KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:4 KJV” When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby”.
God, the Almighty has a purpose for all things. He always determines the end from the beginning. In our story above, the Lord Jesus was told His friend Lazarus was sick. The Lord declared to His disciples who had no knowledge of the events surrounding the condition that, this sickness is not unto death.
Now, in the unfolding of the events Lazarus, although the master had said, he would not die, actually died. Has the word of the Lord failed? No, God’s word does not fail What is required of the Lord was to hold to His ground on the word and refuse to accept the physical contrary situations.
God’s word on a number of occasions makes certain declarations about the state of the child of God. In most cases, the real events that occur are very contrary to what we see in the scripture. For example, if the scripture said, no harm will befall you, yet, it seems evil is overwhelming you. Do we fold our hands and say God has failed? No. I believe the events of John 11 involving Jesus’s word concerning the outcome of Lazarus’ sickness were to show us all, how to relate and respond to seemingly failing words from the mouth of God.
The Bible said we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This statement literally talks about living in such a way that one would not fail God’s requirements for our eternal salvation. I believe it also involves applying the word of God judiciously to overcome situations that may want to prove the word of God wrong. God has already determined victory for you, keep your faith alive to experience that victory.
We would be learning about how Jesus worked out the miracle by resurrecting Lazarus from the dead; we would learn that, the Lord Jesus made sure that, He had no grounds for doubt or unbelieve, in all that happened. We would learn how he expressed his dislike for all the unbelief that various persons expressed in God and in Him. Raising Lazarus was a great test of faith. It was a test that came from the condition that had happened, as well as every other person who expressed unbelief in the positive words of faith that the master expressed.
May we learn from the master that every word of promise from God to us is expected by God to come to pass. The onus lies on us the recipients of the miracle, to hold on to the faithfulness of God for that miracle to come to pass.
CONFESSION
God’s word cannot be broken, so long as it is released. It has the potential and power to prevail. I put my confidence in God and in His word to work out my miracle. God’s word always proves true in my case always.
THOUGHT: GOD’S WORD IS EVER POWERFUL. IT IS OUR FAITH THAT MAKES IT REAL TO US.
FURTHER STUDIES
1Tim 6:12 KJV” Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
Mark 9:23 KJV “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”