“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

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.

Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:

Shalom. I speak of peace to My people, to the godly ones dwelling in the land. Psalm 85:8. Shalom, shalom have those who keep their minds stayed on Me. That is the abiding life. Abiding in Me and My Words abiding in you. My peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. I am with you and I am peace. In Me you shall find peace.

Jesus, the night before He died for your sins, told the disciples He would not be with them much longer and they were deeply grieved. He was their life. But He told them He would not leave them orphans but send them another Helper, Counselor, Advocate, Guide, Teacher, Comforter, and amazing companion like Himself that would be with them and in them forever. And he explained, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7. And then He told them about what the Spirit would do for them. And the conclusion? Joy and peace. “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” John 16:22. And “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace. Isaiah 55:12. And that is going right into our series of instructions on living a fruitful life. For the fruit your spirit produces when the Holy Spirit dwells in you is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23. Yesterday’s Life Lesson was joy and today is Life Lesson No. 4: “Shalom, Peace.” Love, joy and peace, they all work together and flow one from another. The fruit of the Spirit is a sharing in My divine nature. Those are My qualities so if you are attached to Me you bear the fruit of the vine to which you are attached.

When you took Jesus as your Lord you became a new creation in Him. Born again by the Spirit so that your spirit is again alive to Me and dead to sin. Adam, by submitting himself to the devil, became dead to Me and alive to sin. And when you became a new creation in Christ, a wonderful thing happened, your citizenship is now in Heaven, the vast and forever peaceful Kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven is a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The product of that Kingdom is peace, that is, shalom which means more than just peace. It means perfect wholeness in every area of your life. I had the chastisement fall on My Son that gave you shalom, perfect wholeness in your life—good health, good finances, good relationships—My people shall be filled to overflowing with My goodness. Jeremiah 31:14.

But to walk in that peace (to be led forth with peace) you must guard your heart from being troubled or made fearful by the things around you or in you. Jesus told you that you would have trouble in this world as it is now, but to take courage because He had overcome the world and He now lives in you. Greater is He who lives in you than he who is in the world, that is, the devil, the one that Adam and so many people have made their “god” in this world. And how is Jesus in you? He told you. He sent you the Holy Spirit to be in you and with you always, to teach you all things, to guide you to all truth, to tell you of the things to come, and share My deepest thoughts with you.

Find your peace IN HIM. He told you to do that, “in Me you will have peace.” How? Know who He is and what He has done for you. He has taken all your sins, offenses, shame, guilt, diseases, ills, pains, poverty, abandonment, and infirmities upon Himself, borne them in His own body to the cross and took your condemnation to the dust of death. And I raised Him up from the dead and glorified Him so that all your sins are gone forever. I made Him who knew no sin to be sin on your behalf so that in Him you could become righteous with My own righteousness. And once you understand this, and- receive the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace, you will reign in life through Jesus. And when you are ruling and reigning you have peace on every side. In righteousness you will be established; you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near you. Isaiah 54:14. No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of My servants, and their righteousness is from Me. Isaiah 54:17. When I am with you, no one and nothing can be against you. And knowing that brings you shalom, peace.

But how do you keep this fruit producing in your life? Have you read Psalm 92? When you are planted in My house, you will flourish in My courts, you will still yield fruit in old age; you shall be full of sap and very green. Psalm 92:14-15. And how do you get planted there? Look at the opening of that Psalm: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2. And you get planted by planting My Word in your heart. Just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so abide and walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and built up in Him and established in your faith, overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7. And learn from Psalm 1 also, when you delight in My Word, and meditate in it day and night, you will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever you do you prosper. Psalm 1:1-3.

You will only have peace if in every trial you hold fast to My Word of victory, such as healing if it is sickness, provision and prosperity if it is finances, comfort if it is sorrow, direction if it is confusion, and I could go on. In My Word, there is a promise, a direction, for everything that will happen in your life. My Words are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. And the Holy Spirit will guide you to it, teach it to you, and remind you of it just when you need it. And then you can speak it, declare it, meditate on it, until your faith is so strong for it that it breaks the yoke and lifts the burden. And then you are ready to come with confidence to My throne of grace and receive it, take it, find it, and see it manifest.

I give you the formula for peace but you must use it. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to Me. And My peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Practice these things, and I, the God of peace, will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9.

Cast all your cares on Me because I care for you. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is My will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. And I, the God of peace Myself will sanctify you entirely; and preserve your spirit and soul and body complete, without blame at the coming of your Lord Jesus Christ. I am faithful, and I have called you, and I will also bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24. Know that I will complete the good work that I have begun in you.

I am the God of peace, the very One who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus your Lord, and I will equip you in every good thing to do My will, working in you that which is pleasing in My sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom I have given the glory forever and ever and in Him to you. Hebrews 13:20-21.

Be filled with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13. Get filled with the Holy Spirit and you will find life at a whole new level. You will go out with joy and be led forth with peace. Let shalom be the compass of your life.

I love you. Righteousness and peace have kissed. Shalom, shalom. My Son came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him you all have your access in one Spirit to Me, your Father. Jesus spoke shalom, that was His first Word to the disciples in the upper room when I had raised Him from the dead.

I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into the Way. Psalm 85:8-13.