In this article, we'll be looking at a very important topic and one that all of us are in need of. We're looking at ‘finding Rest’ and the Lord is going to be opening our eyes to the true meaning of Rest, because there's a saying that when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable.

 

What does true Rest mean? There are many times we use the word Rest. ‘Leave me, I just want to Rest’. Is that the Rest that God is talking about? Is it just about not working that is Rest? Or just lying down and watching TV that is Rest? Or just lying down and sleeping, that is Rest? We want to look at the true meaning of Rest in the kingdom of God and how we can obtain it. Another word for obtain is to receive it, and I pray that as the Holy Spirit opens our eyes, we will be blessed in Jesus’ name.

 

Now, we want to look at how God instituted Rest. Genesis chapter 2:2-3, “And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He Rested.” Before this time, there was no mention of Rest. So, God institutionalized Rest, the first mention of Rest was related with God. The Bible says and on the seventh day, God ended. I want us to pay attention to this verse because there are things that happened before Rest. And on the seventh day, God ended His work: not another person’s work but His work; which He had done. And He Rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Won’t we look at that verse and say why are they repeating the same thing? It sounds like tautology.

 

And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He Rested. And from there again, He now said, on the seventh day, for all His work which He had done. So, meaning that Rest is closely linked to work. You cannot talk about Rest and not talk about work. But work precedes Rest. You will talk about work before you talk about Rest.

 

So, God institutionalized it and see verse three, He said then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He Rested from all His work which God had created and made. What is Genesis chapter 2:2-3 telling us? God instituted Rest in the kingdom architecture for a reason. And what is the reason that God institutionalized Rest? It’s because there is a work to be done. That's part of the things we're going to look at.

 

God made sure that He laid the foundation of Rest Himself, because there is work to be done. So, part of the Kingdom architecture; the architecture of the kingdom of Christ, the foundations that God has laid for the kingdom, Rest is one of the pillars.

 

How do I know this? There are several Scriptures which we're going to look at, that show us that God set Rest in place, not just for Himself, but for us also. So, this Genesis chapter 2:2-3, started with God, but did not end with Him. He started by introducing to us, how God Himself Rested. But there is a mistake we make in religion, because the Bible says on the seventh day God Rested; we have now made a religion of Rest, that Rest is on Sunday, and that Rest is on Saturday for some people.

 

That by force, all that God did; in the magnificence of God, in the greatness of God, in the Almightiness of God, that all that God did in Genesis chapter 2:2-3 is to introduce a day of the week and declare it a public holiday. Do you think that's what God did? Where we are going is; God is not about religion. What God puts in place for us is a system, a principle, a platform upon which everything we do in the kingdom; Rest! What is the meaning of Rest? I want to take us through a Scripture, because we're looking at the words of God to understand what He means by Rest.

 

Let's look at Exodus chapter 20. Remember that when God was dealing with the children of Israel; the children of Israel are supposed to be like a sample. God raised a nation called Israel as a sample of what the entire kingdom of God will represent. So, remember that they were in Egypt, and God brought them out, and God started introducing them to His ways.

 

Exodus chapter 20:8-11, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Remember when we read Genesis chapter two, the Bible says and He sanctified it. 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 cattle, nor your stranger; who is within your gate. So, you see that there's a correlation between Exodus chapter 20 and Genesis chapter 2. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and the sea and all that is in them, and Rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

 

Some of us will say, that’s why Sunday is a very important day, that's why Saturday is a very important day; because God said, we must hallow it and we must sanctify it. But, do you remember all the things that God said from verse nine? He says, 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.

 

And practically now, when you go to Israel, they do no work in the sense that all the things God said in the law, they are observing it. No stranger, no male servants is going to work, your daughter, your sons will not work, they did it in such a way that the food they will eat on Saturday, they will have prepared it on Friday. They will not cook, they will not do anything, and they will just live their lives like that, and they will go to the table, eat what they have to eat, leave the Rest, they won’t wash plates, they won't do anything because of their religiosity. When God instituted a platform to save us from the curse of the law, see what He did.

