"RESTING ON THE ROCK OF HIS PROMISE"

A sermon revealing a powerful revelation of faith and confidence during all of life's troubles.  God has graciously opened up some precious insights into the book of Revelation and the purpose of showing us the lamb approach the throne where the rainbow arched over and around.

Genesis 8:1-4  And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

• The Bible gave the name for this range -- Ararat.
• A mountain is a large rock.
• And God's word is compared to a rock we can stand upon and be safe.
• A mountain range is an entire series of WORDS FROM GOD.

Think about it.

• The ark rested.
• On a mountain range, or series of rocks.
• Named Ararat.

• And as Noah's ark rested on the Mountain named Ararat, we need to rest on the word of God that tells us the CURSE IS REVERSED.
• We need to rest on that word.
• We need to rest and not worry about troubles.
• We need to rest and not become anxious and afraid.
• REST upon the truth that the CURSE IS REVERSED.

Now, this is only for Christians.

• If you are hearing me today and you have not entered into the ark of Jesus Christ, and are not serving Him, then you have no rock to rest your soul upon.
• But this rock I have, named Jesus, can be your rock, too.
• You can rest upon the word of God and be safe and secure.

The human race was cursed due to sin.

• The opposite of the blessing is the cursing.


Genesis 1:27-28  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• He gave mankind power and dominion over everything in the world.
• Including the creeping thing.


Genesis 1:30  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

• It is a blessing to have dominion over all the things of life.
• And God created us and blessed us to have that dominion.

• Today the human race is so robbed of true joy that they spend money trying to get it.
• The biggest money making industry is entertainment.
• People trying to buy joy and happiness.

• He was advised to attend a local place of entertainment since there was a certain comedian in town, and a comedy and a fun time would help him out of his anxiety.
• The man looked at the doctor and said, "No, that's no good."
• The doctor said, "Yes it will.  I know what I am talking about."
• The man said, "Nope."
• "Why not?"
• "I am that comedian."
• That's the kind of world we are in.

Genesis 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

• After we read of their disobedience, we read the following also occurred:


Genesis 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, ...

Genesis 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; ...

Gene 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Instead of being blessed, cursing came.

But we read of one way, and one way only to be free from this curse.

Galatians 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

1 Peter 3:20-21  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

• How does His resurrection make baptism save us?
• Romans 6:3 says that we are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ.
• And that's a good death to be baptized into!
• All of us had to die as a penalty for sin.
• So baptism saves us because we are baptized into His death, and He resurrected from His death.

• Normally living under a curse and then dying simply ends everything.
• All we can say is we lived under a curse and finally died.
• What good is that?
• But the wonderful thing is that Jesus' story did not simply end at his death, as our's would.
• His death was unique in that He raised Himself from the dead, and continued in a life that would never die again.
• And that is the reason baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• We get baptized into His death and resurrect with Him into that unending life!

Peter said its like Noah's story.

• Eight souls were saved by water.
• Similarly, we are saved by baptism because of Jesus' resurrection.
• When Noah got into the ark, it was like a person getting baptized in Jesus' name.
• And Noah came out of that ark into a brand new world free from sin.
• We resurrect with Jesus Christ in a life that is washed free from sins.


Acts 22:16  And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

• But after we are baptized into Jesus Christ, we MUST REST ON THE ROCK OF THE WORD THAT SAYS "THE CURSE IS REVERSED."

• Adam was blessed to have dominion over all the earth and everything in it.
• Including the creeping serpent.
• Man lost that wonderful life.
• Man lost that status.
• And today, man suffers defeat by the things in this world.
• AND SO DO MANY CHRISTIANS!


Genesis 8:21  And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

And we read similar words:

Genesis 9:11-12  And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

• And the SIGN of that covenant was the rainbow.

Galatians 3:13 said that Christ's hanging on the cross redeemed us from the curse.

• His cross was where He shed His blood and died.


Revelation 4:2-3  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

• Sitting where the rainbow is.
• And someone cries for a worthy one to come and take the book and open it.
• John weeps because nobody is worthy.
• But then he is told not to weep because the LAMB PREVAILED.


Revelation 5:6-7  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

And then we read...

Revelation 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

• Paul said his death redeemed us from the curse.
• No more curse.
• And when He redeemed us from the curse, this symbolic vision showed the same sign as Noah received telling him NO MORE CURSE... you're getting back the blessing first given to Adam before he was cursed.
• The lamb redeemed man by going to the throne where there was a RAINBOW.

• When Noah's ark rested on ARARAT (curse is reversed), God gave Him a blessing to have DOMINION.
• People who have dominion are kings, and kings REST on thrones.
• That is the reason the place of God's THRONE is where the rainbow is.
• NO MORE CURSE.
• RULE LIKE A KING.
• Get the blessing of Adam.

Notice what Noah experienced after he rested on ARARAT.

Remember what God told Adam?

Genesis 9:1-3  And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

• Peter told us that our baptism into Jesus Christ is similar to the flood waters that saved Noah.
• And Noah's story of resting on a mountain, whose name means THE CURSE IS REVERSED, notes the BLESSING Adam received before he sinned and all mankind was cursed.
• God is trying to tell us that our baptism into Jesus Christ reverses the curse.

• You are blessed to dominate the things in this world.

They were baptized into Jesus Christ.

• They were saved.
• But they have not really RESTED on the Ararat of the word that says THE CURSE IS REVERSED.

