Backsliding is such a terrible condition that any
child of God who backslides must quickly seek for restoration. The danger with
backsliding is that a backslider may perish with his or her enemies like Samson
did, or lose all he or she had gained in God like Judas Iscariot (Judges 16:30, Acts
1:16-20). The good news is that God has provided a remedy for
backsliding. In today’s Bible 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.
“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 I am married unto
you: and I 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. This was what Samson
failed to do throughout his twenty years of being judge over Israel. 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. 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 11:29, Judges
16:28-30). In Acts 3:19,
we see some of the great benefits of repentance. These included 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 1st John 2:1-2 for a
better understanding of your heritage in Christ. As you do these, the joy of
salvation and the victory over sin will be restored to you.
Action Point:
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.
Pastor
E.A Adeboye (Open Heavens Daily
Devotional, Friday April 21st, 2017)
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