Breathe: Revival from the Valley of Dry Bones

Jul 19, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When God Asks the Impossible Question

The prophet stands in a valley of sun-bleached bones, hearing God’s jarring question: “Can these bones live?” It’s a moment where human logic screams “no,” but divine possibility whispers “watch Me.” Dryness—whether in circumstances, relationships, or faith—is not a dead end for God. He specializes in resurrecting what seems irredeemable. This devotional invites you to name your “valley of dry bones” and lean into the One who defies despair. Revival begins when we surrender our limited answers to His unlimited power. [02:19:11]

“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 midst of the valley; it was full of bones. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’”
(Ezekiel 37:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: What situation in your life feels as hopeless as “very dry bones”? How might shifting your focus from the impossibility to God’s track record of resurrection change your posture today?

Day 2: Prophesying to the Breathless

After bones reassemble into bodies, they remain lifeless until Ezekiel obeys God’s command to prophesy to the breath. Revival isn’t complete with outward structure alone—it requires the Spirit’s inward wind. Many live as “breathless bodies,” going through religious motions without divine energy. This day challenges you to identify areas where you’ve settled for form over fire, ritual over relationship. True life comes when we invite the Breath of Heaven into our deepest voids. [02:11:33]

“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”
(Ezekiel 37:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been content with “reassembled bones” instead of insisting on the Spirit’s breath? What dead routine needs God’s fresh wind today?

Day 3: From Scattered Bones to Standing Army

God doesn’t just restore—He multiplies. The bones that once littered a battlefield become a vast, organized army. Our brokenness, when surrendered, becomes raw material for divine strategy. This devotional confronts the lie that past failures disqualify us from future purpose. Every scar and setback can be reconsecrated into a testimony. The same God who sorted scattered bones wants to reorder your chaos into something that terrifies hell’s forces. [02:35:43]

“So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.”
(Ezekiel 37:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: What scattered pieces of your life need God’s divine reorganization? How might your past struggles position you for greater spiritual authority?

Day 4: Revival for the Weary, Not the Wicked

Exhausted believers—not complacent sinners—are revival’s primary recipients. The Israelites in exile weren’t pagans; they were God’s people battered by consequences of their choices. This truth comforts those feeling too “dry” for renewal. Revival isn’t a reward for the perfect but oxygen for the overwhelmed. God meets you in your Babylon, your burnout, your secret shame. His breath penetrates even self-inflicted deserts. [02:16:55]

“Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.’”
(Ezekiel 37:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What exhaustion have you been hiding as “unspiritual”? How might accepting your weariness position you to receive God’s reviving breath?

Day 5: Breathing in the Midst of Exile

The Israelites needed to learn worship in Babylon, not just Jerusalem. True revival equips us to breathe God’s life in foreign places—be they hostile workplaces, strained homes, or cultural battlegrounds. This final day reframes your “exile” as a platform for divine demonstration. Just as dry bones became a breathing army in enemy territory, your challenging environment can become a showcase for resurrection power. The breath you receive isn’t just for you—it’s a weapon for your wilderness. [02:21:36]

“And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
(Ezekiel 37:14, ESV)

Reflection: How can your current “exile” become an opportunity to demonstrate God’s breath? What one practice will help you maintain spiritual respiration in challenging spaces?

Sermon Summary

Ezekiel 37 opens with the hand of the Lord taking the prophet into a valley full of bones. The valley is not a place with a little sickness or a small setback. The bones are “very dry,” long dead, scattered like the remains of an old battlefield, looking like nothing but dog food. God asks, “Can these bones live?” and the human answer would be absolutely not. Ezekiel has enough faith and enough sense not to tell God what God cannot do, so he answers, “Lord God, thou knowest.”

The bones show the condition of Israel in exile. Jerusalem has fallen, the temple is destroyed, and the people are in Babylon because of their own disobedience. Israel feels cut off, dried up, and hopeless. Yet God has not abdicated the throne. God still has the final say, and even in Babylon, God has not left or forsaken his people.

The valley also shows that true restoration belongs to God alone. If the situation were only a little bad, somebody might take credit for the turnaround. But dry bones cannot help themselves, organize themselves, or revive themselves. God lets the scene be hopeless enough that nobody can confuse restoration with human achievement. God has power that makes even evil submit and yield to his divine plan.

