Fruit of The Spirit Pt 3
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
PEACE
Text: Galatians 5:22-26
The word “peace” comes from the Greek word eirene, the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew word shalom, which expresses the idea of:
- wholeness
- completeness
- tranquility in the soul that is unaffected by outward circumstances or pressures.
The word eirene strongly suggests the rule of order in place of chaos.
When a person’s life is led by eirene (“peace”), he has a calm, inner stability that results in the ability to conduct himself peacefully, even in the midst of circumstances that would normally be very nerve-racking, traumatic, or upsetting.
The Hebrew word shalom, indicates that peace ultimately gives blessing in a person’s soul.
Instead of allowing the difficulties and pressures of life to break him, a person who is possessed by eirene (“peace”) is whole, complete, orderly, stable, and poised for blessing.
The New Testament is filled with examples of this supernatural peace that the Holy Spirit produces.
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
and your feet shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
— Ephesians 6:14,15
If you had seen the shoes of a Roman soldier, you’d have wanted to make sure you didn’t fall in front of him or get in his way where he might accidentally step on you. Those weren’t normal shoes — they were killer shoes!
Paul refers to these killer shoes in Ephesians 6:15 as he talks about the spiritual weapons God has given to the Church.
Just as God has given each believer a sword, He has also clothed every believer with the shoes of peace.
These shoes may sound like a passive, peaceful part of our spiritual armor.
However, they are actually killer shoes, such as those worn by a Roman soldier.
The shoes of a Roman soldier were vicious weapons.
They began at the top of the legs near the knees and extended down to the feet.
The portions that covered the knees to the feet were called the “greaves.” They were made of metal and were specially shaped to wrap around the calves of a soldier’s legs. The greaves were uncomfortable but important for keeping a soldier’s legs safe.
The shoe itself was made of heavy pieces of leather or metal, tied together with leather straps that were intermingled with bits of metal.
The bottoms were manufactured of heavy leather or pieces of metal.
The bottom of the shoes were affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes.
Two pointed spikes extended beyond the front of each shoe.
The greaves — the metal that covered the Roman soldier’s legs from his knees to the top of his feet — were designed to protect the soldier’s calves when he was required to march through rocky and thorny terrain.
If he’d had no protection on his legs, he would have been gashed and cut by the environment.
The greaves gave the soldier protection so he could keep walking, regardless of the obstacles he encountered.
The metal barriers also gave him defensive protection in those moments when an adversary kicked him in the shins, trying to break his legs.
Because the soldier’s calves were covered with these greaves, his legs could not be broken and the enemy’s attacks were in vain.
The spikes on the bottom of the soldier’s shoes.
These were intended to hold him “in place” when in battle.
His opponent might try to push him around, but the spikes on the bottom of his shoes helped keep him in his place, making the soldier virtually immovable.
Those spikes on the bottom and front of the shoes served as weapons of brutality and murder. O
One good kick with those shoes, and an enemy would be dead.
Just a few seconds of stomping on a fallen adversary would stop them quickly!
When Paul writes about these shoes in Ephesians 6:15, he says, “...And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”
Notice that he connects peace with these killer weapons!
The word “shod” comes from the word hupodeomai — a compound of the words hupo and deo.
The word hupo means under, and deo means to bind.
Put together as one word, it gives the idea of binding something very tightly on the bottom of one’s feet.
This is not the picture of a loosely fitting shoe but of a shoe that has been tied onto the bottom of the foot extremely tightly.
Just as the greaves of a Roman soldier protected him from the environment and from the blows of his enemy, the peace of God — when it is operating in your life — protects and defends you from the hassles and assaults of the devil.
The enemy may try to disrupt us, distract us, and steal our attention by causing negative things to happen all around us, but his attempts will fail because the peace of God, like a protective greave, stops up from being hurt and enables us to keep marching forward!
Just as those spikes held a Roman soldier securely in place when his enemy tried to push him around, the peace of God will hold us in place when the devil tries to push us around!
And as the soldier used those spikes to kick and to kill his opponent, there is no need for you to ever stop moving ahead just because the devil tries to block your path.
If he is crazy enough to try to get in front of you, just keep walking! Stomp all along the way! By the time you’re finished using your shoes of peace, you won’t have much of a devil problem to deal with anymore!
Paul uses this illustration to tell us that we must firmly tie God’s peace onto our lives.
If we only give peace a loosely fitting position in our lives, it won’t be long before the affairs of life knock our peace out of place.
We must bind peace onto our minds, heart, spirit, emotions in the same way Roman soldiers made sure to bind their shoes very tightly onto their feet.
“And your feet shod with the preparation….” The word “preparation” is the Greek word etoimasin, and it presents the idea of readiness or preparation.
When used in connection with Roman soldiers, the word etoimasin portrayed men of war who had their shoes tied on very tightly to ensure a firm footing.
Once they had the assurance that their shoes were going to stay in place, they were ready to march out onto the battlefield and confront the enemy.
