vinecast

Transcript:

Hallelujah. I want to share with you tonight, going straight into my word about rest. I want to take you from a place of rest to restitution. I don't know if the guys have a few slides I gave them. Tyler is a bit late, but we're gonna be talking here. I want to show you that restitution is God's promise for each one of us.

He hasn't forgotten about you. Don't worry. Amen. But the key to get restitution is to enter the rest. So when we rest, we get restituted. Are you seeing my play on words here? And so we don't get restituted by trying, by, struggling by, um, you know, uh, using our own effort. We get restituted when we rest in the work of Christ, when we look to what he's done rather to what we've done.

And just to remind you, I'm giving you an introduction and then I'm gonna give you five quick signs to see if you are at rest. So you'll be able to see if you are in the right place tonight. Amen. But just to remind us to lay a foundation, there's three things we've been learning about restitution up until now.

First of all, we've learned that it is the heart of the gospel. Uh, God wants to rest his people, not because we deserve it, but because he's such a good and loving, and caring and wonderful God. Thank you for your amen. And there are so many stories in the Bible. Is everybody understanding my English? Give me a wave or a thumbs up, or, you know, have mercy.

No. So I think most people are understanding everybody else has got, uh, earphones. Is that right? Okay. So there are many stories in the scripture that show the principle of restitution. One of them that came to my mind earlier is the story of Naiman. Naman, as you remember, had leprosy a terrible disease that literally made his skin and his flesh grow old and become insensitive and even fall from his body.

Terrible thing. You remember the story. He was healed when he dipped seven times in. Jordan in Israel, who remembers that story. But what's interesting, the Bible doesn't say that he was just healed, but that when he came out of the water, his skin was like a baby child. So in other words, it was more than a healing.

It was a miracle because God rero the clock to give him skin as if he was just a baby boy. That's restitution. He got much more than what Healing said he got. Uh, 10 times more, seven times more. You understanding the principle? Think of Joseph now. A great story too. He started off in his father Jacob's house as the favorite son.

He went through all that trouble because his brothers betrayed him because Potiphar's wife falsely accused him and he passed through 13 years of suffering. In prisons and as a slave. But at the end of it, he wasn't restored to Jacob's house. He was restituted to Pharaoh's house. He didn't just become Jacob's favorite son.

He became the most powerful man on the face of the Earth's favorite son, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So you can see restitution is more than just being restored to your former place. We have all sinned and fallen from the glory or the standards of God. That's what scripture says, but in the salvation package in Christ Jesus, he doesn't just take us back to our former position in Adam before we fell.

He actually takes us to a much higher place and puts us now in Christ Jesus, not in the Garden of Eden, but in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. Adam. Remember he had the glory of God in him, but we, excuse me, upon him to cover him, but we have the glory of God in in us. Adam walked with God in the cool of the evening.

We walk with God 24 hours a day. Adam had God come and visit him. We now have God dwelling in us. Adam could always make a mistake and fall. We may fall, but we can never now be detached or thrown out of the presence of God because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Our position is far greater, far superior than Adam's.

That's restitution. So restitution means that your future is so much better than your past. I don't know what your past was, but I'm here to say God in his glory, in his goodness, wants to do wonderful things for you. I was just meditating during the worship time, as we do, as our minds are flooded with the high thoughts of heaven.

I. And it was as if I could see the father and the son and the spirit planning out mankind and, oh, remember, they can't be surprised by anything. Satan is far beneath their feet. I believe that they created us with this enormous heart to see us have the most glorious, glorious life. Because they are glorious, glorious beings.

Oh, with what joy they made us. Oh, with what joy they redeemed us. And now will ute us say amen. So some of the scriptures, we've based this message restitution on Joel chapter 2 25. Pastor Ralph spoke about it yesterday. I will repay you for the lo. The years the locusts have eaten. You will have plenty to eat until you are full.

Who likes to eat until they're half full? So we're not talking about survival here. We're talking about abundance here. Amen. Another great scripture, instead of your shame, you shall have double honor and one of the most extraordinary ones under the law, Exodus 22 and one, if anyone steals your ox or sheep, he shall have to repay five oxen for one and four sheep for one sheep.

So you lose one sheep, but you get four back. That's restitution. Now when you know that God watches over his word to perform it, if you, if you go through a time of loss or of problems, you don't panic anymore, you know that God is setting you up for much more blessing in the future. So rejoice in your trials and your tribulations when things go wrong, uh, say to your wife, say to your kids, get ready.

Get ready. Get ready. God's got something good for us. Something much better than we ever had before. Hallelujah. Now, just remember this, that there is a basis for this restitution. It's not just positive thinking. It's not just a nice way to encourage people. You see, restitution is based, it has a foundation on the work of Jesus Christ.

One of the greatest revelations that Paul says so succinctly in the book of Romans is that we're sin abounds. Grace abounds so much more, or as one translation says, it's super abounds. So, in other words, gr sin put us into debt, but God's grace doesn't just pay the debt. It leaves us in credit. Are you following?

We are not just forgiven sinners. We're not just people with quitted debts. We are a new creation in the image of Christ Jesus. A glorious new being here on planet Earth that has never existed before. Eternal reflecting the glory, filled with the glory and destined for glory. Say amen. Remember again, the basis of the gospel.

This is Paul in Romans four and five, but to him who does not work but believes on him, who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. The word accounted. There literally is an expression that accountants use and you know, accountants, they have a, on the left hand side of the page, your debits, your outgoings, and then on the right side your incomings.

So Paul here is talking literally in legal financial language. He's saying, look, you might have got all this debt, but into the entrance, the incoming, the income is so much more. Well, why is that? I'll tell you why. Because the blood of Jesus is much more valuable than all the sins of the whole world.

Hallelujah. You understand, you've been purchased, you've been redeemed. A price has been paid for you more than your debts to give you credit for the whole of eternity. Say Hallelujah, somebody today. So that gives us faith, doesn't it? To believe for good things. Now, the second thing we learned about restitution is this.

We don't need to struggle to get ahead. We don't need to struggle to be restituted. In fact, the gospel message shows us that we are inserted into a finished work. I'm moving quickly today 'cause I've got a short time. If you, you see, the Garden of Eden represents Jesus Christ. Remember the word Eden means delights.

It's the place of delights. Jesus Christ is the delight and the desire of our hearts. Say, amen. If you remember, God made the world in six days. He made the world and only at the end of making all things did he make, man. Why is that? Because all things were made for man. When everything was ready, he made, man, he saw that all things were good.

But when he saw, when he made man, he saw all things were now very good or completed total satisfaction, and therefore he stopped working and he rested on the seventh day. Say Amen. Hallelujah. Like an artist who finished his painting. He finally sits down and rests. Then he takes, man, you can all read all about it in Genesis chapter two, and he places man into Eden.

Okay? He placed him into a finished work man. Didn't need to sweat to get Eden functioning. Man wasn't made and then put into a factory. He was put into a garden, a place of rest, a place of delights, of aromas, of flowers and of beauty. Say amen. So the last day of God was the first day of man. God's day of rest was what Adam was inserted into.

Who's following the principle Now you know the story. Adam sinned and because he's sinned in a sense, God had to get up from his rest and work again. To redeem, man, it took a lot more than six days. It actually took thousands of years for God to produce of people into which he could bring his son to be a messiah, a redeemer for the world.

It took words to create the world, but it took blood to redeem us. Say Amen, somebody. Hallelujah. So God worked. Jesus said, I must work. My father is working. I must work. But there on the cross, he finished his work and that's why he declared it is finished. Hallelujah. And now we read in scripture that because of that.

He has sat down. Listen to what the scripture says in Hebrews chapter one and three. When he had purchased, or excuse me, when he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. When did he sit down? When he had purged us from our sins. Hebrews follows that on from that time waiting.

Oh, excuse me. And every priest stands ministering daily, the priests of the temple. Offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. Hallelujah. Jesus sat down where? Why did he sit down?

