Today’s New Covenant nugget is from Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
What a beautiful thing the Lord has given us in His ‘rest’. New Covenant REST IS NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT IT’S SOMETHING YOU RECEIVE! He said to us in Matthew 11:28, “I will GIVE YOU rest”. He has given us rest, now we open our hearts, tell our minds to be at peace, tell our thinking to wait, and allow every part of us to REST in the ‘God-given’ rest that He provided for us.
Trying to rest in your own strength can actually stress you out even more… we RECEIVE supernatural REST… we ENTER into it BY FAITH! The Bible says in Hebrews 3:19 (AMPC) “So we see that they were not able TO ENTER [into His rest], because of their unwillingness to adhere to, and trust in and rely on God [unbelief had shut them out].”
The children of Israel allowed their minds to become consumed with worry, stress, anxiety and fear… their focus was on their own ability, even though God had done so many miracles in their lives, so instead of RECEIVING supernatural rest BY FAITH, the state of mind that dominated them, shut them out from receiving God’s promise.
When you can’t sort something out in your own ability, when you feel you have more on your shoulders than you can carry, when you feel the pressure of decision-making, turn your eyes on Jesus, cast your cares upon Him, stand upon His Word, and ‘rest’ in Him BY FAITH.
One of the ways I rest in Him, is to begin to thank Him for who He is in my life. I thank Him for today, for His grace, His peace and His ability. I thank Him that His thoughts are far above my thoughts, and that His plans for my life are perfect. I begin to roll ‘my busy’ on Him.
Resting has nothing to do with activity… resting is a ‘state of mind’, resting is being in faith, and not in a constant ‘problem conscious mode’… people who are not in a state of supernatural faith rest, find it hard to smile… their countenance is always saying, “I am straining, fighting, problem solving… I am at war.” The countenance of a believer who is resting in faith says, “I am at peace, Jesus is turning all of my tests into testimonies, I am overflowing with joy… I am way to blessed to be stressed!”
When you rest in the Lord, you get to remind yourself that He has got you in the palm of His hand. He has already provided for you, He has already taken care of everything pertaining to your life. The Bible says, He has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness. By resting in Him, you remind yourself that He has done it all, that you are on the receiving end of His love, His favor and His blessing, and that before circumstances and situations try to look like mountains around you, you can truly ‘rest ‘ in His love, His provision, and rest in His rest.
Too many people deal with depression, anxiety, worry and fear because they are not resting. When you truly rest, you put your eyes on Jesus. You begin to see His love for you, His provision for you, His grace, His favor and His Glory... remember, rest is something that you receive, not something that you achieve! Jesus said, “I GIVE YOU REST,” now receive it by FAITH!
Receive His gift of supernatural rest today; ‘rest’ in His love, rest in His peace, rest in His grace, rest in FAITH! Just like that old song, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus – Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth, will grow strangely dim, in the light, of His Glory and Grace’
In His amazing love, Esther
