PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT SERIES

BIRTHING IN THE SPIRIT

In the last two chapters, we have covered the period of conception in the spirit and the period of incubation in the spirit. These are two different periods altogether. Different laws operate during the time of conception and the time of incubation. In this chapter we conclude with a period of birthing. There is a period of conception, a period of pregnancy and a period of birthing forth.

Now the period of birthing forth operates different laws altogether. And in the spiritual realm we need to know the birthing process. There are totally different laws that operate the birthing process. The realm that people give up easily is the middle one during the time of incubation because it is not so obvious that the vision is taking shape day by day. It is a long wait before what you visualize and pray for come forth. Understanding the area of birthing is important in order for us to utilize the best benefit out of it.

So let's look at Luke 1: 11-13 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John. Now he said your prayer is heard. Now he is an old man. It says he is well advance in age and in years. I don't think he was praying for a child in the last year or two. I believe that he probably married at the age of thirty. And perhaps after second or third year of their marriage, they realize something was wrong when they find that they were not having any children. And from that time onwards they must have prayed for a child very badly. And in those days the custom is after you are married, the child should come the following year. So from that time they would be seeking God. Since they were very devout, righteous people, they would be seeking God. And if the bible says they were well advance in years, it means they were in the seventies. That gives us a period of thirty-five years. He has been praying and waiting on God for thirty-five years.

Finally the angel appeared on the right side of the altar. We are talking about prayer. We are talking about some things that we pray for that seems to take a long time. And the angel came and said to Zechariah, "I have good news for you. Your prayer is heard." Apparently he must have prayer and prayed until he must have really given up. They have grown old and past the age of childbearing. They would need a miracle from God. And here the angel spoke those word and this was Zechariah's response. Here is the time to receive the birthing of that prayer. And you see our friend Zechariah saying in Luke 1: 18 How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years. Reading in between the lines he is saying, "Why did you take so long?" Here is the time a thirty-five old prayer going to be answered today, and the Zechariah is asking, "How will I know?" He has been waiting for thirty-five years. And the answer doesn't seem to come until now it finally has come. The excitement doesn't seem to be there. There is a certain point when you pray and when the answer comes, it is very exciting. But certain times when you have prayed so long and you got yourself excited about 200 times in vain, the whole excitement is lost. Sometimes some people don't keep their excitement.

One thing is said about Katherine Kuhlman that no matter how many times she sees a miracle until it is so common for her, she was excited as the first time she saw it. Remember the Israelites. The first time the manna came they were excited. And after forty years of eating manna, they were not that excited any more.

So here is Zechariah waiting for thirty-five odd years for his prayers to be heard. His expectations fluctuate between high and low. Every year he is saying, "This could be the year, this could be the year." And so finally this was the year. He has become so pessimistic that he said how could it be since he is old. He experienced some inconveniences that were not necessary. Why because he did not flow fully along with the birthing process. And the angel said because you didn't believe, you will not be able to speak until the child comes forth. When the child came forth that was when he got his speech back. Now why did God answer when it looks like he was having unbelief? To a certain they had a certain faith that had already broken through to God. God has His mercy too on their lives. But because of unbelief, during the birthing process he went through some inconveniences that need not be. He could have rejoiced in the Lord. His wife must have tremendous faith because there is nothing said about the wife.

Now there is another man in Luke chapter two. When the time of his manifestation came, he had a very positive response. In verse 25, and behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Now this man is a faithful man. He has been waiting for years. Again he is another old man. And he has been waiting for the Messiah. Never give up hope. In the early days of his faithfulness God told him that he would see the Messiah before he die. Just like Jesus would have told you that you would live to see Him come again. Isn't that a tremendous promise? Perhaps Simeon was told that forty years ago that he would see the Messiah. Imagine all those years he was waiting to see the Messiah. Wondering what the Messiah is like. Then one day when he was old, finally the Lord says now is the time. Today is the day. Let's say that when he was thirty the Lord told him you will see the Messiah. Like all human beings he would have expected the Messiah to come the next week. Then when that doesn't happen, then he thinks perhaps the next month, then the next year etc. Some people may give up if He doesn't come. No he was steady. Although it became very faint as the years pass by, it was still like a little light that keeps shining. The hope was still there. He will see the Messiah. He may have in the natural make a few mistakes.