 

Before we go there, I want us to see Exodus chapter 33:14, “God said, My presence will go with you, and I will give you Rest.” Did He say I will give you Sabbath? He said I will give you Rest. My presence will go with you and I will give you Rest. That's what God said in that same Exodus; because what God was trying to do was not just to give them a public holiday. What God was trying to do was to help them with a mind shift. And that's why when Jesus was preaching, when He came on the scene, He said repent.

 

What is the meaning of the word repent? It means change your thinking. So, you have been thinking in this direction, turn your thinking around and follow the direction that God Himself wants you to follow. Change your thinking! So, what Jesus came to do is to help us change our thinking. The thinking of the children of Israel was that God declared a public holiday; that on the Sabbath, they are supposed to Rest and that is all that is to it. The only Rest that they have is the Rest of the Sabbath; no other Rest in God, apart from the Rest of the Sabbath: but that is not the truth.

 

So, I want us to see a Scripture; Mark chapter 2:23-28, “Now, it happened that He went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And as they went, His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.” Remember when we read in Exodus chapter 20; they do no work, they don't cook, they don't wash plates, they do nothing. Even their servants don't do anything, because they're supposed to Rest. So, this happened because Jesus wants us to change our thinking; repent! Now, it happened that He went through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and as they went, His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?

 

Now we want to bring it home, because you see, this plucking of grain that they are doing, it is something serious in that time. In our own time, what is a religion that we have whipped around Sabbath? What are you doing, you are not going to church; don't you know that today is Sunday? Can't you play gospel music; don’t you know that today is Sunday? Why are you not reading your Bible? That's a picture of the Pharisees; because some of us are modern Pharisees.

 

We think all that God is saying is that one day in a week, give it to Me. Is that what He's saying? Is the Rest God talking about that one day in a week be pious, sanctimonious, holy? You say please don't talk to me, this is Sunday morning; I'm going to church. Is it about religion or about kingdom? So, the Pharisees said, look, why do they? Just like someone will say, look, why are your children watching TV in the morning on Sunday? But Monday through Saturday is fine; they can watch TV in the morning, but on Sunday, it is an aberration and an abomination. Why? Some people will even say why are you eating breakfast? Because that's the only day they can fast; they don’t eat to church, that is the only fast they know. Why are you eating and thinking of food on Sunday morning? We are modern Pharisees.

 

Why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath; that hallowed day? Some of us are still under the law. But He said to them, have you never read what David did, when he was in need and hungry: He and those with him, how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar; the high priest and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priest, and also gave some to those who were with him? And He said to them, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath; He is the owner.

 

He is the Lord of the Sabbath. What is Jesus trying to say here? He means change your thinking; do away with the law and focus on the kingdom. In the kingdom, Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Meaning that, Sabbath cannot hold you down; you cannot be a prisoner of Sabbath. He said Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, we are no longer under the law; we are no longer under the curse of the law.

 

So, if you really want to obey the law of Sabbath; nobody in your house should do anything, you're not supposed to cook, you're not supposed to clean, you're not supposed to post anything on your social media because it's the law: no work! But is that what God wants for us? Has God placed us under the law? No! He has given us grace in Christ Jesus.

 

So, what is Rest? Matthew chapter 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.” Jesus knows that we labor; but remember what we read in Exodus chapter 20, that; that Sabbath is supposed to be a symbol of Rest. Jesus now said in Mark 2:27, “He is the Lord of the Sabbath”. He is now showing us how He is the Lord of the Sabbath; come to Me all you who labor: you have been laboring not just for six days; that is just a representation of how much we work. Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest; I will not give you Sabbath. Am the Lord of the Sabbath, what I'm going to give to you, what God made by Sabbath is Rest and that's why He institutionalize it.

