Restoration of Faith

1 Timothy 4:1–5 CSB

1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. 3 They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.

1. Lack of faith places you at the doorstep of apostasy

apostasy is the act of leaving behind, or straying from, your religious or political beliefs or your principles

Later times is not necessarily the end times

The word translated to later symbolizes the final in a series of events

There is another Greek word that means the last, final, finally

Then, the leaving faith doesn’t necessarily mean that the end is near because people were leaving the faith during Paul’s time

1 Timothy 4:1–2 The Message

1 The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. 2 These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth.

In other words, we are moving in that direction because people are still leaving the faith

The lack of faith causes people to leave the Faith

If we are going to grow in our faith, we must workout our faith

Faith without works is dead

There is a immeasurable benefit to getting involved with the local church ministries

We are calling for a Restoration of Faith

We must, first, repent for our unbelief

I am calling, again, on all Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors, Teachers, Church Leaders of all kinds, bishops, senior pastor, ministers, whatever title one has to repentance and to the restoration of faith—which, we call Authentic Faith

If you don’t know who you are then listen: if you closed your church or ministry down because of COVID you must repent, and do so publicly

I often told people that it is rare when one can leave a church fellowship; (the Lord called you into eternity, you moved out of the city, state, or if there is unrepented sin).

Any church leader that advised you, the believer to stay home for your safety, has sinned and is sinning and must repent

We are calling on the Restoration of Faith

2. We must close the revolving door of the Church

Revolving Door: used to refer to a situation in which the same events or problems recur in a continuous cycle; a place or organization that people tend to enter and leave very quickly

Here are some reasons people are leaving the faith/church

Too much negativity; church people tend to be judgmental

We must learn to speak life (if we have nothing good to say then say nothing)

Many will say, “I’m just speaking truth” however, that is a distorted truth.

The truth is that God made you to be the head, above only, a lender, a conqueror, an overcomer, to prosper, etc...

We have a tendency to speak what we see, we must learn to see with eyes of faith—Restore my faith

Hypocrisy—people can see through hypocrisy; we must be authentic in our faith

They leave because of grief—life is tough and sometimes is beats us down; we must learn to lift each other up even when it is our fault

Christians, unfortunately, can be ruthless when another Christian sins; Christians demand justice for another’s sin but cry for mercy on their own sin

The feeling of being forsaken—believers often feel forsaken; the sense of touch has been under a demonic attack; when leaders tell their people to stay away for their safety, that is the very definition of being forsaken

God will never leave you nor forsake you

Loneliness—many go to churches every Sunday and leave without being greeted; churches are failing;

Here is a story:

The little boy put on his clothes for the cold and then told his father, “Ok Dad I’m ready.”

His Dad, the pastor, said, “Ready for what?”

“Dad, it’s time to go outside and distribute our flyers.”

Dad replied, “Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s drizzling.”

The child looked surprised at his father and said, “But Dad, people need to know about God even on rainy days.”

Dad replied, “Son, I’m not going outside in this weather.”

With despair the child said, “Dad, can I go alone? Please!”

His father waited for a moment and then said, “Son, you can go. Here’s the flyers, be careful.”

“Thank you, Dad!”

And with this, the son went out into the rain. The 11-year-old walked all the streets of the village, handing out the flyers to the people he saw.

After 2 hours walking in the rain and in the cold and with his last flyer in his hand, he stopped in a corner to see if he saw someone to give the flyer too, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned to the first house he saw, walked to the front door, touched the bell several times and waited, but no one came out.

Finally, the boy turned to leave, but something stopped him. The child turned back to the door and began to touch the bell and pound the door strongly with his knuckles. He kept waiting.

Finally, the door was opened gently.

A lady came out with a very sad look and gently asked, “What can I do for you, son?

With radiant eyes and a bright smile the child said, “Lady, I’m sorry if I upset you, but I just want to tell you that God really loves you and that I came to give you my last flyer, which talks about God and His great love.

The boy then gave her the flyer.

She just said, “Thank you, son, God bless you!”

Well, next Sunday morning, the Pastor was in the pulpit and when the service began he asked, “Someone has a testimony or something they want to share?”

Gently, in the back row of the church, an older lady stood up. When she started talking, a radiant and glorious look sprouted from her eyes, “Nobody in this church knows me. I have never been here, even last Sunday I was not Christian. My husband died a while ago leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday was a particularly cold and rainy day, and it was also in my heart; on that day I came to the end of the road, since I had no hope and didn’t want to live anymore. Then I took a chair and a rope and went up to the attic of my house. I tied one end of the rope to the rafters of the roof; then I climbed onto the chair and put the other end of the rope around my neck. I then stood on the chair, so alone and heartbroken, I was about to throw myself off the chair, when suddenly I heard the loud sound of the door being knocked.”

So I thought, “I’ll wait for a minute and whoever it is will go.” I waited and waited, but the door knocking was getting louder and louder every time. It got so loud that I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

So I wondered, “Who could it be? No one ever comes close to my door or come to visit me!”

I released the rope from my neck and went to the door, while the bell was still ringing and the door was still being knocked on.

