The Restoration Years

THE RESTORATION YEARS

An Honour to be at a New Thing London

I honour your pastors Ayo & Susan-deborahs....really good good authentic and anointed people!

Looking forward to a good time in His word!

How many of you know the Word of God is priceless ---especially in helping us navigate seasons like this!

One Word from God can change the trajectory of your life for ever - ONE WORD received in FAITH can change a generation!

As I was praying about what to share with you all - I HEARD IN MY SPIRIT the word - RESTORATION

So I want to to take about RESTORATION Today - That God is a God of restoration and He is going to restore some things concerning you, the church, your assignment, your callings, your vision and more

HE WAS READING FROM JOEL 2 -

NOW THE BOOK OF JOEL IS A VERY PROPHETIC BOOK – SOME THINGS STATED IN IT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED

Now of course we have these iconic words we read Peter preaching in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Petecost

Joel 2.28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Powerful Text - A picture I believe of Gods intention of the church

We see this comprehensive outpouring on all flesh - no one excluded from His Spirit and Power - we see an inclusive operation of the Spirit - No Black Holy Spirit or white Holy Spirit or middle eastern Holy Spirit --- ALL FLESH

men and women being used by GOD - prophecy

Maidservants and Menservants engrafted into the ministration of the Spirit

We see Old men and young men operating together - This is the idea that ministry and church function shoukd be intergenerational… You dont despise the young because of their youth, you dont cast of and rebuke the elder because of their age....BOTH the old and the young functioning together to bring to pass God’s plan in the earth!

Again - THE INITIATION OF THIS OUT POUR WAS FULFILLED IN THE BOOK ACTS ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT

THEN JOEL SPEAKS OF THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD

30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 32 And it shall come to pass

THAT HAS YET TO COME TO PASS – I BELIEVE WITH ALMOST EVERY PROPHETIC BOOK IN THE BIBLE THERE IS APPLICATION FOR THE TIME IT WAS WRITTEN IN, BUT ALSO FOR THE TIME WHERE THE WORD WOULD FIND ITSELF- MEANING THAT BELIEVERS IN 1500/1600 - 1901/1940 COULD STILL READ ISAIAH, READ EZEKIEL, READ JOEL AND STILL DISCOVER THE HEART AND MIND OF GOD TO THEIR GENERATION!!

One of my pet peeves - when people read the Revelation of John and point to modern events with a modern undertsanding and say see ----without first understanding Revelation was not written to us or for us.... It must first mean something to first century Christians before we can begin to understand what it means to us!

YET Gods word is likened in the SCRIPTURE to a RIPPLE - An echo through time - and each generation receives the RIPPLE OF GODS WORD AND MUST receive what the Spirit is Saying to the church

SO what is the Lord saying to us in this generation through HIS TImeless Word!

Well for one thing - we glean from the text we just read- I want to use each and every one you by MY SPIRIT!!

Young OLD, Male Female - Black white, asian - If I can find a servant - I WILL POUR!

However as I just set up where we are going this is not where the Lord wanted me to camp this afternoon because I heard the WORD “RESTORATION”

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 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.26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

READ AGAIN “23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.”

I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING VERSE – HE HAS GIVEN THE FORMER RAIN MODERATELY

NOW THE NEW KING JAMES USES THE WORD FAITHFULLY – AND THE HEBREW SPEAKS OF THE WORD AS SOMETHING TO DO WITH GODS JUSTICE – HIS EQUITY THAT GOD RAINS ON – ( A SYMBOL OF PROVISION) - FAITHFULLY

YET FAITHFUL OFTEN TIMES IMPLIES CONSISTENT – BUT NOT ALWAYS ABUNDANT – GOD TAKES CARE OF OUR NEEDS CONSISTENTLY – BUT AS WE WILL SEE IN THE NEXT PASSAGE OF TEXT - THAT HE DOESNT ALWAYS WANT TO JUST TAKE CARE OF US MODERATELY OR CONSTITANTLY – Sometimes there are seasons where God says I want to ABUNDANTLY Bless you, Abundantly use you, Abundantly answer prayers....

SO HE INTRODUCES THE PHRASE THE LATTER RAIN…THE LATER RAIN

IN SCRIPTURE WE SEE TIMES WHERE THE PROPHETS WOULD DECREE THAT THE LATTER IS GOING TO BE GREATER THAN THE FORMER!

THE FORMER MAY HAVE BEEN MODERATE - BUT THE LATTER IS GOING TO CARRY WITH IT “FLOORS FULL OF WHEAT, AND VATS OVERFLOWING WITH WINE AND OIL!”

