JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING
Sakkie Parsons
Because we have this kind of faith, we have Peace:
HEB 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
The Amplified Bible:
HEB 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses).
This kind of faith in us also work the other way around, and if it is not working this way in my life, I must strive to work on it so that it will be in this way:
I have peace because I have this faith.
Only when I fully believe in God, and completely trust Him – that I have peace in my heart, whatever happens or whatever circumstance I am going through, only then my faith reached maturity.
Only then these verses in God’s Word make sense:
ROM 8:28 We are assured and know that (God being a partner in their labor) all things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose.
PHI 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourselves in Him); again I say, Rejoice! (Ps 17:4)
I should also regularly remind myself that God did not promise me a trouble-free journey but a wonderful homecoming, which will continue forever.
Jesus said the following about our journey to our eternal home:
JOHN 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer (take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have overcome the world, (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.)
Do you see what Jesus is saying? He says that His followers will have peace:
“.. so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence..” (v 33)
Where do we have this peace?
Where are we with this peace?
We are with this peace because of our faith in Jesus:
JOHN 16:33 “ … In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The two main pillars on which our faith is built, firstly, the Cross of Calvary:
JOHN 3:14-18
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The second main pillar, on which our faith is built, is the empty tomb.
LUKE 24:1-9
1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.
5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
8 And they remembered his words,
9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
Our faith is a firm belief in Jesus Christ.
JOHN 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
JOHN 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Do you see child of God?
We, who believe in Jesus, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, shall never die – for us, there is no judgment day and therefore we have peace because we know we live forever and await no penalty.
The Amplified Bible put it this way:
JOHN 5:24 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words (who listens to My message) and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment (does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation), but he has already passed over out of death into life.
ROM 8:1 Therefore, (there is) now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wring) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live (and) walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit (John 3:18).
ROM 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the law of our new being) has freed me from the law of sin and of death.
Therefor we can rejoice with my hero Paul:
2 COR 4:6-10
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay,(our mortal bodies) to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
PHI 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
PHI 4:20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
So you see child of God, it also works the other way around:
Because I believe in Jesus, I have peace – and I have peace, because I believe in Jesus.
ROM 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Greetings,
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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