Harmony.
Yes, "harmony with God" is the perhaps the best word for it.
In salvation we received all the riches of Christ. In complete sanctification -as typified in the Old Testament "His Rest", the Lord goes on (when we ask) to remove all things that have brought us "unrest".
With this, at last, we become transformed to enjoy the full bounty of the gospel promises by having our carnality totally removed. More This culminates the promise of redemption itself that was given in the Garden.
The superlative benefits gained from entering His Rest come from unleashing potential locked in the spiritual assets received in your initial salvation experience. This is done by a second application of "saving grace".
This wonderful liberating cleansing does not in any way interfere with the personality He created and gave to you.
F. A. I. T. H. =
Forsaking All, I Take Him.
This website is not meant to be everybody's cup of tea. It is designed to guide God's "earnest seekers" into His Rest. What is an earnest seeker? He or she is one who is walking in all that God has given them, and yet is still passionately asking and questing for more of Him. Romans 8:34, John 17:19, Titus: 2:14, 1 John 3:2-3
“I knew Jesus and He was precious to my soul; but I found something within that would not be sweet, and patient and kind; I did what I could to keep it down, but it was there; I besought Jesus to do something for me, and when I gave Him my will He came in, and took out all that would not be sweet and patient and kind, and then He shut the door.”
Thus testified George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends centuries ago. After he “knew Jesus” there was still “something within” which was antagonistic to the spiritual life implanted; nor was this experience peculiar to him alone. Such is indeed the experience of every new born and truly regenerated soul. While they may not understand the subject of entire sanctification, and perhaps have never heard of the “second blessing,” yet, a young convert seldom goes three months in the new experience before he becomes painfully conscious that there remains a “something within” that hinders, and retards his spiritual progress, and often becomes a source of much distress. (and battle)
In my own case, one of the symptoms I had was a "glass ceiling". At my best times of worship I could only go so far towards the throne, and no farther. It was frustrating and confusing. After intense worship I often felt drained. Many had this symptom, so a group of us would go out for ice cream after an intense worship service to "reward the flesh" for cooperating! It really helped. The boost was more than merely blood sugar.
The manifestations of that “something” vary, but frequently the first showing of it is in a man-fearing spirit, or anger, or a disposition to doubt, or an unforgiving spirit, etc. And then frequently comes the temptation, that perhaps after all, there had not been a true conversion or these things would not manifest themselves. After this, because they had not been properly instructed, many have wearied of the endless conflict and struggle and have cast away their confidence.
The Bible name for that “something” is, “the carnal mind” which, “is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” Rom. 8:7. Paul said of the Corinthians, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ,” and said, because they were “babes in Christ,” “I have fed you with milk,” “ye are yet carnal”, thus showing that the carnal mind is not eradicated in conversion, but still continues in those who are “in Christ" -for a “babe in Christ” is just as certainly “in Christ” as an adult in Christ is in Christ.
Then again the Bible speaks of that “something” as “the flesh;” “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Gal. 5:17. Here the spiritual problem is clearly set forth with the inward conflict. While the man has “the Spirit” (which would not apply to a sinner) he also has a something antagonistic to the Spirit, called here “the flesh.” But in verse 24, we read, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh,” showing that the divine process for that “something” is not pardon, nor suppression, but crucifixion, which signifies that there is something to die and thus to be destroyed.
Other names given in the Bible for that “something” is, “sin that dwelleth in me,” “the law of sin” “the body of this death” “the sin which doth so easily beset” “the sin of the world” “the body of sin”, “our old (former and/or unsaved) man” etc., all of which have reference to that “something within” remaining after we are converted; in common parlance it is called “inbred sin”, “depravity” “our evil nature” “original sin” our “Adamic nature,” etc. All of these terms are synonymous, and refer to this identical “something within” which is the common heritage of every child of Adam. God’s method and purpose is to “crucify” and “destroy” that something -- “our old man” -- so that we are "dead indeed unto sin.” The sins we have committed may be pardoned, but this “something” cannot be pardoned for the simple reason we did not commit anything wrong to gain it; it was just born in us, and as the Anglican Confession says, “This infection of nature doth remain, yea, even in them that have been regenerated.” But thank God, there is power in Jesus’ blood to eliminate and destroy it. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom. 6:6. This deliverance is what Mr. Wesley termed “the second blessing properly so called.”
