When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11:43-44.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Jesus’ Words were full of power, He is My Word and He sustains the universe with His Word of power.
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3.
It is My Word that holds everything together and in place.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:14-17.
When Jesus dwelt among you as one like you He told you the secret to the power in His Words. He did not speak on His own initiative but waited to see what I was inspiring Him to say. He was careful to agree with Me for He knew My Words had eternal life in them.
For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” John 12:49-50.
By purposefully directing His Words as I told Him Jesus lived a life of power and authority. The people noticed this and marveled at such authority with which He spoke.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28.
And later this same authority was found in His disciples. They had learned well.
Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. Acts 4:13.
My Word has the power in it to carry out the promise that it contains. Just like a seed has the power in it, if planted and cultivated, to produce a harvest of whatever kind of seed it is. You would be wise to do as Jesus did and consult Me first and speak the Word of power for the moment when needed.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16.
My Words have life in them, eternal life. When you find My Words, you find life and health. My Words heal and My Word change and rearrange things. Jesus spoke to people and it gave them new life. My Word raised people up from the dead. What is that power? My servant Paul understood it and even handkerchiefs that touched him healed the sick and cast out demons. And he prayed that you would know it and use it as well.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:18-23.
It is resurrection power. And it comes to you only one way, from the Head of the Body, Jesus, by the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. I anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power and He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil for I was with Him. And He has released you from your sins by His blood, and made you to be a kingdom, priests unto Me. He is your great High Priest and the anointing on the Head runs down upon every member of the Body.
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. And that is what today’s conversation will be all about.
So today, we will again meet with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, the friends of Jesus, but this time in a crisis of sickness that struck Lazarus and threatened to take him before he had finished his earthly assignment. You may face this in your lifetime with a relative or friend so you would do well to see how Jesus handled it, for you are to live your life through and with Him and do the works He did and greater.
When Lazarus became very seriously sick at one point, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” First words are very important whenever you hear an evil report, that is, a report of the devil’s activity. So note the first response of Jesus here. It was not fear. He stayed calm and spoke to the mountain (remember our last Life Lesson about speaking to the mountain) just how it was going to turn out, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God so the Son of God may be glorified by it.” John 11:4. I make all things work together for good for those who love Me and are called according to My purpose. The devil was not going to win in this one. And I tell you that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but He stayed on two more days to finish the work I had sent Him to do in the place He was when they sent word to Him. John 11:5-6. He had already spoken the result to the sickness that had attacked Lazarus. The devil figured he better work quick.
Jesus then told the disciples they were going back to Judea. But the disciples did not like that idea because they were afraid the Jews there would stone Jesus, as they had tried to do the last time He was there. But Jesus knew that it was time that I wanted Him to go and that was enough for Him. You have to learn to feel the tug of the Holy Spirit. Remember in the book of Acts? Paul was always sensitive to the direction of the Holy Spirit and would not go where the Spirit did not lead but went immediately where He did.
Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus had fallen asleep so He would go wake him. The disciples figured sleeping was good if you were sick, meaning he would recover. But Jesus explained that Lazarus was dead, but He was glad He had not been there, because what was going to happen would help them believe.
Martha met Jesus when she heard He was coming. But her first words were grumbling words with faith mixed in, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you.” John 11:21. And again Jesus spoke the result that He desired by faith, “Your brother will rise again.” John 11:23. Jesus was not changing His declaration even when it looked like it was all over.
So Jesus went to the tomb.
Before I go on, please note. Jesus has spoken to the problem, the illness, and declared it will NOT end in death. Now He comes to the challenge that it looks like it did end in death. But He responds with the impossible. He had a Scripture. Do you recall what I told Ezekiel in the field of dry dead bones? “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’” Ezekiel 37:4. And what was My Word to the dead bones? “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 37:5-6. And I will let Ezekiel tell you what happened, “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then the LORD said to me, “Prophesy to the Spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the Spirit, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O Spirit, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.’ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” Ezekiel 37:7-10. And Ezekiel continues the story, “Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’” Ezekiel 37:11-25.
I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves. Jesus knew He had the Word He wanted, for My Spirit spoke it in His heart.
And He spoke it to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.” John 11:25-27. She gave the right response; she had the faith to receive her miracle. She was agreeing with Jesus who had already spoken the result and the prayer. “Your brother will rise again.” And it started with His first words in answer to the report, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” John 11:4. Now you have two agreeing in faith.