Because the job was done. You go out to work. You work a hard day. You come in from work, you arrive at home. What do you want to do? You want to head for that sofa? What do you call it here? City couch. Couch. You head for that couch, don't you? And you slab out. You sit down. Why? Because the job's been done.

Hallelujah. Say to your neighbor, the job's been done. So Jesus has finished the job and he's finished it forever because it was one sacrifice for all of sins forever. Amen. Past, present, and future and for everyone who believes. Again, with, with more time, we could look at those wonderful principles comparing Jesus with the high priests of Mo under Moses of Levi.

You know, in the temple, they had lots of pieces of furniture, but they didn't have a chair. Why? No chair? Because their job was never done. Every year, every day they had to repeat their sacrifices. Why? Because the sacrifices of animals could only cover sin, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ takes away sin.

Say to your neighbor, your sins are taken away forever. That's our message. It's the same as John the Baptist. Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of all the world. Hallelujah. That's what we declare to everyone. Amen. And so this is the kind of, this is the second thing that we need to, that we've understood about restitution.

It's not something that we try to get. It's try. It's what we we receive because of him. Amen. Actually, what the scripture then goes on to say is that we are now seated with him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus say, amen. So he has made us, in other words, sit with him, watch the scripture again. I dunno if you've got it in Ephesians two and six, he raised us up together and made us sit together.

What we need to do in church. Can I tell you what all preaching is about? Huh? It's to make you sit down. Have you ever had a disobedient child who's always running around, making a mess, huh? Causing a disturbance? And what do mom and dad say? Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. God's doing the same with us. Really.

Because we'll see in a moment when we stand up, he sits down. But when we sit down, God stands up on our behalf and he does great things for us. And really, that's the third point here we've learned. That when we rest, God works. And this issue of sitting down is the sign of being at rest. So whether you read about resting or sitting, it's synonymous.

It's interchangeable in scripture. Amen. So the big challenge then in life, and we're gonna look at the signs now, the big challenge is for us to rest no matter what happens. Amen. Rest, no matter what you are facing. If you think about it, the enemy of our souls wants to get us out of the place of rest. You see, if God's working while we are resting, then Satan wants God to stop working for us.

So what he does is he gets us out of a place of rest. I'm preaching, Ben. You're shouting. But I'll continue for the moment. I've still got 35 minutes. The clock hasn't started. I'm in, and that's why. That's why this is the big challenge and it's so subtle of the enemy. Okay, so subtle of the enemy. Let's just, uh, look at what, um, Hebrews says about resting.

You see all the, these promises of restitution are for us today, but we have to rest in order to recede. Hebrews four, one. Therefore, since the promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest any of us of any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed, the gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but the word of God, which they heard did not profit them.

Imagine that it didn't profit them. They heard it, but it didn't work for them. Many Christians, it's the same today. They hear it, but it's still not profiting them. Why? Because it's not mixed with faith like Pastor Rav said in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, say amen. And then in verse 10, for he who has entered his rest, has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his.

Therefore, let us be diligent to enter the rest. That's the big challenge to rest. I want you to breathe deeply. Breathe deeply. I. And say, rest. Rest. Amen. Another modern way to say it is, don't worry, be happy. That's a good thing to say to your neighbor, isn't it? Say to your neighbor, don't worry. Be happy.

Every little thing is gonna be all right, but watch this. Watch how the devil tries to stop us from being blessed. One Peter five and six. Scripture says, therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. Be sober.

Be vigilant because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. So in other words, the devil devoured those who don't cast their cares. Can I say that again? The devil's looking. He's going about looking for anxious people. Hello, looking for those who are carrying their cares, uh, concerned about their problems, and he has access to those ones.

The ones who cast their cares upon him, who cares? The Lord God, they're sealed from the attack of the devil, and they remain in the place where they are restituted and blessed by the Lord. Hallelujah. Are you getting it? And you're getting it? So it's really subtle because it's actually by caring that the devil gets you out of God's blessing.

When you start caring about yourself, when you start trying to preserve your life and work it out and look after yourself, you see Christianity, the life of Christ is completely different, exemplified by Paul who pulled himself out as a love offering. Ah, and Christ said, carry your cross. You see, it's when you give your life away that you discover it, that you find it, that you enter into the abundance.

The more you are concerned about it and caring about it and anxious about it and worrying about it, that gives an open door for the prowling line to come in and devour what you already have. Somebody say, have mercy, Lord, I'm just laying a foundation here. We're going to the test in a moment I'm in. So the key once again, is to rest, is to rest.

Whenever some concern comes to you, cast it upon the Lord. Amen. So let's have a think here. I'm gonna give you five signs now to see if you are at rest. And here's the first one. You don't worry when life goes against you. Hello. You see, the real issue is this. You need to get into the right spiritual position in order to get the heavenly provision.

I'm preaching bed and you're shouting here, and what is the position that we need to be in? Sitting down? Once again, if you are sat, which shows that you are rested, you are protected, you are provided for. Let's go to the classic story of the multiplication of the bread and the fish. I'm not gonna read you the whole story.

It's in John six. I'm gonna pick it up in verse 10. You know it so well. Every Bible school kid has heard this story. You know that there were 5,000 men, probably as many women, certainly more children, so probably somewhere around 20,000 people, and they were all hungry, and that's a big pressure point.

Imagine 20,000 people, including children who want to want some food. Now, I dunno about you, but most wives know this, that a husband with a hungry tummy is a dangerous beast to be around. Isn't that right? His temper is short. He reacts more quickly. He's less patient. Imagine a whole crowd. That's just the dads now.

The kids, they're hungry too. There was a certain amount of pressure upon the disciples to resolve the problem. They did the math on it and they reckoned it would take 200 denari just to go and buy enough bread. Isn't that right? But Jesus has, as I've said many times in this church, a supernatural miracle life for all those who believe.

We don't have to worry about what we're gonna eat or what we're gonna drink or what we're gonna wear. By the way, do you like my white jacket? Pretty snazzy, isn't it? I'm now in the Florida style. Hallelujah. I arrived here like an Englishman. I've quickly become a Floridian. I'm then. We don't worry about these things.

God has a different way of providing for us supernaturally of opening the windows of heaven above us and pouring out such a blessing that we're not able to contain it. I want that kind of blessing because that's the blessing of more than enough. That's the blessing of restitution, not just survival, not a half belly, but 12 baskets extra at the end.

Enough. For me, not for my family, and enough for all my friends shout. Amen. Somebody. So where's the key? Well, the key is in this verse 10. Jesus said, make the people sit down. Say that with me. Please. Make the people sit down. Now say that to your friend. Just the last two words. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down.

Let's go modern English. Chill out. Chill, man. Gimme, come on you. Youngsters. What do you say these days? Huh? Because everything's upside down in your vocabulary. Bad is good. And uh, wicked is great. And uh, I dunno, I get lost these days. Huh?

Okay, well I got that one. I got that one. Amen. Chill. Make. Jesus said, the people sit and I kind of love it. 'cause he didn't say, oh, invite them to sit down. Please ask them if they'd like to sit down now. Make them sit down because unless they sit down. I can't do this miracle for them. And of course if you read the story, they sat down, the scripture says in a number, about 5,000.

And Jesus took the loaves. And when he given thanks, he distributed to them, them to the disciples, and the disciples, to those sitting down. And likewise of the fish, as much as they come on, guys, help me here. Gimme some. As much as they, as much as they needed. As much as they had money for, no, as much as they wanted.

Here's the big question in life, how much do you want? Come on, get honest with me. What sort of life do you want? 'cause God is able to give you that kind of lifestyle. You can settle for mediocrity if you want to, but I've discovered a God of restitution, a God of abundance, and I'm gonna sit down and let him serve me instead of me trying to.

Serve him. I'm gonna look to his power rather than my power. His righteousness. Rather than my righteousness. And if he wants to do miracles and he does, then I'm gonna sit down at his feet and let him serve me. Hallelujah. Let God be God. Stop trying to be God in your life. Let him be God. He is the miracle working power.

He is the creator. He can do all things. He can bring water from a rock. He can multiply the loaves, he can part the Red Sea. Why not let him do it for you? Try instead of trying to do it yourself. Sit down. Now watch this again, this theme throughout scripture. Provision. I'm looking at provision, protection and power.

My three Ps. Here's the provision. Psalm 23, 1 and two. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, the word here is recline. So you've got sitting down and then you've got my friend Rachel and Wayne. They're here today. They have got the most glorious sofas in their apartment.

They're all wired up with lots of buttons. And you press here and you press there and. You recline, man. You don't need to go to bed in that household because the sofa turns into the most comfortable bed. Sit down. Why? Why is it here? Because if you want the Lord to be your pastor. Your shepherd so that you don't have any wants, so that you experience the green pastures of life, so that even in this fallen world that is full of your enemies, he will lay a table for you with all the best things on it.

If you want that, then sit down, lie down. That's the first thing he said to the disciples, and it's the first. Thing he says here in the psalm, if you don't do that, you don't. If you, it doesn't matter if you do the other things, you are in the wrong position and therefore you can't have the provision who's following what I'm saying, protection's the same way.

Psalms or in the Psalms 91, 1 and two, you know it well. He who dwells in the secret place of the most high God shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he's my refuge and fortress, my God in him will I trust. You know the Psalm, it talks about pestilence. It talks about arrows that fly by day and other wicked things by night, but he says, listen, you can be protected from all the things that affect the world just as the children of Israel.

When they were, when they were in Egypt and the plagues came, they were totally protected from every disease, from every plague. Even when the Egyptian households went dark, the light still shone in their household. Why? Because they were under the shadow of the wings of protection of the living guard. But how do you get into that position?

You have to sit down. Once again, he who dwells in the secret place shall abide the word dwells. There literally means, sits or rests. It's by resting that we are protected. You see, you've gotta remember that we are the sheep and he's the shepherd. And if a wolf comes, a sheep is not able to protect itself.

But the sheep who knows, the shepherd doesn't panic. Why? Because the shepherd is more than able to drive the wolf away. It's not your power that counts. Now let's look at, let, let's look at the word power. I talked, talked about provision, protection and power. You want power? We need power for our lives. And let's be honest, we're a church of ministers here and we can't really do something wonderful for God in Fort Myers and beyond and build churches, have overcomers and multiply those churches and raise up a generation of overcomers.

That's the vision, isn't it? We can't do that in our own strength. So God's promise a different kind of strength. It's called the promise of the Father, heavenly power. So how did the disciples get the power? Well, once again, you've gotta read the scripture because the key is hidden in there. Acts chapter two, you know it so well.

When the day of Pentecostal fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting, say, sitting. You see, when you sit, the power comes. If you think you get power because of what you've done, you never get it.

But when you understand you get power because what if Christ has done? Then you get it. So you see, this is the principle of scripture. We received the blessing that he deserves. I'll say it in a different way. We get paid the salary that he worked for. He did the work. We get the payment, we get the blessing.

You see, when Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, he said, let him who is thirsty come. Okay. He promised rivers of living water flowing out of our bellies. But he gave that to those who believed, not who deserved, but who believed, who trusted in him, who rested in him. Say, amen. Somebody. So say to your neighbor, uh, say to your neighbor, let's just do the test here.

Um, the first one was, don't worry when life seems against you, say to your neighbor, are you still worrying? Sit down, stop it. Don't worry. Don't be anxious about anything. Here's the second one. I'm, I'm running here. Don't fear when things don't go as planned. Don't fear when things don't go as planned. Now watch this in Mark five and 36, the story of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue.

Whilst Jesus was still speaking, some came from the rule of the synagogue's house who said, your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further? You remember his daughter had died. This is an extraordinary story because most of the, the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the synagogue leaders, they didn't want to have anything to do with Christ.

So Jairus is already a standout character in the gospels, but then he hears this report that it's too late. He went to get Jesus. Jesus was busy ministering to somebody else and the news report came through. It's too late. Your daughter's dead. Why trouble the teacher any further? But watch the next three words.

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, Jesus didn't want to let that spirit behind that declaration that she was dead affect the faith of jarris. So he grabs the words, so to speak. As soon as he heard them, he said something else to the ruler of the synagogue. He said, don't be afraid. Only believe in other words, rest, rest, rest.

Don't fear. Don't be afraid when things don't go as planned. Now, watch this as well. The, the, the, the, the messenger said to Jarus, why trouble the teacher any further? Tell you this, that your trouble is Jesus's trouble. He came for your trouble. That's what you should trouble him about your troubles. Some people have this kind of weird religious idea that they shouldn't bother the master because he's so busy serving everyone else.

He's got much more important things to do. No, you have to understand, you are that important thing. He came for you. Your trouble is his trouble. And so the Lord says to him, look, just believe. In other words, just rest. Just rest. You've started. Well continue. Well say to your neighbor, if it's not working out as you planned, don't worry.

Are you fearing things when the storms of life come? The classic example, it's here again. What did Jesus do in the boat when the storm blew up? He slept in the belly of the boat and then he rebuked his disciples and said to them, why are you so fearful? So when things don't work out, just as you thought or expected or imagined, don't worry.

God's got it sorted out. He's bigger than the death of your daughter. He's bigger than whatever problem. He's bigger than the Devil's plan. I know you never imagined it. I know it took you by surprise, but it didn't take the one who was, who's the Alpha and the Meg Omega. The one who was here before the beginning and was there before will be there after the end.

The one who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning for the end. Don't be afraid. Don't let fear enter your heart. Keep resting. Just believe. Say to your neighbor, don't worry. Don't be afraid. Who's got things that haven't worked out just as you imagined? Don't be afraid. It's all gonna work out in Christ Jesus.

Third thing, third thing to know if you are at rest or not. You keep the day of rest when the pressure's on. What's the tendency when the pressure comes on and you've gotta resolve things in your life. You work, work, work, work, work to try and get things sorted. Isn't that right? But one of the commandments is that we should keep the Sabbath.

And to be honest, it's a principle in scripture. Not that we're under the Mosaic Commandments anymore, but we rest. We come together on the Lord's Day, and like I said in the offering time last night, that when Melek brought the bread and the wine to Abraham, it was to refresh him so that Abraham could rest and remember.

That actually because of this covenant, everything would be provided for him. No matter how many kings rose up against him, he would have the victory no matter what his needs. God was gonna make him rich, hallelujah. So he could rest in somebody else's work. He wasn't gonna get ahead because of his work.

He was gonna get ahead because of Christ's work, say Amen. And so if you are working on the Sabbath, so to speak, it means you're not resting. I know so many people who just don't come to church because they're so busy and they think that they'll resolve their lives working seven days out of seven.

Rather than understanding that if they work six days and then give the seventh to the Lord, God, then consecrates all seven days and blesses them with unmerited favor on the six days that they work. And so at the end they can say. My boss didn't make me rich. It's God who made me rich because I rested on the Sabbath.

I prioritize the ways of the Lord. Are you hearing what I'm saying? This isn't a word to condemn you, it's just to help you understand you can rest in peace. Okay. I know that sounded different there. You can come to church and you can just say, listen, this is, I'm giving my first fruits my first day to the Lord, and that means my six days are gonna be blessed and I can work knowing that I already have the victory, say, amen.

I'm going really, really quickly. Now my time is gone. Number four, don't I? I've written it like this. Are they throwing things up for me or not? They are. Don't wiggle or squirm or try to get ahead. You feel forgotten when you feel forgotten. Quick story, Joseph. We mentioned him earlier, ended up in Pharaoh's prison unjustly.

Have you ever suffered unjustly? He didn't deserve what happened to you, but has put you in a really bad position, and Joseph was in that. Prison. You remember, he interprets the dreams of the cup bearer, the butler, and also the baker. One of them is restored to his former position and the other one is put to death, but he says to the cup bearer before he's taken back into Pharaoh's household.

He says this in Genesis 14 and 14, but remember me when it is well with you and please show kindness to me. Make mention of me to Pharaoh. And get me out of this house. For Indeed, I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and I've done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon. But if you follow the story, Joseph then had to wait two more years because the Butler forgot him.

And it was only later when Pharaoh had a dream that the Butler remembered him. It's kind of strange that he forgot him, but I think God is trying to teach us something about it. You see, the scripture teaches us that when we humble ourselves, he lifts us up. In other words, if we try and promote ourselves at the wrong time, he'll let us wait a little longer, and sometimes we delay the restitution because we're kind of complaining about the situation we're in.

We're kinda wiggling and squirming and trying to promote ourselves because we feel like we've been forgotten and the world has left us behind. Anybody had that sensation, and so especially in days like today of social media where we can get into so much self-promotion and try and show this wonderful picture of how great and glorious and wonderful we are, we all go down that road to try and get a break to try and get ahead.

I'm here to say once again, rest. You don't need to do that. Stay humble. God has perfect timing for you. He will do things in due season. He's lining up things so that the moment his hands upon you, the whole world is aligned for your immediate promotion to a place far higher and far greater than you've ever been.

Hallelujah. He was aligning things for Joseph. He needed a famine to come. He needed the countries, you know, desperately in, in need of a solution. He lined it up when it was in line. Bang. He got his man out of jail. Amen. The same with David. You know, that rejected despised even by his own father, set up a big battle with a giant.

Everybody ran away, but the moment David showed up. Everything was aligned for him to appear on the stage in front of the Israelites and in front of the Philistines, and bang from Shepherd Boy to Prince in the court or royal court person in a day say amen. So once again, say to your neighbor, don't try and promote yourself.

Uh, get out of that mentality. God's got his eye on you. He doesn't need your Facebook or your Instagram page to know about you. It's he who raises people up. It's the hand of man, it's the hand of God who raises people up. I'd prefer to be raised up by the hand of God because then I'm secure, rather than the popularity of men that could be crying out Hosanna one day and crucify him the next day, ah, I'm gonna stay at rest.

Even if it means staying in the prison. I'm not gonna wiggle. I'm not gonna squirm. I'm just gonna say, Lord, you've got my days counted in your hands. You've got a perfect plan and a perfect timing, and I know my end shall be greater than my beginning. Hallelujah. I know there's restitution promise to me because Jesus has paid the price.

And I'm gonna rest in that. Say, say to your neighbor, he's preaching to you today. Hallelujah. And I'm gonna finish with this. If you could stand to your feet please.

Again, we're here to be blessed, but we're in a conference like this. You have to remember, we don't do conferences in the vine just 'cause we kind of have nothing else to do or just to have a good time. We do have a good time, but actually our conferences are to equip us and empower us for the season ahead.

Amen. These words, listen to me. These words are gonna really bless you in these coming weeks and months. You're going to a new level. Hallelujah. Restitution is your portion. Amen. Amen. But it's not just about us. It's not just about being blessed, it's about being a blessing too. So here's my fifth point that to know if you are at rest and at rest in your ministry.

Okay? And here it is. Don't try to be fruitful. Just simply abide in Christ, rest in Christ. Remember his words in John 15 and four, he who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit. He who rests in me and I in him bears much fruit. I, I, I want that. I like what Bonky used to say. Reinhard Bonky. He said, you can have a passion to be a millionaire of dollars if you want to.

I wanna be a millionaire of souls. Much fruit. He says, for without me, you can do nothing. He explains. Abiding in him is really abiding in his word and his word, abiding in in you. And then in a organic and spontaneous way, you, you begin to just produce fruit. It's just wherever you go, you have the right words.

You have the words. In season, God leads you to the right places. There are hungry hearts and needy souls, and just. One gets saved here and another there, and a cell group here, and a blessing there and just, you're not kind of trying to make it happen, but it's happening all around you because you are resting, you're abiding in the vine.

You know, there's a classic story. You know it so well of Mary and Martha. Jesus goes to their house, the house of Lazarus and Martha. She was distracted serving with much serving. The scripture says she was making lunch for Jesus and trying to prepare the house and food, and she got into all that. And then she complained about her sister and she said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve?

Tell her to help me. And why was she complaining? Because the Bible says that Mary sat at Jesus's feet and heard his word. Jesus doesn't buy into that complaint. He actually corrects Martha. He says, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part.

Hallelujah. What is that one thing that's needed? Sitting at my feet, hearing my word Once again, sitting means resting. You see, when you hear the word of God, it causes your soul to rest, doesn't it? Perhaps you came in tonight and you were stressed, you were anxious, there was pressure on you pay the bills relationship, you know, even the kind of ministerial pressure of, you know, we gotta grow churches, man, gotta multiply cell, that's gotta have a successful conference.

I know those pressures and the tendency is, okay, let's be, let's, let's do something, let's, let's prepare the building. Let's, I dunno, just do, do, do. Really the main thing, the most important thing is to sit down and just listen to the word. Hallelujah. Let's stop everything else if necessary and watch this as well, guys.

It was Mary who later got up, took the oil and anointed Jesus for his burial, and that is recorded in all the gospels in her memorial. In other words, when you sit and rest at his feet and just allow his word to dwell in you, when you get up, you fulfill prophetic promises. You are mightily used by God and there's so much in there it's worthy of another.

Preach about pouring oil. In other words, you become a fountain, a channel of the Holy Spirit here on earth to bless the body of Christ. Hallelujah. Once again, say to your neighbor, just rest all of you. This me, this message. If you came in anxious, worried, say these words after me. Say, father, thank you that you love me so much, you plan my life before the foundation of the earth on the cross at Calvary.

You thought of me, you planned for me to be blessed, for me to be seated in heavenly places, to have a life of victory, a life of success, and for whatever the devil has done against me. You want to restore and you want to restitute. You want to turn all things around to reveal your goodness and your glory in my life right now, I cast all my cares, all my anxieties, all my fears upon you.

I decide I'm gonna rest. I tell my heart and my soul and my mind. Sit down. Sit down. Rest. God's gonna do it for you. God's gonna do it for you. Let him be God. I thank you, Lord. As I sit you stand up as I rest. Say it with me as I rest. You work and I declare my future days. I'm gonna see wonderful things to the glory of God and for my good.

And if you believe that, shout, amen. Three times. Amen. Amen and amen.

Hallelujah. I want to share with you tonight, going straight into my word about rest. I want to take you from a place of rest to restitution. I don't know if the guys have a few slides I gave them. Tyler is a bit late, but we're gonna be talking here. I want to show you that restitution is God's promise for each one of us.

He hasn't forgotten about you. Don't worry. Amen. But the key to get restitution is to enter the rest. So when we rest, we get restituted. Are you seeing my play on words here? And so we don't get restituted by trying, by, struggling by, um, you know, uh, using our own effort. We get restituted when we rest in the work of Christ, when we look to what he's done rather to what we've done.

And just to remind you, I'm giving you an introduction and then I'm gonna give you five quick signs to see if you are at rest. So you'll be able to see if you are in the right place tonight. Amen. But just to remind us to lay a foundation, there's three things we've been learning about restitution up until now.

First of all, we've learned that it is the heart of the gospel. Uh, God wants to rest his people, not because we deserve it, but because he's such a good and loving, and caring and wonderful God. Thank you for your amen. And there are so many stories in the Bible. Is everybody understanding my English? Give me a wave or a thumbs up, or, you know, have mercy.

No. So I think most people are understanding everybody else has got, uh, earphones. Is that right? Okay. So there are many stories in the scripture that show the principle of restitution. One of them that came to my mind earlier is the story of Naiman. Naman, as you remember, had leprosy a terrible disease that literally made his skin and his flesh grow old and become insensitive and even fall from his body.

Terrible thing. You remember the story. He was healed when he dipped seven times in. Jordan in Israel, who remembers that story. But what's interesting, the Bible doesn't say that he was just healed, but that when he came out of the water, his skin was like a baby child. So in other words, it was more than a healing.

It was a miracle because God rero the clock to give him skin as if he was just a baby boy. That's restitution. He got much more than what Healing said he got. Uh, 10 times more, seven times more. You understanding the principle? Think of Joseph now. A great story too. He started off in his father Jacob's house as the favorite son.

He went through all that trouble because his brothers betrayed him because Potiphar's wife falsely accused him and he passed through 13 years of suffering. In prisons and as a slave. But at the end of it, he wasn't restored to Jacob's house. He was restituted to Pharaoh's house. He didn't just become Jacob's favorite son.

He became the most powerful man on the face of the Earth's favorite son, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So you can see restitution is more than just being restored to your former place. We have all sinned and fallen from the glory or the standards of God. That's what scripture says, but in the salvation package in Christ Jesus, he doesn't just take us back to our former position in Adam before we fell.

He actually takes us to a much higher place and puts us now in Christ Jesus, not in the Garden of Eden, but in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. Adam. Remember he had the glory of God in him, but we, excuse me, upon him to cover him, but we have the glory of God in in us. Adam walked with God in the cool of the evening.

We walk with God 24 hours a day. Adam had God come and visit him. We now have God dwelling in us. Adam could always make a mistake and fall. We may fall, but we can never now be detached or thrown out of the presence of God because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Our position is far greater, far superior than Adam's.

That's restitution. So restitution means that your future is so much better than your past. I don't know what your past was, but I'm here to say God in his glory, in his goodness, wants to do wonderful things for you. I was just meditating during the worship time, as we do, as our minds are flooded with the high thoughts of heaven.

I. And it was as if I could see the father and the son and the spirit planning out mankind and, oh, remember, they can't be surprised by anything. Satan is far beneath their feet. I believe that they created us with this enormous heart to see us have the most glorious, glorious life. Because they are glorious, glorious beings.

Oh, with what joy they made us. Oh, with what joy they redeemed us. And now will ute us say amen. So some of the scriptures, we've based this message restitution on Joel chapter 2 25. Pastor Ralph spoke about it yesterday. I will repay you for the lo. The years the locusts have eaten. You will have plenty to eat until you are full.

While we walk by Faith

The assurance of God’s Promises

The Bible contains thousands of promises—some say 7,000, others estimate 8,000. 

The number isn’t as important as this truth: God is a Promise-Maker and a Promise-Keeper.

These promises cover every area of your life—provision, healing, forgiveness, salvation, glorification, victory, and more.

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

When someone gives you their word that a gift is yours—even if it hasn’t arrived yet—you already begin to celebrate because you trust the giver. In the same way, the moment God makes a promise, the blessing is already yours. You may not have it in your hands, but by faith, it’s been delivered. The moment of the blessing is not when you actually receive it in the future, but in the moment you get the promise by faith.

The promise of Restitution

Zechariah 9:11-12 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Previously, we were trapped in despair, lying down on the bed awake at night, overwhelmed by worry. Hopeless and frightening images haunted our thoughts. Despite efforts to stay optimistic and positive, we repeatedly found ourselves drawn back into a dark state of anxiety and pain.

If I tell my 16-year-old son, “When you get married, my gift will be a paid-off apartment,” he already considers it his, bragging about having an apartment. If my son trusts my word, he will not be anxious about this in the future. He is now a prisoner of hope. For him, it's already his because his father is faithful and honest.

If evil people, like us, can give good gifts to their children, much more will our faithful and good heavenly Father give us what he has promised.

The year was 2019. There was a prophetic feeling that many of our churches would receive new building spaces. I remember hearing that word, and I believed it. I held a strong conviction in the promise for us as a church.

In Brazil, many people buy cars or homes through a financial consortium, a collective purchasing system without interest, where participants are chosen each month through a draw or bidding. I remember going after that option right after the word came to my heart. I knew the Lord would open that door for us. He had promised. Nothing occurred immediately in the natural sense; however, I was convinced of its truth. It took us two years to fully receive the reality of that promise.

Waiting in Hope Is Part of the Promise.

Faith believes that the blessing has already been given. Hope expects it to manifest. 

The biblical concept of hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a confident expectation rooted in God’s character.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Paul asserts that we, believers, must know as a fact what we expect. We are confident in hope.

Our hope is like waiting for a bus. No one stands at the bus stop saying, “Let’s wish it shows up!” You wait because you know it will come. That’s biblical hope.

“Groaning” emphasizes human suffering, but simultaneously points to the living hope.

“Tent” living is temporary and frail, but God has prepared a permanent home for us and given us the Spirit as the down payment and guarantee.

The Greek term for “guarantee” αρραβών (arrabōn) is a legal/financial term. It means a down payment, indicating the Spirit as a first installment of future redemption.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

That answers what we must do while we wait: We become Spirit-filled. One way to do that is to pray fervently.

Pray Fervently

Waiting is not a reason to stop praying—it’s a reason to pray more. To be filled with the Spirit, because He sustains us on the promises.

The early disciples had to wait in the Upper Room for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When we read the story in Acts 1, we find out that the group was meant to be almost 4 times bigger.

Jesus appeared to 500 people, but only 120 remained for Pentecost.

(1 Corinthians 15:6) “He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time…”

(Acts 1:15, 14) “About 120… all these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…”

Those who persist in prayer will be part of the outpouring.

Don’t leave the Upper Room too soon. If you turn to the Spirit daily, you will see the fulfilment of the promise.

So, what do we do while we wait in faith and hope? You keep obeying the last instruction God gave you. When you haven’t received a new word from God, remain faithful to the last one.

Don’t move to another city. Don’t leave that church yet. Don’t close that business yet. Keep holding on to the direction God gave you with a promise. Stay praying in the Upper Room. Your LifeGroup will multiply and grow.

We walk by faith, not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

To walk by faith means that even when your body is decaying and the evidence seems to contradict your promises, you don’t try to fulfill God’s promise with your strength.

Abraham and Sarah—impatient for the child God promised—took matters into their own hands and had Ishmael through Hagar.

Genesis 16:4 And he [Abraham] went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.

In Galatians, Paul compares Hagar to the work of the law, the fruit of our flesh.

Galatians 4:30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”

When we act on the flesh, we miss the inheritance of blessings. The inheritance of the children of grace is greater than that of the children of the flesh.

While conceiving Ishmael, it took a hasty act of intercourse and 9 months, for the promised son, it took about 25 years.

What’s done in the flesh may look like success, but it lacks the power, peace, and blessings of what’s born of the Spirit. Besides, the work of the flesh creates long-term problems, just like Ishmael, the father of most of the Arabs and Isaac’s descendants, the Jews, are still warring today.

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ

Leaving the position of faith and hope is not only a restraint of promised blessings now, but there is a danger of building on the foundation with the wrong materials and suffering significant loss at the coming of the Lord. And that is not a small thing.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

1 Corinthians 3:14-15 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Maturity requires patience, and patience proves maturity.

Only children make a scene or cry when they don’t get what they want immediately. 

Adults know how to wait, and patience is a mark of spiritual adulthood.

(Romans 5:3–4) “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings [waiting], knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

However, God does not want us to be under a false sense of peace, forcing us to be positive and hopeful when no change will actually come.

He invites us to rest.

Rest While You Wait

(Psalm 40:1) “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”

Pray and don’t act under pressure if you don’t know what to do. That was the grave mistake of Saul.

King Saul disobeyed God’s instruction to wait for Samuel and took matters into his own hands before fighting against the Philistines.

He lost everything not because of adultery or murder, but simply because he didn’t wait. Never allow pressure to push you into premature decisions. (1 Samuel 13:9-14)

Grow while you wait. 

Waiting is not a passive season—it’s a season for maturing and preparing. Use your waiting season to grow in faith, obedience, character, and skill.

