So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army ~ Ezekiel 37:10.
Introduction:
True to life, certain unpleasant scenarios occasionally occur on the path of our journeys of destiny. Times come when we are fully pregnant with royal ideas and highly expectant of full expressions, yet the power to deliver does not show up.
At such times, we feel that we've reached the limits of our strength, and yet a demand is made for more steam to go forward. The glories within our reach and the incredible capabilities inherent in our destinies tantalize us, yet the barriers to them look quite thick and insurmountable.
Troubles now seem to have become real troubles, appearing cut and dried. Something must be done very urgently, yet there’s nothing else that we can do!
However, I am quite sure that even in such desolate and despicable circumstances, there’s still a gospel hope, so long as we live in the atmosphere of the infinite power of the Holy Spirit. There is a certain hope in our future (Job 14:7)!
In the vision of Prophet Ezekiel, in Ezekiel 37:1-12, the situation was quite hopeless for the people of Israel at that time. Nevertheless, their “dry bones” were gathered together at last by the energy of God’s Spirit, and made whole again.
Yes, this appalling condition depicts the then wretched state of the Jews, but it’s also a fitting emblem of many men and women wriggling helplessly in sin, sickness, poverty, confusion, insecurity, oppression, and family troubles in our world today.
Moreover, the vision equally serves as an encouragement to all people everywhere who are feeling the sting of hopelessness one way or the other, prophesying their recovery from whatever constitutes theirlong-continued predicament (v11).
Ezekiel was made to look “round about” several times, so that he could take an exact notice of the gravity of the simultaneous liquidation: the number of people involved, and their present condition (v2). His discovery was very awry: “there were very many in the open valley … and they were very dry”.
In other words, their flesh was wholly consumed, and their marrow had dried up; yet, they were still exposed to continuous degradation. They were entirely lifeless, helpless, and hopeless with no strength to regenerate themselves.
In fact, their condition was so bad that they had no sense of danger! Even then, the Almighty God still performed for them, bringing them an incredible restoration by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Friends, destiny recovery is a constant possibility when God is in the picture! And, undoubtedly, there is more than enough power available to turn around the most hopeless situations when the Holy Ghost is involved.
Even in our sad and dangerous moments of spiritual declension and physical deterioration, we can be revived again.However, we must look up to Him who canopen up our graves and bring us forth to a brand new life in Him, through faith (v12).
To the glory of God, we have repeatedly witnessed in our ministry what only the Holy Ghost can perform for humanity: lives dramatically changed by the power of the gospel, twisted jawbones reset, the paralyzed healed, the barren give birth to twins, etcetera! He never fails, but we must choose to live by His guidance!
Engaging Holy Ghost Power In Our Dry Bone Experiences
Dry bones are relics of death’s irreversible devastation. No created power could restore human bones to life; God alone could perform such an incredible feat.Albeit, here He still wanted to see how the prophet would relate with Him in such circumstances, asking: “son of man, can these bones live” (v3)? Can anything or anyone cause these bones to live?
Happily, Ezekiel possessed a great deal of spiritual intelligence. He didn’t pronounce that it was impossible, even though there was no hope, humanly speaking, of their being quickened. He rather wisely referred the situation to the Omniscient and Omnipotent God: “And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest”.
Basically, our faith in God’s unfailing ability is very crucial to the outcome we will see in any unpalatable circumstance we may find ourselves in, any day!
Jesus Christ asked the two blind men who were crying to Him for mercy, “Believe ye that I am able to do this”? They answered in the affirmative, and He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you”. Of course, their eyes were opened immediately (Matthew 9:27-29).
We must, in real faith, leave the questions of possibility with God. Nothing is impossible with Him (Deuteronomy 32:39).Thereafter, we can expect that He will lead us into the path of daring possibilities.
Furthermore, we must receive courage to speak God’s Word over our “dry bone” experiences: “prophesy upon these bones”. That is, foretell clearly, loudly and publicly that they shall live (v4-5). We must talk to “the mountain” that we expect to move!
As Ezekiel prophesied, there was a noiseand a shaking, signifying a mutual collision as the bones came together, and a rattling among them to get to their proper locations (v7).
Today, as we speak God’s quickening Word unto the “dry bones” in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit enters into them to give effect to the Word spoken (Jeremiah 1:10; Ezekiel 2:2). The testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)!
The Almighty God, who breathed life into Adam and he became a living soul, could do it again whenever His Word is spoken by faith (John 6:63). Such divine honourrests on God’s Word, even in the human mouth. However, he who is of God must always be mindful to speak God’s Word (John 3:34).
Please note here that God is very systematic and orderly! He first laid sinews to join the bones together. Thereafter, He put the flesh in place to cover the bones, and to make themcapable of motion (v6-8).
Meanwhile, though they were now looking like proper men, they were still mere ceramics, earthly and breathless, just like Adam was before God breathed life into him. The Holy Ghost must also be fully involved for us to experience complete and durable miracles.
The Holy Spirit represents God’squickening power! Until He fills a man, hemay assume all the semblances ofspiritual life, yet he remains a mere religious bigot: lifeless, godless and hopeless!
Whenever His breath is wanting in any situation, every change remains only cosmetic. Without the Holy Ghost, our wounds cannot be truly healed, neither can we escape from the dangers of our open-valley experiences: “O breath and breathe upon these slain, that they may live” (v9).
The slaying referred to here is not with a physical sword. Many people are slainspiritually by sin, sicknesses, poverty, loneliness, afflictions and oppression. They’re slain in their career development, family life and even in their walk with God. Only the Holy Spirit can restore life to them.
When the Spirit of God comes, men live by faith in Christ, and "they stand upon their feet" as an exceeding great army for God (v10). They stand in His grace, and in His house. They also stand firm against all their enemies: sin, Satan, and theworld.
Brethren, we are more than conquerors! It’s our turn to stand firm as soldiers of the Cross in our generation, and engage the power of the Holy Ghost to turn hopelessness around in our lives and in our communities. You won’t miss out in Jesus name. Happy Sunday!
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Bishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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