Isaiah 26:1-4 English Standard Version
You Keep Him in Perfect Peace
26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“We have a strong city;
he sets up salvation
as walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates,
that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
3 You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.
What a wonderful and sure promise we receive and prayerfully welcome and claim as our own from God’s Living Word that He keeps us in perfect peace.
Oh, don’t we long for that?
I just think about all of the unknowable, unsearchable unknowns in my life.
Also, I think, sometimes even enter the realm of obsession, about things I’m wrestling through, decisions that I need to make, those sorts of things where there can be this turmoil, and worry, or anxiety, and as I talk with folks, I know.
I mean, who is it among us who cannot say that fear, worry, anxiety, our mental health, are not some of the most pressing issues within our hearts, and minds.
We are constantly wondering, what’s going going to happen here or there?
How am I going to get this or that done?
When am I going to get this or that done?
What do I do in this decision or that decision?
How do we address this in my life or my family?
Or, what do I do at work?
Or if we are about to be blessed by our High School or College graduations, what will become of our futures when we are the ones who have to make the choices?
Peace. It’s something people crave.
I’ve written about it in many of my devotionals, and I have received multiple messages and questions and debates about it from literally all over the globe.
But let’s take a fresh look at it in context of this verse.
What does it mean to have Perfect Peace?
Isaiah 26:3 is known as the perfect peace scripture.
It gives us directions for finding that perfect peace that keeps you calm even when life’s storms are swirling around you.
The secret to finding this peace is keeping your mind on God.
God will keep you in perfect peace when you keep your mind on Him and trust Him with everything in your life.
In Isaiah 26 we meet God’s prophet, Isaiah is rehearsing a song of trust in the provision of God.
He is prophetically singing of how God will restore Israel, who will once again walk in righteousness and peace.
After the coming judgement for their sin, a day will dawn when Israel will be redeemed and restored, they will be at peace when their eyes are fixed on God.
This promise was given to Israel during a very dark period in Israel’s history.
Meaning of Perfect Peace in Hebrew
God promises that we can have perfect peace, and even be kept in a place of perfect peace in Isaiah 26:3.
In the original Hebrew text, the term “perfect peace” is actually shalom shalom.
This shows how in the Hebrew language repetition communicates intensity.
It isn’t just shalom; it is shalom shalom, “perfect peace.”
It is as if God wasn’t satisfied to give us one door of peace to walk through; He opened up the double doors of peace and said “shalom shalom.”
If one assurance of peace is not enough for us, He will follow it with a second and then put on top of those two the very steadfast promise to keep us there.
Perfect peace, which is the peace of God, coming only from God, only comes when our anxious minds are set on Him and when we put our trust in Him.
This peace doesn’t necessarily correlate to what is going on around us.
It’s something we experience inside.
Our outward situation does not, or rather should not, determine the peace that we experience.
We can’t get away from what’s going on in our world right now.
The news is filled with stories about socio-cultural, socio-economic upheaval.
At every corner and with every plan we try to make, we can’t get away from the reality that we are experiencing uncertain times.
And uncertainty usually does not lead us to peace.
In fact, it has quite the opposite effect.
Uncertainty creates anxiety, fear, overwhelm, excessive worries.
But when we put our trust in Christ and set our minds on Him, we can have peace. Even if, even when, everything around us tells us to do otherwise.
Still, how can we do this? We must take control of what we put in our minds.
Isaiah 55:1-3 English Standard Version
The Compassion of the Lord
55 “Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
It’s important that we fill our thoughts with God’s Word.
It is important that we fill our thoughts with the things of God.
It is important that we all fill our hearts with the Way, the Truth, the Life of His Son, Jesus who is the Christ, who is our Lord of Lord, King of Kings, our Savior.
The Truth will always be we cannot hide from what is happening in the world.
We need to educate ourselves, to discipline ourselves and follow the guidelines we have been given, but we can’t allow the fear and worry alone to consume us.
We must put our trust in God.
Proverbs 3:5-8 English Standard Version
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh[a]
and refreshment[b] to your bones.
Every time thoughts invade our minds that distract and discourage us, we need to replace them with truth from God’s Word – Have scripture ready and positive statements around you to remind you God is 100% good, Jesus can be trusted.
Our minds and spirits might feel like a chaotic jumbled mess right now, but we can have God’s perfect peace when we choose to focus those thoughts on Him.
Isaiah 26:3–4 Reminds Us We Can Find Peace In God
Amidst the impossible complexities of all the chaos, and all of the turmoil, there is a peace to be found in God that nothing in this world can rob you of.
Are you anxious or worried?
Of course you are!
Am I anxious or worried?
Of course I am!
Do you know God’s peace in every circumstance?
Probably, if not decisively and definitively not!
Do I know God’s peace in every circumstance?
Probably, if not decisively and definitively not
To be honest, I have to work hard on keeping God’s peace in my heart.
It doesn’t have to be an exceptional impending disaster that makes me lose my peace, it can be less life impactful irritations that’ll come across my path daily.
Why do I lose my peace?
Because without any effort at all, without any debates or second thoughts, I will have taken my eyes off God and focused directly on that distraction on my path.
Does this happen to you too?
Virtually guaranteed it does – it is quite literally inescapable.
We need to stop paying such a high rate of rent to that which distracts us.
Because there are infinitely better, more eternal housing alternatives for us.
Romans 5:7-10 English Standard Version
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Pray, rent all (un)available space in our hearts, souls and spirits unto God.
Far more than we need the debilitating complexities of chaos and disorder,
We need God’s supernatural peace, SHALOM SHALOM, that only He can give.
We need His, ‘shalom shalom’.
The good news is that we can have this perfect peace constantly.
We will have perfect peace when we keep your mind stayed on Jesus.
Jesus has already paid the rent and has paid the rent for all of eternity.
Keep your mind stayed on Jesus
What is consuming your thoughts?
Are your thoughts exclusively on your circumstances or exclusively on Jesus?
I find that when I sit in Jesus’ presence every morning and layout before Him all that concerns me, I can refocus my views, my circumstances in a different light.
We can redirect our minds and take the focus off our circumstances and look in faith in the Lord and His Word.
When your mind is stayed upon the Lord, steadfastly fixed on the Son of God, on the Spirit, it means it is firmly fixed and unwavering focused on the Lord.
It also means that we are fully leaning upon His eternity and trusting in Him.
I mean, we could go on and on.
I don’t know what’s going on in your life that turmoil tempts you.
But, today, and in the coming complexities of chaos, hear what God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are telling you through this verse from Isaiah 26:3–4, what else does it say to you, except that if you fully trust in God, keep your mind stayed on God, He’ll keep you in perfect peace because He is an everlasting rock.
So, I just want to encourage everyone today, no matter what’s going on in your life, find the Word of God, Read and Study the Word of God, and fix your eyes on Him, cause your mind to stay on Him, fully realize you can 100% trust in Him.
You can 100% trust in Him now.
You can 100% trust in Him tomorrow,
You can 100% trust Him with all of your remaining tomorrows because God is an everlasting rock, and in Him, His unchangeability, there is perfect SHALOM.
We need to trust God with our today and all of our tomorrow’s.
We cause more anxiety for ourselves when we distress over what might happen tomorrow.
As we seek God’s presence constantly, He will order our days and fill us with His strength and wisdom for all of life’s circumstances.
It will definitely take an active discipline on our part to keep our minds, souls steadfast and unwavering focus on the Lord but Jesus wants to help us with this discipline too, we just have to fervently, unceasingly pray, and ask for His help.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 18:1-6 The Message
18 1-2 I love you, God—
you make me strong.
God is bedrock under my feet,
the castle in which I live,
my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag
where I run for dear life,
hiding behind the boulders,
safe in the granite hideout.
3 I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.
4-5 The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
6 A hostile world! I call to God,
I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence—
a private audience!
Amidst the turmoil, amidst the waves, so to speak, of this world, there is a peace to be found in God that nothing in this world can rob you of. So, we pray, God, we look to you as the everlasting rock. We trust in you. Help us to trust in you with all of our hearts, even amidst the unknowns and things we don’t know around us, even amidst the things where we are tempted to worry. We’re anxious and confusion creeps in. What do I do here or there, God?
We pray for your peace. I pray for your peace. For those who are listening to this right now, I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but I know you’ve promised to keep them in perfect peace when they focus their mind on you, when their hearts trust in you, so help them. Also, help them to trust in you. I pray this for every single person who’s listening to this right now. Please, God, help them to trust in you. Keep their mind focused on you.
May this promise from your Word of perfect peace encourage them today, embolden them today even, amidst all the things going on around them that you would captivate them with your perfect peace. We praise you as the everlasting rock. We trust in you. God, oh, together we say, we trust in you. And we praise you for the peace that’s found in trust in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 