Restoration Mentality — Message 1: “Restore the Years”
The salient point of today’s discourse centers on the profound promise articulated in Joel 2:25, wherein God declares, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” This message, entitled "Restore the Years," is intricately designed for individuals who find themselves weary from the relentless passage of time, burdened by losses that appear insurmountable. We delve into the realities of loss—whether it be through personal choices, external betrayals, or the inevitable vicissitudes of life—yet we are reminded that such losses do not signify a finality. As we navigate this journey toward restoration, we will explore the necessity of repentance and the alignment of our lives with divine wisdom, emphasizing that true restoration entails not merely the recovery of what was lost, but the transformation of our very selves. Join us as we embark on this enlightening exploration of recovery and hope.
Takeaways:
- The concept of restoration is not merely about recovering lost time, but rather about re-establishing one's potential and hope for the future.
- Loss is a tangible reality that many face, but it is crucial to recognize that this loss does not have to dictate one's future or identity.
- Restoration necessitates a process of repentance and returning to a state of alignment with divine principles and wisdom.
- God's restoration is strategic, requiring a commitment to change one's patterns and behaviors in order to fully regain what has been lost.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker A:Restoration mentality.
Speaker A:Because some of you are tired of surviving and you're ready to start recovering.
Speaker A:You've lost time, you've lost money, you've lost momentum.
Speaker A:Maybe it was bad decisions, maybe it was betrayal.
Speaker A:Maybe it was just life swinging hard.
Speaker A:But hear me.
Speaker A:God is not just the God who brings you back to baseline.
Speaker A:He is the God who can bring you out better than before.
Speaker A:The Bible says, I will restore to you the years, not days, not weekends, your years.
Speaker A:And if you think that's too big, Scripture says he can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think.
Speaker A:Ephesians 3:20 tells us.
Speaker A:Now, in this series, we're going to talk real consequences, repentance, wisdom, and, yes, biblical prosperity.
Speaker A:That comes with purpose.
Speaker A:So if you're ready to stop grieving what you lost and start building what God promised, let's go.
Speaker A:So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.
Speaker A:Joel 2:25 Brothers and sisters, welcome back.
Speaker A:Today we're starting a series that is not cute, not cuddly, not let's just feel better.
Speaker A:This is a series for people who are tired of explaining why they're behind, tired of watching other people pass them, tired of looking at the calendar and feeling like life stole something from them.
Speaker A:This series is called Restoration Mentality.
Speaker A:Because some of you don't just need a fresh start, you need a holy comeback.
Speaker A:And I'm going to warn you up front, this message will mess with your excuses.
Speaker A:It will also resurrect your hope, because God is about to heal the part of you that keeps replaying what you lost.
Speaker A:Let me start with something simple.
Speaker A:Have you ever dropped your phone and you already know what happened before you even pick it up?
Speaker A:You don't even want to look.
Speaker A:You pick it up like this.
Speaker A:Slowly, with fear, like you're defusing a bomb.
Speaker A:And then when you see it, the screen is shattered.
Speaker A:Now, here's the painful part.
Speaker A:The phone still works, but you can't unsee the cracks.
Speaker A:You can still scroll, but everything is fractured.
Speaker A:You can still type, but it feels broken.
Speaker A:At some of you, that's your life story.
Speaker A:You're functioning, but internally you feel cracked.
Speaker A:You're making it, but you feel like time broke.
Speaker A:You're smiling, but there's a fracture behind the smile.
Speaker A:You say, I'm okay, but the truth is, yours were eaten.
Speaker A:Years of potential, years of progress, years of purity, years of focus, years of health, Euros of money, euros of favor, euros of relationships.
Speaker A:And the enemy loves one weapon more than anything.
Speaker A:He loves to make you feel and believe you can never recover what you lost.
Speaker A:But today I come with the scripture that doesn't negotiate with regret.
Speaker A:Joel 2:25 says, so I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.
Speaker A:Joel 2:25.
Speaker A:Did you hear that?
Speaker A:God didn't say, I will restore your week.
Speaker A:He didn't say, I will restore a season.
Speaker A:He said years.
Speaker A:That means God has the power to redeem a timeline.
Speaker A:So today's message is called restore the Years.
Speaker A:Now, let's talk like grown people.
Speaker A:Sometimes years are eaten because we made foolish choices.
Speaker A:Sometimes years are eaten because people did us wrong.
Speaker A:Sometimes yours are eaten because the enemy attacked.
Speaker A:And sometimes yours are eaten because life happened.
Speaker A:But no matter how it happened, I came to tell you your loss is real, but it is not final.
Speaker A:Let's anchor this in another verse.
Speaker A:Jesus says, the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy.
Speaker A:The thief is not coming to negotiate.
Speaker A:He is coming to take.
Speaker A:And one of the main ways he steals is through time, because time is the one currency you can't print.
