God is saying to you:
"The lid has been taken off! No more are you bound by what has suppressed or limited you. The road has been cleared for you. This is your time to arise. Be set free in your mind. Be set free to walk in the ways I want you to walk. Be set free to put your hands on what I have meant for you to put your hands on to do."
God is saying to you further:
"Let go of your mistakes and regrets. Do not let your regrets to have a hold on you. For this is the time I am setting you free. I am turning around your life. I am turning it to the better. I am turning a new leaf in your life. What has seemed to be impossible in the past has now been made possible for you. Arise and walk into the realm of your breakthrough."
These words reminded me of Lazarus during Jesus' days and ministry on earth. Let's go all the way to John chapter 11 now. The background here is that Lazarus (the brother of Mary and Martha) was sick. Not only was he sick, he then died. Yes, he died, as in died.
John 11:1-3 says, 'Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Jesus, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."'
Fast forward to John 11:17-19. 'So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days... And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.'
Here, it looked like Jesus was too late. By the time Jesus came to see Lazarus, Lazarus was already dead.
Beloved of God, maybe you think your situation or your life is like already "dead". No way to resurrect it. No more hope. You think it's too late. You think you have missed it. You think you blew it. Maybe it's your own mistake that cost it. But today, the Lord is saying to you that He is never too late.
You see, Lazarus was already dead four days. In fact, there was already a stench. To man, God is too late. But no. He is never too late. After all, He is in control of time. He is above time. He is beyond time. And He is not bound by time the way we see time on earth.
John 11:20-23 says, 'Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him... Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died..." Jesus then said to Martha, "Your brother will rise again."'
Interestingly, the name 'Lazarus' means 'God has helped', from the Hebrew name 'Eleazar' (or 'Elazar'). The name 'Eleazar' (or 'Elazar') comes from this verb 'azar', meaning 'to help, to support'.
You see, this can apply in your life too, especially if you have gone through a time of failure, or a time of being 'down and out' in your life. The Lord is saying to you today that He is here to help you, and He is here to support you. He is here to 'azar' you. He can help you make a comeback in your life. He can help you rise again from whatever that has kept you down or "dead" in your life. But let Him do it in His way, of course. Let Him do it the way He wants to in your life. Never limit Him.
Let's read further. John 11:32-34 says, 'Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Jesus, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping... He groaned in the spirit and was troubled...'
Jesus felt for these sisters. He felt for this family. He moaned for them. He felt a deep pain inside Him. That's why the Scripture says, 'He was troubled'.
And so Jesus said, "Where have you laid him?"
Beloved of God, like those days, the same it is today. Jesus feels for you. He understands what you have gone through. He knows whatever that had happened. He sees deep down into your heart. Yeah, even when no one else could see it. And He is saying to you that He is here for you. He is here to help you. He is here to set you free. How He's going to do it for you, leave that to Him. He will know how. He is unlimited in His ways.
Here in John 11, Jesus groaned in His spirit when He saw the situation in that family. In other words, it was a deep sigh. It was a feeling of deep sympathy. After all, this family was so dear to Him. He felt a deep feeling of pain for them and what they've gone through.
You know what, beloved, He sees you as His family too. He feels your pain. He knows what you have gone through, even though no one on earth understands it. And just as He had said to Mary: "Where have you laid him?", He is saying this to you: "Where have you laid your situation?"
What are the pains in your life? What are the regrets in your life? What are the mistakes that you've made that you feel so bad about? What are the challenges that you've been going through? He wants you to present all these to Him. Because He's saying today He's here to 'azar' you. He's here to help you. He's here to support you. Remember the name 'Lazarus'? 'God has helped'.
Let's continue with John 11:38-39. 'Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."'
But God! Nothing is impossible to God. God can turn things around. God can do a miracle. After all, He is a miracle-working God. Your part is to believe and to receive.
In John 11:40-41, Jesus said, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where Lazarus was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard me..."
In John 11:43, Jesus then cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And you know what? Lazarus who was dead came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus then said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."
The Lord is saying the same to you: "Come forth!" In other words, the Lord is saying: "Arise! Wake up! Rise up!" Yes, rise up from whatever that's "dead" in your life. Rise up from whatever that has suppressed you all these while. God is giving you this power today.
Notice that Lazarus came out with his hands and feet still bound, and his face still wrapped with a cloth. That's when Jesus said to loose him and let him be 'unbound'. Yes, this is the time to 'unbound' or 'unwrap' your hands and feet, so that your hands and feet can be set free again - to do what God has called you to do, and to walk in what God has wanted you to walk!
Your hands are now set free, and your feet are now set free! Not just that. Like Lazarus, your whole head is now being 'unwrapped'. No more shall you be bound by all those so-called "graveclothes". Your head here speaks of your mind. Your mind is now set free! Set free to think the way God thinks and see the way God sees!
Beloved of God, this is your time! God is releasing this power for you to be set free! By faith, receive! This is your time to 'unwrap' your hands, 'unwrap' your feet, and 'unwrap' the 'bandage' over your head. You are now free to walk into the many blessings and breakthroughs that God has for you! Somebody shout "Hallelujah!"
