“The One Thing” Devotional by Joseph Prince, Days 16 to 17

[Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

DAY 16: Claim Your Restoration!

²⁰ ... that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things ...

Acts 3:20-21

As a believer, you have a right to expect restoration of the things that the devil has stolen from you. It may be your health, marriage or finances, but payback time is definitely coming! Acts 3:20-21 tells us that before Jesus comes back for His church, we will experience "the times of restoration of all things.” What a hope that gives us, knowing that God will restore to us all things before Jesus returns!

My friend, if the devil is attacking you in any area, tell God, "Father, I will not allow the devil to rob me of my health, marriage, children or finances. These blessings are blood-bought and paid for by Your Son!" Claim your restoration in Christ and heaven will hear you.

There will be such times of restoration of all things to the body of Christ that His people will only   get   better, stronger, healthier, and more “The One successful and glorious! When God restores, even under the old covenant, His people always received much more than what they had originally lost, in terms of quality and/or quantity. How much more will our restoration be under the new covenant because of the shed blood of the Lamb of God!

A divorcee with a teenage son came to our church and accepted the Lord in May 2003. She began to pray for the restoration of her marriage and the reunion of her family. She knew that the chances of this happening were close to zero since she had not met nor spoken with her ex-husband since their divorce 10 years ago. She did not even know if he had remarried. But God caused their paths to cross at a wedding at the end of 2003. Today, their relationship is healed, and together with their son, they worship as a family in church.

Even though what happened for that sister may not happen for every divorced person (God can give you a better spouse and marriage), I believe that God wants you to know that your times of restoration are here. Heaven is waiting to hear you stake your claim for restoration!

 

DAY 17: The Gift Of No Condemnation

... "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." John 8:11

When Jesus was on earth, a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him by the scribes and Pharisees, the religious mafia of His day. They tried to trap Him by posing a question that was difficult to answer: "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"(John 8:5)

Jesus answered, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (John 8:7). The scribes and Pharisees began to leave one by one till none of them were left. The people in the crowd who wanted to condemn the woman could not. But Jesus, the only one in the crowd who truly had the power to condemn her, would not. He then asked her, "Woman ... Has no one condemned you?"  (John 8:10)

He spoke such words of grace to her because He loved her. Also, by asking her the question, He was giving her a chance to speak words of no condemnation to herself - "No one [condemns me], Lord."(John 8:11)

Jesus not only spoke words of grace to her, He also gave her the gift of no condemnation - "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” It was when she received the gift of no condemnation that she had the power to "go and sin no more."

Today, you have the gift of no condemnation because the Son of God was condemned for all your sins (Romans 8:1). Today, God cannot condemn you when you sin because He is faithful and just to what His Son has done.

So if the devil tries to convince you that God is angry with you when you blow it, just say, "God does not condemn me today because He has already condemned Jesus at the cross 2,000 years ago!"

Unfortunately, we still hear people saying, "Go and sin no more first, then I won't condemn you." Maybe you have been saying this to yourself too. But God says, "I don't condemn you. Go and sin no more." He gives you the gift of no condemnation, so that you have the strength to go and sin no more!

Click here for PDF version of "The One Thing" Days 16-17

Click here for PDF version of "The One Thing" Days 14-15

Click here for PDF version of "The One Thing" Days 1-13

Hi Everyone, I pray all is well with you all and your families! I have posted the new days (16 to 17) of Pastor Joseph Prince's 31 day devotional, "The One Thing!" I will post the other days, as I read them; posting two days at a time. Therefore, the next days you all will receive are "Day 18 & Day 19." I also will be posting the previous days, on each of the new days post, that way you all won't have to search for the previous days.

Have a blessed day and week! 

Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks