What is Your Mind Stayed On?
Michael Edwards
What do you think about most often these days. Is it the unrest in the world and the United States, fear of future viruses, the daily news, the economy, your job, your bank account, your bills, the stock market, your health, inflation, the deception and evil plot of the enemy that is unfolding in these latter days, politics and your party, worry, concern and even fear for the future of your children, etc. Does staying your mind on these things bring His peace, the peace and power that Jesus died to give us, or do they trouble your heart and bring fear?
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 NAS
In Isaiah 26:3, God’s word is consistent and it tells us how we can have His perfect peace that overcomes all circumstances.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 ESV
Notice that it does not tell us to stay our minds on our doubts, worries and fears, as we often do. It does not tell us to focus on anything in this world, such as the money or bank account God may have blessed us with. No matter our situation, it tells us to focus on God, on Jesus, on the eternal that is unseen, not the temporal shifting sand we see.
Isaiah 26:3 points out, if we trust God our mind will be stayed on Him. In other words, if we do not trust God, our minds will be elsewhere, on what we think we can trust, our abilities, jobs, etc. Or, on our problems and our fleshly attempts to overcome them. This is walking in the very limited power of the flesh instead of the Spirit. In the end, it will fail.
God wants us to walk in the Spirit where we will be filled with His power and peace. The only way we can do this is to believe, trust and obey God fully. He will provide all we need. God’s counsel is very clear, keep our mind stayed on Him and we will have His perfect peace in all circumstances, the clarity and ability to overcome all things in Christ who loves us.