John 11 - The Life Recovery Bible

11:3-4 When faced with a critical illness or a hopeless situation, we have options. We can whine and look for pity, we can complain and blame God, or we can see the crisis as an opportunity to make requests of God. Mary and Martha asked Jesus to help them with their sick brother. Then they gave him the glory for the amazing miracle he did—raising their brother, Lazarus, from the dead. If we can learn to humbly ask God for help, we will make progress in recovery. If he can raise someone from the dead, he is powerful enough to help us overcome our dependency and character flaws.

11:37-44 Imagine being there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The man had been dead for four days, and his body had begun to smell. Suddenly he responded to Jesus’ voice and walked out of the grave wrapped up like a mummy! Lazarus was alive! The one who has power over the grave has power to bring new life to us (11:25-27). Jesus Christ has set us free from the bondage of sin and death, but our “graveclothes”—destructive habits and dependencies—have got to go!