Hebrews 4:9-11 

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Christ gave His life to lead us into abundant life. this life is full, free and forever. It breaks the heart of God to see many believers struggle to enter into the riches of God’s grace. They worry in every situation and appear weak in the face of circumstances. They do not experience the rest that God has promised those who believe. The reason is clear: they have not believed God’s promises or the fact that Jesus suffered and died for them, and that His sacrifice paid for everything we will ever need in this life and for eternity. 

What is Divine Rest?

The Bible informed us that God has reserved a place of rest for His believing people. This place of rest is a state of mind and life where God is in control and decides what happens. It is a life of peace and joy, a blessing of freedom from chaos, anxiety and worry. God’s spiritual rest is a life of faith and peace achieved through total surrender to God and belief in His promises. 

To enter God’s rest, we need to understand what grace and faith mean to us. Remember, none of us deserves any good; none of us qualifies for any blessings. Grace is the act of overlooking our faults and inadequacies. God chose to pay for our redemption and salvation through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. With this sacrifice, He decided to freely and fully give us all things.

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Romans 8:32

“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

We have established the fact that everything we receive comes from God. Now where does faith come in? Faith is the belief that God has given us all things. Faith is that confident assurance that you are free, and that Jesus Christ has paid the price for you. Faith takes you into God’s grace and keeps your mind at rest in God’s faithfulness to His promises. Faith tells you that God cannot lie and has never failed to fulfill His promises. Faith assures you that the story of the cross is true and that it was done with you in mind. This is what produces the rest spoken of in Hebrews 3 and 4.

Hebrews 4:3

“For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

 

The Israelites’ Example

Hebrews 3:8-12

“Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

The Israelites were not able to enter the Promised Land because they didn’t believe and follow the Word of God. Their consistent doubt stood in their way most of the time. God performed many miracles among them, healed their bodies and defeated their enemies. Yet that set of Israelites were bold too unbelieving to accept God’s Word of promise. Everything God did for them wasn’t enough to give them the faith that brings spiritual rest. 

Numbers 14:11

“And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?”

The Israelites were not able to fully believe God’s promises. They had some reservations anytime God made a promise. They relied on their past efforts and the ability to get things on their own. They must have remembered how they worked to get what they wanted in Egypt. They had become accustomed to laboring like slaves to make ends meet. They never knew how to fully depend on the God of their fathers. Sadly, they were not ready to learn God’s new ways of relating with His people. To really enter God’s rest, they must cease from their struggles and trust God wholeheartedly. 

True Spiritual Rest 

Biblical faith involves believing in God and making efforts to keep believing. It requires submitting to God and making efforts to stay submissive. It also demands holding onto God’s Word and making efforts to hold tight. If God does not lie because He cannot lie, then it means He will always fulfill His promises. If God is reliable, then He will keep His word. 

We cannot earn anything by our own efforts. No one can earn God’s salvation or obtain eternal rest by human efforts. We enter into God’s salvation and eternal rest by fully putting our faith and trust in Him. Only God can make His peace and joy real to us. 

The death of Jesus is the basis of our faith in God. We keep trusting God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We trust God to make things work through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is this full faith that brings God’s rest. Anything else is a sign of unbelief and disobedience.

Hebrews 10:22

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Faith is Like a Spoon

When you make efforts to believe God, you’re not working against faith. Faith isn’t the same as God’s provision. Grace is related to God’s unlimited blessings and riches. Faith is the means of getting into God’s grace. Your faith takes you into God’s place of rest.

You need faith to enjoy God’s rest. The more faith you have, the more likely you will enter into God’s rest. Faith is the spoon God wants you to have to find at the table of grace. Without your spoon of faith, you have nothing with which to take a generous scoop of the sweet promises of the gracious God. It is your duty to make efforts to keep a living faith in God’s provision of present and eternal rest for His people.

All-round rest is God’s promise and expectation for His people. We must not fall short of this beautiful blessing. It is made for us right here on earth even before we reach out eternal home in heaven. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”