This is (entire) sanctification, and is the privilege of every believer, as pardon is the privilege of every penitent sinner." from "Entire Sanctification -A Second Blessing" by C. W. Ruth. -on the Entry Directions page.
The state of grace called "His Rest" is what remains when God, by a second work of grace removes "the old man" (*your own unsaved nature which contains a slippery mixture of both good and evil. This mixture includes all the things that bring unrest.) so that the remaining Christ nature (the new you that you gained in salvation) can freely rule within -without rival or concern with sin. Only then are you made capable to know and freely enjoy all that He has for you. Only then can you fully know who it was that God created when He created you!! (your unstained "persona")
This is the glorious "fullness of promise" in His Rest. It means that He has now done all the foundational saving that He can do. You are now "saved to the uttermost". You are now fully enabled to get on with becoming your portion of Him in the earth, although you still have a lot of growing up to do.
Without this, no matter how exalted is your anointing and gifting, you have had to endure some degree of an up-and-down experience. There is still a "certain something" hidden within that resists Him from time to time. Even though it is not always in evidence, (the Holy Spirit suppresses it most of the time) this still places an elusive glass ceiling on your best moments of devotion and faith, and keeps your heart vulnerable to the depredations of temptation. Why? Because your whole heart is still not accessible to you -or the Lord. A portion of it is still occupied with the loves and hates you had before you were saved -and a persisting propensity towards your favorite sins. You can serve Him with your WHOLE heart only after this double-hearted situation is resolved....
This mixed heart and experience was never planned to be more than a short transition period. The scripture constantly refers to a better state of grace than this. It is often called "the faith". Accept nothing less!
Consider: coping is not the same as conquering. When you cope the same inward problem is allowed to remain and will attempt to trip you up on another day. When you conquer in Christ, the whole sin problem is totally removed so that you can get on with your proper life in Him. (you will never have to spend time "praying for yourself" again)
This website is designed to guide you so that you can find your way past ignorance and doubt (and today's too numerous beguiling lesser understandings) -and enter His Rest -which is your proper estate!! All of His giftings and offices mature far more quickly and reliably in His Rest, since it is their naturally stable and graciously stainless environment.
To those in the mixed experience, temptation has traction because the heart often blatantly aches to do just what the tempter is suggesting. Yes, the mind commands you to grit your teeth and refuse -but still this ongoing battle is greatly inferior to the supernatural peace that follows totally vanquishing every foe.
To those in His Rest the enemies suggestions are seen as remote and silly. Your heart has no unlawful desires left to sympathize with them. Even in sleep no unlawful shadows arise. Perhaps, some nonsensical ones -but that is different.
You always have the theoretical power to comply with temptation in the same way that a regular person has the theoretical choice to commit suicide. By this, I mean that it is theoretically possible -but unthinkable. Still it does happen -especially to new ones who haven't quite understood the nature of what they now possess. However, it takes a conscious unlawful action to do so. The experience is unshakeable -not inescapable!
His Rest is much more than entire sanctification, for once you are through the sanctification crisis and wholly redeemed, then for the first time your whole heart is set free to serve Him.
You will now for the first time be in full harmony with His full Presence within. This unlocks your unexplored potentials and gives a magnificent new intimacy with Him.
The sanctified John Wesley spoke to the weather and it obeyed him on a number of occasions. As a matter of fact in the immediate post-Roman times, this what the common people used to tell if their saints were genuine....
Of course, you will still need to grow in maturity and stature, but in each moment from then on, you will be all that you can be within the constraints of that time. What constraints? Hey -you will still need to nourish and service your own frail natural body together with those of your frail natural family. The whole of the earth is arrayed in opposition, while the whole of heaven is arrayed in support.
Here is how it works.
You obtained God's unconditional love and Holy Spirit when you were saved. In return you turned from your acts of sin and this world that was full sin.
