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Giving birth to God’s best!. Reading: Isaiah 54:1-8, 49:8-13.
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Giving birth to God’s best! Reading: Isaiah 54:1-8, 49:8-13.
Isaiah 54:1-8 (NIV)“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back;lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes… Giving birth to God’s best!
For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nationsand settle in their desolate cities. “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth… Giving birth to God’s best!
…The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of angerI hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer. Giving birth to God’s best!
Isaiah 49:8-13 (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favour I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people,to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’… Giving birth to God’s best!
…“They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.They will neither hunger nor thirst,nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water… Giving birth to God’s best!
…I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. See, they will come from afar— some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan.” Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains!For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Giving birth to God’s best!
1.Become what you believe - Sing o barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing. • One of the main principles of faith is that we need to believe before we receive. • To believe is to have faith in your heart and speak it with your mouth. It is to speak out before you see the answer. • Mark 11:24 (NIV) “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Giving birth to God’s best!
The barren woman had "radical faith" because she did not only speak it out, she sang it out! • Jesus asked the blind men whether they really believed He was able to heal them. When they replied positively, He said, "Become what you believe" (Mark 9.29 - The Message). • Our faith determines our future. The level of our faith determines the levels that we go to because ultimately we become what we believe. • Faith in God makes the difference. Can you believe that God wants to bless you radically. God's words to Abraham are God's words to you and me - "I am going to bless you to be a blessing". Giving birth to God’s best!
2.See yourself anew - your maker is your husband • You will never be able to rise above the image that you have of yourself. Have faith in what the Bible says about you. Not what the world says or your experience says. Poor self-esteem is crippling. You will feel good about yourself when you know that God feels good about you. • You are created unique, a masterpiece. You have within you the seeds of great things. See yourself as God sees you. Giving birth to God’s best!
You are called a champion. Remember how the angel addressed Gideon, "Mighty man of fearless courage" (Judges 6.12 AMP). • Don't focus on your weaknesses - focus on God."When we are weak He is strong". Giving birth to God’s best!
There were two types of Israelite - the "we are grasshoppers" people and the "we are more than able people" (Numbers 13.30-33). What you see is what you will be. • Understanding your value - If your husband is a king then you are a queen! Our intrinsic value is not based on achievements but who we are. Life may not have worked out for you as you planned but you are of great value to God. Giving birth to God’s best!
3.Choose the right thoughts • “And your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited. "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed” (54:3-4) • He who controls the mind controls the person. Our thoughts affect our emotions. If the enemy plants a negative thought you can cast it out. Don't water it or let it grow. Nobody can make you think of something - you have control. Giving birth to God’s best!
We need to be sober, alert, and vigilant over our minds. Keep our hearts with all diligence. • 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” • Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Giving birth to God’s best!
Take responsibility for your attitudes. Nobody is forcing us to have them. Don't blame others. Circumstances have not got you down - but your thoughts regarding them have got you down. Think about what you are thinking about! • When you think about positive, excellent thoughts you will be propelled towards greatness. If you transform your mind, you will transform your life. This takes time but it works. Giving birth to God’s best!
Thoughts that bring fear and anxiety are from the enemy.Your thinking effects your emotions. Your emotions work fine they follow your thinking. So choose your thoughts carefully. Giving birth to God’s best!
4. Speak life-enhancing words • "cry aloud, you who have not laboured with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman," • You should make a covenant with your tongue for there is power in your words - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue“ (Proverbs18:21). Words are seeds – What you sow will grow! Don't speak about your mountains, speak to them! Giving birth to God’s best!
Mark 11.23 – “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Giving birth to God’s best!
The Patriarchs spoke over their children. Esau and Jacob fought over Isaac words. "If he curses me I will be cursed for the rest of my life!“ (Genesis 27.12). • Don't all the time speak words of correction to your children but speak words of encouragement. Tell your children “You are the best. You are God's gift to me and your Mum”. God wants you to have a great life and future. Don't wait to say this to them, do it now! Start today! Someone said “Love is not love until it is expressed by words! Giving birth to God’s best!