By Pastor John Ibebunjo
Sunday 25th July 2021
TOPIC: Understanding the concept of rest.
Bible Text: 1 Kings 5:4
Genesis 2:2-3
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done”.
After God created everything, He rested on the seventh day. God rested because He made man in His image and likeness and gave man dominion to take charge of every other creation so that He could rest. In addition to all of God’s creation, a garden was created. God’s concept of the garden was a place where man can find food and rest. God placed everything that man needed for survival in the garden. Work in a serene environment is God’s original intention for rest. There is a connection between your rest and your environment.
God gives rest in various dimensions. There is internal rest and rest that comes from the environment. There is a dimension of rest that comes by declaration. That was the dimension of rest of God gave Solomon.
1 Kings 8:56
“When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses”.
This verse reminds us that Rest is given.
1 Kings 5:4
“But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.”
Watch the full sermon and a practical illustration of Rest on YouTube https://youtu.be/ImbE5osttq4