When I opened the door, I couldn’t believe what my eyes saw, in front of my door was the most radiant and angelic child I’ve ever seen.

He’s smile, ohhh, I can never describe it! The words that came out of his mouth made my heart, dead so long ago, come back to life, when he said with the VOICE OF CHERUB, “Lady, I just want to tell you that God really loves you.”

When the little angel disappeared between the cold and the rain, I closed my door and read every word of the flyer. Then I went to the attic to remove the chair and rope.

I didn’t need them anymore, as you see. Now, I am a happy daughter of the King.

As the direction of the boy, when he left, was to this church, I came personally to say thank you to that little angel of God who came just in time and, in fact, to rescue my life from an eternity in hell; replaced it with an eternity in God’s presence.”

Religion—I am confident that religion is keeping more people from the Kingdom of God that anything else; Christians are more interested in rules and regulations than in expressing Authentic Faith that produces Real Transformation

Another reason many leave the faith; Spiritual Confusion—How can we profess to believe in a God who heals and yet hide from a virus; how can we profess to believe in a God who give guidance and yet rely on the news and government to direct us; how can we profess to believe in a God who cares and protects us, but we depend on the government for our protection; how can we profess in the God of creation and yet run to man made science to answers; How can we profess to believe in the God of Truth and still preach lies, give ourselves titles that are lies, REPENT

A great apostasy happened in 2020; the devil did not do it; it was church leaders that cause it; REPENT for this great offense

People are confused by mega church leaders, and small church leaders alike; can God protect? Heal? Provide?

Close the revolving door

We call on the Restoration of Faith

3. We need faith when everything screams fear

God didn’t give you a spirit of fear

We need faith that moves mountains

We need faith that opens blind eyes

We need faith that loses the mute tongue

We need faith that opens deaf ears

We need faith that restores the lame to walking

We need faith that demands and gets healing

We need faith that pleases God

We need faith that speaks life in the midst of death

We need faith that brings the dead to life

We need faith that speaks those things that are not as though they were

(The enemy has taken this truth and corrupted it; there are those that call themselves men when they are women—the devil is a liar; those who call themselves “them” —that is spirits of legion because there are many)

We are told to wear a mask because its science; then, we are told to call someone by how they identify—if that is the standard, then I identify as a mask

We need faith that stands up for righteousness

We call the RESTORATION of FAITH

4. God is working it out for you

What the enemy meant for evil, God is turning it around

God’s at work in my life

I’m a work in progress

He is faithful

Romans 12:12 NIV84

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Our relationship with God produces the Fruit of the Spirit—Faithfulness

Abraham was faithful—not perfect, but faithful, he did not leave God

Moses was faithful—not perfect, but faithful, he did not quit just because people talked about him

David was faithful—not perfect, but faithful, he did not quit because of the many mistakes he made

Jesus was faithful and perfect, He never quit even when there was an opportunity, He said, “Don’t do my will, but your will be done”

We need believers that say, “Don’t listen to my complaints do your will”

Those that say, “Don’t listen to my crazy talk, your will be done”

Those that say, “I was offended and want to leave but your will be done”

We are calling a RESTORATION OF FAITH

5. Restoration of faith that works

Restoration: to receive back more than has been lost to the point where the final state is greater than the original condition

The main point of restoration is that someone or something is improved beyond measure

We need faith that works

Without faith it is impossible to please God

Titus 1:16 CSB

16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

James 2:17–18 The Message

17 Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 18 I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

James 2:26 CSB

26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

The restoration of faith will bring great miracles

Jeremiah 30:17 ESV

17 For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’

God is restoring you

The new you is better than the old you

People that knew you before will not recognize the new you

The latter will be greater

We are in the cusp of revival

We are calling on the RESTORATION OF FAITH

Authentic Faith that produces Real Transformation

Get to work in His House

Show your faith by what you do

Show your faith by your obedience

Show your faith by your giving

Show your faith by your fruit

Show your faith by your works

God is at work through your works

I hear the Lord saying, “The time for repentance is now. You have been given much but have done little. I have protected you and you have disgraced me. Once again, I will perform miracles for those who fear me, for those who abide in my, for those not ashamed to be called my own. Once again I will visit my people. Repentance will throw the windows open, the walls will fall and nothing will be impossible for those who believe my word. The time for repentance is now. Take the masks off. The mask of hypocrisy. The mask of deception. The mask of religion. The mask of godless spirituality. Once again, I will visit my children and will see them face to face. Once again, I will inhabit my people. The season of restoration is here. Once again, my children will experience great favor. Once again, nations will know that I am God and I care for my own. Once again, nations will call my children blessed because they purified their hearts through repentance. You will call on me and I will answer. Once again, my favor will be evident. Once again, abundance and numerous as the stars is here. Repent for the having an evil heart of unbelief. Once again, you will call on me and I will answer. Restoration is here. Restoration is now. Favor is now. Blessing is now. I am God I can do anything. I will turn the impossible in your favor. Seek me and I will reveal secrets. The time is now. The time is now.”