“We Were Barren for 8 Years, But Then Jesus…’’

God-sized perspective takes yielding, surrendering, and trusting.

It takes vulnerability—allowing God to infuse you with hope to believe more in the nature and character of God

Instead of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Disappointment without Jesus brings bitterness. Disappointment in life through a love relationship with Jesus is a bridge. Cross over and find yourself in the arms of the One who created all things and by divine dominion remains in control of all things—despite confusion or doubt.

Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen” (ESV). The love of the Lord is a bridge that allows us to grab on to hope as a means to build faith. Without any hope it is impossible to simply muster up faith. Hope is the catalyst, the spark that builds the flame of faith. Hope is the fertile soil where a tiny seed of faith grows. God’s divine love is the living water that nurtures faith and causes it to grow. We cannot circumvent the process. Encountering God’s love through ordinary people causes hope to burst forth in the heart of every person. In that moment, the faith seed is planted. It’s a supernatural phenomenon, and I never grow weary of watching the creativity of God to cause hope to rise in the most desperate of situations no matter what they are.

There’s a huge difference between having faith that God could do something or faith that God will do something.

I was ministering at a conference in a New Jersey church. As I finished teaching, the presence of the Lord poured into the building, and I felt the Lord lead me to walk up and down the aisles releasing the words He was impressing on me to speak. In a moment like that, where the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully, prophetic words are designed to encourage hope to release faith. It is what Jesus did when He preached the Word, shared parables, and prayed for the sick. The declaration of the testimony of Jesus—who He is and what He does—is the spirit of prophecy. We always have a choice: We can move with the Holy Spirit or continue with our planned agenda. I have found the Holy Spirit to be so much more enjoyable and creative than my preplanned agenda!

In the tiny church filled to overflowing with expectant people, I stepped off the platform and walked down the left side aisle. I was more than halfway to the back of the church when I had a huge word of knowledge. It felt like flames in my mouth, and I knew I had to say what I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to say. I turned around and pointed to a couple on the front row. I had never met this couple prior to this time, so I would not have known anything about them.

“Would you please stand up?”

A woman in a beautiful multicolored African print dress and a man wearing a light-blue polo shirt and navy-blue slacks stood up.

“In ten months, there will be a baby crying in your house,” I declared.

The woman burst into tears, and the man’s eyes filled to the brim, about to cascade down his ample cheeks. The power of the Holy Spirit touched both of them deeply and they were eased down into their seats by others before they fell over under the weightiness of the glory.

The Lord continued to move powerfully through the meeting and many were radically healed while others were set free from torment. How I praise God for His extraordinary love!

As the meeting drew to a close, the co-pastor of the church where the meeting was being held approached me. Tifany is a dear friend, and together she and her husband, Mike, pastor locally and are an active part of our Agape Freedom Fighters ministry team. She introduced the beautiful couple to me and asked them to share a bit of their story.

“We have been trying to conceive for eight years,” the husband said as his wife broke into fresh tears. “What you spoke over us we have prayed and prayed for, but we have been told by doctors we are medically unable to have children.”

I smiled, overwhelmed again by the love of Jesus for these two precious people. “Do you believe the Lord will give you what you desire?”

“Yes!” they said together, nodding.

“Pastor Tifany and I stand with you today in full agreement. Together, we believe the word of the Lord that you will have a baby in your house in ten months no matter what the doctors have said.”

Tifany shared her own miracle testimony with them. She and Mike had struggled with infertility for almost eight years, and they, too, received the miracle from the Lord. Their adorable baby girl is now almost three years old. Then we prayed over their reproductive organs and praised the Lord for His faithfulness to do what seemed impossible.

In celebration of the faithfulness of God, we hugged each other goodbye.

Testimony and prayer played a huge part in their journey. Hope was released, and faith rose as the love of the Lord through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit overwhelmed each of them.

No matter where you have been waiting for the Lord to move, allow hope to spark within you now.

Prayer

Father, I receive this testimony and breathe You in. I invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to invade my mind and remove all disappointment and bitterness within me. You are the God of hope. Fill me with the remembrance of the promises of Your Word. Help me, Lord, to find and listen to testimonies of Your miracles instead of meditating on my losses. Take me to gatherings in person or even online so I can join my faith with other hungry believers. You said, when two or more of us are gathered in Your Name, You are in our midst. I believe as I join my small amount of faith with Your Spirit, You are free to move, and I will receive what I am asking You for. Lord, touch me again. I am choosing to walk over the bridge of hope that Jesus is and ask You to cause my faith to grow deep roots. Overshadow me, Jesus. Bring Your perfect healing over (include what is ailing you—mind, body, and soul).