DON'T BACKSLIDE, TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!

Once again I am delighted to share the word of life, as we continue to seek God's face at such a time as this.               

The Bible in Acts 3:19 says,
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"

The title of my message is " DON'T BACKSLIDE, TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME"

In our Christian journey we sometimes face challenges and problems that may cause us to fall and backslide.

 

But the word of God is always there to keep and protect us from falling and giving up in life.
Backsliding is such a terrible condition, that any child of God who backslides must quickly seek restoration.

 

The danger with backsliding is that a backslider may perish with his or her enemies,  like Samson did.

At times you may even lose all what you had gained from  God like Judas lscariot  (Judges 16:30, Acts 1:16-20).

 

The good news is that God has provided a remedy for backsliding.

In the scripture reading, we see the loving God calling and inviting backsliding Israel back to Himself.

 

This is a pointer to the fact that God wants to restore all backsliders.

God is a merciful and loving Father who does not want to see His children suffering.

"Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every tree and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for l am married unto you: and l will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:"
(Jeremiah 3:13-14)

The above verses of Scripture contain the cure for backsliding.

 Restoration for the backslider starts with an acknowledgment of sins and a contrite return to God.

 In other words, the cure to backsliding lies in genuine repentance.

 

Repentance is a complete turnaround from one's sins with a determination never to return to those sins any more.

The scripture also says, " The sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" ( Psalm 51:17).

God desires that when we approach Him, we must be genuine and real, so that He may also forgive us our trespasses.

 

This was what Samson failed to do throughout his twenty years of being judge over lsrael.

To make matters worse, he always ascribed his victory and achievement to his strength.

Hear what he said after one of his victories in Judges 15:16.
"...With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”

There is no record of him giving glory to God even once.

There are many such people who ascribe their achievement and victory to themselves, instead of giving all the glory to God. (Psalm 115:1).

Samson, when he should have prayed for mercy, he prayed a wrong prayer, asking God to strengthen him one more time, so that he could avenge his eyes!

 

Due to the mercy of God, and because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, God still granted him his request, and he died with his enemies (Romans 1 1 :29, Judges 16:28-30).

 

In Acts 3:19, we see some of the great benefits of repentance.

These include forgiveness, the blotting out of sins and the experience of a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

 

Beloved, are you in a backslidden state?

I encourage you to return to God through the Lord Jesus Christ today.

Read 1 John 2:1-2, for a better understanding of your heritage in Christ.

As you do that, the joy of salvation and the victory over sin will be restored to you.

Pray for restoration if you are a backslider.

If by His grace you are still standing, pray that you will not backslide, and also pray for all backsliders in the Body of Christ that you know.

 

May be you were about to give up on God, because of challenges, pray that you don't fall and backslide.

Jude even assures us that the Lord will keep you from falling.

" Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." ( Jude 1:24).

 

The Lord will always refresh and restore us in our desperate and hopeless situation.( Isaiah 41:10-13, Joel 2:12-14, Psalm 121:1-8).  Joel 2v25-27 says, " And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed........"                        

You might have been a backslider as a result of many reasons known to yourself, but the Lord is assuring you of restoration and refreshing times that are coming ahead of you.

Restoration in your marriage!

Restoration in your health!

Restoration in your relationship!

Restoration in your spiritual life!

Restoration in your business!

Restoration in your career!

 

May the Lord restore and refresh you in all aspects of your life, in the name of Jesus!

 

God bless you all

Evangelist Fanuel Masikati

Email:Divinerevelations7@gmail.com

Cell:263778495363