Let us therefore be diligent to enter “The Rest”. The Holy Spirit will reveal the steps for entering The Rest to each of us who seek it.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 11:
1 Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. 2 This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. 3 Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! HE spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
FATHER entered into rest after HE created the Heavens and earth, and all its contents. HE designed life to procreate which means HE does not have to create more animals and plants to inhabit the earth. Seedtime and harvest are taking care of sustaining life.
Jesus is seated at the right hand of Our Heavenly Father so He too has entered into “rest”. He completed His mission on earth and fulfilled the requirement of being a perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
It is now our turn to enter into that same “rest”.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 4:
1 Now the promise of entering into God’s rest is still for us today. So we must be extremely careful to ensure that we all embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it. 2 For we have heard the good news of deliverance just as they did, yet they didn’t join their faith with the Word. Instead, what they heard didn’t affect them deeply, for they doubted. 3 For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise and we experience the realm of confident rest! For He has said,
“I was grieved with them and made a solemn oath,
‘They will not enter into My rest.’ ”
God’s works have all been completed from the foundation of the world, 4 for it says in the Scriptures,
And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.
5 And again, as stated before,
They will not enter into My rest.
What was lacking among the children of Israel? Faith in Our Heavenly Father’s Word!
The term rest denotes completion from labor thus requiring no more resources to fulfill something. There is no lack.
Paul understood this as he had stated in Ephesians chapter 1 where he revealed to us that we already have what we need to fulfill our callings. Neither FATHER nor Jesus needs to do anything else for our benefit. This is why They are already seated and at rest. We need to labor to enter into the same rest. How?
8 Now if this promise of “rest” was fulfilled when Joshua brought the people into the land, God wouldn’t have spoken later of another “rest” yet to come.
9 So we conclude that there is still a full and complete Sabbath-rest waiting for believers to experience. 10 As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them. 11 So then we must be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief.
We must remove all doubt and unbelief and this is done by immersing ourselves in The Word and responding to It by walking in It. This is the labor. When I unconditionally Love, I imitate Jesus. When I tithe, I respond to The Word. When I give above my tithe as a cheerful giver, I place my faith in The Word to produce fruit to my account. This is faith in action. As I imitate Jesus, I place faith IN HIM. This labor brings forth joy and other fruit of The Spirit.
12 For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts. 13 There is not one person who can hide their thoughts from God, for nothing that we do remains a secret, and nothing created is concealed, but everything is exposed and defenseless before his eyes, to whom we must render an account.
It is vital that we understand the importance of this last passage. FATHER knows our intent. Is it based on Agape Love or self-interest? Am I attempting to further some soulish motive or do I really want to establish The Kingdom? When I give to someone who cannot pay me back, I promote Agape Love. FATHER is assessing our character.
We are not waiting on FATHER or Jesus, They are waiting on us to enter into rest.
Let not doubt or unbelief keep you from this faith-rest. As you and I press in to this faith-rest, we will activate the power and authority from Above to flow through us for the benefit of others. It will not be by our works but by the resources from Heaven and we will give all the glory to Our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy to be praised for all healing and restoration desperately needed in this broken world.