Restlessness

 

Restless spirit

 

Luke 11:24
"When an evil[
11:24 Greek unclean] spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.'
(Whole Chapter:
Luke 11 In context: Luke 11:23-25)

 

 

 

Restlessness is God’s judgment for evil deeds

 

Genesis 4

8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [4] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD , "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so [5] ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, [6] east of Eden.

 

 

Jeremiah 49:23

A Message About Damascus
23 Concerning Damascus:
"Hamath and Arpad are dismayed,
for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
troubled like [1] the restless sea.
24 Damascus has become feeble,
she has turned to flee
and panic has gripped her;
anguish and pain have seized her,
pain like that of a woman in labor.

 

 

 

Restless wandering

 

Genesis 4

8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [4] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD , "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so [5] ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, [6] east of Eden.

 

1 Corinthians 9
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

 

Hebrews 3:

7So, as the Holy Spirit says:
   "Today, if you hear his voice,
        8do not harden your hearts
   as you did in the rebellion,
       during the time of testing in the desert,
    9where your fathers tested and tried me
       and for forty years saw what I did.
    10That is why I was angry with that generation,
       and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray,
       and they have not known my ways.'
    11So I declared on oath in my anger,
       'They shall never enter my rest.' "[1]
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

 

That generation wandered instead of entering His rest in the Promised Land. They tested and tried him: They were not satisfied with His leading through the desert. They grumbled.


1 Corinthians 10
9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

 

 

Content vs. Restless

Why did they grumble? They were not thankful and content with what God had provided for them.

 

Philippians 4:11
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
(Whole Chapter: Philippians 4 In context: Philippians 4:10-12)

 

Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
(Whole Chapter: Philippians 4 In context: Philippians 4:11-13)

 

1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
(Whole Chapter: 1 Timothy 6 In context: 1 Timothy 6:5-7)

 

1 Timothy 6:8
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
(Whole Chapter: 1 Timothy 6 In context: 1 Timothy 6:7-9)

 

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."[ 13:5 Deut. 31:6]
(Whole Chapter: Hebrews 13 In context: Hebrews 13:4-6)

 

Running Aimlessly

In the same way, greedy and worldly people run after things that they want, instead of desiring and pursuing what God wants for them.

 

1 Corinthians 9
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

 

Hebrews 3:

7So, as the Holy Spirit says:
   "Today, if you hear his voice,
        8do not harden your hearts
   as you did in the rebellion,
       during the time of testing in the desert,
    9where your fathers tested and tried me
       and for forty years saw what I did.
    10That is why I was angry with that generation,
       and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray,
       and they have not known my ways.'
    11So I declared on oath in my anger,
       'They shall never enter my rest.' "[1]
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

 

Contentment comes by following God’s commands, instead of our own desires.

Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

 

 

 

Restless by default

 

James 3:8
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
(Whole Chapter: James 3 In context: James 3:7-9)

 

Most talking between people is motivated by the people trying to get what they want: instead of what God wants. This is caused by restlessness, and results in more evil.

 

Only by responding to and continually obeying the Gospel can we be driven by God's Holy Spirit instead of our own restlessness. This is why God requires us to leave everything and follow Him instead of ourselves.

 

Galatians 5
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.

 


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