“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest…”
Hebrews 4:1-3
In a previous devotional the Holy Spirit had me to talk about the importance of resting in the promises of God. You have heard the ten commandments talk about the importance of resting on the Sabbath and keeping it Holy. Yet in Romans 14:5 it says: “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” Romans 14:3-6
We can see in this above scripture the Sabbath rest that the Lord wants us to do is a little different than our traditions would teach. The rest that God wants us to enter into of keeping the Sabbath is a rest that only Faith can provide. When we are walking in Faith, resting on the promises of God, then we are truly keeping the “Sabbath rest”. In fact, the Lord goes so far as to say that unbelief kept the Israelites from entering into the rest of God. As Hebrews 4 says: “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Hebrews 4:10-11
Therefore, according to the New Covenant, how do you keep the Sabbath? By staying in faith; choosing not to worry or fear but to simply take God at His Word and believe that He will confirm His promises in your life. Hebrews 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Therefore we need to believe not only that God is, but that He actually rewards us for diligently seeking after Him. Believe that He loves us and wants the best for us. Faith = Rest. Those that keep the true Sabbath are those that walk by faith and not by sight; that believe and receive the promises of God and choose not to worry or fear. Who violates the Sabbath rest? Those who refuse to believe the promises of God; who do not operate in faith. For as we have seen, without faith it is impossible to please God.
This is why Jesus said: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Mathew 11:28-29
God is love. There is no fear in love. When we are operating in God’s perfect love, and get the revelation of how much He loves us, then fear is cast out completely and we truly rest.
Finally, sometimes people worry that they don’t have enough faith, or that when something happens they won’t have enough faith for the challenge. This person needs to get a revelation of God’s love. Do not worry about whether or not you have enough faith. God will stand in the gap for you and meet you where you are in your faith walk. The key is to seek Him with all your heart: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Mathew 6:33
When Peter stepped out of the boat in faith to walk on water, he actually did walk on the water until He got his eyes off of Jesus and onto the storm. Only then did he begin to sink, because he began to doubt. Yet all he had to do was cry out to Jesus and Jesus rescued him and they walked back to the boat on the water together. Jesus didn’t tell him he should have had more faith and let him sink. No! Instead He waited until they were both safely in the boat and the storm had ceased to gently correct Peter and remind him that he shouldn’t have doubted and had so little faith. God loves us. He provides what we need before we even know we need it. Have faith in His love for you. Just like Peter, if you’ve stepped out in faith and feel you’ve gotten in over your head, just cry out to God, and He will rescue you. You can’t lose for winning!
Isaiah 65:24
“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
Hebrews 3:15-19
“While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
1 Peter 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Psalm 55:22
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Luke 17:6
“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”
Further reading: Mathew 6:25-33, Hebrews 4, Psalm 46, 2 Chronicles 20
