This last Sunday we considered the peace that Jesus gives those who are His true followers. All those who have peace with God have the privileged of living with the peace from God through Jesus every day.
We are all born as enemies of God, but through faith in Jesus we can be justified (declared righteous) and brought into a legal standing of grace and peace with God. Consider the following passage of Scripture:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:1-10).
In John 14, wt the culmination of Jesus’ counsel to His disciples who had troubled hearts Jesus says this:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27).
In other words, the solution for troubled and fearful hearts is the peace that Jesus gives. And yet, there is a responsibility on the part of the disciples of Jesus to pursue this peace. At the beginning of John 14 Jesus started off by referring to this same responsibility: “Do not let your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). However, instead of identifying the peace that He gives as the solution, Jesus gives counsel that ought to result in trouble free hearts. On Sunday I raised this question: What is the connection between John 14:1 and John 14:27? Jesus gives two solutions for troubled heart: Counsel for a trouble free heart (John 14:1) and peace for a trouble free heart (John 14:27). So what is the connection? The peace that Jesus gives is a supernatural gift of inner wellbeing available to all true followers of Jesus. Where peace from Jesus is, anxiety is driven out. This peace is a gift and yet it must be pursued. Therefore, the connection between John 14:27 and John 14:1 is this that this supernatural gift of the peace of Jesus is experienced as true followers of Jesus pursue and apply the counsel that Jesus gives to trouble hearts. Are you a true follower of Jesus? Do you want to experience the peace available to you in Christ more consistently? Then continually confess any known sin and pursue this counsel of Jesus for your troubled heart. Below is a summary and application of this counsel of Jesus.
- First, in the middle of your trouble, believe in God believe also in Jesus (John 14:1)
- Trust in God, trust in Jesus (negatively, stop trusting yourself, others, or circumstances, trust in God and Jesus).
- Isaiah 26:3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
- Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Second, In the middle of your trouble, remember that Jesus has prepared a place for you in heaven and one day you will be with Him (John 14:2-3)
- Nothing between now and then can derail your ultimate destination if you are in Christ.
- Set your affections on this reality of one day being with Jesus forever and you will experience this peace from Jesus now.
- Third, in the middle of your trouble, run to Jesus who is the exclusive way to the Father, because Jesus is the truth and the life (John 14:6).
- Don’t run anyone or anything else, run to Jesus and you will experience this peace from Jesus.
- Fourth, in the middle of your trouble, get your mind off yourself and unto Jesus who reveals God the Father to you because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him (John 14:7-11)
- Remember, ignorance and misunderstanding about spiritual truth actually heightens the trouble in your heart.
- In the middle of trouble we are in desperate need to focus in on Jesus who reveals God to us.
- As we do so we will be able to discern truth in the middle of our trouble and will know the peace of Jesus.
- Remember, ignorance and misunderstanding about spiritual truth actually heightens the trouble in your heart.
- Fifth, in the middle of your trouble, focus on doing the greater works of Jesus by prayer in the context of an obedient life of love to Christ. (John 14:12-15).
- We were made to live for God and we were redeemed to be about the greater works of Jesus. Therefore, as we live out what we were made for we will experience this peace from Jesus.
- Sixth, because the Spirit of Truth is in you, walk by the Spirit and He will produce the fruit of the Spirit (Peace) in you. (John 14:16-17).
- Seventh, recognize that you are never alone because Jesus has come to you in the ministry of the Spirit. You are in union with Jesus and He and the Father have made their abode with you.
- And as you by faith recognize these realities you will experience this peace from Jesus in the middle of your trouble.
- Eighth, recognize that because the Holy Spirit perfectly taught the apostles and their associates all the spiritual truth they needed to know and reminded them of all the teaching of Jesus, you have access to the perfect, authoritative, complete and sufficient Word of God. It is this Word that reveals Christ to you in all His fullness. As you let the word of Christ richly dwell in you will be filled with the Spirit and will experience this peace from Jesus.
- Psalm 119:165 Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
If you are born again by faith in Jesus Christ alone, then you can pursue this counsel from Jesus for troubled hearts and experience the peace of Jesus in your life.
