For 15 years, the New Covenant Church (tNCC) has been a leading church with a centered focus on the person of Christ, honoring His goodness and grace with hearts of gratitude. This focus has enabled tNCC to transcend challenges and remain vibrant, with a tightly-knitted community of believers.
Throughout 2024, the theme for the church has been on ENLARGE, based on Isaiah 54:2. Many testimonies emerged throughout the year of God enlarging lives and capacities – through mission trips, discovery of new talents, and blessings that were multiplied. The theme for 2025 will be RESTORE.
God’s Promise of Restoration
Pr Peter conveyed that when God restores, He does not just return to the old; He brings us into something even greater. We find a reminder of this in Acts 3:19-21, at the very birth of the Christian church, in which a call rang out to God’s people to turn back to Him, that times of refreshing may come and that He may restore everything. The restoration that God promises is profound for it touches every area of our lives.
We see God’s faithfulness to His promise over the years through mended relationships, and the restoration of health and broken dreams. The very fact that Christ reconciled and restored our relationship back with God encourages us that He can mend any bond. In Jeremiah 30:17, there is a declaration of the restoration of health and wounds. This is not just a routine healing; it brings us into divine health, where our bodies and spirits can thrive.
‘As we step into this new season, let us prepare our hearts for God’s work of restoration. Whether it’s relationships, physical health, or spiritual vitality, He desires to restore us to His perfect design. Let’s embrace this promise and look forward to even greater testimonies in the year to come,’ Pr Peter encouraged.
God’s Restorative Power
Life on earth is often difficult and consequently, our journey of faith here may be filled with challenges, in which we often encounter moments of brokenness, disappointment, and loss.
The beauty of walking with the Lord is that He is in the business of restoration – restoring relationships, health, lost time, and even ministries. We can derive hope because we know in our hearts that God restores us in many ways:
Restoration of Relationships and Health
When we reconnect with God the journey of restoration begins, not just for us, but also for those around us. Those who know God intimately find the reality of the beautiful picture in Psalm 23 of a shepherd who leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters, restoring their souls. Pr Peter expressed that in today’s stressful world, many describe themselves as “burned out” or “stressed out.” Yet, Jesus invites us, saying, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He promises peace and renewal for our weary souls.
Some examples of this is the simple joy of spending time with loved ones, like the embrace of grandchildren. Such simple things in life, often taken for granted, can bring immediate peace and restoration. The Lord’s gift of health – physical, emotional, and spiritual – equips us to walk in divine wellness, enabling us to fulfill His purpose without the weight of exhaustion.
Restoration of Lost Years
Another instance of God’s restoration takes place in the area of lost years. Joel 2:25 is a well-known example of this truth. In it, God declares to Israel, through the prophet Joel, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” The Israelites at that time had faced many lost years due to their exile. The pain of lost years can bear heavily on the human soul. In this promise, we see God’s compassion for His people.
Just as with the Israelites, we can have assurance of God’s faithfulness, for this promise speaks to the seasons of loss and fruitlessness that many of us endure. It could be due to circumstances, rebellion, or missed opportunities, but no matter what it is, God’s ability to redeem those years is extraordinary. In addition, He multiplies our fruitfulness, making our efforts now more impactful than ever before.
For those who feel disheartened by wasted time, God offers hope. Whether your past involved rebellion, distraction, or years without Christ, He can redeem those moments, transforming them into a deeper communion with Him. Just as it was with the apostle Peter, who denied Jesus three times but was reinstated and called to lead, God restores us to our calling with grace.
Restoration of Hidden Needs
Not all of our wounds are visible to others and life’s journey is often filled with unspoken needs, hidden losses, and dreams we’ve buried deep within. Yet, the story of restoration found in 2 Kings 4 speaks powerfully to our hearts that God sees even those hidden needs and losses. It reminds us that God is not only aware of our needs but is actively working to restore what seems lost. This narrative, centered on a Shunammite woman, captures the essence of God’s ability to restore beyond expectation.
When the Shunammite woman opened her home to the prophet Elisha, she unknowingly unlocked God’s blessing. Her unspoken desire for a child was fulfilled miraculously, showing how God meets even the needs we hesitate to voice. However, her joy turned to sorrow when her son died unexpectedly. But the story didn’t end there. Her relentless faith led her to seek Elisha, who, through God’s power, restored her son to life. This is a testimony of God’s faithfulness to revive our pride, joy, and hope, no matter how bleak the circumstances.
Later, the narrative goes further. During a seven-year famine, the woman returned to find her land taken. As she appealed to the king, divine timing worked in her favor – just as Elisha’s servant was recounting her miracle to the king, she and her son appeared. The king not only restored her land but also all its proceeds from the years she was absent. This underscores a profound truth: when God restores, it’s not partial but overflowing.
The story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 highlights God’s attention to the deep, often hidden desires of our hearts. Despite her outward contentment, she carried the unspoken pain of being childless. God, through Elisha, restored her hope by granting her a son, fulfilling a dream she had buried long ago.
Pr Peter conveys that this story reminds us that God knows our deepest needs, even those we have long stopped praying for. He not only sees but desires to restore our hidden and forgotten longings, transforming our pain into joy.
The God Who Restores
Much like the Shunammite woman, we all face seasons where dreams are deferred, joy seems distant, or losses feel overwhelming. Yet, we serve a God who restores. He sees our hidden struggles, the silent battles, and the hopes we’ve given up on.
Whether it’s a broken relationship, a missed opportunity, or years you feel have been wasted, God promises restoration in His perfect time. He restores relationships with Him, refreshes our spirit, and reignites our calling. He even turns setbacks into testimonies that bring glory to His name. Just as He restored the Shunammite woman’s joy, He can restore our pride and joy, health, and purpose.
God’s Invitation to Renewal
The restorative power of God is comprehensive. He mends relationships, restores health, redeems lost time, and revives our purpose. If we have ever felt disconnected, discouraged, or distant from our calling, remember this: God’s restoration is for us. Like Peter, who was forgiven and reinstated, and the Shunammite woman, whose hidden need was met, the Lord is ready to meet us where we are and renew our life for His glory.
This is a call to tNCC; to embrace the rest and restoration only God can provide. But it has a relevance for every believer. It’s an invitation by God to lay our burdens at His feet and trust Him to restore all things in His perfect time. As tNCC embraces the call, may we do likewise alongside them and let this be the prayer of our hearts as we step into the fullness of His promises. God’s restoration is never late; it always comes at the right time, in the right measure, and in ways that leave us awestruck by His goodness. Let us walk boldly in faith, trusting Him to restore all things for His glory and our good.
Christianity Malaysia would like to thank Pr Peter Sze and the church of tNCC for their hospitality throughout the production of this article and for their support of our ministry throughout the years. May every reader of this article be blessed and encouraged by the message as we reflect on God’s goodness and faithfulness including in His restoration.
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