Jesus is in the Restoration Business: Call Out to Him!

"But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore." (Isaiah 42:22)

I have lost so much time and so many opportunities because of false teachers and wrong teachings. For nearly two decades, I was in bondage to the Alcoholics Anonymous Cult, and the further perversion which taught me that Jesus and Bill W. are complementary movements.

Since studying the fullness of the Gospel of Grace, I recognize now that AA is a destructive cult, one based on lies and misapplied Scriptures, teaching men that they can "recover" from their moral failings, or is it a disease of the body? A disease of the mind?! The writings and rhetoric of the program are so convoluted it's hard to distinguish.

At any rate, I spent nearly two years of my life in bondage to this awful program, convinced that I had to spend every day taking my inventory, living a life of constantly keeping short accounts, working hard to stay one step ahead of my sins.

Yet the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7-9). It's the perfect, divine, never-ending tide of sinless blood. Where does anyone get the idea that we are forgiven only when we confess our sins?

Since when did anyone get this idea that we are good enough to overcome the hardships in our lives? Not only that, but the wrongs which other people have done to us are not necessarily our fault, too. Yet AA teaches its members that they have a part in every bad thing that has happened to them.

When Jesus died on the Cross, he not only took our sins, but He paid for restoration for all our losses. Jesus enacted a New Covenant for us, in which God is now our God, and He is ready to step into any situation, to help us with any need.

This is our God, and through His Son we are today more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Now I am learning that in spite of all the lost time that I endured because of false teachings, because of pain and condemnation, I can expect restoration for all those losses!

Consider that even under the Old Covenant, our Daddy God provided a means by which we would have restoration:

"18And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed." (Exodus 21: 18-19)

Satan is our "Adversary", and he seeks to strive with us all the time. The lies and distortions that he pushes upon us may have wounded us in the past, but we can expect full restoration of our time and we can expect a full healing.

Jesus paid for all of it!

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

and

"For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them." (Isaiah 61:7)

It's important for us to claim this restitution for ourselves. Jesus is in the restoration business. Call out to Him!

Labor to Enter His Rest

"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:11)

In the last two weeks, I have begun to learn what it means to "labor" or work diligently to rest, i.e. to believe God, to take God at His Word that He has indeed taken care of everything in my life.

The initial context, or the account in the Old Testament which reveals the type, refers to the Promised Land, and the moment when the Israelites had arrived at the border in Kadesh-barnea.

Instead of simply taking God at His Word, Moses sent in 12 spies. For forty days, they searched the land, but after their tourney in the Promised Land, 10 gave an evil report:

"32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13: 32-33)

The report had a terrible effect on the Israelites:

"1And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night." (Numbers 14:1)

Instead of taking God at His Word, they believed the Timid Ten. Such unbelief. God told Moses that none of them--except for the two spies who gave a good report--would enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14: 20-24)

They wouldn't believe!

The writer of Hebrews outlines what happened:

"1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4:1-2)

They didn't believe! They went with the evil report.

In fact, in our lives, we will find evil reports abounding around us, both from friends as well as enemies.

We need to accept that there are going to be troubles facing us in our lives:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation ..."

Jesus answers:

" ... but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

He has given us His peace (John 14:27).

He just asks of us one thing:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1)

Now, our hearts will have troubles pressed in.

How do we respond?

"6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Peter invites us to keep casting our cares to Him. Every time there is a care that tries to afflict your heat, cast it to Him!

That is the labor as we enter into God's rest!

It's a challenge, but it's worth it--a work of not working, but believing on Him whom the Father has sent to us (John 6:29)

God is Busy Avenging His Beloved: Do You Believe Him?

"And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?" (Luke 18:7)

Do you feel that there is great injustice in the world?

It's a fact of this life. There is great injustice, because from Adam's fall to the present day until the Son of Man returns again, evil is still in the world, and Satan remains the prince of the air.

We need to remember, however, that Satan has been judged:

"1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" (Zechariah 3:1-2)

Jesus told His disciples during His earthly ministry that the prince of the world would be judged:

"8And when he [The Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16:8-11)

We need the Spirit of God to minister to us, that the prince of the world, Satan, has been judged!

But we tend not to believe it, do we?

We see hurt, we see injustice, we see terrible things happening in the world around us, and even to us.

What are we to do?

Believe on Him! (John 6:28-29)

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19)

More informed translations read "The wrath of God", because the original Greek reads "give place to the wrath", i.e. the wrath of God.

Let Him handle the hurts that have been done to you. God is in the restoration business. That word "Repay" covers not just meting out punishment, but restoring to those who have lost.

"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you." (Joel 2:25)

But will we trust Him to do so? Do you believe that He will restore to us? Will you call on Him to restore? (Isaiah 42:22)

Indeed, it is a labor for us to enter this rest, a rest in which God will restore all things to us.

But He promised, didn't He? His Son shed His blood to purchase that for us, too!

We Receive His Grace No Matter How We Feel

I have to return to this revelation over and over.