The word of God comes into the dead place through the prophet. Ezekiel is not just a prop in the vision. God commands him to speak, and as the word goes forth, there is noise, rattling, and bone comes to bone. The foot bone finds the ankle bone, the ankle bone finds the leg bone, and the scattered remains become bodies again. The word of God still stands forever, still gives light, and still brings revelation even from familiar texts.

The breath of God is what makes the miracle complete. The bodies stand as a vast multitude, but without breath they are still a dead situation. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, and the Spirit comes from the four winds. Then the slain live and stand up as an exceedingly great army.

Revival calls worn out believers to breathe again. God sees what is happening globally, nationally, and personally. God knows the bruises, the funny money situations, the health challenges, and the weariness of the saints. God desires to send fresh wind, fresh air, and fresh breath so his people may live, stand, and do the work of the Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. God sees the dry places The valley of dry bones is not hidden from God, and neither is the depletion of his people. God knows when exile, grief, trouble, and the cares of the world have left the soul feeling cut off. The call to breathe begins with the assurance that God sees the whole condition and still chooses to step into it. [135:21]
2. Hopelessness cannot outrank God The bones look too far gone for human possibility, but Ezekiel refuses to name impossibility as final in front of God. Faith does not pretend the bones are not dry. Faith says, “Lord God, thou knowest,” because God’s knowledge reaches beyond what human eyes can process. [139:11]
3. The Word starts the rattling God uses the prophet’s obedience to speak life into what cannot answer back. The change begins when the word of the Lord is declared over the valley, not when the bones feel ready. Revival requires open ears, because the living word still reveals, cuts, restores, and calls dead places to respond. [145:12]
4. Breath completes the miracle The bones become bodies before they become living, which means restoration can look organized and still be breathless. God does not stop at structure, appearance, or motion. The Spirit must enter, because only the breath of God turns a standing multitude into a living army. [150:51]
5. Restoration is still a process The scattered bones come together bone to bone before the breath fills them. God’s work may move in stages, and the enemy can tempt the soul to dismiss what is unfinished. The valley teaches that incomplete does not mean abandoned, because God finishes what God intends to raise.

## [154:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[58:53] - Worship and Praise
[128:42] - A Familiar Word for Revival
[129:57] - Ezekiel Sees the Valley
[133:31] - The Theme: Breathe
[134:12] - Revival Is for the Worn Out
[136:21] - Israel’s Exile and Depletion
[138:00] - Very Dry Bones in a Battlefield
[140:21] - God Has the Final Say
[145:12] - Prophecy and the Word of God
[150:51] - Breath Makes the Dead Live
[154:27] - Restoration Comes in Process
[158:06] - Breathe and Be Revived

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Ezekiel 37:1-11
“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” [02:09:57]

Ezekiel 37:12-14
“Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Hebrews 13:5
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

John 1:5
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Observation questions

What details in Ezekiel 37 show just how hopeless the valley looked before God moved? [02:18:00]
In the passage, what happens first when Ezekiel prophesies to the bones, and what is still missing after the bodies are formed? [02:30:51]
According to Ezekiel 37:11, what do the bones represent, and what are the people saying about themselves?
What kinds of weariness or depletion are named that can leave believers needing fresh breath and fresh wind from God? [02:15:21]

Interpretation questions

Ezekiel answers, “O Lord God, you know,” instead of declaring the bones hopeless. What does that response show about how faith speaks when a situation looks impossible? [02:19:11]
The bodies are formed before breath enters them. What might this show about the difference between outward restoration and true spiritual life? [02:30:51]
God tells Ezekiel to speak his word into a dead place. What does that suggest about the role of God’s word in bringing change where people cannot fix themselves? [02:25:12]
Israel felt cut off in exile, yet God still promised to bring them up and put his Spirit within them. How does that shape the way a believer understands seasons that feel like punishment, loss, or distance from God? [02:21:21]

