So amazing that this verse should come up today.  Glynda and I centered on this same verse yesterday during prayer time before the service.  God had been dealing with both of us using this passage and the surrounding verses--Ever get the feeling He's really trying to get through to you?  John 11:1-43 is mostly the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave.  After that event, the Bible tells us that many Jews put their faith in Jesus, but some went to the Pharisees.  The priests and Pharisees met to plan what should be done with Jesus.  "Then one of them, named Caiphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up,'You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.' He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one" (John 11:49-52).  The devil tries the same thing with us when we try to do our best to conform to the image of Christ and to reach out to others in His name. When we pray we may see people saved, set free, healed, or other miraculous things--yes, He IS still in the miracle business!  It's great, but it stirs up the anger of the emeny against us.  Just like the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus, the enemy of our souls plots evil against us.  The great thing is that God can take that attack and turn it around into a victory, literally turn death into life and defeat into victory!  Even the condemning words of Caiphas were used to prove the integrity of God--one man, Jesus, did die for us all, but He rose in victory over death, just as He said.  And we can rise in victory over our trials, also.  The reality is that if there is no battle, there can be no victory. He can even use the very vessel of attack to help bring our victory about!  Halelujah!

Here are the words to a song I wrote. They have often helped me to hold on in the face of despair:

Four days' walk to Bethany,
What could they now hope to see?
Four days laying in the grave,
Too late now to ever save.

Jesus said, "If you believe
God's great glory you will see,"
And giving thanks He raised a shout--
"Lazarus, come on out!"

And He will call forth your Lazarus,
Though your hopes lay dead among the dust.
He's the maker of all things
And with His love He brings
New life to Lazarus.
And He will raise up your Lazarus
If in Jesus you will place your trust.
By His power He will restore
Resurrection life to your
Lazarus.

Jesus said, "If you believe
God's great glory you will see."
Your faith is waiting to revive--
Look at it!  It's alive!

And He will call forth your Lazarus
Though your hopes lay dead among the dust.
He's the maker of all things,
And with His love He brings
New life to Lazarus.
And He will raise up your Lazarus,
If in Jesus you will place your trust.
By his power He will restore
Resurrection life to your
Lazarus.

"Be strong and of great courage.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deut. 31:6).