Prayer Initiative: Closer to Jesus Sýnishorn

Besides the apostles, who were very close and dear to Jesus, he had three other intimate friends – two sisters and a brother. Several times in this chapter we read that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and Lazarus. They loved Jesus too, opening their home to Him and His disciples, often feeding them, and providing a place to rest.

When Lazarus became sick, Mary and Martha sent a word to Jesus. Affliction entered their family and Jesus knew about that, yet He chose not to interfere. In a couple of days, Lazarus died. Only then did Jesus take His disciples to Lazarus' house, where Mary and Martha were already mourning their brother for four days.

As He approached Bethany Martha heard He was coming and went out to meet Him. “If You had been here my brother would not have died.” Mary had the same reproach. Jesus knew He would hear this and He knew what He was going to do. Because Jesus was the Resurrection and Life, He would literally raise Martha and Mary’s brother from the dead. But the sisters couldn’t even think of that. They were weeping.

It is written that when Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled. The Greek word embrimáomai is often rendered as “moved”, but, in reality, the emotion described in this chapter is indignation and rage. The New Living Translation says: ”A deep anger welled up within Him” (11:33) and “Jesus was still angry as He arrived at the tomb” (11:38). Jesus was indignant over all the pain, grief, suffering, sorrow, unbelief, death and the curse of sin. He commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb and Lazarus was resurrected back to life. It was only a glimpse of God’s plan for all His children through His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. Eternal Forever Life.

Read again verses 17-44. Ask Jesus: “What do You have in Your Word for me today?” Listen and pray.

INTERCESSION : "The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)

PRAYER:

• Pray for the deliverance of people from the Kingdom of Darkness.
• Pray for the destruction of the kingdom of darkness.
• Pray for the advancement of God's Kingdom.
• Pray for God's Kingdom to come first in your personal life and family.
• Pray that God's reign will be more evident in churches all over the globe.
• Pray with the words of the Lord's prayer: "Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."