In the book of Revelation, there is a prophetic outline of God’s plan to restore the world to the paradise it was originally created to be. We also see God taking leadership over the earth and mankind being restored to a special place of fellowship with Him. So, as we seek understanding of the Revelation, we must keep in mind how the end of this age will unfold and prepare for God Himself to come to the earth and dwell among men. We are preparing a home for Him.

      As we unite with Him in this great purpose, we begin to see how He is working through our experience in this life to prepare for “the period of the restoration of all things” (see Acts 3:21). A primary purpose for the church age is to call and prepare those who will reign with Jesus over the earth during this period.

      Many assume that when Jesus returns, everything will be instantly perfect. However, in biblical prophecies, including the book of Revelation, we see that this “period of restoration” is an entire one-thousand-year period that we call “the millennium.” Restoration will obviously be easier with the devil bound and with so much peace on earth so that even the lions will get along with the lambs, but it will still take a thousand years to fully accomplish.

      Later, we will examine these biblical prophecies, but for now we just need to have this ultimate promise in our hearts to better understand the training we are now subjected to—"training for reigning,” as it has been called. Training is the main purpose of this age. This comes mostly in the form of trials, dealing with our own fallen natures, and renewing our minds.

      When we were born again, the Lord did not instantly make us perfect. Maturity does not happen in an instant. When we are born in the natural, we are just starting life, and growing into maturity takes years. So it is when we are born again. So it will be for the earth and the remnant of mankind on the earth who must be restored to what we were originally created to be.

      We began the process of maturing and being restored from our fallen nature after we became born again. A major part of this is having our minds renewed so that we think and perceive differently—not from a fallen human perspective, but from God’s perspective. This process is long and hard, but if we continue to mature in Christ, we will become more like Him and be empowered to do the works that He did to help others.

      Part of maturing in Christ is learning to see others not as they are in their fallen nature, but as they are called to be. The next part is to help them along this path, and doing this also changes us. Sometimes this work is done through teaching and training, and at times it is through miracles, healing, and prophecy. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit are God working through us to restore others. It’s ultimately about the restoration of “all things,” mankind and the earth.

      For this reason, as we mature, we shouldn’t just see people as fallen sinners, but as people needing help to get on the path to their restoration and to be further restored by becoming restorers. The Lord sent the Holy Spirit to show us the path of life and to convict us when we deviate from it, with the ultimate goal of leading us into all truth, which is found in Jesus. Ultimate maturity is fully abiding in Him.

      The Holy Spirit is called “the Helper” because He helps us through the process of restoration and uses us to help others. Love is what fuels His work. His expresses His love by helping us. To stay on the path of life, we must remain devoted to loving God first and above all. Next is that we love one another. As Heidi Baker likes to say, “Love looks like something.” Most of the time it looks like help, which is the nature of the Holy Spirit, the Helper we have been given.

      If we do not keep the main thing—loving God—the main thing, all other purposes will be distorted and perverted. In history, many ministries, churches, and people drifted from Him because they allowed their service to people to eclipse their devotion to the Lord. Their focus became serving the temporal needs of people more than their spiritual and eternal needs, and a devastating distortion began. Temporal, physical needs are important, but they must never become the most important.