Application questions

Where does life feel dry right now—spiritually, emotionally, relationally, or even in hope? What has made that place feel depleted? [02:38:46]
When something looks too far gone, what is the usual response—panic, numbness, anger, control, or quiet trust? What would it look like to answer, “Lord, you know,” in that specific place? [02:20:21]
Some situations can look put together on the outside and still be breathless within. Where might that be true right now—in personal devotion, family life, ministry, or church involvement? [02:33:34]
The word of God starts the rattling before the breath completes the miracle. What is one way to make more room this week to hear God’s word instead of just rushing past it? [02:27:13]
Restoration can come in stages. Is there an area where God may already be bringing bones together, even though the work does not feel finished yet? What would help keep discouragement from taking over in that process? [02:34:27]
God’s people are told to remember that he has not left them, even in a hard and foreign place. In what part of life is there a need to hold onto that promise right now? [02:21:21]
Fresh breath from God is given so his people can live, stand, and do the work of the Lord. What kind of strength or renewal is needed right now to obey what God has put in front of you? [02:14:50]

Sermon Clips

55s

#BreathOfGod

“spirit of God, the breath of God is what gives us life. The situation becomes a a miracle first when you see the bones moving and rattling, but it doesn't truly become a miracle until the breath enters. It says they stood up a vast multitude, there was breath in them. So what good is a vast multitude of breathlessness? still a dead situation if there's no breath.”

46s

#GodCompletesTheWork

“They say our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off completely. And what they don't recognize is that it can't be complete unless god completes it. Yes. And so, therefore, it's actually cut off incompletely because God hasn't finished doing what God was going to do. And so while they stand there, a vast army, bodies but and not bones anymore, but no breath. Now God's gonna complete the work. Breathe on these slaves.”

64s

#ProphesyToTheWind

“Prophesy to the wind. Prophesy to the four corners. these boats to receive the breath of God. Want the spirit of God to fall mightily and powerfully this week as we seek to be revived. We don't want to feel like it's hopeless and that we're completely cut off, and we know by the word of God that God has can have the final say, and God can bring life to a situation that is completely dead. And sometimes the dead don't look dead. Sometimes the dead are standing up full with clothes, walking around, doing stuff, creating mess, but they're dead.”

63s

#ReceiveGodsBreath

“You're breath breathe. When you breathe, you are revived. When someone has passed out and lost consciousness, they do mouth to mouth resuscitation, and they breathe in another soul's body. Yes. Yes. And the soul can come to life again. That's the physical, but in the spiritual, beloved, we need to come to life again. Oh, we've been battered by what is going on in the world, and we have been bruised. And some of us got personal struggles and trials. Some of us have health challenges. Some of us have some funny money situations, but I invite you this week to expect God to show up. Hear the word of the Lord and breathe for God will revive us”

59s

#HopeInHopelessTimes

“But the bones represent the hopelessness that they feel Mhmm. That they are engaging. You know, some of us look around the world today, and we see how many things that crazy folk are getting away with. Stop look. How many things that are happening that make you scratch your head and say, what what am I looking at? What what are we saying? And when those things again again and again, it could lead us down a road of hopelessness because it seems like evil is winning. Yeah. It seems like lunacy has become sanity. It seems like there is nothing and no one and nowhere where there is room for this to shift but God.”

63s

#GodNeverForsakes

“These bones represent hopelessness you don't see any other option or way out for your circumstance. The the children of Israel were in a foreign and strange land, and they couldn't even muster up the ability to sing a holy song That's right. Because it was so foreign and strange to them, and they were grieving, and they were mourning. Yet all through their exile, God was giving them signs that even where they were, they need to live. Yeah. They need to breathe. Yeah. Need to act like they know that God's word is true when he says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So even in Babylon, they are not forsaken, and they are not left.”

42s

#LightOvercomesDarkness

“Be open for God wants to work. And and if we're honest, we are living in a time where we need more than ever for God to work in us, through us, and for us because we're living in in a time that is so foreign to us, that seems so hopeless, that is so and overwhelming. But remember, the word says that the darkness was not able to overcome the light, and the light has come into the world. Yes.”

52s

#LivingWordReveals

“Remember, the word is important, but also remember, remember, remember that it's got to be we've got this we we will receive revelation out of the word. You ever had the experience where you read a scripture that is so familiar and you read it at some time and it's like, you see it so differently? Uh-huh. Yes. All of a sudden, just these new revelations coming from this very familiar text. That's how the spirit of God operates because God's word is a living word. It's not just an ancient text. It's a living word of the ancient of days.”

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