True children of the Father are just as kind, forgiving, generous, good, just as He is.

Healing is the children’s bread

a gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth to God

As Erica listened to Hope narrate a horrifying experience of how a neighbour’s dog attacked and wounded an innocent child who was playing around their home, it dawned on her what great deliverance she’d experienced few weeks ago.

Dogs are not Erica’s favorite pet. She can barely stand them. On this blessed morning as she took a walk, she suddenly came face to face with 3 giant dogs who’d sighted her from a distance and ran towards her. Play or fight, these dogs didn’t look friendly. And she’s stranger to them. What does she do now? Run, shout or stand still? If she tried to run from them, they’d outrun her and possibly harm her. She stood still as they reached her. God must have this under control, she thought.

Erica lived in a quiet serene neighborhood. It was still too early for anyone to be outside by 6.30am. Dogs don’t stroll casually and unattended within the estate, these ones must of sneaked out without their guards knowing. She started talking to the dogs, stroking their bodies. Was this the best reaction? Judging by the dogs incessant growling around her m, probably not. Running away wouldn’t be a right choice either. Erica started shouting for help. But none came. She tried chasing the dogs away but they looked even more angry and dangerous. One, two, three, five minutes and more, the dogs were still around her, just moving around her and making angry sounds, also jumping around her. For some strange reasons, they didn’t bark, maybe that would have drawn some attention. But not today, these angry looking creatures refused to back today.

As Erica thought about how this could end up, fear took hold of her. She suddenly heard herself shout ‘JESUS’ and in that instant the 3 dogs walked away from her.

What a deliverance!!! Not even a scratch on her body.

Praise God!

The Name of Jesus did it!

………….

First published on ‘Grace Obomanu Blog’ 09/12/2018.

Rains are significant because they bear a newness and freshness to them, especially after a period of drought. In which circumstance rains would indicate or symbolize a washing away of the old and regrowing of something new, something better. 

The Heavens tell of His glory, creation showcases the works of His hands. The dawn of a new day and its embrace of night reveals His power. The sun, the moon, the stars tell of His glory. All these though silent yet communicate louder than words, transmitting their message throughout the world to all mankind (Psalm 19:1-5), to all who care to think, listen, and see.

When I heard the story it sounded both dumb and ridiculous. What a dumb thief he must be! I mean people already saw him and being a closely-knit and cliquish neighbourhood, words would soon go round. Wouldn’t be long before someone identified him and pointed him out to the security parading the streets. Dumb thief.

You know, as I thought about the uneventful ‘disappearance’ of the poisonous serpents, I realized that actually that is how life problems ‘pass away‘ as we move our focus away from them and fix them on Jesus and His Word. You wake up one day and realise the narrative has changed- you have a testimony! The serpents (troubles and challenges) disappear as we fix our gaze on Jesus and His Word.

“And we still have the promise that God gave those people. That promise is that we can enter his place of rest. So we should be very careful that none of you fails to get that promise.”
Hebrews 4:1 ERV

The above verse of scripture, speaks of a promise made by God to a set of people- the Israelites. A promise that according to the writer, can be inherited and experienced today by every believer in Christ Jesus- the promise of A Place of Rest. And one intrinsic attribute of God is that He keeps His promises. Indeed, all of God’s promises in Christ are Yes and Amen!

Hebrews Chapter 3 provides a background to Hebrews chapter 4. The writer briefly recounts the not-so-nice experience of the Israelites in the wilderness over a period of 40 years. According to God, these people were rebellious, they tested and tried Him regularly, and they generally exuded deep and annoying unbelief (Hebrews 3: 7-10). As a result of their choice and way of life, God swore that they will not enter into His rest.

“Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘they shall not enter My rest.” Hebrews 3:10-11 NKJV

What is The Rest Place of God?

The Rest Place of God is Not a Physical location

Generally speaking, a place is a location, a point or an area. A place is also a position- which can mean someone’s current location or situation. The Rest Place of God is none of these things.

The Rest Place of God is not the Day of Rest

Is The Sabbath the Rest Day?

The word ‘Sabbath’ might mean different days of the week for different people, yet for all Christians, it communicates the idea of a day of rest. For the Jews, the Sabbath day starts at nightfall on Friday and ends on nightfall of Saturday. And while some ‘Christian sects’ try to follow the Jewish Sabbath day routine, others have chosen Sunday as their Sabbath day. It would appear then that the whole concept of recognizing a specific day as the day of rest cannot be applied universally across the Christendom. Maybe what needs to be understood is what exactly the Sabbath stands for.

Understanding the Sabbath

Starting from Genesis 2:2-3, it is recorded that God observed the 7th day as a day of rest after the creation. So God Himself started the Sabbath Day tradition. The Bible records that God rested and was refreshed. So there is a refreshing associated with rest (selah).

Why did God Rest ?

Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 tells us that God created the whole world in 6 days! Everything, Made from Words!! And on the 7th day, God rested. Even though we read that God rested and was refreshed post creation, we are not told that He rested because He was tired. I believe that God rested because He thought to Himself; ‘My work is done, everything is complete and perfect, everything is good!’