THE LATTER RAIN, THE LATTER PROVISION IS GOING TO INTRODUCE WITH IT A SEASON OF RESTORATION OF THE YEARS - AND WHAT THE LOCUST ATE, AND WHAT THE CANKER WORM DEVOURED – IS GOING TO BE RESTORED AND YOU SHALL EAT PLENTY AND BE SATISFIED!

SOMEONE DECLARE “I AM READY FOR MY SEASON OF PLENTY”

SOMETIMES YOU CAN EXPERIENCE IN YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK WHAT CAN SEEM LIKE LOST YEARS – YEARS OF LOSS, YEARS WHERE THE VICTORY IS NOT MATCH EXACTLY YOUR EXPECTATION – GOD IS FAITHFUL, GOD IS JUST AND PROVIDING - BUT IT ALMOST LIKE THE SEASON IS LEAN

WE COULD TERM THEM LEAN YEARS

It’s a period where it looks like nothing much is happening and sometimes as if nothing at all is happening!! It can be a very trying period.

When I think back over where we have come from - 2020 - the Pandemic, what it did to many careers,callings, businesses, churchs -----LORD we understand about the PIVOT---BUT FOR MANY THAT PIVOT WASNT PIVIOTTING THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO PIVOT!!

As a pastor I notice that many are shell shocked - struggling to shake off the affects of 2020 with 2022 running towards us at warp speed ---did we waste 2 years??

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE YEARS SEEM LEAN!

JOEL SAID THERE ARE YEARS WHERE THE LOCUSTS HAVE BEEN EATING

THE LOCUST – THE PALMER WORM, THE CANKERWORM, THE CATERPILLAR – THESE REPRESENT DISRUPTION TO HARVEST, EATERS OF FRUIT, CONSUMERS OF PURPOSE AND PRODUCTIVITY

ONE TRANSLATION OF THAT WORD – LOCUST MEANS THE SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE OF SOMETHING…YOU HAD IT AND THEN IT WAS GONE – YOU HAD THE MOMENTUM, YOU WERE AT THE CUSP OF BREAKING OUT LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND THEN HERE COMES THE LOCUST!!

Sometimes its happened to us so many times before we are looking for the LOCUST before they even arrive---- Its going to well now…wheres the locust!?

ANOTHER DEFINITION OF THAT WORD LOCUST IS INSIGNIFICANCE

IN THE LEAN YEARS – THERE CAN BE AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF INSIGNIFICANCE - DO I REALLY MATTER IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS? – WHERE AM I ON GODS TIME LINE AND PLAN - AND IT CAN HARD TO RECOVER FROM THESE ATTACKS OF THE LOCUST

Its a season where the spirit of comparison is on your neck - everyones doing better than you, moving faster than you, accomplishing more than you....I am really insignificant you know----and the result of that is a demonic withdrawal

THE LOCUST IS OUT TO DESTROY YOU WHICH IS WHY WHEN GOD SAYS I AM GOING TO RESTORE THESE YEARS – I AM GOING TO SEND A GREAT ARMY!!

YOU ARE NOT FIGHTING ALONE – AND IN THE YEARS OF RESTORATION ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT FEEL LIKE I AM IN THIS ON MY OWN, WHERE IS MY HELP – GOD SAYS I AM SENDING A GREAT ARMY TO FIGHT ON YOUR BEHALF!!

“I am not alone”...

ONE THING I HAVE LEARNT ABOUT THE LOST YEARS OR THE LEAN YEARS - IS THAT THE BIBLE NEVER IMPLIES THAT THEY ARE WASTED YEARS

IN FACT THERE ARE LESSONS THAT YOU CAN LEARN IN LEANESS THAT YOU CANT LEARN IN ABUNDANCE –

WHEN YOU HAVE TO TRUST GOD EVERY DAY FOR PEACE, FOR PROVISION, FOR JOY, FOR SOUNDNESS OF MIND, FOR WISDOM, THE ABILITY TO WALK IN AGAPE WHEN STORGE, EROS, PHILADELPIA ARE DEAD IN YOUR MARRIAGE…

THERE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF DISCIPLING THAT HAPPENS IF ALL YOU KNOW IS OVERFLOW, AND ABUNDANCE OF THESE THINGS!!

IT’S A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF DISCIPLSHIP TO OBEY IN GENEROSITY WHEN YOUR OIL IS LOW AND YOUR VAT IS NEAR EMPTY

To sow when the harvest never seems like coming

To open up your heart to love and commit when it seems all people do is take yoy for granted but the Holy Spirit wont let you quit!!

Its a different lesson in the moderate rain!

SO SOMETIMES THE YEARS OF THE LOCUST RUN CONTINGENT WITH GODS HAND UPON YOU, GODS FAITHFULNESS UPON, GOD TEACHING YOU HOW TO WALK IN MODERATE RAIN SO THAT WHEN RESTORATION HAPPENS YOU WONT SQUANDER IT OR TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!!

