Lessons From the Secret Place – Intimacy- Lesson 3b: Rest and Provision in Christ
Today we will continue our journey through Psalm 23 as we study intimacy with Christ.
Psalm 23:2b, He leadeth me beside still waters.
The still waters—are, literally, "waters of "stillness," whose quiet flow invites to repose. They are contrasted with boisterous streams on the one hand, and stagnant, offensive pools on the other. i
The psalm puts the rest and refreshment first, as being the most marked characteristic of God’s dealings. ii
The Good Shepherd ensures that , we his flock receive rest and refreshment as we spend time with him. He leads us to quiet waters.
Quiet and gentle waters, running in small and shallow channels, which are opposed to great rivers, which both affright the sheep with their great noise, and expose them to be carried away by their swift and violent streams, while they are drinking at them. iii
By leading us to quiet waters our Good Shepherd is lead us to a place of refreshing and rest.
The phrase "quiet waters" refers to calm and peaceful streams, which are essential for the sheep's hydration and well-being. In the arid regions of ancient Israel, finding such waters would be a sign of the shepherd's skill and care. This imagery highlights God's guidance and provision, leading His people to places of peace and refreshment. The quiet waters can symbolize the peace that comes from trusting in God, as well as the spiritual refreshment found in His presence. This idea is echoed in Isaiah 49:10, where God promises that His people will neither hunger nor thirst, and He will guide them to springs of water. The leading of the shepherd also points to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who leads believers into truth and peace, as seen in John 16:13. iv
Peace comes from rest which is supernatural faith in the ability of God to care for us, to keep His promises, to be who He says He is, at all times! When the Word speaks of rest, we must understand it is not talking about natural rest, as in taking a nap. It is talking about trusting God and walking in peace no matter what our eyes see. It is believing the Word and not entertaining doubt, fear, or unbelief or allowing it to hang out in our mind. We do not give the enemy any space in our thought life!! It means speaking only the Truth which is the Word and not allowing words contrary to that truth to come out of our mouths. We cannot stop thoughts from coming into our minds; however, we can stop them from staying there and we can keep them from coming out of our mouth!
Words have the power of life and death. If we are speaking words of doubt, fear, and unbelief we will not receive the promises of the Word no matter how badly we want to.
For example, if I say, “I am healed by the blood of the Lamb.” I have spoken the truth. If I turn around and then say, “I will never get better.” I have just stopped the flow of healing into my life by agreeing with the enemy. He is always feeding us our lines and trying to get us to agree with him in our words because he knows that that is the only way he can defeat us. If we confess the Word and declare life, faith, peace, healing, provision… and stick to it, not allowing ourselves to speak contrary to that confession, we will see those things come to be in our life.
I need to add a note here: We might not see the answers or changes right away, or even in what we would consider a timely manner, (remember God’s clock is no like ours, LOL! He doesn’t have one.) however, we MUST hold fast to our confession of truth until we see the answers. Galatians 6:9, addresses this issue when Paul writes, “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.” (AMP)
I want to look for a moment at a well know experience from the life of Joshua in the Old Testament.
Joshua 2:23-24 says, “Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them. ‘The Lord has given us the whole land,’ they said, ‘for all the people in the land are terrified of us.’”
We pick up the story of Jericho at the beginning of Joshua 6 where an angel, the commander of the Lord’s Army, came to Joshua as he was nearing Jericho. He told Joshua the Lord’s strategy for defeating Jericho (Joshua 6:1-5).
The plan was simple, for 6 days Joshua and the fighting men were to march around the town one time. Seven priests were to walk ahead of the Ark, each blowing a ram’s horn. They were to also station a rear guard to march behind the Ark. No one was to make a sound at all other than the ram’s horns. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times, with the priest blowing the ram’s horns. On that day, when they heard to long blast on the ram’s horn the people were to shout as loud as they could.
Joshua 6:20-21, So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it. With the edge of the sword, they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
Imagine what would have happened if the people had stopped marching around Jericho on day two? Or on day 7 lap 4? Nothing! Well actually, they would probably have been run out of the Promised Land by the armies of the nations who inhabited the land. However, that is not what happened. Even when the “battle plan” looked foolish, and they looked and felt foolish for following it, they kept at it until they saw the fulfillment of the promise of God.
They rested in God’s promise and kept walking until the answer came. We must do the same. Being led beside still waters is being led into peace and rest. God’s Word is true.
2 Corinthians 1:20, For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. (NLT)
We give our agreement with the Word through our Amen!! This is our confession!! We can stand on the Word and find rest for our souls knowing that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence! (2 Peter 1:3)
May we allow our Good Shepherd to lead us beside still waters of peace and rest. May we STAND on the Word and guard our thought life. May we also, guard our tongue and not allow words of doubt, fear, or unbelief to escape our lips. May we rest in supernatural faith in the ability of God to care for us, to keep His promises, to be who He says He is, at all times!
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