OPENING STATEMENT: Which is more powerful? Saying what you believe or saying what you want?
• Saying what you want can make you feel powerful.
• Saying what you believe is anchored by your convictions, by the truth, by your faith.

And since we have the same SPIRIT OF FAITH, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also BELIEVE and therefore SPEAK. (2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJ)

• Faith must have a voice. You believe and you speak.
• There’s a perfect rhythm between believing and speaking. It’s called faith.

God asked Jeremiah this question: What do you see?

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, WHAT DO YOU SEE?” (Jeremiah 1:11 NKJ)

• I can probably tell you what Jeremiah wanted to say based on what he saw: The temple is burning, thousands of his people kidnapped by terrorists. I know what Jeremiah would say because I would say the same thing: “Lord, you have abandoned us, your children!”
• God was challenging him to see beyond the natural.

And I said, “I see a branch of AN ALMOND TREE.” (Jeremiah 1:11 NKJ)

• An almond tree is a sign of life, a sign of God’s promise.
• God wanted Jeremiah to say what he believed.

Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I AM READY TO PERFORM MY WORD.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12 NKJ)

• God was waiting for Jeremiah to snap out of the fear, pain and say what he believed!
• God watches and waits in order to perform His promise to us.

Same time frame, 580 BC, same tragic situation, but this time it is prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel 37:1-14 – “The Valley of Bones”

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; IT WAS FULL OF BONES. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. (Ezekiel 37:1-2 ESV)

• In this vision, God wanted to show Ezekiel the significance of the death and destruction.

And he said to me, “SON OF MAN, CAN THESE BONES LIVE?” And I answered, “O Lord God, YOU KNOW.” (Ezekiel 37:3 ESV)

• God brought him to this valley so that he could say what he believes God could do.
• There are times in our life when God will bring us to a valley.
• Valleys are seasons where we experience pain, sorrow, rejection.
• God has designed those valleys not to take us out but take us through!

I WALK THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23: 4 NKJ)

• Valleys are necessary. Necessary for our growth

Then he said to me, “PROPHESY OVER THESE BONES, AND SAY TO THEM, O DRY BONES, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD. (Ezekiel 37:4 ESV)

• Those bones came to life just like Ezekiel prophesied!
• He said what he believed.

What’s the moral to these 2 stories? They both challenge us to say what we believe!
• Say what you believe and watch your faith grow.
• Say what you believe and watch mountains move.

“Have FAITH in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever SAYS TO THIS MOUNTAIN, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he SAYS will be done, he will have whatever he SAYS. (Mark 11:22-23 NKJ)

CONCLUSION:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?