“You are loosed from your infirmities”

Scripture For Meditation —John 11:38-44

Bound to Abound

We will be looking today, at a spiritual reality that sometimes confuses us as believers —

How can I still be bound even though I’m saved?

Let’s continue our meditation on the story of Lazarus to gain an insight into this dilemma.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and called him out of the grave, Lazarus symbolically had to go through a process to complete his restoration. As recorded in the story,

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” Joh 11:44

Here are a few points that are important for us to note:

• He who was dead came out of the tomb

• But he was still bound by the graveclothes that he was buried in.

• He needed the help of other people to loose him from the graveclothes.

• His restoration was progressive — first his life was restored, then he was released from his bondages.

Just as Jesus demonstrated in the case of Lazarus, walking in freedom from the bondage of sin and death and their consequences, progressively happen following our being born again into our New Life in Christ Jesus.

And much like Lazarus, even though we’ve been delivered from death, the graveclothes from our past life (sicknesses, negative attitudes, anger, fear, lust, demonic influences, etc), may still be encumbering us, and have to be progressively stripped off of us, so we can experience the victorious living that is the abundant life promised to us in Christ Jesus.

Remember the story of Elijah and the dry bones (Ezekiel 37)that we meditate on in Day 4? After Elijah prophesied to the dry bones as God has instructed him to, he said:

“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.” Eze 37:7-8

The bones came together, the whole composition of the body was restored, but there was no life in them; yet, until he prophesied over them again!

Released To Go

What is God saying to you dear friend?

He is saying that He is not done with you yet! He is saying to you not to be discouraged nor dismayed about the struggles that you are still facing in spite of your confession of faith as a believer. He who restored your life is also able to fully restore your destiny. He who gave new life to you is also able to deliver you and free you to enjoy the fulness of that new life.

But you can’t do it alone! You need help to strip those graveclothes off your life.

Just as Jesus instructed the disciples concerning Lazarus: “Loose him, and let him go.”

He has similarly issued a heavenly command concerning you —divine helpers have been mandated to help release you from your bondage to enable you to go and fulfill your destiny!

Those graveclothes can’t stay on you any longer; they don’t belong on you! God is giving you a change of clothing today. God is about to exchange your graveclothes for the covering of His glory!

Do you believe that?

Selah

Pastor Wale Ola

Prayer Focus

Thank God for the new life that you have in Christ Jesus.

Ask Him to show you what graveclothes are in your life that have bound you and limited you.

Pray that He will send helpers into your life who He has mandated to help take those graveclothes off you.

Pray that those helpers will not be limited, distracted or taken out of action.

Pray for deliverance and complete freedom from the effects and influences of the graveclothes.

Pray for the restoration of your destiny in Jesus’s Name.