“Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” Acts 16:28.
The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to undo (luó: loose, untie, release, break, destroy, set at naught, contravene) the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10.
What I did not steal, I then have to restore. Psalm 69:4.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
You did not lose things that you thought you lost. They are all still here. I will restore the years the canker worm stole.
Jesus told three parables about lost things, one was about a sheep, one was about a coin, and one was about a son, and they were all found again and restored to where they were before. Jesus came to seek out and saved the lost. And as I sent Him, so He sends you.
Jesus came doing good and healing all those who were oppressed of the devil. The devil comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. What Jesus did not steal, He then had to restore. Psalm 69:4. I did not steal it, the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy but Jesus came to retore what was stolen, to give new life to that which was killed, and to rebuild that which was destroyed. He came to rebuild the ancient ruins, all the way back to Adam and the Garden of Eden.
The passage Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth to announce its fulfillment in Him goes on to tell of this amazing work of Jesus. What was destroyed by the devil will be rebuilt, “Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.” Isaiah 61:4. What was stolen by the devil will be restored and more besides, “Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.” Isaiah 61:7. And to give life to the dead, “Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.” Isaiah 26:19.
What seems lost and gone, is really not. No one dies in Me. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all are alive to Me. My gifts and My calling are irrevocable. Everything you thought you missed through sin, indifference, foolishness, rebellion, or ignorance is all here.
Do you recall when Paul and Silas were in prison in Philippi and were singing songs and hymns of praise to Me as they lay chained to the floor? The earth shook at their praises and the prison doors all opened. But none of the prisoners escaped. The jailer awoke and seeing all the gates open he decided to kill himself because he supposed the prisoners had all escaped. Acts 16:27. But Paul called out, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” Acts 16:28. And that is what I say to you who feel you have messed up and missed so much in your life that now seems gone, dead and destroyed. Do not harm yourself by shame, regret, and blame! Do not let your joy be stolen, for I say to you, “It is not gone, it is not over, it is ALL here. Do not weep.”
Mary Magdalene thought she had lost Jesus, she thought He had been taken from the tomb, she thought she would never see Him again and she wept. But the angel in the tomb sitting where Jesus’ body had been laid asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” John 20:13. She then turned from the tomb and Jesus stood there, but not looking at him fully she supposed it was the gardener and just stood weeping over her loss. But Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping.” She spoke of her fear that she had lost Jesus and asked for direction to where His body had been taken. But Jesus merely spoke her name, “Mary,” and immediately she recognized the voice of the One her heart loved, the One she was running through the streets and looking in the tomb to find. He had returned to her. She had lost nothing; she had gained all. It was all here. When you turn to Me and seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me right there with you and in Me you will find ALL you thought was gone. I saved it all for you. In My Kingdom there are many mansions.
And later, after the forty days Jesus remained with His disciples after I raised Him from the dead, as He left them on the Mount of Olives and began to ascend up through the clouds to return to His seat with Me, they just kept staring after Him, saddened by what they thought was a tremendous loss. Acts 1:9-10. But two angels appeared to them and told them He would return just as they saw Him ascend. Acts 1:11. And Jesus had told them it was better that He returned to Me so He could send them the treasure of the Holy Spirit who would teach them all things, tell them things to come, and share with them all that was of Jesus. What they thought they lost they had not. Christ in you, your hope of glory.
Jesus came to restore what He did not steal, to give life to those who had been killed, and to rebuild that which had been destroyed. Isaiah foresaw this as he wrote, “Your builders hurry; your destroyers and devastators will depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all of them gather together, they come to you. “As I live,” declares the LORD, “You will surely put on all of them as jewels and bind them on as a bride. For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—surely now you will be too cramped for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you will be far away. The children of whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears, ‘The place is too cramped for me; make room for me that I may live here.’ Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children and am barren, an exile and a wanderer? And who has reared these? Behold, I was left alone; from where did these come?’ Thus says Adonai Yahweh, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and set up My standard to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am the LORD. Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 49:17-23.
Jesus came to undo the works of the devil. “Can the prey be taken from the mighty man, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?” “Surely, thus says the LORD, “Even the captives of the mighty man will be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant will be rescued; for I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your sons.” Isaiah 49:24-25. I anointed Jesus to set the captives free. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how I anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for I was with Him and in Him. Acts 10:38.
And all flesh will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Isaiah 49:26.
Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. Isaiah 60:4-5.
You as the body of Christ on earth are now undoing the works of the devil with Him. You are to do the works He did and greater because He has returned to His throne in Heaven and whatever you ask in His Name, He will do. He has made you righteous with His own righteousness, planted in My house, so now it is time for you to join in the building project. “So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.” Isaiah 61:3-4.
I love you. What you thought you lost is all here. All are alive to Me. Your gifts and your calling are irrevocable. It is all here in me. In finding Me, you find everything you thought was gone and MUCH MORE.