This morning, we continue our series, “The Miracles of Jesus.” Before we get into the miracle, let’s look at the foundational scripture I will share with you all year.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us. I pray you get refreshed and restored as we study each miracle.
Read John 11
In yesterday’s message, we saw how Jesus was so moved by Mary’s position of worship and the condition of her heart that He was ready to act. He asked, “Where have you laid him?” After He asked that question, Jesus burst into tears. Mary’s worship touched Jesus in a way that Martha’s words never could. Jesus was ready to move, so they headed to the tomb. The gravesite was a cave sealed with a large stone. When they arrived at the gravesite, Jesus said something the Father often tells us today. Jesus said, “Roll away the stone.” Remember, God will not force Himself upon you. Jesus was there, He was ready, He was willing, and He was able, but He was not going to move the stone away for them. He was not going to open up the door. He was not going to reopen the wound. He was not going to peel back the pain. This was something that they had to do themselves. They had to grant Jesus access to the situation. Once they allowed Him access, He would do the rest.
At this point, Martha almost messed-up the situation again. She had already frustrated Jesus with her lack of faith, which caused Jesus to ask to speak to Mary. Mary only said 12 words – the same 12 words that Martha initially said – but since she said them in a different way, from a position of surrender and worship, Jesus moved into action. Mary did her part, and Jesus was ready to move on their behalf. They had already walked to the gravesite. The stage was set for a miracle. Mary did not have to say anything else; her heart had already spoken volumes. Mary was ready, Jesus was ready, and Lazarus (although dead) was ready. Everything seemed to be going well. The only thing left was the removal of the stone. But here comes Martha saying, “But, Lord, it has been four days since Lazarus died. The body is stinking by now!” Can you believe that? Jesus was “the resurrection and the life” personified. Jesus was God in the flesh. Jesus was THE ANSWER to all their questions. Jesus was ready to do the impossible. And Martha was complaining about a smell?
Martha was so blinded by her situation that she had no clue what was about to happen. If she realized that Jesus was about to raise her brother from the dead, the odor would not have mattered. But sometimes our situation stinks so bad that we fail to see what God wants to do in our lives. Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Wow. We will stop here in the story for today.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Embrace the power of revisiting and revising with Jesus by your side.
Some people do not want to revisit something because the situation was painful. Others do not want to revisit it because they believe the season for the “thing” is over. In this case, both apply. The situation was very painful, and as far as the sisters were concerned, the season was over. Lazarus was dead, and when Jesus showed up, they were not even thinking about God bringing him back to life.
In most cases, it is good to live by the principle: You should not revisit what you cannot revise. However, in this case, when God is present, you have to acknowledge the fact that God can lead you to revisit things that He wants to revise. He has the power to change anything. So while I am a big proponent of the “forward-ever, backward-never” mentality, you should not have that mentality when it comes to God, if God wants you to go back so He can address something.
— Recognize that there are situations in our lives that we may need to revisit in order to experience healing, breakthrough, or restoration. Jesus wanted to revisit Lazarus’ death because He had the power to revise it, and He has the power to do the same in our lives.
— Do not be afraid to revisit painful situations or past mistakes, as long as you do it with Jesus by your side. Trust that He will give you the strength, wisdom, and grace needed to face those situations and bring about a divine revision.
— Understand that revisiting and revising may not always be comfortable or easy, but it is necessary for our growth and spiritual development. As we confront our past with Jesus, He will help us learn from it, heal from it, and ultimately overcome it.
— Allow Jesus to guide you in the process of revisiting and revising, trusting that He knows what is best for you and will lead you through every step. He is able to transform even the most hopeless circumstances into a testimony of His grace and glory.
— Remember that as you revisit and revise with Jesus, you are partnering with Him in the process of refreshing and restoration. With God’s help, you can turn your past pain into fuel that will propel you into your destiny!
— If God wants to go back, let Him take you back, because He has the power to TURN IT AROUND!
2. Never allow the pain of your situation to blind you to God’s power.
— The loss of Lazarus deeply affected Martha, causing her to lose the joy and peace she once had. As she watched her brother slowly slip away, her faith and patience began to wane. Despite her initial belief that Jesus would come and heal Lazarus, the finality of death left her feeling hopeless and defeated. The door of possibility that had once been open in her heart and mind was now firmly closed. This is why she could not receive or even perceive what Jesus was there to do.
— When Jesus told Martha that he was the resurrection and the life, that those who believed in Him, although dead, could live again, it went right over her head. She could hear what Jesus was saying because her heart was hurting.
— Even when Jesus was physically present and obviously willing to move on her behalf, she could not see it, receive it, or believe it. The pain of the situation had blinded her, and she did not want to peel back the possibility of Jesus doing something “now,” because it would reopen the wounds. Learn from her life. Learn that there are no impossibilities in God and learn to never fully close the door of possibilities.
— We all go through painful situations, because God never promised us a pain-free life. But never allow your pain to become a barrier that will keep you from God’s purpose.
3. Your heart must be open to receive God’s limitless possibilities.
— When Jesus said, “Roll away the stone,” Martha’s heart was so closed to the limitless possibilities of God that she actually complained about the stench of the body. God-in-the-flesh, Jesus, was ready to raise her brother from the dead, and all she could think about was how much the body was stinking after four days. This is what happens when you close the door of your heart to God’s limitless power.
— The point of this series (The Miracles of Jesus), is to open your heart to God’s limitless power. If you can believe that Jesus caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, the dumb to speak, the deaf to hear, and the dead to rise, then surely you can believe that God will do something about the situation you are facing this morning.
— When you open your heart to God’s limitless power, you are no longer the issue. At that point, God is free to move and you will be amazed by what He does. You will see that His will far surpasses anything you could have ever dreamed up on your own.
4. Remember, God’s grace is greater than our mistakes.
— Thank God for His amazing and unearned grace!
— Throughout the story of Martha, we see her struggling with doubt and disbelief. However, Jesus still showed up and performed a miracle despite her shortcomings. This is a beautiful reminder of God’s grace and His ability to work even when we falter in our faith.
— Embrace the truth that God’s grace covers your mistakes, your doubts, and your fears. His love for you is not dependent on your performance; it is based on His unchanging nature and unfailing love.
— Allow God’s grace to work in your life, knowing that it is His strength (not your own) that will ultimately bring you through every situation. Rest in the assurance that He is faithful to complete the work He started in you (Philippians 1:6).
5. Live by faith, and don’t make God work hard to bless you!
— While God’s grace covered Martha’s lack of faith, don’t make that a practice. God is looking for faith from you!
— As believers, we must actively choose to put our faith in action, just as Mary did when she worshiped Jesus in the midst of her pain. Our faith is not meant to be passive but rather an active demonstration of our trust in God’s power and promises.
— In every situation, ask yourself, “What can I do to demonstrate my faith in God right now? I know God’s grace is present, but how can I make sure my faith in present?“
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I am a believer, not a doubter, and I don’t take that lightly. I believe in You!
I believe You can do all things! Therefore, I keep the door of possibility open in my life.
Not everything that happens is good, but by Your grace, I will maintain my joy and peace while I walk and live by faith.
Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes we have to endure painful situations. But I refuse to allow my pain to blind me from Your purpose in any given situation.
You will never leave me nor forsake me. You are always with me. Your presence gives me both joy and peace. I have the excitement of joy and the serenity of peace.
When You want to revisit something, it is because You want to revise it. So my heart is always OPEN to believe, and my spirit is OPEN to receive.
You can take me BACK in order to take me FORWARD! One Word from You can turn seemingly dead situations around! So I live with an expectation of Your manifestation in my life!
I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
