The Word, Our Weapon
ICS Daily Devotions

Philippians 4:7-8 (NKJV) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

After telling us to cast our cares upon God, the Apostle Paul instructs us to meditate on the Word of God so we can maintain His peace in both our hearts and minds. This divine peace surpasses human understanding, and acts as a fortress in guarding our minds and hearts through Christ Jesus.

The concept of “guard” in the original Greek suggests a military defense, encircling and safeguarding like a garrison. This peace differs from the world’s peace, which is fragile and dependent on circumstances. It originates from God Himself, residing within our hearts.

On the other hand, our minds can be susceptible to fear, dwelling on unknowns and potential negatives. Because the mind can only hold one thought at a time, to maintain the peace in our minds, we need to guard our thoughts by closing the door to the devil and stopping him from inflicting fear through our thought life.

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

To keep perfect peace, we must keep our minds steadfast on God and trust in Him. Worship is a powerful tool to focus our minds on God’s greatness, reinforcing our dependence on Him. In addition, we need to meditate on the Word of God.

For example, in times of job uncertainty, we can meditate on these biblical promises:

God has inscribed me on the palms of His hands, and my life is continually before Him. (Isaiah 49:16)

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and He listens to my cries. (Psalm 34:15)

Memorising and reciting these truths will anchor our minds in God’s promises. Spiritual warfare primarily takes place in our thought life, where either fear or peace resides. The Apostle Paul urges us to demolish wrong thoughts and arguments and replace them with the truth of God’s Word. Meditating on the Word replaces fear with faith and fills our minds with God’s promises.

Paul advises us to think on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, admirable, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Meditating on these qualities helps us cultivate a positive thought life, aligning our minds with God’s goodness and pushing out fear and negativity.

As believers, we have a renewed spirit, but our minds remain a battlefield. Meditating on God’s Word empowers us to conquer our thought life and maintain God’s peace within us. The Word becomes a weapon in spiritual warfare, casting down arguments and capturing rebellious thoughts, leading us to victorious living.

Sermon Series: Keep the Peace