Jesus approached the tomb and commanded to remove the stone. Martha waivered a bit here. She spoke by sight and not faith. She told Him the natural result, Lazarus had been dead four days and there would be a stench. But Jesus did not want to lose her agreement at this point, He reminded her of His Word, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40. She understood and dared to go forward in faith, refusing to fear that the miracle would not happen. They removed the stone.
Now pay attention to how Jesus prayed at this point. Remember what He told the disciples? “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21: 22. Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” John 11:41. Remember what the disciple John who saw this take place wrote to you after I had raised Jesus from the dead? “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14-15. And it is My Will to heal and raise you up to finish the work I give you before you head home.
When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” Jesus was speaking to the mountain of physical sickness and premature death. He had faith in My Word, knew I heard Him, and now He declared the result. The mountain moved. Lazarus who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go free.” John 11:43-44. Jesus came to unbind what Satan had bound. He came to undo (untie) the works of the devil. And it happened just as He spoke.
What am I telling you? Do you still not understand? It is by your words you are framing your world. So use Mine. The wise person builds his house, but the foolish one tears it down with his own hands. Life and death are in the hand of your tongue (yes, that is what it says in the original Hebrew).
In Jesus, you are in Covenant with Me. And this is My Covenant with you: My Spirit which is upon you, and My Words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring from now and forever. Isaiah 59:21. When we join in Covenant, we become united as one, and all I have becomes yours by the relationship. You cannot enter into Covenant with some one unless you have faith in their words and that they love you and will not harm you. When two join in Covenant they knit together because they agree. They have a meeting of the minds, so to speak, or they cannot stay united.
Be careful not to step out of your dominion into Mine. That is what Adam did and he could not handle it. So what happened was he went into the dominion of the devil, he made covenant with the devil. And all Adam had became the devil’s and all the devil had became Adam’s.
In covenant with Me, I give you the authority to use My Word as your own but you must unite My Word with faith. You must, as Jesus told you, “Have faith in God,” to move a mountain. When you have faith in Me, you have the authority to use My Word to order your world. And that is dominion authority over the earth that I gave Adam. I speak the Word for you to use and you use it by faith. You do not make the Word, I do, but you must receive it and make it your own by saying it with faith. Your part is to speak My Word with faith and My part is to perform it.
You call the shots, so to speak in your lives, but unless you call it according to My Word it results in disaster. Order (command) your day aright that you may gain wisdom of heart. The determination of what is good and what is evil is Mine and you learn to discern that by Me, not vice versa. Though you Supreme Court and your society has gone to the “vice versa.” But it can only end in disaster for those who are foolish enough to follow it. They will tear down their own house. The wages of sin is death and I would rather you would avoid that. It is hard to kick against the goad.
Now, I want you to also consider My direction, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give constant thanks, this is My Will for you in Christ Jesus, your Lord.” You know what the devil’s direction is? “Fear and be upset always, worry without ceasing, and be bitter and ungrateful constantly.” Look at Adam after he gave his life over to the devil, he hid in fear, he worried he was naked, and he blamed Me and Eve in bitter resentment for what he had done. He was ungrateful and resentful. And it ruined the lives of his children too.
Now, may I ask you a question, which of those two directives does you life look like lately? There are many, even believers, who would have to say the devil’s direction. Isn’t it time you changed your direction then? And how do you do it. Your words. Your tongue. I told you that through My servant James, “For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.” James 3:2-5. You set the direction by your tongue. Whose words will you speak? Learn from Jesus and your souls will find rest.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He is preparing a place for you even now, a permanent dwelling beautiful beyond all you can ask or think, and when it is ready, He will come back and take you with Him, that where He is you may also be. When you believed in the gospel of your salvation I sealed you in Christ by the Holy Spirit and command Him to raise you up on the Last Day. And He will. You have nothing to fear.
I love you. Guard your heart and watch your words. “Be anxious for nothing (REJOICE ALWAYS), but in everything by prayer and supplication (PRAY WITHOUT CEASING) with thanksgiving (GIVE CONSTANT THANKS) let your requests be made known to God (“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”) And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7. Shalom. Let Jesus raise you up to new heights. He is the resurrection and the life. You have nothing to fear—past, present or future. I have it all covered with resurrection power towards you.