Think of Joseph of Egypt. From a dreamer, he became an interpreter. We can see a clear difference in Joseph before and after the waiting time. At first, he had big dreams and naively told everyone (Genesis 37:5). But after the trial, he became someone who could interpret dreams. Interpreting is understanding the meaning behind circumstances. Joseph eventually realized it wasn’t his brothers who sent him to Egypt—it was God (Genesis 41:16).

Genesis 45:7-8 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph was tested and became a dream interpreter.

You can hear God’s voice, but still do not know how to interpret what He’s doing. Being able to interpret puts you in a completely different position. If God allows you to interpret the market, you’ll prosper. If God gives you understanding of what’s happening in the global church, you’ll be highly valuable in the Body of Christ. If you can interpret history, you’ll understand prophecy. Anyone can read the Bible, but interpreting it allows one to extract its true meaning. Such insight comes from tested character. 

The time between promise and fulfillment is not wasted—it’s preparation.

Don’t let the apparent delay steal your expectations and joy. Like a child before a birthday, wake up daily with joyful anticipation of God’s goodness.

Conclusion

(Hebrews 10:23) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Confession of Faith

I believe that the promise of God will come to pass in my life.

The moment He spoke it, it was already mine.

I will not act in the flesh. I will not give up.

I will grow, I will rest, I will pray, and I will wait—because He who promised is faithful.”

While We Walk by Faith

The Assurance of God’s Promises

God is both a Promise-Maker and Promise-Keeper, with thousands of promises in the Bible. They address every area of life—healing, provision, salvation, and more.

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him…” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Just like a promised gift is celebrated even before it arrives, faith celebrates God’s promises the moment they are received—not when they manifest physically.

⸻

The Promise of Restitution

“Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope… I will restore to you double.” (Zechariah 9:11–12)

Though once trapped in fear and anxiety, we now live as “prisoners of hope,” trusting the faithfulness of our Father.

In 2019, many believed for church buildings. Though nothing happened immediately, those who held onto the word eventually saw fulfillment—just like a financial consortium in Brazil that eventually yields the promised good.

⸻

Waiting in Hope Is Part of the Promise

Faith believes the promise is already ours. Hope waits with confident expectation.

“We know that if the tent… is destroyed, we have a building from God…” (2 Corinthians 5:1–5)

God has prepared an eternal home and given the Spirit as a guarantee (arrabōn—a down payment).

“You… were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit… the guarantee of our inheritance…” (Ephesians 1:13–14)

⸻

Pray Fervently

In waiting, we pray to be filled with the Spirit.

Jesus appeared to 500 people, but only 120 stayed to receive Pentecost.

“He appeared to more than five hundred…” (1 Corinthians 15:6)

“About 120… devoting themselves to prayer…” (Acts 1:15,14)

Persistent prayer positions us for the outpouring. Don’t leave the Upper Room too soon. Obey the last instruction from God while you wait.

⸻

We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

“We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:6–10)

Even when things don’t look like the promise is coming, don’t act in the flesh like Abraham and Sarah did.

“He went in to Hagar, and she conceived…” (Genesis 16:4)

“Cast out the slave woman and her son…” (Galatians 4:30)

Fleshly works may seem fruitful but cause long-term pain. The child of the Spirit (Isaac) took 25 years, but he carried the blessing.

⸻

We Must All Appear Before the Judgment Seat of Christ

“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

“If the work… survives, he will receive a reward…” (1 Corinthians 3:14–15)

Leaving faith and acting in the flesh leads to eternal loss. Spiritual maturity requires patience.

“Suffering produces endurance… character… hope.” (Romans 5:3–4)

⸻

Rest While You Wait

“I waited patiently for the Lord…” (Psalm 40:1)

Saul acted under pressure and lost his kingship.

(1 Samuel 13:9–14)

Don’t act prematurely. Pray and rest in God.

⸻

Grow While You Wait

Waiting is preparation time. Joseph grew from dreamer to interpreter.

“God sent me before you… it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Genesis 45:7–8)

Interpretation comes from tested character. True maturity is formed in the waiting.

⸻

Conclusion

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

⸻

Confession of Faith

I believe that the promise of God will come to pass in my life.

The moment He spoke it, it was already mine.

I will not act in the flesh. I will not give up.

I will grow, I will rest, I will pray, and I will wait—because He who promised is faithful.

The Efficacy of the Unmixed Gospel.

Because of the mercy we have received, we do not lose heart in our ministry.

The gospel may be veiled to some; the father of lies has blinded their minds.

Yet, God—who once said “Let there be light”—has now shone in our hearts, giving us the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. This treasure of the gospel is carried in fragile vessels—us—so that God’s surpassing power, not our strength, is what shines.

Though afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, we are never defeated. Our suffering, our daily hardships are not signs of defeat, but participation in Christ’s victory. We believe, and therefore we speak, knowing that just as God raised Jesus, He will raise us, His grace may extend, and God may be glorified.

Therefore, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. The visible world is temporary, but what is unseen—God’s promises, His kingdom, and our future glory—is eternal.

The Efficacy of the Unmixed Gospel.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul does not present himself as a triumphant apostle basking in ease, but as a servant crushed, perplexed, and afflicted. Nevertheless, the Gospel’s power is displayed most gloriously in the midst of our fragility.

Why? Because the gospel is a resurrection message. The Cross shapes our life and ministry. Our daily trials are where God brings life to others.

Our weakness is the very context in which God's power is made visible.

God has comfort for you today.

God has a measure of faith for you today.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The ministry of the New Covenant is glorious and powerful. It is the ministry of life and transformation, not of fear and condemnation. It is the ministry of peace and righteousness, not the ceremonial religion and conscious of sin. Therefore, it is such an honor to have the opportunity to embody the realities of the New Covenant.

It is time for every believer, especially leaders, to find courage and renounce despair, to proclaim Christ openly. God, who spoke light into being, still opens blind eyes to behold the glory of Jesus Christ.

Authentic Christian ministry is marked by honesty, transparency, and integrity. It is rooted in truth and answerable to God. 

It rejects showmanship, self-promotion, and distortion of the gospel for personal gain.

The Father of Lies' old strategy

2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The deceiver, the father of lies, has the capacity to blind the minds of those who remain in unbelief (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Throughout history, the enemy has employed various means to distort the truth of God’s Word and try to steal Jesus’ glory. In earlier times, this included introducing theological errors, idolatry and displacing Scripture from its central position.

In the present, the father of lies undermines the sufficiency and centrality of the message of grace.

The enemy uses subtle distortions, such as “You must do your part.” The goal is the same. Take the glory of the son. He envied that in Isa to convince us that the gospel is not entirely about grace alone. 

The devil does not always deny Jesus openly. Instead, he subtly redirects the emphasis away from Christ alone to Christ plus effort, Christ plus emotion, Christ plus performance. He crafts a counterfeit gospel, one that retains religious language but removes the Cross from the center.

However, the good news stands despite his endeavors. Salvation and sanctification are wholly the result of Christ’s finished work on the Cross, and it is applied in the believer’s life through the growth of faith.

“Just Drink the Water”

Imagine walking through a hot, dry desert. You’re parched—your mouth is dry, your strength is fading. You finally reach a small stand in the middle of nowhere. There’s a plain, clear glass of water on it—nothing fancy, just pure, refreshing water offered freely.

But surrounding that glass are rows of flashy bottles. Some are sparkling, others are fruit-infused, and a few even claim to be enhanced with special minerals or vitamins. They have sleek labels, catchy names, and promises like: “More energy!” “Better focus!” “Superior hydration!” And every single one has a price tag.

Ironically, many people skip the free water and reach for the bottle that looks better—convinced it must be more satisfying because it costs more, or because it has a fancier name. But in the end, the most effective and reliable way to quench thirst is what God already provided: free, pure water.

God offers grace freely. It’s simple, pure, and powerful. But we are bombarded with spiritual “beverages” promising more: self-help philosophies, performance-based religion, emotional highs, or even never-suffer-labeled gospels. They’re appealing and marketable but often come with a cost—your peace, your security in Christ, your confidence and joy in the Lord.

