Reviving the Dead: God's Power to Restore Life

Today, the presence of God is not just a concept or a tradition, but a living reality that meets us right where we are. Whether you came to church out of habit, out of hope, or even out of confusion, the truth is that God Himself is here, desiring to meet with you in a tangible and transformative way. Life often burdens us with stress, sickness, and situations that feel beyond our control, but God invites us to trade our heavy yoke for His light one, to lay down our burdens and receive His peace and restoration.

The story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones is a powerful reminder that God specializes in bringing life to what seems hopelessly dead. Sometimes, we find ourselves in places where dreams, callings, relationships, or even our faith feel long buried—sealed away by time, disappointment, or defeat. Like Ezekiel, we may look at the ruins and wonder if anything can live again. But God’s answer is not just a promise of restoration; it’s a demonstration of His power to resurrect what no one else can.

We often try to fix our brokenness on our own, but dead things cannot revive themselves. It takes the breath of God, the power of His Spirit, to bring true life. This is not just about looking good on the outside or maintaining religious appearances; it’s about being filled with the Spirit and truly living. God allows certain things to die in our lives—not to punish us, but to bring us to a place where only He can receive the glory for their resurrection. When He moves, it becomes clear that it was never our strength, wisdom, or effort, but His miraculous intervention.

No matter how long something has been dead—whether it’s a calling, a relationship, a hope, or a loved one’s faith—God knows exactly where it is. He doesn’t need a marker or a shovel; at the sound of His word, dead things come alive. He is setting the stage for a grand finale in your life, a testimony that will point unmistakably to His power and love. Today, the invitation is open: bring your dead places to God, and let Him breathe life into them once again.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Presence Is the Real Reason We Gather No matter our reasons for coming together, it is God’s desire to meet with us that draws us in. In seasons when we struggle to sense His nearness on our own, the corporate gathering becomes a place where heaven collides with earth, and God’s presence becomes manifest. This is not about ritual, but about a living encounter with the One who cares for us and invites us to cast our burdens on Him. [45:57]
• 2. Only God Can Revive What Is Truly Dead We often attempt to repair our own brokenness, but the truth is that dead things cannot bring themselves back to life. Like the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision, our situations may be beyond human hope, but God’s breath—His Spirit—can restore and resurrect. The world resists admitting its need for God, but true revival and restoration come only from His intervention, not our own efforts. [61:08]
• 3. The Death of Dreams and Callings Is Not the End There are seasons when God-given dreams, callings, or relationships seem not just dormant, but sealed and forgotten. Yet, God specializes in opening graves and calling forth what has been buried, even when there is no visible sign of life left. What feels like a final ending is often the setup for God’s miraculous new beginning, where He alone receives the glory for what is revived. [86:39]
• 4. God Allows Death to Reveal His Power Alone When things die in our lives—be it health, relationships, or hope—it is often so that we cannot take credit for their restoration. God allows us to reach the end of ourselves, so that when He brings life, it is unmistakably His work. This humbling process is not punishment, but preparation for a testimony that points to His sovereignty and love. [100:20]
• 5. True Life Is Found Only in the Spirit It is possible to look alive on the outside—well put together, religious, or successful—yet remain spiritually dead. Real life begins when we are filled with the Spirit of God, allowing Him to breathe into us and animate every part of our being. The Spirit’s presence is not just an emotional experience, but the very source of abundant, authentic life. [95:02]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [45:19] - Why Are We Here? God’s Invitation
• [47:53] - Laying Down Our Burdens
• [49:50] - Trading Heavy Yokes for God’s Rest
• [51:16] - Worship: God Is Here
• [54:44] - Giving and Blessing
• [59:12] - Ezekiel 37: The Valley of Dry Bones
• [61:08] - Brokenness Needs an Outside Force
• [63:44] - A Generation Seeking Authentic Life
• [65:45] - The Parallel Between Ezekiel and Jesus
• [69:16] - God’s Promise: Opening Graves
• [74:38] - When It Feels Over and Sealed
• [77:17] - How Did the Bones Get There? Lost Battles
• [79:55] - The World Seals What God Can Revive
• [86:39] - God Remembers Forgotten Callings
• [91:10] - You’re Not Alive Until the Spirit Fills You
• [95:38] - Why Did It Die? God’s Purpose in Death
• [101:00] - God Sets the Stage for a Miracle
• [104:10] - Responding to God’s Call for Life
• [106:05] - Worship: Dead Things Come Alive

Bible Reading

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV) — 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.” ... (Read through verse 14)

Observation Questions

1. In Ezekiel’s vision, what is the condition of the bones, and what does God ask Ezekiel to do?
2. According to the sermon, what are some reasons people come to church, and what does the pastor say is the real reason we gather? [[45:19]]
3. What does God promise to do for the bones in Ezekiel 37, and how many times does He repeat this promise? [[01:09:16]]
4. What does the pastor say about our ability to fix our own brokenness or bring dead things back to life? [[01:01:08]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God chose to show Ezekiel a valley full of very dry bones instead of something less hopeless? What might this say about the situations God allows us to face? [[01:14:38]]
2. The sermon says, “Only God can revive what is truly dead.” What does this mean for areas of our lives that feel hopeless or long forgotten? [[01:26:39]]
3. The pastor mentions that sometimes God allows things to die so that only He can get the glory for their resurrection. How does this challenge the way we view our own efforts and strengths? [[01:40:20]]
4. What does it mean to be “alive” according to the Spirit, and how is this different from just looking alive on the outside? [[01:35:02]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon says that God’s presence is the real reason we gather, even if we come out of habit, hope, or confusion. When was the last time you came to church just out of routine? How can you shift your focus to expect a real encounter with God? [[45:19]]
2. The pastor invites us to “trade our heavy yoke for God’s light one.” What is one burden you are carrying right now that you need to lay down before God? What would it look like to actually do that this week? [[49:50]]
3. Think about an area of your life that feels “dead”—maybe a dream, a relationship, or your faith. What would it look like to bring that to God and ask Him to breathe new life into it? [[01:26:39]]
4. The sermon says, “Dead things cannot revive themselves.” Are there places where you’ve been trying to fix things on your own strength? What would it mean to invite God’s Spirit into those places instead? [[01:01:08]]
5. The pastor shared a personal story about a calling that seemed long dead but was revived by God after many years. Is there something in your life you’ve given up on that you sense God might want to resurrect? What step could you take to respond if God said, “Now it’s time”? [[01:24:46]]
6. The message warns that it’s possible to look alive on the outside but be spiritually dead inside. Are there areas where you’re just “going through the motions” in your faith? What would it look like to invite the Holy Spirit to bring real life to those areas? [[01:35:02]]
7. The pastor said God sometimes lets things die so that when He brings them back, it’s clear it was His work, not ours. How does this change the way you view your current struggles or disappointments? [[01:40:20]]