For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am the LORD, and there is none else. Isaiah 45:18.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27.
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Hebrews 3:1.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
I created the heavens and the earth, I formed the earth and made it, I established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited. Isaiah 45:18. I made it to be a productive place of rest, a place of shalom peace. A perfect setting and home for the man I created in My image and likeness. A place for you to enjoy and prosper in as you rested in Me in fellowship, partnership and stewardship. You were to rule and reign with Me. And for My part, I would supply all your needs, protect you, guide you, and be your source of everything. On your part you were to be My people and I would be your God, you were to be loyal and faithful to Me and Me loyal and faithful to you. It was covenant.
Adam and Eve broke covenant with Me and made covenant with another. And that is when unrest began. They gave themselves to one who has no rest, he comes only to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10. His agenda is to turn the earth back into a wasteland full of chaos and darkness. Genesis 1:2. But I continually tried to find those who would again make covenant with Me and enter with Me into My rest. But man kept breaking every covenant I made with him. So finally I sent My Son to be your representative, your sacrifice for sin, your scapegoat, your good Shepherd and your great High Priest, and He entered, as your representative, for He is truly Son of Man and Son of God (uniting man and God again as one), a new and eternal Covenant with Me that will never be broken, for neither He nor I can ever break our Word, it is established forever in Heaven and will be fulfilled on earth. And now, you who are in Him, are in that eternal Covenant with Me. You have entered back into My rest. I am your God and you are My people, and you are sealed in Him forever. Ephesians 1:13. He will raise you up on the Last Day. John 6:40.
The devil’s objective is to undo everything I have done through you, the man I made. But I sent Jesus to undo everything he has done, and now Jesus continues that mission through you, His body, the Church. And every knee will bow to Jesus. In Jesus you enter My rest. But the devil, though he has been hurled out of Heaven along with the angels who followed him now that Jesus took back the throne of Adam, still has time on earth. Adam’s leasehold of dominion, which he gave to the devil, is not up yet, but soon it will be, and Jesus as the second and last Adam, and all those who have received Him as Lord, will return to claim the fee simple as He breaks the seven seals on the title deed and the devil’s time will cease forever. Then all who have entered the Covenant of love will have perfect rest on all sides and I will again give you who have been faithful to Me all the kingdoms of the earth as I join Heaven and earth as one and make My dwelling among you, as the tabernacle of old, and at last we will rule and reign together in perfect fellowship, partnership and stewardship. Revelation 21 -22. Daniel 7:18, 27.
So even though you have entered My rest through the door of Jesus, how do you stay in that rest? For the curse is still in the earth until the end comes, and the devil knows his time to destroy is short, so he is making every effort to pull you out of My rest so that through you and others that give in to his wiles he can put you into total unrest, anxiety, division, chaos, and the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death, as he did so quickly in the life of Job. Job was a believer, and he was surrounded by the hedge of My protection, Job 1:10, but he got pulled out of My rest. Job 1:12. How? He tells you himself. Fear. “For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.” Job 3:25-26. And the fear came by sin, the sins of his children caused him to fear wrath and punishment. Job 1:5. It came, but not from Me as he was supposing. And he then tried to cover himself in self-righteousness.
And that is the same way Adam and Eve were pulled out of My rest—sin and, then worse than that, fear—fear that their sin would be uncovered and they would be punished. So they tried to cover their nakedness and hid from Me. And then tried to cover it in self-righteousness. Adam blamed Me and Eve for his sin and Eve blamed the devil.
And today we continue our series “It is time to enter God’s rest,” with Life Lesson No. 2: “How to stay in His rest.”
Since you enter the rest in Jesus, you have it as your own once you have confessed Him as Lord, but as in any territory that is still in this curse filled earth, you often must fight to keep your territory intact because there are those out there that will try to take your territory away from you, illegal as it may be, if you let them get away with it and put up no challenge, you have lost. Never surrender to the devil thinking it will give you peace. It will not. But it is often more subtle than that, so you must know how to fight an enemy who comes under cover of light. Often a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You must never just ignore his attacks; adverse possession takes place when one ignores the trespasser too long.
Though rest is yours, you have to actively guard it or you will let yourself be pulled out. The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
To keep in My rest you must know how to fight the good fight of faith. And that is how you win every time. It is a battle for your words and thoughts. Jesus let you know that, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27.
Do you see what will pull you out of peace, that is, out of My rest? A troubled, fearful heart. That was what pulled Job out of My rest, creating an opening in the hedge of My protection allowing the devil entrance into his territory. And once the devil and his demons had access, he took over his thoughts and words making him declare his own demise, creating a downward spiral that I finally stepped in to correct. And do you know why I could step in and rescue Job? He asked for Jesus, the mediator that understood him and Me, Job 9:28-35, and then declared his faith in Him, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God.” Job 19:25-26.
