PROPHESY!
Latest Gall[up polls show certain trends in regards to religion in the United States. Currently 21% of Americans say they have no religious affiliation and over 50% of Americans do not have a church home where they attend regularly. In reality, when not filling out a form, the numbers of people who say they are Christian and act as a Christian are even greater. As believers we are called to "go out into the highways and by-ways and compel men to come (to the faith)". How can we do this?
The prophet Ezekiel was given a message that still applies to us today:
3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "Master God, only you know that."
4 He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!’" Ezekiel 37:3-4 (MSG)
God told Ezekiel to "prophesy" – to speak the Word of the Lord over the valley of dry bones. We as believers need to heed that admonition and even as go about our day, we need to PROPHESY! We need to speak the Word of the Lord over and to the humanity we encounter every day. You may say, they will not hear me, or worst yet, I can get reported for speaking about God in the workplace. Sadly this is true on both counts.
However, there is no penalty for speaking to God about these situations and about the people you encounter. As you pray, as you petition God, PROPHESY! Prophesy to the dry bones on your workplace, in your family, on the train as you go to work. Speak the Word of the Lord to the names on your prayer list! You can’t change their hearts but prayer can find them and slowly erode the hardness of their hearts and turn their hard hearts into a heart of flesh.
We have been given the keys to the Kingdom. The ability to unlock the doors of separation from those who believe and those who don’t. We have been given a vehicle to bring them through the gate, it’s called love. Let us transport those who are in darkness into the marvelous light of the Kingdom of God through prayer and prophecy!
Maria