(Isaiah 26:3 KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Refined Focus”. We spent a couple of weeks studying the battle for our minds, as Paul described in 2 Cor 10:3-5. This morning we will look at what happens when we win that battle and keep our minds fixed and focused on God. The prophet Isaiah teaches us that we can have supernatural peace.
Isaiah teaches us that God will keep us in perfect peace if we keep our minds stayed on Him. Isaiah then teaches us that we will only be able to keep our minds stayed on God is we trust Him. I will deal with this ‘matter of trust’ in detail tomorrow. For today I feel led to lay a foundation for supernatural peace.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
- Making peace with God comes as a result of accepting Jesus as Lord and receiving the forgiveness of sin. However, subsequent to that, we have the ability to receive the peace of God. You can have peace with God, meaning you are saved, but then not enjoy the peace of God. The Father wants you to make it to heaven, but He also wants you to enjoy the ride. He offers you a peace that far surpasses human understanding, reasoning or explanation. The peace of God is amazing and it is available for every believer (see Phil 4:6,7).
- You get to choose what you do with your cares. You can carry them around and allow them to burden you, like we were accustomed to prior to coming to Christ, or you can CAST them over to God. The Father is ready, willing, and able to receive every one of your cares, because He cares for you. So be a care-caster, not a care-carrier! (see 1 Peter 5:7).
- If you follow Today’s Word, then chances are you want to do right. You are following God and you want to become the person He called you to be. While it is possible to do so, the Father does NOT want you to become weary in doing what is right. If you become weary you will lose the grip you have on your faith. This can lead to faith-failure. However, if you hold on, if you remain steadfast, if you maintain your hope, if you remain confident, then in due season — which means there is a season when your breakthrough is DUE — you will reap your harvest (see Gal 6:9).
- The Father offers you a Great Exchange. He is willing to exchange your weariness for His rest. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” What a great deal! You bring him your heavy burdens and He is willing to do a one-for-one exchange for His rest. You won’t find a better deal anywhere (see Mat 11:38-30).
- You can’t be in-trust or in-faith and in-worry at the same time. If you are worrying it is an indication that you don’t trust God. But if you fully trust Him there is a perfect peace – which is actually written in scripture as “peace peace” – that is available for you (see Isa 26:3).
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I choose to focus on You. I choose to keep my mind stayed on You and You promised to keep me in perfect peace. I am ready to make the Great Exchange. I release all the pain, bitterness, resentment and stress from my past. I will never again carry around a negative yoke. I decide to only put on one yoke on my neck from this day forward – that yoke is Your yoke. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. You take the pressure off of me. The days of me working while You were resting are over. I will now rest and allow You to work through me. And the best part is, I will get more done by Your grace then I could have ever done without You… AND I will do it with Your peace in my heart and mind. I give myself over to You. I cast ALL my cares upon You, because You care for me! You take my cares. I take Your peace. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
