The Lord Will Restore

It's Monday once again and it's another day to share with you a devotional about covenant marriage this time  written again by David, a fellow stander from North Carolina.

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"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten." Joel 2:25

Do not fear, for the Lord is on your side, the Lord sees your pain, the Lord knows what the enemy has stolen from you, and the Lord will repay in His perfect timing if we do not give up. He promises this to those who follow His ways.

"Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours." Psalm 128:1-2

I know your pain is great, and the pain for the absence of your one-flesh spouse is especially deep at times. Please know that God is on your side, and He will not fail you. Just cry out to Jesus and tell Him of your pain. Surrender all things to Him and this will release power into your heart, and His peace will guard your heart and guard your mind in this spiritual battle (see Philippians 4:6-7).

Have hope today that the God of the universe holds you in His hands and the enemy cannot snatch you away from His hands. It is only the enemy's lies that will try to convince you that you must give up, or that God does not care. Listen to the Word of God alone, and you will be greatly encouraged.

"But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.'" Isaiah 43:1-2

One other encouragement I feel the Lord wants us to hear today is that when he repays, restores, replants, or revives, He does so in abundance. In fact, in many places we find the Lord speaks of restoring double what was taken or destroyed.

"Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope, even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you." Zechariah 9:12

"Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." Isaiah 61:7

Read also the story of Job, which you may already know. I had never paid attention before, but in the last chapter of Job you may know that it describes how God blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part of His life (Job 42:12). It also lists the amount of different types of animals that Job had in this latter blessing (the animals being a sign of his blessing and prosperity). Sure enough, compare the numbers to those in chapter 1, and God gave Job exactly twice as many of each kind of animal as he had before. A double restoration was given to Job in these areas.

"The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, 'This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden'...I the Lord have spoken and I will do it." Ezekiel 36:34,35,36

God has much to restore in your life and mine. Many marriages have been taken as plunder by the enemy, but God will restore and repay back all the enemy has stolen. Trust in Him and let Him be Lord of all in your life and He will not let you down. Let us pray in agreement with standers everywhere that many marriages would be delivered from the enemy's camp as we turn our eyes to Jesus.

"No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?" Isaiah 43:13