Not Guilty: Finding Restoration Through God's Atonement
Have you ever felt like your past mistakes define you? Like you're carrying a weight of guilt that you just can't shake? We've all been there. But what if I told you that God sees you differently than you see yourself? That He looks at you and declares "Not guilty"? Let's dive into this powerful truth and discover how God's atonement can bring restoration to our lives.
The Power of Atonement
Bishop Leonard Chatham
In Leviticus 23:23-25, God established the Day of Atonement as a sacred assembly for the Israelites. This wasn't just a one-time event, but as Leviticus 16:34 tells us, "This shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year." But what exactly is atonement, and why is it so important?
Atonement is about making things right. It's about satisfying a debt, rectifying a wrong, or repairing an injury. In the Old Testament, this involved animal sacrifices. But for us today, it's all about what Jesus did on the cross. He became the perfect sacrifice, once and for all.
Here's the amazing thing: when God looks at us through the lens of atonement, He doesn't see our guilt. He sees us as covered by the blood of Jesus. As Isaiah 1:18 beautifully puts it, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
Restoration and Renewal
But God doesn't just forgive us and leave us where we are. He wants to restore and renew every area of our lives. In Joel 2:25-26, God makes an incredible promise:
"I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed."
Let's break this down. The locusts, cankerworms, caterpillars, and palmer worms represent different ways our lives can be eaten away:
Locusts eat up all the vegetation, like when we can't make ends meet no matter how hard we work.
Cankerworms go inside a tree and spoil the fruit from within, like when things look good on the outside but are rotten on the inside.
Palmer worms eat up the shade trees, robbing us of rest and peace.
Caterpillars start on the ground but work their way to the highest point of the tree.
God promises to restore all of this! He wants to bring increase, financial blessing, and a fresh anointing into our lives. He wants to satisfy us and perform miracles on our behalf.
The Inside-Out Perspective
Here's a key truth we need to grasp: God Judges us from the inside out, not the outside in. In the Old Testament tabernacle, there were layers of coverings. From the outside, it didn't look like much. But on the inside, there was gold, beauty, and the very presence of God.
It's the same with us. 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
When God looks at you, He's not focused on your outward mistakes or failures. He's looking at your heart, at the covenant relationship He has with you through Jesus. That's why He can declare you "not guilty" even when you know you've messed up.
Life Application: Walking in Freedom
So how do we apply this truth to our daily lives? Here are some practical steps:
Embrace God's forgiveness: Stop beating yourself up over past mistakes. If you've confessed your sins to God, He has forgiven you. Period.
See yourself as God sees you: You are a "holy nation, a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). Start believing and acting like it!
Bring everything to the altar: Whatever is holding you back - addictions, selfishness, disobedience - lay it before God. As the old hymn says, "Take it to the Lord in prayer."
Praise your way to breakthrough: Even when you don't feel like it, choose to praise God. As Psalm 22:3 says, He inhabits the praises of His people.
Live from the inside out: Focus on cultivating a pure heart and clean hands before God, rather than just trying to look good on the outside.
Remember, no matter what you've been through or what others say about you, God sees the best in you. He's ready to restore the years the locusts have eaten and pour out His Spirit upon you (Joel 2:28). You are not guilty - you are loved, forgiven, and restored. Now go live like it!
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