As I was seeking the Lord the other day, I saw a vision of a big patch of wounds on the forehead of a person's face. It didn't look good, and I didn't like it. I then prayed and asked the Lord what this means. Soon after, the Lord began to give assurance that He is here to re-constitute the face, and to restore the face to its original beauty.
"No matter how bad or terrible your 'wounds' may be, there is hope for restoration. Look to Me, and receive from Me, because your time for restoration is now!"
It's then that I realized this vision doesn't necessarily have to do with one's face, but rather, it speaks of any area in one's life that has 'defaced', 'deformed', 'deteriorated', or 'declined'.
Back to Joel 2:25, the word 'restore' here is 'shalam' in Hebrew, and it means 'to make complete, to make good, to be full again'. Indeed, whatever area in your life that has been 'eaten up' by the enemy, the Lord is here to 'shalam' you, and to make you whole again!
Another time this word 'shalam' appears in the Scripture is found in Isaiah 57:15-18 that says, 'For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has 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 forever, nor will I always be angry... I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts (solace/assurance) to him, and to his mourners."'
People of God, here's the key to receive the fullness of His restoration for you! See the word 'dwell' here? The Scripture says the Lord dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. This word 'dwell' is 'shakan' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'stay, lodge, inhabit, rest, remain'. I can therefore also say 'The Lord remains with him who has a contrite and humble spirit'. In other words, His presence remains with the humble, i.e. those who are yielded and surrendered to Him. And the next thing you see is His healing, His leading, and His restoration!
In Luke 6:6-10, the Scripture says, 'Now it happened on Sabbath, that Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered... And He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other'.
Here, 'right hand' speaks of 'the work of your hand', and the restoration that happened can also mean God restoring the work of your hand. By the way, the word 'restore' here is 'apo-kathisthemi' in Greek, meaning 're-constitute (in health, or in any area), re-appoint, re-designate, re-make, re-set'.
In Mark 8:22-25, the Scripture says, 'Then Jesus came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly'.
Here, 'a blind man seeing' can also mean God restoring His vision for your life. In short, restoration is turning all the 'de' to 're', returning you to whatever God has meant (purposed) for you to be!
People of God, just as you have seen in all the examples above, the Lord is saying your time for restoration is now!
What are some of the restoration you need now?
It may be due to:
- loss of trust (let the Lord restore people's trust in you);
- loss of rights (let the Lord restore what actually belonged to you);
- loss of health (let the Lord restore divine health/strength to you);
- loss of ability (let the Lord restore the work of your hands);
- loss of vision (let the Lord restore His vision for your life).
Last but not least, how about restoring your understanding of God's love for you?
Romans 8:31-35 says, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?'
Romans 8:37-39 continues, 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.
Therefore, no matter how badly you have 'blown it' in life, know that there is hope for your restoration. To man, it may be impossible; but to God, all things are possible!
Being in His presence is simply knowing that God is present (not absent) with you, and God is for you. And just as written in Isaiah 57:15-18, let us all return to His presence, because in His presence, there is the fullness of His restoration for each of us. Amen!
Being in His presence is simply knowing that God is present (not absent) with you, and God is for you. And just as written in Isaiah 57:15-18, let us all return to His presence, because in His presence, there is the fullness of His restoration for each of us. Amen!
