564 The Spiritual Man
with an opportunity to work. We must restrain any desire which
seeks mere intellectual knowledge.
The brain ought to function, but it likewise needs to rest. If a
believer were to allow it to work incessantly without any occasion
for rest, it eventually would become sick just as the body does. He
must regulate its activity, forbidding it to grow overactive and go out
of control. The defeat Elijah encountered under a broom tree was due
to the excessive working of his mind (1 Kings 19).
A Christian should keep his mind in the peace of God at all times.
“Thou dost keep him in perfect peace,” noted Isaiah, “whose mind is
stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee” (26.3). A restless brain is a
disturbed brain that is harmful both to spiritual life and to spiritual
service. It has led many into numerous errors. An unpeaceful mind
cannot operate normally. Hence the Apostle teaches us to “have no
anxiety about anything” (Phil. 4.6). Deliever all anxious thoughts to
God as soon as they arise. Let the peace of God maintain your heart
and mind (v.7). But Paul also exhorts us to put our heads to work and
not just let them lie fallow: “brethren, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things” (v.8).
The mind is not to be ruled by the emotions. It should rest calmly
in God and work by faith. This is the meaning of “a sound mind”
which Paul entreats us to cultivate (2 Tim. 1.7 AV). A believer
should follow the intuition of the spirit. He must let God’s rule of
right and wrong judge in all cases.
The head needs to be kept in a humble state. A proud thought
easily leads one astray. Any self-righteous, self-important or self-
sufficient notion can bring in error. Some have a background of
extensive knowledge and yet they fall into self-deceit because they
think too much and too highly of themselves. Any who genuinely