10 Things You Can Do To Strive To Enter God’s Rest

Our human nature is the only nature we really know when we’re born. It is even the only nature we know when we are ‘born again’. But this is the beginning of needing to learn a new nature and letting go of the only one we have known up until then.

So all that comes very natural to us should be questionable in our spiritual growth process. We are not to lean on our own understanding, for example. I don’t know about you, but my understanding is the only understanding I have, until I gain further or another’s understanding.

The enemy knows our fallen human nature very well and can find a great deal in us to condemn us for once we recognize it as unholy. But we shouldn’t be giving him room to use it against us. Did we really think that we were made Holy instantly when we came to believe Jesus as God’s son, crucified, died, buried for our sin and resurrected? No. So we can truthfully acknowledge our imperfect state and hold to God’s promise to make us perfect as He is perfect.

So here are just some things we can do to ‘strive’ to enter God’s rest where we can trust Him to do in us what He has promised and release ourselves from the bondage of condemnation that serves only to undermine our faith.

10 Things to do to enter His rest:

1. Agree with the enemy that you are imperfect and unable to do more to be perfect.

2. Confess your weakness to God.

3. Tell yourself to keep turning to Jesus in humility and weakness.

4. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to perfect the Father’s will in you, in your spirit.

5. Do not allow self-pity in even though you feel it is warranted (this is an enemy tactic!)

6. Refuse to attempt some spiritual achievement in your own power.

7. Accept what God brings to you as His will for you (no matter what it is, even of the enemy – see Job – and make it an issue of prayer).

8. Accept that what God brings into your life may well be the cross He has given you to bear (even to share in His sufferings).

9. Do not bring true spirituality (what God is doing in you to perfect you) into the fallen realm. In other words, having begun in the spirit, don’t expect to finish in the flesh (laws, rituals, regimens, promises, rules, etc).

10. Refuse to lean on your own understanding (as much as you are able). Resist the temptation to do what you know, what you’ve done before, what ‘makes sense’ and what would even seem right. Either wait for the Holy Spirit to confirm it as His will, or wait for new, spiritual understanding. Doing the best that you are able.

I’m sure there are many more things we could do that I have missed. Please share more that you know of by leaving your comments.

 

Boasting in Our Weakness

”He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in your weakness.’ Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may tabernacle over me.” II Corinthians 12:9

It is one thing to say that we cannot make it, and it is another thing to give up trying to make it altogether. Can we see that these are two things? The first condition to victory is to realize that we cannot make it, and the second is to give up trying to make it. If we will admit that we cannot make it and give up trying to make it, we will overcome.

What does it mean to try to make it? Let me take temper as an example. Suppose you are a quick-tempered person, and you cannot control your temper. The more you try, the more you fail. You admit that you can do nothing about your temper. What should you do? You know with certainty that there is no way to control your temper, yet you still try to control it. Then what do you do? You try to be more careful when you speak with others. You try to avoid those with whom you cannot get along well, and you try to talk to those with whom you can get along well. You avoid fellowship with those who agitate you and run away from their face. Every time you are about to lose your temper, you try your best to suppress it. You try to suppress it with more prayers. What is this? This is being unable, yet at the same time trying to be able.

Brothers and sisters, please remember that the condition of victory is acknowledging that we are unable, and the greatest barrier to victory is trying to be able. Victory is from Christ; it is Christ who is living on our behalf. The overcoming life requires that we take a stand and declare, ”I cannot make it and I do not intend to make it. Please make it for me. I will not fabricate my own victory.” I have heard a few sisters remark to me, ”Brother Nee, it would be wonderful if my temper could improve a little.” I always tell them, ”You have to thank the Lord for your quick temper.”

Weakness is not something that one should lament over or weep about. Weakness is something that one should boast in. You may have said, ”Thank and praise the Lord He has made me overcome,” but have you ever said, ”Thank and praise the Lord, He has made me fail miserably”? You thank and praise the Lord for giving you patience, but have you thanked and praised the Lord for your impossible temper? Have you thanked and praised Him for your pride? Have you thanked and praised Him for your jealousy? Have you thanked and praised Him for your unclean thoughts within and for your sin? Brothers and sisters, do you have a sin which you cannot even confess? What are you going to do? Are you going to be sorrowful? It is a glorious thing for a man to realize that he is helpless. Once the Lord shows you that you cannot make it, He will immediately show you that God can make it. Your Lord does not show you your inability to discourage you, but for you to believe that He has an excellent opportunity to work in you. In the past you may have grieved over your weakness or wept over your sins. But today you can boast and praise! ”Lord I thank You because I cannot make it. I thank you because I have no way to overcome. I am not able. I rejoice because I am not able. I rejoice because I cannot do anything. Only You can do everything.” If you do this, you will overcome.

by Watchman Nee

1903-1972

From lighthouselibrary.com

I thought this small article by Watchman Nee, probably an excerpt from one of his books, was perfect. Could it be said any plainer, our place and proper humility in submission to the loving, transforming work of Christ within us? Of course it is always easier said than done, but that’s only until we really believe it, I think.