Labor to enter His Rest
Victory By Finding His Rest
Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Remember we are in the middle of comparing and contrasting Moses as a servant over the household of the law and Jesus as the Son over the household of the covenant of grace and truth. Jesus is worthy of more honor that Moses! Faith in Jesus Christ makes us partakers of the greater household. Hold your confidence in Jesus to the end! What is the object of your faith? It must be always and ever be Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is the place of rest; I get ahead of myself.
Hebrews 3:15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt , led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
God desires that His people live in His rest; the children of Israel never enter into His rest. When we come to faith in Christ it is indeed a place of rest. God never intended His people to leave that place of rest and refreshing that comes from Jesus' provision. The enemy of our soul, man traditions, and the law of Moses are avenues that can draw us away from the rest found in Jesus Christ. The way to remain in the rest is exclusively found in learning about Jesus Christ.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The burden of my heart is for the people of God who have never found a way to live in the rest of God. Children of God are trapped in fear, loneliness, heartbreak, powerlessness, and unfruitfulness; they are blind to the way of victory. Jesus has this invitation to “Come to Me”. So many have come but have not taken Jesus' words and instruction to heart. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” Living in the fullness of God’s rest is a process of learning from Jesus! God wants your heart to be established by the word of His grace. Jesus will teach you to live in the better covenant found in the grace He has provided. Departing from the provision of grace brings us away from the rest for our souls. Those who are trying to live in the provision of the law of Moses can not walk in the rest of Jesus Christ. The enemy of our soul wants to trap us in trusting in our own performance instead of believing in the way of the cross. So many believers are not walking in the sureness of the finished work of Christ. Jesus' promise is “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,' " although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; 5 and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." 6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
God wants you to walk in the fullness of rest! There is a rest for every child of God! Victory is not elusive! Union with Christ is a reality that is great; if any man be in Christ He is a new creation. The rest of God is found living as the new creation! Whoever has enter the rest of God has ceased from his works. Be diligent to enter that rest! The seventh day of rest in creation was the first proclamation of salvation even before the fall of man transpired. Jesus opened the way into the rest of God. Not as a moment in time, but a life that is abundant and victorious.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Submitting to the living word of God is the way to learn the lifestyle of rest. God has done a perfected work in the believer’s spirit. {Hebrews 12:23 and Hebrews 10:14 John 4:24) God is doing a progressive work in our soul and our body will wait for the perfecting work at the trump of God. This is the covenant where God is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Ephesians 4:22-25) At salvation the process begins with the perfected spirit. The work grows as we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. The more we submit our soul to the living word of God the quicker our soul can come in line with what God has already done in our spirit. Christians not living in victory have a soul that has not submitted to the living word of God; there has been no renewing of the mind. (Romans12:1-3) With out renewing of the mind, the thought processes that exalt their self against the knowledge of God are allow to continue. The soul not submitted to the word of God will develop stronghold that prevent the believer from walking in victory.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Living by considering Jesus as our High Priest and Apostle of our confession can break every stronghold of the enemy in our life! Considering Jesus can bring our soul in line with our spirit so we can speak what God speaks. Considering Jesus puts our hearts in line with the will of God. Considering Jesus brings the answer to every bondage, oppression, or stronghold in our life. Considering Jesus gives us confidence before God!
Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Our High Priest has been our forerunner into the presence of God. As our Advocate He sympathizes with our weaknesses and His success is our success. He has made a clear and open way for us to come into the throne of grace! In the covenant of grace we come boldly in the hour we need mercy and grace the most!
Hebrews 4:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Jesus by the virtue of the new covenant calls us into His rest. The King James version says to labor to enter into His rest. There is this new and living way found exclusively through Jesus Christ. You, as the believer have been set up for victory by the divine plan and influence of God!
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