Speaker A:Again, he steals time through addiction.
Speaker A:He steals time through bitterness.
Speaker A:He steals time through immaturity.
Speaker A:He steals time through destruction.
Speaker A:He steals time through sin that feels good for 10 minutes and costs you 10 years.
Speaker A:But the verse doesn't end there.
Speaker A:Jesus continues, I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.
Speaker A:And while the thief specializes in subtraction, Jesus specializes in abundance.
Speaker A:And Joel 2:25 is God announcing, I'm not only stopping the Devourer, I'm repaying what he took.
Speaker A:Let's build point 1.
Speaker A:The loss is real, but it's not final.
Speaker A:Some believers pretend loss doesn't exist.
Speaker A:That's denial.
Speaker A:That's not faith.
Speaker A:Faith doesn't deny reality.
Speaker A:Faith declares a higher reality.
Speaker A:Yes, you lost money.
Speaker A:Yes, you lost time.
Speaker A:Yes, you lost a relationship.
Speaker A:Yes, you made a mistake.
Speaker A:Yes, someone betrayed you.
Speaker A:But you are not the first person to lose something and watch God restore it.
Speaker A:If you read Joel carefully, you realize the people were in crisis.
Speaker A:The locust invasion was devastating.
Speaker A:It destroyed crops, meaning it destroyed their economy, their food supply, and their future plans.
Speaker A:And God speaks into that devastation and says, I will restore.
Speaker A:Let me say this clearly.
Speaker A:God is not intimidated by your deficit.
Speaker A:Your bank balance doesn't scare him.
Speaker A:Your age doesn't scare him.
Speaker A:Your mistakes don't surprise him.
Speaker A:And some of you are panicking because you feel late.
Speaker A:Listen to me.
Speaker A:God is not governed by your timetable.
Speaker A:He sits outside time.
Speaker A:He can accelerate, compress and redeem time.
Speaker A:One day with God can do what 10 years of striving could not.
Speaker A:So here's the one liner.
Speaker A:You may have lost yours, but you did not lose God.
Speaker A:And if you didn't lose God, you didn't lose your future.
Speaker A:Now let's get uncomfortable because biblical restoration has a doorway.
Speaker A:Repentance.
Speaker A:Restoration starts with repentance and return.
Speaker A:Not every loss is the enemy.
Speaker A:Some losses are consequences.
Speaker A:And the church needs to stop blaming the devil for what he did with our own hands.
Speaker A:If you spent irresponsibly, that's not witchcraft.
Speaker A:If you cheated and got exposed, that's not spiritual attack.
Speaker A:If you ignored wisdom and married chaos, don't call it a stall.
Speaker A:You drove into it with your hazards on now.
Speaker A:God is merciful.
Speaker A:God restores, but he does not restore pride.
Speaker A:He restores humility.
Speaker A:The Bible says, return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts in Malachi 3 7.
Speaker A:That's covenant language.
Speaker A:God is saying, you want restoration?
Speaker A:Stop running, come back.
Speaker A:This is why Joel 2 is very powerful, because the chapter includes repentance, language, turning, fasting, weeping, and returning to the Lord.
Speaker A:Let me speak to the person who keeps saying, God, restore me.
Speaker A:But you're still entertaining the same sin.
Speaker A:You want God to restore your finances, but you're still gambling.
Speaker A:You want God to restore your marriage, but you're still flirting.
Speaker A:You want God to restore your mind, but you're still feeding it garbage.
Speaker A:You want God to restore your destiny, but you're still lazy.
Speaker A:Restoration is not magic, it's not vibes, it's not affirmations.
Speaker A:Restoration is a language, is a relationship being realigned.
Speaker A:So let me give you a punchy will lie.
Speaker A:You cannot demand harvest while refusing to change the seed.
Speaker A:If you want different fruit, plant a different life.
Speaker A:Galatians says, do not be deceived.
Speaker A:Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Speaker A:Galatians 6, verse 7.
Speaker A:That verse is both a warning and a promise.
Speaker A:If you sow discipline, you will reap stability.
Speaker A:If you sow disobedience, obedience, you will reap favor.
Speaker A:If you sow generosity, you will reap supply.
Speaker A:If you sow righteousness, you will reap peace.
Speaker A:But you can't sow chaos and pray for calm.
Speaker A:So restoration begins when a man says, lord, I'm wrong.
Speaker A:I'm coming back now.
Speaker A:Point 3.
Speaker A:God restores strategically through wisdom and obedience.
Speaker A:Some people think restoration is God dropping a miracle on your lap while you remain the same person who lost it in the first place.
Speaker A:No, God doesn't just restore possessions.
Speaker A:He restores patterns.
Speaker A:He restores thinking.
Speaker A:He restores discipline.
Speaker A:He restores character.
Speaker A:Because if God gave you everything back but didn't change you, and you'd lose it again.
