Healing, Restoration, and Breakthrough
Healing, Restoration, and Breakthrough
One of the most overlooked keys to success and significance is rest. Rest, both naturally and spiritually, has profound implications! The healing, restoration, and breakthrough the church and our world so desperately needs can be found in rest.
I am shocked at how many people view Christianity as hard work or a spiritual duty to rigidly adhere to. True Christianity is about resting in God and his finished work of grace through Jesus. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
It is essential to consider these precious words from Jesus carefully. Notice that he did not say for us to come to him, and he would give us the rules to become successful – no! He said, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” How wonderful!
In the natural, a significant dilemma has come upon humanity: the lack of sleep. So much sickness and disease can be traced back to the stress produced by the lack of proper rest. Without a doubt, rest is of utmost importance to achieve a life of success. On the contrary, the lack of rest is the breeding ground for failure.
So, what is rest? Rest is where confusion and noise cease. The founder of Story Brand and the author of the best-seller Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller, has a slogan that says, “If you confuse, you lose. Noise is the Enemy, and creating a clear message is the best way to grow your business.” I believe this is a true statement! Noise and confusion create dis–ease. So many people live in fear and anxiety because of all the confusion and noise in their lives. This is the opposite of the way God created us to live. When our trust is in God, rest becomes our way of life. Yes, confusion and noise cease when a person casts their cares upon the Lord, trusting in his ability to make things happen. This is why Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God for those who come to him must believe that he is and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.” Rest becomes the natural way of living when a person’s trust is in God and not in themselves. Fear is a byproduct of seeing oneself as the answer to their life and the one who must come up with the solutions to life’s problems. On the other hand, a life of rest is when a person trusts that God is in control, knowing that he will come up with the solutions. In short, fear is when I am in control, and rest is when God is in control.
The latest research points to the fact that quality sleep is essential. Proper rest has the power to bring healing, restoration, and even breakthrough. Rest is where dreaming begins. Likewise, spiritual rest brings healing, restoration, and breakthrough. Spiritual rest is when I start to see myself as God sees me. And, the me I see is the me I’ll be.
Who dreams? Everyone dreams except those who are blind. Interestingly, the only people who do not experience REM sleep are those who have been blind since birth. Many people live spiritually blind because they don’t yet know who God says they are. Many people have grown up surrounded by negativity, constantly being told they were worthless and would never amount to anything. These people often live blind, not knowing what a life of dreaming is all about. Often when people speak to them about dreaming, it is as if they are speaking a foreign language.
The only way to reverse the curse of a life of negativity is to be transformed by the truth found in the word of God. A person cannot dream until they sleep, and they cannot sleep until they rest. God longs for you to step into his life of rest that comes from believing him.
It is of utmost importance that we holdfast to what God says is true about us! Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
God wants you to jump into his amazing life so that you can test and experience what his good, pleasing, and perfect will is like! God is so excited about your future inside of him! He wants you to experience his life of rest because he knows that as you rest in him, you will experience his…
Healing, Restoration, and Breakthrough