God is getting ready to birth something in your life. How will you respond to His promise of birth? Holy Spirit has really been speaking to me about spiritual birth and spiritual impregnation. He revealed to me four distinctive physical responses in scriptures to the promises of birth with spiritual significance for me and maybe you too. Notice how Sarah, Manoah and his wife, Zechariah, and then Mary, Jesus’s mother each responded to the promise of birth. Then reflect on how you’ve responded to God’s promise of birth in your own life.

Sarah’s Response to the Promise of Birth

Genesis‬ ‭18:9-15‬ ‭NIV “’Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. Then one of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’bNow Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ”After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’ Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, ‘I did not laugh.’But he said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.'”

Sarah responded to God’s promise of birth in disbelief. She thought that it was too late for the promise to be birthed through her. She thought that it wasn’t physically possible through her. She had waited so long for the promise that she abandoned hope for the promise ever coming to pass. She underestimated the sovereignty of God so much that it scared her when God read her mind and knew that she laughed on the inside. Did she not think God could hear her thoughts as He does ours? Did she not think that God knew she was lying to Him as He does us? God knows when we don’t believe that He will birth the promises He has given us. God knows when we doubt His promises are actually possible. God knows when we’re disgruntled in our spirits because what He promised hasn’t manifested yet. Consider how you’ve responded to the promises of God.  In mocking laughter? In disbelief? In doubt? In faith? Nothing is too hard for God. If God has promised to birth something through you, believe that He will.

Manoah and His Wife’s Response to the Promise of Birth

Judges 13:1-Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years. In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food.You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” The woman ran and told her husband, “A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God’s angels, terrifying to see. I didn’t ask where he was from, and he didn’t tell me his name. But he told me, ‘You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. For your son will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the moment of his birth until the day of his death.’ Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”

Manoah’s wife responded in excitement to the promise of birth. Although her productivity had been dormant for a while, at the news of promised birth, she immediately grasped in her spirit that she would indeed give birth. When she shared the news with her husband, he did not display an inkling of doubt. He immediately wanted to begin to plan for the coming birth. He wanted to know how to prepare for the the birth. Manoah even wanted to know how to nurture the baby after it was birthed. When Manoah was able to speak to the angel for himself, he said “when your words come true.” This statement signifies his belief in the promised birth. Manoah didn’t even receive the prophecy directly and he still believed. How would you respond to a vision for promised birth if you didn’t get the vision directly? Would you believe the messenger? Are you preparing now for the baby that’s on the way? Are you willing to give up alcohol and wine for the baby that’s inside you? Are you willing to give up anything that may contaminate the fetus of your baby? After the baby is birthed are you still willing to keep the baby pure? 

Zechariah’s Response to the Promise of Birth

Luke 1:6-21 “Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, or he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly. Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.’ Then the angel said, ‘I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.’ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.”

What is interesting for you to note it that Zechariah and Elizabeth were people of God. They were considered righteous in God’s sight. This could possibly be why God trusted them for the promise of birth. Although they were very old and Elizabeth couldn’t have any children, God still chose them for the promise of birth. This shows believers that it is never too late for God to birth something in us. But Zechariah, in the midst of serving God, worshiping God, and doing church work, still couldn’t believe God for the promise. When Gabriel, the angel of the Lord stood in God’s presence and delivered the message of birth to Gabriel, Zachariah questioned how it could possibly happen. Zechariah weighed the impossibilities and limitations more heavily than the power of a sovereign God. When Zachariah opened his mouth, he spoke doubt. I’m reflecting right now…When God showed me His vision and what He’s birthing in me, did I speak fear or faith? When I opened my mouth was it in praise and faith or fear and disbelief? Be careful what you speak. God will close your mouth to increase your faith if He needs to.

The angel said that because of of Zachariah’s unbelief that Zachariah would have to be silent until God birthed the promise at the appointed time. Can you trust God for the promise? Can you be patient until the appointed time for your promised birth? Will you believe the messengers God sends? Have you been in a period of silence and didn’t know why?  Are you willing to give up alcohol and drinks for your promise? Consider your faith or lack thereof. Push. It may be painful but push. Push your faith. Push your belief. Push your trust in God. The messenger of God says you will give birth.

Mary’s Response to the Promise of Birth

Luke 1:26-38 “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’ Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!’ Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen? I am a virgin.’ The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.’ Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her.”

Now some of you may think that Mary asked a question in doubt. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that she asked the question for clarification (I mean she was a virgin about to get married and what would he think?) or maybe even curiosity but she definitely believed. Mary, after the angel described for her how she would conceive being a virgin, stated “may everything you have said about me come true.” Some of you have thought that your “inexperience” may have disqualified you for the promise of birth. God says otherwise. You will give birth and the baby will be holy and belong to God.

God is ready to birth promises that He has given you. Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. Receive the promise. Believe the messengers. Purge and keep your body and home and lives clean. Make preparation now. The baby is on the way. Dr.J.