Finding Rest in God
To find rest in God, believers must come to a place of total trust in the Lord's promises, recognizing their enemy and maintaining confidence in God through prayer.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of finding rest in God amidst the lies of Satan, who seeks to undermine our faith and confidence in God's promises. He explains that true rest comes from total trust in the Lord, free from doubt and fear, and encourages believers to remain diligent in entering this rest. Wilkerson warns that the enemy will attempt to sow seeds of doubt, but reminds us to hold fast to our faith and confidence in God. He outlines three daily practices for believers: recognizing the enemy, examining oneself for unbelief, and accessing God's throne through prayer. Ultimately, he calls for a steadfast faith that builds us up in the Holy Spirit.
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Satan loves to lie to the children of God. He targets those who are determined to enter God's promised rest. "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:9-11).
What does it mean to "rest in God"? It is to come to a place of total trust in the Lord's promises -- a place where there is no longer any struggle of doubt or fear, but rather a settled confidence. It is a continual belief that God is with us, that he cannot fail, and that he who has called us will see us through.
Just when you think you are entering this new life of trust -- when your flesh is crucified and you are depending wholly on the Lord -- the old serpent comes with a pack of newly concocted accusations. He knows of your consecration to the Lord, your desire to do all that God has called you to do. So Satan works to get your ear so that he can begin with his horrible lying. Some sample lies of the enemy are:
"You are not making any spiritual progress."
"You're too weak for spiritual warfare."
"God is not with you; you have grieved him somehow."
Satan whispers and tries to wear you down. But just as Jesus was faithful in his confidence in the Father, our faith is likewise measured. "Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (Hebrews 3:6). Every believer should do these three things daily:
Remind yourself that you have an enemy who is out to devour you.
Examine yourself to see if you have been guilty of the sin of unbelief.
Be fully persuaded that you have full access to the throne of God.
Beloved, build yourself up "on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20).
Sermon Outline
- I. Understanding God's Promised Rest
- A. A place of total trust in the Lord's promises
- B. A continual belief that God is with us
- C. A settled confidence in God's faithfulness
- II. Satan's Tactics to Deceive
- A. Accusing believers of lack of spiritual progress
- B. Claiming believers are too weak for spiritual warfare
- C. Suggesting God is not with the believer
- III. The Importance of Confidence in God
- A. Jesus' faithfulness in his confidence in the Father
- B. Believers' faith measured by their confidence
- IV. Daily Practices to Maintain Confidence
- A. Recognizing the enemy's presence
- B. Examining oneself for unbelief
- C. Accessing God's throne through prayer
Key Quotes
“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” — David Wilkerson
“Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” — David Wilkerson
“Beloved, build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Recognize the enemy's presence and tactics to deceive you.
- Examine yourself daily to see if you have been guilty of the sin of unbelief.
- Build yourself up on holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost and maintaining confidence in God.