Ezekiel once stood before a valley of dry bones. Without question, it was a situation that appeared hopeless and Ezekiel knew it. But when God asked him, “Can these bones live?”, he was at least wise enough not to speak negatively about the situation. “You know Lord”, he replied.
With these simple words Ezekiel acknowledged that God was all-knowing and all-powerful; in other words, if God says they can live, then so be it. This must have pleased God. However, despite his genuine faith in God’s unlimited ability to bring life to that situation, do you notice that the bones were still as dry and lifeless as ever? There was not the slightest semblance of change until Ezekiel began to speak to the bones. (Read Ezekiel 37)
Jesus had a very similar experience. It was another seemingly hopeless situation – Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. As he stood before the tomb of Lazarus surrounded by several witnesses, he raised his face up toward heaven and like Ezekiel, worshipped God with his words. He thanked God publicly for answering his prayer even though Lazarus was still dead. Again, Jesus’ faith must have pleased God. But as with Ezekiel, do you notice how Lazarus stayed dead and buried in the tomb until Jesus spoke directly to him and commanded him to come out? (Read John 11)
Worshipping God, praying, confessing the word, meditation, giving; these are all crucial to our walk of faith and very pleasing to God. But a lot of people are still missing a key ingredient without which change is not guaranteed – speaking directly to the situation and telling it in very specific terms what your expected outcome is according to the word of God. Speak to your body, to the specific part or organ where there is pain and command it to be whole; speak to your income and tell it exactly how much it should be; speak to your children, call them by name and call them blessed and highly favoured; speak to your marriage and call it happy and fruitful. No area of life, no matter how seemingly hopeless, is hidden from the word of God or is able to resist its power. It is simply awaiting your instruction for change.
So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Luke 17:6