God had faith in His Word. He trusted His Word. He knew everything was as good as it should be.

In Exodus Chapter 31:12-18, God gave a very strong command to the Israelites concerning the Sabbath; it was to be observed as a day of rest, a holy day to the Lord. The penalty for speaking ill of the Sabbath was death, anyone who refuses to observe the Sabbath was to be ostracized or killed. So the Sabbath was a big deal to God Almighty. However the Lord Jesus seemed to have neglected this great command of the Sabbath during his ministry.

Jesus walked into grainfields on a Sabbath, His disciples took of the grains of the fields on a Sabbath, Jesus performed miracles on the Sabbath, He taught God’s Word on the Sabbath (Matthew 12: 1-6, 9-14, Luke 13:10-17, Luke 6:5). So in summary, Jesus did not rest on the Sabbath day! And as you can imagine, the religious leaders of His time rebuked Him for not observing the traditions, commands and laws passed down from the fathers. In response to this, Jesus dismissed their allegations as simply hypocritical because they themselves do not commit totally to observing the Sabbath as a day of rest. It would seem that they didn’t even understand what the Sabbath meant. I find it very instructive how Jesus always puts compassion and doing good above keeping laws and offering sacrifices.

So the Rest Place of God is not a location, situation, physical position or a rest day.

So what is The Rest Place of God?

Let’s see Deuteronomy 5:12-15……

‘‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”
Deuteronomy 5:12‭-‬15 NKJV

Again, we see another mention of the Sabbath and its sacredness here. But see what God says in verse 15; “remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm“…..

So God is saying 2 things here: 1. Do not work on the Sabbath. 2. Remember how you were slaves in Egypt until My mighty hand and outstretched arm brought you out. You were in bondage and helpless until I saved you!

What do these mean?

I believe God was saying; ‘remember when you were so powerless and couldn’t help yourself until I intervened to deliver you; remember this and do not be anxious about working on the Sabbath; remember this and trust that I can take care of you; remember this and trust in My ability to take care of you whether you work or you do not work.’

So indeed, the law about the Sabbath wasn’t necessarily about working or not working but a test of obedience, faith and trust in God. And as far as Jesus could see, the religious leaders of His time, knew the laws but lacked understanding and revelation of their true intent.

If we go back to Hebrews 4:1‭-‬3 ERV, we see the primary reason the Israelites could not enter God’s place of rest…..

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said” NKJV

They heard the gospel, but did not mix the Word they heard with faith. And because they refused to mix God’s Word with faith, the Word was not profitable or beneficial to them. So it seemed their prayers were not answered, it appeared God never heard their outcry. The resultant effect of this was that they were always anxious, worried, agitated, panicky. They were never at rest. They did not enter God’s place of rest. They could have experienced ‘Sabbath’ everyday but yet they couldn’t.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it? How we can sometimes get all worked up over something we cannot change only to start trying to calm ourselves down so that we don’t fall ill from anxiety.

Worrying is like seating on a rocking chair that takes you no where. Sometimes we’re struggling with not worrying… Oh! if only we would enter His rest….the place where God wants us to be at all times and concerning all things.

In the Rest Place of God, the Word of God is mixed with Faith. It is a place of knowing, believing and speaking what the Word says irrespective of the circumstances. It is a place of being fully persuaded. A place of confidence and peace. It is a place of faith and trust. It is a spiritual state that translates into a physical experience. So the believer can actually have Sabbath every time and every day.

How do we enter his rest?

1. Mix the Word with faith: Confess the Word and stay steadfast with your confession.…

Say what the Word says in every situation.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.“ Hebrews 10:23 NKJV

2. Believe in the efficacy of the Word: the Word is not dead, but living, powerful and sharp….

“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:11‭-‬12 NKJV

We can enter His Rest Place for (because) the Word of God is not dead or powerless, but living, powerful and sharp. Halleluyah!

Shalom!

Hi there,

Have you seen today’s Bible Study post: “5 Tests on the Way to Greatness“? 🙂

Three nights ago, the Holy Spirit woke me up to write this article and within 30 minutes the main content was ready. Only a little fleshing-out was required to get it ready for publishing today. So please make out some time for it. 🙂

Below is a short introductory video on the study that’s been going on the blog for sometime now: 3 Essential Elements of Victorious Christian Living.

https://youtu.be/ClA7sLzI1HM

We all need to experience victory in different areas of our lives; marriage, job, home, study, health, provision, ministry, etc. Victory in these areas (and also against devilish forces) are first won in the spirit before a physical manifestation.

This is a very important study and I wouldn’t want you (or any member of the Body of Christ), to miss any part of it. Here are parts 1 and 2.

Kindly share this video with your believing friends, colleagues, relatives. In order that they do not miss out on any part at all, also get them to subscribe here. This ensures that all parts of this study is delivered directly to their mailboxes. They are free to unsubscribe at the end of the study if they so wish 🙂

God bless you as we work together in making known the knowledge of God and His Word.

Love Always

Grace