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Before I begin to expose us to the how and why to Gods rest experience, I would like to explain the meaning of some important concepts as regards this article to further help us understand and flow together as we journey through in reading it.
What is Rest?
Rest according to dictionary means “to cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.” It also means “to be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.” It can also be referred to as an interval of silence for a specified duration. Cambridge dictionary furthermore define rest as (causing someone or something to) stop doing a particular activity or stop being active for a period of time in order to relax and get back your strength.
Who is God?
God is the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all authority; (the Supreme Being). He is sovereign, and kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. The knowledge of God varies from person to person. People define God or view Him based on the personal encounters they have had with Him. To some he is a miracle worker, to others he is a protector and a provider, deliverer; I am that I am etc. From a Christian point of view, there is one God that manifests in three persons, or what is being popularly referred to within Christendom as the trinity, which is God the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit respectively. As you read further in this article, any of these three persons in God will be used interchangeably. Irrespective of how God shows or manifests Himself to people, we have been able to establish the fact that God is a sovereign being and He rules over the affairs of men.
What is Gods Rest All About?
Having gotten a background idea of the meaning of these two concepts (God and Rest), it is important to know how and why it is necessary to experience the rest that can come only from God. The issue of how to enter God’s rest will be discussed in a subsequent piece. Let us focus mainly on why God’s rest is necessary for us as humans. Let us get something straight: “NO MATTER HOW TIRED YOU MIGHT BE OR LOOK OR NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DESIRE REST, IF GOD DOES NOT GIVE YOU REST YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE REST.”
It takes God to uplift a man and it takes God for a man to prosper on the earth and enjoy His rest. Let us briefly examine the bible passages written below.
The Lord kills and brings to life; He brings down to sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich He brings low He also exalts, He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lords and on them He has set the world.
1 Samuel 2:6-8
On the other hand, in Genesis 4:12 God said to Cain “when you till the ground it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wonderer on earth.” With these two Scriptures, it has come to our understanding that favor, riches, prosperity and upliftment ultimately depends on God. Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said “Come onto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
It doesn’t matter how long you have been laboring without profit, it doesn’t matter how heavy your burden is, it doesn’t even matter how far you have wondered away, it doesn’t matter where your source had been connected to before. Just run to God and do a reconnection for steady flow of supernatural blessings. One thing we must understand is that, as a man journeys through life, genuine and lasting rest can only be enjoyed when he is wise enough to get connected to a source. A source that can never run dry or become stale but fresh and available at his disposal.
Rest is about operating and relying on the supernatural for blessings and uplifment. It is about fulfillment and functioning in authority or in the capacity of your source on earth. It is about overcoming, overthrowing and subduing mountains, it is about building and planting, it is about establishing, uprooting, dominating and weathering every storms of life without difficulties and frustration, but with ease and yet staying humble to that source which is in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:10: “For whoever enters Gods rest also ceases from his labors as God did from His own.”
Gods rest is the only thing that can guarantee you stability in life. Until God gives you rest, you will continue to toil. “You need to search for Gods rest as desperately as you need air to breathe”. And so it is a necessary good for every believer. David for example fought wars all through his life. Although he was victorious, but he didn’t have rest. Solomon on the other hand did not fight any war throughout his life time. Why? Because, God gave him rest on all sides. Instead of troubles, gold and other valuable resources were brought to him as gift from his supposed enemies.
Since it is not by power and might, nor is it by workings of wisdom and relying on your own understanding, neither is it by connection nor affluence, ultimately rest is given by God.
And so you may have been toiling all through your life, night and day seeking money, power and fame earthly or tangible material things yet you haven’t gotten any or satisfied with the one you have. You need God’s rest. Has your labor and effort been more than your productivity? Ask God for rest. Is the result or outcome of your activities not tangible or satisfying enough? Then you need Gods rest. What about situations and circumstances in life that has perpetually kept you unhappy and has put you in a state of devastation? You need Gods rest.
According to the gospel of John chapter 21:2-14. Simon peter called the sons of Zebedee, two other disciples, Thomas and Nathanael to follow him go fishing, the scripture made us to understand that they toiled all through the night and caught nothing until Jesus came and instructed them to cast their net on the other side. They obeyed and caught multitude of fishes.
You need God to open your mind and give you a revelation on how to toil, when to toil and where to toil or cast your net so as to catch what will sustain and give you rest throughout your entire life. Without Christ you will labor in vain but with Christ you shall have peace and rest in the midst of abundance.
