“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT
If you remember anything about this post, I want you to remember this one line, “It is not too late.”
I want someone to know that it is not over for you! I want someone to know that you haven’t gone so far that you cannot be helped.
Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”
Your effort, your faith, your willingness to take another step towards God will not be in vain. But your transformation will ONLY happen if you do not allow the behavior and the customs of this world to dictate your thinking.
Because the world will tell you that you are not good enough. The world will tell you that there is no hope for you. The world will tell you that you have reached a point of no return. And the sad part is many people believe that.
WHY? Because they are limited ONLY to the natural. I have NOT come to you today only in the natural but with the hope of something that is beyond me. That is the supernatural.
I can tell you about hope, but I am not your hope.
I can tell you about a new life, but I cannot give you a new life.
Hope, restoration, and a new life is only found in Jesus Christ!
It is His Spirit that lives inside of us that gives us the power to overcome.
And this only happens in Kingdom Culture.
A Valley of Dry Bones
In Ezekiel 37, the prophet Ezekiel sees a vision from the Lord about the restoration of the people of Israel.
It is about a valley filled with dry bones. And not only were the bones dried out, they were scattered all over the place. Obviously representing a death of those that have been dead a long time. The vision is clear to the prophet that these old, dried out bones are beyond restoration.
Ezekiel 37:1-14 NLT “The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out.
Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of theLord!
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am theLord.’”
So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’” So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am theLord. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”
Guzik’s commentary says, “This chapter teaches many principles of how God works in revival, and how God’s servants should think and act relevant to such a mighty reviving work. If we put the modern servant of God in Ezekiel’s place, we can make the following observations.
- God’s servant must know that the bones are dead and dry.
- God’s servant must walk among the dead.
- God’s servant must speak forth God’s word.
- God’s servant must have almost a foolish confidence in God’s Word.
- God’s servant must understand that the Spirit works in process.
- God’s servant must recognize that the work of the Holy Spirit is essential.
- God’s servant must boldly pray for the Spirit to move.
- God’s servant must speak in the power of faith.
- God’s servant must notice every evidence of the Spirit’s work.
- God’s servant must look for God’s people to be revived into an army of service.
- God’s servant must not say that hope is lost.”
Guzik goes on to say that the text does not specifically say, but it can be assumed that the bones assembled themselves properly, as skeletons and not as weird combinations of bones. When God restores, He puts things together in the right way.
He can restore your life today. He can put your life back together and put it together in the right way. There’s hope for your situation. There’s hope for your life. There’s hope for you. IT’S NOT TOO LATE!
