Rest (Part 2)

Biblical rest means full surrender to God. That sounds so simple. It would be really simple if we did not have an enemy that works so hard on our flesh. God wants his children to be at rest and to fully trust in him for all things. However, the devil knows that and does not want God’s children (or any of mankind) to put their trust in God and in turn be at rest. Therefore, the devil impresses on the flesh to disassociate itself with God and his Spirit. One of the best “fiery darts” that the enemy uses to keep people from being at rest is fear. Fear, and her cousins, anxiety and worry are tools that the enemy uses to attack the very idea of rest or peace.

In our previous blog entitled Being Made Whole , we discussed how Jesus completely made the “certain woman” whole. He stated to her in Mark 5:34:

… Daughter thy faith hath made the whole: go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

The word peace here means quietness or rest with an implication of prosperity. In other words, Jesus was telling this woman to rest and prosper in that rest. Find rest and comfort from the fact that God has made you whole; no more physical ailment and no more mental ailment. Her faith in God placed her in that condition of peace and rest. This was made possible because of her full surrender and trust.

However, there are many that struggle to find peace and rest. The world seems to be fueled by everything but peace and rest. There is hardly any down-time anymore. The pressures and cares of this life are always at the forefront of many peoples existence. On top of that the enemy throws those darts of fear within the midst. Fear of failure; fear of not “keeping up with the Jones’ (whoever thy really are); financial fear; fear that someone is going to get more than me; fear that my struggles will be revealed; fear of my past; fear of my future; etc. You name it, those darts of fear are ever present. In fact those fears can become an obsession and lead to mental illness and distress.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.

Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.

People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

As stated before anxiety and fear are close cousins and are darts that the enemy uses to not only try to defeat God’s people but also to keep people in bondage. At the root of these anxiety disorders is fear. Whether it be a phobia or a disorder such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or even depression, the root of these mental disorders is fear in its most basic terms. Those that suffer from these conditions, unfortunately live their lives gripped with fear and anxiety to the point that it can limit or even negate their everyday normal functioning and rational thinking. I was at a restaurant one time when I noticed a man sitting next to me eating with those blue rubber “surgical” gloves on. He was clearly suffering from an extreme condition of fear that would not allow him to use the dining utensils for fear of them, and in turn him, not being clean and sanitary. He was gripped by something that most of us probably take for granted.

However, this issue of fear and mental illness becomes a real issue around “the church.” There tends to be a stigma of Christian people ever suffering from any type of mental illness. So fear actually compounds itself. Think of possibly having a mental condition and sitting on a church pew with the idea that “good Christians don’t suffer from mental illness.” So if you have an anxiety disorder, you are already suffering from some sort of fear. On top of that there is the fear that “good Christians don’t suffer from mental illness.” That is a double whammy! How does someone in this condition every break the cycle and live a life of peace and rest.

Isaiah 26:3 states:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee.

The peace in this scripture comes from the Hebrew word shalom which implies welfare (health, prosperity, rest, safety, well). The scripture writer is making a direct correlation between being at rest and having a mind that is consistently stayed on God … because that person has full trust in God and has fully surrendered their lives.

2 Timothy 1:7 states:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I recognize that the fear spoken of in this scripture is more about the spirit of timidity. However, I believe that the idea can be applied the same. In its truest form, God’s church or the church of God consists of individuals that have been made whole and given power, love and a sound mind. A foundational truth in God’s word and therefore in the church of God is that He establishes us, once we are saved, to live a holy life. We are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1: 15-16). That form of holiness is one without sin. Once a person is made whole (or saved), it is God’s will that they remain whole (or saved).