Maybe he may have thought that the Messiah is now a young man. And during his days there were a lot of people who claim to be the Messiah. Do you know that before Jesus came there were several people who came to Jerusalem and claim to be the Messiah? The bible records it. In the book of Acts which was in the time of Simeon, the story was told by Gamaliel. And he was talking about the historical things that happened just before Jesus came on the scene. Acts 5: 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding this man. For sometime ago Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him was scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. Now that tells you that Jesus was born in the days of the census. And Simeon was alive to see Jesus after the days of the census. So Simeon saw all those things. So in the days of the bible there were at least two men who claim to be the Messiah. And Simeon was there and Simeon heard all these things. Simeon could have thought could this be the Messiah but of course the Spirit would tell him it was not. He was human enough to possibly to have a few disappointments. But now he is old the Spirit says you are going to see the Messiah today.

Like for example is one man of God I know. God spoke to him and say I am going to give you a car. This man of God thought that at the next meeting he was going to get the car. So he goes to the next meeting expecting someone to give him a car key. This man came and gave him a note and this note said please pray for my child. So his expectation dropped. Then he goes to the next meeting. He goes looking around and he is thinking he is going to do something but nothing happened. And slowly his hope begins to die off. Just as his hope was dying off, one day this dear old lady approached him whom you never expect to have thing more than two mites. He takes one looks at her and say, "She is serious. What is she up to?" Finally this lady passed him a bag. When he opened the bag, he found there is enough money there to buy a car. He never expected that. But he was disappointed before.

Or maybe God may speak to a sister and says. You are going to go to a bible school overseas. The sister doesn't have the money to go. Doesn't have the plane fare. Doesn't have the school fees. Doesn't have any contact. So she does what she can. She looks for the address. She gets the address and starts writing expecting a scholarship. They wrote back. These are the fees. Her hopes drop. She looks around for sponsorship. None came. She looked for a church to sponsor her but none was forth coming. Her hopes start dropping. She tried for three to four years. When she is almost giving up, God opens the door. Finally this is the day of manifestation. She asks the Lord whether this is another disappointment. She has been up the road of disappointment about twenty times. Note that there is a day of manifestation. And what happen was there was a person who was willing to sponsor her. And she doesn't like this person at all. It is amazing how God always blesses you through a donkey you never like. She has quarreled with this brother until their relationship has become strained. Finally one day God dealt with him and told him to forgive. Six months has passed before she goes and say I am sorry. Then this brother finally said that the Lord had spoken to him to say sorry to her but he never had the chance to say that. And finally the Lord says in his heart to send her there. She said oh no, she could have gone there two years ago. But because she was ignoring the instrument that was to bless her, she delayed herself two years. The result was that she graduated from the Bible College a little bit older.

Don't blame God. God is not responsible for any delay. Let me tell you who is responsible. Go to the mirror and look at it. That is the guy who is responsible. What happens is sometimes when the time of birthing forth comes and we are not ready. We get delayed. The problem when there is a delay we feel it because in the human realm one year is a long time. For God delay is nothing. One thousand years is peanuts. So it is dangerous for us to be delayed. So we realize how important it is for us to sense in the spirit the right birthing forth and to know when the time is come.

Leading By The Spirit

There are certain laws that operate during the birthing forth period. Number one you have to be led by the Spirit. Simeon was led by the Spirit. The Lord told him this is the day you are going to see the Messiah. So Simeon came to the temple led by the Spirit. If he came at the wrong day, finished. If he came at the wrong time, finished. He would have missed the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at the arrangement the angel had made. Jesus' parents were coming to present Him. They were already based in Nazareth. Imagine the timing for them to be there at a certain time. And Simeon who was possibly living around Jerusalem had to go there at the precise time. And this was Jerusalem headquarters. Every day there was a child being dedicated. Even if he is there at the right day, at the right time, there were a few children. He had to find out which one too. And mind you there was no way to recognize the Messiah in the natural. Jesus was only eight days old. Do you think an eight days old baby Jesus can say, "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." And Simeon had to be there and pick up which was the right baby. There is no natural way you can recognize baby Jesus. You have to be led by the Spirit. And being led by the Spirit you got to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Being led by the Spirit into the right realm and that's where birthing forth takes place.

Sometimes God takes you out of a place and then let you birth forth in a certain place. And if you didn't obey and you delay there, it is the delay of the birthing. For whatever reason, sometimes God choose to speak to you at a certain time and at a certain place. Moses was forty years in the when from afar he saw the fire of God, the burning bush. Although the bible did not give the time span, it may have burned for sometime before Moses paid close attention. Look very carefully in the book of Exodus 3: 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses! And he said, "Here I am."

