God Restores Our Loss

Have you ever experienced God’s supernatural power in restoring loss? I bet you have. But if you have not, know this: God is in the business of restoration. It matters not whether it’s your money, business, relationship, marriage, health or any other things.

Jesus said, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10, NKJV)

The “thief” in this verse refers to the devil. His job description is to steal, and to kill and to destroy. If there is a devil loose out there you can expect to suffer some loss some time, especially if you have never taken God to be your refuge. Well, it’s not always the devil’s fault; I think about 99% of the time only. Somewhere else in the Bible we are told that the job description of Jesus is to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). So to put things in perspective, to have life … to have it more abundantly would have to include restoration of all things lost.

A few days ago I got to listen to Bill Johnson’s sermon that he delivered on Easter (Apr 24, 2011). I tell you, it was a sumptuous treat to the spirit. He gave many true-life testimonies as is his habit when preaching, but this time the testimonies on restoration are simply mind-boggling! I don’t know what word to use to describe them, let me relate just two of them to you as accurately as I can.

Bobby Conner, a fellow minister close to Bill’s ministry, once lost a pocket knife given to him by another fellow minister. The knife carried a lot of sentimental value to Bobby because it’s given to him by a good friend. One day some time after the loss, he suddenly thought about it and he didn’t know why but just blurted out, “Hey, I want my knife back!”  Instantly something fell out of the air above his bed and dropped on the bed in the centre of the room – it was his very knife! This incident happened a few years back and Bill had also shared it amongst many other testimonies about supernatural restoration by God in his famous 2008 Easter sermon.

A few weeks ago one of their students (Bill’s Bethel Church) lost his lap-top. It was stolen. The computer was of course valuable, but what he felt most frustrating was that the file of his college dissertation was stored in its hard drive. He didn’t get back his computer so he bought a new one. He had heard Bill share about the “I want my knife back” testimony. As he opened up the new computer, he said, “I want my dissertation back.” Guess what? He found his old file in the new computer! This is an astounding miracle! How would this be possible except it be God’s doing?

Take heart my friend, especially if you have lost something precious. This is my favorite verse regarding restoration:

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.

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. (Joel 2 :25-26, KJV)

(To view part of Bill Johnson’s Easter 2008 sermon, Click Here)

(To listen to Bill Johnson’s Easter 2011 sermon, Click Here or Click Here)