Encouragement

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Do You Believe….? (John 11:17-27)

“On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and belie2ves in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes Lord,” she told Him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

It was the worst possible situation. The sick man for whom Jesus had been urgently sought was now dead, and had been in the grave for four days. The home of the sisters was a place of mourning. It was full of friends from Jerusalem, who had come to comfort them in their time of grief and loss, but no one can give comfort and strength like Jesus can! Martha ran in search of Jesus, when she heard He was on His way. Both ladies had questions in their hearts which only Jesus could answer, but Mary (the quiet one – Luke 10) stayed home, while Martha went out to seek Him. In times of pain and darkness, we need Jesus all the more!
Martha’s words were a reflection of her confusion and grief that the Lord had not come to His friend when He was needed most. She was almost blaming Jesus for the death of her brother, as her heart said “Where were you when we needed you?” and “Why did you not get here before my brother died?” This may be a question many of us have struggled with, when we are up against the battles of life which never seem to end; when we have prayed for answers which do not seem to come through at the time they are most needed.

However, Martha had a mature faith which would not be silenced or stilled. It was a faith that did not depend on signs. It was a faith which saw beyond even death. She knew that nothing was impossible with the One who had saved their souls and given them new life. She knew that it is never too late with God, and that the prayer of Jesus, the supreme Intercessor availed all! In the physical dimension, Jesus did not make it in time, and her brother was dead, but as far as Martha was concerned, this was by no means a finality. There was another dimension – the Spiritual Kingdom, which operates on faith, and on power. She spoke a word which saw beyond death – it was “but….” She knew that if Jesus asked the Father for the life of Lazarus, this is what they would see! She had absolute faith in Jesus!

Friend, the doctors may have given you a diagnosis which is scary and final; your financial situation may be bad; your child may have left home; or your marriage may seem like it is over. In Jesus, there is always a ‘but’. Martha said to Jesus “I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Even now, you can ask God to turn things around – to bring life where there was death; healing where there seems to be pain and infirmity, deliverance where there seems to be unbreakable bondage. God is able to do whatever we ask for in faith and in the name of Jesus. We serve a mighty, all powerful God for whom nothing is impossible; He is “God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17). There is absolutely nothing too hard for Him!

When Martha and Mary stayed in the house with their friends, they were focusing on the death of their brother, and sitting in their pain and disappointment; but when Martha ran to meet Jesus, she ran towards life; she touched faith. It is impossible to be with Jesus and not be filled with faith. He is the “Word made flesh” (John 1: 14), “He is the true light which gives light to every man” (John 1:9); He is “the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14b). Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Thoughts of death, depression and despair have to flee, when we encounter the life giving presence of Jesus, the Lord of all! We open ourselves instead to a spirit of life and freedom, of wisdom and revelation, and the peace and joy of the Lord. In the presence of Jesus, all things are possible!

Jesus reminded Martha that resurrection and life are found in Him; that there is life beyond this physical reality, and beyond the door of death; that those who believe in His saving power and profess His name will live in Him forever, beyond the constraints of this earthly existence! Jesus asked her “Do you believe this?”

Martha believed! She believed for the salvation and redemption of her soul, and the soul of her brother Lazarus. But it did not stop here for her. She understood that redemption is a complete package which affects every aspect of life. Even death has to bow to the name of Jesus, the name above every name, for “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”! (Philippians 2:10 & 11).
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the blood of Jesus Christ has atoned for every sin that anyone could ever commit; it has paid the ransom for every sickness that could ever arise in this world (Psalm 103:3 and Isaiah 53:5). It is already done and sealed forever in Heaven. So what is it that really turns the key to receive? Belief! Faith! Mary said “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God…” This is the bottom line. If we truly know Jesus for who He is - not some distant deity, but the Christ (the Savior of the world) and God incarnate; the Word made flesh – we would never doubt His ability to turn any situation around!
Precious people let me encourage you to begin to believe for a total turnaround in your life. However final or desperate your circumstances may seem to be, God is able to transform things for you. When you accept the world’s verdict as the final word, you close the door to the supernatural and miraculous power that runs parallel to the mundane realities of this earth. This is what the enemy wants us to do – to shut ourselves off from the limitless potential God has for us, and settle for less. Friend, it is time to stop accepting the report of the world and instead, draw near to Jesus! Spend time in worship and focus on the living power of the Word; when you fill yourself with the Word, you are filling yourself with Jesus; you are building your faith! Allow yourself to believe. Allow Jesus to set your heart on fire! Expect something radical. If Jesus is your Lord, and you are living for Him, His resurrection power is yours to receive, and all things are possible for those who believe (Mark 9:23)! There may be some of you reading this message today who look at the dreams you had for greatness and you think your dreams are dead. But the Holy Spirit would have you know that your dreams are only dormant. If you could begin to believe today that God is able to raise these up, you will see them blossoming forth to fulfillment in the days to come. You may think you’ve missed your moment, but it is never too late with Jesus! God has such awesome plans for you!

My prayer for you today is that you will begin to see that there are no limitations for you when you live in the life giving power of Jesus. As Martha said to Jesus, “I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Matthew 7:7 says “Ask and it will be given you, and Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:14 “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”. May you believe for the impossible, and see it happen before you. May you see that “Every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill made low, and the crooked roads become straight, (Luke 3:5) for you, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Minoli Haththotuwa, 17 May 2010
www.wingslikeeagles.info

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