struggling to experience his peace.
And again, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Take time to prayerfully consider this with Jesus. Ask:
- Are there areas of my life that God desires for me to be a peacemaker?
- Who in my life needs to experience God’s peace?
- How can I partner with him to show his peace to others?
During the last step, Transform, spend time with the Spirit, focusing on exploring new ways to live into God’s peace.
As always, we encourage you to share any commitments you make with a brother or sister in Christ to help keep you accountable to those decisions.