Today we continue our series, “Progress On Purpose.” I told you that God wants us to walk in “NEW LEVELS IN 2021!” But if we are going to do so, we must be intentional about our progress. With that in mind, as we lay the foundation for the year, I told you that I would discuss “Leveling Up” in five areas:
1. Spiritually
2. Financially
3. Physically
4. Internally
5. Externally
We have covered the first three thus far. Today we are looking at the fourth: Leveling up internally. In this section, I will cover the following:
1. Being anxious for nothing
2. Receiving unshakable peace
3. Joy and peace in believing
4. Relaxing your mind and getting physical/psychological rest
5. The highest form of faith is rest
Setting the stage:
For me to teach on the highest form of faith, I should briefly share with you some of the forms or levels of faith. I do a teaching entitles “levels of faith.” Here is a very quick overview of some of the forms/levels.
1. Faith in the works (what you see). I would consider this to be the lowest form of faith. There are some people who will only believe in God when they see something. Most of the time, for believers, God will require you to believe it before you see it. But for people who are filled with unbelief, God allows them to see what they need to see in order to believe. God does this as an act of His unmerited favor (or grace).
2. Faith in the Word (what you read). The Father expects you to read His Word with a believing heart. When you read what God said, and you believe it in your heart, you are then able to exercise faith to experience it. This is faith in the Word. I would venture to say that most people think of this form of faith when the word “faith” is mentioned.
3. Faith in a rhema Word (what you hear). Rhema is a Greek word that means an “utterance” or “a thing said.” When you read the Word of God, you get to believe what God said (past tense). But when you hear a Word from God through the Holy Spirit, you get to believe what He IS SAYING. Living by what God SAID is great, but living by what He IS SAYING is greater.
4. Faith in God Himself (whom you believe). This is the type of faith we must all aspire to live by. When you get to this point, you live the life of faith. You believe what you see God do, you believe what you read in His Word, and you believe what He says to you, but even when you don’t see, read or hear, you still live your life in faith, based upon the relationship you have with the Father. Even when you don’t know what God is going to do, you still have faith in the person of God. Your overall confidence in God and His commitment towards you enables you to be at peace, even when the world is telling you that you should stressing. You are not moved by what you see. You are not moved by what the world is telling you. Because you know WHO you have placed your confidence in and you know He is faithful to perform what He promised! You have faith in God!
So what does this mean for you today? To answer this question, I will now deal with what I consider the highest form of faith: REST!
1. Resting in God is important because not resting can cause a delay in manifestation!
— How you wait can impact how long you wait!
— The devil may not be able to stop God, but he will attempt to delay your blessing as much as possible.
— The devil cannot deny it, but if he can get you out of rest, he can delay it!
— This is why god wants you to rest!
— When you enter into God’s rest, knowing it (what God said) is already done, without a shadow of a doubt in your heart, you can enter into God’s rest. At this point, you are not moved by anything or anyone.
— You know it’s already done! You know it’s already been decided! You know it’s already been determined! And you know it is only a matter of time! So you REST in God’s promise.
2. You have to WORK on NOT WORKING!
— Resting in a Promise from God COUNTER-INTUITIVE to human activity!
— As a human, you feel like YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!
— Someone lied to you and told you that the Bible says, “God helps those who help themselves!” That’s not in the Bible. God HELPS THOSE WHO REST!
*** Don’t TAKE ON ANY PRESSURE TO PERFORM!
*** Don’t think YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR IT!
*** Don’t think YOU HAVE TO DESERVE IT!
DON’T THINK YOU HAVE TO PRODUCE GOD’s WILL!!!
— This is not easy, because this world is programmed to put emphasis on human ability and effort.
— In this world, the “go-getters” will tell you that if you want something, YOU have to go out there and get it. You have to go make it happen.
— Under this scenario, the spotlight is on YOU. In Christ, the spotlight is on God.
— In Christ, you must learn to NOT do something just because you can.
— You must get to the point where you are resting in God and only doing what He leads you to do.
3. RESTING IS NOT “DOING NOTHING”!
RESTING IS DOING SOMETHING!
You have to ACTIVELY REST in the Promises of God.
Resting in God is not about inactivity.
Resting in God does not mean you are not working. Resting in God means you are working while you are resting. You are working while you are trusting.
You are not working FOR grace, you are working BY grace.
Living this way — doing only as you are led of the Holy Spirit — you can actually work harder and get more done, because it is not you doing it. It is the Father, living in you, He is giving you the words and He is performing the work (see John 14:10, 12).
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me to walk and live by faith. I don’t live by bread only. I live by every Word You speak to me. And when You speak, I believe and receive what You have declared. I believe it with my whole heart. I accept it as Your reality. In heaven, in eternity, I know it is already done. In the earth, I know it is only a matter of time. Therefore, I enter into Your rest, and I am not moved by what I see. I say what You said until I see what You said, and I refuse to allow what I see to cause me to change what I say or believe. I enter into Your REST! Living this way, I Level Up my life in 2021! GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith, in Jesus’s name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
