Look Up! Your Redemption Draws Near!

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” – Luke 21:28 (NIV)

However dark life seems right now, know that God has great plans for you. Yes, you have every reason to feel discouraged, but look up your redemption draws near. You are precious in the eyes of God; that is why He gave up His only Son to die on the cross for you. 

It could be that you are fighting addiction or a particular sin. Maybe you are in debt, or you have been diagnosed with a particular disease in your body. Or you have been living in a cycle of defeat for long. You want God to rescue you from that pit, you want to enjoy the freedom that Jesus has given you. 

Know that God is going to come through. Other people may not see your worth. You may also be looking down on yourself right now because of the mistakes that you have made. But God sees your worth, and He will restore everything that you have lost. Just keep trusting and fighting.

Now you may be wondering what does redemption mean?

What Does it Mean to be Redeemed by God?

To be redeemed by God means being saved from evil, or sin by our Heavenly Father. It means being rescued from the power of sin. Redemption can also be defined as a ransom or purchase. 

The entire Bible is based on God’s redemption plan for man. From Genesis to Revelation, we see God’s plan to rescue man. God gave up His only Son as a ransom to die on the cross for us so that we can have eternal life. 

Today God continues to redeem us from the enemy who steals, kills, and destroys the spiritual blessings He has given us through His Son Jesus. It doesn’t matter how big or small your situation is. God will help you! (John 10:10)

Why is God Taking so Long?

Understand that while God already redeemed us by giving His son Jesus as a ransom for us on the cross, redemption is something that will continue until the end of time. Why is that? It is because the world is still under the control of the enemy. We may be of this world, but we are not of it. 

God has promised to help us and restore what we lose here on earth. He is our Redeemer, so we should always turn to Him when we want to experience restoration. But you may be wondering why is God taking long to redeem you? (Isaiah 48:17)

Well, here are a few reasons why it might be taking long:

1. God is working on your Heart

At times parents take long to help children out of sticky situations not because they hate their children but because they want them to learn some lessons. If our parents or guardians rushed to our rescue every time we called out to them, we would not learn some life lessons. The same is true of our Heavenly Father.

God has heard your prayer, but maybe He is working on your heart. He wants you to become the person He created you to be. Now, that doesn’t mean that He is responsible for your addiction or struggle with sin. No, but God will use even our dark pasts and experiences to deal with our hearts and make us better people. 

2. His Timing is Different from Ours

Our timing and God’s timing are different (2 Peter 3:8). We may want something to happen right now, but that doesn’t mean that it will. We serve a systematic God who knows when the time is right for Him to do something in our lives.

It may seem like God is taking long to help you out of that situation, but when that is not the case. Moses rushed ahead of God, he took matters in his hands and killed the Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-12). That did not go well with him, and he had to flee from Egypt. Lot’s wife looked back, yet they were told not to, and she ended up becoming a pillar of salt. Do not rush God or delay him, ask the Holy Spirit to help you so that you can wait patiently on him. 

3. God Wants You to Come to the End of Yourself

At times God will hold back what He has for us until we come to the end of ourselves. Some of us may be asking God for help, but we may also be trying to find help elsewhere. You need to depend on God alone, for He alone is your Redeemer. 

God will not share His glory with another. It is only when you surrender totally to Him that He will redeem you. If you are asking God for help, but you are also looking for help elsewhere, stop and be single-minded. Put your trust only in God and wait for Him patiently.  

4. He has Something Bigger

God never gives us the things we lost in the same measure. He will always give you more than what you lost, either in quality or quantity. Job got twice what he had lost, and the Bible says that his daughters were the most beautiful women in the land. (Job 42:10-15)

How to Look Up?

Looking up simply means waiting upon the Lord. We need to continue living life and doing the things God expects us to do as we wait for Him. But how do we do it? How does one ensure that they are actively looking up for their redemption

1. Be Watchful

The enemy would like for you to continue living in that cycle of defeat. So he will bombard your mind with all manner of negative thoughts so that you can give up. Don’t accept his lies. Be watchful of what is happening around you, and be careful of the thoughts that you are entertaining in your mind. (Romans 13:11)

Here are Four Ways of How to Be Watchful:

1) Guard your Heart

The devil can put a wrong thought in your mind, but he cannot force you to dwell on that thought. It is up to you to focus on it. Stop meditating on the negative thoughts that the enemy is feeding your mind. Instead, bring every evil thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

2) Let Your Words Align with God’s Words

It is easy for us to be tempted to seek pity from people around us when we are facing challenges. But pity will not get you through that challenge. Be watchful by guarding what comes out of your mouth. 

