Is The Holy Spirit Finally Found Rest In You?
Genesis 8:6-12
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.
Introduction:
We can see in the passages that we have read the events that happened after the flood… Noah sent a raven and the raven went forth to and fro – very happy to see the things – dead and rotten bodies, foul smelly decomposing plants, beast and human beings… and the raven did not return.
Then after that Noah sent a dove – “… But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot…”
Rest means - quiet, a settled spot, or a home, place of rest.
We can apply this truth in our world today. The dove represent the Holy Spirit - Matt. 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
The raven also can be represented as the evil spirit – that went forth to and fro upon seeing dead, decomposing and rotten bodies. The ministry of the devil is to went forth to and fro in the presence of God accusing the brethren.
Rev. 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Job 1:6-7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit - 1Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
But the grave question today who really owns you? Is The Holy Spirit Finally Found Rest In You?
Or It is the raven – the evil spirit that went forth to and fro and the Holy Spirit is grieving?
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Only a person who loves you so much will be grieved (if you did a wrongdoing or a bad thing.)
You can only feel sorry if somebody you know became a victim of tragedy or involve in any wrongdoing but if that somebody is your love one or you have a relationship to that person it grieves. The Bible says grieve not – not to feel sorry or condemning you but grieve every time you do wicked things simply because the Holy Spirit love you so much.
Is the Holy Spirit grieving? Because of the kind of living you are entangling with. Just like our Lord Jesus Christ the Bible says He came to His own but His own receives Him not. Today, every person who accepted Christ as His personal Lord and Savior was owned by the Holy Spirit but His own receives Him not. Why? Because the owner of the body constantly grieves.
And not unless you are dead in trespasses and sins, dead in selfishness and personal ambition, dead to praises and in vain glory in envying and in strife and pride the Holy Spirit can’t found rest in you. But the devil will laugh at us and scorn – he went forth to and fro – very happy in the in the presence of the Lord – Job 1:6-7.
Ephesians 5:8-9,14-17 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Galasians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For 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. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Is The Holy Spirit Finally Found Rest In You? There are some truths that we can claim today in the passages that we had read.
I. God Will Always Extends The Works of His Spirit in Us
We have read in our passages how many times the dove was sent forth.
An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others. Aiden Wilson Tozer
Did not you realize that God is constantly offering us the best gift? - Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
That’s why the Holy Spirit found no rest in us because of the things that we value most are the dead and the vain things of this world. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
How many needs or it is just one need? – The only thing that you really need tonight is the power and presence of the God. And through the Holy Spirit you can have it even today. Luke 11:13
God will always extends the works of His Spirit in Us
God will gave you enough time to come unto him and surrender and yield and be filled with his power and might. No wonder that even if Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Ezekiel, Paul – they were men past their youth when God used them.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."
Isa. 40:29-31 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
The Holy Spirit will find rest upon us if we wait upon God-
II. Life Comes Only Through the Spirit
Gen. 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
Olive leaf is a sign of life. - Gen. 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Revival, joy, enthusiasm, excitement, fruitfulness only comes as the spirit moves.
The energy – the wind, oil.
Just like Samson, David, and even the power of Christ and His apostle.
Our work and energy if it does not comes from God it is void and vain.
Isa. 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Just like the deeds of Pharisee and Sadducees.
III. The Holy Spirit Wants To Find Rest in Us
III. The Holy Spirit Wants To Find Rest in Us
As a temple of the Holy Spirit it is but natural that He wants to have rest in us. It is but natural that the Holy Spirit will do His best to find rest upon us.
Illus. There will come a time in our life that even though we are here doing our job and ministry and other thing but we know our heart is not right with God – and what the Holy Spirit will do – give you right message in every possible way. Sometimes in your devotion, or in listening to preaching, music, in fellowship, etc. – That’s the work of the Holy Spirit because he wants to have rest in you –
The holy spirit is not happy as you live in the flesh,in sin and wickedness – he is grieve
Gen. 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
The devil will tell you do this small thing called sin but afterwards he will tell you how great you are a sinner before God.
Is the Holy Spirit finally found rest in you? As you wake up this morning - Is the Holy Spirit finally found rest in you? Or it is the Devil that went forth to and fro. I do believe the Holy Spirit found rest if you woke up praying and meditating upon the Word of God and you make Christ as the Lord of your life.
"If you have the Word without the Spirit, you'll dry up.
If you have the Spirit without the Word, you'll blow up.
If you have both the Word and the Spirit, you'll grow up." --Derek Prince
D.L Moody said, "I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God's law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."
Not unless you are dead in trespasses and sins, dead in selfishness and personal ambition and in vain glory in envying and in strife and pride the Holy Spirit can’t found rest in you.
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