24 Feb Pillow (Resting on the Promises of God) Part 9
Over the last few weeks we began to talk with you about “Four Righteous Realms of Rest”:
1. Rest in the promises of God (II Pet. 1:3-4).
2. Rest in the power of a seed (Mark 4:26-28).
Last week, we began discussing:
3. Labor to enter into the rest (Heb. 4:10-12).
This week, let’s continue…
When storms of life come, it is important to rest in the promises of God! Let me give you an example. Approximately 23 years ago Anne and I were on our way to San Louis Potosi, Mexico. I had been invited to be the lead speaker in a conference. As we traveled, we had to go through the Mexico City airport. I was taking with me this very heavy suitcase that I had to get through customs. We waited in multiple long lines only to be told we were in the wrong line. We were being shuffled around the airport like scattered sheep. I could feel the frustration rising in me and all of a sudden I felt my heart begin to beat very irregularly and pain began to shoot through my chest and arm.
Since we were in the middle of Mexico we decided to go ahead and board our plane. As we traveled on, the symptoms only got worse. Now imagine, we are flying at night in “nowhere” Mexico. There are only six people on the plane (including Anne and me) and they only speak Spanish. Rather than trying to get a hold of the circumstances, I knew I needed to get a hold of me. I very calmly began to speak “By whose stripes I was healed” (I Pet. 2:24) over and over and over again! What was I doing? I was laboring (meditating) to enter into the rest!
We landed and I was able to do the entire conference! I’m not going to tell you that I was symptom-free because I definitely was not, but my healing journey began by getting a hold of me before I got a hold of my circumstances!
When you are “resting” in the promises of God, you understand you are simply responding in faith to what God has ALREADY DONE by His grace! You are not trying to get your healing, blessing, peace, or joy…you ALREADY have it (see Eph. 1:3, II Pet. 1:3-4) and you are resting in that truth! Jesus has already won the victory (see Heb. 2:14, Col. 2:15) and now we simply participate in that victory by faith!
The Bible tells us, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37). The phrase “more than conquerors” is one very powerful Greek word “hupernikao”. This is a compound word “hupo” which means “beyond” and “nikao” which means “victor or conqueror”. Put these together and it describes one who is beyond a conqueror. Let me illustrate!
We have all seen at least one of the “Rocky” movie sequels. Remember Rocky II? This is when Rocky went 15 grueling rounds with Apollo Creed. At the very end of 15 knock down, drag out rounds of tumultuous fighting, Rocky is finally declared the victor. He is awarded the heavy weight title belt and gets a huge sum of money. Rocky does all the work and then gives the money to Adrian. Rocky is a conqueror…Adrian is more than a conqueror!
In the same vein, Jesus did all the work in defeating the devil and hands us all the blessings! Rest in your victory!
The Bible tells us, “But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee, Wherefore sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:21-25).
When the storms of life come, just like Paul you say, “I believe God it shall be even as it was told me!” Rest in the promises of God!
Next week we’ll continue our series.