Restore final week

“Forward Restoration”

Opening:

Often when we think about restoration, we think in terms of restoring something to a past condition.

We can restore a piece of furniture, or a failing business, or even the restoration of health all have their reference point associated with a past state.

What if God’s restoration is pointed forward instead of backward?

Is the restoration of God more about returning to a prior state or growing into a more Christ-like state?

Living in the rear view mirror.

Hoping for a prior day robs us of stepping into God’s forward restoration.

I would suggest that God’s version of restoration is not to take us back, but rather to move us forward into a greater level of Kingdom living.

What will it take to move us forward?

[Jos 1:1-3 ESV] 1 “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.”

With each step forward, an ending is required.

In his book, “Necessary Endings,” Dr. Henry Cloud states:

“Getting to the next level always requires ending something, leaving it behind, and moving on. Growth itself demands that we move on. Without the ability to end things, people stay stuck, never becoming who they are meant to be, never accomplishing all that their talents and abilities should afford them.”

Dr. Cloud offers a variety of reasons as to why we tend to avoid endings:

We do not know if an ending is actually necessary, or if “it” is fixable.

We are afraid of the unknown.

We are afraid of letting go and the sadness associated with an ending.

We have too many painful endings in our personal history, so we avoid another one.

We do not learn from them, so we repeat the same mistakes over and over.

“After the death of Moses” . . .

Some endings are forced on us while other endings are of our own choosing.

The endings forced upon us tend to bring with them a variety of emotions. We are “caught off guard” and then required to sort through how to move forward.

For the endings of our choosing, although initiated by us, they also bring strong emotions.

Endings present a sense of finality.

“Arise” . . .

Keeping the inheritance in full view

An inheritance is based on an ending

A will is assigned at the time of the loved one’s passing

The thought of arising would indicate that a choice of the will must be enacted.

We must purpose within ourselves to arise.

This would indicate that each person was required to rise up within themselves for the sake of moving forward into God’s purpose and promise.

“Go over” . . .

“You” understood

This is personal

I would suggest that there is another reason as to why we do not “arise and go over.”

Vicarious Christianity—living our faith through the experiences of others.

Vicarious Christianity is a belief system where our relationship with God is dependent on the spiritual experiences, testimonies, or encounters of someone else rather than our own.

It’s when we rely on what others have said or experienced in their walk with God, but we lack a personal connection or relationship with Him.

We may attend church, hear about God’s faithfulness, or even be moved by others’ stories of miracles and answered prayers, but we remain at a distance, never fully experiencing God’s presence for ourselves.

Vicarious Christianity Will Not Sustain Us Moving Forward Into God’s Promise

1. Secondhand Faith Cannot Sustain Us

Hearing about God’s power and faithfulness from others can inspire us, but it cannot substitute for a **personal relationship** with Him.

The Israelites under Joshua’s leadership faced the daunting task of crossing the Jordan and entering the Promised Land.

They couldn’t rely on their parents’ stories of crossing the Red Sea; they needed to experience God’s miraculous provision firsthand.

2. Lack of Strength and Courage

The strength and courage required to move forward into God’s promise cannot be transferred from someone else.

Each person must develop their own faith and trust in God.

Joshua 1:6 reminds us:“Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land.”

Joshua needed his own courage and his own strength to lead the people.

The stories of Moses’ leadership, while inspiring, wouldn’t have been enough to sustain Joshua’s resolve to step forward in obedience.

Today, many Christians remain spiritually weak because their faith is not deeply rooted in personal encounters with God.

Without this foundation, they lack the strength to face life’s spiritual battles or the courage to cross over into the promises God has for them.

3. Encouragement is Not Enough

Testimonies of God’s faithfulness can be incredibly encouraging.

Hearing how God has worked in someone else’s life often stirs our hearts and gives us hope.

However, encouragement alone will not carry us through our personal trials. We need our own faith stories to stand on when life gets hard.

The Cost of Vicarious Christianity

1. Stunted Spiritual Growth

Vicarious Christianity keeps us spiritually immature.

Without personal encounters with God, we never grow in intimacy with Him.

We may go through the motions of religious life—attending church, hearing sermons, or engaging in worship—but if our faith is always secondhand, we remain spiritually stagnant.

When trials or challenges arise, those who have relied on the experiences of others often lack the depth of relationship needed to persevere. They fall away because their faith was never truly their own.

2. Weakness in the Church

The Church today suffers from a lack of personal engagement with God.

Many Christians know about God, but few truly know Him.

This disconnect weakens the Body of Christ because it produces believers who are ill-equipped to handle spiritual challenges.

When difficult times come—whether it’s personal loss, persecution, or temptation—those with a vicarious faith often fall away because they haven’t developed a personal trust in God’s faithfulness.

They’ve never learned to stand on God’s promises for themselves.

3. Missed Promises

One of the greatest dangers of vicarious Christianity is that it prevents us from fully walking into the promises of God.

Just as the Israelites had to cross the Jordan River by faith, we too are called to step into new seasons and challenges with personal trust in God.

But without a personal experience of God’s presence, we are often too afraid or too uncertain to step out in faith.

The result? We miss out on the fullness of what God wants to give us.

Until I receive God’s faithfulness at a personal level, I will always be restricted to the encounter of someone else.

Vicarious Christianity has cost us severely.

The Church today suffers as a result of people who have never encountered God at a personal level.

As a result when they are faced with the need to “cross over” they lack the needed strength and courage to do so.

[Jos 1:10-11 ESV] 10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 "Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, 'Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.'"

“Prepare”. . .

What areas of your life need to be prepared for the next season?

Are there lingering attachments to the past that need to be released so you can embrace the new?

“Possess” . . .

Are you ready to "possess" the promises God has given you?

What practical steps of faith is God asking you to take today?

As we move forward into God’s promises, let us remember this:

Restoration always requires an ending.

We cannot live on secondhand faith or stay anchored to the past.

True strength and courage come from personal encounters with God.

It’s time to “arise and go over.”