NO CASE IS CLOSED WITH GOD

BY PASTOR T. O. BANSO

Mark chapter 5 contains three stories that testify that no case is closed with God. Nothing is final until God has spoken. I want to talk on these three stories in this message.

1. The living dwelling with the dead. This is the story of the mad man of Gadarene (Mark 5:1-20). Gadarene was a gentile region; hence the swine business going on there. Jews were forbidden from touching a pig dead or alive and were forbidden from eating it (Leviticus 11:7-8).

This man’s case was impossible for people to solve. The man was living in the burial ground – dwelling among the dead in the tombs. He easily snapped chains they used to bind him. They had given up on him; his case was a closed one, but not with God. At the request of the legion inside the man, Jesus cast the demons into the midst of the swine nearby and they perished in the sea. The man was healed immediately. When the people heard the testimony of this man, they all marveled. “And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled” (Mark 5:20 NKJV). No case is closed with God.

2. The woman with the flow of blood. For twelve years, this woman had suffered many things from doctors. She spent all her money to settle medical bills, but instead of her condition improving, she was getting worse. The Bible records her story in Mark 5:25-34.

For twelve years, this woman was abandoned, she couldn’t relate with people because according to the law, she was ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 15:25-30). However, an encounter with Jesus terminated this affliction. She violated the law by touching Jesus. She broke through the crowd and got her healing. Her faith healed her. Jesus’ final word to her was, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34 NKJV). No matter how long your affliction has lasted, you can be free, and you shall be free in Jesus’ name. No case is closed with God.

In the name of Jesus, I decree an end to that affliction in your life today. You’re free. Go in peace, your suffering is over! “Go in peace, free for ever from this trouble” (verse 34 NEB). That is your portion today. Goodbye to that malady in the name of Jesus!

3. Jairus’ daughter. Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, humbled himself, and came to Jesus and knelt before him – it was very strange for the president of the synagogue to do that. Jairus’ daughter was at the point of death and he requested Jesus to come to lay hands on her. I wonder why she didn’t bring the daughter. May be he preferred ‘home service’ to church service! I sincerely don’t know why. However, I know that today, some people will rather prefer the pastor to come to their home to minister to them than attend a church service with the crowd.

However, before Jesus could get to his house, another ‘patient’ who was not patient, interrupted His procession! She was a woman a daring faith and she got her miracle. That woman suffered hemorrhage for twelve years. That took some time and while Jesus was attending to this woman’s case, people brought a bad news to Jairus: “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now” (Mark 5:35 NLT).

As far as the messengers of this bad news were concerned, the case was out of control; it was all over. Case closed! However, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me” (Mark 5:36 NLT). Even when the case had gone from worse to worst (death), Jesus wasn’t agitated. When He got to Jairus’ house and saw the mourners, he said, “Why all this weeping and commotion? … The child isn’t dead; she is only asleep” (verse 39 NLT). Though they laughed at Jesus, they later saw the child restored to life. There is no case closed with God. Even if men have closed your case, God can re-open it. That case that human beings have closed, I command it open today in Jesus’ name.

Lazarus’ case re-opened

In John 11, Lazarus case was closed as far her sister and all other persons were concerned. Lazarus’ sisters told Jesus that their brother, whom he loved, was sick. Jesus told His disciples that the sickness was not unto death, even though he had been buried for four days before Jesus got there. Jesus left only two days after He heard of his sickness. Martha accused Jesus of coming late otherwise her brother wouldn’t have died, but added that she knew God would give Jesus whatever he asked despite her brother’s death (verses 21-22). In reply to Jesus’ assurance that her brother would rise again, a perplexed Martha replied that Lazarus would rise at the resurrection.

In verse 32, Mary also accused Jesus of late coming or else her brother wouldn’t have died. The Bible says, “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’  And some of them said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’” (Verse 33-37 NKJV). They were all bothered about Jesus not intervening in time to prevent Lazarus’ death. They appeared to be saying, “What have you come here to do now when it’s already late to do anything.”

Nevertheless, Lazarus’ case was not yet closed, as they had all erroneously believed. “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days’” (verses 38-39 NKJV). It doesn’t matter how terrible your mess is. It doesn’t matter the horrible state your life, your marriage, or your business is now, God can and will change your story. Have faith in God.

In spite of their unbelief, Jesus insisted that it wasn’t over yet for Lazarus. It is not yet over for you! “Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go’” (verses 40-44 NKJV). With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). All things are possible to him that believes (Mark 9:23). Even the dead can be restored to life because no case is closed with God. The key is: don’t be afraid, just have faith in God. Even if men have closed your case, God can re-open it now. This shall be your portion in Jesus’ name.

Widow’s case re-opened

In Luke 7:11-15, Jesus re-opened the closed case of the only son of a widow – the widow of Nain. Jesus stopped the funeral procession – the widow’s only son was going to be buried. What a pain in Jesus heart! He told the woman out of compassion, “Do not weep.”  The woman had every reason to weep. She had lost her husband, and now she had lost her only son. She was bound to feel like having no reason to want to continue to live – she had lost everything. However, Jesus didn’t just stop at consoling her not to weep again.  Jesus walked to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped.

I am sure everybody must be wondering who this person was trying to disturb the procession to go and bury this young man. Notwithstanding their look, Jesus said, “‘Young man, I say to you, arise” (verse 14 NKJV). What a command! And the Bible says, “So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother” (verse 15 NKJV). Glory to God! No case is closed with God.

Believe God for the impossible. Jesus said if you have faith as a mustard seed nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20). Have faith in God. God is able to do all things. “Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible’” (Matthew 19:26 NLT). Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27 say the same thing. No case is closed with God.

The angel told Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 NLT). In Ezekiel 37, God did the seemingly impossible in the valley of dead bones. Through the prophetic message of Ezekiel, God caused dead bones to come together, muscles and flesh formed over the bones, skin appeared to cover the bodies, and breath entered into the dead bodies. They stood upon their feet and became a great army.

All hope is not lost for you. You’re not finished! If you’re born again, you’re a descendant of Abraham – Abraham is your father, and he is the father of faith. Emulate his faith. Romans 4:17 commends to you the faith of Abraham saying, “This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn’t exist before” (NLT). Even if your womb is dead, God will bring it back to life. God can restore your health, your marriage, your business, etc. He will in Jesus’ name.

No case is closed with God. God is not yet finished with you. God will open your grave. He will reopen your case that has been closed. Human beings may have written you off, but God will restore you. He’ll revive your ministry, your marriage, your business, your career, etc. He’ll give you a new lease of life. You’ll be a blessing to people once again. The LORD will turn your desolation into abundance. “Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land will soon be crowded with your people. Your enemies who enslaved you will be far away” (Isaiah 49:19 NLT).

Conclusion: Don’t lose hope. No case is closed with God. “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant” (Job 14:7-9 NKJV).

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The LORD be with you.

T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org