Labor Into the Rest
Hebrews 4:1-3 TPT
4:1 Now God has offered to us the same promise of entering into His realm of resting in confident faith. So, we must be extremely careful to ensure that we all embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it. 2 For we have heard the good news of deliverance just as they did, yet they didn’t join their faith with the Word. Instead, what they heard didn’t affect them deeply, for they doubted. 3 For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise and we experience the realm of confident rest! For He has said, “I was grieved with them and made a solemn oath, they will never enter into the coming rest of my Spirit.”
There is a familiar story about the twelve spies in the Old Testament who were sent in to spy out the Promised Land. What they saw was amazing! The land was tremendously fruitful and as it was named “full of promise.” When the spies came back to give their report, only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a good report telling how God was giving them a beautiful, prosperous land. Yet all the other spies could see, and report was how dangerous it was and that there were giants in the land and that the Israelites should run in the other direction, for in their eyes there was no way to defeat these giants and take the land as the Lord had spoken to them. Only Joshua and Caleb gave the report that the children of Israel were well able to go up and take the land. You see, the thing that made the difference was what God had said and promised them. Thus, they would not enter into the rest of what God had spoken to them. God speaks many things to us, even specific things of great promise and blessing, even fresh direction filled with hope and excitement. Yet, how often do we embrace fully what He speaks? There are times we even doubt that we are hearing the voice of the Lord, and we back away from the stirring of the Holy Spirit rather than pressing into the Lord for greater clarity and understanding. They would not “labor into the rest,” that place of peace and direction and moving forward into all that the Lord has for us. Sometimes we become like the spies who gave the bad report, letting doubt and fear take the lead ini our minds and emotions rather than embracing the fullness of that promise and we fail to experience all that God planned for our lives. The sad ongoing saga of the Israelites was because of them not entering into the rest that the Lord had for them, that generation all had to wander around in the wilderness for forty years until the last of those who would not embrace what God had for them, except Joshua and Caleb who went on to inherit the Promised Land with the younger generation who were the children and grandchildren of these sad doubters. May you be one who labors into the rest that God has for you, filling your life with His promises.
What about you? Would you rather labor into the rest of God or embrace doubt and fear? What has God been stirring in your heart that He has for you to embrace and walk by faith, rest and love? Can you believe Him today and labor into His rest over your life’s situations? Have a great day in Him. He loves you so.
