“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).
God can turn any situation around regardless of how grave, how despicable, or how hurtful it may be. Do you have something happening in your life that you need God to turn around? If so, you are a prime candidate for restoration. Job had some terrible things happen to him, but God turned it around.
From the time Satan attacked Job until things started to turn was about nine months. Most will agree that when you’re in the middle of tests and trails, it seems like ninety years; however, when restoration comes, your captivity begins to turn. How did Job’s captivity turn? The Lord turned Job’s captivity when he prayed for somebody else.
Here lies the first lesson to learn about restoration. If you want something good to happen to you, then you have to do something good for somebody else. That will always be God’s principle. You might as well drill that in your head – if you have a problem, find somebody else with a problem and help them.
Anytime you give, it comes back to you. That’s a law of the kingdom and it works.
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord turned his captivity and restored everything back to Job – plus some. The word “restore” means to return what has been taken or lost, a renewal, recovery, restitution, revival, reestablish, healing, and a replacement. Those words describe restoration.
Now this shows you how powerless Satan is, because the moment you pray for somebody else, not only are inviting God into your affairs, but you’re also inviting God into their affairs too. And when God is invited into your affairs, He will restore, plus give you more.
God will restore to you double. The Lord blessed Job in the latter end of his life more than what he lost. You may not be in your latter end right now, but you can call those things that be not as though they were. Restoration comes by faith.
Notice what Job lost: his family, his health, and his money – but God restored double. I mean, the second family was better than the first; he had more money than before, and he was healthier than before. God gave him 140 more years, so Job died being full of years.
Remember, God will not do anything on the earth unless somebody invites Him. So invite God into your affairs and God will turn it around – He will restore BIG TIME!
Scripture References: Psalm 126:1-6
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).