5 Ways Believers Receive Spiritual Rest
God rested from the creation of all things on the seventh day, giving us the example of intentional rest. In the ten commandments given to Moses it was written, Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes] Exodus 20: 8-11. However, The Sabbath day isn’t the only rest believers receive from God. God also intended for His children to receive spiritual rest in Him as well; this is the believer’s rest.
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still remains and is freely offered today, let us fear, in case any one of you may seem to come short of reaching it or think he has come too late. 2 For indeed we have had the good news [of salvation] preached to us, just as the Israelites also [when the good news of the promised land came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not united with faith [in God] by those who heard. 3 For we who believe [that is, we who personally trust and confidently rely on God] enter that rest [so we have His inner peace now because we are confident in our salvation, and assured of His power] Hebrews 4:1-3.
1. Spiritual rest from the fearful expectation of God’s wrath
We know that God is Holy and Righteous and because of this; it is His rightful disposition to abhor sin and wickedness. For these things are contrary to Him and are not of Him because in Him there is no darkness at all. Furthermore, every man is a sinner and none are righteous, and all are deserving of God’s righteous judgments and divine wrath. But just as God is Holy and Righteous, He too is loving, long-suffering, and merciful, and this is clear in that He has intended for there to be a way for the sinner to be reconciled unto Him through His Son. This is the single greatest act of love humanity will ever know, and that is the gracious offering of the shed blood of Jesus, becoming the necessary sacrifice and payment for the sin and wickedness of those who would receive Him. For the believer, there no longer is a fearful expectation of God’s divine wrath.
The divine wrath of God is, for now, reserved, yet inevitably coming to fall upon every man for the sin and wickedness embraced during one’s lifetime. The piled-up offenses against a righteous and Holy God require retribution, the sentencing of divine wrath, and judgment to fall upon the offender. Either the offender will pay the sentence himself, taking upon himself God’s wrath and judgment poured out in full, or someone must be willing to stand in that man’s place as a sacrifice to atone (to cancel out, nullify) what is owed from that man. The only one who is willing and able to pay the necessary price is Jesus Christ. Let that sink in for a moment. When Jesus was crucified, He did exactly that. God poured out His divine wrath upon His Son who willingly suffered the sentence we not only deserve but very much earned. This is the grace of God, that we may be saved and delivered from judgment and given eternal life through Jesus. For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. Ephesians 2:8-9
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to [look forward and confidently] wait for [the coming of] His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who [personally] rescues us from the coming wrath [and draws us to Himself, granting us all the privileges and rewards of a new life with Him].
John 3:36 He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Savior] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Savior] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.”Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
2. Spiritual rest from being enslaved to the flesh, sin, and Satan
Once a person has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, they have likewise been set free, because who the Son sets free is free indeed. Before knowing and receiving Jesus as Lord, we were all slaves to our flesh, sin, and Satan. In our rebellion and sinful living, we were willingly in opposition to God, whether or not we were aware of it. But after a person is baptized with the Holy Spirit, an unmistakable transformation begins. The Holy Spirit empowers the child of God to live an upright life of repentance and obedience, steering us to turn away from our former way of living to abide as a new creation to bring glory to God. Now that the believer is adopted into God’s Kingdom, the King they now serve is King Jesus. A Christian is no longer a slave to the flesh, Satan, or sin, for Jesus Christ brings deliverance to believers, freeing us from every yoke of sin that once enslaved us. Because we are a part of this Heavenly Kingdom, we now come under the authority of our King, following His orders and commands. The deliverance found in Christ Jesus will free a person from things that seemed impossible; like those bad habits that we just couldn’t break, those unbecoming flaws in our personality we were told could never change. In the light of the presence of The Lord, they begin to diminish, no longer defining us, and no longer enslaving us. And with each broken link in the chain, a new level of rest and relief is obtained.
Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.
John 8:34 Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, everyone who practices sin habitually is a slave of sin.
Romans 6:16 Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?
3. Spiritual rest from the worries of daily life
To please God, one must have faith. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. It is through this faith we have in who He is and in His word and promises; we find rest from the worries of our daily life. When we truly rely on, have confidence in, and trust in Him who loves us, we no longer strive to direct our own course in life. For we know God has a plan and path for His children. Because we know He has authority over all things, we willingly and confidently submit ourselves and the control of our lives to Him. Confidently knowing that He will do above and beyond anything we could hope for or imagine. When situations in life don’t go according to our understanding, we no longer weary ourselves with the endless mental gymnastics of trying to figure it out for ourselves. We have faith in the one who watches over us. The believer no longer lives life through the confidence held within themselves or their circumstances, but we now rely on the empowering strength of the Holy Spirit. We no longer lean on our own understanding because we recognize God is in control and everything must pass through His throne of permission. In this knowledge is where the believer finds true rest from worry and from every attempt to remain in control of their circumstances.
Mark 4:19 but the worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful
Luke 12:25 And which of you by worrying can add one hour to his life’s span?
Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Matthew 6:30-32 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].
4. Spiritual rest from trying to keep up with the ways of the world
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are instructed to be in the world, but not of the world. We know that scripture tells us that Satan is the god of this world, so it’s no surprise that most of what the world offers does not benefit the life of the believer. Rather, the things of this world draw us away from God and further into a life dominated by the flesh rather than the Spirit. Now more than ever, we can clearly see the detrimental results of cutting God out of our lives by the current state of the world. Thankfully, the believer in Christ no longer lives to please the flesh but lives to please God and in this, we receive rest from trying to keep up with this world and the ways in which it functions.
John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
James 4:4 You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5. Spiritual rest from the fear of death and the afterlife
The thought of death is not an enjoyable concept for most people. The idea of our life here as we know it coming to an unannounced, abrupt end is almost too much to wrap our heads around. Death is the one thing that we can be assured of. It’s also the one thing we cannot escape, though many of men have chased dead-end paths to immortality all their lives. The elite cannot buy their way out of the sentence of death, and the smartest minds can, at best, stave off its coming. Then there is the uncertainty people have about what comes after death, the afterlife. Some believe it’s lights out once you die, that it all just ends at that moment. Others believe they will be sentenced to another round of existence as someone or something else, in attempts to gain enlightenment for their higher self through reincarnation. All these thoughts lead to an unavoidable apprehension concerning the afterlife, which few people find reprieve from. Yet, for the believer, death is not something that fills us with uncertainty, but the long-awaited obtaining of the promise of eternal life with our Creator. An entering into everlasting peace, into our eternal promise land, a place where all things will be as they were intended to be with no hindrance from fallen man, fallen angels, or an ongoing battle between good and evil. For a genuine believer, death is the beginning of a glorious, eternal rest in the fullness God intended it to be for His children.
Psalm 86:13 For great is Your lovingkindness and graciousness toward me; And You have rescued my life from the depths of Sheol [from death].
Psalm 116:15 Precious [and of great consequence] in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones [so He watches over them].
1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death [but immortality—eternal life].
Isaiah 57:2 He enters into peace [through death]; They rest in their beds (graves), Each one who walked uprightly [following God’s will, living with integrity].
Romans 6:5 For if we have become one with Him [permanently united] in the likeness of His death, we will also certainly be [one with Him and share fully] in the likeness of His resurrection.
