Spiritual Health
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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Life: life (state) n. — the condition of living or the state of being alive; especially healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, vitality, and the like.
The greek word for life is ZOE
"Zoe" is often used to denote not just physical life, but more importantly, a spiritual, eternal life that is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jesus said you should have life and have it (life) abundantly.
Abundantly: Beyond and Extraordinary
Am I experiencing this extraordinary life?
Healthiness
Happiness
Exuberance
Energy
Vitality
Or is my life dead?
Which is the opposite of life or “Zoe?”
In John 10:10 the opposite of Zoe was the thief!
Our spiritual health should reflect “Life” and life abundantly!
I believe Ezekiel paints a beautiful picture!!!
In Ezekiel 36, God promises to gather Israel from the nations, cleanse them, and give them a new heart and spirit
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”
The valley of dry bones: This represents the desolation and hopelessness of the exiled Israelites.
Being in exile, they were cut off from their homeland, their temple, and their sense of identity and purpose
The dry bones also represented Isreal’s spiritual health.
The dry bones symbolize a state of spiritual death.
The Israelites had turned away from God, engaging in idolatry and disobedience, which led to their downfall and exile.
This spiritual deadness is depicted through the lifeless, scattered bones in the valley.
The dry bones represent the need for restoration and renewal.
Just as the bones are lifeless and scattered, the people of Israel were in need of being brought back to life—both physically, by returning to their land, and spiritually, by renewing their relationship with God.
The dry bones is a picture of our Spiritual health at one time!
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Dead: spiritually dead adj. — characterized by lack of spiritual life or vigor; being completely indifferent toward the things of God.
I was unable to experience “Life”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
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 is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.
And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
“You shall live”
LIve: to come to life v. — to have life or be alive again.
To revive & Recover!
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Alive: to make someone alive supernaturally along with another or others.
On the day of Pentecost the dry bones became alive!!!!
I am filled to LIVE….
An Extraordinary life
Healthiness
Spiritually
Mentally
Physically
Emotionally
Financially
Relationally
Happiness
Exuberance
A behavior that is energetic, excited, and cheerful
Energy
Vitality
capacity to live and develop
And when we can truly understand this….
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
We are a great army…
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.