Pastor Ayo Akerele of Rhema Assembly in Ontario, Canada, teaches that true rest is found in alignment with Jesus Christ. He points to prominent figures such as Brazilian footballer Ricardo Kaká, scientist Francis Collins, and business leaders David Green, Mary Kay Ash, Ben Carson, and Truett Cathy as examples of those who experienced rest by putting Christ first in every area of life.
Kaká: The Footballer Who Found Rest in Christ
Ricardo Kaká, the Brazilian footballer, openly declared Jesus as Lord early in his career. He refused to compromise morally, avoided scandals, and maintained purity. According to Akerele, Kaká's commitment to Christ brought rest in his career—no major scandals; rest in his finances through wise stewardship; rest in his marriage, which remained stable; and rest in his mind, giving him peace despite global fame. Kaká often said, “I belong to Jesus.” His rest, Akerele explains, came from complete alignment with Christ.
Dr. Francis Collins: The Scientist Who Found Intellectual Rest
Francis Collins, former head of the Human Genome Project, encountered Christ as a medical doctor. His conversion, Akerele notes, brought intellectual rest by reconciling science and faith, professional rest through clarity of purpose, and emotional rest as he found peace in his identity. Collins wrote, “Faith answered the questions science could not.” His rest came from surrender to God.
David Green: Biblical Principles Built a Billion-Dollar Business
David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby, built a multi-billion-dollar company on biblical principles. Akerele highlights that Green's commitment to Christ produced financial rest through supernatural business growth, family rest with generational stability, and corporate rest marked by divine favour. Green declared, “This business belongs to God.” His rest came from stewardship.
Mary Kay Ash: Business Built on Christian Values
Mary Kay Ash built her cosmetics empire on Christian principles. Her commitment, says Akerele, brought entrepreneurial rest expressed in explosive growth, leadership rest through a loyal workforce, and emotional rest as she found peace in purpose. She lived by the motto, “God first, family second, career third.” Her rest came from alignment.
Dr. Ben Carson: From Struggling Student to Renowned Neurosurgeon
Ben Carson struggled academically as a child, but after encountering Christ, his mind transformed. Akerele points out that his conversion brought intellectual rest, professional rest, and global honour. Carson's testimony reveals that Jesus brings rest to the mind.
Truett Cathy: Obedience Led to Prosperity
Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, built his business on Christian values. His commitment, Akerele writes, brought financial, operational, and cultural rest. Cathy refused to open on Sundays, yet prospered. His rest came from obedience.
The Enemies of Rest: How Men Lose It
Akerele warns that sexual sins are not just moral failures but enemies of rest. They destroy, interrupt, block, and steal rest. He lists several ways careless lifestyles and foolish practices become enemies of rest:
- A bad marriage marked by disrespect and dishonour: a dishonoured man loses emotional and mental rest; a dishonoured leader loses professional rest. When a man's home becomes a graveyard, rest disappears.
- Foolishness and carelessness in boundaries with the opposite sex: Samson lost his rest due to carelessness; David lost his rest similarly. Rest requires discipline.
- Insincerity about personal weaknesses and feelings: hidden weaknesses, concealed temptations, and lack of accountability destroy rest. Rest requires truth.
- Sexual deprivation used as manipulation within marriage: sexual starvation, bitterness, and manipulation destroy rest. Rest requires unity.
- Unaddressed mental health challenges: mental instability, psychological imbalance, and unmanaged bipolar disorder destroy rest. Rest requires wholeness.
- Alcoholism and drug addiction: addiction, drunkenness, and substance abuse destroy rest. Rest requires sobriety.
- Prolonged singlehood without the gift of continence: uncontrolled desire, loneliness, and avoidance of marriage destroy rest. Rest requires purity.
- Love of money and moral compromise: greed, covetousness, and financial idolatry destroy rest. Rest requires contentment.
- Demonic manipulation and spiritual warfare: spiritual attacks, marine agents, and witchcraft traps destroy rest. Rest requires discernment.
- Ritual allegiance and occultic entanglements: occult covenants, ritual sex, and demonic power destroy rest. Rest requires holiness.
How to Protect Your Rest
Akerele offers practical steps: fight poverty with diligence and wisdom; fight sickness with prayer and healthy living; avoid demonic infiltration and reject false prophets; fight worry and embrace faith; forgive quickly; avoid sowing wickedness; stay in righteousness, obedience, prayer, and the Word. Rest must be guarded.
Conclusion: Your Season of Rest Has Come
Pastor Akerele writes that just as God brought him out of Europe’s stagnation into alignment, out of South Africa’s storms into a season of rest, reversed his UK visa, gave him a scholarship, transformed his life, relocated him into his prophetic geography, and aligned him with his teaching ministry, He will do the same for others. “Rest is your inheritance. Rest is your covenant. Rest is your portion. Rest is your season. And by the Spirit of God, you will enter it and you will remain in it.”
Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached at [email protected]. Connect with him on YouTube: @VoiceoftheWatchmen, TikTok: @drayoakerele, Instagram: @drayoakerele, Facebook: @Ayo Akerele.
