He won the Battle – Looking forward to see how He will win the War! (Epic War, part 2)

Nothing like puking emotions out all over a page to help you realize how wrong you really are. There is something about writing it all down and “seeing it” that helps you realize where you are wrong. The black pit of self in my soul scares me! When I think of all that God has done for me, and how I still kick at the goads, I’m ashamed and humbled, but also astounded at His faithfulness. Last night the Lord lead me to read Ezekiel 37. It’s all about Him bringing things back to life. The key thing that stuck out to me was that God will bring this back to life – FOR HIS GLORY! – so we will know He is the Lord.

“4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 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.' "

He gives life to the bones and opens the graves – and brings you up from them! My prayer is that He will bring life back into the situations at work and in my life. And that He will clean out the dirty graves in my heart! In order for new life to come in nature death happens first. I have had a lot of “deaths” in many situations in the last year. He is cleaning out the old. Lord please bring in the new! Your best for me!

'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "

Oswald Chambers has a fitting commentary on this chapter:

The Staggering Question

He said to me, ’Son of man, can these bones live?’ —Ezekiel 37:3
Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer— "O Lord God, You know" ( Ezekiel 37:3 ). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, "Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done."
It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience.
"Behold, O My people, I will open your graves . . ." ( Ezekiel 37:12 ). When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace. My "grave" has been opened by God and "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells" ( Romans 7:18 ). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.

Lord, Please forgive me for my selfishness. I want to work WITH You, not just for You. Turn me into a saint!

Please redeem, revive & restore!

I know I will still struggle through this frustration. But please help me keep my eyes on You, not on what I can see.

Pops, Thanks for the reminder to stop begging God for answers when we don’t understand, and to instead focus on who He is.
He is Faithful & I believe He is who He says He is, and will do what He has said He will do. Here I am “pitching my tent!”

He has done SO much for me. I'm looking forward with great expectation to see what God is going to do next!