Isa 26:3

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Isaiah 26 is a continuation of the song of victory when the LORD shall deliver Jerusalem. The song celebrates God's defeat of Judah's enemies. In Judah, everyone will sing a victory song when they see their enemies destroyed and they finally get to return home. Babylon’s fall is Judah’s victory. Like the psalms, this song is forward looking: It is also a prophecy of the new dispensation when the gospel of salvation begins to be preached to the whole world. Isaiah prophesied about Jerusalem becoming a strong city in which salvation is its walls and bulwarks (fortresses), the gates open and those who love righteousness may enter in (v.1, 2). Isaiah is not talking about the physical Jerusalem. The song looks forward to the New Jerusalem which is the church. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote about this strong city: “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22). The apostle John in his apocalypse said he “saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The church is the “strong city” Isaiah was talking about. To those who enter the gates of that city (the church), Isaiah says: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (v.3). I like this statement: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” How did they achieve perfect peace? The answer: “whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” There is nothing like having perfect peace. There is no perfect peace in this world. Even as Christians, sometimes our minds are filled with anxieties. But this group of Christian has prefect peace: THE ONES WHOSE MINDS ARE STAYED ON GOD. There is nothing like staying the mind on God. If we stay the mind on anything else, we cannot have perfect peace, for that something else may fail us. Those whose minds are stayed on God have perfect peace. This is because they know their God is able to make the impossible possible. Isaiah says: “Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (v.4). But one may say: “I have been a Christian for so long and I don’t have peace.” My question to him is: “Is your mind stayed on God?” God has provided us the answer to have perfect peace: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE” (v.3). You must train your mind to stay on God. The Scripture says: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Faith is putting our trust in God. How can we grow in our faith? We can’t just pray to God to increase our faith and do nothing about it. What do you do when the weather is hot? You don’t pray that God will keep you cool and remain in the heat of the sun, right? You go find a shade and stay under the shade. In the same way, if you can’t find peace in Christ, do something. Paul says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). You don’t have peace because you don’t have faith; you are not putting your trust in God who can deliver you from your troubles (Proverbs 3:5, 6). You need to feed your faith with the word of God. Yes, feed your faith and remove all doubts and you will have perfect peace. Faith will give you perfect peace. Those who find perfect peace are those who have faith in God: “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid” (Mark 6:50). Is it well with your soul?