Dry Bones Live!!!

In this season, there is a deep conviction that God desires to speak to each of us in a fresh and genuine way. Sometimes, we become skeptical when people claim to have heard from God, especially when past experiences have been clouded by human emotion or misunderstanding. Yet, the truth remains: God is always speaking. The challenge is not whether He speaks, but whether we are truly listening and discerning His voice from our own thoughts or desires. For those who have never heard God’s voice, there is a unique openness that can make it easier to recognize when He does speak, compared to those of us who may have become conditioned to certain expectations or past experiences.

Reflecting on the story of Ezekiel, we see a prophet taken into a place of utter desolation—a valley filled with dry bones. This was not a place of comfort or life, but a place where all hope seemed lost. Sometimes, God leads us into such places, not to punish us, but to reveal His power to resurrect what seems dead. There are two types of bondage described: the harsh, obvious kind like Egyptian slavery, and the subtle, deceptive kind like Babylonian captivity, where comfort can mask the reality of spiritual bondage. Both are dangerous, but the latter can be especially insidious because it numbs us to our true condition.

The Lord’s question to Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” is a question for all of us. There are promises, dreams, and callings in our lives that may seem dead and buried. We may have given up on them, convinced by our failures or the passage of time that they are beyond hope. Yet, God calls us to speak life—to prophesy—not by inventing our own words, but by coming into agreement with His Word, His will, and His nature. True prophecy is not about predicting the future, but about declaring God’s truth into our present reality, changing the atmosphere and calling forth life where there was only death.

As Ezekiel obeyed and spoke as God commanded, the bones came together, flesh formed, and breath entered them. What was once dead became a mighty army. In the same way, God is able to revive the dead places in our lives, our families, our church, and our community. The call is to trust Him, to speak His Word, and to believe that He alone can bring life out of death. Let us ask God to awaken forgotten promises and to teach us to align our words and hearts with His, so that we may see resurrection power at work among us.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Discern God’s Voice Amidst the Noise It is easy to confuse our own desires or emotions with the voice of God, especially in a culture where many claim divine direction. True discernment requires humility and a willingness to admit when we do not know, seeking God’s genuine voice above all else. This posture of humility opens us to authentic encounters with God, rather than settling for imitations or wishful thinking. [01:06]
• 2. Subtle Bondage Can Be More Dangerous Babylonian captivity was comfortable, yet it was still bondage. Sometimes, the greatest spiritual danger is not obvious suffering, but a numbing comfort that lulls us into complacency. We must be vigilant to recognize when we are settling for less than God’s freedom, even if our circumstances seem pleasant or successful. [10:58]
• 3. Speak Life in Agreement with God’s Word Prophecy is not primarily about predicting the future, but about declaring God’s truth into dead situations. When we speak in agreement with God’s Word and nature, we participate in His work of resurrection, calling forth life where there was only death. This requires faith to speak even when it seems foolish or impossible. [24:30]
• 4. God Revives Forgotten and Abandoned Promises There are dreams and callings we may have given up on, believing them to be dead. Yet, God specializes in resurrecting what seems beyond hope. He invites us to trust Him, to speak life, and to believe that He can restore what we thought was lost forever. [34:09]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:40] - The Challenge of Hearing God’s Voice
• [01:38] - Skepticism and Discernment in the Church
• [02:31] - Conditioning and Openness to God
• [04:06] - Gifts of Tongues and Prophecy
• [07:07] - Ezekiel’s Context: Bondage and Exile
• [08:39] - Egyptian vs. Babylonian Bondage
• [10:58] - Modern Parallels to Spiritual Bondage
• [12:18] - False Prophets and True Hope
• [13:20] - The Valley of Dry Bones
• [15:01] - The Stench of Death and Numbness
• [19:13] - The Question: Can These Bones Live?
• [21:47] - Speaking to Dead Things
• [24:30] - The True Nature of Prophecy
• [29:13] - The Miracle of Resurrection
• [32:39] - God’s Promise to Restore
• [34:09] - Awakening Forgotten Promises
• [37:47] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Bible Reading
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV)
1 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.
2 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.
3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
6 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.”
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.”
10 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.
11 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.’
12 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.
13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.
14 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.”

Observation Questions

1. In Ezekiel 37:1-3, what is the condition of the valley Ezekiel is brought to, and what question does God ask him there?
2. According to the sermon, what are the two types of bondage described, and how are they different? ([08:39])
3. What specific instructions does God give Ezekiel regarding the dry bones, and what happens when Ezekiel obeys?
4. In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the first and most important aspect of prophecy? ([24:30])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might God lead someone, like Ezekiel, into a place of desolation or hopelessness? What could be the purpose behind it? ([14:12])
2. The sermon talks about subtle bondage being more dangerous than obvious suffering. Why is comfort sometimes more spiritually dangerous than hardship? ([10:58])
3. When God asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?”, what does this question reveal about God’s relationship with us and our own sense of hope or doubt? ([19:13])
4. The pastor says true prophecy is about speaking in agreement with God’s Word and nature, not just predicting the future. How does this understanding change the way we think about speaking life into dead situations? ([24:30])

Application Questions

1. The sermon mentions that it’s easy to confuse our own desires or emotions with the voice of God. What are some practical ways you can discern God’s voice from your own thoughts or feelings? ([01:06])
2. Have you ever experienced a season where you became numb to something spiritually unhealthy in your life, like the “smell of death” the pastor described? How did you recognize it, and what helped you address it? ([16:28])
3. The pastor talks about “Babylonian bondage” as a comfortable but deceptive form of captivity. Are there areas in your life where you might be settling for comfort instead of true freedom in Christ? What would it look like to step out of that comfort? ([10:58])
4. Is there a promise, dream, or calling in your life that you have given up on or considered “dead”? What would it look like to ask God to revive it, and how could you begin to speak life over it? ([22:16])
5. The sermon encourages us to speak in agreement with God’s Word, even when it seems foolish or impossible. Can you think of a situation right now where you need to declare God’s truth, even if it feels awkward or unlikely? ([24:30])
6. The pastor shared a story about talking to his fruit trees, believing God could bring life where there was none. Is there an area in your family, work, or community where you feel called to “speak life” this week? What would that look like in practice? ([26:52])
7. What is one step you can take this week to align your words and heart more closely with God’s Word and nature, especially in situations that feel hopeless or “dead”? ([35:42])