And fear is also what pulled Adam and Eve out of My rest. They sinned and that made them fear punishment so they hid and tried to cover their sin so I would not see their nakedness. But all is bare and open to Me to whom you must render an account. Hebrews 4:13. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, except when I take away your sins, they are gone, they are gone from your account and went into the account of Christ.
So what is the solution? Just what Jesus told you, do not let your heart be troubled, do not let it be afraid. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1. Believe in the finished work of Jesus—that your sins are forgiven, He made peace between us by the Blood of His cross, He made you holy, blameless and without reproach before Me, and as He is, so are you in this world. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. But that is only the beginning. Once you have taken Him as your Lord and all your sins have been imputed to Him and His righteousness to you, you are redeemed from the curse of the law and receive the Blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit by faith. And all My many magnificent promises are yours. I am your healer and by His stripes you were healed. I am your provider. I am your righteousness. I am your deliver, your rock, your refuge, your strength. I forgive all your sins, heal all your diseases, redeem your life from the pit, surround you with love and compassion, fill your days with good things and renew your youth like the eagle’s. I have blessed you with every spiritual blessing in Heaven. It has pleased Me to give you, the little flock of the good Shepherd, My Kingdom.
These are yours, but you must take them by faith. And the spirit (law) of faith is that you believe in your heart and speak with your mouth. And faith comes by hearing My Word and taking it into your heart as your own. You must renew your mind out of the old mindset of fear and worry, which is the mind that devil would put in you by inserting his thoughts before you to blind your mind to the truth of the gospel. Instead you must put on the new man and change your thinking. And once you change your thinking, you will change your speaking and transform your life from one of fear to one of faith. And faith is the victory that overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil. Faith keeps you in the rest. Indeed, I tell you that the Israelites did not enter My rest because they did not mix faith with My promises. “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united with faith in those who heard.” Hebrews 4:2. And I called that disobedience. Hebrews 4:6 (“Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience.”)
And I give you the answer in who Jesus is to you now that He is at My right hand. There are two chapters in the Book of Hebrews in which I discuss My rest and why the Israelites did not enter it and in which I urge you to not make the same mistake but make haste with all diligence to enter My rest, since it still is available. And the first chapter begins: “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.” Hebrews 3:1. Consider Him as the High Priest of your confession. The word translated “confession” and sometimes “profession” actually is a Greek word, “homologia,” meaning to speak the same words. You must agree with Me to keep yourself from fear, for My Words build you up and give you courage and hope. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. My Words are filled with peace, love, blessing, and increase for you. Speak them. Agree with them. And expect them to come to pass. No weapon formed against you can prosper. Isaiah 54:17. That will stop the fear of any storm, disease, attack, or lack and give you the answer to speak to bring the blessing out of your heavenly account to manifest in the earth. And that you see at the end of the second chapter discussing entering My rest, which is chapter 4 of Hebrews, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16.
For Christ was faithful as a Son over My house—and My house you are, 1 Corinthians 3:16, if you hold fast your confidence and the boast of your hope firm until the end. Hebrews 3:11. Do not give up your confession of faith but stick with it and when the dust storm stirred up by Satan settles, you will still be standing strong clothed in My armor and My power. “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12. “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” Hebrews 3:14.
The Israelites that refused the promised land were not able to enter because of their unfaithfulness to My Words of promise. They did not trust Me and were not fully persuaded, even after seeing My wonders, that what I said could come to pass. “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent (make haste) to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:9-13.
What is the answer? Faith and patience. Never give up on My Word until you see it come to pass. And if you take that stance, you will have great peace in any storm for you know you have the answer. I am the Most High. In My secret place you have nothing to fear. “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11-12.
Speak the Word and stick with it. Never give in to saying and doing things contrary to My Words. The devil will use every tactic he has that worked on man to pull you out of My rest and make you tear down all I have done, but the good news is if you don’t give in and instead laugh at him as you get out the Sword of the Spirit for full on combat, confidently declaring the desired result instead of the dreaded outcome, he will have to flee. It will be like David and Goliath. Who, in the natural sense, would have thought David would win? It was a battle of words and David got the last word in and then ended the battle.
Remember, the devil is working to undo everything I did and take you back to waste places, chaos, and darkness. Jesus came to undo everything the devil did and restore back My work. And now He has entrusted that work to you on earth as He works with you and in you from My right hand, as the devil keeps working to undo and you work to restore. But guess who wins? Read Revelation chapters 19, 20, 21 and 22. I win, all is restored, and not only restored to what it was but to something so far better there is no comparison. When I restore it is better than it was before. Will no one say, “Restore!”? Come work on the restoration project, and you may want to begin in your own life. That is where Jesus starts with each one of you.
“But this is a people robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, “Restore!” Isaiah 42:22.
I love you. My Word wins if you will use it. I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end. And I speak the end from the beginning. Do the same and have no fear. Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world. Who is in you? The mighty Holy Spirit. My Spirit. So I am in you. You have nothing to fear. I have the last word for everyone. You are wise to seek Me first while I can be found. Enter My rest and there you will learn how to fight from the resting place of victory.