When peace is in place in our live, it gives us the assurance we need to step out in faith and make the moves God is leading us to make.
Before we take those steps, we have to be sure His peace is operating in our life.
This powerful piece of your spiritual weaponry is essential because, without it, the devil can try to kick, punch, pull, and distract you.
But with that conquering peace firmly tied up to our mind and emotions, we will be empowered to keep marching ahead, making it impossible for the devil to take us down!
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
— Colossians 3:15
We all have those days when there was so much confusion whirling around our head that we to scream, “STOP”?
When we do have those days, we are probably tempted to either get in the flesh and react to someone in an ugly way or to get depressed, go to bed, and forget about it all.
Neither choice will help you solve the problems you are facing.
Rather than throw in the towel and give way to these emotions that want to get the best of us, stop right now and make a decision to let the Word of God rule in us today?
We have to allow God’s supernatural peace to dominate and govern every emotion and situation that confronts us.
If we don’t make this decision and follow through with it, worry, fear, insecurity, doubt, and many other emotions will assuredly to take control.
There is fewer things worse than when we are being knocked all over the place by emotions that are out of control!
Let the peace of God rule in your heart, as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:15.
He said, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
Notice the word “rule” in this verse.
It is from the Greek word brabeuo, which in ancient times was used to describe the umpire or referee who moderated and judged the athletic competitions that were so popular in the ancient world.
Paul uses this word to tell us that the peace of God can work like an umpire or referee in our hearts, minds, and emotions.
When bad emotions attempt to force control over us or try to throw us into an emotional frenzy, we can stop it from happening by making the choice to let God’s peace rise up from deep inside us like an umpire or referee to moderate our emotions.
As we do, we will be kept under the control of that divine peace as it rules in our hearts.
When this divine umpire called “peace” steps into the game, it suddenly begins to call the shots and make all the decisions instead of anxiety and worry.
Colossians 3:15 could be translated:
“Let the peace of God call the shots in your life....”
“Let the peace of God be the umpire in your life and actions....”
“Let the peace of God act as referee in your emotions and your decisions....”
Even though it’s true that everyone has hard days and bad weeks, we don’t have to surrender to those emotions that try to steal your joy, disturb your relationships, and rob us of our victory.
When we feel overwhelmed by problems or emotions that are hitting us from every direction, just stop a moment and deliberately set your heart and mind on Jesus and the Word of God.
As you do this, the wonderful, conquering, dominating, supernatural peace of God will rise up from your spirit and take control!
Jesus calms the storm on the sea
- Mark 4:35-41
- Matthew 8:23-27
- Luke 8:22-25
The word “peace” comes from the Greek word eirene, the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew word shalom, which expresses the idea of:
- wholeness
- completeness
- tranquility in the soul that is unaffected by outward circumstances or pressures.
The word eirene strongly suggests the rule of order in place of chaos.
When a person’s life is led by eirene (“peace”), he has a calm, inner stability that results in the ability to conduct himself peacefully, even in the midst of circumstances that would normally be very nerve-racking, traumatic, or upsetting.
The Hebrew word shalom, indicates that peace ultimately gives blessing in a person’s soul.
Instead of allowing the difficulties and pressures of life to break him, a person who is possessed by eirene (“peace”) is whole, complete, orderly, stable, and poised for blessing.
The New Testament is filled with examples of this supernatural peace that the Holy Spirit produces.
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
and your feet shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
— Ephesians 6:14,15
If you had seen the shoes of a Roman soldier, you’d have wanted to make sure you didn’t fall in front of him or get in his way where he might accidentally step on you. Those weren’t normal shoes — they were killer shoes!
Paul refers to these killer shoes in Ephesians 6:15 as he talks about the spiritual weapons God has given to the Church.
Just as God has given each believer a sword, He has also clothed every believer with the shoes of peace.
These shoes may sound like a passive, peaceful part of our spiritual armor.
However, they are actually killer shoes, such as those worn by a Roman soldier.
The shoes of a Roman soldier were vicious weapons.
They began at the top of the legs near the knees and extended down to the feet.
The portions that covered the knees to the feet were called the “greaves.” They were made of metal and were specially shaped to wrap around the calves of a soldier’s legs. The greaves were uncomfortable but important for keeping a soldier’s legs safe.
The shoe itself was made of heavy pieces of leather or metal, tied together with leather straps that were intermingled with bits of metal.
The bottoms were manufactured of heavy leather or pieces of metal.
The bottom of the shoes were affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes.
Two pointed spikes extended beyond the front of each shoe.
The greaves — the metal that covered the Roman soldier’s legs from his knees to the top of his feet — were designed to protect the soldier’s calves when he was required to march through rocky and thorny terrain.
If he’d had no protection on his legs, he would have been gashed and cut by the environment.
The greaves gave the soldier protection so he could keep walking, regardless of the obstacles he encountered.
The metal barriers also gave him defensive protection in those moments when an adversary kicked him in the shins, trying to break his legs.
Because the soldier’s calves were covered with these greaves, his legs could not be broken and the enemy’s attacks were in vain.
