Before we determine what this phrase means, let's set the record straight concerning what it doesn’t mean. Isaiah 26:3 doesn’t say God will give us perfect minds if we are steadfast in Him. He says He will give us perfect peace in our imperfect minds. The Hebrew term translated “perfect peace” may be familiar to you. Shalom means “to be safe, be complete … As an adjective it means well, peaceful, whole, secure … friendly, healthy, sound … Though shalom can mean the absence of strife, it usually signifies much more. It essentially denotes a satisfied condition, a state of peacefulness, a sense of well being. It is used of a prosperous relationship between two or more parties.”

God is faithful to His Word. If you remain steadfast in Him, a twofold prosperity is inevitable. Both the kingdom of God and you will be built up. Just as surely as the kingdom of God prospers when we are steadfast in Him, so our own hearts and minds benefit. — Beth Moore, Breaking Free: Discover the Victory of Total Surrender (Nashville: B&H, 2007).

I have just completed a seven-part Bible Study called Ancient Words. It explores seven key Hebrew words we need to understand in order to really understand the gospel. This article is an excerpt from this Bible study. The Bible Study is available on Amazon. It is also avail as well as part of my Good Questions Have Groups Talking subscription service.

This service is like Netflix for Bible Lessons. You pay a low monthly, quarterly or annual fee and get access to all the lessons. New lessons that correspond with three of Lifeway’s outlines are automatically included, as well as a backlog of thousands of lessons. Each lesson consists of 20 or so ready-to-use questions that get groups talking, as well as answers from well-known authors such as David Jeremiah, Charles Swindoll and Max Lucado. For more information, or to sign up, click here.