GUARD YOUR MIND – STEP 2
In the previous step (link), we learnt about the importance of guarding the heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence because out of the heart flow the issues of life. But there is another important territory the Christian must learn to guard: THE MIND!
See what Isaiah 26:3 says: ”Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”. Our next practical step to fully take away worries is to Guard the Mind.
INTRODUCTION
There is something very profound about this Scripture. God promises perfect peace, but notice the condition connected to that peace: “Whose mind is stayed on You.” This means that where the mind stays matters. What the mind continually rests upon matters. What you repeatedly think about matters. What you continually imagine matters. What you allow to occupy your mind matters. Because eventually, whatever continually occupies your mind begins influencing the condition of your inner life.
Where is your mind staying?
Is your mind staying on the problem? Is your mind staying on what somebody said about you? Is your mind staying on the money you don’t have? Is your mind staying on what might go wrong tomorrow? Is your mind staying on the medical report? Is your mind staying on the disappointment? Is your mind staying on the unanswered prayer?
Or is your mind staying on God?
Many times, we pray for peace while continuously meditating on the very things that are stealing our peace. We tell God: “Lord, give me peace.” But after prayer, we return immediately to rehearsing the problem in our minds. We calculate it. We imagine it. We enlarge it. We create conversations that have never happened. We create outcomes that have never occurred. We travel mentally into tomorrow and begin fighting battles that tomorrow has not even brought. Then we wonder: “Why don’t I have peace?” Isaiah 26:3 gives us one of the answers: Where has your mind been staying?
THE MIND IS THE BATTLEFIELD
The mind is one of the greatest battlefields of the Christian life. The brain is an integral organ of the human and the mind of the man is also an integral organ of his soul. Before anything manifests outwardly, many times it has already been rehearsed inwardly(as a man thinketh so he becomes)
Before you become discouraged, something has usually been repeatedly playing in your mind. Before worry overwhelms you, there has often been a conversation taking place inside you. The dangerous thing about the mind is that you can be physically sitting peacefully in your room while mentally living through a disaster that has never happened. Why is that so? because our mind has traveled somewhere God never sent it. This is why we must learn to GUARD OUR MINDS as according to Isaiah 26:3.
Not every thought deserves our attention!
We may not always control the first thought that knocks at the door of our minds. But we can on a daily basis rebuke/cast down these imaginations. The repeated scenes, worries and uncertain fears playing out in your mind is not normal and meant to be part of the Christian man. No! these are strongholds(that fights the very christian mind) and must be arrested and brought into captivity under the obedience of Christ Jesus(Cor 10:4-5).
WHY DOES ISAIAH CONNECT PEACE WITH TRUST?
Look again at the complete verse: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” There it is, TRUST. The mind stays on God because the heart trusts God. When you genuinely trust somebody, you don’t have to understand everything they are doing before you can rest. And this is one of the areas where our Christian walk becomes practical. There will be seasons when you don’t understand what God is doing. There will be prayers that appear unanswered, doors you expected to open that remain closed, delays, disappointments , there will be situations where you simply cannot see how things will work out. But trust says: “I don’t understand everything happening around me, but I know the One in whom I have believed.” That is where peace begins.
HOW TO GUARD THE MIND – PRACTICAL STEPS TO LIBERATING THE MIND FROM THE STRONGHOLDS OF WORRY AND LIVING OUT THE INNERJOY SET FOR THE CHRISTIAN
- We must constantly profess the word of God and declare the mind and promises of God written in his Word for us. Isaiah 26:3 does not teach an empty mind. It teaches a God-focused mind. When worry says: “Everything is going to fall apart,” your mind remembers: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1. When fear says: “You are alone,” your mind remembers: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” — Hebrews 13:5. God has placed power on the tongue (for life and death lies in the power of the tongue). So every declaration made with the tongue and backed by Gods power will surely deliver results. You are not pretending that the problem doesn’t exist. You are refusing to allow the problem to become bigger in your mind than the God who is with you in the problem. There is a difference. Christian peace is confidence in God in the middle of reality.
- Read, search, think and meditate on the bible. This must be done on a daily basis. The Lords prayer said,” and give us our daily bread”. The Lord wants to fellowship with us every single day. As we diligently go to His word on a daily basis, he comes to us on a daily basis and He fills the void in us with His presence and peace and joy is made possible. Also read bible stories, intentionally do this. As we read it, we are inspired by these stories and our soul and innerman is exalted.
This is how the Christian begins to guard the mind as Isaiah 26:3 puts it, we begin to discipline the mind to constantly look to God. So to simply put this, God is teaching us through the book of Isaiah that, ”A disciplined mind displaces worries/fears”. As we do this continuously, the mind begins to learn where its home(or where its trust must direct to) truly is and that is God. Listen to what Isaiah 26:3 said, ”..give him peace whose mind is stayed on you(God) because he trusted in God”.
In our next episode, we shall talk about another practical way to live in Joy as God promised us through the help of spiritual leaderships, families and divinely close individual placed in our lives by God. Before that, I would humbly request you say this prayer anytime and any day you are faced with worries and I do believe that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding shall fill your heart and calm your mind.
A Practical Daily Prayer
“Father, according to Isaiah 26:3, You have promised to keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You. Today, I choose to set my mind upon You. I surrender every troubling thought, every negative imagination, every fear of tomorrow and every internal conversation that is stealing my peace. Holy Spirit, help me recognize thoughts that are contrary to Your Word. Bring Your Word to my remembrance and teach me to redirect my mind toward the truth of who You are. When my circumstances speak fear, help me remember Your promises. When uncertainty comes, help me remember Your faithfulness. I may not understand everything happening around me, but I choose to trust You. Keep my mind in Your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Shalom, beloved!