Restoration

” Whenever God restores something, He restores it to a place greater than it was before.” – Bill Johnson

As Im growing up and maturing into the woman I had envisioned and desired to be years ago, Im really starting to see and acknowledge the power of restoration. I am starting to see, how deep it is, and that indeed God truly restores us.

When God restores us, He gives us a clean slate, for us to start on ( I don’t think we fully understand how much of a clean slate He has given us).

Most of us who are “restored” (In essence I believe we are all restored as children of God) we don’t even understand it, we can’t comprehend it.

The reason is, some parts of us are still stuck in the past, still stuck on the things that we did to disappoint ourselves and God, a part of us is still living in condemnation of sins that we committed years ago.

A lot of the time we sit and ponder, asking ourselves why God doesn’t hear us ? Why He doesn’t heal us? why is He so far from us? why doesn’t He change us or change the situation we find ourselves in? A lot of these questions, He has already answered. We dwell so much on the things that are going wrong, stuck in the things we did in the past that were wrong, living in condemnation.

We blame ourselves and become remorseful over those things. In fact, the perfect word is shameful. We struggle to see ourselves and accept ourselves the way He has, we struggle to live life in this new and clean slate that He granted us through His restoration.

His restoration means that everything we lost in the midst of us sinning, going astray, back sliding, falling of the track, encountering adversities etc. His Brought back, His formed anew, He has rebuilt it, and therefore we should no longer dwell on it, no longer live under the shadow of that thing.

We really need to apply and understand what the scripture says, we need to believe it, we all read it but do we really believe that for us and our lives?

Romans 8:1

‭Romans 8:1-2 TPT‬
[1] So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. [2] For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death.

https://bible.com/bible/1849/rom.8.1-2.TPT

Have we really closed the case?
Have we really stopped accusing ourselves? ( when something bad happens to us or something we have always wanted doesn’t come to fruition, do we always go back and say it’s maybe because I sinned, Maybe it’s because I didn’t pray enough, maybe its because I was disobedient in that thing and now I’m being punished )
Are you really joined in a life-union with Jesus ( this is deep, a story for another day) ?

God is not out to get you and punish you. Please believe in His word. Please work on developing your relationship with him. Please open up to Him and be vulnerable with Him. Let Him in your life, all of it, allow him to deal with the parts that you have closed off, let Him enter and penetrate those closed chambers of your heart. That you only open when you’re alone and crying yourself to sleep.

He is here to heal you, to cover you, to be there for you, to guide you, to protect you. He wants to see you thrive, grow, walking in your purpose, living in His word ( as difficult as it may be at times), seeking Him.  Most importantly, He loves you, deeply, relentlessly, uncontrollably, and unconditionally.

There’s no bounds when it comes to God.

Please let Him in and accept His restoration.

Amen.

The Power of Thanksgiving and Gratitude

Thanksgiving is defined as the expression of gratitude, especially towards God. Its an expression of giving thanks.

As the children of God, we are well aware that there is power in being Gods chosen one, more so in the various conducts and principles we ought to carry out, as His children. When we speak of power, we aren’t necessarily only referring to strength in its physical form, however the word power means ” the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way. It means authority and being able to use it.

There is power in reading, and knowing the word of God, because of all the teachings, revelations, and guidance we receive from the word, that enables us to use it in our daily lives. There is power in prayer ( supplication, intercession etc.), Power in fellowshiping and for some of us in swallowshiping. We know that there is power in healing, Praying in the spirit and Salvation.

But often times we neglect this one particular action, in our lives and forget how powerful it is, and the amount of impact it has, not only on us but also n those that are around us. The power of thanksgiving and just having an attitude for gratitude.

Luke 17: 11-19 – The 10 Leapers

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.

This scripture is a perfect illustration of the Power of thanksgiving and also not giving thanks at all.

Why is Thanksgiving powerful

• Thanksgiving brings restoration. The word restoration means to bring back, to re-establish, to bring back into existence.
• Thanksgiving brings Joy, Peace and Happiness in your lives and soul. This is because you no longer focus on the things that are weighing you down, on things that are stressing you and overwhelming you. Instead your mind shifts and you focus on the positive, the good you have and that’s happening in your life.
• Thanksgiving brings contentment. Which is a state of satisfaction. I always say that, “live in contentment but not complacent.”
• Thanksgiving just makes you a better person in general. A better servant of God, better member of society, you become more aware,more helpful, more empathetic.
• Thanksgiving prevents one from taking things for granted, you recognise where you are now and how far the Lord has brought you. You begin to count your, countless blessings. You appreciate life more, and for what it is and worth. You seize to complain.

Colossians 2: 6-7

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Having gratitude and being thankful should be something we practice in our daily lives. It should be a way of life.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance” – Eckhart Tolle.