There has always been a stirring in my spirit for more of God. When Jesus came into my life it was real and life changing. He took away hurt of an abusive step father and anguish of not having my real father in my life instantly. At the age of nine years old, when I asked Jesus into my heart, my life was never the same. Peace flooded my heart and courage to conquer my world came. I felt immediate significance in my life.
Because of the radical change that happened in my heart, I couldn’t help but tell others what Jesus did for me. I wanted to see others experience the same radical love I felt that day and every day of their life. My heart became awakened to a love I never felt before. A transforming love that flooded my very core.
From that epiphany moment on I had to have more of Jesus. It has been a craving in me ever since that amazing day. He burns in my belly. It’s a fire that can never be quenched. This is a revivalist. To see others revived in their relationship with God and that reviving becomes contagious and spreads to others.
The word “revival” often carries some baggage. It brings to mind an old-fashioned religious church service or tent meeting. But there is SO much more to revival than a church meeting! Revival is a completely renewed and transformed way of life! Once you experience personal revival in your own life, then you cannot help changing the world around you.
Wikipedia states Revival as: an increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect.
Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary defines revival this way:
REVI’VAL, n. [from revive.]
1. Return, recall or recovery to life from death or apparent death; as the revival of a drowned person.
2. Return or recall to activity from a state of languor; as the revival of spirits.
3. Recall, return or recovery from a state of neglect, oblivion, obscurity or depression; as the revival of letters or learning.
4. Renewed and more active attention to religion; an awakening of men to their spiritual concerns.
As of late, that burning in my spirit/belly has gotten stronger and stronger. It’s a fire that burns continuously and brightly in me. Throughout my life since I received Christ as my Lord and Savior, that fire is evident in my song writing, any position on a church staff, or any place I have spoken or ministered in song, or my books I have written, all are from a Revivalist’s burning heart to help others be healed and get close to God!
Jesus is looking for a church who still has their First Love burning strong in them.
Rev. 3:17 – 18 KJV
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The church of Laodicea had drifted away from their first love. They had become ensnared in prosperity, comfort, and easy living, much like the American Church in this day. They were preaching, having services, and living life as normal yet they had grown cold in their hearts. It is amazingly easy for people to start out serving God with humility and hunger, then end up blinded by complacency. This is what had happened to the Laodicean church. Their eyes were blinded to the deeper things of God.
Jesus told the Laodicean church to repent and return to their first love. Revival is always a move of repentance. As the revival fire of God falls upon churches and communities, people will return to their first love. In that process of return there is a great deliverance that takes place. God’s people are delivered from distraction, deception, and the lies of the enemy as their hearts are purified by holy fire. Jesus instructed the Laodicean church to anoint their eyes with eye salve. I believe that this is a clear instruction to get the prophetic vision and ministry restored to the House of God.
Maybe you feel like you are dead inside. Maybe you have dead areas in your life that you never thought could live again. You need a personal revival.
Ezekiel 37:1 – 14 NKJV
The Dry Bones Live
The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
Also 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.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”
There are several ways to interpret this vision given to Ezekiel. Here are a few…
- It is a prophesy for the nation of Israel to be restored and strength to come back to her.
- It is a picture of the sinner coming alive in Christ and living a life of being a soldier for God in His regime.
- It is a prophetic prophesy/picture of those who have lost their first love of Christ coming alive when they looked like no life was in them.
- It is a powerful prophetic picture of having anything “dead in our life that God can bring to life again. He is the God of the impossible!
I want to focus on the the last two today. Truly we can apply this scripture to our own lives and see that our spirit needs to be revived. This is a prophetic picture of you and I and how easily it can be to fall away and lose our spiritual life by just being exposed to the world and its ways, and also how our own life’s experiences can isolate us and bleach out our strength and all looks dead. The resurrection power of Christ can raise the dead of:
-Relationships
-Finances
-Hope for a better future
-Our Health
-Dead dreams
-and so much more!
Proverbs 17:22 NKJV
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
Dry: Hebrew3001 Yaw-bashe: A primitive root; to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also to dry up or wither: be ashamed, be confounded, dry, shame.
Dry Bones: Bleached by long exposure to the atmosphere.
Psalm 104:30 NKJV
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the earth.
rûach
Spirit: roo’-akh
From H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): – air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).
What Can Make Our Bones Dry?
1. Broken Spirit – to be overwhelmed with sorrow. It could also mean being wounded and never heal. To stay in that state of sorrow.
I am not referring to someone dying in your life and you are freshly grieving. We all need a time to grieve and mourn for our loss. It is a natural process that helps us let go of the dead and move on. What I am talking about is allowing that grief to be consuming years and years down the road, when we all should be moving on by then. Also I am talking about being hurt by someone or an event and we never get over it.
