Sermon Central
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How To Handle A Dead Situation
Contributed by Mike Sanders on Sep 10, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon helps the believer have faith and become victorious in seemingly impossible situations
HOW TO HANDLE A DEAD SITUATION
Are there things in your life where you seemingly have not won the victory?
Have you allowed horrible situations to become cold?
Maybe at one time you had a fervency to see God move in your life but have allowed the situation to become cold.
Maybe you have allowed the situation to become dead!!
Maybe you have lost hope for deliverance?
Do you have someone in your life that you are praying for?
Possibly:
1. Are they lost?
2. Are they are living a life that’s not pleasing to God?
3. Are they just in need of a spiritual transformation?
Do you have friend or family members that need a touch from God?
Here in John 11
There was a family member who was sick ultimately dies
A friend of Jesus, that was sick and had died.
Look at v:4 – Remember the we are talking about…
HOW TO HANDLE A DEAD SITUATION
NOTICE:
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
NOTE:
1. Notice the attitude of Jesus as he heard the news of Lazarus
2. Jesus didn’t seem to get in a hurry.
3. He knew that Lazarus was dying ……but it didn’t rock His world.
4. Jesus wasn’t alarmed.
5. Notice that Jesus was not moved by a seemingly bad situation
6. He just kept doing what he needed to do.
He knew that there were no impossible situations
He knew the power to speak resurrection was not limited by any circumstances.
I think it would help us greatly ------ to realize that
our seemingly hard or impossible circumstances is nothing to God.
His power transcends our trouble.
His power is not limited by our limitations
His Love is not halted by our hopelessness.
Jesus said…
25 "I am the resurrection and the life….
1. He is able to resurrect a dead situation
2. Long after we have given up hope!!!
When it seems….
a) our finances have died and stinks
b) like our children are going to hell
c) our health is gone and the doctors have given up on us;
That’s when Jesus is ready to show forth his power and glory in us.
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When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany,
The family of Lazarus ----- was long past having hope.
He was dead, buried and his grave.
LISTEN:
One of Satan’s greatest lies is…
"It’s over – and –
There is nothing that God can or will do about it."
1. The devil will try to wrap you up in doubt and fear.
2. The devil will roll a stone of unbelief across the door to your heart
3. He’ll say ‘it’s over” ----- ‘it’s a dead situation”
4. He’ll say it’s time to quit and walk away.
5. He’ll try to say the grave is sealed and your situation is over
Are there situations that stink in your life?
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So in the first part of the chapter - - -
we find Mary and Martha trying
coming to the reality of their brother’s deadly sickness
You have to understand
there are things that
happen out of your control.
1. Doctors can’t handle it
2. Mom and Dad can’t bail you out
3. Your boss can’t help you
So, preacher how do you handle a dead situation?
How do recover something that is considered a dead issue?
Something that’s so final?
Well I’m so glad you asked
There are three steps you must take to resurrect your dead situation
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#1 ---- You must come to the reality of your situation
“I’ve lost hope!”
The reality of your being defeated!
Your children are on drugs
You have a secret area in your life that is – sin
Something you have to understand:
When coming to the reality of your situation
You are going to have to come to Jesus and say…….
I have a dead situation here!
What Jesus will say is………
verse 34 "Where have you laid him?"
What Jesus is saying to them?
"Take me back to the place where you gave up"
"Take me to the place where you quit believing"
"Take me to that spot where you quit praying"
"Take me back so I will know where to pick up."
So they take him to the tomb of Lazarus.
Where do you need to take him?
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When Jesus gets to the graveside, he begins to do what He came to do.
