Fine Art America

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Rest


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.
Hebrews 4: 9,10,11


I'm encouraged to see a transformation happening in the body of Christ that is allowing the Spirit of God to move and minister to our hearts. Over the past few years I come to witness on a regular basis the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is replacing the traditional
ways of worship. Have you ever entered a service and instead of the Word of God being spoken or preached there is an atmosphere of praise and worship hovering over the service that emancipates souls? I come to know that in each one of the cases where this occured there was a central ingredient which allow the Spirit of God to enter in. It was like a spiritual sedative was released in order for the presence of the Holy Spirit to move. That ingredient is the rest of God.
As we enter into the rest of God it becomes the breeding ground for the witness of His power and glory. Hebrews 4: 9, 10, 11 proclaims that when we enter into that rest and cease from our own work then we are more inclined by faith to stand for God. In this hour there is a tremendous awareness of the Spirit as the body of Christ becomes more in tune to the Spirit of God. In Zachariah 4:6 the Lord speaks to the prophet saying
" Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts"..His Spirit will empower us to champion the virtues of the cross which are love , mercy and grace.
When we enter into the rest of God it encourages our faith. It allows us to put on the shelf the issues that our Lord Jesus has already relieved us of. Keep in mind that when the Lord Jesus transfiguered into glory He instructed the diciples to wait before returning to Jerusalem. It is not coincidental that the journey from Mount Olivet was a Sabbath day's journey.(Acts 1:12) It was that moment when they returned to the upper room where the diciples were staying that they entered into prayer and supplication with one accord.(Acts 2:1) On that Sabbath day that Holy Spirit filled them and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.(Acts 2:4)
Let us continue to be mindful that without that rest it dimishes our efforts to recieve His power.

Amen