The resurrection of Lord JESUS is the resurrection for each and every one of us, so now let’s learn how we can always experience restoration at the times when we experience weak in our faith, disappointment, when we are down.
1. Every one will experience times when we feel strong and times when we feel weak.
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These two people when they first followed JESUS, they had a fervent spirit however at that time they were experiencing weak in their faith, disappointed, slack, and despair.
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When their spirit was down, then all their potential seemed to vanish, and they could be useless people.
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But when their spirits were strong, they would be very potential and successful people.
2. How we can experience restoration when we are weak in the spirit?
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To take off everything that hinders us to be able to see GOD
The two disciples’ hearts were filled with bad thoughts so they could not see the presence of JESUS well (v15-16).
If they could see it was LORD JESUS who has risen from death, then their spirits would be restored and they would be enthusiastic again.
If our hearts are filled with dirty things then the eyes of our hearts would be covered by those things so we won’t be able to see clearly anymore.
Take off all those things that hinder us from seeing the presence, the power, the love of GOD, the way GOD works, so we will be restored and our spirit will once again be fervent. Testimony/ Example
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Never feel that we understand more than GOD
After the two disciples ‘ eyes were covered with disappointment they felt they understood more than the LORD (v17-18)
If only they realized that GOD understood more and was more true than what they had thought, then they would always be joyful even though they experience something they did not understand.(Rome 8:28 , 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose)
We, also at times, feel that we understand more than the Lord, so we blame GOD and finally we experience disappointment and spiritually weak.
Admit that GOD understands more and is more righteous than anything, so we will receive restoration (Job 42: 1-6 2"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3You asked, `Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4"You said, `Listen now and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' 5My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." / Job 42:10 10After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before)
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Do not have the wrong hope to GOD
They were disappointed because they had the wrong hope to GOD (V 19-21)
If they had the right hope in GOD, then their faith would be strong and they would not be easily shaken and even if they were once weak, they would be easily restored.
Let’s not have the wrong motivation in following GOD, in sowing, in serving because if we have the wrong motivation, then we will be disappointed and we will be weak spiritually.
Have the correct hope and motivation in the Lord, then our faith will be strong and we will not be easily shaken. Whenever we are weak, we will be easily restored again!
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Don’t be slow to believe !
They were slow to believe (v22-26)
At that time the disciples were experiencing slack in the spiritual life because they were slow to believe.
JESUS had many times said, that HE would rise on the third day, but the disciples did not believe.
Some women who saw the resurrection of Lord JESUS also spread the story to them, however they still wouldn’t believe.
JESUS criticized the disciples for being slow to believe (Mark 16:9-14 - 9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. )
If they were quick to believe in JESUS’ words, then their faith would not be shaken or if they had believed the women’s story, they would be easier to receive restoration.
We are called believers, however many times we don’t believe/ lack in our faith. > so we get easily despair, disappointed, slack.
Now, when we listen to the Word of GOD, let’s learn to be quick in believing it so our faith would be easily restored.
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Be persistent in our struggle in the LORD!
They were making serious efforts to make JESUS stayed with them, so they received the grace that made them rejoice again ( V27-29)
Lord JESUS may act as if HE doesn’t know, or as if that HE is leaving us, or as if HE is not answering our prayer because HE want to know our persistence.
If they were not persistent then they might have not received the grace from GOD
Example : The Canaanite woman who sought for her daughter to be healed.
Two blind men who kept on shouting asking JESUS to heal them (Mat 20 : 30-34 – . 30Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
31The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
32Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 33"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."
34Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.)
Persistent prayer (Luke 18:1-8 - 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, `Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, `Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' “6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" )
We have to be persistent in our struggle in the LORD !
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Let’s rise up as soon as we realize GOD is speaking to us/ GOD is reminding us!
When they realized JESUS was speaking to them, they immediately rise up again !( v 32-33)
If they did not arise immediately and went to Jerusalem, then they would always be people in despair and they would lose the great grace from the LORD. Praise the Lord, they believed and immediately went back to the LORD, and they received the great grace from the LORD, because that was the time GOD was showing HIS glory!
Right now if our hearts realize GOD is speaking to us, reminding us, while we listen to the WORD of GOD, let’s rise up and go back to the LORD, then we shall experience restoration!
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To testify with faith (v 33-35)
They testified with enthusiasm ( v 34-35)
GOD wants us who have been saved to be HIS witness( Acts 1:8 . 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth)
The more we dare to testify with faith, the more our faith will be restored and strengthened!
Let’s respond to these 7 things in the WORD of GOD, so we, who are weak, can be restored by the LORD, and we can even be the witness of GOD!
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