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-- © Transforming Life Prophetic Ministry -- 2000 --
-- Do Not Reprint without written permission from John Webster, <prophetjpw@aol.com> --

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES
Author:
John Webster <prophetjpw@aol.com>
Editor: Teresa Seputis

Prophetic-School MiniTraining Series

Fulfilling Your Destiny Through Knowing God

by John Webster

Part 3

Entering Into His Rest

Review

God has everything that we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3-4). If we are cut off from Him, we can't fulfill our destiny. When we do not see God for who He is, this will cut us off from Him. So it is important to know who God is.

Some of us hold wrong views of God, of His nature and His character. Below are six of the most common misunderstandings that people have about what God is really like:

Spinach
God will help us by inflicting pain
Drill Sergeant
God is angry and don't really care about us
Distant
God is not there for us. He only gets involved in major situations
Perfectionist
Requires us to be right and acceptable, impossible to please.
Abandoner
Isn't there for us.

God wants us to have a correct understanding of who He is. He uses different pictures of relationships that we can understand and identify with to describe who He is. In fact, God defines our understanding of who He is in terms of His relationship to us. In particular, He describes Himself as:

Entering Into His Rest

We will finish laying the foundation for this series by examining the concept of "entering into God's rest".

When we understand Him for who He really is, it becomes inviting to enter His presence and dwell with Him. We are attracted to the Father that loves us unconditionally and delights in blessing us. We are romanced by the bridegroom who cares for us and who wants to treat us as the apple of His eye. We seek out the friend that is closer than a brother. We find ourselves willing seeking out His company, and living in His presence.

It is in His presence where we become like Him, where we are equipped and enabled, and where we begin to radiate the light of His glory. This is where we receive His divine enablements for fulfilling our destiny.

God Created Mankind To Experience Pleasure

The fulfillment of the soul is a primary motivation of the human race. We can see evidence of it all around us. From amusement parks to movie theaters; from sporting events to restaurants; from gambling casinos to outdoor recreation. Man was made to experience joy, pleasure and inner fulfillment.

If we have not learned who God is, and we have not learned to live in the presence of God or found this place in God, then we are probably striving for fulfillment. When we accept the Lord for who He really is, and live in His presence, we are in a place of peace because or fulfillment is in Him. The pressure of having to be Christlike, but are alienated from God, is removed. Hebrews 4:9-11 says:

  1. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
  2. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.
  3. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (KJV)

Finding Rest In God

In Hebrews chapter four, "rest" can be translated 'abode'. Thus, it is a place for us to find in God. A dwelling place (Psalm 91) that we are to live in, not an emotional state that we visit. In the Old Testament, God's rest for the children of Israel was the promised land. It was a resting place.

Our place of rest is in God, because the striving and tension in our relationship has been removed. We can live in His presence, with rest for our soul, basking in the warmth of our relationship with Him as father, groom and friend. Dwelling in the secret place of the Most High can be the hammock for the soul, the resting place in God where we experience deep inner fulfillment.

Looking For Fulfillment Outside Of God

If we misunderstand God's nature, and feel separated from Him as a result; we are likely to look for 'joy' and pleasure in other places. In other words, if we are not truly happy in our Christian life, we will try to find happiness in other places. We may do things that are wrong if we're really hungry and in need. For example, we may feel the need to fight for what is ours, which is an attempt to protect our domain and interests. Sin such as greed, lust, self promotion for recognition or value are also attempts on our part to assuage the hurting soul. If we feel no one cares, that we're on our own; or that we are hungry for protection, we may become territorial and defensive. If we feel pushed down or hindered we may feel unvalued. We become hungry for opportunity and we may try to prove ourselves. If we are hungry for attention, we may gossip. If we're hungry for love, we may be tempted with lust (see prov. 7, 9:13-18).

These are all examples of not being satisfied in our soul. When we aren't satisfied by God, we look for it in other places. However, when find our dwelling place in God, we experience peace, fulfillment and joy. We have entered into His rest.

God's Forgiveness And Provision

God understand that when we are not fulfilled by Him, we will look in other placed for fulfillment. Proverbs 6:30 "Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry". This doesn't mean He condones our behavior, but He is fully aware of the problem. He also makes provision for it. He wants to bring us into His presence, provide us with everything we need for life and godliness, so we can experience rest of soul, and be strong and do mighty exploits.

Meditate on these scriptures as an aid to entering into rest in God:

Matt 11:29
Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (KJV)

Prov 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (NIV)

Ps 116:7
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. (KJV)

Psalm 91
  1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
  2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.
  3. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
  4. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
  5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
  6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
  7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
  8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
  9. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation;
  10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
  11. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
  12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
  13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
  14. Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.
  15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.
  16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation. (KJV)
Setting Things Right

Pray this prayer:

Lord, please forgive me for misunderstanding who You are. I have avoided You because I have thought You were a perfectionist, and a spinach God. I have avoided Your presence because I thought it was painful. Please forgive me for looking for love and fulfillment in the wrong places. I have pursued pleasure outside of You, please forgive me.

Please help me to understand that You are my wonderful father, friend and groom. Lord, I enter into Your presence now and I receive all that You have for me. I receive every divine enablement I need to fulfill my destiny. I receive the fulfillment I have been longing for.

I enter into rest in You. Thank You for your wonderful and remarkable provision. In Jesus name, amen.


-- © Transforming Life Prophetic Ministry -- 2000 --
-- Do Not Reprint without written permission from John Webster <prophetjpw@aol.com> --

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