Can these bones live?

Tonight we did some “tag team” preaching. I began in John 11 with the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. From there, I went to Ephesians 2 and exhorted on how that we "were dead in trespasses and sins", but how that Christ "hath raised us up". The resurrection that Jesus did for Lazarus was a fore-shadowing of what he would do spiritually for the millions throughout the ages that would trust in Him.

The brother that followed me exhorted along the same lines giving examples of how that God turns impossible situations around. He spoke of how that Martha said “Lord if you had been here . . .” yet how that Jesus told us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Then, he went to Ezekiel chapter 37. He began describing the scene: dry disconnected bones. HOW HOPELESS CAN IT GET? He talked about how that sometimes we go and pray for a brother or sister who is lying in a bed almost dead, and how hard it is to have faith for their healing, yet they have bones all connected, flesh on their bones, and they still have a little breath and life. In that hopeless situation, God picked up hand bones from here, and arm bones from there, and all the scattered bones . . . it must have been a noisy scene as bones from separate places “flew together”, and then of course God added the tendons and the flesh, and then breathed into them life.

As he spoke, I began to weep. I have been praying as many of you have for many years for a genuine heaven-sent revival in the United States where true repentance grips the hearts of many people and they are truly converted and become solid saints of God. The society that we now have in this country as well as the religious drama that goes on makes such a revival look so hopeless.

Can these bones live? Can the fragmented remains of what was once a mighty army for the Lord literally come together, and rise from the spiritual death, and become again a valiant army for the Lord in this country? Ezekiel 37 gave my heart a renewed hope for such a divine act of God.

As judgment falls on our country our modern generation that has been fed “prosperity religion” will either be hardened, and turn away from God or humbled and fear the Lord.

“O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” In the midst of God’s judgment on this nation may his mercy be known, and repentance be granted to a generation that knows very little about it.

Brother how I hear your heart-cry. Do you pray with others on SI burdened for Revival (on the Revival conference call Tuesdays)?

You know Psalm 24

And have recently encountered The Chief End of Prayer: I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’ —John xiv. 13.

Have you seen this in John 11:40 ....Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? To us today, this could apply to either revival of His return. At any rate there are bones in the context of that verse.

As I read this post I thought of Rev 3:3 and thank God for your preaching.

As it was in the past, revival will come this way:

"...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts..."

Joh 16:8 And when that One comes, He will convict the world concerning sin,and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.

Conviction of sin, repentance, holiness, and a new heart that seeks after God. That's their revival borne out of tears, agonizing prayers, self denial, and mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for the replies, Passerby and JoanM. THANK GOD for all of the people who are hungering for revival all over the country and world.

I dialed in to the conference call prayer meeting, but I don’t get good reception on my cell phone at my house, and it was quite difficult to hear. I enjoyed what I heard.

Recently, I downloaded a recording of a prayer meeting from Andrew Strom’s website: http://www.revivalschool.com/agonizing-prayer-2.mp3 which was SO refreshing, encouraging and admonishing. I appreciate hearing others’ urgent and fervent prayers. It helps to shake me out of the cold indifference that this modern culture affects me with. It stirs up the coals of hope that are deep inside, causes them to blaze afresh.

Oh to see the glory of God as Jesus spoke of in Luke 11:40!

SO TRUE, Passerby! Only the Spirit of the Lord can bring such things to pass. And He will when He sees, as you stated, tears, agonizing prayers, & self denial. It is then that He pours out the mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit. Oh for the days when His power is poured out, and hundreds are gripped with conviction! He has done it before right here in this country.

Too many times, I’ve been satisfied with having my own emotions stirred in prayer for a season, and haven’t continued as the widow of Luke 18 to come back with the same urgency. Thank God for Hebrews 10:24 - And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. This forum provides a great place of coming together and provoking each other to love and to good works!

And after the revival, what's next?

"A Sunday salvation is not enough. We must have a salvation that will take us through the week. A revival salvation is not enough. We want a salvation that will hold us when there is no revival.

A campmeeting blessing will not suffice. We need a blessing that will last when the tents are down and the sermons and songs and prayers are hushed.

A youth religion will not suffice. We need a Savior who can keep us in the fierce temptations of young manhood and amidst the cares of middle life, and make our gray hairs of old age a shining crown of eternal glory.

A sunshine piety will not be enough. We want an experience that will abide when the stars are hidden and the night is on, and the hurricanes of grief and trouble are wrapping their convoluted blackness about us.

A health and prosperity blessing is not sufficient. When the Sabeans and Chaldeans carry away your possessions, and a wind, death-laden, strikes the four corners of your dwelling, and those whom you have most loved turn against you, and the friends whom you have long trusted smite you with the tongue of slander, and sickness makes life a continuous agony of pain until you long for death which does not come -- then, then you need the keeping grace that enabled Job to say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Yes, we need a salvation that saves in every place, in all kinds of company, in each hour of the day, in every day of the year, and in every changing circumstance of life..."

_Aaron Merritt Hills (Excerpt from "The Uttermost Salvation")