Entering God’s Rest

Last week, with a heart of gratitude I prayed aloud, thanking God for His rest. Soon my prayer translated to a prophetic utterance.

There is a much needed rest coming to the body of Christ. This rest is necessary as it will serve as protection and provision. God promised this rest to His people, but everyone will not partake in it. FAITH and OBEDIENCE is 🔑 to enter in‼️‼️‼️ This covering by God is necessary to sustain YOU in impending times of uncertainty, unrest and calamity.

If you aren’t totally surrendered to God and walking in obedience you will not enter in. What do I mean by totally surrendered⁉️⁉️⁉️ Great question…total surrender to God = total denial of our naturally selfish nature. This doesn’t mean that you’re perfect 👼👼👼, but that you’ve committed to following God all the way, even when it hurts‼️‼️‼️

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3 KEYS

You must first obtain PEACE WITH GOD.

Operate in obedience to God daily.

Have faith – an unwavering belief in God.

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Around a year ago, some of my prayers became very repititious…while it’s okay to continue praying over the same thing(s) (Luke 18:7-8) I wanted to be careful to avoid vain babblings (Matthew 6:7). I realized the burden I had to pray for unity, love & faith was placed by God.

Our adversary comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10b). Often neglected to build, but commonly attacked is the one thing that gives us power…our faith. Our ability to believe and trust God allows us to tap into His power. This is one thing God requires of us…not a clean slate but simple childlike faith in Him. (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 8:3)

Jesus saw his disciple Peter’s fall, forewarned him and prayed for him. Interestingly enough in the Jesus first prayed that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail Him…

Then the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to have you to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have repented, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 

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Why would Jesus pray for Peter’s faith if it wasn’t important?

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Ancient Israel was prohibited from receiving the inheritance promised to Abraham, their promise land & their place of rest. WHY⁉️⁉️⁉️The OT (Old Testament) text tells us and Hebrews 4 provides a synopsis.  You will quickly see that disobedience was the means that restricted their access.

“Seeing then that the promise remains over from past times for some to enter that rest, and that those who formerly were given the good news about it and the opportunity, failed to appropriate it and did not enter because of disobedience,” 

Hebrews 4:6 Amplified Bible

Going further, their disobedience came from a lack of faith. They didn’t believe in the promises of God. Although they had seen 10 plagues brought on ancient Egypt to encourage their trust in God (Exodus 7:14-12:30), walked away after centuries of oppression through a sea that supernaturally parted then closed on their enemies. Though they had evidence, they didn’t trust (have faith) in God and thus prohibited themselves from the promise.

Lack of faith causes us not to trust God, which leads to resistance to God’s way and ultimately disobedience.

I admonish all of us, to heed to voice of the Lord…walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), upon trusting God follow Him in total surrender. Then you will enter into His rest.

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SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

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Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest remains, let us fear lest any of you should seem to come short of it. For the gospel was preached to us as well as to them. But the word preached did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed have entered this rest, as He has said, “As I have sworn in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”However, His works have been finished since the creation of the world. For He spoke somewhere about the seventh day like this: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” And again in the present passage He said, “They shall not enter My rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and they to whom it was first preached did not enter due to unbelief, again He establishes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David, after so long a time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have later spoken of another day. Therefore a rest remains for the people of God. For whoever enters His rest will also cease from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor therefore to enter that rest, lest anyone fall by the same pattern of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:1-11 Modern English Version