HE DOESN’T REST UPON YOU

HE DOESN’T REST UPON YOU

And he said unto me, My grace is 

sufficient for thee: for my strength is made 

perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore 

will I rather glory in my infirmities, that 

the power of Christ may rest upon me 

(2 Corinthians 12:9).

tuesday 10

Actually, it’s not scripturally correct in the New 

Testament to say, “May God’s Spirit rest upon 

you.” Someone may read our opening verse and run 

off with the idea that even Paul desired that the power 

of Christ may “rest upon him.” That wasn’t the case. 

What Paul said wasn’t about the power of Christ 

resting upon him. The word translated “rest” is from 

the Greek, “episkēnoo ̄,” which is a combination of 

two words: “epi” meaning “a superimposition,” and 

“ske ̄noo ̄” meaning “habitation.” “Episke ̄noo ̄” therefore 

means, “coming over something to take charge of 

it from within.” Paul was in other words describing 

his experience of being continuously filled with the 

Spirit. 

Another use of the term “rest upon” is seen in 1 

Peter 4:14, where the Bible says,  “If ye be reproached 

for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of 

glory and of God resteth upon you….” Here, the word, 

“anapauō” is used, which refers to being refreshed 

or given rest, but not as in sleep. If you study the 

context, you’ll observe that it says, if you’re persecuted 

because of Jesus, happy are you, for the Spirit of glory 

and of God will give you rest; He refreshes you and 

strengthens you. The Greek word doesn’t say rest upon 

you; it can’t even be translated that way.

The essence of the detailed foregoing explanations 

is that in the New Testament, there’s no suggestion of 

the Holy Ghost coming to rest upon us. The emphasis 

throughout the Scriptures is for us to be full of the Spirit 

because He lives in us. This was the standard in the 

early Church, and it’s still our standard today. 

The Bible says, “… and they chose Stephen, a man 

full of faith and of the Holy Ghost...”  (Acts 6:5). In 

Acts 4:31 NIV, it says,  “After they prayed, the place 

where they were meeting was shaken, and they were 

all filled with the Holy Spirit ....”  This is the will of God 

for us today in the Church: being continually filled 

with the Spirit. 

CONFESSION

Dear Father, thank you; for your Spirit, in all of His 

glory and awesomeness, has come to take up His 

abode in the quarters of my heart in His totality. 

I’m a God-carrying vessel, a conveyor of eternal 

verities. By virtue of being a carrier of God, I can do 

all things, and effect positive changes in my world. 

Hallelujah!

FURTHER S TUDY:

John 14:17; Colossians 2:9-10; Acts 4:31