The Power of Peace

“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:21-23

The message of the Gospel is the message of peace. We carry this message in the power of the Holy Spirit when the Lord breathes his life into each of us. The evidence of the Holy Spirit is the ability to forgive sins. Our ability to forgive is directly proportional to our ability to be at peace. Jesus had every reason to be angry at his disciples. Each had abandoned him in his moment of need, but he said peace. He had every reason to be angry with his people, who cried ‘crucify him’ he said peace. He had every reason to be angry with the Roman authorities and by extension all of the Gentile world but he told his Jewish believers, “I am sending you” he was sending them with the message of the forgiveness of sins, the message of peace. Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit, when they were stoning him to death he said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” as the life ebbed away, he was at peace. Many reading this blog have reasons to retain un-forgiveness in their hearts. However if you will be at peace, forgive.

Do you long for the breath of God? Do you long for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Then exercise the power of peace. Jesus said; “if you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” The power belongs to you. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5: 9