Subtitle: The Restorer of Life – Text: 4:11-37
INTRODUCTION
A couple of weeks ago, we took our Charismatic message from this bible scenario, and today again we are drawing from the same story, but from a different perspective that is the angle of God’s operations: Restoring Life.
We shall look at (A) the Analysis (B) the Application(A) THE ANALYSISRestorer is defined as ‘someone who restores.’
To Restore means ‘To give back’; ‘To make something look as it looked originally by repairing, retouching etc.’; ‘To recreate the original form of (something no longer existing, or existing as a ruin)’; To put back on a throne, bring back to a previous rank, bring back to a healthy state etc.
At creation, God formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into him life, and the formed “dummy” became a “living soul”, (Gen.2:7, cp. Eccl.12:7). That thing which the Creator (even the God of Elijah) did to the lifeless ‘dummy’ to become a living man, He still does whenever the condition calls (cons. Jn.5:21, Rom.4:17; Mal.3:6).
At the time of renactment of the feat, the Almighty chooses which modality to use to accomplish the same things (cons. 1Cor.12: 6).
-
- During Elijah’s service, God chose (through leading) the way of prayer and demonstration to restore the dead or dying (cons. 1Kgs.17:17-23); and so did He in Elisha’s ministry (2Kgs.4:18-20, 31-36).
In the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, it was more of prayer and /or authoritative command (Lk.7:11-14, Jn.11:41-44). And Apostle Peter likewise prayed and issued a command to raise the dead (Acts 9:36-40). While in Paul’s ministry it was by spirit led demonstration (Acts 20:9-10).
Strangely on a certain occasion, He used a decayed and lifeless (dry bones) to restore life to a dead (2Kgs.13:20-21 cp. Isa.55:8-9). And just as He restores life to the lifeless body, so does He (i) to individual units (organ) of the human body (cons. Gen.17:17,18:12-14, 21:1-3, Heb.11:12) (ii) to inanimate objects like land etc which yield substances (cons. Gen.1:10-12 cp. Deut.28:3,8, Isa.32:15) (iii) to businesses/institutions (cons. Gen.26:12, Deut.28:3-6,11).
(B) THE APPLICATION
- Every area of one’s life that is not functioning optimally should be seen as a dead or dying which needs restoration: spiritual life, physical life (health), mental life (academics memory), material life (business, employment etc), matrimonial life (fruit of womb needs), love and harmony, welfare of children etc.).
The pre-requsite (ie condition that is to be met) is simply FAITH in God and confidence in God’s minister (2Chro.20:20, Mk.11:22). As we pray tonight, the Restoration Anointing will flow to the dead and dying, to bring life back again (cons. Ex.10:9, Jer.32:27,Gen.8:14a).