No matter how many troops are in an army; no matter how well-armed they may be; no matter how great the plan—none of these factors matter if that army is formed of dead soldiers. It never ceases to amaze me that well-intentioned, “motivational-type,” ministries try to get people fired up about their mission in the Army of the Lord without realizing that they are trying to motivate dead soldiers. Soldiers—yes, but dead—unmistakably! You cannot rehabilitate a dead person—they must be brought back to life!
In Ezekiel 37 we find the story of the vision where the Lord sets Ezekiel down in a valley of dry bones and asks him if the bones can live. Through this vision, the Lord explains to Ezekiel that even though the children of Israel were saying, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off,” He was going to bring them back together and quicken them again so that what was once an army
as-good-as-dead would again be restored to life and strength.
When I look at the body of Christ it seems that I see a lot of as-good-as-dead soldiers, who, for one reason or another, have become alienated from the Spirit of God. They have the “form” of a soldier but are impotent against the kingdom of darkness. Paul instructed Timothy concerning a phenomenon that would come to be in the last days in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" Now—you may ask—how do you know when someone has a "form," without the "power?" Let's look at verse 5 again as it is rendered in the Amplified Bible, "For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it—their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession. Avoid [all] such people—turn away from them." If a person does not live by the word they profess—they are all form and no power. Additionally, if the word they speak is not consistent with the Word made flesh, they are empty, cursed, vessels.
Jesus, speaking to the church in Sardis said, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3: 1-3) Please note that Jesus is talking to church people who have been believers!
Yes, Jesus promised abundant life (John 10: 10) but we can lose that life force in many ways. Here are but a few of the ways we can forfeit the abundant life Christ came to give (remember, these scriptural references are only to get you started—see for yourself if these points are true):
Being carnally minded: "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)
Being resistant to correction: "Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die." (Proverbs 15:10)
Being devoid of understanding: "A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead." (Proverbs 21:16)
Being self-seeking: "But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives." (1 Timothy 5:6)
Being a slave to sin: "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:15, 16)
When Jesus raised the little girl from the dead (see Mark 5), He spoke, “Talitha, Cummi” (translated, little girl, I say to you, arise). Now, if you have spiritual deadness in your life, let He who is life--our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ--speak life into your “form.” Let Him empower and lead you by way of the Holy Spirit. Renounce all those things that have made you as-good-as dead. Arise quickly! We have a battle to fight!
