Restoration to Authority

ROARING LION

ILLUSTRATION

Many people have received, or seen someone, accidentally hit their thumb or finger with a hammer. The pain is an instant reminder that the nail, and not one of our appendages, is the proper target for the hammer to strike. Additionally, all of us have perhaps personally seen, or experienced, a sibling putting their hand on a hot stove. The reaction is immediate: hot stoves are for heating food, boiling water, or cooking something edible, but placing our bare skin on something hot enough to burn is not a good idea.

GALATIANS 6:7-8 says, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

SOWING & REAPING

Science simplifies this, stating, 'For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction'. In motivational speech it is plainly stated that, 'what goes around, comes around'. However, scripture is much more accurate, because, like planting a seed in the ground, you don't just receive that one seed back; you receive a harvest. Obviously, the farmer doesn't plant a kernel of corn only to receive a single kernel back. He receives a stalk of corn, with several cobs of corn, and hundreds of kernels on each cob, for every stalk grown from the single kernel planted.

1 PETER 2:19-20

"For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if, when you are buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if, when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

REPENT

We all mess up in life, even though we are Believers. However, a lot of the time, we create our own mess and want to pass it off, as someone else's fault, or blame the devil, for the consequences of our actions, and there are always consequences, good or bad. It's the principal of sowing and reaping.

1 JOHN 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".

RESTORATION = AUTHORITY

He restores us to a right relationship with Himself, which is the position of authority, where we can deal with things in the spiritual realm, now that we have made things right with our Father. We can then, in full confidence, 'submit ourselves to God [our Father], resist the devil, and he will flee from us' (James 1:7). Our adversary [opponent at law], the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour; whom we can resist steadfast, in faith (1 Pet.5:8-9).

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours