February 28, 2008

February 28, 2008

This morning I want to let you in on a little known secret. Well maybe it’s not that well hidden. Maybe it is just that most people in religious circles don’t really want to acknowledge it openly. It is found in Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” We love the second part about getting a pass to righteousness by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but we like to hurry past the first section that settles the whole sin issue once and for all. You were born a sinner! Psalm 51:5 makes this fact clear, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” There is no way around it! You were born in sin, and thanks to Adam and Eve, you inherited a fallen nature in need of restoration.

You need to be restored. Ephesians 2 show us what we were, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience…” Thank God you and I were given the second part of Romans 5:19, but it is our complete understanding of the first part that releases the power of the cross to us. We can fully embrace and appreciate the freedom from sin the cross offers us by realizing how doomed we are as human beings without it. I am going to try and keep this short but let’s dig a little deeper for a moment.

2 Corinthians 10:6 gives us a very interesting command, “And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” The word revenge in this text comes from a Greek Word “Ekdikeo”. It means to vindicate one’s right; to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like. What we are actually being commanded to do is demand a total restoration of ourselves to the original intent and design for which we were created. You and I actually seek revenge on the disobedient nature we were born into to by receiving the revelation of the cross, and Jesus’ sacrifice. You and I are commanded to be restored from the fallen nature of disobedience that brought sin and death to us all. We are further commanded in Galatians 6:1 to spread that restoration, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

There is an amazing prophetic promise found in Joel 2:23-27 regarding restoration, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately…” Up until now your experiences with God have been limited to your personal capacity. You have had a moderate flow of revelation, but you are getting ready to receive a downpour of power and purpose in a greater flow of revelation that you have ever even imagined.

Let’s read on, “…and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month…” YOUR RESTORATION FROM DISOBEDIENCE IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD HANDLE! YOU’RE GETTING WHAT WAS, AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE ALL AT ONE TIME!

“ …And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil…”YOUR RESTORATION FROM DISOBEDIENCE WILL BE AN OVERFLOWING MIRACLE!

“…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…” The word restore in this text comes from the Hebrew word “Shalam”. The word literally means a Covenant of Peace, and it is a verb or action word which denotes that God is the one who is doing something for you. He is the restorer!

GOD WILL REPLACE YEARS OF STRIFE AND AGONY WITH A COVENANT OF PEACE! THE FRUIT DESTROYERS HAVE NOT REMOVED THE ROOT ABILITY YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND PLENTY!

“…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. 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.”YOUR SHAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH PRESTIGE FROM MAN AND PRAISE TO GOD!

Today is your appointment with revelation. You are free from the Law of Sin and Death. Shed that cloak of failure right now and walk out into a world God created for you with dominion. Power and purpose!