Entering Into God's Rest

(Heb 4:1-11 NLT) God's promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news-that God has prepared this rest-has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest. As for the others, God said, "In My anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter My place of rest,'" even though this rest has been ready since He made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: "On the seventh day God rested from all His work."

But in the other passage God said, "They will never enter My place of rest." So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering His rest, and that time is today.

God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear His voice, don't harden your hearts." Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

This morning we start to wind down our series. We have covered a lot of ground in this series and the time has come to bring it to an end. But before we do, we will discuss this final passage. I normally don't lay out this many verses for you, but I was led to do so, in order that you might read the passage in it's entirety before we truly start breaking it down. If you have the time, please read it more than once so it can get into your spirit.

Listen, I was led to start this series because the times have been truly difficult for a large majority of people, even believers. But while God never promised us a perpetual picnic, He never expects us to operate as wimps either. The Father expects us, as His representatives in the earth, to live our lives as overcomers. Jehovah expects us to be light (shining) and salt (preserving) in the midst of darkness and decay. The stories we have covered have been good, and possibly even entertaining, but the messages in the stories are the key. If you have pulled out the golden nuggets as we have gone through each story then I trust that you are now better equipped to handle the pressures of life and to experience true victory over negative stress.

This passage is about entering into God's rest. We are called to live by faith, God's peace is available to us when we truly trust Him, but rest, to me, is another level altogether. When you enter into God's rest concerning something, then that's it! As far as you are concerned, it's a done deal, whether the deal is actually done (in the natural) or not.

So what does this mean to you? It means that as we close this series out you will want to ask the Father to anoint your heart and your mind so that you can learn to truly enter into His rest. Once you enter into God's rest the pressures of the situation have no power over you. Once you enter into God's rest the fiery darts of the enemy have no way of getting to you. Once you enter into God's rest the Father will show-up and show-out because He knows you are completely relying on Him to manifest His glory. The Father wants us enjoy His rest!

Father, I thank You for Your Word. Your Word is the foundation for my life. As I read and meditate this passage, I declare, by faith, that it gets down into my spirit. Your rest is possible for me and I believe that it will become a reality in my life. I will learn to enter into Your rest concerning situations and once I do, the enemy's attempts to get me into fear, worry, doubt, and unbelief will all fail. No more sleepless nights for me! I enter into Your rest and I enjoy the life You have blessed me with. I do all that You have called me to do, by faith, and I then completely rely on You to do all that I cannot do. As I am waiting on You to manifest Your glory, I enter into Your rest! In Jesus' name. Amen!