Resting in God’s Grace

First let me say that when you look at the word Holy, you will find it to be very
interesting. The Word Holy means that, that person or that thing is set apart unto
God.

The Word Holy appears for the first time in:

Genesis 2:2 “And on the seventh day God ended His work which

You find the word Holy or Holiness mentioned in both the Old Test, and
“He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”

God didn’t rest because He was tired. God doesn’t get tired. No!
God rested because His work was finished.

Verses 2-3 “and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”
“ 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it,”
The word Sanctify is a Hebrew word which means HOLY.
“because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

So, notice the First time the word HOLY is used-- it has to do with REST.

Rest is the Holiest thing you can do. Rest brings God’s Favor.

GRACE:
You know that the first time Grace is mentioned in the Bible is also in the Book of
Genesis. And The first time GRACE is mentioned it shows us something very
significant.

Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
This is the first time that GRACE appears.

Let me show you the hidden Revelation there. The Revelation is hidden in
The Name of Noah.

Noah’s name------ means----- REST

I.O.W. Rest finds Grace in the eyes of the Lord.
The more that you are at Rest, the more God’s Grace comes upon you.

But, Just the Opposite,

The more you work and Labor, ----God’s Grace is held back from you.

Now listen church, when I talk about work and labor I’m not speaking of you going
to work.
“The bible says that every Christian should work and should be gainfully employed.”
Paul says, “If any should not work, neither shall he eat.”
So, when I’m talking about Working and Laboring, I’m talking about you stressing
out because you feel that you need to strive and produce something in your life. You
want to make it happen. THAT IS EVIL. EVERYONE SAY----THAT IS EVIL.

Because, God wants your heart to be at Rest.

THE ONLY LABOR FOR A CHRISTIAN

Is found in Hebrews 4:9-10 “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased ---EVERY ONE SAY
CEASE---from his works as God did from His.”

So, God rested because all His work is finished.

And God is telling us that you must have the same attitude. You must Rest like God.

But, your excuse is, but God there are things to be accomplished.

EXAMPLES:
There are children to raise, food to be cooked, there is homework to be completed.

But, God is saying the work is finished.

I.O.W. You must First enter into God’s Rest, and then come back and fulfill all that
you know you must do, and you will be surprised that when you do those things
Resting in God first, you will discover that you will accomplish what you need to
accomplish, but you won’t be saddled with Stress, Anxiety, and Frustration.

Because, you are no longer striving that you and you alone are trying to fulfill these
needs, but now you have a touch of Heaven to assist you.

AND THE ONLY LABOR FOR THE CHRISTIAN IS THIS:

Hebrews 4:11 King James Version says this, “Let us labor therefore to enter into
that rest,”

Everyone say “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest,”

So, the Only Labor you should work at is to Labor to be Restful. Labor to be at rest.

AND THE BIBLE STATES:

In Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with
which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together,
(God Joined You and ME Together with Jesus, not with one another, but WITH JESUS )
“and He made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Why is that?
Verse 7 “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His Grace in
His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

You know many Theologians believe and say that when Jesus comes again the
Dispensation of Grace will come to an end.”

GRACE NEVER COMES TO AN END.

Read it again, Verse 7 “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Even in the ages to come God will still be showing us the Riches of His Grace.

The Bible states that we are SEATED TOGETHER with Jesus in Heavenly Places.

Church, we are SEATED WITH CHRIST. We are SEATED.

The Priest of the Old Test. -------- NEVER SAT DOWN.

Because their work was never finishes.

When Jesus Purged our sins--------He sat down.

And we are seated Together with Him. What’s that mean? The Work is Finished.

So, you know want to know where all your Problems are,
That you’re so worried about?

Let me show you.

Look at Ephesians 1:20-23 “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him
from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all
principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and
gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of
Him who fills all in all.”

Now Watch this: Where is Jesus?

He’s Far above-------- Satan.
He’s Far above every Disease.
He’s Far above every Curse,
He’s far above every Opposing Force in this world.

He’s Not just above, But “He’s far above all Principality and Power.”

He’s far above every attack that Satan tries to bring into the world. He’s far above it.

Not only in this World, but in the World to come. He’s Far above it all.
 And so, where are you?
We are seated together with Christ in the same Position.

DEVIL:
So, what the Devil wants to do is come into your life and ask you,
“Well what are you going to do about this situation?”
“What are you going to do about this problem in your life?”
“What are you going to do?

Well, here’s what you tell him------This is what I’m going to do:
I’m going to sit and Rest with Jesus.

Satan brings a lying Symptom in your Body, and you start to feel the Pain .
The Devil says, “You better do something about it.” He’s right.

And here’s what you do.------- You Sit and Rest.

Well, what does this actually mean?

It means -------There’s nothing for me to do. It’s all been done.

You’re calling his bluff. He’s telling you the work is not Finished.

It looks like-- It’s not finished.

It feels like--- It’s not finished.
Doctors, Attorneys, Financiers are saying “It’s not finished”

But, you just sit down and say--------It is Finished. I’m entering into God’s Rest.

