Money can be restored. Property can be restored—broken-down cars, stripped painting, old houses. Relationships can be restored. But one thing that can never be restored is time. Time flies and it does not return. Years pass and we never get them back.
Yet God promises the impossible: “I will restore the years that the locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). The immediate meaning of this promise from the book of Joel is clear. God’s people had suffered the complete destruction of their entire harvest through swarms of locusts that marched like an insect army through the fields, destroying the crops, multiplying their number as they went.
For four consecutive years, the harvest was completely wiped out. God’s people were brought to their knees in more ways than one. But, the Lord remembered his people. He said, “Behold I am sending to you grain, wine and oil, and you will be satisfied (Joel 2:18-19).
This wonderful promise for those people meant that years of abundant harvests would follow the years of desolation brought about by the locusts.
Abbey Mark Lujja is one of the most remarkable living Testimonies Uganda has witnessed. His experience with God’s supernatural power continues to pierce through the hardest of hearts, as many declare Jesus is Lord when they see a man who was once insane completely healed.
“Broken beyond repair” is just one of the words one can literally use to describe the condition Abbey Mark was in before he received his miracle at Miracle Centre Cathedral – Rubaga in February.
Thinking about “years that the locust has eaten,” years that have been taken, I think of something Isaiah said about our Lord Jesus: “He was cut off out of the land of the living” (Isaiah 53:8).
Narrating the ordeal, Abby said he served with the US Army as foreign security personnel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is here that he was assaulted homosexually.
This triggered a tight hold of a very bad demonic bondage in his life which kept his health and sanity in a downward spiral since his return to Uganda in 2011, writer Marvin Mubiru reported .
Abbey tried to do business when he got back to Uganda but everything he did flopped as a result of demonic activity. He spent another four years in the country without reaching out to his mother, and the whole while, his sanity was deteriorating.
By the time he met his mom, he had totally lost his mind; living on the streets, gathering rubbish and making a mess of himself.
He has been admitted four times into the Butabika Psychiatric Hospital, but all that medicine failed.
When he was brought to the 77 D.O.Gs , he was fighting and had to be restrained in handcuffs and fetters.
He was brought onto the platform by his mom and a police officer, and kept on speaking profanities and obscenities shamelessly before the entire crowd.
Prayer did not leave the present day gospel music singer the same. On and on, after complete restoration, more opportunities continue to open up for Abby.
He was last week gifted with a car by the pastors of Liberty Worship Centre lnternational Lugala.
“He is now a true sign of works of Jesus Christ. Today, God has used me to express [His] love to Mark by giving him a car. His gift and testimony have paved a way for him. I bless GOD for a such a strange revival that is happening in Uganda” The Church remarked in part.
Despite all of the negative challenges you have in life, you can be certain God will restore the lost years with gain. The praise, glory, and honor go to Christ because his power will guard you and keep you through the hardest years of your life.
By Paul Dennis, with additional reporting from Marvin Mubiru.