There could have been a time period. See Moses didn't go near because he saw an angel standing there. He went there because he was as curious as a cat. Moses must have been observing it for sometime and say I saw it a while ago burning by now it should be a black spot. Therefore it is an unusual fire. He went there the bible say, thinking and wondering why the bush didn't finish burning. That means he must have measured the time. And finally he says I must go and check why the bush didn't get burned but yet it burns. And only when he came near that the Lord called him, divine appointment. Let me tell you there is a lot of people who have been praying for something and sometimes have missed it because of fear.

There was one experience in the early days of my ministry that I didn't fully understand. The moment I closed my eyes during one prayer meeting I felt myself being carried up. My body was down but I felt myself being lifted up. Although my body was down there yet I felt myself being carried up to the roof. But because I was a little bit afraid the whole experience stopped. Do you think that was a demon? No that was not in my mind. But it is more a fear of the supernatural. Because of that the whole thing stopped. Now I don't know what may have happened if I was not afraid.

In my second experience there was a bright light that came to the room. And it stood at a distance. Of course your hair stand up in this kind of experiences. By that time I was more trained in the word and I said Lord I know it is you. The moment I said that then the ball of light started coming to me. You see the Lord was waiting for my response. If I didn't recognize Him, He may not continue. You see He was waiting for me to respond like the way Moses responded to the burning bush. If the Spirit does not lead us and we don't respond to what God is leading us to, our birthing can be postponed. You have what we call an unnecessary delay.

When the Lord appeared to Kenneth Hagin he was fifteen years in the ministry. And the Lord told him that he is beginning his first phase of ministry. But the Lord was implying that part of the delay was his. In other words he could have moved in faster. He was never supposed to be in a stationary ministry. He started like everybody else as a pastor. Who will go into the ministry and straight away function as a prophet? He was in the permissive will of God.

Why must God bring Elijah all the way to the mountain and then tell him something? I don't know. These are the ways of God. Why did God have to let Moses go all the way to the wilderness and meet him there in the burning bush? Why did God have to choose all these funny types of appointment? Maybe He believes in a personal date with you. He names the time and the place but your choice is yes or no. God loves us so much that He places a time for everything. Our response is yes or no. You never expect it. That is the way God speaks. Sometimes when God speaks we have to flow along with it. We got to sense it in our spirit.

Now sometimes when there is a birthing forth coming, I sense a need to fast, pray and keep quiet and separate myself from human beings. We need times like that. I sometimes sense that God wants to be alone with me. Before William Branham started his ministry, he sensed this thing that was trying to communicate with him but he could not understand fully what it was. He took a cup of water and he told his wife, "I don't know what it is. But this has been bugging me for years all through my ministry. Something that God is trying to tell me. But I cannot get to it. Why I am so unusual. Why things are happening this way. Why am I so unique and different?" He didn't have those special manifestations he had in his ministry yet. Something unusual was working in his life. When he was small when he tried to smoke a wind came and spoke to him, "You must not smoke, you must not drink. You must keep yourself for me. When you are old I will use you." All these strange things were happening in his life. Anyone who has a call to the ministry will notice that there is this special thing. I know even in my life there is this kind of separation that I have in your life. God has His hand on you all the time. You're just unusual. So he took this cup of water told his wife, "I am getting into the forest. If I don't come back, that's it. If God does not speak to me I die." He couldn't take it any more the strange things he had in his life. And he fasted and waited, fasted and waited in a log cabin. He was not willing to return home to his loving home and society to continue living until he gets clearly what is this thing happening in his life. While he was waiting an angel of the Lord came into the room and told him exactly what his call was. He was to be a prophet. Exactly what he was doing. The signs that were on his life were the explanation for his strange childhood. From that day onward he came back he was a different man. He moved with such power.

Many healing ministries could be traced to him. T.L. Osborn's ministry started when he saw this man operating. Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin have sat under this man's ministry. There is no better place to birth forth than in an over night prayer. Welcome to the labor ward. But there are times where your laboring forth has to come in the privacy of your own life. I know I have spent nights without sleep alone. There are times when God calls you aside and you are birthing forth something. I am talking about being sensitive to Him. I know when God was birthing forth. For example I already have certain things to do for next year. God called me up at three in the morning, sat down in His presence and wrote down everything that has to be done. What happens if you didn't respond? You postpone the birthing. See there is time for birthing forth. We must be sensitive to it. We must be sensitive to what God wants us to do.

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