What happens when the gospel is preached to spiritually dead people?

The preaching of the gospel to spiritually dead individuals is not merely an act of conveying information; it is a plea to sinners to respond to God's call. However, as indicated in John 11:43, just like Lazarus could not come forth from the tomb without the command of Christ, so too, spiritually dead individuals are unable to respond to the gospel unless the Holy Spirit regenerates their hearts. When God speaks through the gospel, He exercises His power to bring about spiritual life in those He chooses. As seen in Ezekiel 37, where dry bones are commanded to live, the breath of life, symbolic of the Holy Spirit, brings about the miracle of regeneration. Therefore, though we proclaim the gospel universally, it is God's sovereign will that determines who responds and believes.