The God who created the universe dwells in the hearts of those who believe, transforming them into living temples of His presence. The heart that believes is the heart who loves and because of this, it is the heart that obeys. Because our hearts are God's home, our prayers take on a new dimension—rooted in His will and guided by His Spirit.
Seeking God's Will
When Jesus says in John 14:14 that God will do whatever we ask in Jesus' name, He says it with the understanding that we will ask for what is God's will. We ask in His name because He has all authority and power. He will only do what is the Father's will. Jesus continues to explain what love requires.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Jesus says, loving Him means keeping His commandments (John 14:15). The one who does this, Jesus promises to pray for that God will send the Holy Spirit, who will be our comforter, our helper. Jesus repeats again in John 14:23 that the person who loves Him obeys Him and that is the person to whom it is promised Jesus will "make Our home with Him."
Finding Peace through the Holy Spirit's Presence
In John 14, the Lord promises us two things: His Holy Spirit and His peace. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, we find peace that enables us to endure suffering and loss. His Spirit and peace allow us to endure suffering and hardship. We are told that we will experience suffering (John 16:33), be hated (Matthew 10:22) and be rejected (Luke 10:16). The experiences that the Lord had will be ours, when we follow Him, but we are not alone.
But just as He was one with the Father, so shall we be one with the Spirit that He has given us. Just as He went to the cross with peace knowing He was being obedient, an obedience unto death, so we can have His peace no matter what life brings.
The world can't have these things. Isaiah 48:22 tells us the wicked will never know peace. For the world, peace depends on circumstances but for the Christian, peace can be present in the face of disease, tragedy, financial loss or any other setback, because we actively choose peace.
A Personal Testimony of Peace
I can speak personally of experiencing the peace of Christ. When I received my diagnosis of cancer the Lord blessed me with His peace. I was able to truly accept the will of God—whether that meant healing or not. I certainly knew He was able to heal me and I prayed for that. But if it was my time to leave this life, I could peacefully accept that as well. His Holy Spirit allowed me to find peace despite my circumstances. This was a supernatural peace.
Choosing the Peace of Christ
Colossians 3:15 says to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. This means we have a choice. We can totally trust God and have His peace or we can put our trust in ourselves and live with chaos and turmoil. Only total trust in Jesus will give us the peace that, if it is His will, it is for our good. We don't have to understand our circumstances to have peace. Some things, we realize, only God knows. Do you seek the peace of Christ in your daily life, or do you rely on your own strength?
The Price of Peace
It is His pain and suffering that provides us the path, the Way, to have a right relationship with our Father. As Isaiah 53:5 reminds us, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Colossians 1:20 says that He made peace through the blood of the cross. Jesus paid a great price for the peace He promises us.
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit lives in us we will grow to experience this peace that passes understanding. We will become "publishers of peace" (Isaiah 52:7). We are to spread the good news that God has given us because we want others to experience this same peace.
Comprehending God's Word Through the Spirit
When the Holy Spirit lives within us, Jesus promises us in John 14:26 that "He will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all things that I said to you." For the disciples this meant that they would be able to understand the teachings of our Lord in light of his death and resurrection and the words He spoke to them could be remembered for them to be able to write the Gospels.
Proof of the Spirit’s Indwelling
For us today, it is the Holy Spirit who allows us to comprehend the words of the Bible and how they apply to us (1 Corinthians 2:12). 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 tells us that it is the Holy Spirit who helps us understand spiritual truths in the word of God.
The fact that God lives in us grants us a new birth (John 3:1-8). The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11), intercedes for us in prayer (Romans 8:26-27), convicts us of sin (1 John 1:9) and produces spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), among other things. It is this indwelling of the Spirit that proves we belong to God.
The Spirit Dwelling Within Us
Paul, in Romans 8:9, explains that the Spirit of God dwells in you. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, our bodies are called the Temple of God because it is where God dwells. There is no longer a Jewish temple nor are there any animal sacrifices. God dwelt in the Temple long ago as a sign of His covenant with Israel. Now He dwells in us making us His holy Temple, because Jesus is our perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood is our New Covenant (Mark 14:24).
From the Temple to Our Hearts
Can you imagine the presence of God moving from the stone walls of a temple into your heart? The temple used to shine with the glory of God but now it is your life in Christ and Christ in you that is the light to the world.
Adopted as Sons and Daughters of God
Jesus promises in John 14:18, quite beautifully, not to leave us orphans. He will come to us. As Romans 8:15 explains, we have not received a spirit of fear but of adoption, as sons, causing us to be able to cry out, "Abba Father". Abba is a term of endearment, of intimacy between a father and a child but it also carries another meaning with it—obedience.
Seeking His Peace and Reflecting on Obedience
Today seek His peace, pray for a deeper sense of His Holy Spirit and what it means for God to dwell in you. Ask yourself those hard questions—do I love Him enough to be obedient? Where does He want me to examine my life with Him?