I WAS THINKING ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST – HE HAD A DIET OF HONEY AND LOCUST – IN THE WILDERNESS –

IN A PLACE OF LEANESS HE FED ON THE THING THAT CAUSED THE LEANESS….COME ON CHURCH THE LOCUST IS YOUR BREAD, THE CATERPILLAR IS YOUR MEAT -

THE KEY IS TO NOT BE SO OVERWHELMED AND DISCOURAGED THAT YOU ALLOW THESE THINGS TO SWALLOW YOU UP….NAH I WILL EAT YOU UP!!! I WILL FEAST ON YOU!

IT MAY HURT FOR MOMENT – BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO…I’M GOING TO ADD HONEY TO THIS LOCUST…I AM GOING TO ADD THE SWEETNESS OF GODS WORD TO MY DIET – KNOWING THAT IF YOU (LOCUSTS) ARE HERE – THEN RESTORATION, RESTITUTION, RECOMPENCE AND REWARD IS AROUND THE CORNER!!!

MY SEASON OF SATISFACTION IS HERE, MY DAY OF PLENTY IS HERE, I WILL REJOICE, I WILL BE GLAD!!

ISNT THAT WHAT HE SAID – HE SAID REJOICE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD ZION, BE GLAD, PRAISE HIS NAME

4 THINGS THAT GODS RESTORATION IS GOING TO DO I believe as WE CLOSE OUT 2021 and enter into a new year!

1. GODS RESTORATION WILL RESTORE YOUR JOY!

SO Many believers are angry, sad, depressed, offended, touchy, ready to clapback with impunity…Are we GLAD, ARE WE STILL JOYFUL

VERSE 23 – BE GLAD ZION - FOR SHOWERS OF ABUNDANCE ARE COMING!

(Chapter 2)

Be glad then, you children of Zion,And rejoice in the LORD your God;For He has given you the former rain faithfully,And He will cause the rain to come down for you—The former rain,And the latter rain in the first month.

REJOICE, SING PRAISE FOR PLENTY IS HERE!

ISAIAH 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

THIS 2020/21 I HAVE SIGHED A LOT IF I AM BEING HONEST – BUT SORROW AND SIGHING IS FLEEING AWAY!!

EVERLASTING JOY – JOY AND GLADNESS IS YOUR PORTION!

LETS ALLOW GOD TO RESTORE OUR JOY!

2. GODS RESTORATION WILL EXPAND YOUR INFLUENCE!

“Susan Deborahs - You are a influencer!

THE LOCUST COMES TO MAKE YOU INSIGNIFICANT – RESTORATION COMES TO EXPAND YOU

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

SPRINGING FORTH AND FRUIT BEARING, A STRONG YEILD OF FRUIT!

YOU ARE ENTERING INTO THE SEASON BLESSEDNESS AND FRUITFULNESS

Amos 9:13 says“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.

MESSAGE - Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree.“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people

God is saying allow me to enlarge, stretch, wide, do not hold back, lengthen and strengthen‘.

3. GODS RESTORATION IS GOING TO REMOVE YOUR SHAME!

Joel 2.26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

MY PEOPLE SHALL NEVER BE ASHAMED!

WHEN ISAIAH IS DEALING WITH THE BARREN WOMAN AND THE WIDOW IN CHAPER 54

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.

SHAME AND REPROACH OF THE PAST SEASON GETS LIFTED OF YOU IN RESTORATION! YOU ARE NOT TO FAR GONE – THE LOCUST HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE – RESTORATION IS GOING TO MAKE THAT SEASON LOOK LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED!!

RESTORATION – HAS THE IDEA THAT ITS BETTER THAN WHAT WAS BEFORE..

4. GODS RESTORATION WILL PUSH BACK OPPOSING FORCES!

WE READ EALIER ABOUT THE GREAT ARMY THAT GOD SAID HE WILL SEND

NO LOCUST THAT IS FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER!

"Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us." Ps. 44:5

Now often if we are honest the forces that oppose us/the enemies that resist us are not so much external but internal

I believe that in a season of restoration that we must allow God to do the deep work of our inner ailments and frailties- our inabilities and dysfunctions --- there is truly a grace to eradicate the enemy within!

This is why Paul said I will boast in them - because the strength of Christ is made perfect - GOD LOVES A RESTORATION JOB!

Talk about people that are good at renovations --- thats God in our lives!!

HE IS ROLLING AWAY THE SHAME - HE IS DESTROYING THE LOCUST - THESE ARE YOUR RESTORATION YEARS --- REJOICE

Right now lift up your hands and thank HIM FOR YOUR RESTORATION!