Dead Things Are Coming Back to Life Today
October 28, 2026
There is something remarkable about the story of Lazarus that goes far beyond a miracle that happened two thousand years ago. It is a living word for you today. Whatever has felt dead in your life, whatever you have quietly buried and stopped expecting, God is speaking directly into that situation right now. This is your moment to open your heart, roll away the stone of unbelief, and watch the glory of God show up in ways that will leave everyone around you speechless.
When You Believe, You Will See the Glory
In John chapter 11, we find Jesus standing outside a tomb. Lazarus had been dead for four days. The smell had already started. Martha, the grieving sister, was trying to manage Jesus's expectations. She said, "Lord, by this time there is an odor, for he has been dead for four days." She was speaking from what she could see, from what was logical, from what made sense to the natural mind.
But Jesus responded with something that changes everything.
"Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40
Think about what He is really saying here. He is not just making a suggestion. He is stating a law. Just like gravity is a law of the physical world, belief is a law of the spiritual world. When you throw something upward, gravity brings it back down. That is not an option. It is a certainty. In the very same way, when you believe in Jesus, the outcome of that belief is the glory of God. It has to happen. It will happen. Not because of how perfect your circumstances look, but because of the unchanging nature of God's promise.
It does not matter how long the situation has been dead. It does not matter how many job applications have been rejected. It does not matter how many doors have been shut in your face. It does not matter how long that dream has been buried. Jesus is standing at the entrance of that tomb today and saying, "Take away the stone."
Whatever you have buried, God says it is not finished.
You have been broken. You have been hurt. Some of you have been so crushed that you could not even cry out loud because you did not want others to see your pain. God sees every one of those silent tears. He knows every wound. And He is saying to you this morning, if you believe, the outcome is glory. His glory in your life. His glory in your family. His glory upon your children. His glory in your health. His glory in your finances. This is not just a possibility. It is a promise.
Roll Away the Stone First
Now notice something powerful about the sequence of events in this story. Jesus did not pray first and then ask them to remove the stone. He asked them to remove the stone first. That order is not accidental.
"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead for four days.'" John 11:39
The rolling away of the stone was the step of faith. Before the miracle, before the prayer, before anything else, there was an act of obedience and belief. And that is exactly what God is asking of you. He is asking you to take the first step. Roll away the barrier of unbelief. Roll away the thought that says it is too late. Roll away the mindset that says your situation is too far gone, too broken, too buried.
When you take that step of faith, you are positioning yourself to receive everything God has already prepared for you. You are not earning the miracle. You are simply removing the obstacle that was blocking your view of it.
Faith is not waiting for the stone to move on its own. Faith is the act of rolling it away yourself.
After they moved the stone, Jesus lifted His eyes and said something extraordinary. He did not beg God to act. He did not plead in desperation. He gave thanks.
"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." John 11:41-42
Jesus prayed from a place of already knowing. He thanked the Father not for what was about to happen, but for what had already been done. That thanksgiving activated the resurrection power. That same power, the power that raised Jesus from the dead, is released when you give thanks to God. It penetrates your body, your mind, your circumstances, your relationships, every area of your life.
The Power of Gratitude-Fueled Prayer
This is where many believers get stuck. They keep asking God for the same thing over and over, unaware that the Bible calls us to pray believing that we have already received.
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24
You prayed for healing. Now thank God your body is already healed. You prayed for provision. Now thank God the provision has already been made. You prayed for that job. Now thank God your appointment is already written. You prayed for your marriage. Now thank God it is flowing with restoration and blessing. You prayed for your children. Now thank God they are rising up in purpose and destiny.
This is not pretending. This is faith. This is the language of someone who knows the character of God and trusts His Word completely.
"I knew that you always hear me." John 11:42
God listens to every word you speak. Every prayer you have prayed has been heard. Not one of them has fallen to the ground unnoticed. Because you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have full access to the Father's ear. Stop disqualifying yourself. Stop thinking your prayers are not working. He hears you. He always hears you.
So begin to thank Him. Thank Him that your open doors are already prepared. Thank Him that your healing is already happening inside your body even before the report changes. Thank Him that your future is secured. Thank Him that your children are anointed. Thank Him that He has chosen you, lifted you, and set your path right. Every word you speak in faith is counted in His presence, and it will come to pass. When you believe, you will see the glory of the living God.
Conclusion
You are standing at the edge of one of the greatest seasons of your life. God has not forgotten a single thing you have brought to Him in prayer. The situations that look like they have been dead for four days, the dreams you stopped talking about, the prayers you wondered if anyone was listening to, none of it has been wasted. The same God who called Lazarus out of that tomb is calling life back into every dead area of your life. Roll away the stone of unbelief. Take the step of faith. Begin to thank God for what He has already done. Resurrection power is real, it is active, and it is working on your behalf right now. You will see the glory of God.
Reflect on This
What area of your life have you stopped believing for because it seemed too far gone, and how can you take one step of faith toward it today?
How would your prayers shift if you moved from asking God to act to thanking Him for what He has already done?
Prayer
Father, I thank You that You have heard every prayer I have ever prayed. I thank You that You always hear me, and that You listen to every word I speak. I thank You that my healing is already done, my provision is already made, my doors are already open, and my future is already secured in Your hands. I thank You that every dead thing in my life is coming back to life right now because Your resurrection power is at work in me. I believe, and I will see Your glory manifested in every area of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Key Takeaways
Belief in Jesus is like a spiritual law, and its guaranteed outcome is the glory of God made visible in your life.
Rolling away the stone of unbelief is the step of faith God requires before the miracle is revealed.
Thanksgiving activates resurrection power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Every prayer you have prayed has already been heard by God, and you are called to thank Him for answers already given.
Sponsor This Ministry
Just as this message has blessed you, it can bless many more. Sponsor us and help it reach countless others. Through your generosity, God’s Word will reach the weary, the broken, and the searching, every single day.
If your heart is moved to partner with this ministry, click below and share your details in the sponsorship form. Our team will reach out to you personally.
All content on this blog is the property of Henley Samuel Ministries. For permissions or inquiries regarding the use of any material, please contact us at contact@henleysamuel.org.
To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.
Comments