😔😭🙆‍♂️MY RESTITUTION STORY😁🤗💃

Part One - What is RESTITUTION? 

If restitution literally means a compensation, which is offered or given in return for what has been lost, injured or destroyed by the offender to the offended; then I doubt if I've ever had any restitution done in my life after I became born again. 

But biblically it is first an old testament law under punishment, such as; offences against property (theft, fraudulent conversion of deposit, embezzlement, robbery) were punished by exacting more than the value of the things taken, the excess going to the injured party, thus differing from a fine, which goes into the treasury of the community.

Part Two - If Not RESTITUTION, What Then Can It Be Called? 

So what were those things I did then called? And would any of the two instances I'm sure I did this likely things when I was convinced or led to do so by the Spirit (based on my faith) be referred to as my restitution story?

Before I commence, unlike one of the experiences I shared in this platform concerning an anonymous alumni of my school who did something he referred to as restitution, mine was different in action but you would find out that, both what we did are still not restitution.

What then can what he did be called? It's instead termed as ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS OF SIN because he didn't return anything or make any compensation. 

Part Three - Forgiveness of Sin and RESTITUTION (God and Men) 

I'm sure you know that, just like we have divine restitution (between God and Man) and human restitution (between men), we also have that in forgiveness. 

Although before restitution can be done totally, it'd go through forgiveness of sin but further to making up in deeds, giving or any form of compensation to the offender for cover up. Unlike forgiveness of sin that can be done without having to do or give anything in replace or exchange for restitution. 

An ideal biblical example and picture of restitution is what Zacchaeus did when Jesus visited his home, although he did more than what he should by giving in four folds (Luk 19:1-9). 

While the forgiveness of sin that the anonymous alumni of mine did, including what I'll be sharing as mine are in line with just forgiveness between men like this biblical example - Matt 18:15-17.

Part Four - Zacchaeus and Apostle Paul 

Zacchaeus did what he did to clear off his bad records before men and prove he has repented but does that mean Apostle Paul needed to do the same? How would he make up for the lives he persecuted to death? 

He instead did what he in the New Testament advised believers to do (Eph 4:28, Gal 2:20), which was Jesus' usual way of instructing men to prove their freedom from sin, during His lifetime after he sets them free - "GO AND SIN NO MORE" (Jh 5:14, 8:11). 

Part Five - Your Faith Has Made You Whole 

You don't need to compensate anyone or make up anything by your own will to prove you are born again or have repented from your old ways. Your life now is driven by the Spirit and guided by faith in the finished works of Christ. 

Just like the experience of the woman caught in adultery to be stoned to death - "YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WHOLE" (Matt 9:22). Yet as it's grace, it's not also a license to sin or keep sinning as believers. You are free, you owe no man. 🙇‍♂️ 

Let me show you that through "MY RESTITUTION STORIES" below:👇 

Part Six - My RESTITUTION Story 1 (The Woman) 

Just two instances of my true life story and I'm done on this RESTITUTION thing since we've been taught thoroughly. 

So, during my childhood days, there was this food vendor that sells what Yoruba calls "Ekuru" like "Moimoi" with Okra and Stew and her major patronizers then were bike men. 

She either lives or sells this food at my friend's house near my mum's shop since my friend's family let the shop to my mum for rent. 

One afternoon, I don't know what got into me while strolling in the passage of the house. I found my hand into a pot left there with nobody around or watching because both front and back doors were opened. Guess what was inside? 

The last piece of cooked fish in the almost finished stew inside the pot. The rest is history, you should know what happened. I ate it and left there, she'll come looking for it and accuse some kids etc, to cut the story short. 

After many years, every time I see this woman, my past deed to her as a bad boy comes up as a picture. I wasn't really feeling condemned since I'm now a believer and old things are passed away. Because all I did then was in carnality of the flesh, sinning like the child of disobedience, influenced by the devil etc. 

Yet, my conscience (Spirit) was restless and after prayer, I was determined to do what's right by faith. What was that? 

I was led by the Spirit to meet her and apologize for what I did by confession despite her not knowing about it all. Guess what she did after? She was more than happy to see me boldly coming to do such despite her familiarity with my mum. 

She calls me "responsible boy" and prays for me. I left there joyful like a newborn baby. Well, I didn't return any fish o, so what I did wasn't even RESTITUTION. 

Part Seven - My RESTITUTION Story 2 (An Old Friend) 

The second like it was my best friend at primary school. Thank God for my life o. From birth, both God and the devil really battled for my soul and I'm grateful God prevailed till today. 

So, it was around the same time I did what I call restitution with that first woman that the Lord prompted me to do this last one with this my longtime friend.

Very funny, I chatted him on phone and confessed stealing the only meat on his food, when I went inside our (nursery) class, after excusing myself from the general assembly that was still going on then. 

He laughed and like man to man, said he forgave me as if he didn't even heard it in the first place and that was all. 

Part Eight - My Relief as a Freeman

I was relieved, not because the devil may not have anything to accuse me of as a believer but because I obeyed the leading of the Spirit by faith. 

Now, what could have prompted me to do them both? I found out and traced it to a teaching on RESTITUTION too at a believer's gathering. 

After I've satisfied my heart (conscience), the Lord then opened my eyes to majorly why He told me to do them. It's basically for myself because the devil was using it against me, reminding me of my past. 

He then told me how a freeman I was already and needed not to do any other anymore. And that I'm no more bonded by the spiritual consequences of those offenses. 

Part Nine - Truly RESTITUTION 

For others in the past, how many people would I be meeting, asking for the forgiveness of past sins with compensations as restitution? What if I don't meet them? How many would I even be able to do? What would be my end even if I wasn't successful in doing some? 

If I were successful, I would have been boasting and oppressing others to do the same like a doctrine which is wrong. But we can still call what I and that my alumni did as RESTITUTION because we would have given compensations if we were asked to. 

PART Ten - Balance Truth of RESTITUTION 

Call it RESTITUTION, RECONCILIATION, RESTORATION etc, whatever you are led to do by the Spirit, even if it sounds archaic as an Old Testament (book or law) thing, pls just obey by faith. 

Make sure you have the witness in your spirit on the basis of the Word even if the instruction on such is from God through any Man of God. 

Whatever God asks you to do would either benefit your spirit or soul, and possibly both (including your fellow men). That's why we had in this meeting both New Creation Reality or Grace teachings and Deliverance Prayers respectively. 

Yes, you're a new creation and old things are passed away, but don't forget the work that starts with your soul - RENEWAL both by the Word and Prayers. 

Either you reconcile, restore (return) in compensation as RESTITUTION or not to the offended, and you find out your life is affected by your pasts (because there are some things that cannot be undone by men when spirits backs them up); you better open up to God. 

He'll let you know if you can handle it yourself in prayers, with the help of fellow believers or through any anointed one He'll lead you to. 

That's how you enter into prevailing prayers on what Christ has done for you, possessing your possessions because you've done what's right that might hinder you naturally (in your soul) and spiritually (in your spirit) as a legal ground for the devil (accuser). 

Major reasons why the Spirit open your spiritual eyes to those right things to be done. So, pls do it by faith on the Word of God no matter how foolish they may sound. Shalom. 

The End.

©Oluwayomi✍️ (Founder, FSPM)