The Premium of Rest
Rest is a premium in kingdom living.
How do I know?
Genesis 2:2-3 (KJV) says:
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
The Blessing of Rest
God blessed and sanctified the seventh day – the day of rest.
There is blessing in rest and rest is sanctified or set apart.
The word for rest is the Hebrew word, Shabath, which not only means to cease from labor, but also carries the meaning, “to celebrate”!
Hebrews 4 also points to the premium of rest Hebrews 4:10-12 (AMPC) says:
10 For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors [a]peculiarly His own.
11 Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].
Rest is the Flavor of Faith
This is where we get the idea of laboring to enter the rest of God.
In verse one, it says to fear (Greek word, phobeō) not entering rest! This is the only admonition to fear (other than fear of the Lord) that I am aware of.
This rest is described earlier as belief or faith (Hebrews 4:2-6)
In Hebrews 4:6, unbelief is equated with disobedience of the Israelites.
Wow!
So, with his perspective, it makes more sense that we should endeavor to get past unbelief.
Getting Past Unbelief
Hebrews 4:10 (TPT) put it:
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 give our all and be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief.
So, apparently this is a big deal.
But we are never supposed to be condemned for our unbelief – there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1). So then, what do we do when we have unbelief?
We do what we always have the privilege of doing: we go to Christ – the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 13:2).
Looking to Jesus
Hebrews 13:2 (TPT) says:
2 We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection
Note, we look away from the natural realm, and fix our gaze on Jesus! This can come in any mode of connecting to Him: the word, prayer, soaking (letting Him minister to you as your listen to worship music/pray), practicing His presence (practice your awareness of Him), “going within”, meditation, worship, contemplative prayer…
I used to think if I just stuffed enough word into my being, faith would pop out with all the fruit of faith. I’d confess and confess until my “confessor” fell off. That was striving and not true faith and the flavor of faith is rest!
Faith and the Word
Now it is absolutely true that many translations of Romans 10:17 explain faith comes by hearing the word of Christ. However, it is not just scripture that will birth faith.
Romans 10:16-17 (TPT) says:
16 But not everyone welcomes the good news, as Isaiah said:Lord, is there anyone who hears and believes our message?
17 Faith, then, is birthed in a heart that responds to God’s anointed utterance of the Anointed One.
Jesus is the Word (logos, John 1:1).
As you engage with the Person of Christ – He brings faith. His faith! His finished work that secured your union with Him births faith.
We engage with and worship a Person – God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) – we don’t worship the Bible.
Scripture that points to Christ and His finished work for you personally is scripture that Holy Spirit moves through to birth faith.
Faith Works by Love
Moreover, faith works by love (Galatians 5:6) and God is Love (1 John 4:8, 16). Love Himself undergirds faith because He is chock full of it!
So, when we struggle with unbelief, we run to the Person Who has none and He helps us (Mark 9:24).
Help for Your Faith
I like to say (because it’s such a happy truth) that your job is to believe, and God’s job is to help you with your job!
Truly, apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5)!
And most miraculously we are inseparable from Him – because of His performance, not ours! He secured our union with Him and retreating to that highest reality is where we source His faith!
And this is where we can truly rest!
Ahhhh – what a relief!!!
We will hit this some more in our next part!
I am believing this is empowering – I’d love to hear from you in your journey!
XO,
Catherine
