"These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. "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 that I said to you. "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 14:25-27)

We have been speaking about the language of the heart. The last few sessions, we have looked at the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the roles of prophet, priest, and king, and examined each of those roles as an item of spiritual clothing that we do in certain contexts.

The prophetic anointing is all about speaking difficult truths, the priest is an intercessory voice and the king is the anointing of servant leadership, preferring others over ourselves.

 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;” (Rom 12:10)

 This session I want to go a little deeper into the very atmosphere of the language of the heart. The Word instructs us to discern the atmosphere, of the spirit of what we hear.

 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;” (Php 1:9-10)

 The term, “approve the things that are excellent” implies that we need to be in agreement of what is of God and what is not so we can be sincere and blameless until the day of Messiah.

 Sincerity means to be without a mask or a pretense. The greek word is “elikrinas” and it literally means to be judged in full sunlight. Sunlight is the great disinfectant of truth. To be sincere then is to be willing to fully examined.

 Paul tells us: “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2Co 13:5)

 The question is how can we pass the test? By peace or shalom. God’s atmosphere is peace. If we don’t experience peace when we hear the voice of Lord then we are listening to another voice. Does that we mean that we won’t receive correction. No. We definitely will receive correction but it will bring the promise of peace.

 When the Lord sends out His word it is always designed to bring peace. Look with me at when He sent out the disciples 2 by 2.

 "And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. "As you enter the house, give it your greeting. "If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” (Mat 10:11-15)

 His Word brings peace when received with honor. It brings a blessing of peace.

 When it isn’t received then it is a sword.

 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.” (Mat 10:34-36)

 We have all experienced the difference in our own households and families. God doesn’t desire any enemies but He can only offer peace through the gospel of peace. If peace is refused then the gospel that was intended to bring peace becomes a gospel of war. Our choosing is the most precious thing to God.

 James the brother of Yeshua said:

 “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

 We are seeing this played out all over the world with increasing hostility towards God and His children.

 What this does not do is allow us to return hostility or evil for evil. The Apostle PAUL REMINDS US:

 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)

 No! We are ambassadors of the Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom in Hebrew.

 Let’s look for a minute at the Hebrew word “shalom” which means peace and is also a greeting.

 The ancient Hebrew word picture for "shalom" (שָׁלוֹם) is a combination of four pictographic letters that represent its deeper meaning of "wholeness" and "completeness" beyond just peace. The letters are: Shin (ש), which means "teeth," symbolizing destruction or separation; Lamed (ל), a "shepherd's staff," representing authority or guidance; Vav (ו), a "tent peg" or "nail," symbolizing connection; and Mem (ם), "water" or "waves," signifying chaos or life. Together, they suggest that true wholeness (shalom) comes through the authority (Lamed) that destroys (Shin) the chaos (Mem) and brings connection (Vav). 

 It is no accident that the first act of the Bible is the speaking of God to the chaos, in Hebrew “tohu, vavohu”, translated as emptiness and formlessness.

 “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” (Gen 1:2-4)

 God whose voice brings peace, shalom speaks to chaos in our lives and brings light out of darkness.

 “For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2Co 4:6)

 The face of Messiah is the face of peace. After His death and resurrection, Yeshua demonstrated this by revelation:

 “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.” (Jhn 20:19-22)

 Shalom, that true wholeness (shalom) that comes through the authority (Lamed) that destroys (Shin) the chaos (Mem) and brings connection (Vav).

 We are all like sheep who have gone astray but His language of the heart comes to give us peace. We may not always understand what is going on but we can always have peace beyond our understanding.

 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, 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. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Php 4:6-9)

 Peace is the ultimate reward of our salvation. Peace with God and peace with one another. This is how we know that we are hearing from God, if what we hear brings peace with it.

 This is why Paul said:

 “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col 3:14-17)

 Again, we see the connection between allowing or letting the peace rule in our hearts and the corresponding ability to let the word of Christ dwell within us. Dwelling implies a comfort with a location. We dwell where we feel safe. Peace is the atmosphere of safety, not only for us but for the language of the heart.

 Have you ever noticed that when we are in conflict with someone, it consumes our thoughts and emotions? This is because we are not created for conflict but for peace, shalom, oneness.

 The question then naturally becomes how to we enter into that peace when we are troubled? Yeshua instructs us:

 "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 that I said to you. "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 14:26-27)

 Clearly, there is a choice to be made. He would not have said “do not let” if there was no choice. We have to choose to allow our heart to be fearful or to trust in His Shalom, His peace as the atmosphere of His kingdom, the carrier frequency of His voice.

 Activation: Meditate on peace. See peace not just as the absence of conflict but also as the authority or power in your life that destroys chaos and brings us into connection, with God and with one another. Who do you need to reconnect with? Remember the same wall that keeps us protected from hurt, separates us from God.