Most Holy Call to Pray (CTP, 9th April, 2021)
Topic: Finding Rest by the All Things of the Son and the Father
Minister: Rev. Kayode Oyegoke
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12). The word of God is the word of rest. It is the word that will give rest to the weary. It is powerful and it is judgement at the same time because it discerns and judges the thoughts and intents of the heart.
“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20). A man has become a heavenly being when his name is written in heaven. This does not mean dying physically and ascending to heaven because the present heavens and earth will pass away (2 Pet. 3:10). We should be heavenly, even while we are alive on earth. To write one’s name in heaven speaks of owning a particular spot or point in heaven. Satan’s fall will be brought about by the names of men who will be written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Satan is afraid of this and does not want it to happen.
The Son and The Father are the two beings that make up the heavens, as such, there is a heaven of the Father and a heaven of the Son. We should work towards having our names written in the Son and the Father. This heaven does not refer to the physical heaven but a book, which is known as ‘All things’ (Luke 10:22). These ‘All Things’ are things that can raise a man to become a heaven. Therefore, when a man has them, he will be heavenly. These things must first be revealed to you. Then, you can use them to live, inherit them, and eventually become them. God will not give you a habitat in the spirit that is higher than your soul’s state. This is because habitats are usually given based on the state of a man’s soul. The three habitats in the kingdom of God are Righteousness, Peace and Joy (Rom. 14:17). Hell can also be the state of a soul; this is why the fallen angels dwell there.
Adam’s disobedience brought hell to humanity. He allowed sin but did not know that sin would bring in death and eventually, pass upon all men (Romans 5:12). As such, all men automatically became sinners (Romans 3:23). The only man who was free from sin was the man who walked in obedience – our Lord Jesus.
Satan is still reigning in the air, despite Jesus’ death on the cross. When Adam sinned, Satan could not ascend or take dominion over man immediately because the souls of men were still dwelling in the heavens. It took some time for him to begin to reign; he had to fight through till the time of Cain, and then began to reign.
If sin had only killed the spirit of man and not affected his soul, the death of our Lord Jesus on the cross would have dealt with it at New Birth. Therefore, when Jesus says we should occupy till He comes, He meant that men should make sure they are written in heaven (Luke 19:13).
The carnal life is costly. We should therefore take this opportunity that we have, to live in the spirit, seriously. We should also not compare ourselves with other people who are not yet taking their Christian journey seriously because every man has his time and chance (Ecc. 9:11). God will deal with every man at different seasons.
“All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” (Luke 10:22). All Things are things of two Beings – the Son and the Father. These two beings are habitations or dwelling places. When they are revealed, the habitations of God are also being revealed. You cannot dwell in Them except you are like Them. The essence of giving man ‘all things’ is to make him habitable for Them, and for him to have an habitation in Them.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28). The removal of sins and iniquity is the eradication of labour and heavy laden from a man. This does not happen at New Birth because being born again is not yet a rest. The first rest a man will have is the Peace that Christ gives, while the last rest is Salvation (Isa. 52:7). Rest refers to dwelling places. Both Christ and God the Father are dwelling places. God dwells with the meek and the lowly (Psa. 138:6). As such, it will take the meek and the lowly to locate rest.
Sin is a labour that a man cannot on his own disengage from, because it is life to men. Sin is addictively engaging and it pays wages (Rom. 6:23). If there are no wages, men will not serve sin. Satan designed a system of paying man because he wants man’s allegiance and commitment to him. Men willingly want to labour for things that perish because we think we will miss out if do otherwise. There are servants of sin, even in the church. To serve sin is to serve the present life or creation.
Men labour because they are weighed down by the world; and they are heavily laden because of the expectations of men. These expectations might seem righteous before men, but they are actually unrighteous before God. Satan doesn’t want men to rest; he wants their continuity in vain labour. Anyone who is under such labour will not be meek and lowly.
Satan has pushed people out of heavens and has kept them under heavy laden. However, by the empowerment of the gospel, it is possible for a man to be engaged with an occupation in the natural and not be heavily laden by it. Such a person will not be in competition with anyone. We should not be aligned or fall as a prey to the expectations of this world, if we want to attain the rest that God promised.