{"id":29699,"date":"2022-02-02T22:34:04","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T03:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=29699"},"modified":"2022-02-05T13:47:08","modified_gmt":"2022-02-05T18:47:08","slug":"worship-wednesday-authority-in-prayer-come-alive-dry-bones-lauren-daigle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=29699","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Authority in Prayer – Come Alive (Dry Bones) – Lauren Daigle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n

Climbing up the steps of our church stage, I kept in the shadows. One of our pastors had asked me to close our service in prayer for two refugee families we were sponsoring for resettlement. We have been praying for them for weeks now.<\/p>\n

Coming forward to the podium, I had a strange experience.<\/p>\n

I became timid…almost afraid, preparing to talk to God…and not at all sure why.<\/p>\n

As if standing in front of my own church family was a scary thing. I don’t know what was off-putting about it, but it has given me pause over these last few days.<\/p>\n

When we pray we have only good before us in the person of Almighty God. He calls us to prayer and He bestows upon us the authority to pray believing in the One True God.<\/p>\n

The Scripture is full of descriptions of the magnificence of Christ and the power of prayer, in obedience to God.<\/p>\n

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.<\/em> – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5<\/a><\/p>\n

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow<\/strong>, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.<\/em> – Philippians 2:9-11<\/a><\/p>\n

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.<\/span> Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.<\/span> For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.<\/span> Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.<\/span>\u00a0 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,<\/span> and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.<\/span> In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;<\/span> and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,<\/span> praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,<\/span> and also for me, that words may be given to me [Paul] in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.”<\/span><\/em> – Ephesians 6:10-19<\/a><\/p>\n

When we pray, we enter into an arena where God shows Himself mighty on our behalf. Praying can be scary because it is the stuff of miracle and mystery.<\/p>\n

As often happens in preparing to write Worship Wednesday each week, God gave me a song. Sometimes it’s the passage of Scripture first, but today it was a song. Lauren Daigle<\/a>‘s “Come Alive (Dry Bones)”<\/em><\/a>. Then I was carried back to the Scripture. The Valley of Dry Bones<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In Ezekiel 37, The Lord spoke to the prophet (Ezekiel) during the Babylonian captivity of Israel. God’s people had rebelled (again) and they were dead to Him…They felt the deadness inside themselves and cried out to God, even in their hopelessness…as if God couldn’t raise them back to life.<\/p>\n

Yet He is the only one who could save them.<\/p>\n

The passage below is long, but don’t miss the vision God gave Ezekiel:<\/p>\n

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, \u201cSon of man, can these bones live?\u201d<\/strong> And I answered, \u201cO Lord GOD, You know.\u201d Again He said to me, \u201cProphesy over these bones and say to them, \u2018O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.\u2019 \u201cThus says the Lord GOD to these bones, \u2018Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. \u2018I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, \u201cProphesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, \u2018Thus says the Lord GOD, \u201cCome from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.\u201d\u2019\u201d So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Then He said to me, \u201cSon of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, \u2018Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.\u2019 \u201cTherefore prophesy and say to them, \u2018Thus says the Lord GOD, \u201cBehold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. \u201cThen you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. \u201cI will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,\u201d declares the LORD.\u2019\u201d<\/em> – Ezekiel 37:1-14<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This vision was a metaphor, symbolic of what was to come. God would forgive the people of their sin. He heard their cries, restoring\u00a0 them to Himself, and eventually restored them to their homeland. He pointed Ezekiel to what He would do for Israel…in that Valley of Dry Bones.<\/p>\n

Prayer is our witness to the just and merciful authority of God. He speaks to us and we tune our ears to Him. He regularly does the miraculous in our lives, and we don’t want to miss it.<\/p>\n

I was nervous praying in front of church family. Maybe it was because I was afraid the words wouldn’t come. The words I needed to ask God on behalf of these refugee families who had lost so much. God already knows what they need…maybe it’s what we need from Him that He calls us to settle…and to trust Him with.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me.<\/p>\n

Through the eyes of men it seems
\nThere’s so much we have lost
\nAs we look down the road
\nWhere all the prodigals have walked
\nOne by one
\nThe enemy has whispered lies
\nAnd led them off as slaves<\/p>\n

But we know that you are God
\nYours is the victory
\nWe know there is more to come
\nThat we may not yet see
\nSo with the faith you’ve given us
\nWe’ll step into the valley unafraid, yeah<\/p>\n

As we call out to dry bones
\nCome alive, come alive
\nWe call out to dead hearts
\nCome alive, come alive
\nUp out of the ashes
\nLet us see an army rise
\nWe call out to dry bones, come alive<\/p>\n

God of endless mercy
\nGod of unrelenting love
\nRescue every daughter
\nBring us back the wayward son
\nAnd By your spirit breathe upon them
\nShow the world that you alone can save
\nYou alone can save<\/p>\n

As we call out to dry bones
\nCome alive, come alive
\nWe call out to dead hearts
\nCome alive, come alive
\nUp out of the ashes
\nLet us see an army rise
\nWe call out to dry bones come alive<\/p>\n

So breathe, oh breath of God
\nNow breathe, oh breath of God
\nBreathe, oh breath of God
\nNow breathe<\/p>\n

Breathe, oh breath of God
\nNow breathe, oh breath of God
\nBreathe, oh breath of God, now breathe<\/p>\n

As we call out to dry bones
\nCome alive, come alive
\nWe call out to dead hearts
\nCome alive, come alive
\nUp out of the ashes
\nLet us see an army rise
\nWe call out to dry bones come alive, yeah
\nWe call out to dry bones, come alive<\/p>\n

Oh come alive!*<\/p>\n

_______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

So…if we struggle with timidity, or doubt, or even some unbelief… we know what to do. Come. Come alive. Wake up afresh to the saving power of Redeemer God.<\/p>\n

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.<\/em> –<\/strong> Hebrews 4:16<\/a><\/p>\n

*Lyrics to “Come Alive”<\/em> – Songwriters: Michael Farren & Lauren Daigle<\/a><\/p>\n

What Is the Meaning of the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The Meaning of the Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones – Ezekiel 37:1-14, Part 3 – <\/em>Joel Kine<\/a><\/p>\n

Ezekiel: Valley of Dry Bones<\/em> – Sean Koos<\/a><\/p>\n