• He hanged on a tree.
• Cursed is everyone that hangs on as tree.
• That was his death.
• And when we are baptized into that death, we are redeemed from the curse.
• The curse is completely reversed.

• It takes FAITH to rest on that rock.
• You have to believe what the word of God said.
• In order for you to rest in the word, when former troubles that defeated you come across your pathway once again, you are not worried.
• You so much believe what God's word says that you REST ON THAT WORD.
• You think, "That used to defeat me.  But now I am a different person.  I am a Christian now.  And I am now BLESSED rather than CURSED.  I am blessed with power over that hindrance, because THE CURSE IS REVERSED."

• Like a rock, this word is something that will stand sure and not shake away.
• When you stand on the word you are standing on a rock, and everything is going to be alright.

Galatians 3:13-14  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

• So where is this blessing of having dominion over it all?
• The problem you experienced was YOU DID NOT REST ON THAT WORD.
• When you rest on a word that tells you the curse is reversed, and you are dominant once again, you do not worry about the things, that formerly dominated, you will dominate you again now.
• The word says things are different now, and you believe it!
• You have FAITH in it.
• You rest on it.
• And God requires that FAITH in you to fulfill what He promised in the word.

God's Promises require one thing of us in order for us to enjoy them.

• WE MUST REST UPON THEM.
• WE MUST BELIEVE THEM so fully that we do not DOUBT them.

• Doubt will actually cause bad things to happen to you, just like faith causes God to bless you.


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.

• That means you must REST upon it.
• You must believe it so much until you do not worry when a former defeating problem crosses your path.


Hebrews 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

• Jesus went to that throne and sat down with His Father in that throne.
• How do I know that?
• Jesus prevailed in 5:6.
• That means He overcame.
• And 3:21 He said...


Revelation 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

1 John 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

• But you are resting on the word.
• They that are of FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham.


Galatians 3:9  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Are you comfortable with believing the word?

• Are you comfortable with believing the curse really is reversed?
• Are you comfortable on this throne?
• Can you rest when a trial and storm comes?
• Are you convinced the CURSE IS REVERSED because you died with Christ and thereby overcame just as He overcame?


Philippians 4:11-13  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (RESTED) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things (RESTING AND RELAXED ABOUT IT) through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Wherever Noah went after the flood, THE ARK REMAINED RESTING ON ARARAT.

• No matter what situation Noah got himself into, THE ARK WAS STILL RESTING ON ARARAT.
• The world really was new.
• He really was apart from the world of sinners he once lived in.
• A flood was between and that old life.

• Being abased in hardships or abounding in ease, Paul said he could do it all THROUGH CHRIST.
• Christ strengthened him in those times, because Paul's FAITH attracted Christ's strength to help him.

Noah's ark resting on Ararat is a picture of a person who is baptized into Jesus and comes out on the other side and rests on the truth that the CURSE IS REVERSED.

Your faith in God's word moves him to bless you with power and strength, as Paul spoke about.

• You might get in the same situation Paul got into, and yet receive no strength like Paul did.
• And you're both saved.
• But Paul rested in the promise that the curse is reversed, and that faith moved God to empower him.

• Anything to do with that promise, reacts with you being comforted.
• When you doubt a word you are struggling with it.
• You're nervous and afraid.

• Rest on the promise THE CURSE IS REVERSED.
• Face Satan, knowing the situation has changed... you can kick him around for a change.
• Believe what God said enough to DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HE SAID.
• Act like what he said about you is true.
• Act like the blessed kings and queens you are!
• Stare down that threat.
• Don't run, but STAND STILL ON THIS WORD AND SEE THE GLORY OF GOD.
• Faith without works is dead.


Hebrews 10:12-13  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

• Jesus sat down.
• And He sits on this throne expecting all enemies to be made his footstool.
• We need HIS FAITH to live through us.
• HIS FAITH is what strengthens us.


Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

• You need to sit with Him and have HIS FAITH.
• And expect enemies to be made your footstool.
• Notice that sitting down and expecting enemies to be made your footstool means you sit down and REST BEFORE you actually see them defeated.
• THAT TAKES FAITH.
• FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD.

• After He was crucified, buried and resurrected, He was seated by the right hand of God.
• And now that he sits there, he expects enemies to be made footstools.
• So by faith, believe you are not only dead, buried and risen with Him, but also seated with Him and RESTING.
• And live by His faith.
• His faith is expecting enemies to be made footstools.

• Jesus' faith is while He is seated, He expects His enemies to be made his footstool.
• The faith that the enemies may be running around right now, but the effects of the cross will bring them down to their knees and make the permanent footstools.

• We have enemies that are running around since the cross.
• And it fits so perfectly to this situation to see Jesus sitting and EXPECTING present walking-around enemies to fall.
• Not by anything he needs to do, but by the cross where He finished the work and actually prevailed.

• But its true!
• He has so much that His cross finished the work, that He is sitting down looking at His enemies and without doing one further thing, HE EXPECTS THEM TO COME DOWN BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID ON THAT CROSS.

• Not because of anything we can do.
• But because of what Jesus already did.
• You can have the same faith Jesus had in sitting down with enemies running everywhere, and expecting all of them.. every last one of them... to come down by virtue of the power manifested through the cross.
• Its a finished work because Jesus simply sat down afterwards, and waits, watching all enemies come down.

• Confident the curse is reversed.
• Confident he has dominion, despite what enemies he sees still running around.
• The kind of faith that sits while enemies still stand, knowing nothing needs to be done other than what has already been done through the cross.