We have lost our joy. We have lost our peace. All we can see is what we lost or what happened to us. There is no life in that.
Allowing our hearts to be revived in God will give us JOY! God’s joy! Our “bones” are the very structure of our natural being. Without them, we would all be just a lump of tissue, blood, and flesh. To have a broken spirit is like taking our bones, our joy, away and we are left with feeling like we are just a blob of brokenness. This will dry up your bones quickly. Don’t let this be you! Quickly give your grief, hurt, and emotions to God and allow His healing to come. Don’t allow your bones to dry up!
Proverbs 17:22 NKJV
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
2. Ashamed – guilty or embarrassed of sin.
The enemy wants us to sin, then he wants us to feel guilty and ashamed of our sin the rest of our lives. If we do this, it will dry us up spiritually. We are not walking in God’s forgiveness which gives us strength and power.
Psalm 83:17 KJV
Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish.
What this verse is actually saying, after learning about dry bones, is: Dry up the bones of my enemy and may they die!
Shame is a drying component. It saps our living water out of us! This is what the devil wants for each of us.
Psalm 31:17 KJV
Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: oiler the wicked be ashamed, [and] let them be silent in the grave.
Failure/Failing – caught up in your own failures and never overcoming.
We can put our trust in God that He has forgiven us from any trespass, any iniquity, any sin and we are in right standing with Him when we repent and turn from it all. Don’t allow your passed mistakes to dictate who you are! You are a child of God! Your identity is in Christ.
3. Disappointments – Disappointed to the point all hope is gone.
Disappointments happen to us everyday. We put our expectations into something or someone, and when those expectations are not fulfilled, we become disappointed.
Romans 8:28 NKJV
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.1 Peter 5:7 (Amplified Bible)
“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”
We have to turn those disappointments over to God. They will eat us up from the inside out.
4. Confused or Confounded – you are following any “wind” that blows your way.
Acts 19:32 NKJV
Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
People are easily distracted by other doctrines and gods. We have to know what we believe and why we believe it! This will give you a good foundation and not be tossed to and fro with every wind of polices, practices, prophecies, and preaching.
When we are tossed by every wind that blows our way, it will dry up our spiritual bones to the point we don’t know what we believe. Confusion and be confounded and we will turn away from God.
Dehydration – away from the True Vine. Lack of water. No rain.
John 15:1- 6 NIV
The Vine and the Branches
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
“…apart from Me you can do nothing.” We are not productive apart from God. We are not strong apart from God. We will wither and die if we are not abiding in the true Vine, Jesus Christ. Find time to spend with Him daily. Spend time with His Bride (fellowship). Talk to Him throughout your day. Keep the lines of communication open at all times. If not, we will get dehydrated apart from the Vine. This will cause us to dry out.
5. Busyness – Always being busy doing “good things” but never doing the “One Thing” of spending time in His presence.
I think busyness is one of the sneakiest schemes the enemy uses on us. Being busy makes you think you are productive and valuable. It makes you think you are getting things accomplished, and at times you are, but to what cost? Being busy for busyness sake is a trap.
Luke 10:38-42 ESV
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”Matthew 11:28 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Romans 12:2 ESV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
6. Isolation – Thinking your own way, or separating yourself from others.
It is long exposure to worldly atmospheres. As you do this, you will isolate yourself and become a law unto yourself. You will think the Bible is not true and decide to follow your own ideas. This will lead to death always. We have to rely on God and Abide in the Vine of Christ. Leave it up to our own thinking and we will lead ourselves astray. Doing this will dry us up spiritually. It is foolish! Be aware of this!
Psalm 14:1 NIV
The fool says in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.Proverbs 18:1 ESV
Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.Hebrews 10:25 ESV
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Have you found yourself in a valley of Dry Bones? There is hope!
I prophecy to you:
Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to you: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD!
Get ready for a noise, a rattling sound, as your bones are coming together! Bone to bone. Tendons and flesh are now on you and you have beautiful skin covering your entire spiritual body in Jesus name!
I prophecy to the breath; This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live!
You prophecy to yourself:
Now breath is entering into your spirit by the breath of God! You are alive! You are a mighty army!
I prophecy that your graves will open and you are up from them! You will possess your promised land! Then you will know God is real and He is LORD and He is the One who opened your graves. He has put His Spirit in you and you will live! You will be settled into your own land! Now you know the LORD has spoken, and He has done it!
Now I want you to Prophecy to all your dead graves and call forth the bones to come up and live….
-Friendships
-Marriages
-Finances
-Good Health – I am strong and full of life!
-Emotional healing
-Releasing of past hurts
-_____________________ (Name it!)
Take the time to breathe in New Life right now! Allow your Spirit to sore in this new found freedom of Life Jesus has given you!!!
Your Sister in Christ,
Pastor Kris Belfils
Pastor Kris Belfils 