 

In Genesis two did we see Sabbath? God, institutionalize Rest as architecture in the kingdom. He said come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest. What we need is Rest, not Sabbath. What we need is Rest, and what is blessed is Rest. He said take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I'm gentle and lowly in heart, for you will find Rest. So, that's why we're looking at finding Rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I'm gentle and lowly, and you will find Rest for your soul. If your body needs Rest; you know how to Rest. But Jesus did not say you will find Rest for your body. You know when to sleep if you're tired, you know you should Rest and you Rest; but there is a dimension, there is a component of you that can only find Rest in God and that is your soul.

 

So, Jesus addressed the issue; you will find Rest for your soul. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. So, Rest is having peace in your soul. The Rest that God assures us that He's going to bless is that Rest that is in your soul. So, Jesus said, I am the Lord of the Sabbath. So, man should not have Sabbath as a prison. From Sabbath, you have been liberated by Christ.

 

Jesus was saying to the woman by the well in John chapter four; He was saying to the woman by the well because the woman was a religious woman. He said give Me to drink and she said, why should I give You to drink, I'm a Samaritan and You are a Jew? We don't have dealings; I can't give you to drink. If my people pass and see me giving you to drink, they will say this woman is not a Good Samaritan. And Jesus said, if you know the One that is asking you for a drink; you will quickly give Me a drink because what I have to give to you is a water that you will take and never thirst again. You will not need to come to this well to draw and the woman was getting interested; she said to herself, endless supply: I'm even tired of coming to draw.

 

So, give me of this water and Jesus introduced her. He said there’s being trouble in your soul; on the outside, you look alright, you look packaged and you look all set. But there is trouble in your soul which no man can see. You know if you have a bruise, somebody can see it. If you have Apollo and you open your eyes; somebody can see it. You have boil, somebody can see it. But the scars and the injuries that are in the soul, nobody can see it.

 

And Jesus dissected her soul and say, woman, go and call Me your husband. She said, I have no husband and He said in that, you speak very well: you speak the truth. He said because you have had seven husbands and the one you are with now is not even your husband. Come on now; who is this Man that can pierce to the dividing of the soul and the Spirit? He is the word; He is the Lord of the Sabbath. And what He is assuring us in Matthew 11, He said take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. Verse 29, for I am gentle and lowly; for you will find Rest. If you come to Me you will find Rest; the things that people don't know about you that is making you cry in the night I'm able to address it: that is Rest. It is not that you will stop working; hard work does not kill any man. God worked six days; God created everything in six days: your Father works hard.

 

So, Rest is not saying you will not work. Rest is saying that, after you have worked or while you are working, there is Rest in your soul; there is peace and quietness in your soul. Your mind is not going helter- skelter. Have you not experienced that, you are trying to lie down and sleep and you are not finding sleep. Why? There is trouble in your soul. How will tomorrow be? How do I handle the challenges ahead of me? What does the future hold? How do I carry on this year? They want to increase fuel again; I don't think this salary can be enough. Those are the troubles of the soul. When people look at you physically; they can't see it and that's why Jesus said you will find Rest for your soul.

 

So, what is that Rest about? Isaiah chapter 30:15, “For thus says the Lord, the holy one of Israel. In returning and Rest, you shall be saved. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength”. See what God said, in returning and Rest, you shall be saved. Shall! It is certain. Your salvation is in returning and Rest. Your salvation is in your Rest; in the Rest you find in God.

 

If President Tinubu decides to make any announcement today, your heart is already beating very fast. If he makes another announcement, your heart is beating very fast as well; it is because you are still in the economy of this world. The Rest that Jesus is talking about for your soul is in Him. He said in returning and Rest you shall be saved. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.

 

What is the meaning of quietness and confidence? Your soul is not ranging; it is not up and down. You are quiet. Be still and know that I am God. You look at all the situations that are happening; just like Job, you said I know my Redeemer lives. Job lost everything in one day and he said I know that my Redeemer lives. What kind of man is that? He is a man that has found Rest. A woman that has found Rest is not moved by what is going on around, she is rather moved by what is going on inside of her; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.

 

So, let us understand it further. Hebrews chapter 4:1-3&9, “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His Rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them: did not give them Rest. Why? This is because it is not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed to enter that Rest”.

