“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 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. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:9-12
Notice in the above scripture how God says that we need to “labour to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” He is equating not resting, with unbelief. Therefore to be in Faith is to be at Rest.
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 it is important to identify when we are operating in faith versus when we are not.
Jesus tells us in Mathew not to worry about what you will wear, what you will eat, that the pagans run after all these things, but your heavenly Father knows what you have need of before you do. He goes onto later say: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Mathew 11:28-30
What is it to rest then? It means to cease from worry and fear. When we walk by faith and not by sight, we are resting. If we are worried, or frustrated we are not at rest and we are not in faith. You see, when we are truly walking in the God kind of faith, we are so convinced that God will come through on His promises that we don’t worry about it.
A good example is of a young child. If a child asks their parent if they can go to Disneyland and the parent responds, “Yes. Tomorrow we will go” the child has no doubt that it will happen. It would be a very unusual situation for that child to then lay awake all night wondering if they will be going to Disneyland. No, generally the child is so convinced, that they run around telling everyone they are going to Disneyland. Their parent said it, that settles it. They trust what their parent has told them and with childlike faith they are fully persuaded about it. In their minds they are already there.
This is how God wants us to be with Him. This is faith. We believe we receive, we thank Him and then we rest. We don’t worry, we don’t fret, we are fully persuaded it is coming to pass. We are filled with Joy and thank God in advance.
How then do we labor to enter into God’s rest? The same way we fight the good fight of faith. We take every thought captive to obedience to Jesus Christ and cast down every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Therefore, if you are having faith for a car, or for healing, or for bills to be paid, then you submit your requests unto God with thanksgiving and trust that it is done. You then fight the good fight of faith by committing to resting (not worrying) about it and trusting that God will take care of it. You allow your soul to rest. You take no care, no thought of how it will happen. You just know it will. This allows you to be open to hear God as He directs you on what to do.
A good example is of Jesus and the fig tree. When he cursed the fig tree, he didn’t afterwards worry about whether or not it would dry up and die. He knew that what He said would come to pass. He gave no more thought to it and let the word do the work. He says :”For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak…the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 12:49 and John 14:10. He walks in the God kind of faith. No doubt, no fear, no worry — just rest.
When we choose to stay in Faith, completely trust God and rest in Him, then God goes to work on our behalf. We rest – God works. If you want the God kind of results, then rest in Him and let Him do the work. Faith is a matter of the heart. We can have doubts run through our mind, but faith is a choice. We choose to believe God’s promises and then the good fight of faith, the battle, takes place in our mind where we labor to enter into that rest that faith provides. We take those thoughts captive, we only think on those things that God commands us to think on until our soul lines up with the choice we have made in our spirit and we rest.
Phillipians 4:6-8
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Mathew 6:25-33
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought , saying What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek;) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
Hebrews 4:3-11
“For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 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.”
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
2 Chronicles 20:17
“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.”
Exodus 14:13-14
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day, for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
