This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Last week I introduced you to a passage in Hebrews 4 (verses 1-11) and I started teaching you about God’s rest. We have worked out way through the first five verses. Today we will look at verses six and seven. The writer of Hebrews said:
So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” (Heb 4:6,7 NLT)
We have already studied the fact that God’s rest was offered to the Israelites when they, by the grace of God, were made free from the bondage of Egypt. However, because of their disobedience and unbelief they missed out on receiving Canaan and over a thousand years later the writer of Hebrews tells us that God’s offer for divine rest still stands. The actual Greek language used gives us the understanding that what is being offered actually “remains over from a past time.” It’s almost as if this is a blessing that is just out there waiting for someone to have the faith to appropriate it. The Father has done His part by making the rest available and those who originally received the offer failed to accept and appropriate it because of unbelief. Wouldn’t be a shame if you and I did the same thing? Wouldn’t it be sad if we did not learn from the mistakes of those that have gone before us? The writer even gives us additional motivation by quoting David when he said, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. The offer to enter into God’s rest is available TODAY. TODAY divine rest is available to you. TODAY you can enter into a rest that will give you peace from the inside out. TODAY the Father can deliver you from negative stress. TODAY anxiety can fall off of you like water falling off of a ducks back. TODAY supernatural peace can flood your heart and your mind. Yes, TODAY is the day! The time is NOW! Will you do it? Will you tap into divine rest? Will you appropriate the rest that remains from time past? Will you take God up on His offer? Don’t keep waiting on God to give you rest when He has already made it available. He is now waiting on you to make a demand for it. You have not because you ask not. Will you ask (in faith) today?
2. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. When I preach I talk about the voice behind the voice, the word behind the Word. What I mean by this is that while I am preaching the logos (written Word) the Holy Spirit, at the same time, is preaching rhema (living words). The written word (logos) that I preach may cut and make an incision, but the living words (rhema) that the Holy Spirit preaches, while I am preaching, cuts with precision, causing those that receive the Word to make a decision. The same thing happens while you are reading Today’s Word. You are reading what I wrote and that has the ability to bless you to one level, but while you are reading it the Holy Spirit Himself is speaking to you and what He says to you will have a much greater impact on your life. Understanding that, I will also quote David and say, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Enter into God’s rest.
3. Use your faith to access God’s grace. Now that you know that divine rest is available to you, you must do something about it. The Holy Spirit will attempt to get you over into His rest, but you must respond in faith when you hear His voice. If you resist His urging He won’t force you into His blessing. God makes His best available to you, but you must take hold of it BY FAITH. Will you?
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and how I am supposed to access it with my faith. I also thank You for teaching me about Your rest. The offer to enter into Your rest is a life-changing Word and I receive it by faith. I can rest internally as I pursue Your best for my life. Your supernatural rest shall keep me from unnecessary stress as I seek to succeed in life. So I die to self, I no longer trust in the arm of the flesh, I no longer strive for success on my own, and I rest in Your grace, mercy, power and favor. I also thank You for the Word behind the Word, the voice behind the voice, the rhema behind the logos! In addition to reading the Word I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to me behind it. I hear the Holy Spirit telling me that divine rest is available to me TODAY and I will not harden my heart towards it. My ears are anointed to hear what the Holy Spirit is telling me, my heart is anointed to receive it, and I declare that I will respond IN FAITH. I take hold of the divine rest that is available for me and I take hold of it TODAY! TODAY I enter into Your rest. TODAY I make a resolve to embrace Your grace. TODAY I stop stressing and I stop relying on my ability alone. TODAY I change and I will never be the same. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
