“not as the world gives”

“not as the world gives do I give to you”

I hope this encourages you to be a devout pursuer of the Holy Spirit. In Him you will have peace. Train your thinking lest the sin that is crouching at your door finds it open. (Genesis 4:7)

Jesus’ peace is not something we automatically receive when we become born-again. In this hour of history finding peace is impossible. But we can have His Peace. The peace Jesus talks about has certain characteristics and is found only in one place. Let’s look at what Jesus said about His peace so that we too can live in peace during this hour.

For context, John 13-14 was a hard time for the disciples. It was the Last Supper where Jesus clearly spoke of His departure and betrayal, and where satan entered Judas. To Peter Jesus prophesied, “you will deny Me three times.” Following is John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” Following, towards the end of John 14, Jesus again picks back up on His leaving. But right before, in the middle of His discussion, Jesus once again brings up peace. He says (25-27),

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Peace, the Peace Jesus talked about, is found only in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “My peace I leave, My peace I give.” This is the same language He used when He spoke of the Holy Spirit’s coming—Jesus would send the Holy Spirit and He would abide with us forever. Peace from God is only found in the Holy Spirit.

However, it is not a casual receiving of peace when He comes into our life. It is something we must do. ‘Let’ is a verb and demands action on our part. We must “Let not our hearts be troubled.”

Look at Romans 8:6 (NASV), “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…” Life and peace come as we submit our thinking to the Holy Spirit. When we are bent towards worldliness we cannot have His peace; worldliness only leads to death. It is deception to think otherwise.

We have to fight to overcome the world and its system that darkens our thinking. Worldly thinking is a stronghold that often manifests through loving our lives: the here and now, comfort, and ease. The only way to have Peace is to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. And through that relationship learn to have a new way of thinking.

Throughout John 13-17 a theme keeps repeating: trouble is coming; do not give into fear; the Holy Spirit is coming; He will help you; I have told you before it all happens so that you will believe and have peace…

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus states “in Me you may have peace.” It is not a given that we will have peace. But we may have peace.

I had a word of knowledge at Bible study the other night. It was about people awakening in the night in intense fear. The Lord said that it was demonic in nature; we need to war spiritually and not give into this demonic fear. Fear is crouching at our door—we must master it. We master fear by living in Jesus’ Peace that He provided for us when He sent the Holy Spirit. We apprehend that Peace as we live a life sanctified to God with a renewed mind.

To wrap this up as I was studying Peace, I came across this scripture:

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” God's heart towards mankind, as the angels declared the coming of Messiah, Jesus, is for peace. 

I trust this post has helped give us understanding leading to a life in the Peace of God.

For further study see Philippians 4.