“That’s a human skull,” I said as much to myself as to my four clients.

Up until that moment, it had been, potentially, one of the most profitable real estate transactions I had ever conducted. I had an exclusive right to sell 15 waterfront acreage tracts on Lake Travis. This was many years ago, and values were nowhere near the current levels, but it was looking like an exceptionally good day, until it happened. I was walking the tract of land with two prospective couples who had several other friends who were also interested. As we walked from the road across the property, engaged in conversation, I happened to notice a tennis shoe. That wasn’t all that unusual on vacant land, but then I saw a second tennis shoe. Suddenly, everyone stopped. Looking around, I realized that what I initially perceived as dried brush was in fact dry bones. It wasn’t until I saw the skull that I realized these were human remains.

Long story short, I had come across the remains of a missing individual who had been robbed and murdered.

As I reflect on that event, I’m reminded of Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones. Ezekiel was taken in the Spirit to a valley covered with very dry bones. “And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live’” (Ezekiel 37:3-5, ESV). The Hebrew word for breath, ruach, is also translated as Spirit. I think we can all agree that unbelievers are without ruach, without the Spirit of God, so it’s understandable that they would have dry bones. But how does a Christian come to experience dry bones?

Scripture gives us several indications on how this happens. I want to look at them from both an internal and an external perspective — things we have control over, and things we do not.

First, we are attacked externally by the world. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). The world hates us because it hated Jesus. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). The hatred of the world can crush our spirits if we fail to respond properly.

Second, unconfessed sin will cause dry bones. David, acknowledging his sin with Bathsheba, made this confession: “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:2-3). The King James Version translates the word strength as “moisture.” The solution? Repentance. “I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover [hide] my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (32:5).

In both cases we are to turn to the Lord for the promise He gave us. “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38). When the attack comes from without, we flee for refuge to the comfort of the Holy Spirit. “But the Helper [‘Comforter,’ KJV], the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace, I leave with you; My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:26-27).

Spiritual attacks require us to seek the comfort of the Holy Spirit so that we don’t resort to anger and bitterness. Unconfessed sin requires confession and repentance. In both cases, rivers of living water are the cure for dry bones. How are your bones today? What say ye, Man of Valor?