The Breath of God Brings Life

Wellbeing in the Kingdom

Valley of Dry Bones

· Intro

· Main

o Read Ezek 37:1-14 – The Valley of Dry Bones

o Case study in ruach:

§ Breath ; Wind; Spirit / Holy Spirit

§ God’s energy / manifest power in the world

§ Holy Spirit is God’s agent by whom he brings life and creative power

o Context of Ezek = dead and apostate Israel – God looking forward to a future day of restoration

o Question for today… If God can do it for Israel – can he do it for you?

o Where / what are the dead things in your life?

§ Things that seem impossible

§ Situations that are past saving

o How does God bring life into a dead situation? How do we partner with the Spirit of God to bring life into impossible and dead situations?

§ Partners with people

· “Prophecy over these bones”

· Wants to work with us – “made in his image” in Genesis = job description not identity phrase

· Made us to be Kings and stewards

· Jesus called his disciples “apostles” – ambassadors

· Example from SoKM (partnering with Holy Spirit)

· Connection between hands and transmission of Spirit (e.g. Deut 34:9, Acts 19:1-7) – Paradox: Spirit poured out / laying on of hands

§ Word + Spirit = life

· E.g. Gen 1 (Hovering Spirit + And God said let there be light)

· More about Ezekiel and what’s going on in 37:9-10

o Action is by the Spirit, but it’s like the Spirit is waiting for the prophet’s words

o Notice there’s a process – sometimes we want a zap

o Result is surprising (not just alive, but an army!) He can do beyond we ask or think (Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…) – “power at work within us” = resurrection power. The Spirit, the ruach of God, the power that raised Christ from the dead.

· Not every spirit brings life

o Sat morning story (couldn’t shake the story in my head)

§ Result = no hope

o Sudden lifting – suggests it was spiritual

o Which spirit’s words do we give voice to?

§ Dry bones / dead things are not impossible for God

· If we were taken to a valley of dry bones, what would our first thought be: “it’s just dead things”? Or “it’s an army!”

· It’s easy to identify and prophesy death (criticism, identifying faults)

· God sees destiny!

· 12 years ago, I was dry bones

· Conclusion

o If God can do it for me, he can do it for you too

o If God can turn a valley of dry bones into an army – the death you feel or see around you is not the end of the story. There is no such thing as “no hope” with God.

o Prophesy! Prophesy to the dry bones. Sometimes this is to a person, perhaps more often in our prayer closet – Marilyn & James Packer story.

o Ephesians – the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work IN you!