We can live in rest 24 hrs a day. Rest is not the absence of work, but it is the presence of Peace. Rest is more than an attribute from God (Galatians 5:22-23); it is the presence of a Person. These attributes are the work of God’s life inside of us; not something that we do. It is something that God does and causes it to be established in us and, therefore, causes our character to change. If God does not do it in us, it will be out of reach for us.
(Matthew 11:25-30) God reveals things to us when we have childlike attitudes, not sophisticated adult-like attitudes. Jesus’ role in our lives is to reveal the Father to us. Jesus is not our destination, the Father is. Jesus is the Access/Doorway/Way to the Father. We are in Christ, therefore, we are brought into the same relationship that He has with His Father. As we are yoked to Jesus, we are yoked to the Father (Matthew 11:30). When we get ahead of ourselves, we lose our peace and move outside the place of rest because we are trying to achieve something by our own strength and ability.
(Hebrews 4:11) To know God as a Father is a struggle/battle/warfare in our hearts. It is not about a demonic battle, but it is about the condition of our hearts. As you receive the Father’s love, you understand what dying is. Dying is not giving up something or the externals; the dying/surrendering/relinquishing process of a believer is allowing your heart to let go and be loved like it had never been loved before. At this point of dying, you experience rest because you become comfortable with God loving you. When your inner world changes, your outer world changes.
(Exodus 33:13-15) Inasmuch Moses was to lead the Israelites from captivity to their inheritance, his heart for God was actually greater. Your ultimate pursuit should be God; your ministry should be an outflow of your relationship with God. When you are in Christ, you don’t come into God’s presence, you are already in His presence. With the revelation, knowledge and experience of God’s presence, we find rest.
(Matthew 12:1) When we live life or do ministry, we do it FROM rest NOT TO rest. We don’t live to be accepted, but from a place of acceptance. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath; He is the One who brings us to the relationship with the Father.
What matters is our hearts, our lives and our responses to God.
Lord, thank You that You are here and that You have come to establish Yourself in us and consequently, that we should enjoy rest.