(October 18, 2021) Dr Robert McQuillan responds to this query about the Holy Spirit special brand of peace…

Dear Dr Robert
It’s me, Mitch. Again. I appreciate the help you been giving me over recent months… advice and prayers. I want to ask you something… I was really struggling with something that I couldn’t get free from; it was hanging on me like some sort of trap. But then you prayed for me… in what I thought was unusual at the time… you strongly prayed for a special peace to come on me, drop on me, aneirenepeace. And I know that I know something happened! I felt so released and have been feeling good since. I know you wrote about this peace as being one of the fruit segments of the Holy Spirit, but please explain further (I still feel so good!).  Mitch.

Dear Mitch

Firstly, I praise God that you’re feeling released in your mind and heart. Yes, back in July I explained this peace as Eirene… inner peace is ours, a very special assurance that all will be well… as Jesus assured his frightened disciples. Eirene is mentioned some 90 times in the NT and was (think Irene) a very popular girl’s name. Eirene related to serenity enjoyed under a good and just government ruler. Villagers would call the keeper of public peace, ‘the Eirene’ the one who would justly look after them. Think about this in respect of Jesus… the hand that holds the universe also holds us!

Perhaps if I share the following with you, it’ll help you further understand – and appreciate how releasing and what a blessing this special peace is…

Most Christians know about the general Jewish greeting of Shalom, a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquillity; used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye. But I draw your attention to John 20:19-23… The risen Saviour suddenly appears before his frightened disciples, his closest friends (especially Peter) who had deserted him when he was taken to be defiled, tormented, bruised, hurt and crucified.

He could have really got stuck into them and blasted them for their weakness and betrayal, fearfulness of the Jewish leaders, their lack of faith. And he also could have greeted them in the traditional way… ‘Shalom.’

But this loving, caring, understanding friend did none of these… rather he caringly greeted them with the powerful, comforting ‘Eirene.’ What a true friend he was and still is! Can you imagine how relieved they must have felt? Not only in discovering Jesus really was alive but also that he wasn’t holding anything against them but was giving them the greatest inner peace. With such assurance they could his great commission to take the gospel to the world!

Mitch… that’s what I prayed for you (as I’ve had to do for others in recent times, especially fearful and sick folk); that’s why you felt released and different. If you ever feel any disturbances in future, just pray this way over yourself! It’s a precious, beautiful work of the Holy Spirit who regularly assisted Jesus in his earthly ministry. Blessing, Mitch.
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