No matter how I feel, Christ Jesus continues to shed His grace on me.

For years, I used to think that I had to feel a certain way, that I had to be "free of anger" in order for God's word, will, and wonder to work through me.

That is simply not true. I can feel any way, even if I am overwhelmed with hurt and anger, and God does not stop blessing me.

The world is still filled with people who are angry, hurt, bitter, etc.

It's OK to be angry, and even if we struggle to release our upset, God's grace is still showering on us.

I used to spend so much of my time trying to feel better, in the sense that I wanted to get rid of the murderous thoughts, the wrathful feelings, all that fleshy stuff.

The truth is that God's grace flows in our weakness, though, and I don't have to struggle to get rid of bad tendencies. When I focus on Jesus, He changes me:

"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." (Psalm 17:15)

and also

"17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

and finally

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

We receive His favor, which in turn takes from faith to faith (Romans 1:17), and transforms us from dependence on ourselves. No matter how I feel, He still loves me. The more that I understand His love for me, the more that I am transformed!

Rule in the Midst of Your Enemies

"The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." (Psalm 110:2)

A king does not have authority and dominion in the land because there are no enemies.

It does not matter whether people opppose him or support him, just a man is head of the household not because his wife submits to him. God ordained the man to be the head of the household. He gave him that authority.

In the same wise, we must recognize that we are in Christ today, that we are seated with Him, at our Father's right hand because of Him:

"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1:19-23)

Notice how God the Father put everything under His Son's feet.

And we are in Christ today, seated in Him at the Father's right hand:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 4-6)

God has made us kings and priests in Jesus (1 Peter 2:9), so we now identify full with Christ Jesus (1 John 4:17)

Our royal kinship has nothing to do with the enemies in our midst.

Let us never think that all our enemies must be gone so that we can reign in His life (Romans 5:17).

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Psalm 110:1)

and also

"The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways." (Deuteronomy 28:7)

How can our enemies flee in seven ways ... if they don't come at us in the first place?

There can be no spoils without enemies seeking to make war against us, can there?

"24And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 25And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much." (2 Chronicles 20:24-25)

Jesus Revealed God as Father, Our Righteous Father

"O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me." (John 17:25)

God is our Father.

That was something that Israelites during Moses' ministry, and that the Israelites during Jesus' earthly ministry did not know.

Consider how Moses spoke about God to the Israelites right before they entered the Promised Land:

"And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place." (Deuteronomy 1:31)

Notice that Moses did not say "As a father doth bear his son ..."

That stood out to me.

The Israelites then, under law, under the Mosaic covenant, could not see God as Daddy. He was distance, far away because of sin, and the law was put in place for offenses, until the fullness of time, when God's own Son would be born to us, to redeem us of our sins and grant us His life.

Jesus revealed God as Father, as Daddy!

"And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14:36)

Jesus called God the Father "Abba" or Daddy before He died on the Cross.

After He died, then rose again and appeared to His disciples, He declared to them:

"Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17)

Jesus said this to Mary Magdalene, who had come to Jesus' tomb expecting to find Jesus dead.

He was alive--He is ALIVE!--and notice how He referenced His disciples:

"My brethren."

Why?

"I ascend to my Father and to your Father."

Jesus fulfilled the adoption of our spirits, that we could call on God as our FATHER!.

Today, I want you to see that not only is God our Daddy God, but He is our righteous Father.

He is faithful and just in forgiving us of all our sins, and granting us His Spirit:

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

and

"To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:16)

This is something new about God's character that I need to still learn. Our Daddy God is righteous, and our foundation as His sons is based on a righteous, blood-bought foundation!

AMEN!

Joseph Prince, Sermon Notes March 15, 2018

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The literal Hebrew word there is embroidery. (Psalm 139:15)

The spirit of a man will sustain his through infirmity but a broken Spirit who can stand? (Proverbs 18:14)

2nd Corinthians 5:17--All things have passed away all things have become new.

Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart. Your face is the flag that notifies that your heart is at peace

Proverbs 15:13, remember that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

In the above proverb the word for sorrow is the same word and Isaiah 53:4, in which Jesus bore our sorrows.

Rejoice in the lord always, and again I say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

If everything is perfect around me all the time, where is the opportunity to exercise faith?

Psalm 129:3 here we see how the Roman cat-of-nine-tails Shred-it tore up his back. Very long stripes.

Deuteronomy 25:1, Jesus became sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We have been justified by God

If we want the benefits of the stripes that Jesus bore for us, we must take his place as the righteous one.

1st Peter 2:24, by whose Stripes you are healed. We are dead to sin. Live to righteousness righteousness is a gift. Righteousness is a noun, not a verb.

Ecclesiastes 9:7: Eat bread with joy and drink wine with a merry heart. Let your garment be white, righteousness that you had like no oil, moisture righteousness. Communion, Eucharist, Thanksgiving and great joy. Take it in Great Joy.

Great anointing covers our heads.