I read a book by Heidi Baker “Birthing the Miraculous”  in the book were three words. Run, Rest, Release.  I want to look at those words the next three weeks.

1. Sabbath Rest

Sabbath is not so important to many in the Gentile church today and we miss some of the meaning because of it.

Hebrews 4: 9, 10 There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.

For the Israelites, this was the promised land.  It was called a place of Sabbath rest, but there were incredible battles to be fought there.  How can God call this rest?

DEFINITION: Trusting God in the midst of chaos

2. Importance of entering that rest.

Hebrews 4: 11 Make every effort to enter that rest.

Rest is not laziness

3. 4 Areas of rest we are called to enter

a. Rest in the promises of God

The Bible is not a catalogue where we can just page through it to find a promise and then hold it up to God demanding he fulfill it.  God remembers his promises

Psalm 119: 40, 41 “Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.  My comfort in my suffering is this:  Your promise preserves my life.”

David was asking God to highlight this promise in his life so David, not God would remember it.

b. Rest in past forgiven.

Repent of your sins and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped away.  Then times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord and He will send you Jesus your appointed Messiah.  Acts 3: 19, 20

Malachi 2: 17 We have feared God with our sin.

Remembering our past when God forgives wears us down.  If sin wearies God, who much more does it burden us.

Rest in the fact that repentance brings forgiveness of sins

c. Rest in the presence of God.

Zechariah 2: 10 Rejoice for God si coming to live near you. We can rest in the fact that God is always near us.

Mark 6: 30, 31 the disciples were out ministering and Jesus told them to go away by themselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.

d. We can minister in our weariness by being renewed in God’s strength.

When the disciples went away to rest, they ended up feeding 5000 men.  We can minister in God’s strength when we learn to rest in Him.

4. We enter rest in faith.

Hebrews 4: 6, 7 The Israelites did not mix their actions with faith.

Faith in His promises

Faith that past is forgiven

Faith that His presence is with us

Faith that weariness is renewed

They failed, but there is another time called today to enter that rest.