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
We pretty much studied the miracle of Lazarus in its entirety. Because this miracle was so powerful, I want to provide you with a recap. It may take a few days. We will start today.
The Lazarus miracle started off with Jesus receiving word that Lazarus was sick. The first thing Jesus said about the situation was, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for God’s glory that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Lazarus did die in the story, but as we saw, the situation did not end in death (just like Jesus said). In the end, this tremendous miracle served as evidence to many that Jesus was, in fact, the Messiah. As a result of this miracle, many put their faith in Jesus. Jesus’ statement that this sickness would be used for God’s glory came to pass. God did get the glory, and the Good Shepherd received new sheep because of it. But we also have to remember that for all the good that came out of it and all the glory God received through it, there was a family in the middle of the story that had to go through a tremendously painful ordeal. Lazarus had to endure sickness and even death (for four days). Mary and Martha had to experience the loss of their brother and the hurt of knowing that Jesus had received word but had not yet arrived. An entire household was turned upside-down, and they had to experience real pain in the process of God being glorified. I think this is an often overlooked part of the story.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Being a Christian does not mean never facing challenges. Giving your life to Jesus, receiving divine revelation concerning His purpose for your life, and then walking in it by faith may actually lead to more challenges than you ever imagined. Because once you decide to live out your divine purpose, there will be a spiritual target on your back. The difference is that when you start living life WITH God’s grace, you will do more than you ever imagined because it won’t be you doing it. It will be the Father, living IN you. He will give you the words, He will perform the work, and He will enable you to overcome every challenge along the way!
— Once you start walking in your purpose and being used by God for His glory, the devil will do all he can to get you to quit. Just remember, the only way you can lose is if you quit. God’s grace is on you to succeed, but YOU must determine to KEEP GOING!
2. God never promised you a perpetual picnic. Life is not supposed to be a walk through the roses. Jesus did not die for your comfort. God did not send you to this planet for a vacation. Life is about making the Kingdom impact you were born to make in this world. It’s about leaving a mark on the earth that will not easily be erased. It’s about completing your divine assignment before you die. To be clear, you will not make an impact of any significance without overcoming opposition.
— The Bible says, “All that live Godly will suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12).
— Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Thankfully, He went on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
3. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. I wish I could tell you that once you are Born-Again, nothing terrible will ever happen to you again. But if I did, I would be lying. Being covered by the blood of Jesus does not mean you are exonerated from bad things. It just means that you will overcome every bad thing that comes your way because God’s presence is with you, and His grace is on you. The attack will come; it just won’t succeed.
— The Bible says, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV).
— The New Living Translation of Isaiah 54:17 reads, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!“
— I pray that by studying the miracle of Lazarus (and all the miracles), your faith has been built up to face and overcome anything and everything that will come your way!
4. Whenever you face a situation that is bigger than your capacity to handle, get God involved through prayer. God can do what you can’t do. Where human ability ends, God’s supernatural ability kicks in.
— When Lazarus got sick, at first, I am sure Marty and Martha ministered to their brother like anyone would, helping a sick person get rest so they can get better. But once it passed what they could do, they sent word to Jesus. They wanted Jesus involved.
— When we have a situation that is bigger than us, we must be sure to get God involved through the vehicle of prayer. If we do not welcome His involvement and invoke His activity, He may stand by and let us handle it without Him because God will not interfere with your life without your permission. Read that statement again. Let that get down into your heart. God made you a free moral agent, and He will not get involved in your life unless you invite Him to. This is why prayer is so important.
5. God already knows, He prepared for it, and He prepared YOU for it too! When you pray, remember that you are not sending breaking news to God like a reporter on the front lines. He knows everything that has and will ever happen to you.
— God knows everything, and when I say “everything,” I mean it!
— God knows your thoughts before you think them, your desires before you have them, your emotions before you feel them, your passions before you develop them, and your actions before you take them.
— God perfectly and eternally knows all things that can be known: Past, present, and future.
— There is nothing God does not know now, nor will there ever be anything unknown to Him!
— So, when you are approaching Him in prayer, you don’t have to waste time telling Him what happened. Focus your time in prayer on the outcome, not the problem.
— The prophet Isaiah told us that God knows the end from the beginning (Is 46:10). This means He already knows what happened and what the outcome will be.
— It may have been a surprise to you, but find peace in knowing that it was NOT a surprise to God.
— You can rest in the fact that it was NOT a surprise to God. He already knew; He was not surprised. This means that God already prepared for it, and He also already prepared YOU for it!
— God allowed Mary, Martha, and Lazarus to endure this amazing but also terrible situation. He knew that other families could handle it. But this family could. They had the grace for it. Remember that when you are facing something you feel you cannot handle. God will never allow you to face something that will break you. If you are facing it, it is becuase God trusts you with it, and He gave you the grace for it!
I have more, but that’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I thank You for this series on miracles. I am developing my capacity to remain in faith, no matter how challenging situations get.
Your Word says those who trust in You shall be like Mount Zion. One thing I know about Mount Zion is that it will not be moved.
I shall remain steadfast, unmovable, and steady all the days of my life.
I shall stand in faith without wavering, trusting You every step of the way.
When faced with a difficult situation, I remind myself that my state is not my fate.
Having done all, I stand, and when I get tired, I resolve to continue to stand. I am determined to see Your best manifested in my life.
I shall not lose because I refuse to quit! GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
