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You will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. [Isaiah 26:3] Whatever maybe your situation right now, even if your path is uncomfortable and unfamiliar, this word that is so comfortingly familiar, comes to you as the promise of God this month. It is what grace does in your life, to take you to the place where God wants you to be, in your spiritual walk with Him. The entire chapter is a beautiful song of trust; a trust in God for protection from all danger and enemies, that leads you to, and sustains you in a peace that is wholeness, and one that can come to you only from God. An echo of this, is what the apostle Paul reiterates, in his letter to the Philippians. It is where he describes the blessed peace that is beyond all comprehension that would be your experience in life, when, not being anxious about anything, but praying about everything, you present your requests unto God with supplication and thanksgiving. [Philippians 4:6,7]
Mind that is stayed on Thee:
It is described in the amplified version of this verse in the bible, to be a mind with a natural inclination and character that is stayed or fixed upon the Lord. And, it is a process, one that takes time, depending on your care and investment in it. But it is also a progressive journey, that takes you closer and closer to the goal of having a mind that is stayed upon God. And, Paul in talking about his own walk of faith, towards the prize of his upward call in Christ Jesus, observes that though he has not arrived, he is pressing forward towards attaining it’. It could be the same with you too. You may not as yet, be in the position to be able to declare that your mind is stayed, or that your every inclination, your very character, is defined by your trust in God. But then, you will also be able to say that you are drawing closer to it, and you are not today, what you used to be yesterday. It is a process, a journey that you embark on, one that sees you steadily growing in your trust in the Lord, in the varying circumstances of life, leading to a transformation in you.
Abraham’s call, saw him venture from the familiar into the unknown, trusting in the wonderful promise of God; the promise of blessing, in order to be a blessing. It was from then on a progressive journey, a faith walk, in obedience to God. [Genesis chapters 12-24] And each time God spoke with him, all through his journey, there was a revelation from Him, that led to a deepening of his relationship with Him. Detours and distractions that led him away from God’s path happened though, just as it can happen even today, in your life and mine. For, there were the times when he tried to do it all, in his own way, only to be led astray into needless complications. It only speaks and affirms today, the wisdom of God’s word that bids you to trust in the Lord with all your heart, and not lean on your own understanding; to acknowledge Him in all your ways, that He may direct your paths. [Proverbs 3:5,6] It is the journey of faith and trust, that goes to make up a mind that is stayed on God.
‘Stayed’ – what it means:
Turning to the Lord in a situation, after having exhausted all human self effort in managing it, instead of trusting in God to accomplish it in and through Him, need not be your stand in life. It need not be your final port of call, the last resort, when all else has failed. God can bring about a transformation in you, where trusting in God primarily, as the very first resort, can be a very natural response, your first reaction. And how does it come about? Anything that comes from God, can come only with the help of God. It is the truth that can never be challenged. For, ‘Apart from me you can do nothing’, are the very words of the Lord Jesus. [John 15:5] The sinful man who thinks that he can succeed in his own strength, is on the path of which God’s word says – There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death. It will not end in life and peace.
But, the flip side of it so very true too, as Paul declares confidently, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. [Philippians 4:13] With Him and through Him, it is a character transformation that He brings about in you; one that makes trusting in God, very normal and natural, even as in your mind, and what you think through it, your reasoning on how to approach a particular situation, begins with God in communication with Him through prayer, and His word that comes to you concerning it. And, it all becomes possible in you, after your salvation, not prior to it.
Salvation in itself, happens in your spirit, by the word of God and the Spirit. And, flowing from it, is the need for a renewing of your mind. It is a process, that brings about a progressive change in you, leading steadily towards a place where trusting in God and perceiving through the lens of His word becomes your first and very natural response to anything that you face in your life’s journey. For, often in life, you are left with second thoughts, after doing something. Making your second thoughts, your first, could be wise counsel, but better still would be to pray that God’s thoughts would become your first thoughts. For, there is no confusion or lack of clarity in Him, concerning the thoughts and good plans He has for you.
HIS thoughts:
‘I know the plans, the thoughts I have concerning you…’ God has declared in His word. [Jeremiah 29:11] He has a plan, and does not have to make something up as you go along in your life, and somehow and in someway manage to work it out for you. For, even before the creation of the world, He has fore ordained you to be His child, and as your Father, He knows also, as the God of forethought, the resources involved, to also make provision for it.