As part of this package deal came healing by faith, forgiveness for new sins by faith, spiritual gifts for service by faith etc. All of this was given to you as you wept at the foot of the Cross.
But alas: you find that your character still falls far short of His character. What do you do?
You return to the foot of the Cross and give over your shortcomings.
The Lord shows you that "little white" lie that you told to protect yourself.
Another time the Lord shows you how you exaggerate so that others will "look up" to you.
And another time the Lord shows you flirting even though you are already married.
If these things are not given to the Lord until HE takes them from you, they will gradually grow and take over your life. And then you will keep on slipping until...
Sometimes sin is sudden: You wake up in some stranger's bed or in a jail cell. Then you know full well that the enemy has just had you and your boasted "Christian life" for lunch.
More often people just slide day after day, and month. They notice nothing wrong.....
George Delo: There is the gospel that serves the Church, and then there is the gospel that serves Jesus! Which will you choose?? Come, Follow Me!
"Open link on new page" will open the video for you. This is a challenging full length sermon..
After His Rest is obtained (not attained) your position with God is changed.
His Rest"His Rest" is a distinct state of further lowly grace that the soul effortlessly walks in after the Lord reaches down in mercy to totally remove your remaining tendency towards sin and supernaturally fixes all your trust in Himself in a moment of time. This costly finished work of grace by faith subsumes and so makes obsolete all previous consecrations and sanctifications by its very awesome completeness. More repentance is impossible, even if you try! There just can be no conviction while flooded with a permanent quiet sensation of unutterable cleanliness and Oneness in Him.
After He sees that you have consecrated every part (including every hidden part) to Him without reserve; you may ask in total faith for His ultimate work of deliverance and welcome. Both the consecration and the faith are so costly, that they are quite often difficult and delayed. In contrast, He does His part in a moment of time. The ineffable results cannot be mistaken. Properly guided zealous new believers with their first love intact do not hesitate pay the breathtaking price, and so enter with the fewest difficulties.
With hope and faith in your heart, at last you have been successful to abjectly accept His Lordship in every point. At a moment of His choosing, the second Adam, Jesus, tenderly enfolds you within His radiant bosom so that you may dwell within forevermore. All sorrow remains behind, leaving only His peace, His joy and His peerless victory. This is the cherished spiritual "Promised Land" prefigured by physical Canaan.
"A son is not a son in Hebrew life until he has willfully chosen to be completely identified with the purposes of the father, and he does so, knowing that he will no longer have any right to his own self-serving purposes and will. It is a radical 'crossing over' and a resting in the father and his purposes. When the father recognizes that consecration, he 'adopts' or 'approves' the son, and says, "this day I have begotten you." Until then, the son was treated as a servant, and his actual sonship waited on a total consecration to the purposes or will of his father." Simon Hensman
Not only does His Holy Spirit dwell in you as before, but now you have also been taken to dwell in Him. The soul is ever after completely separated within from all the darkness of this world and so walks in the holy hush of His Presence so that His every whisper is easily heard. His anointing and love is constant, unhindered and unshakable in every test. Growth in grace is effortless and exponential. Exploits of great faith come naturally. Temptations seem distant and foreign while the soul is flooded with an abiding sense of absolute cleanliness and Oneness with Him. Walking in great assurance under an open heaven is only natural since heaven has become closer than earth...
Please take the message of this website seriously, for God holds you responsible for your acceptance or rejection of Christ as your complete Savior.
Are you earnestly seeking His best? So was I in 1988 when I was surprised by a whole new work of grace that totally transformed my relationship with Him to such a degree that it far, far excelled anything I had ever heard preached – even in the cutting edge Charismatic churches I tended to frequent. But it took me many years before I could find anything that would adequately explain what had happened to me…..
The result was this focused online library whose primary service is to answer the question, “So –just exactly how does a believer enter His Rest?”
Come and abide with me in His very shirt pocket!!
