This post concludes a series on Isaiah 26:3. For the previous post, click here.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us that for the person who keeps their minds fixed on God, and who trusts God, that the end result is perfect peace.
Peace, as you may know, is the Hebrew word shalom.
According to the New Bible Dictionary (1996) it means, completeness and soundness.
In the Bible, we see that this word can be used in a variety of ways:
i. It can mean the well-fare of another (Gn. 43:27; Ex. 4:18; Jdg. 19:20),
ii. It can meanwhen one is in harmony or concord with another (Jos. 9:15; 1 Ki. 5:12),
iii. It may mean material prosperity (Ps. 73:3) or physical safety (Ps. 4:8).
iii. But also it may mean spiritual well-being. Such peace is the associate of righteousness and truth, but not of wickedness (Ps. 85:10; Is. 48:18, 22; 57:19–21).[2] (New Bible Dictionary, 1996).
And while all of these topics may be worthy of discussion, what I want to consider is – what does it mean to have peace in terms of spiritual well-being? After all, if we are spiritually sound, then we can weather at lot of earthly storms.
Here are three things that we can gather from Scripture are true of those who are perfectly at peace:
1) They do not worry.
Matthew 6:25 states:
“Therefore I tell you,do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
So individuals that are sound in their spiritual walk, will not worry, because they realize that ultimately it is not the cares of this life that matter; it’s the security of the next.
2) They fear no evil.
Psalm 23: 4 says:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will( fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
When we are confident in the fact that God is with us, we have no reason to fear the evil that we may experience, for we know that when we do, the Giver of perfect peace will be the one comforting us.
3) They are confident in what God has provided.
As Philippians 4:11-13 states:
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Being in perfect peace means that we know the One who gives us strength, and so whatever life may throw our way, we are resting in His provision to get us through.
And Philippians 4:7 tells us that what this peace looks like:
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Perfect peace, then, guards our hearts and our minds so that as we rest in His care, and stay focus on Him, we can experience the benefits that come with perfect peace.
Perfect peace is the result of spiritual maturity. In fact, the word “perfect” is elsewhere translated mature. So as we strive to have contentment in a chaotic world, it means we have to get about the business of being spiritually mature. And as a result, we will experience His perfect peace.
