Speaking Life: The Power of Prophecy and Faith

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I need you to know that your words carry power and that's why the Bible says in Proverbs 18 21 life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who indulge it will eat the fruit and bear the consequences of their words what we say has the ability to build or break our words matter more than we realize they can tear down or build up they can kill hope or release life that's why speaking life over what feels dead speaking life over what is broken over hopeless situations it's impactful when you speak life over what looks dead when you declare hope over what seems beyond repair something begins to shift because what you say carries weight what you say matters and here's the real point I want you to grab if if our words have theability to bring life or death.Imagine the difference it makes when we intentionally speak God's word over our lives. [00:02:41]

If our words carry weight, then the word or words of God can bring true transformation.That's why Ezekiel 37 is powerful because it shows the transformation that happens when we speak the word of God into dry, lifeless places.Ezekiel 37 opens with the vision and Ezekiel has his vision and in the vision he is standing in the middle of a valley filled with dry bones. Somebody shout dry bones. Scattered, brittle, lifeless. Can you see it? No skin, no muscle, no breath, no strength, no sign of life, only fragments of what used to be. And everywhere Ezekiel looked, he saw emptiness. Everywhere he looked, he saw hopelessness in this valley. [00:03:52]

God, hear me.took Ezekiel on a tour of the valley in the vision and as he looked around he noticed that the bones were very dry meaning they had been dead for a long time it was a situation that looked beyond repair and please forgive me for being in your business early this morning but can I ask you a question have you ever felt like that like something in your life has been dead so long that there's no way it could live again have you ever faced a situation that felt completely hopeless I mean you just knew it would not get better maybe it was a broken relationship maybe it was a job you thought you would never get back maybe it was a dream that seemed shattered maybe it was watching your finances fall apart am I on your roll yet maybe maybe you felt like your finances were falling apart feeling like you were drowning in debt with no way out maybe it was grief of losing that loved one I mean you thought you would never get through grief and you were wondering when I'm gonna when will I have joy again when when can I experience peace again or maybe it wasn't just one thing maybe it was everything piling up at once leaving you tired and drained and questioning things and wondering God when are you going to turn this situation around. [00:05:19]

Ezekiel standing in a proverbial valley surrounded by dry bones, dry hopes, dry dreams, dry relationships, dry faith, dry peace, dry confidence, dry strength, dry opportunities, dry marriage, dry worship, dry church. Am I on your roll yet? Friends, let me tell you, sometimes life makes it feel like you are standing in a valley full of dry bones. Lifeless bones and hopelessness has a way of making you feel stuck like you're standing in a valley with no way to escape, no light at the end of the tunnel and no reason to keep believing. [00:06:56]

Oh, but I came here to help somebody early this morning and tell you don't trip because the same God who stood with Ezekiel in the valley of the dry bones and asked him this important question is asking you that same question today. He says, son of man, can these bones live? Can these bones live? Can what's dead in your life come back to life? Can what feels broken be restored? Can what seems hopeless be filled with hope again? Do you believe that these bones can live? [00:07:41]

The question is important because it causes us to evaluate our faith because faith sees beyond the valley faith sees beyond the hopelessness and faith trusts that God can breathe life into what looks dead watch the text watch the text because God moved Ezekiel from from focusing on what he saw to declaring what he needed to speak he says I know you see lifeless bones I know you see broken bones I know you see dry bones I know what you see looks beyond repair I know it feels impossible but for a moment I want you to stop focusing on what's in front of your eyes and start declaring my words over your situation. [00:08:43]

He he he shifts from what you see to what you need to speak the vision may show dry bones the vision may show broken pieces the vision shows emptiness but your voice has the power to speak resurrection over what seems dead did you hear what I said I said the vision may show dry bones the vision may show broken pieces the vision shows emptiness but your voice has the power to speak resurrection over what seems dead don't let what you see silence the power youPower God's word that God's word you are meant to speak. [00:09:36]

He says, son of man, prophesy to the bones.Speak even when it doesn't make sense. Speak even when you see hurt and whatever you see hurts your eyes and your heart. I know what you see, but prophesy anyway. Somebody shout prophesy anyway.Yeah, and friends, that command wasn't just for Ezekiel. It's for you too, that God doesn't want you walking around discouraged. God doesn't want you walking defeated with your head down or stuck on what it looks like. He doesn't want you to be sitting back complaining or waiting for somebody else to fix it. God wants you to prophesy.God wants you to speak life over your situation. Speak hope into dry places. Speak resurrection over what feels that he is calling you to speak life, to declare his power, to believe what looks dead can live again. [00:10:14]

