This past year (2009) has been surrounded with "change". There has been so much that has happened. Not only did things in our own body change but so did many things in our own nation. It is sad to say that many of those things in our nation that have changed have not been for the good. I believe it is safe to say that there is even more "damage" to our nation to come. We need no prophet to tell us that things are getting worse and will continue to get worse. Our own eyes should be able to see what is happening.
I am writing this to you because God,our awesome and amazing God that He is, has given me a word. A word that I have been sitting on for about a month. I have not been asking or seeking out any special words or insight. Yet even in the busiest of times, God has continued to speak to me. This is what I have been hearing:
"I am going to restore to you and I will bring back."
Hear this, I believe this year is going to be a year of restoratiofn. I am not referring to a year of restoration in our country. I have not heard anything concerning that, but I do believe and as I was in prayer that this year of restoration belongs to Agape Christian Fellowship and those who are attached and committed to this specific body. As God continued to speak to me He told me this:
"I am desiring to restore to them the joy of my salvation. I will renew them."
As I press in with God I have realized that I have not truly and completely been walking in the joy of my God's salvation. The last six months of 2009 became very heavy for me and because of that, not only did I lose some of this joy, but I also allowed satan to steal it from me. I am sure that many others had similar battles during 2009. I am taking hold of the Joy of the Lord.
This is what I believe God wants us to do. He desires us to take hold of the Joy of the Lord, and in this the restoration comes. The Joy of our Lord and His salvation have to be restored first, then all other things can be restored; our families, our health, our finances, our jobs, our children, our church body.
I say this, if our joy in our God and His salvation is not restored in us, His body and soon to be bride; then we will not survive those things that come crashing down this year. The Lord's joy will give us strength to push forward regardless of what our surroundings look like, sound like, or feel like.
So when God says: "I am going to restore to you…" I believe He is saying: "I am going to restore to you the Joy of my salvation and then I will bring back to you what was lost and stolen and I will complete in you what I started!"
The Joy of the Lord is my strength. This is what will get me through this year. That is what should get us all through not just this new year (2010) but the rest of the years till Jesus return. May His returning be soon! Praise God!
