Before Jesus went to the cross, He made a wonderful promise to His disciples. Because they would face tribulation in this world, He promised to leave them some help.
“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…” (John 14:26-27)1
Jesus would have been speaking Hebrew to His disciples, so He would have used the Hebrew word “shalom” for peace. According to Strong’s concordance, “shalom” is completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, and prosperity.2 It’s more than just a peaceful, easy feeling. It’s nothing broken and nothing missing. It’s the kind of personal peace that He Himself had enjoyed here on earth. He was never ruffled or resistant to God’s direction and voice. He displayed the peace that comes from unbroken communion with God. That’s what He left us with!
“…not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27, cont.)
The kind of peace Jesus left us with is not the kind the world can give us. It’s not false and shallow and unsatisfying. The only requirement He gave us is to simply “let not our hearts be troubled.” Being troubled comes first, then being afraid comes next. It’s all about guarding our hearts. Because our spirit is at peace, our normal state as a believer is peace. It’s a lot easier to maintain peace than to obtain it. If we don’t ever let our hearts become troubled, we won’t have to fight the battle of fear.
Throughout the years I have spoken Jesus’ words to my own heart many times: “Tricia, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” It’s amazing what simply reciting that verse will do when the enemy fires his evil words of fear, doubt, condemnation, and pain to my mind. The voice of my Beloved speaks, the devil flees, and peace reigns in my soul..
(from pages 353-354 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2H7965 (shalowm), Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H7965&t=KJV, accessed 6-12-14
