Shielded Day 15 With All Boldness: Digging Deeper

1) How do these verses connect with the theme of Shielded and With All Boldness?
In today’s Journey Study, Merry discusses Paul’s request of the believers to pray for his own boldness as he shares the gospel. While Paul had been given the perfect armor of God to guard him and help him fight spiritual battles, he still had to make the choice to stand firm and stay engaged in the battle. The Lord’s armor will not benefit us in battle if we decide to stay out of the war, choosing to stay back instead of standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13-14) Given this reality, Paul beseeched his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith to fervently pray for his boldness in preaching Christ just as he had been commissioned. (Ephesians 6:19-20) Isaiah’s words here are part of a victory song Israel was to sing when God would finally bring redemption for them. They were looking forward to a time when they would be experiencing God’s victory firsthand and they would finally be free from all enemies and wars. There is strong encouragement in these short verses! While troubles attack on all sides, the Lord reminds His people all they need to do is trust Him, leaving the weight of their mind and emotions on Him. In return, He will give perfect peace. The same God who would win their victorious redemption would be present with them while they waited.

2) What is the difference between “perfect peace” and “peace”?
Perfect peace, in the song of Israel, was given directly from God when they relied fully upon Him, resting their minds on Him alone. This “perfect peace” could exist regardless of any extenuating circumstances as long as the person trusted in God. Later in the song, verse 12 gratefully shouts, “O Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our work for us!” The peace referenced in verse 12 was a peace from war and enemy strife that hadn’t yet been realized, yet Israel’s song confidently asserted the Lord’s victory. The cease-fire would come from the Lord, peace in the land would be theirs. In both scenarios, this battle for victory and peace would not be won by their own power, strength, or cunning military strategies. While both are anchored firmly in confident trust of the Lord, only one is considered “perfect peace”. Perfect peace is given by the Lord, regardless of military victory. This is a soul peace, resulting not in conquest over land, but conquest over the battle of their hearts and minds.

3) What reasoning is given for us to trust the Lord?
Isaiah’s song declares, “..In the Lord, the Lord Himself…” (verse 4) as the foundation for reasons to trust God with such a critical component of our inner selves, our minds. The Lord does not point to something outside of Himself, or something else in addition to Himself, rather, our full satisfaction is found entirely and wholly in precisely WHO God is in every aspect of His character. Israel needed no weapon, no vast army, no team of horses, no chariot, and no valiant army in order to give them unshakeable peace. Ironically, even if they had all of these things, they wouldn’t have “perfect” peace because their peace would be dependent on changing variables. In sharp contrast, God calls them to place their full dependence on Him and His character, looking no farther than Himself. After laying this foundation, Isaiah continues, “…(the Lord) is an everlasting rock.” (verse 4) The description of rock is not merely a pebble or a stone, rather in the terrain familiar to Israel, the imagery of enormous boulders would have come to mind. Truly immoveable. Nothing can change the character of God, what He is, He will always be. What He declares as true, will forever be true. Of all creation, nothing offers what God, the uncreated, pre-existing God offers: immovability.