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Joyce Meyer on Finding Total Restoration in Christ – Georgia Mossholder
You too can find joy and restoration in Christ.
God is in the business of restoration, and as believers in Christ,
He wants to make us whole in every area of our lives. This
process transforms us into the new creation that 2 Corinthians
5:17 describes as “(a new creature altogether); old things
[previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away … .”
I remember when I desperately needed to recover from the
abuse in my past. I had thought that when I was old enough to
leave home, I would leave the pain behind, but the problem was
in my soul—my thinking and emotions. I needed healing and
restoration so I wouldn’t continue to be poisoned by things that
had happened to me all those years growing up.
I came to this realization after a woman came to speak at our
church and shared her testimony of how she had been abused
and God had healed her. My husband, Dave, bought her book for
me, and when I started to read it, it was so painful that I threw it
across the room and refused to pick it up. But then I clearly
heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, “It’s time, Joyce.” God
had a much better life for me than what I had known up to that
point, and He wanted to restore my soul so I could experience it.
Double for Your Trouble
Isaiah 61:7 says, “Instead of your shame you shall have double
honor; and instead of humiliation they shall rejoice over their
portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess a double
portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs.”
This Scripture shows us that God can completely restore us—no
matter what we’ve done or been through. And He wants to bring
us to a position that’s better than we would have been in if we
had never gone through the messes in our lives. He wants to give
us double for our trouble!
Notice the phrase “instead of your former shame.” Do you know
what it’s like to have shame in your life? I had a shame-based
nature for many years because of the abuse I experienced from
my father. It made me feel like something must be wrong with
me for him to do the things he had done to me.
But the first thing Jesus gives us through our relationship with
Him is righteousness, or right standing with God (2 Cor. 5:21).
It’s so important for us to get this, because the enemy wants us
to think about everything that’s wrong with us so we’ll focus on
our faults. And when we do this, it just gives our problems more
strength over us.
We need to learn how to “walk in the Spirit, and you shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). This is what it means
to be transformed into the image of Christ. And while it’s not an
easy process, we can do it with God’s help.
The Process of Restoration
Think about it like this: When a person restores a used-up, beat-
up piece of furniture, the first thing they do is strip off the old
layers of paint or varnish. We all have things that need to be
stripped away in our lives. Maybe it’s old attitudes and mindsets
that don’t line up with the way God thinks and acts, or unhealthy
relationships that are holding you back from God’s purpose and
plans for you.
Whatever it is, you can pray: “Lord, strip me of everything that’s
not good for me, and everything that’s hindering my walk with
You. Do what You need to do to get it out of my life.”
Sanding is another step in the process. Is there anyone in your
life whose personality just grates on you? They’re like sandpaper,
and God uses them to get the rough edges off us so the good
things He has put in us can be developed and demonstrated in
the way we live. And after the sanding, there is sealing. For us,
that means we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit, “sealed for the day
of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30).
After all this, the furniture must be dusted and polished from time
to time. I feel like God is always polishing my life in some area.
Our walk with Christ is a lifelong journey that brings us closer to
Him and makes us more like Him. That’s why we should be
thankful when the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, or the mistakes
we make; it’s how He’s polishing us to help us stay in God’s will
for our lives.
Wherever you are in the restoration process, I want to encourage
you to set your mind today that God is healing you, and stay
focused on following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Trust God
to lead you in the way that’s right for you, bringing you to
wholeness in Christ in every area of your life.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times best-selling author and
founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored 100
books, including Battlefield of the Mind, The Mind Connection
and Get Your Hopes Up! (Hachette). She hosts the Enjoying
Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of
stations worldwide. For more information,
visitwww.joycemeyer.org.
Joyce Meyer on Finding Total Restoration in Christ – Georgia Mossholder
Joyce Meyer on Finding Total Restoration in Christ - Georgia Mossholder