The first thing I want to look at, in relationship to this ‘Rest of Faith’ is: when we look at the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God is about Rest; not Works.
Romans 14:17 – “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, or activities of the law; but it is rather righteousness (or right relationship), and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost”.
Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Whenever the Kingdom of God is manifesting in your life, there comes peace.
That's one of the first things He said: “rightly-connected to God through faith, and at peace in our heart”.
So one of the key indicators that God's kingdom is there is Peace; and one of the key indicators that it's not there is: confusion, and turmoil, and distress.
So wherever Jesus' kingdom is manifesting in a person's life, they come to peace - in your finances; your family.
It doesn't mean to say there's not some difficulties. Jesus said: “the peace I give you is not like the world gifts. He said: “I give you a peace”.
This Peace (or Rest) that you get, brings you to a place of peace in your heart, where you're not in turmoil or anxiety and stress.
There may be concerns. He said: “My peace I leave you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, give I unto you”.
He said: “In the world you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I've overcome the world”.
Jesus said: there's a peace that can manifest in your life, where you are freed up from stress and anxiety and worry - and it comes from Him. It's not like the world gives.
The world gives you peace when it's got everything around you all stabilized - no troubles; but Jesus said: there's a peace I give you, which is in you - in the midst of all the troubles.
So He said: that's the rest.
He said: it's not that there won't be troubles.
If you're a Christian, you'll have troubles. If you're a believer, and you're active in your faith, you'll have troubles. Some troubles come because of things you do; some because of things others do; some because of the devil; and some because it's just… troubles from being a Christian.
You try to be honest, you try to do what's right - and then you have these troubles; so peace is something God gives to us.
Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of God RULE in your heart”.
That word rule is to be an umpire. If you ever go down and see the netball or rugby, and the game is in play; if anyone breaks the rules [RRR!] – a whistle, or a red flag etc. Straight away the whistle blows, and the umpire has made a decision that you have broken the rules, you've done something wrong.
The Bible says: whenever you lose your peace, something is wrong - the whistle is blowing!
So today, if you are not at peace inside - the whistle is blowing on you.
Usually what happens is: the referee will blow the whistle; everyone stops what they're doing; and then he points - you! What have I done? Then the rules cited, and maybe get the red card, a sin bin, put off the side there…
Heaps of people get sin-binned you know; and in the church they get sin-binned too. It's a horrible thing really, isn't it, but there it is - it happens.
So every time you lose your peace inside (or lose the rest inside) - the whistle is blowing, something's not right. That's the warning to look at your relationship, your connection, what's going on in your thinking, and in your heart - because something is not right.
Hebrews 3 & 4 has got quite a bit about the Rest of God, and while it's got prophetic and dispensational aspects to it, we're just going to stick with the practical of making this thing work in your life.
Hebrews 4:1 - “Now there's a promise remains, of entering His rest; let us fear, lest any of you seem to come short of it.
So this is a promise to receive, that we can enter His rest (whatever that means). “For indeed the gospel was preached to us, as well as to them; but the word they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. And we who have believed, enter that Rest”.