 

So, how do we find Rest and enter it? We are to believe. Verse two says, for indeed the gospel was preached to us; just like this word is coming to us individually. But the person that this word will profit is the one that this word is mixed with faith in his or her heart. For we who have believed do enter that Rest, as He has said: so, I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My Rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. The reason why we will enter Rest in Jesus is because the works have been finished.

 

Remember we said, there is no Rest without work. The work concerning your soul has been finished in Christ. The works that the Bible is talking about in Hebrews chapter 4:3^B, He said although the works were finished; because you can't separate Rest from works. A work has to be done for Rest to be obtained. The work for our soul has been done by Christ Jesus. The reason we will find Rest is because we have found the one that has finished the works. And that's why in Matthew 11, He said come to Me; the one that has finished the works. How did we know that He finished the works? When Jesus was on the cross, what did He say? He said it is finished. What finished on the cross? The works finished, and that's why you have Rest.

 

You have access to Rest, and I have access to Rest because the works are finished. For some of us, we feel we are not entitled to Rest. We say; why should I Rest? Why should I be calm? What the culture; our society as tend to make us understand is that you should not have Rest in your soul. That if you don't think about your problem, you don't think about the situation around you; the family you are born in: it means that you're not thinking, you're not doing anything, you're just sitting down there and you are smiling. Some people will even ask you what is making you happy. This is because; the society has been structured in religion. You should not have Rest; you should be up and down; everywhere!

 

I'm not talking about work; I'm talking about your soul. Now we're not focusing on your body; it's your soul. People feel that legitimately your soul should be troubled; you should be anxious and Jesus said be anxious for nothing. Anxiety is not in the body; it is in the soul and He said be anxious for nothing, but in all things, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving; make your requests known unto God.

 

He said, the sparrows are they not sold two for a talent. He said, are you not more precious than they? No hair falls from your head that God is not aware of. If God is working, what are you supposed to be doing? Resting! See what the Bible says, it is not me. Hebrews chapter 4:3^B, he says, although the works were finished; not that the works will get started when you come to the earth; the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So, you have access to Rest. Apostle Paul said; let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of Christ.

 

Let's go to verse nine. There remains therefore a Rest for the people of God. For he who as entered His Rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Are we seeing the link? So is He talking about Sabbath day here? No! He is not talking about Sunday or Saturday, that the only time your soul should Rest is on Sunday or Saturday; then Monday to Friday your soul should be going riot. No!

 

There remains therefore a Rest for the people of God. The question is; are you part of the people of God? This is because; the Rest is for the people of God. Jesus said in the world you will have tribulation, you will have trouble; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. And that's why he said in Christ Jesus, you are more than a conqueror; you are an overcomer. There is nothing that will confront you; that you have not overcome already in Christ. So, Jesus said be of good cheer; celebrate, let not your heart be troubled. For greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

 

He said in the world, you will have troubles; they will come, I'm not saying troubles won’t come. I'm not saying things will not happen; that your soul won’t feel distressed, He said but quickly adjust; quickly understand that I have overcome. Celebrate; because I've overcome: rejoice! And that’s why Apostle Paul was in prison and he said; rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice. Why? The works has been finished before the foundation of the earth was laid.

 

On the cross, Jesus finished it all. The battle for your soul was won on the cross, the anxieties of your soul has been conquered on the cross. So, that's the Rest that Jesus is talking about. Verse 10, for he who has entered His Rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. So, there is nothing you are trying to make happen. That's why Jesus said who can by worry add one cubit to his stature? Jesus said you cannot change what God has already established. Jesus said nothing changes by your worry. What changes things; is the presence of the Lord. There remains a Rest for the people of God. Whoever enters God’s Rest has himself also ceased from his works, as God did from His.

 

So, there is no heaven and earth that you're trying to create by your thought. There is no man that you are trying to create by your thought. You can’t sit down and you're trusting God for a husband; and you are sitting down and you think your thoughts can create the husband. You are trusting God for a child; your thoughts and your worry cannot create that child; that child is in God: it is only God that can bring that child to you.

