Dry Bones

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 the Lord ! 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.  Ezekiel 37:3‭-‬4‭, ‬7‭-‬10 NLT

When my pastor shared this passage a few weeks ago, my spirit stirred with anticipation. Dead bones coming alive and creating a great army; that would be an amazing thing to witness.  

This passage has been a catalyst in the dreams God has placed in my heart since the story came alive to me over ten years ago. This day, my pastor was encouraging those who were feeling dry that God could breathe fresh life into them.  I know that these dry bones were Israelites that had died. I know Israelites were God’s chosen people.

I truly believe God will bring dead bones back to life again.  However, when I read this scripture I don’t read it in the context of believers who are feeling dry going through the motions or even backsliding. To quote Haley Joel Osment from the movie The Sixth Sense, “I see dead people.” I see people who are spiritually dead, but who were once alive.  It is not the lost, but those who once knew the way but have turned away from God.  

People who have given in to the culture around us and compromised the gospel so much that it is no longer the truth.  People whose belief system is so contorted that they are no longer serving God, even though they may be sitting in a church religiously.  I see people walking around without purpose in their soul. It breaks my heart, as I know it breaks God’s heart.

When I read these scriptures, I see a great awakening as The Church rises up to be the active body of Christ.  I see life being breathed back into the dead bones in this region.   I see The Church speaking life into the dead bones.  I see The Church rising up to fulfill our individual and collective roles as God called us to.  I see God joining individual parts of the The Church working in unity instead of broken and divided.

I see an army rising up to push back the gates of hell and take back what has been readily handed to the enemy- our marriages, our children, our families, our schools  and even our churches.  I see God’s Holy Spirit filling this region, state, and nation as the Spirit that lives inside of every believer is allowed free rule and reign as God intended.  I see a move of the Spirit that would rival the Day of Pentacost.
And I see a ministry birthed out of God’s desire to meet the tangible needs of others. I see a battle taking place where God’s people stop settling for political correctness but in love and compassion reach out to the hurting world around us.   I see the collective body of Christ meeting the needs of the poor, widows, orphans, captives, prisoners, hurting, broken and lost.  This vision of the dry bones burns deep within my soul, as I know God wants to breath life into dead bones again.