Your prayer:
Your prayer needs to be therefore, that His Kingdom purposes and plans, and His will may be worked out in your life. And then, you will simply be working out in your life, what God has already worked in you, through His thoughts, and His gracious empowering that will see it come to pass. It is what you remember and celebrate as you partake of the Lord’s Table acknowledging all that He has already accomplished for you on the Cross of Calvary, to appropriate it all in your life, to walk in its’ blessing. It is much more than a ritual, that every religion, so very religiously prescribes. On the Cross -what happened was a magnificent transaction of love, unconditional and sacrificial, and it was all about you. Calvary was where -His Body was broken for you. His Blood was shed for you.
Above all – it is all about you:
And, God’s focus being so very singularly upon you, also invites from you a fundamental reciprocation in love for Him, a loving obedience. And then, as your focus remains on Him, He takes responsibility to keep you in perfect peace. But, this teaching of the road to perfection, of a mind that is stayed upon God, could sound way too idealistic to your ears this day. You may on examining yourself, know that you are no where near it now, in your practical living. Or, having started with God, in a right relationship with Him, remaining in it, may be what is difficult. And it is where, the word process, can very specifically and relevantly, speak into your soul. It signifies a journey of increasing trust, through His work of grace in you.
TRANSFORMATION – a process:
Transformation is a process, that takes place as your mind is renewed more and more by God’s word. For to any situation, until now, you responded in a certain way, because you have always thought things through in a certain fashion, maybe according to the pattern of the world, the world system. But, as you exercise your faith that comes by hearing the word more and more, to have your mind filled more and more with it, responding in the godly perspective to the same situation would become the automatic and normal reflexive act, and one that you do instinctively, naturally and normally. Trusting in God is not then something that you try to do, but your spiritual reflexes are developed to such an extent that it becomes something very natural and normal. It will become a spiritual reflex that happens instinctively in you.
Working it out – the process:
It would be like how, to a person accustomed to driving a car for quite some time, shifting gears becomes an automatic reflex action, something that is done, without even being consciously aware of it. But then, it would not have been so at the start, as a beginner, just learning the ropes. For, it would have involved much concentration and attention, and even then the inexperience would have shown up, every now and then! With time and practice though, the intricacies of driving, coordinating the three pedals, gears and steering wheel, becomes something very natural. And, when this can be said about your spiritual walk with the Lord, when the automatic response of your mind to any situation, circumstance of your life, is through the word of God, your relationship with Him, your mind is indeed stayed upon Him.
It is a strengthening of your spiritual muscles, that would see a right response and spiritual reflex in you. And it is a muscle that develops in you, as you work out, exercise your faith, keeping always in front of you as your role model, your Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who is with you, and in you, forever, when you are a child of God. Suggestion countered by scripture , But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’. [Matthew 4:4] It was by confessing the written word, the scripture, that the Lord overcame the tempting suggestion of the devil. He points the way; He is the Way! ‘Do not give a foothold to the devil’, is the wisdom of God’s word. He is a defeated foe and does not have any authority over your life, unless you give him room. But if you open the door, he will come in to slowly take over all areas of your life.
A thought that comes in your mind, whatever it may suggest in you, could be from your own spirit, the devil, or from God. But, if it is from God, it will always be in line with scripture. It is how what is not from God, can be discerned, and also countered and overcome. Therefore, even as you are at your workplace or home, when an anxious thought comes in your mind, it is a suggestion from the evil one. It cannot be from God, for He has bid you, as His child, to not worry or be anxious about anything. And, as it is countered by that scripture, being written in your heart, and spoken forth, the suggestion of the devil can be overcome. You can take the needless thought, the suggestion of the enemy captive, and bring it to obedience unto Christ, the Living Word.
A fearful thought can crop up suddenly; a suggestion undoubtedly from the evil one, for fear can cripple and paralyze you, making you unable to progress in God’s path for you. Once again, it can be countered and overcome with scriptural truth, as you proclaim that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind. [2 Timothy 1:7] And, continuing in this process more and more, will find you developing spiritual reflexes, that after a certain point, you will find yourself normally and instinctively responding in thought, word and deed, through the scriptures. You will be led and guided by it, to overcome the wily suggestions of the devil, that can come through any source to disturb and unsettle you.
