28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
matthew 11:28
Rest is essential to our health. Our mental health, our emotional health, our physical health. When we neglect to refuel, regenerate, reinvigorate our whole beings, we become more receptive to the enemy’s lies.
Such was the case on one faithful day several years ago when my husband and I set out for the mission field. We were ministering in Orlando, Florida during this time and that day was not starting out well for me. In fact, I was ready to throw in the towel. I was done.
Our first meeting was ministry for me. A few steps from our hotel, we met this beautiful family on vacation from Texas. We fellowshipped together, and at the end of our meeting, they gave us a handful of bookmarks. Printed on these bookmarks were scriptures.
They said we needed to make it a daily habit to read these scriptures. But they also stressed the importance of reading them every night as well. The thing that was intriguing to me about the scriptures printed on those bookmarks was that they were the same scriptures that the Lord had given to me down through the years (which He did inform me that I should quote them daily). The same scriptures! But, honestly, I wasn’t as diligent as I could have been in quoting these scriptures daily.
It was a lesson that I would have to learn the hard way because I was not taking the time to declare God’s Word over my life and rest in Him.
It can be challenging indeed, can’t it? The scripture says it this way:
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,
hebrews 4:1-3
This New Testament scripture is referring to the Israelites during their wilderness journey. They were experiencing God’s supernatural provision, and His word through the Prophet Moses, yet they refused to believe (and receive), God’s Goodness to them (they murmured and complained instead of trusting the God Who had brought them through the Red Sea on dry ground).
This is like unto anoxymoron that causes us to “come short of it” when we are not tapped into the leading of the Holy Spirit:
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
hebrews 4:10-11
We are to work in that we may enter in God’s rest. Toiling. Toiling. Toiling. Trying to do something for God (or ourselves) in our own strength gets us down the road to a place of unbelief and discontentment as we continue to go around the same mountain year after year.
What causes us to receive a breakthrough anointing is when we come to the end of ourselves and let go and let God. Truly, it is a good thing to come to the end of onesrself and realize that without Him you can do nothing.
It is then that we are empowered to walk in the grace that He has provided for us to do everything that He has called us to do.
Pushing Past the Pain to Enter Into His Rest
Remember every road that God led you on for those forty years in the wilderness, pushing you to your limits, testing you so that he would know what you were made of, whether you would keep his commandments or not. He put you through hard times. He made you go hungry. Then he fed you with manna, something neither you nor your parents knew anything about, so you would learn that men and women don’t live by bread only; we live by every word that comes from God’s mouth.
deuteronomy 8:1-5 msg bible
Strength for the Journey
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
hebrews 4:12
When you decide to walk towards what God has called you to do on the Earth, the enemy is not going to roll out the red carpet for you to do it. No. Quite the contrary. He will do everything that he can to hinder you, discourage you, and try to make you believe that you cannot do it.
What we need to sustain us during wilderness seasons and every other season is God’s Word. Speaking it, declaring it, believing it, and receiving it into our hearts so that we will be strengthened for the journey.
That’s what happened to me that day when I felt like giving up, caving in, and quitting! But God. Can somebody say, “but God”? But God sent His Word to me that day. And it was just what the doctor ordered. From that day to this day, I endeavor to make it my business to speak those scriptures over my life both day and night.
I got so excited thinking about one of those many powerful times that my God has shown up that I wrote a poem about it (well, really, the Lord gave it to me. Can I share it with you?
I felt like I was done I felt like the enemy had won I felt like I was wasting away The enemy had struck by day And by night I felt like I had lost the fight But then, The Lord sent me His Word And told me that I can win So from that time to this time I refuse to whine and complain about the pain that the enemy tries to throw in from of me No. I just speak these words of truth everyday and I say that You are my Shield to protect me from every fiery dart that the enemy wields against me Thank You Father for your loving arms that always protect me from all hurt and harm When I seek to obey and speak Your Word everyday
It Is Only A Test
God has prepared a place of rest for His people. When we pass through our wilderness seasons (a place of pain, preparation, purpose, and intimacy with God), we enter into a place of rest, after we have passed the test.
Our wilderness seasons provide many opportunities for intimacy with God and spiritual growth.
When I think back on it now, I realize that that situation was a test to “see what was in my heart.”
I did not know what the day would bring, but I embraced it and went out to fulfill God’s calling on my life. (And the rest, as they say, is history).
I do want to say that that was one long, hard, epic journey. Some may feel as if you have been in a long wilderness season. Please know that He has an appointed time to bring you out into His place of rest.
So don’t fret about it. Seek Him daily, as if your life depended on it, because it does.
I created a video using those scriptures that I told you about. And yes, I still quote them day and night, and I have never once felt as if I did not have the victory over every situation that has come my way. To God be the Glory!
God says that He will bring us through the fire and the flood, and we are not to think that these trials are going to take us out. No, my friend. Declare today in the face of your fiery test that “I shall come forth as pure gold”.
6-9 So it’s paramount that you keep the commandments of God, your God, walk down the roads he shows you and reverently respect him. God is about to bring you into a good land, a land with brooks and rivers, springs and lakes, streams out of the hills and through the valleys. It’s a land of wheat and barley, of vines and figs and pomegranates, of olives, oil, and honey. It’s land where you’ll never go hungry—always food on the table and a roof over your head. It’s a land where you’ll get iron out of rocks and mine copper from the hills.
10 After a meal, satisfied, bless God, your God, for the good land he has given you.
11-16 Make sure you don’t forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God,
deuteronomy 8:6-16
Rest in Him,
Silvana
