This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday I introduced you to a passage in Hebrews (4:1-11) and today we will begin to walk through that passage. Let’s start with the first three verses. The writer of Hebrews said:
“God’s promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,'” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.” (Heb 4:1-3 NLT)
In the third chapter of this letter to the Hebrews the writer quotes the 95th psalm at length and speaks of the Israelites who were cursed by God to die in the desert because of their unbelief. The writer then juxtaposes the unbelief of the Israelites in chapter 3 with the faith of believers in chapter 4. That being the context, the writer raises this question: is the promise of entering God’s rest (given to the Israelites but forfeited because of unbelief) still valid in our time? The answer is a resounding YES! The offer still stands, the rest is still available, the blessing is still there waiting for us, but only “we who have believed enter that rest” (verse 3). The believing part (faith) is the key and that is why the writer tells us that some might fail to experience it. I would venture to say that many today fail to experience it because of the hustle and bustle of modern day life. But whether we have failed to experience it in the past or not, the fact is that God’s rest – a supernatural rest – is available to us today and if we take Him up on His offer His rest can change the way we experience life forever!
Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe, when commenting on this passage, said: “The Canaan rest for Israel is a picture of the spiritual rest we find in Christ when we surrender to Him. When we come to Christ by faith, we find salvation rest (Mat 11:28). When we yield and learn of Him and obey Him by faith, we enjoy submission rest (Mat 11:29-30). The first is “peace with God” (Rom 5:1); the second is the “peace of God” (Phi 4:6-8). It is by believing that we enter into rest (Heb 4:3); it is by obeying God by faith and surrendering to His will that the rest enters into us.” I could not have said it better.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. The offer still stands. We have a standing offer from God to enter into His rest. Don’t underestimate the importance or value of supernatural rest. Having peace WITH God is one thing, but having the peace OF God is something else altogether. The peace of God, His supernatural rest, shields you from the pressures of this present world. The Father wants you to experience earthly success and He will grace you to work diligently to obtain it. But while you are working hard the Father also wants you to have and enjoy an internal rest that keeps you from being stressed out and frustrated.
2. You need faith to take God up on the offer. God freely offers His supernatural rest to you by grace — unearned and unmerited. You did nothing to earn the offer and all God requires of you is faith that accesses His grace. If you don’t tap into God’s rest by faith you will fail to experience it, and it won’t be God’s fault. The Father has done His part; He has sent His Son to die in your stead, He left you his Word so you can know what is available to you, He dealt you the measure of faith (Rom 12:3) you need to properly engage Him and He stands by ready to work through you if you allow Him to. God’s part is done, will you do yours? The offer still stands, will you take Him up on it?
3. You can rest and fight at the same time. God offered the nation of Israel supernatural “rest” in Canaan. Canaan was God’s best for the Israelites. Canaan was the land of Blessing, set aside for God’s people. But that does not mean they were not going to have to fight for it. The land was inhabited with giants. If the Israelites wanted the land, they were going to have to take it by force. However, God did not require them to rely on their own strength. God was prepared to bless them to take the land, by force, by His grace. God was prepared to apply His “super” to the Israelite’s “natural”. This way they could fight for the land and actually be IN GOD’s REST at the same time. Guess what? The same offer applies to you. When God offers you His rest, it does not mean you will not have to work anymore, or that you will not have to fight for your success. The difference is that you will work and fight BY GOD’s GRACE and not just your human effort. This way you can actually FIGHT and REST at the same time. God wants you to get up in the morning, to enter into His rest, and to head off for work while you are resting in Him. This way you can get done all you need to get done, pursuing your purpose by faith, resting in God the entire time. When you live this way you will experience divine success and you won’t be frustrated or stressed out as you live your life.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank Your for making Your rest available to me. Your rest is supernatural, it passes all understanding, and I want it! I want to access all You want to give me. I am a believer and not a doubter. So I declare, by faith, that I tap into Your supernatural rest today, this year, and for the rest of my life. I enter into Your rest and I live there. Once I am IN Your rest the stress, struggle, and strain of the world won’t negatively affect me. I have lived outside of Your rest far too long. I have pursued success in life my way (with my own strength and ability), and I am tired of it. I surrender. I die to self. I give myself up to You. I humble myself to become the man/woman You have called me to be. When I receive Your Word, I am quick to mix it with faith, so that I can access Your grace. Millions of Israelites died in the wilderness because they failed to operate in faith and access Your rest. I learn from their mistake. I live by faith, I access Your grace, I enter into Your rest, and no matter what I have to do in life to maximize my purpose and potential, no matter the giants I have to face or the walls I need to knock down, I will do what You lead me to do and I will rest in You the entire way. Thank You Father for teaching me that I can FIGHT and REST at the same time. This changes the way I look at me, the way I look at You, and the way I look at my challenges. No matter what I face, I face it with Your grace, living in Your rest. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
