RESTORATION

June 30, 2023

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 1. JESUS IS THE RESTORER. Don’t you love it when there’s divine intervention? Adam and Eve blundered early in the game, but Jesus came along in the fullness of the times, rectified the situation, and rescued humanity. Joel prophesied in the Old Testament about Jesus – His work, His earthly ministry, and what He’d be sent to do: “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25a). Now, on the other side of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are no longer lost and dead in sin – we are brand new creations reconciled to God! We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11 2. LOOK TO THE END RESULT. As we believe God for His will in our lives, we don’t want to get sluggish; instead, it’s through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12). Look at the outcome of Job’s life – God restored two-fold all he had lost. The devil’s attacks come to an end, but God’s mercies never end. When the devil tempted Jesus, like he tempted Adam and Eve, Jesus replied with Scripture every time. Finally, the devil had to give up and leave Jesus alone. When we resist the devil, he must flee (James 4:7). 3. RECEIVE ABUNDANT LIFE. After David failed and sinned, he asked the Lord to: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:12). That is repentance, and that is beautiful. God wants us to experience joy. When the devil comes messing with your mind, you can look up a Scripture and say, “Wait a minute, the Bible says this about my situation. I am going to stand my ground.” Refuse to let him steal your peace, your joy, your marriage, your health, and your finances – Jesus came to give you abundant life (John 10:10). God is faithful, and He is the restorer! Press on! Pastor Jeff Perry PRAY THIS PRAYER I give thanks to You God, for You are good, and Your mercy endures forever (Psalm 136:1). I thank You, God, that You shall supply all my needs from Your glorious riches, which have been given to me in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 NLT). I receive a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit and all that You have for me, God – salvation, deliverance, healing, love, and joy. I forgive everyone and will walk in victory all the days of my life, in Jesus’ name, amen. res·to·ra·tion, noun A bringing back to a former position or condition : reinstatement. A restoring to an unimpaired or improved condition. Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. “Restoration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restoration. Accessed 29 Jun. 2023. Print.