The next principle brought to our attention was restoration. This word is filled with meaning because it has to do with what God started to do in Martin Luther's time. God has always used men at special periods of time to emphasize new truths to the Church.
God indicated that He would restore all that the Church has lost. That was good news to us, after laboring under the impression that we were not to expect visitation. We had been taught, whether consciously or unconsciously, in this regard, that we had received all the major doctrines: salvation, healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the second coming of Jesus Christ. What else could there be? Of course we all believed these fundamentals, but we felt in those days of seeking God that there was still more. Little did we realize that there was a lot more that God desired to give the Church so that she might be mature and glorious, without spot and wrinkle at His coming (Eph. 5:27).
We did not see that glorious Church in its present state and were concerned. We saw division, coldness and lack of power. We wondered why the nine gifts of the Spirit were not operating in our congregations. Where were the nine fruits of the Spirit? There was a great absence of love. Where was the joy, the worship, the freedom? Where was the power and the authority that God's Word spoke about? We had a portion of these, and some power demonstrated, but when compared to the early church we were lacking. We do not belittle anything that God has done at any time or any place, but we need an honest appraisal.
When we speak of restoration, let me calm the fears of some who might think that we taught everybody is going to get saved, including the devil. There was never any mention of that whatsoever, but what we taught is qualified in Acts 3:21(NAS), "...the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." God told us the Church would be restored. We knew that the Acts of the Apostles would come alive again. We saw this happen before our very eyes in many instances. Joel 2:28 took on new meaning--God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, not just Pentecostal flesh, but upon all nations, tongues and people.