Last year was difficult for most all of us—a pandemic, an economic collapse, and political upheaval wrought havoc in many lives. The enemy may have robbed you of your peace, finances, health, or relationships, but God is in the restoration business. He will restore everything that has been taken from you.
This past Thanksgiving, I was returning to Dallas from Houston when I got a call from my neighbor. He informed me that my house was flooded. When my family and I got home, we discovered the service line in the toilet had broken causing major water damage and a huge fiasco. We got the mitigation company to come out and my insurance agent got us all situated. It was over a month of inconvenience and difficulty, especially this time of year.
The Bible says, “What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn for your good!” Before the flooding, I was contemplating having the house repainted and the carpets replaced in addition to some other repairs. See, God knows what we need, when we need it, and how to get it to us. My house is now fully restored, and it looks better than ever.
God knows how to restore everything–and not only does he restore it to its original condition. His restoration is always greater in quality, quantity, or both (Exodus 22:1). Our God is full of compassion and mercy. It does not matter if you made the mistake, or it was someone else’s fault, or life just happened, God will bring you out better off than you were before. Why don’t you trust and surrender to Him? He loves you and has your best interest at heart. The mercies of God are greater than any mistake you ever made. Rise up in faith and declare, “Father, restore!”
Do you feel like the enemy has consumed your years? Perhaps you suffered from a chronic illness, miscarriage, depression, the loss of a job, or a loved one? Let the word of the Lord strengthen your heart today. Our God is a God of restoration. He is most able and willing to restore what you have lost.
In the Bible, Joseph spent 13 years being mistreated, betrayed by his brothers, and put in prison for something that he did not do. It was not easy, but he kept honoring God with his life. One morning, the guard came to Joseph and said, “The Pharaoh wants to see you!” Joseph did not know the king because he was a foreigner and a slave locked away in a dungeon. You, too, may be sitting in a dark place feeling forgotten and overlooked. Do not be discouraged! The One who matters has His eyes on you. God will never leave you or forsake you.
When Joseph walked into Pharaoh’s magnificent palace, he must have felt intimidated. Nevertheless, God was with Joseph just as He is with you. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. The king was so impressed that he made Joseph second-in-command on the spot. Think about that! Joseph woke up that morning as a slave and went to bed that night as the Prime Minister over all of Egypt. God promoted and vindicated Joseph because our God knows how to restore!
Friend, you may have lost something valuable, but God is not going to let you end in a minus. Do not be discouraged by what is not changing. Make pleasing God your highest priority even when you do not see any improvement. Rest assured, God remembers you. Payday is coming. God has some destiny moments in store for you. He is going to thrust you to a new level of peace, joy, fulfillment, increase, and influence. God is going to restore your health, bring salvation to your entire family, and give you the nations for your possession. He will multiply you a thousand times more (Exodus 1:11 NLT). The right people will come looking for you. Promotion, opportunity, and vindication will track you down and follow you.
Now do your part and put your faith in God! When we encounter loss, it is easy to get discouraged, to settle where we are, and to stop expecting good things. I challenge you to get your hopes up and expect God’s best. Your expectation sets the limits for your life.
Jesus said, “Have what your faith expects” (Matthew 9:29). Let me ask you a question: What are you expecting in life? Big things? Small things? Or nothing at all? Learn to have a restoration mindset. Live each day filled with anticipation that God is going to bless you abundantly so that you can become a blessing to the world. My prayer is that you experience an unprecedented manifestation of His restoration in every area of your life in 2021. May His grace, profound peace, and divine protection cover you and your loved ones! Get ready for your year of restoration!
“We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance” (Psalm 66:12 NLT).
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