Earnest Seeker
Hint: If you look, you will find goodness, righteousness, morality, integrity, dignity, rectitude, honor, decency, respectability, nobility, and purity are all synonyms in their own way. See: 2 Peter 1. These are things you will notice quietly coming to you after you enter His Rest.... Yes, with salvation and His Spirit there was some of these, but here you get soaked in them without any of their opposites to add blight to them.
All the above is well and good, but many get lost in such words and high ideals. Getting there is far more elemental:
"Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day." Genesis 32:24
It is blood sweat and tears until there is a clear winner....
"Christianity started out in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise." -Sam Pascoe
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14: 17
Vine's "Rest" Annotated:
(Vine's Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words -annotated by Earnest Seeker)
Rest (Noun and Verb)
A-1, Noun, 372, anapausis
"cessation, refreshment, rest" (ana, "up," pauo, "to make to cease"), the constant word in the Sept. for the Sabbath "rest," is used in Mat_11:29; here the contrast seems to be to the burdens imposed by the Pharisees. Christ's "rest" is not a "rest" from work, but in work, "not the rest of inactivity but of the harmonious working of all the faculties and affections, of will, heart, imagination, conscience, because each has found in God the ideal sphere for its satisfaction and development" (J. Patrick, in Hastings' Bib. Dic.); it occurs also in Mat_12:43; Luk_11:24; Rev_4:8, RV, "(they have no) rest" [AV, "(they) rest (not)"], where the noun is the object of the verb echo, "to have;" so in Rev_14:11.
The above is a very good description. Indeed, in Him all aspects of my created being sing and work together.
A-2, Noun, 2663, katapausis
in classical Greek, denotes "a causing to cease" or "putting to rest;" in the NT, "rest, repose;" it is used (a) of God's "rest;" Act_7:49; Heb_3:11, Heb_3:18; Heb_4:1, Heb_4:3 (twice), RV (1st part), "that rest" (the AV, "rest," is ambiguous), Heb_4:5, Heb_4:11; (b) in a general statement, applicable to God and man, Heb_4:10.
A-3, Noun, 425, anesis
for the significance of which see EASE, B, is translated "rest" in 2Co_2:13, AV (RV, "relief"); 2Co_7:5 (ditto); in 2Th_1:7, the subject is not the "rest" to be granted to the saints, but the Divine retribution on their persecutors; hence the phrase "and to you that are afflicted rest with us," is an incidental extension of the idea of recompense, and is to be read parenthetically. The time is not that at which the saints will be relieved of persecution, as in 1Th_4:15-17, when the Parousia of Christ begins, but that at which the persecutors will be punished, namely, at the epiphany (or out-shining) of His Parousia (2Th_2:8). For similar parentheses characteristic of epistolary writings see 1Th_4:10; 1Th_1:6; 1Th_2:15-16.
A-4, Noun, 4520, sabbatismos
"a Sabbath-keeping," is used in Heb_4:9, RV, "a sabbath rest," AV marg., "a keeping of a sabbath" (akin to sabbatizo, "to keep the Sabbath," used, e.g., in Exo_16:30, not in the NT); here the sabbath-keeping is the perpetual sabbath "rest" to be enjoyed uninterruptedly by believers (ideally!!!!) in their fellowship with the Father and the Son, in contrast to the weekly Sabbath under the Law. Because this sabbath "rest" is the "rest" of God Himself, Heb_4:10, its full fruition is yet future, though believers now (MAY) enter into it. (BUT FEW DO BECAUSE IT COSTS "ALL") In whatever way they enter into Divine "rest," that which they enjoy is involved in an indissoluble relation with God. (There is only one narrow way to enter into this Rest. They never quite made it in the OT, so this precious promise still remains.....)
A-5, Noun, 2838, koimesis
"a resting, reclining" (akin to keimai, "to lie"), is used in Joh_11:13, of natural sleep, translated "taking rest," RV. Note: In Act_9:31, AV, eirene, "peace" (RV), is translated "rest."
