Rest
After Joshua led Israel across the Jordan River, they finally came into the Promised Land. After wandering through the wilderness 45 years, most of the people who came out of Egypt had died. After achieving the victory at Jericho, Israel went on in to take possession of God’s Land of Promise. In Joshua 14:6, Caleb came to Joshua at Gilgal to renew his 45-year-old request. Back when he was forty years old, Moses sent Caleb and Joshua with ten other men to spy out the land. Only Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report of faith and trust in God. At 85 years of age, Caleb’s faith and trust in the LORD his God had only grown stronger.
Joshua 14:10-12 NKJV Caleb said: And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day.
In Joshua 14:12, Caleb said: “The Anakim were there, and the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said.”
When the spies saw the sons of Anak, they felt as small as grasshoppers in their sight.
Now Caleb was saying: “It is about time for me to enter into that rest and promise of God.”
He had faithfully followed God those 45 years and was ready to enter the promises God had given him through Moses. Although most of them could not enter because of unbelief, Joshua and Caleb walked across that Jordan River into the Promised Land.
Hebrews 4:3 NKJV For we who have believed do enter that rest…
The writer of Hebrews was referring to the rest that comes as a result of faith and trust in God.
God’s promised rest was secured and settled from the foundation of the world for those who believe. Faith and trust in God gives us the rest and confidence to face life’s situations. While other people fall through unbelief, our faith and trust in God gives us boldness and assurance to keep going on. For forty-five years, Joshua and Caleb held to their faith and trust in God. You may face prolonged and protracted trials of your faith, but God is faithful. The Bible tells us that Satan roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but God is faithful.
Your faith and trust in the midst of conflict, gives evidence of what it means to be a Christian.
The world and the adversary needs to know that you have faith and trust in God. True faith and trust in God promotes an attitude of rest and confidence in trials and tests of your faith.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
The meaning of Christ’s words are demonstrated in the letter to the Hebrew believers. The letter explained what it means to come to Christ and find rest.
Hebrews 4:9 NKJV There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
There is a “present rest” for the people of God. If you look at the context of this verse, it is clear that many people had not entered God’s rest.
Hebrews 3:19 NIV84 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Fear and unbelief stopped them from entering into the things God promised and provided through Christ.
Who were “they?”
They are God’s people who are dominated by fear and unbelief. Paul said: “There remains a rest for the people of God.” This rest that is currently available is not heaven’s rest at all.
There is a rest that is available when we get to heaven.
That is a special rest that we will enter one day. It will be a glorious day when we will be done with trouble, trial, pain and woe.
This rest is available while we live this life.
It is a present rest for the people of God. While you are living your life, there is a persistent rest that comes with faith and trust in God. Many Christians fail to enter this rest and their lives are characterized by worry, fret, anxiety, and uncertainty. Their life is the opposite of the calm assurance and quiet confidence that is available in Christ’s victory. They have not found that God is faithful in every situation and that He does not fail.
- This rest is an inner confidence that says: “Everything is going to be all right.”
- It says: “God has everything in control.”
- It says: “Don’t worry, God is working.”
Satan does not want you to know this because he comes to disturb, destroy, and rob us of that rest. He tries to churn us up and drive us along. He wants to cause us to fret and worry. He comes to harass and rob us of rest.
THERE REMAINS— (there is still to be had, there still exists, there is still preserved) — a rest for the people of God.
The world needs to see that your faith and trust in God keeps you while the years roll along. We lose effectiveness if we lose this confidence and calmness that comes through faith and trust in God. We cannot talk about faith and trust in God if we do not rest in it.
This is the object of the enemy’s activity.
The adversary is trying to discredit us by taking away the birthright of our union with Christ. In Jesus Christ, we have perfect rest. The one who is at rest is never perturbed, anxious, or in doubt about the issue of things. This is a real challenge when we are tested and tried. The real issue in our lives is: “Does the Lord reign?”“Is there real victory in Jesus?” The Lordship of Christ is diminished and weakened if the people of God fail to trust Him.