For the sake of context prophesy nava is is is the word literally means to speak under influence of divine spirit hear me it's not about trying to license yourself to be a prophet i'm not trying to put a clergy collar on you i i'm trying to help you seeto the people of god just in case they didn't hear from god he would speak directly to the prophet and the prophet would take the word from god and and relay it to the people but in the new testament when jesus died on that cross the veil was torn in two in the temple and now we have direct access to god so you don't have to wait until your favorite prophet comes to town and speak a word over your life you may not even have time to do that that family member may not have time for you to call your favorite prophet i'm here to argue if you know the word of god you better open up your mouth and speak the word of god. [00:11:52]

I know you may have a little fear but you gotta say i know what i see but i also know what your word says i see sickness but your word says by your stripes i am healed i i see lack but your words you yousays my God will supply all of my needs according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus I see fear but your word says God has not given me the spirit of fear but power love and a sound mind I see failure but your word declares I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength I'm telling you I see impossibility but your word says with God all things are possible I see weakness but your word says my grace is sufficient for you my power is made perfect in your weakness I see loneliness but your word says that you will never leave me nor forsake me. [00:13:14]

I'm trying to tell somebody you have the power to speak life over your situation you when you get frustrated and when you get tired you have the power to say I will be successful I am a royal priesthood I will shine like a city on on a hill that cannot be hidden I will overcome every challenge that I face I will not be defined by my failure and by rejections and by my setback I will rise above fear I will rise above doubt I will rise above distraction I willI will walk in purpose and fulfill my calling and leave a mark that cannot be erased. I speak blessings over my life. I speak blessings over my family. I speak blessings over my pastor. I speak blessings over my spouse. I speak blessings over this church. Is there anybody in here who can give God praise that you have the power to speak life into lifeless situations? [00:14:33]

What comes out of your mouth is more powerful than what meets your eyes.So good, I want to say it again.What comes out of your mouth is more powerful than what meets your eyes. What you see is what you see.But what you say has the power to change what you see. [00:16:12]

What you see is what you see.But what you say has the power.To change what you see. To shift your circumstances and bring life where there seems to be none. In other words, you have to prophesy to the dry bones. [00:16:38]

But in order to speak life, you got to know the word of God.You got to study it. You got to study the word of God. You got to be in your word. And again, you may not always have time to open up this physical Bible. So you got to have a word on your heart. You have to have it because the enemy wants to take you out. Because God knows the plans that God has for you. God wants you to prosper. God doesn't want to harm you. And the enemy knows that.So you got to have a word. You got to have a word. [00:17:09]

You have the power to speak those things that are not as though they were somebody shall prophesy I gotta move I gotta move um but at the first sign of improvement you know you prophesy to the bones don't stop prophesying because Ezekiel opens his mouth the bones rattle can you hear it the sound of God putting pieces back together sounds so good that that the sound of God restoring what what was broken the the sound of God reordering what what looks scattered but but waits the the bones came back together flesh covered them yet there was no life so God tells Ezekiel don't just prophesy to the bones uh prophesy to the breath he says I I I I prophesy as I was commanded that's what the bible says and I as I was prophesying there was a no noise rattling sound bones came back together but no life so God says prophesy to the bones that bones bones bones prophesy to the breath breath wind the spirit ruach it is is that hebrew word um um bones bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bones and bonesand breath prophesy to the bones and the breath breath the wind the spirit that that that the bones did not have spirit which means they were still lifeless so God says I need you to prophesy to the breath I need you to call on my spirit to enter what is dead and watch it live again because without breath you cannot without breath you can have body but no life without the spirit you have form but no power and the spirit is what gives life that's why in Genesis 2 and 7 the Bible says that God formed man from dust of the ground but dust didn't dust didn't move until God breathed in man because when God breathed into his nostrils man became a living soul I'm trying to tell you the same spirit that empowers that empowered Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath you have that same spirit don't just stop with the bones you got to prophesy with with to the breath so that you can have life so many of us are existing but we're not living but the spirit gives you life Zoe it gives you life beyond physical existence but so many us are so many of us are just existing but I've come in to tell you today you will live and I want you to prophesy to the spirit I I want you to open your mouth and say spirit breathe breathe into this dead situation breathe into this broken dream breathe into this weary body breathe into this struggling faith breathe into my home breatheBreathe in my family. Breathe in my future. Whatever there is that, I need it to live again. God, I need you to breathe again. [00:18:37]

