The Daily Word: Monday, July 6th, 2020
1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4
Acts 24:1-27
Psalm 4:1-8
Proverbs 18:16-18
For full text click here.
Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim; Seled died without children. – 1 Chron. 2:30
Somebody needs to hear this today: you will not die without children! Barrenness is not God’s will. How do I know this? Because the first command God gave to mankind in the Garden of Eden was, “…Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” (v. 28). Before sin was introduced into the picture, barrenness did not exist as part of God’s plan! But after sin reared its ugly head, barrenness constantly reappeared in the lineage of God’s people as part of the curse.
Please hear me. I am not saying that, if you are believing for children but haven’t yet conceived, that you are cursed. I am, however, encouraging you to never give up on your dream. Don’t abandon God’s promise! Sarah was 80 when she gave birth to Isaac! Abraham was 100. But Abraham, “…did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God…being fully convinced that what [God] had promised He was also able to perform” (Rom. 4:19-21). He refused to attribute more value to a medical report or an actuarial analysis than he attributed to the Word of God.
Don’t give up on God’s promise. If He said it will happen, He will get it done.
***Note: Please the bottom of this e-mail for additional Scriptures on God’s posture towards barrenness.
Prayer:
Father, I refuse to give up on Your dreams for my life. I refuse to allow the pain of life to steal Your future from me! I am making a decision to double down and believe in Your word like never before, in Jesus’ name.
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
See commentary from this day in 2019.
© Michael D. White, 2020. All rights reserved.
Scriptures Addressing Barrenness
Psalm 103:1-3:
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases…
Why It’s Important: God heals “all your diseases.” Healing is one of the benefits of salvation. We should never forget it. The same God who forgives our sins, heals our diseases! Healing and salvation happened on the same day.
1 Peter 2:24: … 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
Why It’s Important: Jesus took on “stripes” (i.e. physical pain and punishment) in your place. If He already took it, that means you no longer have to. He was your substitute! The same way He bore your sins in His body on the Cross so that you might be saved, He bore your disease in His body on the Cross so that you might be healed.
Mark 16:17-18: 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Why It’s Important: It is the mandate of every believer to heal the sick. Healing is not just a reward for those who are exceptionally dedicated to Jesus; it is the portion for everyone who calls on His name. Declare this over yourself: I will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover!
Exodus 15:26: “…I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
Why It’s Important: God is Jehovah Rapha: the God Who Heals. Healing is His name! Healing is not just something God does; it is who He is. His nature never changes. That means that His heart is to heal all His children, all the time!
Matt. 10:8: 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Why It’s Important: You have received healing in the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Now it is time to give it. Don’t just pray for the sick; heal them. Don’t just pray for lepers; cleanse them! Don’t just pray for the deceased or the possessed; raise the dead and cast out demons!
Genesis 20;17: 17 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children…
Why It’s Important: Abraham and Sarah were believing for a child! But in the midst of their barrenness, God sent them to pray that wombs would be open in Abimelech’s Kingdom. God honored Abraham’s prayer; and in Genesis 21 Sarah became pregnant. Will you have the confidence to step out and pray for someone else, even if you need a miracle in that same area yourself?
Isaiah 54:1-3: 1 “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. 2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
Why It’s Important: Worship is an instrumental part of the healing process. Are you willing to praise, even when everything around you is barren? Praise like God has already done it. Act like He has already done it! Make room in your life for the increase God has promised to provide; because the fruit of His promise is coming, and you will be abundantly blessed!
Exodus 23:25-26: 25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.
Why It’s Important: When you worship God, He will take away sickness and disease from you. He will take away barrenness and miscarriage! He will give you long life, because it aligns with His will.
Judges 13:3-5: 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. 5 You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
Why It’s Important: This is Samson’s mother. She was barren; but God would cause a man who would change the course of history to be born in her. She was to prepare in advance for the coming of this amazing child by creating an environment in her womb where he could grow into his destiny!
1 Sam. 2:5: 5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
Why It’s Important: Hannah rejoiced after the birth of the prophet Samuel for the way God had blessed her with a son. God will not only bless you; He will bless you seven-fold!
Gen. 25:21: 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Why It’s Important: God does not grant petitions that do not align with His will. But barrenness is not His will. Isaac had to resolve to pray for fruitfulness, and the Lord answered His prayer!
Deut. 7:14: 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
Why It’s Important: Barrenness is part of the curse! But healthy pregnancy is part of the blessings God puts on His people for obedience. Under the Old Covenant, “obedience” meant perfectly fulfilling the Law; but under the New Covenant, “obedience” means trusting in the Son of God who perfectly fulfilled the Law in your place. If you believe in Jesus, you shall be blessed!
2 Kings 2:21: 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’”
Why It’s Important: This was one of Elisha’s first miracles. God’s will is to heal entire cities! And healing means “no more death or barrenness.”
Luke 1:35-37: 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Why It’s Important: How will your healing happen? The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The Power of the Highest will overshadow you! Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, was pronounced barren; but God filled her womb with life! Nothing is impossible with Him.