Speaker A:Proverbs says, commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.
Speaker A:Proverbs 16:3.
Speaker A:That means God restores in partnership with commitment.
Speaker A:So here's what restoration can look like.
Speaker A:He restores your finances through budgeting, skill and strategy.
Speaker A:He restores your opportunities through consistency and excellence.
Speaker A:He restores your favor through humility and honor.
Speaker A:He restores your years by compressing growth.
Speaker A:Suddenly you learn in months what took over others years.
Speaker A:But you must cooperate.
Speaker A:Let me give you another punchy one liner.
Speaker A:God will restore you, but he will not babysit you.
Speaker A:Some of you need to stop praying for what you're unwilling to plan.
Speaker A:Faith without works is dead.
Speaker A:If you want restored years, then restore your mornings.
Speaker A:Restore your focus.
Speaker A:Restore your habits.
Speaker A:Restore your boundaries.
Speaker A:Restore your prayer life.
Speaker A:Restore your word life.
Speaker A:Because God often restores the big things through the small things.
Speaker A:Let's bring it home.
Speaker A:Lesson 1 Stop narrating your life like the best part is behind you.
Speaker A:The enemy's favorite sermon is it's too late.
Speaker A:God's sermon is watch me.
Speaker A: Psalm: Speaker A:If you want restored years, you must treat days like they matter.
Speaker A:Lesson 2 Restore integrity to the budget.
Speaker A:If money keeps leaking, it's not always an income problem, it's a discipline problem.
Speaker A:And let's get biblical.
Speaker A:God is not obligated to multiply what you refuse to steward.
Speaker A:Lesson 3 Restore honor in relationships.
Speaker A:Some of you lost favor because you became familiar, disrespectful, entitled.
Speaker A:Entitled and inconsistent Favor is attracted to honor.
Speaker A:Lesson 4 Restore your spiritual hunger.
Speaker A:If you're dry, don't blame God.
Speaker A:Check your appetite.
Speaker A:You can't live on one Sunday sermon and call it spiritual health.
Speaker A:That's like eating once a week and expecting muscles.
Speaker A:Now let me speak like a watchman.
Speaker A:If you keep calling your consequences an attack, you will never change.
Speaker A:If you keep romanticizing sin, you will be hemorrhaging years.
Speaker A: The Bible says in Proverbs: Speaker A:But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Speaker A:Do you see that prosperity is connected to confession and forsaking?
Speaker A:Not confession and repeating confession and forsaking.
Speaker A:This is where restoration begins.
Speaker A:Let's slow down and go deep.
Speaker A:Question one to consider where Did I lose years through sin, laziness, pride, fear or distraction?
Speaker A:And what does repentance look like?
Speaker A:And two, what pattern keeps eating my life?
Speaker A:Is it spending?
Speaker A:Is it lust?
Speaker A:Is it anger?
Speaker A:Is it procrastination?
Speaker A:Is it people pleasing?
Speaker A:And three, if God fully restored me, would my character be able to carry it?
Speaker A:Or would I sabotage it again?
Speaker A:Sit down with those questions.
Speaker A:Don't rush them.
Speaker A:Let them work.
Speaker A:If you're listening to this and you feel that conviction, that's not condemnation.
Speaker A:That's the mercy of God called holding you back.
Speaker A:You can start again and listen.
Speaker A:Some of you don't need a new year.
Speaker A:You need a new mind.
Speaker A:Because restoration starts with a restored mindset.
Speaker A:So wherever you are, the car, the gym, bedroom, office, say this out loud, Lord, I'm coming back.
Speaker A:That simple prayer can shift a decade.
Speaker A:Let us pray.
Speaker A:Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to you with honest hearts.
Speaker A:We repent for wasted seasons, wrong decisions and stubborn detours.
Speaker A:We repent for blaming others when we need it to change.
Speaker A:We repent for sin that cost us time, money, space and favor.
Speaker A:Lord, according to your word, restore the years that were eaten.
Speaker A:Restore what was stolen.
Speaker A:Restore what was broken.
Speaker A:Restore what was delayed.
Speaker A:Heal, shame, break, regret and cancel the lie that is too late.
Speaker A:Give us wisdom, discipline and hunger for righteousness.
Speaker A:Bless the Lord of our hands as we walk in obedience.
Speaker A:And let our season, our next season, be stronger than our last.
Speaker A:Not for pride, but for your glory and the kingdom.
Speaker A:Impact in Jesus, mighty name, Amen.
Speaker A:Brothers and sisters, that's message one.
Speaker A:Restore the earth.
Speaker A:In the next message, we're going to talk about from loss to overflow, the God of Double.
Speaker A:Because God doesn't just fix what broke, he can bring you out with increase.
Speaker A:If this blessed you, share it with someone who's stuck in regret.
Speaker A:And remember, he may have lost years, but you did not lose God.
