“Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.”
Ezekiel 37:5 (ESV)
I once visited Death Valley, and I have to tell you, it’s a very fitting name for that dry, almost lifeless, and very hot region of the United States. The morning we were there, it was 119 degrees Fahrenheit and climbing! That’s a far cry from the fall-like temperatures of the Northeast lately.
Have you ever stood in a season of life like that—a place so dry and barren that it felt like all hope had been scattered like bones in a desert wind? That’s exactly where God took the prophet Ezekiel—not to a lush garden or a bustling temple, but to a valley filled with bones. Not just bones, but very dry bones. That’s where revival begins.
It’s striking that God didn’t ask Ezekiel to build something, organize a campaign, or preach a five-point sermon. He simply asked him to see—to look around and take in the lifeless state of things. Then, God asked him a haunting question: “Can these bones live?”
Ezekiel’s answer is both humble and faithful: “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” As I reflect on the past 5-6 years in ministry, I recall now that I often felt like we’ve been in a valley of very dry bones! But, Church, the Holy Spirit is showing us that things are changing! We’ve begun to say, in wonder and curiosity, like Ezekiel, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” That’s where we begin, too—not with certainty in our own strategies or strength, but with trust in the God who raises the dead. Revival doesn’t begin in strength. It begins in surrender. It doesn’t start with fresh ideas, but with dry bones and desperate prayers.
Look around today. The Church, especially in the Western world, can feel a lot like that valley. There’s tradition, form, and structure—but not always life. Programs run, buildings stay open, but hearts remain dry. In many places, we’ve become more comfortable than courageous. The very things that once connected us—shared mission, vibrant worship, deep community—are fragile or frayed.
But here’s the good news: God is not intimidated by dry bones. In fact, those dry bones are exactly the raw material for revival.
Ezekiel 37 shows us the two essential ingredients for God to bring life where there is death: the Word of God and the Spirit of God. When Ezekiel prophesied—when he spoke God’s Word over the bones—and when the breath (ruach) of God came, life returned. Sinews formed. Flesh wrapped the bones. Breath filled lungs. And what stood in front of him was not a scattered graveyard, but a living, breathing army.
As Methodist scholar Dr. Kevin M. Watson once wrote, “True revival is not just about reclaiming past passion—it is about being reawakened to God’s present power.” That power is already moving. The question is: are we ready to receive it?
We don’t need better branding or louder bands. We need holy desperation. We need to cry out from the valley, “Do it again, God!” Do it in me. Do it in my church. Do it in this generation. What if we believed that revival wasn’t something we had to manufacture—but something we simply had to make room for? What if, instead of asking how to make our churches more attractive, we asked how to make them more alive?
Maybe today you feel like one of those bones—disconnected, dried out, and forgotten. Hear this: God sees you. And more than that, God speaks to you. And His Word still brings life. His Spirit still breathes.
Start by identifying your own dry places. Be honest. Where has your spiritual life lost its breath? Where has your passion turned to dust? Then lift your eyes. Look across the valley of your church, your community, your generation. Can these bones live?
Yes. Yes, they can. If we’re filled with His Word, if we’re surrendered to His Spirit—then we already have what it takes for God to do it again.
- This week, take 15 minutes in silence. Imagine yourself standing in that valley. What dry bones do you see—in your life, your church, your world?
- Then speak these four words in prayer: “Do it again, God.” Repeat them every day. Say them with faith. Say them with hope. Say them until something starts to rattle.
Revival is not a myth of the past. It’s the miracle of the present.
And it begins now—with a whisper, a wind, and a prayer: “Do it again, God.”
Prayer:
Lord, we have heard of Your fame. We stand in awe of Your deeds. Repeat them in our day. Let Your Word revive our hearts. Let Your Spirit breathe new life into dry bones. Awaken us. Unite us. Empower us. Do it again, God. Amen.
Blessings,
Steve
