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Entering the Rest of God – Through Striving?

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Making the Omer Count – Countdown to Pentecost

1 Corinthians 14:1 “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).”

The Greek word for earnestly desire implies the following: to burn with zeal; to be heated or to boil with; to be zealous in the pursuit of good; to desire earnestly, pursue; to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy one’s self about him; to exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me).

Notice that it uses the word “strive.” It’s the same Greek word word used in Revelation 3:19 “So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].” A similar idea is conveyed in the Greek translation of Hebrews 4:11: “Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].” The Greek word used in this passage is defined as: “to make haste; earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything; to give all diligence, interest one’s self most earnestly.” This Greek word is even more specific. It’s saying make haste, don’t waste any time, striving after accomplishing, with diligence – to enter the rest of God.

Yet, How does one enter this rest? The answer lies in the next verse: Hebrews 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. The answer? Connect the two verses: make haste to accomplish, striving after with all diligence and interest – to Enter the Word of God. Given the context you could say, Make haste, strive after, and give all diligence to running into His Sword!

Did you catch the definition for striving used in 1 Cor. 14:1? To exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me). There are two kinds of faith in our lives. Active faith and passive faith. But guess what? There’s nothing passive about striving, being in earnest, being zealous, or having diligent faith. This kind of faith doesn’t suffer even the possibility of being torn away from the One – Who burns with fire. Which you can rest assured (no pun intended) Jesus is zealous for His Father, His kingdom, and for us. Since Jesus is zealous, in earnest, diligent in pursuing us don’t you think for a moment that He is not striving after. He is the Word and no One has strived more to enter, become, and be His Father’s Word. Remember Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Only said what His Father said. And as Hebrews 5:8-9 state: Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered and, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him,…

If you are going to make His Omer Count then you will recognize and realize – the Rest of God. Where will you find the “Rest” of God? The “Rest of God” will not be found simply in ceasing  from activity. Why? Because the “Rest of God” is the “More” of God. The “More” found in a pursuit of the Spirit, the Gifts (He is the Gifts), Holy Spirit Love, hearing and recognizing the ways God speaks. These are just a few.

Question is, Are you making haste, striving, being diligent, zealous, boiling over – for the “Rest of God”? Are you seeking to exert yourself that He will not be torn from you; that the “Rest” He has for you will not be torn away? Some may object that we could never be torn from God. There’s some truth in that but John 15 implies a different perspective. “If you abide in Me…If you can abide in Jesus then there is the great possibility that you may not. In fact John 15:4 in the NIV states: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. Are you remaining in the Rest of God?

Footholds, and Strongmen

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This Sunday I shared with the church one of the purposes of my fast: to address a spirit of abortion, and a spirit of mocking that has come against the Lord’s purposes for this church. In 2025 we have had two people note that they discerned a spirit of mocking in our church. One was a visiting missionary-evangelist, Fernando DeCarvalho. In February, the night before he was to minister to our church, this spirit visited him and his family in their hotel room. He, and his wife had to contend with this spirit through the night – in prayer – before our church service. Recently, during a time of worship, one of our church members discerned there was a spirit of mocking. She had no knowledge of Fernando’s word.

How should we respond? Ephesians 4:26-27 states: When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

Three things: Note that it says, When angry…don’t sin. Implying that anger is going to happen – but don’t sin in the process. Next notice when anger is allowed to fester the enemy gains a foothold. Brother’s and sister’s have I been guilty of that. I despise addressing issues that are uncomfortable. Yet, here Paul teaches we must address them – should address them – before the sun goes down. Ouch! If, and when I don’t, I am allowing the enemy to gain a foothold. What happens when the enemy gains a foothold and is allowed to remain? When I don’t address the anger, or the sin I have allowed to enter, and remain?

Matthew 12:28-30 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [before you expected it].29 Or how can a person go into a strong man’s house and carry off his goods (the entire equipment of his house) without first binding the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.30 He who is not with Me [definitely on My side] is against Me, and he who does not [definitely] gather with Me and for My side scatters.

Notice that in this passage Jesus addresses what He compares driving out demons, or deliverance ministry, to. He characterizes those who are demonized, or tormented by demons, as having their lives, or “houses” – occupied by a strong man.

How does a foothold, become a strongman? Amos 3:3 answers that question: Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed? In this case of having a strong man of demonic torment the Scripture seems very clear. We have the strong man of demonic torment because we allowed a foothold to grow into a strong man. If you apply Amos 3:3 to this passage you could say that you made an appointment to meet or get together. Not only did you make the appointment you made an agreement with the demon that is tormenting, and being the strong man over your house or life. Agreements in the spiritual realm are legal and binding contracts. Demons are the worst kind of prosecuting attorney you will have ever met. They will take your contractual agreement and wave it in the face of God. Because of that contract they now have a legal agreement over you, your spiritual house, or life. The only way to get them out is to break the agreement with them, and agree with God. That’s why identification of sin, confession of sin, and repentance of sin – changing your mind – is so important.

What do we do? What can we do? Identify the demonic footholds, and demonic strong men in your life. Identification is half the battle. This means you take the time to stop ignoring the enemy’s access to your thoughts, actions, and lifestyle. True confession of sin involves changing your mind and attitude toward the sin. God cannot and will not deliver us from our spiritual pets, or dark friends. In other words, as long as you continue believing it’s ok to keep these mental fortresses, actions, and lifestyles around – as “pets”, or friends – the enemy doesn’t have to leave and you have essentially tied God’s hands to your freedom.

What about you? Have you allowed some footholds to transform into demonic strong men in your life? Ask the Lord to help you identify the demonic footholds, and strong men in your life. Ask Him for Grace and the power of His Spirit to break the agreements once and for all.

Tomorrow I will address the next steps in how footholds transform from strong men to demonic strongholds and what processes you need to take to tear these down.