The Believer’s Rest
“Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.” (Hebrews 4:1, 2 ASV)
God sent Moses to Israel with good news. He was going to deliver them out of slavery in Egypt and lead them to a land of rest that flowed with milk and honey. In this land of rest, He promised His people “large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant”. (Deuteronomy 6:10–11)
Because of God’s grace and favor, they would prosper effortlessly. They would not have to struggle for blessings. They could enjoy His rest.
Unfortunately, they failed to enter the rest of God. Instead, Israel struggled and wandered for forty years in a dry wilderness. Why? They refused to believe! They would not believe the good news that God had given them a land where everything had been prepared for them in advance, where the work was finished, a land full of riches to enjoy, a land which just flowed with His unearned goodness.
Like Israel of old, God has sent us good news. He has sent Jesus to deliver us from Egypt, the Land of Curses, the place of bondage and lack; to bring us into the Land of Promises, where God has already met every need through His Son. He has sent Jesus to bring us into His rest, where we do not have to struggle for blessings, but where we inherit blessings and enjoy favor effortlessly through faith.
Unfortunately, many believers still cannot believe that the work of Jesus on the cross covers every need they have and that it is truly complete and finished. Consequently, you find them struggling hard to produce their healing, prosperity, success and victory. Every day, they are trying to complete a completed work, to finish a finished work and to defeat a defeated devil.
But God wants us to stop struggling to have what He has already provided for us through the finished work of Jesus. He wants us to learn to rest by faith in what He has already done. He wants us to see that in Jesus every need has been met, every promise fulfilled, every battle already won. He wants us to start believing in the sufficiency of His grace toward us and delivered to us on Calvary.
Child of God, the only “work” left for us to do today is to work on our believing. The only “works” necessary now are those that express our gratitude and build our faith in His finished work. Why? Because God has already done all the other work required and has already finished our blessings for us in Jesus!
It was not their shortcomings that kept the children of Israel from entering the Land of Promise. It was their failure to mix God’s promises with faith. And today, the only thing that can keep you from enjoying God’s best blessings is not believing He has already blessed you with them in Christ.
That is why you must be diligent to let the message of the cross and the grace of God dwell in you richly. Let it fill your heart and renew your mind. By so doing you will enter the believer’s rest and start enjoying your own land that flows with milk and honey!
Blessings,
Bishop Johnson
A Moment of Grace 
oooh it is releasing,goodness this is great.God bless u Bishop
Iam edified. I had preaching the Believer’s rest for years……and oh, God did honoured his promised in Christ Jesus. Those who believed really got healed, receives miracules unexplainable, have their husbands, wives and children restored etc
But today, Iam just getting the roots of that particular in the old testament prespective, and its give me a broader insights to our rests, in Christ Jesus!!!
Stay blessed Bishop.!!!
Wonderful!
Praise God Bishop. Very constant and faithful to His calling, you are another one of my heroes.
my favorite part is the “Every day, they are trying to complete a completed work, to finish a finished work and to defeat a defeated devil”…it’s so true. It’s funny to read this today because just this weekend, in my prayer time, as I prayed I started with asking for things…but it was like this revelation, like something popping open when I felt the Holy Spirit say to me ‘you’re not a begger, you are a child of the King of Kings’…all I have to do then is commune with my Father. THANKS FOR THE MESSAGE BISHOP!
Amen Bishop for this powerful and timely word!
Thanks Bishop, for the word of encouragement. And thanks for being my instructor. MBTC
Liberia
Sis. Jangy
Amen Bishop! I am now starting to really understand what it is to have complete faith and letting God take control. I struggle sometimes with completely accepting the fact that Christ did everything on the cross for me. I am slowing but surely entering in God’s rest! Thank you Bishop.