And I got to be responsible because here's the thing. I'm telling you that you have the power to prophesy. But I want to let you know this, that the results are in God's hands.And when you mature as a Christian, you say, I know I don't get the final say so. But as long as I have breath, I'm going to speak life over my situation. Now, I'm not going to worry about the results. All I'm going to do is use the breath that I have to speak into my situation and believe that, God, you're going to turn it around. I give you the results because I know that you have all power. I know that you are able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think. I know that you are able to do immeasurably more. But I cannot live. I cannot move. I cannot do all of this without you. So I'm willing to spend the rest of my life asking you to breathe on me again. [00:21:41]

When God breathes, sickness has to bow. When God breathes, strongholds have to break. When God breathes, what's dead must live again. Open your mouth and say, God, I need you to breathe. I'm trying to tell you that God is able to breathe life into your situation. God is able to bring restoration into your relationships. God is able to breathe revival into your faith. Open up your mouth and shout, God, I need you to breathe. God is able to breathe courage into fearful hearts. God is able to breathe life into delayed callings and dreams. Can you use your voice and say, God, I need you to breathe. [00:23:10]

I'm here to tell you that God is able to breathe freedom from fear and oppression. Open up your mouth early this morning and shout, God, I need you to breathe. I'm here to tell you that God is able to breathe life into your ministry. God is able to breathe life into your neighborhoods. God is able to bring life into this city. Open up your mouth and shout, God, I need you to breathe. God is able to breathe resurrection power.So what's dead shall rise. Open up your mouth and say, God, I need you to breathe. [00:23:50]

I've come to tell you that you have the power to prophesy. Don't worry about the results. But every day you get a chance to live. Speak life into your situation. You ought to prophesy to yourself and say, I shall live and not die.My faith shall live. You're not prophesying. I said prophesy to yourself. My peace shall live. My family shall live. My purpose shall live. My dreams shall live. My vision shall live. My health shall live. My strength shall live. Can you open up your mouth and tell somebody, I prophesy over you. You shall live and not die to declare the works of the Lord. [00:24:29]

Open up your mouth and tell somebody, I used my power to speak life over you. Your future shall live. Your worship shall live. Your praise shall live. Your confidence shall live. Your courage shall live. Your anointing shall live. Your breakthrough shall live. Your testimony shall live. Yeah. Your passion shall live. Your prayer life shall live. Your dreams shall live. Your goals shall live. Your heart shall live. Can you open up your mouth and begin to speak in that room? Hope and say, I need you to live. You will not give up today. I speak life in your situation. These dry bones shall live again.These dry bones will live again. Open up your mouth and begin to prophesy. I will make it. I am successful. I am somebody. I can do all things.through Christ Jesus who gives me strength. I can do all things. Tell somebody I shall live. Tell somebody you shall live. Open up your mouth and stand in the room. You shall live. [00:25:24]

I know what I see, but your word says he was wounded for our transgression, bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, but with his strikes, we are healed. Can you prophesy and tell somebody you cannot give up now? You will not throw in the towel. Don't wave the white flag of surrender. Wipe your eyes. God will take care of you. Tell somebody God will take care of you. God will provide for you. I need you to live. I need you to live until you have peace. Live so you can have joy. Live so that you can be all God created you to be. [00:27:02]

If you can, can you just walk around and tell somebody you will leave today.You will live today. Depression won't take you out. Not on my watch. I see life and life more abundantly. I say, oh, I feel good this morning. Open up your mouth and begin to speak. I will have good grades. We will have a good season. I will make it up. I won't grow in a towel. I won't give up. Open up your mouth and tell somebody, you shall live. Yeah, you shall live. Open up your mouth and prophesy. You got the power to prophesy.Suicide won't take you out. Tell somebody, lift up your head. Oh, ye gate, be ye lifted up. Ye everlasting Lord and the King of glory, God, shall come in. [00:28:13]

I've come on divine assignment to tell you you got the power to prophesy you ain't got to wait for your favorite prophet to come to town open up your mouth and say I know the word I know the word I know the word many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord shall deliver them out of them all open up your mouth and shout I know the word. [00:30:14]

Open up your mouth and declare with power and authority I shall livecome on tell somebody you shall live you will have peace you will have joy tell somebody you're gonna make it tell somebody you're gonna make it tell somebody you still have purpose youOpen you you you you Thank you.tell somebody God ain't through with you open up your mouth and prophesy and if you believe the word of the Lord I dare to clap your hands run, dance do whatever you need to do but this is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it woo [00:31:05]

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