Scriptural promises- Yes & Amen in Christ:
‘Say a word, Lord’, petitioned the centurion, for His servant to be healed. In your life and mine though, living now in the glory of the new covenant, every word that needs to be spoken has already been accomplished through the finished work of Calvary. And every promise of God, spoken in His word to you, all that you will ever need in life, is yes and Amen in Christ Jesus. Satan came to tempt the Lord Jesus with a scripture. And the Lord overcame him with scripture! He has pointed the way therefore, to the scriptures, that you may overcome too. God has given you the key. And the need to counter what is not from God is always there, for what begins as a small suggestion that is planted in your mind, by the enemy, or the world system, will soon develop into a stronghold. Hence the need for weapons of warfare that God has provided you with, divine weapons that can demolish strongholds as Paul describes in his epistle to the Ephesians.
Scriptures – the sword of the Spirit:
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [Ephesians 6:17] Countering the suggestion cannot be done without God’s help. And, as you keep studying the scriptures, God will begin to fill your heart with His word, and when the occasion arises, the Spirit of God will take from it, and bring it to your remembrance. You will be empowered then to use it as a weapon, to counter and overcome any unwholesome suggestion victoriously. And, when you begin to walk in it it , this response will be something that happens automatically, a spiritual reflex that develops and strengthens, with continual applications of scriptures in times of challenge, fear and doubt, to ultimately begin to keep your mind in peace that is undisturbed, a peace that is perfect.
Snare laid by man will not hinder you:
Grace will take you to a place where, even if there is someone plotting and scheming against you, instead of looking around you, only to get paranoid within you, you will in an act of spiritual reflex, counter it with scripture that declares that though people dig a hole for you to fall, you will pass by safely. [Psalm 57:6] It will safeguard your peace, for you will find your rest in His promise, that is yes and amen in Christ, to know that you will reach the other side, unhindered by the plotting of men, who are in the devil’s hands, in his control. Keep studying the scriptures therefore, for when the word of God dwells in you more and more richly, the quicker will be your spiritual reflex. It is how spiritual reflexes get tuned in you. And, it is all because the Holy Spirit dwells in you; not your good memory! When your reflexes are not so finely tuned, according to the scriptures, a disturbing thought that you wake up with can linger even till the end of the day, till you finally drive it away with God’s word, the sword of the Spirit. But, then another problem could follow, or in other words, it could have become a normal routine for you.
But, with God’s help, it need not be so, for you can pinpoint the problem even when it is a tiny ripple to counter it with scripture, and regain your peace quickly, before it gathers strength to become a storm that drags on for hours, to end up taking away your peace! Even when it is something that you need to sit and think through, to weigh opposing and conflicting views, the Spirit will bring to your remembrance, the scripture by which, you can have clarity based on the word. And acting upon it will see peace flow into your life, like a river. And, in situations of life, that come against you, to weigh you down, what you recollect, and speak to yourself is so very important too. The psalmist wonderfully expresses his questioning heart, one that you and I can identify with so well at times in life’s journey. ‘Why are you downcast, O my soul?’ – Why my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God; For I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. [Psalm 42:5]
Thus, once again it is the scripture, brought to remembrance by the Holy Spirit, that can counter and come against the discouragement, to bring you out of it, and flood you with hope. For sometimes one is not even aware of the cause of it. And if it was possible for you to snap out of it, as the people of the world would counsel you to do very sincerely, would you not have done it? It is the Holy Spirit who will bring to remembrance the scripture that will counter it to bring you out of your misery. For, ‘Hope in God’, the psalmist says to his soul, declaring his confidence and faith, that he will be lifted up to praise Him in the days to come. And it all happens as you are walking in a close and continual relationship with God, attentive and sensitive to the voice of the Spirit, who can break in any time to speak to you anytime, anywhere, when a need arises. Attention, builds up your spiritual reflexes that overcomes, and your character and inclination stayed on God, guards and keeps you in perfect peace.
