Church Supernaturally: Entering Rest

The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was bornin a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of His promise. (Galatians4:22-23 NLT)

Paul used Hagar and Sarai to illustrate the difference between the rightlessness of faith and the righteousness of human effort(flesh).  I wonder how much of what we “do for God” is just us pushing for all we’re worth in our own strength.  If I’m honest, I know when I’m trying to make something happen.  There’s a drive on the inside.  My mind is jumping from option to option with little attention to the atmosphere of my heart.  I just feel like I have to “do” something. Activity is my external cure for internal apprehension.  

Faith is different. When I manage to tap into the promise and let it saturate my heart, I have peace on the inside. The writer of Hebrews said, “For we who have believed do enter that rest…(Heb 4:3a)”  From the position of rest, I can actually do the works of faith: verbally agree with the promise (confession), and obey the promptings of the Spirit (leadings).  The same chapter in Hebrews says, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest…(Heb4:11)” Almost paradoxically, it takes effort to get to the rest that comes from faith.  The effort that leads to rest includes grabbing hold of the promise by meditating in the Word, speaking the promise when anxieties beset my mind, and praying in the spirit to fortify my heart and quiet my head.  Peace!