Removing The Graveclothes
I recently did a Ministry session where one of the team members got a word to remove the graveclothes and had a vision of the person we were ministering to wrapped in linen like a mummy. The wind of the Holy Spirit came upon the mummy in her vision and encompassed the person causing a resurrection of newness of life. During the session I saw a huge pair of shears in the spirit, so in a prophetic act one of the team members grabbed them and prophetically cut the ties that bound.
The next day after the session the Lord brought to memory what had happened and I knew that I had to seek Him and receive more about these graveclothes. I had written many years ago a prayer and revelation for removing the graveclothes but have now updated it upon new revelations from the Lord.
First off, what are graveclothes? And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go (John 11:44, KJV). The word for graveclothes in Greek is keiria and means 1) a band, either for bed-girth, or for tying up a corpse after it has been swathed in linen. In other words graveclothes are the ties that bind us and need to be loosed before we can walk in the resurrection power of Christ. In our walk with Christ we all need to die to our old life and be resurrected in His new life. It takes time and is known as the dying to self-process. Interestingly the graveclothes that were binding Lazarus in the passage above were around his hands and feet.
When one died in Biblical times they were wrapped in linen clothes. Linen clothes are not the same as graveclothes. And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself (John 20:7, KJV). The word linen clothes in Greek is othonion and means 1) a piece of linen, small linen cloth 2) strips of linen cloth for swathing the dead. The graveclothes then according to Scripture are the ties that tie around the linen clothes keeping them in place.
In regard to the story of Lazarus (John 11) what I find interesting is that he had died and Jesus brought him back to life, but before he could be set free and walk in the resurrection power of Christ the graveclothes had to be removed from him. Another point I would like to make is that instead of rushing and healing Lazarus before he died, Jesus delayed, waiting until he had died. We know that Jesus loved Lazarus so why didn’t He save him from death? Jesus wanted to do a bigger miracle than merely provide a healing. He wanted to perform a resurrection! I believe that is why many in the body of Christ are suffering – Jesus is waiting for them to die to their old selves so He can perform a resurrection in them. Verse 4 shows us the reason for this, and it is so the Son can be glorified. When Jesus raises up that which is weak or dying He is glorified for when we are weak He is strong!
When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you go through a dying to self-process. After we have died to our old selves, spiritually we are wrapped in linen and await the resurrection through Christ where we are raised up in the likeness of Him. The graveclothes are the ties that bind you and have to be cut (loosed) before you can walk in that newness of life.
We know from Scripture that the graveclothes are ties that are binding and prevent us from walking into the new life but what in reality do the graveclothes actually represent? I sought the Lord and this is what I believe the Lord spoke to me in regard to this; “When you accept Me as your Lord and Saviour you become a new creation. You become dead to the old things and the old way of living. You have to learn Kingdom concepts and learn to live a whole new way of life. The old you needs to die to the things of the world to be raised in newness of life. After you have died, before you can be walk in newness of life, I need to cut the ties that bind you. Dying to self is the walk of sanctification. It is uncovering and removing the things that are causing you to be bound or blocked from receiving all the new things I have for you. The person who dies is then bound in linen, but before the linen can be removed and the new person exposed the graveclothes have to be cut. Graveclothes – the ties that bind represent the former things. This represents cutting you free from your past. You need to let go of the past. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62, KJV).
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:18-19, KJV). Let go of those connections to your old life and old self that bind. You have to let go of the old. The Tarn of old is no more. The new Tania needs to let go of the past and start afresh. I am doing a new thing. Everything is new. Let go of the old and walk in the new. Let go of the world. Your new home is in Heaven. Separate yourselves from the world and all of its worldly systems. Not many are cutting the graveclothes. They want the new but don’t know how to receive it. Letting go of the past and letting go of the world is how you remove the graveclothes. They have to be cut from you. Ungodly soul ties to the world – you need to be loosed from them. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:4-5, KJV).
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15, KJV).
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5, KJV).
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you (John 15:19, KJV). You have to let go of the world and your allegiance to its worldly systems. The worldly systems will break down and will no longer be under My rule for I will hand it over to the anti-Christ. He will rise up and My provision will no longer be in the world. The anti-Christ system will take over and you will have to rely on Me (outside of the world) for your provision.
What does the linen cloth represent? The robe of righteousness. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:8, NKJV). When you believe, you are covered in the robe of His righteousness and His robe changes you. Why would I want to remove the robe? Time for a new robe. When the robe of righteousness has done its job it is time for a new robe. The robe of His resurrection and glory. You do not lose the covering of His righteousness because His righteousness becomes one with you. No longer over you changing you, but part of you. No longer externally covering you, but within you. His righteousness alters your earthly genetic code. As you submit to His righteousness and follow the leading of His Holy Spirit, the blood of Jesus remits the sin and heals the corruption in your DNA. As you are raised in His resurrection and glory those things that were dead now become alive, in Him and through Him. He gives life to that which is dead. The new you will reflect righteousness. You will be holy as He is holy. Sin will be taken away. The carnal part of you will be reborn. The new you is created in holiness. Before this can happen the graveclothes have to be cut. It is time to remove the graveclothes. If you don’t remove the graveclothes (the ties that bind) they will get in the way. I am raising up a people who have been tested through the fire of God and have died to the ways of the world and who will be resurrected in My glory. They will then teach others how to do the same. You have to be willing to lay down your lives for My sake. You cannot be resurrected until you have died – this means dying to the world, dying to yourself and dying to the things that bind. It is a process of cutting yourself free from the entanglement of the former things in your past that are not of My Kingdom. My Kingdom is not of this world. You are seated with Christ in Heavenly places but you are also bound to this world until you allow Me to cut you free. This means choosing Me and letting go of the world. You have to make the choice. Do you choose Me or do you choose the world. Choosing Me means freedom. Your physical body will want to reject this process. Your soul will want to remain earthbound. It wars against the spirit. It is a painful process but once done you will never want to go back. The graveclothes are the ties that bind you to your past life wanting you to stay ineffective. Once you are dead I cut the ties to the past from you. The old man has to die and you have to leave him behind.
How do you cut yourself free? Ask Me to show you what you have been holding onto that keeps the graveclothes from being cut. What is keeping you bound to this world? What is it that needs to be removed so you can finally experience the life He died for you to have? This is a cutting free from the past and the things that bind. What is tying you to this world and preventing you from letting go? Ask Me to show you and when you are willing to free yourself from these things I will cut you free from your past and you will leave them behind and walk in new life.”
(PRAYER) – “Father God thank You that You have sanctified me and led me through the dying to self-process. Father God I let go of my past, the former things and the things that bind. Although I am in the world, I am not of the world, so I let go of the world and all allegiance to its worldly systems. I ask that You would show me what I am holding onto that keeps the graveclothes from being cut. What is it that needs to be removed so I can finally experience the life you died for me to have. What is tying me to this world Lord Jesus and preventing me from letting go. What is tying me to my past and the former things in my life that prevent me from moving ahead in the new life You have for me? I sever that unholy tie between myself and my past in Jesus name. I sever the ungodly tie between me and this world and all its worldly systems in Jesus name. Loose me and cut those graveclothes from me Lord Jesus Christ, thank You, Amen.”
By Tania Francis