Let the words that come out of your mouth align with what God says about your situation. 

3) Avoid Tempting Situations

If you want God to redeem you from the pit of sin, be watchful by avoiding the things or situations that will tempt you. Avoid certain places or certain people if you have to. Ask God to strengthen you so that you don’t fall into any kind of temptation as you wait for your redemption. 

4) Pray

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray, but when He went back to where He left them, He found them sleeping (Matthew 26:41). It could be that you are sleeping instead of praying. You may not be physically sleeping, maybe you have allowed other things to cloud up your mind. Instead of praying, you may be spending time on other things. Please be watchful by praying.

The enemy doesn’t want you to have an abundant life, and he will try his best to block you from receiving what God has in store for you. So watch and pray. Prayer will change things and cause the answers to manifest in the physical. If you don’t know how to pray, please ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray. Prayer will help you not to fall into temptation.

The word says that when the thief is caught, he should return seven times what he has stolen (Proverbs 6:31). We know that the thief is the devil. So, when asking God to redeem also command the enemy to restore what he has stolen from you seven times. Remember, Jesus already redeemed you, so you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

But the enemy usually steals our blessings. For example, he will steal your divine health by inflicting you with sickness and disease, or he may steal your finances by causing you to be in debt. So pray that he may return what he stole from you sevenfold. 

2. Prepare for What You’re Waiting for

Are you ready for what God has in store for you? As we have already said, God will give you double for the trouble the enemy has put you in. You need to prepare for what you are asking God for. If you want God to restore your finances, then you can prepare by setting your finances in order. Learn to spend money wisely, open a savings account, and educate yourself about financial management. 

It could be that you lost what you are praying for because of the wrong mindset. Use this time of waiting to work on your mindset. Read the word of God and allow it to transform your mind so that you can have the right mindset about that situation. 

God doesn’t want you to waste what He wants to give you. Then use this time of waiting to change your mindset about money. 

3. Ask God for Direction

As you look up for your redemption, ask God for direction about the course of your life. Maybe God wants you to do something as you wait for your repayment. God doesn’t just restore His children; He always wants the restoration to be a blessing to other people around you. 

Maybe God wants you to do something different so that you don’t open up doors for the enemy to steal from you again. Seek His face and find out what He wants you to do, then obey His direction. 

4. Seek the Kingdom First

God cares about your every need, and He wants to restore all the things that have been stolen from you. But often, we allow the things of the world to overshadow our relationship with God, and this, in turn, causes us to end up missing out on God’s best. Please do not allow the things you are asking God to overshadow your relationship with Him.

See first the kingdom of God, and He will add all those things to you. They will be given to you abundantly. (Matthew 6:33). Spend time in God’s presence and build an intimate relationship with Him. Let Him refine you and transform you into the person He created you to be. If you are struggling with a particular weakness, see God first and stop focusing on the issue. The more you spend time seeking Him, the less your struggle becomes, and this will help you to overcome that challenge with time. 

Final Thoughts

Dear child of God, know that God will finish what He started. He redeemed us by giving His only Son as a ransom for us. God will not allow the enemy to steal what rightfully belongs to us. He will not only restore what you lost, but He will also double it. 

Instead of living in defeat, turn to God and ask Him to redeem you. Do not feel discouraged when it seems like God is taking long. Look up your redemption draws near. Remember that God’s timing is different from ours. Be watchful, prepare for what you are asking for, ask for direction, and seek first the kingdom of God. You Heavenly Father wants to turn your sorrows into joy. He did it for Hannah, He can do it for you. God will turn your weaknesses to strength, but you need to be patient and allow Him to work in His own timing. 

Prayer

Almighty God, I want to thank You for everything You are doing in my life. Thank You for giving up Your only Son to die on the cross for me that I may be set free from the power of sin and have eternal life. Lord, You have promised in Your word that You will restore the years that the locust has eaten. Lord, I come before Your throne today, asking for restoration. Father, please restore unto me the things that I have lost to the enemy. 

God, I ask for sevenfold health over my body. Please cause me to enjoy divine health from this point. Father, I keep falling into sin and living in defeat. But Your word says that sin does not have dominion over me. Heavenly Father, rescue me from this pit of sin. Purify me with the blood of Your Son and cause me to walk in victory. Lord, I know that You will not allow my enemies to gloat over me, for You are My Defender and My Redeemer. 

Father God, thank you for loving me despite all my faults and failures. Turn my weaknesses to strength and my sorrows into joy. In Jesus’ name, I believe and pray, Amen.