Yesterday I preached a message entitled, “I’ve Been Selected!” The subtitle I gave it was, “So Now I Can Rest.” It was a message about the plans God made for you before the world began. When you know what God has selected, called, destined and designed you to do, you can enter into God’s rest concerning it. In heaven it’s already done. In the earth it is only a matter of time before it manifests.
Here is a link to a video of the message: https://vimeo.com/179735032.
Last week I shared a quick recap from a message entitled, “I’m NOT Just NOT Guilty!” I do not have the video of the message, but here is a link to the audio: https://soundcloud.com/rick-pina/im-not-just-not-guilty.
This morning I am led to attempt to give you a quick recap of yesterday’s message. Let’s get into it.
For me to explain the essence of the message God gave me, I need to give you a story. The Lord has graced me to teach in a way most people can understand. I often ask God to help me explain complicated topics in very simple terms. In this message the Lord had me to explain predestination in a very simple way. The story God gave me was that of a Soldier believing for a promotion.
When you are Soldier and you have a promotion coming up, you attempt to do everything you can to ensure you get promoted. You check every block, dot every “I”, cross every “T”, and attempt to make it through every gate. Once you have you done your part, you submit your records before the Promotion Board. You know when the Board meets and you know when the results will be published.
Even believers often get nervous waiting on the results. They pray and believe God while they are waiting. They want to rest, but sometimes anxiety gets the best of them. But when the results are published, if they SEE their name on the list, the anxiety is GONE, all worry flies away in the wind, and the wait it over. They have been selected. They have been chosen. They are on the list! Now they can REST, even though they may not actually pin the rank on for a year (or more).
While they are waiting for the time to come to actually put on the rank, they have NO ANXIETY about whether or not they will get promoted. They have ALREADY been selected. They have ALREADY been chosen. They have ALREADY been appointed and it is merely a matter of time before they get to wear the rank they were CHOSEN to operate in.
While they are waiting on their actual promotion date, there is nothing they have to do to earn the new rank. The new rank is ALREADY theirs. They can rest, where that rank is concerned. They can sincerely and totally enter into God’s rest concerning it, because it has ALREADY been decided.
This is the picture God gave me to paint for you, where His plans for your life are concerned. God already selected you. God already made plans for you. God already planned to bless you. Your name is already on the list. You have already been set apart. You don’t need to attempt to work for it, or earn it… it’s already yours. All you must do is receive it and enter into God’s rest concerning it. It is only a matter of time before God’s plans for your life are manifested in the earth. While you wait, you enter God’s rest, you know you already have it, and you simply do whatever He tells you to do and say whatever He tells you to say. You are not working FOR it. You are working because you have already been CHOSEN for it. There is a big difference!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- When you know you have already been selected to receive something, you are not working for it, you know you already have it. It is only a matter of time before you receive it. This is how God wants us to live. This is the life of faith. Faith enters into God’s rest concerning everything God already selected us to receive.
- You are chosen of God. God made plans for you before the world began. Your success has already been planned for. Everything you need is already stored up. It is finished! So receive it and enter into God’s rest.
- Faith is not you attempting to get God to put “A YES” on your plans. Faith is God attempting to get you to “REST IN HIS PLANS!”
- Faith is not you attempting to convince God to decide. Faith is God attempting to get you to REST IN WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED!
- Faith begins where the Will of God is known. Once you know what God has already decided concerning you, you can enter into His rest, because it’s already done. It is only a matter of time before you see in your hands what God has revealed in your heart.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for making plans for me before the world began. I’ve been selected. I am chosen! I am called! I am appointed! I am anointed for such a time as this. You have already prepared my success. I don’t have to come up with a story. You came up with my story. I simply die to sin, self, and selfishness, and I accept the plans You made for me. I am not trying to get You to decide. I REST in what You already decided. Living this way I get to experience the life You planned for me, and it is a life that is simply amazing! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
