How does having faith in God provide us with Peace and Hope?
The only certainty in life is death.
We don’t know when our death will come … and what comes after death can feel uncertain and frightening.
The Bible communicates that in the beginning God created people to have life and be in relationship with Him. This was broken when we as humans decided to reject God’s leadership over our lives and to become lord of our own lives.
God hasn’t left us separated from Him. He had a rescue plan. The Bible records that just over 2000 years ago, God sent His son Jesus Christ to Earth, to become our Saviour after His years of ministry and teaching. He died on a cross to bear the suffering for the sins of all people who repent and turn to accept His sacrifice for them. Those who are saved by Jesus and faithfully follow Him will have eternal life. Read about Jesus life in the Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
The Bible in the New Testament records details of Jesus’ life and teachings on Earth. He taught and spoke with many people about the God’s Kingdom and shared wisdom with those who listened about the peace, hope and joy we will find in following Him and living the way God had planned for us in relationship with Him.
John 16:33 records Jesus’ words, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
God has already fought every battle. Jesus has already conquered death. Through Him we can also know peace and reassurance of salvation. Anxiety and fear, worry, all manifest differently in each of us, and there’s no one who can’t benefit from the peace that only God can give.
Jesus said, “The peace that is me, it will be in YOU.” If you know the Lord, you already have more peace in your soul than you can realise or comprehend. This is important, because today so many people are struggling with panic, with anxiety, with worry, with fear. We are not left alone though, Jesus promised that those who seek relationship with Him will also have God’s Holy Spirit living within them to remind them of His teachings and be a source of comfort and encouragement.
Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever … you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16–17)
And when the Holy Spirit dwells in us, the Father and the Son dwell in us — and we in them (John 17:20–21):
Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, they will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)
The most important need we have in life is to make peace with God. When you open up to the grace of God and experience Jesus coming into your life, saving you from your sins, the Spirit of God moves into your heart and begins to live inside of you.
The Bible is a historical account of God’s relationship with His creation and a love story. He created us, He wants to be in relationship with us, to do this He provided a rescuer – Jesus.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12-13
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Philippa Cleall 