Joe 2:16,22-26 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.
The Southern Kingdom of Judah had experienced the pain of seeing the Babylonians destroy the Temple and the city of Jerusalem ransacked and pillaged. Their idolatry, and gross sin had led them into judgment. The most talented and gifted had been taken to Babylon. There they would be mocked for their faith and live in captivity to the Babylonians. I am reminded of these verses in Psalm 137 :1 -3 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
However, we do see a promise for God’s people if we come to Him with a repentant heart. Just like Israel we have all gone astray in some way in rebellion against God. We are told in Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (NKJV) And in the New Testament the Apostle Paul said it like this in Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Some of us may have lived, or are still living in sinful lifestyles that are in open rebellion against God and His Word. In Judah they engaged in idol worship that often-included sexual acts as a way to appease the false gods and idols that they were worshipping. By the way those false gods still desire that worship. The prophet Jeremiah described their spiritual condition in this way: Jer 13:27 I have seen your adulteries And your lustful neighings, The lewdness of your harlotry, Your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?”(NKJV) For some of us it could have included substance abuse and other rebellious acts.
For others it could be the false peace that we are good moral people and we don’t have to repent of our sin. Those may feel like their own morality has put them in right standing with God. No matter what our spiritual condition may be there is good news for the sinner that will turn from rebellion and live for God. The Greek term for repentance is metanoia. It means to have a heart change, and a mind change. We make a decision that we will not continue to live our own way, or in a way that the current culture says it okay. But we will live God’s way and according to His Word.
God promised through the prophet Joel that He would restore the land. He promised that He would give back seven times what the enemy had stolen. Rain will fall upon the land again. God will supply abundantly what His people need.
I like the part that says that He will restore the years that the enemy has stolen. I can testify as a person that lived in gross sin for forty-one years that God has been faithful in doing just that in ours lives. There are too many for me to list here. I have seen him restore relationships. I have seen Him restore from where the enemy attacked finances. I have seen Him restore where the enemy has tried to attack our children.
You read what God promises to do in Joel Chapter 2. What he was willing to do for Judah He is willing to do for the believer and follower of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Memorize it! Pray it! Declare it! Stand on it! He is that faithful! But remember that He does this for those who repent of their sins. He does this for those who seek His Kingdom first. Don’t buy into what the culture is trying to sell you now. Surrender to God and trust Him to restore!
Peter quoted from Joel Chapter 2 on the Day of Pentecost Ac 2:16-18 “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:’And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
God desires to restore you! If you are on drugs repent and come to Him and He will restore you! If you are in any sexual relationship outside of marriage between a man and a woman, He will restore you! If you are separated from God in any way, He stands ready to forgive and restore! Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is at hand!
Let Us Pray:
Lord Jesus I pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in every person’s life that reads this. For those that need to come to that place of repentance we pray for the Holy Spirit to bring them to that place. For those that have and all that do we pray a complete giving back seven times over each one from what the enemy has stolen!
In Jesus Name
Amen
We love you all! Thanks for your prayers for us!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
Real Party Ministry 