A God Who Restores Wasted Years
God promises to restore wasted years and calls us to repent, forgive, and press on to the blessings and joy he has in store for us.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that God promises to restore the years lost to sin and regret, as stated in Joel 2:25. He reassures believers that despite feelings of shame over wasted time, God has a plan for their lives filled with joy and purpose. The Lord invites us to repent and turn from our sins, assuring us that He will make up for all losses. Wilkerson encourages the faithful to forget the past and focus on the future, as God has stored up blessings for those who return to Him. Ultimately, in Christ, all things are made new, and we are called to press on toward the goal set before us.
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"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25).
Did you waste years before you repented and surrendered all to Jesus? You may think, "I could have been so much deeper in Christ. I could have brought so much joy to his heart. I can never make up all those wasted years."
We all want to make up to God our lost years, to make amends and repay him. But he says, "I will make it up to you! You can't repay me for a single wasted hour, so walk before me in righteousness and turn from your sins. I will make up all the losses, regardless of whether they are yours, your family's or others."
To repentant sinners, the Lord declares, "Fear not ... be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things!" (Joel 2:21).
You do not need to be ashamed of your wasted years. You were born for his eternal purposes. He planned for you a life of satisfaction, joy and usefulness in his kingdom, but God's plan for your life was interrupted by the devourer.
But now, in Christ, all is new! The Lord goes back to the day the locust came and he starts counting again from the moment you repented. All those blessings you missed were stored up, and all the joy and peace you thought gone forever were actually kept by the Lord.
Paul said, "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
You may feel pangs of remorse for your wasted time, and memories will keep you humble, but in God's eyes, your past is a dead issue. Your loving Father says, "Forget the past and press on to what I have promised you."
Sermon Outline
- The Promise of Restoration
- The Nature of Wasted Years
- The Power of Repentance
- The Call to Press On
- Forget the past and press on to God's promises
- Reach forward to the blessings and joy ahead
- God's assurance of restoration
Key Quotes
“You do not need to be ashamed of your wasted years. You were born for his eternal purposes.” — David Wilkerson
“But now, in Christ, all is new!” — David Wilkerson
“Forget the past and press on to what I have promised you.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Repentance brings forgiveness and restoration, and God starts counting again from the moment of repentance.
- We must forget the past and press on to God's promises, reaching forward to the blessings and joy ahead.
- God's plan for our lives was interrupted by the devourer, but in Christ, all is new, and we can start anew.