Rest

*Recap of*

*Be Inspired Intercessory Prayer and Testimony*

*Tuesday 12th November 2019*

*Anchored by Sis Leah Adepehjuh*

*Topic:*  Rest

*Text:* Exodus 33:14 AMPC

And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

Today we will be talking about *Rest.* Before we go into the word, let us pray:

Lord we ask for you to guide our utterance; we release the vessel unto you so you will tabernacle over the teaching and our hearts to receive it to the glory of your name in Jesus name. 

*What is Rest?*

*Bro Lionel:* Relaxing.

*@Abimbola:* Recover strength 

*Sis Leah:* *Rest* can be defined as cease from activity or a moment where a stop is put to something.

We will look at two types of Rest.

*Types of Rest..*

Human Rest

Divine Rest

Human Rest is obviously the type of rest we all tend to exercise which can be in form of relaxing..

Going on holiday

Sleeping

Whatever we do to de-stress could be classified as form of rest.

From Exodus 33:14… we are made to understand that God will give us *rest* but before that it says "My Presence shall go with you then I will give you rest..." This type of rest is *Divine Rest.*

God's kind of rest.

Often times as human beings we are so stressed to the extent that our body starts to either shut down or malfunction and  when that starts happening we either get the signal by ourselves to rest or sickness will make the person rest or by consulting a doctor you get a verdict that you should go on rest if you do not want to get worse.

In Genesis when God created man on the 6th day, do you know God rested on the 7th day? And guess what? The 7th day which was the first day on record in which man lived a whole day on earth was a period of rest although God had given man command on what to do but that 7th day was a time of Rest.

Divine Rest doesn't really mean cease of movement like human rest but the rest at work in the presence of God.

I will give an example. Many times we so much want things in our lives that we just keep running, trying, pulling and cutting corners in our own human way just to get that thing done..

But often times we are so soaked into our ideas and human ability that we forget to start with God so *HE CAN TAKE US THROUGH HIS REST IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH PURPOSE.*

We keep pushing and pulling whatever we find best which is natural as human that is what our sense is saying to us.. but God is saying take a deep breath, get off the driver seat, get into the passenger seat, take a rest from driving and I will get you to your destination.

Did you notice that is not that you become stagnant when taking divine rest? No.. the authority shifts position to greater authority so you can get to where you need to get to when He has purposed for you to get there.

Someone is saying: But does that mean there will not be turbulence on the way when I have divine rest?

*Yes there will be turbulence but His strength will see and get you through it VICTORIOUSLY.*

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,

Isaiah 30:15 AMPC

https://bible.com/bible/8/isa.30.15.AMPC

In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and the disciples had just finished a crusade and He said let us go to the other side. On their way there Jesus fell asleep. Guess what? There was turbulence and the boat ⛵ was tossing up and down the wave of the water tide was getting stronger and they were calling Him, Master do you not care that we perish? and He rose and calmed the storm and said to them: 'O ye of little faith.'

Yes, there was turbulence and guess what they were in the presence of God almighty yet the storm rose.. these disciples had seen Him do miracles, signs and wonders just before they left where they left but once the storm rose they went into panicking.. they had absolutely forgotten that He was in charge just because He was asleep they thought, Wao! we are gonna perish, but that was not the case when they finally handed it over to Jesus the storm calmed instantly.

When you are moving and functioning in divine rest your challenges do not serve as your compass but the divine ability in which you dwell in.

Many of us are looking at the year now. In fact someone is counting down thinking Wao it's gone so quick in about 6 weeks or less we will bid 2019 goodbye and they are busy taking itinerary of what they planned to do that wasn't done they are busy running to meet up using the human clock to judge.. God is saying to you it's time to take divine rest.

Until the disciples tapped and brought Jesus back into the scene of the storm the storm kept going causing their level of fear to rise.

Once they touched Him and got Him on board, guess what? they got to the destination unhurt.

Say to yourself *I need divine Rest!*

Many of us want to play God in our lives so bad that we just keep doing things even when vividly we can see that God wants us to slow down we just keep going on non stop. You need to change that seat now, allow God back on board. You cannot out do God. Never!

I remember trying to get something done recently. I was putting my own might doing all I could possibly do humanly but everytime my human effort came out futile. It was painful and depressing. My faith was tested; it felt like my prayers were held until I heard: Release it in God's hand, and what had taken me so much to plan He did it just like that when I decided to get Him back on board. Not stressing but allowing Him to take the right seat while I just rest in Him.

Someone is saying: But when is He going to do it? I have waited long to be a husband/wife...

I have waited long to be a parent...

I have waited long to secure that contract/employment/visa...

I have waited long for that growth...

Whatever it is you might have been waiting on for God to do..

It's high time you took divine rest in Him and just let Him do.

Just let Him fix it..

Take your mind off your human trial and error and allow the Controller of the universe to take charge.

Remember He is not created by human hands and your circumstances ain't a surprise to Him in anyway...

He saw it all coming. He is already ahead of it but what He wants to let you know this evening is *You need to come to His rest and stop trying to make things work when He has already fixed it.*

You know when you are in the divine rest of God it doesn't matter who has gone ahead of you or who is mocking you. You will get there right on time and you will be celebrated.

When you begin to actually allow yourself to enjoy the divine rest of God not only will you get to where you need to be, achieve what He purposed for you to achieve, but it will all be done at His time in His presence and in His strength.

You cannot enjoy divine rest of God when all you hear or depend on is the voice of man and let me tell you that includes your voice as well. When you are in His presence you will learn to dine more with Him and clearly hear Him. 

Learn to get to know how to rest better in His divine rest.. but that will only come when you begin to let go of things to Him and allow Him to teach you about what to do, how to do and when to do it.

If you understand that every detail and activity of your life and mine is very important to God you will have no choice but to crave His divine rest and begin to enjoy it.

You cannot enjoy this rest if you do not have a personal relationship with Him. You cannot enjoy it if the Bible isn't the primary manual for the direction of your life, you cannot enjoy this divine rest if Jesus isn't your personal Lord and Saviour so there are prerequisites on actually enjoying and living in His divine rest. 

Remember, as I mentioned earlier, divine rest doesn't harbour stagnancy so it ain't like you are on a lazy ride but a ride of fulfillment of purpose with your Creator.

So come into His rest today.. wipe your tears away.. you will get to where He wants you to get to.. your heart desires will be met, the trials will not swallow you, that report isn't His and it will be changed, just let Him fix it...

You keep looking at your age, you keep checking up on others who have gone ahead of you, He is saying to you He has plans for specific time for you.

God is not a man to lie nor a son of man to repent if He said it He will do it.

Let us Pray:

Heavenly father thank you for today and your word that you have sent to us.

Lord forgive me in any way I have run ahead of your plan and refused to walk in your will in Jesus name.

Lord eternal deliver me from any way or anything I have allowed my human ability to blind me from actually enjoying the rest I have in you. 

Lord I confess my sin, I let go of all my past mistakes and I ask you to come and rule and reign in my life, be my Lord and Saviour henceforth in Jesus name.

Lord henceforth I want to function and enjoy your divine rest over every aspect of my life - finance, marital, health, economy,ministry, calling, whatever it may be, let me enjoy your divine rest henceforth in Jesus name.

Thank you, Abba Father, for answered prayer and your vessel you have used this day in Jesus mighty name.

*Amen.*