Finding Peace and Rest in Our Hearts

I hear people often asking, how do I renew the joy of my salvation?

Do you feel like you just want more of the Lord or want to experience more of His joy and peace but don’t know how to enter into that place of rest?

Paul writes about this very subject when he is addressing the Hebrews. He first begins declaring the reality of Jesus- “He is the RADIANCE of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of hid power.” This is amazing! Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God, and He lives in me and died for me! God is so pleased with his son Jesus that he has anointed him with the “oil of gladness” (Heb. 1:9) What does this mean for me? Am I too a partaker in this oil of gladness?

What is causing me to “neglect such a great salvation?.” Paul writes that if we do not believe the reality of Christ’s death and the true life and salvation that has been given to us, then our hearts will turn away from God because of our unbelief. “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” Unbelief is what causes us to sin, and is the root of our evil desires. If we want communion with the Lord, we have to believe that Jesus made a way and we already have it! He fully lives in me already, and I do not have to strive or do anything to earn his affection or favor. Believing anything else, that God is disappointed, angry, frustrated with me will only harden my heart toward recieving His love because I am not recognizing and believing the truth about salvation.

“TODAY, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion on the day of testing in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:7)

Do not choose to come to God when YOU feel like YOU’VE gotten things back in order in your life. When YOU have cleaned up the messes and feel clean to come before the Lord. This is self-righteousness. This is deception- RUN to the throne of GRACE today. Hold fast to your confession of faith, no matter how your flesh feels, no matter how much you feel unworthy to receive love....”and with confidence draw near the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find help in the time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)

Once you have received salvation it is impossible to receive it again (Heb. 6:4)...you have it...it is finished...your dead self is dead, crucified and buried. Now you are new, alive in Christ, whole, perfect, the beloved of God- renew your mind with this truth.

Renew your mind today and you will change your life and walk in the peace and jo of your salvation....in the midst of any circumstances. If you are basing your joy and peace off of your circumstances then you are really trusting God, and the joy and peace you may think you feel is pale in comparison to the true peace that is only found in Jesus who is the Prince of Peace.

If you claim that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, believe that you are loved and accepted. Believe that sin no longer has power over your life because the Holy Spirit now dwells in you. Believe that Christ is all and is in all, that He is for you and not against you, that he has made a way for you, he will never leave you nor forsake you, you are the righteousness of God. YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL! Faith in Christ will transform your life and make you well and whole.

Recognize the areas of your life today that are not rooted in the truth of Jesus and break agreement with them. Choose to believe the truth about yourself and your circumstances. When we don’t choose this we are ultimately empowering the enemy and agreeing with Him in our lives. Why would we ever want to agree with anyone who hates us and wants to destroy our lives? Why do we want to re-empower someone who has already been defeated and no longer has power over our lives?

Lord reveal the areas of our lives that do not agree with your truth! Thank you thank you thank you Jesus that we can have peace with you in our hearts because of what you have done jesus. You fully payed the price for all of my sins, all of my mistakes, every wicked way, and you disarmed the power of sin over my life! May I only please you more and more with my life Lord. Come have your way with me and may my heart and mind be consumed with the reality of my salvation and your great love for me Jesus. I break agreement with all lies, and any area of my life that does line up with you Lord.