The spikes on the bottom of the soldier’s shoes.
These were intended to hold him “in place” when in battle.
His opponent might try to push him around, but the spikes on the bottom of his shoes helped keep him in his place, making the soldier virtually immovable.
Those spikes on the bottom and front of the shoes served as weapons of brutality and murder. O
One good kick with those shoes, and an enemy would be dead.
Just a few seconds of stomping on a fallen adversary would stop them quickly!
When Paul writes about these shoes in Ephesians 6:15, he says, “...And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”
Notice that he connects peace with these killer weapons!
The word “shod” comes from the word hupodeomai — a compound of the words hupo and deo.
The word hupo means under, and deo means to bind.
Put together as one word, it gives the idea of binding something very tightly on the bottom of one’s feet.
This is not the picture of a loosely fitting shoe but of a shoe that has been tied onto the bottom of the foot extremely tightly.
Just as the greaves of a Roman soldier protected him from the environment and from the blows of his enemy, the peace of God — when it is operating in your life — protects and defends you from the hassles and assaults of the devil.
The enemy may try to disrupt us, distract us, and steal our attention by causing negative things to happen all around us, but his attempts will fail because the peace of God, like a protective greave, stops up from being hurt and enables us to keep marching forward!
Just as those spikes held a Roman soldier securely in place when his enemy tried to push him around, the peace of God will hold us in place when the devil tries to push us around!
And as the soldier used those spikes to kick and to kill his opponent, there is no need for you to ever stop moving ahead just because the devil tries to block your path.
If he is crazy enough to try to get in front of you, just keep walking! Stomp all along the way! By the time you’re finished using your shoes of peace, you won’t have much of a devil problem to deal with anymore!
Paul uses this illustration to tell us that we must firmly tie God’s peace onto our lives.
If we only give peace a loosely fitting position in our lives, it won’t be long before the affairs of life knock our peace out of place.
We must bind peace onto our minds, heart, spirit, emotions in the same way Roman soldiers made sure to bind their shoes very tightly onto their feet.
“And your feet shod with the preparation….” The word “preparation” is the Greek word etoimasin, and it presents the idea of readiness or preparation.
When used in connection with Roman soldiers, the word etoimasin portrayed men of war who had their shoes tied on very tightly to ensure a firm footing.
Once they had the assurance that their shoes were going to stay in place, they were ready to march out onto the battlefield and confront the enemy.
When peace is in place in our live, it gives us the assurance we need to step out in faith and make the moves God is leading us to make.
Before we take those steps, we have to be sure His peace is operating in our life.
This powerful piece of your spiritual weaponry is essential because, without it, the devil can try to kick, punch, pull, and distract you.
But with that conquering peace firmly tied up to our mind and emotions, we will be empowered to keep marching ahead, making it impossible for the devil to take us down!
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
— Colossians 3:15
We all have those days when there was so much confusion whirling around our head that we to scream, “STOP”?
When we do have those days, we are probably tempted to either get in the flesh and react to someone in an ugly way or to get depressed, go to bed, and forget about it all.
Neither choice will help you solve the problems you are facing.
Rather than throw in the towel and give way to these emotions that want to get the best of us, stop right now and make a decision to let the Word of God rule in us today?
We have to allow God’s supernatural peace to dominate and govern every emotion and situation that confronts us.
If we don’t make this decision and follow through with it, worry, fear, insecurity, doubt, and many other emotions will assuredly to take control.
There is fewer things worse than when we are being knocked all over the place by emotions that are out of control!
Let the peace of God rule in your heart, as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:15.
He said, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
Notice the word “rule” in this verse.
It is from the Greek word brabeuo, which in ancient times was used to describe the umpire or referee who moderated and judged the athletic competitions that were so popular in the ancient world.
Paul uses this word to tell us that the peace of God can work like an umpire or referee in our hearts, minds, and emotions.
When bad emotions attempt to force control over us or try to throw us into an emotional frenzy, we can stop it from happening by making the choice to let God’s peace rise up from deep inside us like an umpire or referee to moderate our emotions.
As we do, we will be kept under the control of that divine peace as it rules in our hearts.
When this divine umpire called “peace” steps into the game, it suddenly begins to call the shots and make all the decisions instead of anxiety and worry.
Colossians 3:15 could be translated:
“Let the peace of God call the shots in your life....”
“Let the peace of God be the umpire in your life and actions....”
“Let the peace of God act as referee in your emotions and your decisions....”
Even though it’s true that everyone has hard days and bad weeks, we don’t have to surrender to those emotions that try to steal your joy, disturb your relationships, and rob us of our victory.
When we feel overwhelmed by problems or emotions that are hitting us from every direction, just stop a moment and deliberately set your heart and mind on Jesus and the Word of God.
As you do this, the wonderful, conquering, dominating, supernatural peace of God will rise up from your spirit and take control!
Jesus calms the storm on the sea
- Mark 4:35-41
- Matthew 8:23-27
- Luke 8:22-25
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