It is written by THE SPIRIT in Hebrews chapter 3:
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
What kept the children of Israel from entering into the Promised Land? Unbelief in FATHER’S Word. HE delivered them from a life of toil in Egypt yet they had no faith in HIS Word when it came time to enter the Promised Land of rest. They then saw HIS works for forty years but did not know HIS Ways. FATHER wants us to enter into HIS Rest today and quit striving. In chapter 4:
1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
“So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”
It is FATHER’S Divine Intent for us to enter into HIS rest and we must do it by faith. When we strive to make things happen by our own will and power, we are not entering into HIS rest. When we are led by THE SPIRIT, respond to FATHER’S directives, and act accordingly, we have entered into HIS rest. I look back over 45 years and see this Truth to be abundantly clear in my life time and time again. There are many instances when I took matters into my own hands and expended much time, energy, and money in order to produce results. In other instances, FATHER directed me to act and provided the necessary resources to accomplish much more without the toil. Now I can tell the difference between the two paths and when to correct myself, and cease from my own works. It is imperative for us to focus on being led by THE SPIRIT… daily!
Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Philippians chapter 4:
8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].
9 The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you. AMPL
As we dwell and meditate on FATHER’S Word and take our focus away from the chaos of the world, we will by faith enter into HIS rest and life will become joyful, even as the chaos all around us continues. Let us take verse 8 and respond by embracing and acting on it without exception. Now is the time!