For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, God gives Ezekiel a vision. In that vision Ezekiel appears in a valley full of dead, long dead, dry bones. God asks Ezekiel if they can live. Ezekiel doesn’t say no but he says “oh Lord, you know.”. Then God asks him to prophesy to the bones and say to them “dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will touch tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“
When Ezekiel does what he’s commanded there’s a rattling sound and the bones begin to come together bone on bone. Ezekiel in verse eight says “I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.” God then, in verse nine tells Ezekiel again to “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”.
Verse 10 says “so I prophesied as he commanded, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.
We might look at these verses and say that’s preposterous. But would it be impossible for God to raise the dead? He’s the one that created life in the first place. How then could it be outside the realm of possibility that He could raise the dead? Especially when verses like Luke 1:37 tell us that “nothing is impossible with God” and Matthew 19:26 Jesus himself said “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”?
This chapter of Ezekiel speaks largely to, God’s chosen people, Israel and what God is going to do with them, but it also speaks to us.
The clearest and greatest message is that of life after death.
It references the eternal life that we will spend in Heaven with our Savior, Jesus Christ, when we come to know Him personally.
But, it also references the new life that we acquire when we accept repent and follow Christ. Romans 6:23 says “for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” and Ephesians 2:1 “says and you were dead in your trespasses and sins”. Don’t be fooled by what the enemy says. We have all heard the phrase “now this is living”. Typically it is someone indulging in sin or in lavish surroundings, which are clearly an idol to them. Please understand that, that phrase is a lie. No matter how plush the surroundings, how successful, wealthy or popular we may be, when we live a life apart from Jesus Christ, we are the walking dead.
Chapter 5 verse 17 of Second Corinthians “says therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, God breathes life into these dead bodies just like He did in the prophecy of Ezekiel.
Next question, do we live like the living or do we live like the walking dead?
Yes, we were dead in our trespasses prior to knowing Jesus Christ. But, once that transformation takes place and He becomes Lord Of Our Lives we need to live like sons and daughters of the King of Kings.
Are we still holding our arms out so that the enemy can bind us with the chains of the old sin that we used to live in (Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3:19)? Are we doubting what God can do through us (For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10) or what He will do in our lives (his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23)? Are we doubting God’s promises in difficult situations (“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8)? Do we let the burdens of this world cause us to lack joy, and confidence and peace (“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”, James 1:2.)? God ministers to us in our trials (“who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4) have joy!
Jesus came that we would live an abundant life (The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10). If we have trusted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we will live this brief life for Him, being blessed and guarded by Him and knowing that we will have eternal life with Him. We will have joy (if we will focus on how blessed we are, in Him), we will have peace (if we choose to accept the peace of God and put it on) and we will have abundant blessings from Him for all of eternity (including this life) (“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11.
I pray that today we would compare whatever we’re going through, whatever we have been through and whatever that old life looked like, to the freedom that we have found in Jesus and the life that he has provided us (not just in eternity but here as well because we are bountifully blessed). I pray that we would be filled with excitement for what this day holds and the things that God has for us and that we would begin to live like people filled with life and the Holy Spirit, instead of living like we used to….the walking dead. Be bold and on fire for Him!
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you have been living life day-to-day, moment-to-moment, and from one issue to the next, I pray that you go to would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. God desires to give you an ABUNDANT life, one filled with peace, hope, joy and the love of our Heavenly Father. Stop choosing to be the walking dead.
Please pray that prayer and once you have please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com, I’d love to be in prayer for you.
Luv Ya!
