“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9)
One of the greatest moments of my life was when I first discovered the reality of God’s Rest for the believer.
This occurred about 6 years after I first trusted Christ. This was that wonderful moment when I first experienced the joyful reality of Christ as my Sanctification.
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, 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.” (Hebrews 4:9-11)
I’m convinced that most Christians reading this verse believe it is talking about heaven. About the rest waiting for us after we die.
This passage begins with recounting how Moses led the people through the wilderness for 40 years. And how they failed to enter into the promised land.
Only after the death of Moses and the death of all the original Israelites, except Joshua and Caleb, did the people finally cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan. All because they did not believe God would fight for them and protect them in what was, without doubt, a very dangerous place.
From that reference, we are told there is another rest that is ready for Christians to “enter into”. Something that has been provided right now for the believer. Not just something down the road after 70 or 80 years of life.
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.“ (Galatians 4:4,5)
Whatever we do, time marches on. Nothing can slow it down or speed it up.
On a bad day, it is slower than molasses. On a good day, it races by at light speed.
I was recently watching the movie, The Time Machine. In the old version, the best one as well as the one produced by George Pal, it is set just before New Year’s Eve.
The original author of the book was H.G. Wells. He was a man that believed in the goodness of men to overcome evil. He believed in a lot of the progressive views of societal & governmental control that are popular today among liberals.
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us.” (I John 4: 17-19)
Joy is not possible in the midst of fear. A prerequisite to having joy and keeping it is to reach the end of fear.
So what is it that causes our fear?
The problem is our focus on ourselves — on our own performance, our own good works, our own sincerity, our own inner spiritual gymnastics. Even our own faith.
As Christians, has God brought us to a place where we can live without fear? Do we have a relationship to Christ that removes fear? Can we know the peace and joy of His approval?
The answer is, “Yes”.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11)
In previous posts, we have discussed the biblical foundation of our “reckoning”. Some call this the “reckoning of Faith”. Watchman Nee discusses this in greater detail in his book, The Normal Christian Life (which I heartily recommend).
The point today is that “Reckoning” can often be misunderstood. Even by those who have understood God’s truth on these matters.
For example, our victory in Christ is based purely on faith. It is based upon the specific words and phrases of scripture that God has inspired that tell us how we are “crucified with Christ“. (Galatians 2:20 ).
This is a fact. It is an eternal reality when we trust Christ as our Savior.
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6: 9-11)
“But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.” (Hosea 1:7)
The Old Testament is full of verses of this kind. Where we are brought back to seeing God, Himself, as our deliverance.
These verses speak of men involved in desperate circumstances. Against-the-wall kind of situations. Where there is nowhere to turn but to God.
Elijah found himself alone and exhausted in the wilderness. But God sent ravens to feed him.
The Israelites found themselves without water in the Arabian desert. And God sent water gushing out of a rock to revive them and keep them going.
In numerous Old Testament accounts, the Israelites were facing overwhelming odds against powerful enemies. But God stepped in to tell them that it was His battle and not theirs. And amazing victories were won when they stood back and watched what God would do.
The Bible tells us to forget those things which are behind and press on toward those things which are before. That has always been a struggle for me. My mind often drifts back to clips from scenes long past. To memories good and bad. To both successes and failures.
I have to thank God for His patience with me over the years. Because I have often gone off on tangents that He was not leading me toward. You could not have convinced me of such at the time, however. I was determined to follow a course of action or “feeling” at all cost.
Unfortunately, there are many Christians that suffer from this “disease”. It is called “will worship”. I spoke of it in an earlier post. But I think it will be of some value to look at it again.
Eternal Approach 
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