 

Did the worry of Sarah produce Isaac? Did the worry of Hannah produce Samuel? She got Samuel in the presence of God. It is the presence of God that changes things, not your worry. That's why finding Rest is finding God. Finding Rest is finding the presence of God. Finding Rest is locating where your true Rest is; in the presence of God, in quietness and confidence lies your strength.

 

In returning and Rest is your salvation; returning to God, returning to Jesus, returning to His presence and His Rest. When you return to Him, you will have Rest; then there is quietness and confidence, then you will have your strength, then you will have your baby, then you will have your husband, then you will have your riches, then you will have your honor, and then you will have your wisdom. Anything you are trusting God for; is in His presence. The Bible says in His presence, there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

 

Verse 11, says, let us therefore be diligent to enter that Rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. The children of Israel, if you read their story; they always think their murmuring and complaining is what gives them things, so they keep at it. ‘Moses, we are tired of eating meat: go and talk to your God; let Him give us something else, we don't want meat again. Moses, do you want us to die in this wilderness? We need water.’ That's how they lived. And God became tired of them.

 

And we are in a generation where many people are not living by faith. Many people don't believe; many people are not seeking His presence, and God is starting to get tired of this generation. Your complaint does not get into the ears of God. You know how God answers the children Israel? It's not their complaint. Moses will carry their complaint in prayer to God; God see your people, and God says; see, let Me just destroy them; I will build a new nation with you. Moses will now start intercession: God please, if You destroy them now, Egypt will laugh at us; that so they left only for their God to destroy them. The One that they said let My People come and worship Me; now He has destroyed them. They are not worshiping, they are now being killed; and God will say, okay for your sake I will leave them; what did they say they want? God, if you can just give them water this time, they will be fine and God will give it to them.

 

Some of us; the answers we have been getting in our prayers is not because we're complaining; it's because there's somebody interceding for us, so that God will not destroy us. We need to understand the right way to do it: find His presence; find God. Rest is in God. The things you need are in God; it is not in comparing yourself to another person. The Bible says if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God that gives. If somebody have money and you don't have; it is not for you to complaint: no! If you desire anything of the Lord, you should ask.

 

Jesus said ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you. For whosoever asks receives, whosoever seeks finds, and whosoever knock the door shall be opened. So, that is how we find Rest. Finding Rest is finding God.

 

We're going to see a Scripture in Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 6:16, “Thus says the Lord: stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it”. Because, when you stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths; you will find the good way. And when you find it and you walk in it, He said then you will find Rest for your souls. You see that God does not promise Rest for our bodies.

 

How do you find Rest? Finding Rest is finding God. Don't let the devil lie to you. Your Rest is in God. The Rest for your soul is in God; your tomorrow is in Him: Jesus; the same yesterday, today and forevermore. Rest is knowing who God is. And stop being distracted by the noise of the world; it is the world that wants you to be confused whether you're a man or a woman, whether you are male or female. They want you to be ruled by your emotions and your feelings. If you feel like you're a woman, then you're a woman. If you feel like a man; then you're a man. Is it about feeling or about who God says you are? Finding Rest is finding God. He has the answers; He has the solution. He has what you are looking for. God has what you're looking for.

 

In Isaiah chapter 40:28-31, God said, but those that wait upon the Lord, after you have found Him; you are now waiting on Him. It is something to find God and it is another thing to wait on Him. Some of us are too busy to wait on the Lord; we say ‘I can't wait; it seems God is slow; it seems God is busy.

For those that wait on the Lord: shall renew their strength; they will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary. He did not say they will not run; they will run! You will walk! But you will find Rest. They will walk and not faint.

 

Finding Rest is finding God. Rest in the kingdom is in God; He is your Rest. Once you enter that Rest, you have entered God. To enter Rest is to enter God. So, if you have not entered God yet, this is the time to enter Him: because when you enter Him, you will find Rest. You will no longer be looking for Rest all around. You will do find Rest.

 

Thanks for the gift of your time, We are Lara Gboyega Adedeji and Apeh Francis Abah!

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