LIVING IN HIS REST 2
(week 38/09)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our last article, we saw that when a Christian removes all satanic chaos, distortion and darkness: pride, ignorance and greed and fear from his will, mind and emotions and replaces it with the nature and character of God: humility, wisdom and love, from the Holy Spirit and through his new creation (2 Cor. 5.17) spirit; then that Christian has entered into God’s rest: he has found rest unto his soul.
This week, we will see how to enter into and then go on to live in this state of rest.
Hebrews 4:11 MKJV: Therefore let us labour to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.
Here the scripture tells us that we must labour to enter into God’s rest.
This is just like God laboured by the power of the Holy Spirit and the spoken Word to bring the earth from a state of chaos: without form and void (Gen. 1.2), to a state of rest which God called very good (Gen. 1.31).
Genesis 1:2 AMP: The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.
Notice here, the Holy Spirit was moving: hovering or brooding over the darkness and the face of waters that had flooded the earth.
This brooding is similar to what a hen does when it covers its eggs to cause them to hatch: it is a process of travailing over to give birth. The Holy Spirit was travailing over the earth to give birth to a new creation.
It was after this hovering that the spoken Word of God now brought light into physical manifestation:
Genesis 1:3 AMP: And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.
So, to enter into God’s rest, we must labour in prayer in the Spirit to give birth:
Colossians 4:12 MKJV: Epaphras greets you, he being of you, a servant of Christ, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
James 5:16 MKJV: Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.
James 5:16 AMP: Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
And we must labour in the Word to give life and light (Jn.1.4; 8.12):
Proverbs 10:16 KJVR: The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
1 Timothy 5:17 MKJV: Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labour in Word and doctrine.
2 Peter 1:4 MKJV through which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Now, it is vital to understand that there is a labour for each day and there is a rest for each day.
We labour in prayer and in the Word, when we, like the Lord Jesus, as a daily habit, get up early to pray with all kinds of prayer in the Spirit using an abundance of the life of God which we have obtained through labour in the Word (See our book ‘A Practical Guide to prayer’ for details).
Hebrews 5:7 MKJV: For Jesus, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared,
Mark 1:35 AMP: And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.
This early morning labour in the Word and prayer for each day causes you to enter into the rest for that day. In the realm of the spirit, you would have overcome all the satanic chaos and darkness: evil that would come your way that day:
Matthew 6:34 MKJV Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow shall be anxious for its own things. Sufficient to the day is the evil of it.
John 16:33 ESV I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.“
Now, after you have entered into the rest of that day by the Word and the Spirit in this way you now live in that rest by watching and praying frequently in tongues throughout the day so you do not lose your state of rest:
Luke 21:36 MKJV: Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.
1 Corinthians 10:13 MKJV: (13) No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it.
Philippians 4:6-7 MKJV: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Firstly, you ‘wash feet’ by the blood, Word and the Spirit about once every six hours (2 Sam. 6.13, Mk. 13.35, Dt. 6.7).
Secondly, when any temptation or trial comes against you during the course of the day you simply acknowledge the Lord with thanksgiving in your thinking for mercy to overcome it:
Colossians 4:2 MKJV: Continue in prayer and watch in it with thanksgiving,
Proverbs 3:6 MKJV: in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Isaiah 26:3 MKJV You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You.
Jude 1:21 KJVR: Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
1 Corinthians 7:25 MKJV: But concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord. Yet I give my judgment, as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
And then when you have the earliest opportunity you pray in tongues about it briefly.
Jude 1:20 MKJV: But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
As you do this frequently, you will find yourself living in God’s rest throughout that day!
1 Corinthians 14:18 ESV: I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
Isaiah 28:11-12 MKJV: (11) for with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people. (12) To whom He said, this is the rest; cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing. Yet they were not willing to hear.
