I have to admit writing this post I have been having to face some issues, and yet I have heard the Holy Spirit speak the word rest to me. If my heart can be at rest, my body will have peace. Proverbs 14:30. And my heart literally soaks in His peace from John 14:27, it is different from the world’s, it has to be.
You will have trials and tribulation in the world, but Jesus overcame for us, and left us His peace, we used to sing an old hymn, ” Come Unto Me. ” one of the lines was in the Holy Spirit, He will give you rest. I wish I had understood that at seventeen, even twenty four. At any age, it took me too long to get it.
Why? Because, I already had heard the jabs about a writing career, I never had a ” real ” career. People thought I didn’t work, they were not praying for people much I suppose, whether you volunteer or stay at home and parent, you are important to God and His rest is important to you.
So here I am in another mess, stuff starting to pile up on my soul, spiritual warfare, and the Lord says rest. ” Be still and know that I am God. ” Psalm 46:10 And though thoughts will run try to rampant, and the enemy is bent on my destruction, it is he who is destroyed by the anointing of the precious Holy Spirit.
I have to rest, to keep my spirit calm in His Spirit, no matter how it looks, what others say, what the enemy will lie about. I am still here, my blog is still here. everything may not be exactly perfect but He is and that makes the difference, He can change anything. I had to fight for this one, and I had to rest for it.
Part of us wants to go to battle, start quoting Scripture and railing against the devil and all hell spews out, we want to gear up in our armor of God and wave the shield of faith, and we should stand, or kneel but in the already blood bought victory of the Lamb of God. It is finished. He will give us rest.
Did you know that people who have never been in battle can have PTSD symptoms? The battles of the soul or specifically the mind are just as powerful, people struggle far too much as believers, He gives us grace and peace. And He will call you beloved and ask you to rest.
In the old days, people would say shell shocked, the devil is all about shock value. It is such a shame that some have become so desensitized to death and destruction, they expect it, live in it, are resigned to it. And I have to expect Jesus to show up to calm me if the storm rages, to lift me up if my eyes are ever off Him.
So many things cause trauma and drama, loss, illness, depression and grief. Maybe, you never rested your head on your shield and cried for Him to save you, not that you aren’t saved, but from your Goliath, or even yourself and your worries. I can relate. Too often I waved His banner of love high and flaming arrows were hurled in many ways from injury to insult. Getting back up to fight after I had left it with Him just appeared to defeat me. So, I rested, and He solves the problem and defeats the enemy I could not even hope to alone, even waving a shield of faith.
Post traumatic stress disorder, yes, I get it. I know people who have not recovered from things. I have a few things lurking about my armor, I thought it was cracked but the more I learn about Jesus I know His Spirit is the kabodi or shield around us, the kavod or glory that weighs us down with His presence and makes heavier footprints, if we allow Him to fight for us, so rest and let Him, be still and He will do battle. It is a victory already won on a cross, by a loving Lord and He rules and reigns over sons and daughters of faith, not just foot soldiers or even grace warriors.
I heard stories of frostbite about a great grandfather in the Civil War, their shoes wore out in five years. The children Israel wandered and would not rest and angered God who withdrew rest, their shoes did not wear out. God restored rest with Jesus coming to redeem us, Hebrews 4 explains it. Our feet are shod with the gospel of peace, and are beautiful as we live and walk with Him. Good News, His peace will never wear out, so rest.
I think it is a good thing to be a prayer warrior, on fire for Jesus, but it is better to be a resting warrior than a weary one. I hope you hear Him speak His rest to you, I know He is calling it to me.
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