And a wonderful verse of scripture, comes as a promise to you this day, that you may make it your prayer. Fashioned by scripture- He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. [Psalm 33:15] You and I all go through times of brokenness in life; and in your heart brokenness, may this be your prayer; that He may fashion your heart, according to His design, according to the make up of His Son. It will take just a moment, a twinkling of an eye, for God to answer your prayer, and then to keep it stayed, fixed on Him involves three things ,
1. Trust :
It is a yielding or surrender unto God. It is not a giving up, but a giving in to the ways of God, saying unto Him, ‘Lord, have it your way’. And, you may be on the verge of giving up, but do not give up on your situation that appears to be irrevocably broken, but rather, give in to God, to what He chooses to do. Let Him do His work of grace in you, to bring about the change that is needed. Let ‘Lord into your Hands I commit’, be your prayer. It is a sign of confident trust, as Paul goes on to say, ‘I know that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him’. And trusting in Him, leads to rest and peace in you.
2. Obedience :
And further on in the same chapter, Isaiah acknowledges the need for a complete leaning and dependence upon God. It is a giving up on your own ideas and plans, that you may have walked in, until now, and in obedience that needs to follow your declaration of trust, saying, O Lord, our God, masters besides you have had dominion over us; But by You only, we make petitions of your Name. [Isaiah 26:13] In other words, praying becomes your first option automatically and naturally. And, waiting on God, is not about buying time, but about talking and hearing from God first, in any situation, a constant dependency on God. Word and worship are the natural, spiritual reflexes of one who is in a living relationship with God. And a mind stayed on God, is about trusting and obeying, for which He also gives you the empowering. ‘We do not know what to do, we do not have the power, but our eyes are upon You’, was the prayer of king Jehoshaphat, as he faced a mighty army; and God led him to a magnificent victory. [2 Chronicles 20:12]
And David in his close relationship and walk with God, even as he leaned and depended on Him, to inquire of Him, was instructed by God to go to Hebron. And there, David found everything prepared and made ready for him to be anointed as the king of Judah. [2 Samuel 2:1-4] It is how God leads, and blesses the one whose mind is focused and stayed, on Him, in order to obey. Go by His instructions today, therefore, for there is already waiting for you, goodness that He has already prepared. And when you are in a crossroad, you will hear a voice in your ears that will guide you. It is the promise of God. [Isaiah 30:21] And, it is with hope that you move forward.
3. Hope :
When your mind is stayed on Him, it is much more than mere wishful thinking; it is a confident and certain hope. The psalmist expresses it wonderfully saying, I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word, I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord, More than the watchman waits for the morning, Yes, more than the watchman waits for the morning. O, Israel hope in the Lord, For with the Lord, there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. [Psalm 130:5-7] The sun may one day not come up, or you may not wake up one day to see it, but more than it all, is the certainty of God’s word. And, it is the level and nature of confident hope that you can have, when your mind is stayed on His word.
HE keeps you:
And finally, it is all about Him. It is He who keeps you in perfect peace. You do not have to try to keep yourself calm. Instead, as your mind is stayed on God, it will be an amazing experience, as you stand apart from yourself to watch, or in other words, be a spectator, in what God does in and through you, to keep you calm and at peace, even in the most challenging circumstances of life. And it is why you will be able to confidently and joyfully declare that, ‘It is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in my sight’. Therefore, may your prayer this month, be unto the Father, to be fashioned by His word. For whatever your circumstance may be, God can change it by the power of the scripture, when it is written in your heart, to be spoken by your mouth. He will fulfil His promise, by bringing about a transformation in your life, as He keeps you in a constant, consistent and perfect peace.
Word and worship are the natural spiritual responses of a Christian. Therefore, lifting up your hands in worship, give thanks unto Him, for through His word, He has taught you to say that it is well with your soul. Whatever your circumstance may be, He has regarded your helpless estate, and done it all for you on the Cross of Calvary. Let the bliss of that glorious thought, in knowing that your sins not in part, but in whole, have been nailed to the Cross and you bear it no more, flood your heart and soul. It is the truth you acknowledge as you partake of His Body and His Blood, to declare, that ‘It is well with your soul’, as you are led by the Father, your heart fashioned by His word, to experience peace, perfect peace, one that is constant and consistent, as His blessing rests upon you, now and forever.
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
