Faith, peace, and the devil

This, then, was the very essence of his faith. It was a divine evidence, or conviction, of the love of God the Father, through the Son of his love, to him a sinner, now accepted in the Beloved. The note on the Greek word there is, evidence or conviction. And being justified by faith, he had peace with God, yes, the peace of God ruling in his heart. That peace, which passes all understanding, all barely rational conception, kept his heart and mind from all doubt and fear, through the knowledge of him in whom he had believed.

He could not, therefore, be afraid of any evil tidings, for his heart stood fast, believing in the Lord. He did not fear what man could do to him, knowing that the very hairs of his head were all numbered. He did not fear all the powers of darkness, which God was daily bruising under his feet. Least of all was he afraid to die. No, he desired to depart and be with Christ, who through death had destroyed him that had the power of death, even the devil, and delivered those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime, until then, subject to bondage.