But grace doesn’t need enhancements. It doesn’t need labels. It doesn’t need additives. It is what really quenches the soul because it comes straight from the Source. Jesus cried out:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)

Why complicate what God made simple? Why chase what is expensive and empty when what is free and full is already available?

Just drink the water.

Just receive the grace.

Adding to the gospel, it is more dangerous than the illustration could demonstrate.

The source is perfect—life-giving, clean, and sufficient. Just before you drink, someone steps in. With a warm smile, he convinces you. “Let me improve it,” he says. He adds just a few drops—barely noticeable—but enough to alter the water’s essence.

What once gave life now carries death.

Satan adds just enough error to pollute the message. A whisper: “You must add your obedience to secure God’s favor.” Or: “Faith alone is too simple—it must be faith plus performance.” The gospel of grace is no longer pure. It becomes poisoned with self-effort, pride, and spiritual insecurity.

And when Christ is no longer enough, He is no longer glorified.

By doing so, the devil robs Christ of His rightful glory and enslaves listeners to a distorted message that cannot save, restore and redeem.

The only response the hearer is required is faith-a faith that rests entirely on what God has accomplished in Jesus Christ.

Only when grace remains undiluted by our flesh striving can the glory of the Gospel shine forth without obstruction.

My vulnerability gives God more glory. To God.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

In our weakness, God’s choice to entrust this treasure to us magnifies His power and grace. 

The treasure is vv . 6:”the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

In [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty].

The word in greek is similar to the one we know as treasure.

θησαυρος Thēsaurós: it could denote anything from royal treasuries to storage rooms for grain or gold.

The gospel is a diamond. And we are a paper bag. A clay jar. Fragile. Ordinary. No one carries a Precious stone in a paper bag. But God decided to do that.

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

The way God chose to demonstrate the glory of the gospel is through our weakness.

Our afflictions are God’s pretext to show His glory.

That is what Paul is trying to convey here.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

That is the efficacy of the unmixed gospel. We are able to face affliction, perplexities, persecution, strikes, but not go to crushing, desperation, forsaking and abandonment feelings.

If you mix the gospel with something else, you do not gain more spiritual resilience; on the contrary, you lose it.

Regarding the trial, the Lord has a comforting word for you today.

Trials Increase Your Value to God

“James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

To have joy when we go through various trials is what we are admonished to do. That’s remarkable. To rejoice even in one trial is already a great victory. Let alone several at once.

You’ve probably had seasons when everything hit simultaneously—financial stress, health issues, family struggles. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of God’s will or living in sin.

The biblical advice is: be joyful in the middle of the fight.

We rejoice because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Without a test, there would be no perseverance. The trial produces endurance.

2 Corinthians 4:13-14 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Remember: not every trial comes from God. Financial hardship, sickness, and accidents—these things don’t originate from Him.

The way to overcome them is through faith. Someone may ask, what about the trials of Job? Were those trials not from God?

The Bible is clear that everything Job went through was caused by the devil, not God. Job’s fear gave the enemy a foothold. 

Job 3:25 “For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.”

The place the devil wants to lead us is the place of fear.

Hebrews 2:14-15 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

The devil holds the power of death, meaning he uses death to enslave or terrify us. This doesn’t imply Satan literally owns death, but that he exploits the fear of death to maintain dominion over people.

Christ’s death breaks the devil’s ability to enslave through fear.

But even in Job's case, God turned everything around and gave Him double the blessing. His trial didn’t last forever—many scholars believe it lasted only about nine months.

Some people say, “I’m suffering like Job. I have to conform to this now.” If that’s true for you, remember: Job received a double portion at the end. So, take heart. God is already working things out for your good. Be of good courage.

I’ve heard of believers who were hospitalized after an accident, and while there, led their roommate to Christ. Then they say, “Maybe God wanted me to have that accident.” But no—the accident was from the enemy, not God. Still, God took what the enemy meant for harm and turned it into something good.

James wrote that our faith is being tested, and when proven, it produces perseverance. And when perseverance has finished its work, we become mature and complete, lacking nothing. To experience that, our faith must first be tested—so we can learn to persevere in hope. Remember, the Lord hears your prayer immediately, but the visible answer may take time.

When you go through trials and learn perseverance, you can help others going through the same thing.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

That’s why every ministry must be tested, and every vessel that’s approved becomes more valuable.

This light momentary affliction

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Raw iron holds inherent value. However, when it is formed into a horseshoe, its worth rises. If transformed into small gears for a Rolex watch, its value soars dramatically.

It’s due to the manufacturing process it underwent. It uses identical raw materials but different treatments. This is how value is enhanced. Your value before God only increases as you respond to trials in faith, not in despair. Rejoice, even in the middle of the trial. Remember who holds your tomorrow.

1 Peter 5:10 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Notice that the God of all grace will perfect us after we’ve suffered for a little while. It’s not lifelong suffering—it’s just a little while. Every trial is temporary, and its outcome is always good. Once your faith has been tested, you will be restored, established, strengthened, and grounded.

The testing of faith produces so many benefits. Peter says that first, we are perfected in our character. Then, we’re established, strengthened, and made firm. I often remind people that God is not the source of bad things in our lives. But we can still learn deeply through the trials we face.

We can see a clear difference in Joseph before and after his testing. At first, he had big dreams and naively told everyone. But after the trial, he became someone who could interpret dreams. Interpreting is understanding the meaning behind circumstances. Joseph eventually realized it wasn’t his brothers who sent him to Egypt—it was God. You can hear God’s voice, but still do not know how to interpret what He’s doing.

Being able to interpret puts you in a completely different position. If God gives you the ability to interpret the market, you’ll prosper. If He gives you understanding of what’s happening in the global church, you’ll be highly valuable in the Body of Christ. If you can interpret history, you’ll understand prophecy. Anyone can read the Bible, but the one who can interpret it will extract the honey from the rock. I believe that kind of insight comes from a tested and proven character. Joseph was tested, and he became an interpreter of dreams.

(Romans 8:28) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Yes—all things work together for our good. But the ultimate good is: that we would be conformed to the image of Jesus. That’s the greatest wealth—to be like Christ.

In Tribulation, There is always a Way Out

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

The word “temptation” here can also mean “trial” or “testing.” Trials and tests often come from the evil one, who uses people as instruments for his schemes—but the Lord sets a boundary. The enemy cannot go beyond what God allows. That means when you’ve reached your absolute limit in the middle of the battle, the devil cannot push you further, because God will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength.

There are two promises in this verse. 

First, God will not allow any test to exceed what you can handle. 

Second, He will provide a way out in the middle of the struggle.

Remember that God is faithful even when you can’t see any way forward. If there’s no exit, He will make a door where there wasn’t one. He made a path through the sea for His people when there was no way out.

Remember that every trial is just temporary—it will pass in due time. So, be patient, as the Lord will surely bring you deliverance. Always remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved.

The realities of the New Covenant

Paul stayed in Corinth, a cosmopolitan port city, for about a year and a half (Acts 18). 

It was in Corinth that Paul turned his focus to the Gentiles. He worked as a tentmaker alongside Aquila and Priscilla, supporting himself while teaching the Gospel.

A significant and diverse church was established in Corinth.

Recently, while traveling to India, a group of faithful and dedicated Christian ministers approached me, Pastor John Warton, seeking support. During our conversation, Pastor John Warton told me that BPN only invests in Christian ministers who aim to advance business as a ministry. We, as Vine Church, do the same, but it is directly linked to church planting. 

Paul devoted himself entirely to sharing the gospel with the Gentiles. This is significant because it can be difficult to understand that the Lord guides us in ways that may exclude certain individuals. However, this was true for Paul on several occasions. His choice inspired some to follow while others were left behind. 

One of the most challenging aspects of ministry as a pastor is our love for all brothers and sisters. However, for the sake of the church, some decisions may cause some to give up walking with us, which is always a great pain.

My comfort is the words that the Lord said then, and they are so real for me right now:

Acts 18:10 … for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

Ministers of the New

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The first contrast Paul uses between the religious preaching and the message of the new covenant is that there is no neutrality.