And when you do that, ----------Something happens to your Problem.

“Now remember, you are Seated with Christ.”

Who made you sit together with Christ? God who is Rich in Mercy.
God made us sit together with Christ.

So, where is the Devil? ------Far Below you.

So, what Satan sees is the Sole of your Foot.

You have a Problem?

Jesus is the head of all things. God put all things under His Feet.
You are seated with Him, so all things are place under your feet as well.

So, this problem you’re worried about-----------You are on top of it.

The Devil is trying to get you out of this Position.

Because as long as you are in the position of Rest, Blessing flow in your life, and
Good things come your way. Amen? And you come to see that life has a whole new
perspective. That’s why the Devil attempts to get you to move out of your position
of Rest.
He wants you to forget who you are in Christ.

That’s why God wants all believers to Labor only unto the Rest.

You know how God defines ------EVIL Let me show you.

Hebrews 3:12 says “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God;”

This word---- Evil----- is the Greek word---Poneros.

And every time you see the word Evil in the New Test.
It is the Greek Word, Poneros: An Evil Man---An Evil Conscience.

But, if I were to ask you to define the word Evil, you would probably say:
Something Bad.

But, the word BAD, is actually the 2nd Definition of the word-- Poneros.

PONEROS:
ST
1 Definition: Full of labors, annoyances, hardships, pressed and harassed by Labors.

2nd Definition: Is (BAD) Bad of Nature, or Bad of Condition.

So, the thing is this. When God says, don’t have an Evil Heart, what does it Mean?
We think of ------BAD.

But, it’s the first Definition: A heart full of Labor. Full of You trying to Fix You.

Church, it’s Dangerous. Because, you give Satan a foothold into your life, because,
it’s destroying the protection that you have.

JOB:
You know that the Bible tells us that Job suffered for about 9 months.
His suffering didn’t go on and on. But, Job is a Unique case.

Job asked God that he wished he had an Advocate—a go between.

Well, what he desired is now our Reality.

Job didn’t have a High Priest at God’s right hand.

But in Job 3:25-26 Job said this “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.” Church, Fear is born out of Unrest.
Verse 26 “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for Trouble comes.”
No Ease---No quiet---No Rest EQUALS TROUBLE.

By the way, God uses 3 Hebrews word for Rest in this one Verse.
And NOAH’S name is the Last one. “I have no Noah”

How did Job get into trouble in the first place?

Job stepped in Unrest, into Disquiet, into Agitation, into Worry.

But you’ll be surprised how he did it.

You know how he did it? With Something Spiritual.

EXAMPLE ON JOB
The bible says that Job would get up every morning and offer burnt offerings on
behalf of all his children, and say continually in his heart:
“I better cover them because they may have cursed God in their hearts”.
The bible says, that Job did this Continually.

So, this unease, disquiet, unrest in Job’s life is because of something that He’s
doing Spiritually.

Job was not able to Rest and allow for God to be God.
He was using the Law to work out his Concern.

CHURCH,
You need to give all things over to the Lord. Rest in His Loving Arms.

If you look at the Areas of your life----- that--- You’re not Worried About,
You will find that Provision Flows.

But, those areas of your life-------that--- ---------You are Worried About

There’s a Hindrance.

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION: ------RUBBER HOSE

It’s Growing season and soon you’ll be getting out your hoses to water the plants
and flowers around your house.

When you turn on the Spigot, the water is now flowing from the Source of the
Spigot through the hose to the end of the hose, the sprayer. And You can adjust the
sprayer to spray a heavy stream or a light rain type of spray upon your plants.

But, if there is a kink in the line, even though the water is still flowing from the
Spigot source, the water will not flow from the sprayer. The water gets jammed up
until you unkink the Hose.
Well, just like the Spigot on your house that is always flowing:
God’s supply of Blessings are always flowing---The Work is Done.

But, the problem is that on our Receiving end, when we worry, we Kink the Hose of
God.

Jesus is the Spigot, through Him all the Blessing s Flow.

He paid for all these Blessings to continue to flow into our lives.

At Calvary’s Hill, He said, Put the debt on the Master’s Card.

He paid for everything to Flow Continuously:

1.) Forgiveness of Sin.

2.) Provision for you and your family.
3.) Health and Healing

So, now God is supplying---the Flow is Flowing, BUT, when you Worry, You shut
off the flow of Blessings over your life.

Remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mt.

Jesus said, “Don’t worry about your clothing, God will clothe you better than Solomon in
all his Glory.” And Don’t worry about what you eat, and Don’t worry about Tomorrow”

It almost sounds like Jesus is saying----Be Irresponsible.

No. He’s telling you--------------------------To be most Responsible.

The Greatest, Holiest, most Responsible thing that you can do---Is to Rest.

And when you Rest, The Supply of God’s Grace that is sufficient to meet your every
need will flow not only into your life, but it will overflow, pressed down shaking
together, running over. Why?

Because you are not under the Law----Just enough

But, you are under Grace, more than enough. Amen