“Therefore He says:

‘Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.’” vs14

Here is the blessed promise that restored my soul. Even after sin, if we turn to the Lord, then He’ll receive us. If we have not walked zealously, then He will give us grace to honor Him. This brings us into the realm of obedience and blessing: As we do God’s will, we find His power, and thus His joy.

Do not fret if you have not obeyed. The time is now. Turn.

“Awake… Arise from the dead,”

Walk as a child of light, arise from the dead - from living below your inheritance - and Christ will shine on you.

He will give the Spirit, and He will help you up! He will not hold it against you that you’ve sinned, even as He used Moses after 40 years in the desert and failing 40 years earlier. He used Jonah, and He used John Mark, even after they went backward, and He will use you.

This restoration is gracious. Christ will shine on you. He’ll see you serving, turning to Him, and He will draw near to you [James 4:8]. He’ll meet your obedience with more grace, even as He assured Abraham after he offered up Isaac.

“And said, ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son--blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendents as the stars of the heaven… because you have obeyed My voice.” ~ Gen 22:16-18

He’ll meet you with mercy for your sins and grace to do His will.

Finally, restoration is not a tedious task of man performed without God. Restoration is the SINNER ADMITTING that he’s done wrong, that he has not lived uprightly, and then the Spirit restores.

When I was down and out, needing obedience, I knew three things:

1. I must obey! I have no choice.

2. Christ’s blood is the reason that God will help you. He forgives and cleanses.

3. The Spirit’s power is sufficient, and He will be given. Because of Christ, the grace will come to obey.