The rest of faith must be our position in Christ.
When you know that everything is right between you and God, you have the foundation for settled peace in God’s presence. If we do not have rest in God’s presence, it cannot be found.
The enemy is striking at that confidence, peace, and rest.
He wants to destroy your faith and trust in God. The adversary of your soul never stops trying to undercut and diminish your confidence in Christ. He will attack you with the practical things of everyday life. He attacks with things that are not in our power to arrange, secure, settle, or bring to pass. He will tell you that what you are facing is too small of a thing to trouble the Lord with.
Every victory is a major event that keeps us in the Lord’s rest.
If the Lord’s glory and presence in your life stands to suffer by your situation, then it is a very big thing.
Look at Israel in the wilderness.
They lost their rest over bread and water. They lost their rest over things that God had under control. Their lack of faith and trust in God filled them with doubt and fear. As a result of loosing their faith and trust in God, they lost the blessings of God’s promise.
Your FAITH and TRUST in GOD is absolutely necessary.
Hebrews says: “They were not able to enter in because of unbelief.” The words “not able” means paralyzing, disqualifying, incapacitating unbelief.
It does not mean they did not try to find rest. They wanted and needed rest but were not able to enter because of unbelief.
For 45 years Israel was locked out, held up, and went round and round with this one question: “Are we going to have faith and trust in God or not?”
Can you trust the Lord in every situation?
Life in the wilderness was a great physical challenge. The Lord did not change the physical conditions, but required His people to have faith and trust in every situation. The physical conditions were settled when they changed on the inside. When their faith and trust was settled, the Lord dealt with their physical and emotional situations.
This is no different for us.
We must learn to have faith and trust God in everything we face. God allowed various circumstances to draw their focus to this. When there was no water, God wanted them to trust Him to supply all their need. He never prevented or allowed the conditions to be altered.
God always focused their attention on faith and trust in Him.
Caleb faced the same circumstances and conditions that everyone else faced. Your circumstances may be very testing and weigh heavily on you. Your situation and circumstance in life may be exceedingly difficult.
God is not diminished by difficult situations or circumstances.
God wants His people to have faith and trust Him in every situation or circumstance we face.
Psalm 78:37 NKJV For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant.
They did not believe God was able to bring them into His promised rest, so they died in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb triumphed in faith and trust over unbelief.
After 45 years in the wilderness, Caleb came to Joshua with unwavering faith and trust.
He was 85 years old, but was still strong in faith and trust in God. He had not changed since he first entered the land. Everyone else looked at God through their circumstances. Joshua and Caleb looked at their circumstances through God. Caleb believed that God would take care of every adversity and great difficulty. Now he was an old man, but his faith and trust in God was not diminished by the difficulties of the journey.
This is a challenge to every believer.
Don’t allow your troubles, trials, adversities, or pains in life to rob you of faith and trust in God.
Listen to Caleb…
Joshua 14:12 NKJV Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.
Caleb wanted the mountain where the giants were and where the cities were great and fortified.
Give me this mountain!
His courage and confident faith in God did not waver. He knew God was able to give him that mountain. Caleb believed God and trusted His word. He had faith and trust that even an old man could do great things with God. He was ready for a tough situation!
Give me this mountain.
Listen to him: “It may be that the Lord will deliver them and it into my hand… as the Lord spoke.”
Nothing but real faith and trust in God can take on things like that. This kind of faith says — “This is difficult, but if God is on my side, I am going to receive my place of rest.”
Look at that mountain with faith and trust in the Lord and not at the Lord through the mountain.
Are you facing a mountain? Is it a physical mountain or a mountain of difficult circumstances? Is it a mountain of natural or spiritual impossibilities? Faith and trust in God says, “I am not going to try and go around it or turn my back and run away.”
With God’s help, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!
Caleb conquered that mountain, and it became know as Hebron.
Hebron was a place of fellowship with God. It is a place set up for the purposes of God. God appeared to Abraham at Hebron. David was crowned king in Hebron. Hebron was a city of refuge. Caleb said, “Give me this mountain!”
