THE REST AND THE REFRESHING

 

Isaiah 28:12 — “To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:   yet they would not hear.” The infilling of the Holy Spirit is as life changing to the Believer as Salvation is to the sinner. Words cannot adequately express the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Believer.

 

Everything that the Lord does in the world, and in our lives, is done through the Person and Office Work of the Holy Spirit. Every time I refer to the Holy Spirit as a “Person,” I always get e-mails and letters from people who take exception to that; so, let me explain that aspect of the Holy Spirit before I discuss the “Rest and Refreshing” of the Holy Spirit. Let’s first state what the Holy Spirit is not. The Holy Spirit is not a “thing” or an “it.” He is neither a material nor ethereal substance, nor is He an impersonal force. He is not a quality (of goodness, love, morality, etc.). The Holy Spirit is not an abstract idea, a “universal mind,” or some vague “life-giving force.” The Holy Spirit is a person, a real being who thinks, acts, wills, feels, loves, and speaks. The Holy Spirit exhibits all the responses that identify one as a “Person.” He cannot be seen by the natural eye, but His actions fulfill all the requirements of a personality. The Holy Spirit is a Person, but He is also Deity, the Third Person of the Godhead.

 

The Holy Spirit has many different characteristics and attributes that we as Believers must know and understand.

 He is: Indivisible: (Eph. 4:4-6).

United but distinct: The Godhead is one in fulfillment, yet there are certain statements that can be made for each that do not apply to all.

Eternal: (Heb. 9:14).

Omnipresent: He is present everywhere at once (Ps. 139:7-10).

Omniscient: He is all knowing, all wise.

Omnipotent: All-powerful.

 

There are many and varied benefits of the Holy Spirit available to the Spirit-filled Believer. Space will not permit me to mention them all, so I will highlight just a few.

Comforter: (John 14:16)  This word means “one called to the side of another to help.” He desires to help us in every area of our lives.

Guide: (John 16:13) He will guide us down the path of Truth, which is Christ and His Word.

Teacher: John 14:26 — He is the Great Teacher of the Word of God.

Power: Acts 1:8 — Power to do that which we are not capable of doing ourselves.

 

(For a more detailed explanation, please see our Study Guide, “The Holy Spirit From Genesis To Revelation”.)

 

When Christ died on the Cross, His death not only atoned for our sin, but His death also paid the price for our peace of mind. Man’s emotions at times are like a puppet on a string, with the circumstances of our lives acting as the marionette.

As a nation, we are becoming a pill popping, psychology dependant society. We are distressed, depressed, and despondent; however, the Lord knew what this world was going to be like. He knew that at times, we would need help in regards to our emotions, which is what my Text is referring to.

 

This speaks of the tiredness of the journey of life. Satan attacks the mind, filling us with thoughts of hopelessness. The cares of life grow heavier and we grow weary; however, when one begins to pray in the Spirit, we are brought to a place of rest. The best analogy I can give is that of an oasis in the midst of the desert. In the desert, there is no water, the sun beats down with no shade, but all of a sudden, we find an oasis with palm trees, green grass, water, and shade, and there we find rest. The Holy Spirit is our oasis. It’s where we find rest from the troubles of life. This doesn’t mean that the problem disappears, as the desert doesn’t disappear from around the oasis. The problems are still there, but we have rest in the midst of them.

 

As the rest provided by the Holy Spirit addresses itself to the present and the past journey of life. The “refreshing” is that aspect of the Holy Spirit that re-energizes and replenishes one for the journey ahead.

The journey of life is too great and difficult for us to endure in our own strength; therefore we must have the Rest and the Refreshing that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Your Evangelist,  Donnie Swaggart