WHY IS IT HARD TO REST

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Our Lane in the Gospel of Grace
2. God’s Love and the True Gospel
3. The Righteousness of God in Christ
4. Entering God’s Rest (Hebrews 4)
5. The Example of the Promised Land
6. Mixing Faith with the Word
7. The Distractions That Build Doubt
8. Pastor Lori’s Encouragement on Faith and Rest
9. The Rhema Word: Hearing God Personally
10. Be Anxious for Nothing
11. Walking in Rest and Peace
12. Closing Message and Invitation to Give

Introduction: Our Lane in the Gospel of Grace

Pastors Leonard and Lori begin by expressing their love for sharing the Word of God each morning. They explain that their calling—their “lane”—is not to teach on end times or the rapture, but to share the true gospel of grace. Their ministry focuses on helping believers understand their identity in Christ: saints, holy, blameless, righteous, loved, and filled with the Holy Spirit. They remind listeners that believers are “righteous with God’s righteousness”, sanctified, complete, and justified. Their mission is to keep pointing people back to God’s love and identity through Jesus.

God’s Love and the True Gospel

Pastor Leonard emphasizes that God’s actions are always motivated by love, not anger. He refers to John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He points out that the verse doesn’t say “God was so angry at the world,” but that He loved the world. God desired to redeem humanity, to restore them to His original intent. His love gave birth to redemption. Then Pastor Leonard highlights Romans 5:8-“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God commended—demonstrated—His love, not His anger. Everything He did was motivated by love.

The Righteousness of God in Christ

Pastor Leonard shares a testimony from preaching at a church in Mount Vernon, New York. While many raised their hands when asked if they were “sinners saved by grace,” one elderly woman boldly declared, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” He joyfully affirmed her, saying, “Yes! There’s one here!”

This moment illustrated the importance of knowing one’s identity in Christ. Believers are not “sinners saved by grace” but have been made righteous through Jesus Christ. They now live in a new covenant of grace, not under the old covenant of works.

Entering God’s Rest (Hebrews 4)

Pastor Leonard transitions to the main topic: rest. He asks, “Why is it so hard for us to rest?” He reads from Hebrews 4:1-2-“Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

He explains that God has offered the same promise of entering His rest today. The people in the Old Testament heard the good news but did not mix faith with what they heard, so they failed to enter rest.

The Example of the Promised Land

He recalls the story of the twelve spies sent to scout the Promised Land. God had said, “I have given you this land.” With that word came faith. Joshua and Caleb received both the Word and the faith to believe it, declaring, “We are well able to go in and take the land.”

The other ten spies, however, focused on the giants and allowed doubt to block their faith. As a result, they could not enter the rest God had promised. Pastor Leonard connects this to believers today who focus on their problems instead of God’s promises.

Mixing Faith with the Word

He cites Romans 10:17, saying, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Every time God speaks, faith comes with His Word. Faith is not something we generate; it is given when we hear the Word. Our part is to agree with God and allow that faith to mix with what we hear. When we focus on circumstances—sickness, finances, relationships—we allow doubt to rise instead of faith. Doubt blocks rest. Faith releases it.

The Distractions That Build Doubt

Pastor Leonard notes that much of today’s information—social media, commercials, and media culture—works against God’s Word. Every commercial seems to promote fear and sickness. This constant stream of negative input builds doubt in people’s hearts, making it harder to rest in God’s promises.
Because of this, believers must be intentional about what they hear. Faith and rest come when God’s Word is heard, believed, and allowed to replace anxiety.

Pastor Lori’s Encouragement on Faith and Rest

Pastor Lori joins the conversation, emphasizing that when God says something, believers must take Him at His Word. She reminds the audience that every promise of God is already theirs. She quotes the principle from Scripture that “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

She explains that just as Joshua and Caleb believed God’s promise despite the giants, we too must choose to believe that what God said is already ours—righteousness, peace, healing, provision, and rest. “I don’t want to miss out,” she says. “The land is mine. The promise is mine.”

The Rhema Word: Hearing God Personally

Pastor Leonard clarifies that resting in God doesn’t come just from reading Scripture as text, but from meditating on it until it becomes alive—a Rhema word. He quotes Matthew 4:4, saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

When the written Word becomes the spoken Word in our hearts, it brings revelation and faith. He says, “You meditate on the black and white until it jumps off the page.” When that happens, the Word is no longer just information—it becomes transformation.

Be Anxious for Nothing

Pastor Leonard refers to Philippians 4:6, declaring, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
This scripture, he says, is their “mantra”—worry about nothing. Worry, fear, and anxiety disappear when we let God’s Word mingle with faith. If we respond in faith to His promises, peace becomes natural. When faith and the Word combine, rest follows.

Walking in Rest and Peace

Rest is not the absence of problems but the presence of faith. When believers receive the Word and the faith that comes with it, they walk in peace and confidence regardless of the giants before them. Doubt produces anxiety, but faith produces rest.

Pastor Leonard and Pastor Lori stress that believers do not need to fight for what God has already given. “He has given you the land. The giants don’t matter. God has given it to you.” When faith and the Word are united, rest becomes reality.

Closing Message and Invitation to Give

The pastors close by thanking listeners for supporting the ministry and sharing how New Life Ministry is growing and reaching more people through online platforms. Pastor Leonard gently encourages viewers to pray and consider giving, noting that God uses His people to fund His work. He says, “We have plans given to us by God to go and to grow.”
They express gratitude to everyone who prays, supports, and shares in the mission of spreading the true gospel of grace.

We hope this teaching, “WHY IS IT HARD TO REST,” blessed you and reminded you that God’s rest is already yours through Jesus Christ. The key is to hear His Word, believe it, and let faith rise within your heart. Share this message with others who need peace and assurance in God’s love, and continue to walk in His rest every day.