The other night, my daughter Josie and I were on our way to a regional prayer meeting. About five minutes into our drive, we saw huge black plumes of smoke in the sky and then witnessed the scene of a car that had struck a tree and was completely engulfed in flames. It looked very bad and it was.
My daughter instantly began crying at the sight of it, and I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to turn around to pray for whoever may be involved. The first responders had just arrived, as I pulled up. Also, someone who witnessed the accident had bravely pulled two men from the vehicle just before the flames reached them.
As soon as we got out of our car we ran to the closest young man near us. Lying on the ground, paramedics were working to resuscitate him. I simply let the paramedics know I was a minister and just present to pray for the entire situation, which they were actually grateful for. My daughter and I watched the paramedics load the other man into the ambulance but were hovering over the young man near us trying to get his pulse and breathing going.
As I stood with my daughter, we prayed. The only word that rushed to my heart at that moment was John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.” We prayed for resurrection life in Jesus’ name. I reached down to touch the young man’s leg and with all my faith I believed that even death must bow to the same Holy Spirit in us that rose Christ from the dead.
I could almost see this young man in my spirit reviving any moment. I have witnessed the power of God raise a man up in a coma, and turn him from the grip of death. I have seen cancer and several other ‘seeming’ impossibilities fall to the miracle-working power of Jesus Christ. The victory of Christ at the cross over sickness and death was anchoring my soul in the midst of this desperate situation.
But moments continued to pass. The paramedics did as much as they possibly could, and finally, the paramedics announced his death. They covered his body with a blanket. I was in shock. Death appeared to ‘win’ this wrestling match. And I know it had nothing to do with any inadequacy of God!
This event was traumatic. It was literally life or death. I was struck with just how fleeting, but precious this life is. I knew if it was heavy on me, it had to be very tough on my daughter. I asked Josie how she was doing, and her tearful response was, “Dad, I have questions. I believed with all my heart he was going to raise up!”
I know how she felt. So we both decided that even tho we were now late to the prayer meeting, that was probably the best place for us to go.
Even though I was processing some of that traumatic event, I sensed the spirit of prophecy come upon me! “There is a generation being captured by the fires of spiritual death and it seeks to mock my name – but I am looking for those who will pray and not give up, and to prophesy resurrection life to the valley of dead and dry bones until they rise up as an army in my name!”
So at the regional prayer meeting, I briefly and emotionally shared our experience and turned this ‘defeat’ into a war cry of resurrection life for the entire region, for the prophetic destiny upon the land, for the young generation, for the sleeping church, for the inner city gang violence, for the hearts and minds under the oppressive spirit of witchcraft in the territory, and for the salvation of souls in the grip of spiritual death!
Despite the tragedy we had experienced on the way, God stirred our faith to believe not just for one life, but for thousands of lives across our region. I don’t believe the devil likes prayer meetings like this because our corporate prayer leveled up to a James 5:16 realm of prayer – “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
On the way home, I felt the Lord’s pleasure over my daughter. I told her, “Josie, God loves when we believe His word.” I then thought about it, and realized, shouldn’t this kind of faith be a part of the ‘normal Christian life?!
I believe our faith (mine included) needs to increase and grow by new measures. Sometimes growth doesn’t actually happen without resistance. Sometimes we are confronted with circumstances that seem like God and his word may have failed?! But like the disciples of Jesus who also had such experiences, we must say with resilience “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
So this is my attempt to turn a difficult situation into a testimony that I still believe God’s word! I know Jesus is the resurrection and the Life. I will keep praying for the raising of the dead when I encounter it, and I am all the more ignited to pray for the raising of a dead generation!
If you are someone reading this and recognize that your body may be alive but you feel spiritually dead, I have good news. The death you are under is a result of the curse of sin and separation from God but Jesus came to deal with the curse and take the punishment for all sin. God said the sinless life of His son Jesus, and his sacrifice at the cross was the perfect sacrifice to bring us all forgiveness and remove our separation from Him, restoring us to relationship.
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only key that applies his saving grace to your life and raises you out of spiritual death. God is not far from any one of us. He demonstrated his love for every one of us, by sending his son Jesus to die for us and raise him up to life after the third day. “Whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” Don’t pass on life! He is the resurrection and the life.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Andrew Whalen
Featured Image by Matt Palmer on Unsplash
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