"The Thief Has to Give Back Everything He Took"

Preaching a sermon on the theme **"The Thief Has to Give Back Everything He Took"** is a powerful and profound topic that can connect with both spiritual and practical aspects of life. Here is an outline and some key points you can use in developing this sermon:

### 1. **Introduction**

- **Scripture Reference**:

- **John 10:10** - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

- **Proverbs 6:31** - "Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house."

- **Opening Thought**:

- There is a spiritual thief who has been stealing joy, peace, purpose, and blessings from people. But the good news is that in God's Kingdom, the thief has to give back everything he has stolen. God's justice demands restoration and even compensation beyond what was originally taken.

### 2. **Who is the Thief?**

- **The Enemy's Mission**:

- Satan is often depicted as a thief. His main objectives are to steal, kill, and destroy. He desires to rob us of our spiritual inheritance, our identity in Christ, our peace, and our God-given potential.

- **Examples of Spiritual Theft**:

- **Joy**: Many people find their joy stolen by the enemy through circumstances, disappointments, and spiritual attacks.

- **Peace**: Worry, anxiety, and fear are common tactics the enemy uses to rob people of their peace.

- **Purpose**: When we live in sin or away from God, we are often robbed of the sense of purpose and calling that God has for our lives.

### 3. **Restoration is God's Promise**

- **God's Character as a Restorer**:

- God is not only a God of justice but also a God of restoration. He desires to restore everything that has been taken from His people.

- **Joel 2:25** - "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten." God promises to restore even the time lost to destruction and pain.

- **Examples from Scripture**:

- **Job**: Job lost everything due to the enemy’s attack, but God restored his fortune twofold (Job 42:10).

- **The Israelites in Egypt**: After years of slavery, God commanded the Egyptians to give them gold and silver as they left, a form of restitution for the years of unpaid labor (Exodus 12:35-36).

- **Zacchaeus** (Luke 19:1-10): When Zacchaeus met Jesus, he declared that he would give back four times what he had stolen, illustrating the spirit of restitution and transformation when encountering Christ.

### 4. **Steps to Reclaim What Was Stolen**

- **1. Recognize the Theft**:

- Awareness is the first step. Many people live in a state of loss without realizing what has been stolen from them. We need to recognize the areas where the enemy has taken something from us.

- **2. Declare God's Justice**:

- **Prayer and Declaration**: Pray and declare that the enemy has no legal right to what belongs to you. Use the authority given to you in Christ to demand the return of what was stolen.

- **Matthew 18:18** - "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

- **3. Walk in Obedience and Faith**:

- Trust that God will restore what was stolen and live in obedience to His word. Restoration often comes as we align ourselves with God's will.

- **4. Be Open to God's Timing and Method**:

- Restoration may not always come in the form we expect. Sometimes God restores in different ways, through new relationships, opportunities, or inner healing.

### 5. **The Power of Restitution**

- **When We Have Wronged Others**:

- Restitution is not just about what the enemy must return to us but also what we must return to others if we have been the thief. If we have wronged, lied, or taken what was not ours, true repentance involves making amends where possible.

- **Luke 19:8** - Zacchaeus’s willingness to repay those he had defrauded is a biblical example of genuine repentance and restitution.

- **Spiritual Integrity**:

- Living in the light means making things right when we can. It is a reflection of a changed heart and a life transformed by Jesus.

### 6. **Living in Victory**

- **Christ's Victory Over the Thief**:

- Jesus has already defeated the enemy. Through His death and resurrection, He disarmed the powers and authorities (Colossians 2:15). We now have access to a life of abundance because of what Jesus did on the cross.

- **Claim Your Inheritance**:

- Remind the congregation that they are children of God, heirs with Christ. They have a divine inheritance that the enemy has no right to steal.

- **Romans 8:17** - "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."

### 7. **Conclusion and Prayer**

- **Encouragement**:

- Encourage the congregation to stand firm in their faith and declare the promises of God over their lives. No matter what has been taken, God is able and willing to restore it.

- **Prayer for Restoration**:

- Lead a prayer for those who feel like they have lost something due to the enemy's schemes—whether it's peace, joy, finances, health, or relationships. Pray for God’s restoration and declare that the thief has to give back everything he took.

### **Closing Thought**

- Let this be a declaration of faith: **"What the enemy has stolen, God will restore. The thief must repay, and we will see God’s justice and abundant restoration in our lives."**

This message is both a reminder of the spiritual battles we face and an encouragement of the hope and justice found in Christ. It speaks to God's power to redeem and restore everything that has been lost or stolen.