The Message of Restoration

1. The Message of Restoration What is Restoration ?? Why does God want to bring Restoration ?? Examples of How God brought Restoration Revival is a form of Restoration How does this apply to us today ?? Prayer for Restoration in your life (Physical and Spiritual)

2. The Message of Restoration • What is Restoration ??? • Restoration means bringing what deteriorated back into Good Condition. • Eg of an old house being restored back to good living conditions • Joh 10:10 (Msg) A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. • Meaning – The Real LIFE that we were supposed to have been living, has been stolen from us, through Deception !! • Jer 9:6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; throughdeceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. • Meaning the Reason why Jesus came to Earth was to Restore that what has been stolen from us !!! • Meaning we have ended up with: • Hatred • Strive • Bitterness • Jealousy • Perversion • Sickness • Disease • Death

3. The Message of Restoration • Paul pictures for us in Gal 5:22-23 the Restored State God intends for us to live in – via the “Fruit of The Spirit” • Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance….. • Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. • Rev 21:5 And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. • 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. • NOTE: Restoration isn’t just bringing the beauty back into earthly things and just restore what we’ve lost…. • It involves everything about the whole Creation of God that God wants to bring back to the LIFE He had intended right from the beginning in Genesis. • i.e. Every time God formed or created something it is written afterwards…and God saw that it was good.

4. The Message of Restoration • So we can ask now: Why does God want to bring Restoration ?? • God wants to Restore Everything back to its original Created / Formed State – ‘Cause it is all about His Glory to be revealed…!!!! • God promised to Himself in Num 14:21… that: • Num14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the LORD. • In other words – God wants to bring restoration for His Name’s Sake – in order to Bring Glory and Honour to Himself… • You can Read Ezek 36 – it is a great example of How and Why God wanted to send His Son in order to bring about restoration and healing and deliverance first to Israel but also to the rest of the world (which includes us today) • Eze36:21-23 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. • When God brings Restoration, the after effect will always be better and greater than what it was before the initial deterioration: • Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

5. The Message of Restoration • Throughout the Bible we can find examples of How God Brought About Restoration for various people and situations…. • Rebuilding of the Jerusalem Wall & 2nd Temple – after the exile to Babylon (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah & Ezekiel) – The Latter Glory will be greater than the Former Glory (Hagg 2:9) • Ezekiel 37 – The Dry Bones situation – where God Promises that He will bring Renewing / Revival for Spiritually Dead and Demotivated Israel • 1 Kings 17 – Elijah that came to the Widow in Zarephath – asking her to make him a cake first. When she did so – Elijah’s presence in her house has brought restoration for her and her son – as the oil and the flour didn’t run out until it rained again – and they could get food again. • 2 Kings 8 – Elisha had told the woman whose son he restored to life (see 2 Kings 4 the story as well) – to leave the land for 7 years as God is bringing about a Famine on the land. To which she obeyed and left everything behind. After the 7 years, she came back, and when Gehazi told the King about her, and her deeds as well as what Elisha did and said to and for her, the King RESTORED unto her everything in one go, as if she never left the land 7 yeas before..!!! • Jesus’ ministry – where he went about all of Israel doing good – healed the Sick, Cleansed the Lepers, Even raised the dead and casted out Demons. (Mark 9:17-27(The boy with Seizures) ,Luk 17:12-17(10 Lepers), John 9 (Man born blind), Mark 5:1-19 (Man with legion spirits), Luk 7:11-16 (The Widow from Nain whose Son He raised), etc… )

6. The Message of Restoration • Throughout the Bible we can find examples of How God Brought About Restoration for various people and situations…. • Zacchaeus – who climbed in the sycamore tree – trying to see Jesus. And when Jesus came to him – see his confession: • Luk19:5-9 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully….. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

7. The Message of Restoration • Revival is another form of Restoration • BUT: Revival is times of Refreshing – which comes from the Presence of God • It is to bring that what has been fainting and dying, to bring it back to LIFE… • Eg: Samson – after he had slain a 1000 men with the jaw of a donkey – he was about to die of thirst. (Judg 15:16-20) • Jdg 15:19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: • Isa 57:14-16 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. • Hos6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

8. The Message of Restoration • How does this apply to us today ?? • The First thing is I have to choose to Believe that God wants to bring Restoration into my life… • Mat 19:25-26When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. • The word Saved means – to be taken away, or deliver some one that is suffering, in time from Evil… To be preserved. • Meaning God wants to save us from the evil situations we’re in, and bring restoration and healing and deliverance and/or what ever else is necessary… • We can CLAIM BACK what has been stolen from us – by standing on scriptures like the following: • Pro 6:30-31 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. • Ezek 37 – When you feel down and lost, ask/prophecy for the Spirit of God, to BLOW over your situation, and to bring Healing and Restoration back into your Life. To bring Revival & refreshing. • Psa40 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. • Praise and Worship God – and Wait on and in His Presence • Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. ********** P R A Y E R **********