One is Holy Spirit-filled, seasoned, empowered and life-giving. The other is like a written code, a bond, a legal charging document demanding instead of liberating. 

The word in Greek is γρἀμμα [grámma].

God made each one of us ministers of the New Covenant.

Romans 7:6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

Just think of your story. You are a public display of God’s transformative love.

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The letter, the law, brings death because it proclaims God’s will without providing the strength to fulfill it.

Recently, I watched this old comedy movie called Analyze This. It’s about a tough mafia boss—like, really tough—who suddenly starts having panic attacks and ends up in therapy. Yep, therapy. Not exactly what you’d expect from a mobster. He convinces a very unwilling psychotherapist to help him, and as the movie unfolds with all the awkward, hilarious moments you’d expect, something deeper begins to surface. You start to realize… both the mob boss and the therapist are walking around with the same wound. Behind all their success, their tough fronts, their degrees, and their power—there’s this haunting question: Was my father proud of me? Neither of them really knows. And because of that, they both live with this low hum of failure, like they’re still trying to earn something they were never sure they had.

The comedy ends up revealing a very real, very raw truth—we all crave our father’s approval. It’s wired into us. That deep longing to know that Dad sees us, believes in us, and is proud of who we are. 

But here’s the liberating truth: through Jesus, that question is no longer a mystery. We don’t have to guess, doubt, or earn our Father’s approval. Jesus satisfied the Father’s heart on our behalf. He didn’t just die for our sins—He opened the way for us to hear the most healing words we could ever receive: 

“You are my beloved child, and in you, I am well pleased.” That’s not a someday hope. That’s today’s reality. Because of Jesus, we can run—not crawl—into the arms of our Heavenly Father with full confidence, knowing we are seen, known, and deeply loved.

What is the New Covenant?

Sometimes, the best way to understand the new is to consider the contrasting aspects of the old. And that is what Paul does.

2 Corinthians 3:7-11 

2 Corinthians 3:7 … the ministry of death …

vs.

the ministry of the Spirit…

2 Corinthians 3:9 the ministry of condemnation … 

vs.

the ministry of righteousness

Moses’ ministry is referred to as a ministry of death and condemnation.

Paul does not deny the glory of the law.

Hearing ethical and moral lessons has its glory and charm.

Where? In the deceiving understanding that our flesh, our self-reliance and effort can make a better version of ourselves.

Romans 7:10-12

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Romans 8:3-4 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The law became obsolete, ineffective and powerless.

The way of God, the New Covenant, is the divine internal transformation made by the power of the Spirit.

It is the unmediated relationship with our Father. 

Using the terms of Hebrews 8, these are the realities of the New Covenant.

Hebrews 8:10-12 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

God internalizes His will in us. He changed our hearts, indwelling His thoughts with the Spirit. 

Paul draws on Ezekiel and Jeremiah, distinguishing external law (γράμμα) vs. internalized Spirit (πνεῦμα).

The GPS instead of the old maps

On a road trip, you can try to use a folded paper map—old-school, precise, filled with routes and rules for navigation. It requires constant unfolding and interpretation, and if you take a wrong turn, it takes serious effort to figure out where you went wrong and how to get back on track.

That’s the Old Covenant—it was accurate and valuable, but it depended entirely on your ability to read and follow it perfectly.

But God installed in your heart a real-time GPS system, powered not by a satellite system, but by heavenly directions. It recalculates every wrong turn, guiding you with a living voice saying, “Turn left,” “Recalculating,” “You’ve arrived.”

That’s the New Covenant—not abolishing direction, but fulfilling it.

It brings the same destination but does what the map could never do: it walks with you, speaks to you, and gets you there by grace, not effort.

Jesus didn’t throw away the map. He fulfilled every detail of it and gave you the indwelling voice of the Holy Spirit to guide you into the life the Law had always pointed to.

The New Covenant replaces external adherence with internal transformation, activated by faith.

Now it is about your trust in Jesus Christ. His death ratifies it. It fulfills the old covenant by achieving its intended moral standards and credits us with His righteousness.

The veil was removed.

Confident of the greater glory of the New Covenant, Paul states the remaining part of the chapter.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

In 2 Corinthians 3, the terms "Moses," “The old covenant,” "The ministry of condemnation,” and "the ministry of death” all represent the same reality. They bring awareness of sin but do not transform the heart. This leads to condemnation and death because it relies on human effort and external law.

Paul also explains that if someone reads the Old Testament apart from the Holy Spirit and without faith in Christ, they will only see it from a natural, limited perspective. This results in a hardened mind and a spiritual veil over the heart.

The problem: they’re reading it in total darkness. No lamp. No flashlight. No sunlight. They might see the shape of the book, maybe feel the pages, even recognize a few words here and there if the moonlight hits just right. But the story? The message? The power? Completely missed. Only when the light of Christ is turned on—when someone turns to the Lord—is the veil removed. Christ is the lens, the light, and the meaning. Without Him, it’s like reading in the dark. 

Remember when Peter, James and John witnessed Moses and Elijah; they only saw the two major representatives of the Old Testament through the glory of Jesus' transfiguration. And you know what Jesus was talking about? 

Luke 9:30–31 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

He discussed the completed work of the cross, which is where our glory lies.

It is finished. 

Jesus achieved everything.

Now, it's time to embrace everything we can have in Christ.

Only through a relationship with Christ can someone truly understand and experience what Scripture points to.

2 Corinthians 3:6 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 

The new covenant, the ministry of the Spirit, life, freedom, and reconciliation, where only Christ is glorified.

How does transformation happen?

We are being transformed as we fix our eyes on Him—seeing His glory, love, and goodness.

How can someone see God's glory? One day, Moses saw God’s glory.

Israel had betrayed God by worshiping the golden calf (Exodus 32). In response, God declared His justice and stated that He would not be among the people. Moses interceded for them, pleading with God not only for mercy and forgiveness but also for His ongoing presence to accompany them.

Moses stepped on the threshold of grace.

When the people deserved the least, Moses asked for God’s blessing. That is the scandal of grace.

God answers 

Exodus 33:17 And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

God releases favor and grace only for those bold enough to beleive.

Moses boldly asks to see, to behold God’s glory.

Exodus 33:18–19 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

God shows Moses His goodness, name, and merciful nature.

How are we transformed?

2 Corinthians 3:18 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Grace, undeserved, freely given.

His goodness is the transforming, glorious power.

His goodness, grace, and mercy reveal God's true glory. The more we look at Him, behold His glory, love, and goodness, the more we are being transformed from one measure to another, from one degree of glory to another.

Transformation is not our work; it is entirely the work of the Spirit. We are changed step by step, “from one degree of glory to another,” as we behold the Lord with unveiled faces.

Hebrews 12:2 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is the power of the new covenant: it brings true spiritual renewal, freedom, and the image of Christ being formed in us.

The realities of the New Covenant through the lens of Scripture and pastoral experience. Drawing from Paul’s ministry in Corinth, we reflect on how his shift toward the Gentiles represented a Spirit-led mission that, while painful at times, bore great fruit. With references to Acts 18 and 2 Corinthians 3, we unpack the difference between the old covenant—marked by external law and condemnation—and the new covenant, which brings transformation through the Spirit. Paul contrasts a life governed by written code (γράμμα) with one filled by the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit (πνεῦμα), revealing how Jesus not only fulfilled the law but opened the way for intimate relationship with the Father.

We also connect these truths to real-life struggles: the longing for approval, the difficulty of pastoral decisions, and the challenge of embracing grace over effort. Through illustrations like a GPS vs. an old map or the touching vulnerability in Analyze This, we show that the New Covenant isn’t just theological—it’s deeply personal. It’s God placing His Spirit within us, writing His will on our hearts, and transforming us not by demand but by grace. As we behold His glory, we are changed “from one degree of glory to another.” The veil is lifted. The voice of the Father is clear. And the Spirit is powerfully at work.