The problem comes in when men add to or take away from God’s foundational truth on holiness and begin to mix it with unattainable expectations. On the one hand, there is a teaching that once you are made whole you can never fail from that state of wholeness or salvation. On the opposite side, there is a teaching that once you are made whole that you will never struggle within that realm of wholeness or salvation because you cannot be tempted with sin anymore or struggle in the flesh. Both extremes are scripturally incorrect! Demas forsook Paul (and therefore God) because he loved this present world too much (2 Timothy 2:10). Demas at one time was saved. However, his love for the world eroded away his love for God … and he fell away. On the other hand, even Jesus himself struggled in the Garden of Gethsemane in following his Father’s will because He was still clothed in this worldly flesh. In fact, He prayed three times to obtain the necessary victory to proceed to the cross. Read Hebrews 5: 7-10.

These types of erroneous teachings are the same types of teachings that leads men and women to believe that they cannot struggle with mental issues and subsequently gain the victory. They are made to believe that they just need to get over it and not seek help in their condition or they are weak in the faith; or they should expect to stay in that condition for the rest of their lives because, you know, “we are all sinners.” These same lines of thinking also explains salvation as an experience with God instead of a relationship with God. There is a vast difference between the two. An experience can be obtained but also can be just as fleeting. There is no commitment on the part of the one who obtains the experience because the focus is on the experience not the relationship. On the other had a relationship is personal … and therefore can be sustained because of its personal nature.

In the account where Jesus is asking his disciples, “whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” That account is actually establishing the relationship between Jesus and man. He goes on to get more personal when He asks, “But whom say ye that I am?” Again, He wants to know about their personal relationship with him. Peter speaks up and correctly identifies Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. In turn, Jesus identifies Peter by his proper name Simon Bar-jona (or Son of Jona) and he furthermore states that “Thou art Peter.” Right here is the real basis of the establishment of the church; that we recognize Jesus as the Christ or our Savior through God’s revelation (through the Holy Spirit) and that Jesus recognizes us, individually. THAT is the rock (or foundational truth) that the church is built upon and that established relationship will not permit the gates of hell to prevail against it. The church is not built upon Peter. The true church of God (not denomination) is built upon an established relationship between God and man through Jesus Christ. Being made whole is not an experience, its a relationship. Being at rest and having peace only comes through a relationship!

If we understand this fully then we can understand that if a person is lead to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ then He can help them through the struggles of life because the relationship is established. They may be weak in the faith. They may have to seek help with their struggle, including mental illness. However, the effort should always be to lead them back into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ so that He can eventually proclaim peace in their lives and give them victory that is sustainable. Do you ever wonder why He is called Counselor and Prince of Peace in the same scripture? It’s because we are broken people without him; lost and without peace and rest. He comes to council us and to bring peace into our lives when we meet the conditions.

1 John 4:18 states:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

The type of love spoken here is agape love and its the type of love that is based in relationships. God is love, as the scripture states. If we love him and He loves us then that perfect love can defeat the dart of fear that the enemy tries to shoot at us and cast it completely out. We don’t have to dwell in anxiety, worry, or even fear itself … and most importantly we don’t have to allow it to torment us. But this scripture also lets us know that if we hold on to fear that we are not completely whole or completely well.

I know that this post is oversimplifying the many issues that surround mental health and disease. However, what I am trying to establish is the idea that if you develop a true relationship with God through Jesus Christ, then He can help you through the many complexities of your illness and bring about true peace and rest. Remember, the “certain” woman suffered for 12 long years before she was able to make her way to touch the hem of His garment and be made whole. I’m not suggesting that you have to wait an extended time frame. The time, in her case, was predicated on the fact that she had exhausted all of her means before coming to Jesus. Once she came to Jesus, it was instantaneous.

Maybe you are not struggling with a mental condition. But its a physical condition or even a sin condition. The same remedy applies. Jesus Christ is the answer. But it has to be a relationship that is based upon taking on his yoke and his burden … in other words servitude or surrender. If that condition is met then you can experience a relationship that brings about real peace and real rest … and by the way, He will send you the Holy Ghost to lead you into all truth. That’s where the real rest comes from.