Come Aliveনমুনা
A MIGHTY ARMY
“So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.”
Ezekiel is allowed to view a vision that will be one of the most discussed, most preached on and one of the most quoted passages of scripture in the whole Bible. It’s 14 verses that could lead a whole year of sermons. But it comes to this climax in verse 10 when the bones, which were dead and dry, come together and form an exceedingly great army.
I don’t know how many soldiers that would have been but I do know scripture says it was an exceedingly great army. The word "exceed" means to go beyond, to become larger or bigger. It was greater than great.
Ezekiel was probably describing what he saw in comparison with the largest army he would have seen, and this was greater.
What are you believing to see? Is it small - just enough to live a small life with minimal impact? Or are you believing God will help you to see an exceedingly mighty army raised up?
This passage is a prophetic vision of the coming together of Israel brought together from exile from frailty and defeat to an exceedingly great army.
If God can do something so grand, so large and marvelous, what could He do in and through you? What are you dreaming about?
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - the first female president in Africa, was quoted as saying, “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”
Are your dreams scary? Do they require sacrifice to achieve them? Do they scare others when you share them?
Joseph had big, scary dreams. Dreams that his brothers and parents would bow down to him. And while it was impossible and unachievable, it came to pass.
Are you willing to believe God could use you to achieve great things? Are you willing to believe God can turn your impossible into probable? Are you willing to believe God could use you to spearhead an exceedingly great army?
ACTION
Write down your dreams in a journal. Dare to dream big things that you never thought possible. What is the dream that God has put in your heart? Write that down. Even if right now you are saying, 'no, that’s a pipe dream, it will never happen,' - write that one down!
PRAYER
Dear God, give me a dream so big that it scares me to think about it. Let me see that when I am out of my depth, you are not. Let me believe again for those dreams I have let go of. Help me to trust in you to bring it to pass. Amen
About this Plan
Join Pastor Andrew Cartledge as he explores the Valley of Dry Bones. God commands the prophet to speak to what's dead, dry, and destroyed for Israel and see it returned to a mighty army. What is dead, dying, or on the edge of despair in your life? I believe as we study this passage together, we will see God come alive in your heart and see your spirit renewed!
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