“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.’” John 11:25 (NLT)
If you haven’t noticed, I actually spelled Lazarus backwards in the title of this post! It’s time to reverse the curse! We live in a day where “Lazarus” is in the tomb. Jesus could have come and healed His good friend before he died. But now he is in the tomb, for several days, and his body would be decaying. As Martha said, “He stinketh” (John 11:39 KJV)! Other words are stench, odor, corruption.
Many believe it is too late for God to do anything about what’s going on in our nation, and corruption is becoming so blatant and obvious. January 6 has passed. January 20 has passed. Though there is much speculation about what really happened on those days. But those are simply manmade dates, our timetable, and in no way limit what God can and/or wants to do!
When Jesus was brought to the tomb, He wept. Many thought He was weeping and grieving because of Lazarus, but that is not the case. Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to be alive and with them in just a few moments. No, Jesus wept because those who said they believed, weren’t believing He could raise him. The situation was impossible, at least impossible for man. But what is impossible for humans is not impossible for God, for all things are possible for God (Luke 1:37)!!! If in any way, your faith has been dampened, confess it right now, and come back to the kind of faith that pleases God, a faith that believes that God can do anything!
Jesus then commanded them to roll the stone away. Sure, He could have simply spoke the word and bam, the stone rolled away like it did at His resurrection. But this time, their moving the stone was required, and it required faith (and much human effort) to do it. We need to roll away the stone that we have put over the mouth of this tomb. Ask God to help you believe and to stand in that faith, doing whatever He wants, needs you to do in this hour.
When Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus told them to off the grave cloths. Lazarus could not do that. Those who wrapped him had to unwrap him. For us, we must take the grave clothes off our faith. If our unbelief wrapped him up, our faith needs to unwrap him. There was also a napkin over Lazarus’ face, as with all corpses of that day. Satan has put a mask over the church. He has been trying to close down the services, to mask us, to silence and to remove us from this nation. Stand up, proclaim out loud, you will not be silent anymore. Proclaim that the church of Jesus Christ will roll away the stone, come out of the tomb and shine for the world to see. When all hope is gone, it is time for Jesus to do His greatest work. Choose to believe and you will see His glory!!!
Jesus is telling us today that our nation is not going to die and through this process we will see the Son of God glorified (John 11:4). May you have eyes to see what He is doing and about to do. May you play the part that God has assigned for you in this hour!
