God of restoration (2023)
From Genesis to revelation, we see that God is a god of restoration.
Gen 41:39–43
How do you go from a prisoner to the second in command of an entire country that fast?
But God loves to restore and restore quickly.
And in the next chapter of Genesis Joseph is even restored to his family.
God’s heart is so set on restoration He begins the restoration long before we even know we need it.
Gen 45:6-8
Now let’s look at Job; Job 42:10
God actually restores twice as much as he had before.
God is not only the God of restoration, but He loves to restore things better than they were before.
Now think about the story of the prodigal son. Luke 15:21-24
Three different types of loss in these three stories:
Joseph was harmed and betrayed by others, but restored by God.
Job was harmed by satan Himself, but restored by God.
And the prodigal brought it all on himself through sin and selfish decisions, but restored by God.
God’s heart is always set to retore and to restore better than before and to restore quickly, no matter what caused the loss.
If God only restored slowly and in small measure then people would think it was just you working your way back. But God likes to retore so quickly and in such large measure that no one can deny it was God working.
Acts 3:6-10 God healed the man in an instant to make Himself known to all the people around watching.
Now let’s look at a few other scriptures as well that speak of God’s heart to restore.
Isa 61:3, story of Ruth, Psalm 30:11; Haggai 2:9; 2 Samuel 9: 1-8; Jeremiah 33:6; the story of Esther
So how do we walk in restoration? How do we begin 2022 moving toward restoration?
- Pray and ask for restoration.
- Make a list of things you want to ask the Lord to restore this year.
- Follow Jesus and Only Jesus
- Restoration will come from no one else.
- Walk away and renounce anything or anyone else you have been looking to.
- Claim your Identity and inheritance in God.
- Restoration can’t come if you don’t believe in it.
- Isa 61:7 This is our birth right as children of God.
- Be generous with what you have left.
- When you have suffered loss, a poverty mind set tells you to hoard what you have left. But a mind set on restoration says to be generous with what you have left.
- Proverbs 11:24-25
- Don’t take what has been restored for granted.
- We live in a microwave culture.
- We are used to things happening quickly.
- But don’t take it for granted when God restores something quickly.
- Give thanks for all the small steps you see along the way.