And even though he had wasted 30 years of his life, even though he had violently chased, captured, imprisoned, and most likely murdered Christians, Paul became one of the greatest Christians in history. Paul traveled extensively, spreading the gospel. He became a spiritual father to many churches, and he wrote 2/3 of the New Testament.
Paul was executed in Rome in 66 AD. He was 61 years old.
I love 2 Corinthians 4:6-8. Because I wasted the first 31 years of my life, when I first became a Christian, I lived in regret. I mourned and grieved that I'd been so wicked. I'd been an alcoholic for 10 years, and I did many, many things that I'm still so ashamed of.
The freedom I felt when my weight of sin was removed is impossible to describe. But having wasted so much of my life and being so broken from a decade of alcoholism, how could I possibly complete God's plan for my life? What I wanted more than anything was to hear the words of Matthew 25:23 spoken to me.
His Master said, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with a few things, and I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. This became my lifelong goal. In my pain, I cried out to God to help me complete his plan for my life.
God answered my prayer. He gave me a scripture. It was a promise. It's Joel 2:25. So I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust. God made that promise to me. And God has no favorites. This promise is for you too.
God will restore to you your wasted years. Pray this prayer with me, Father. God,
Jesus set me free and I will stay free. The past is gone. I am a new person, a new creation, a new creature. God created me to be free. I am free. I am a son or a daughter of your love. You are restoring to me what I lost or what was taken over those lost years.
I will complete your plan for my life. Like Paul, you will enable me to finish. Well, I declare Joel 2:25. Over my life, you are restoring to me the years that the locusts have eaten. I will appear before Jesus and hear, well done, good and faithful servant. Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus name, if you prayed that prayer, hallelujah. I'm celebrating with.