B-1, Verb, 373, anapauo
akin to A, No. 1, in the Active Voice, signifies "to give intermission from labor, to give rest, to refresh," Mat_11:28; 1Co_16:18, "have refreshed;" Phm_1:7, "are refreshed;" in the Middle Voice, "to take or enjoy rest," Mat_26:45; Mar_6:31; Mar_14:41; Luk_12:19, "take thine ease;" 1Pe_4:14; Rev_6:11; Rev_14:13. See REFRESH. In the papyri it is found as an agricultural term, e.g., of giving land "rest" by sowing light crops upon it. In inscriptions it is found on gravestones of Christians, followed by the date of death (Moulton and Milligan).
B-2, Verb, 2664, katapauo
akin to A, No. 2, used transitively, signifies "to cause to cease, restrain," Act_14:18; "to cause to rest," Heb_4:8; intransitively, "to rest," Heb_4:4, Heb_4:10. See CEASE, A, No. 6, RESTRAIN.
B-3, Verb, 1981, episkenoo
"to spread a tabernacle over" (epi, "upon," skene, "a tent"), is used metaphorically in 2Co_12:9, "may rest upon (me)," RV, marg., "cover," "spread a tabernacle over." Amen. My soul ever dwells in His Holy Tabernacle -with a profound and constant sense of His divine purity and favour.
B-4, Verb, 2681, kataskenoo
"to pitch one's tent, lodge," is translated "shall rest," in Act_2:26, AV (RV, "shall dwell"). See LODGE.
B-5, Verb, 2270, hesuchazo
"to be still, to rest from labor," is translated "they rested" in Luk_23:56. See PEACE (hold one's), No. 3.
B-6, Verb, 1879, epanapauo
"to cause to rest," is used in the Middle Voice, metaphorically, signifying "to rest upon" (epi, "upon," and No. 1), in Luk_10:6; Rom_2:17. Note: For "find rest" Rom_15:32, RV, see REFRESH, No. 2.
Again: "not the rest of inactivity but of the harmonious working of all the faculties and affections, of will, heart, imagination, conscience, because each has found in God the ideal sphere for its satisfaction and development"
Since before the foundation of the world He was been looking for a people who would serve in a heart Covenant with Him. In conversion, the soul merely accepts His blood sacrifice of love and gives thanks for His gracious pardon.
There is no corresponding blood sacrifice in return unless the soul responds in kind and pours out his "all" in consecration and accepts Him not only as "Savior", but as absolute "Lord". This takes much more than sincere words and belief. Few actually do this, despite all sincere claims to the contrary. Few trust Him to reach within to make their total consecration into a bondservant's actual abiding reality.
Earnest Seeker
Disclaimer: It is not the intention of this website to either support or deny any of the vocal end-times stances that abound today. This website instead has the plain goal of making clear the true and proven path to His Rest. It does not attempt to speculate regarding high spiritual destinies, since there are further spiritual states and frontiers yet hidden within His purposes that none are qualified to discuss publicly, including this author. These are inscribed with pens of joy upon fleshly tables. Mere paper is not sufficient to describe these -but they will be yours if you go on to and pay the further profound price after you are in His Rest. Purity of heart is where your true Christian experience begins. This is no exaggeration, just plain fact. You will see that this is true afterwards. TP
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http://www.enterhisrest.org
We Are Here For You
We have been walking in this rare state of grace for over twenty years now. We have stood the test and are seasoned in guiding others into His Rest -each in his own way. But we can only answer questions that make sense. For that reason you must do a fair amount of reading on the website before asking for help. Please be aware that our time is valuable. Tom Plumb: website owner and librarian.
Most of your questions are already answered on the FAQ, "Introduction" and "Central Idea" pages. Also see the prepared question lists in "Pure Love" and "Objections Answered" on the "Entry" page.
For more information on us, see the "Links" page. Our testimonies are on the "Testimonies" page.
Tom Plumb will give you prompt short email answers to your queries. Perhaps a website reference.
enterhisrestorg@fastmail.fm
near Edmonton, Alberta
free website -no copyrightGeorge Delo will give an evangelist's input to help you through to His Rest.
Phone or Skype by appointment.
ggdelo@gmail.com
near Richmond, Va.
free will offerings accepted.
Note: Often, you have to keep digging until the Lord reveals. He does the saving!!