Isaiah 66:8 – “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.”
As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, I was challenged in my spirit on several fronts. We say we want God’s outpouring. We say there is going to be a move in the Last Days. We say there will be revival, renewal, restoration, and reformation. BUT, for the most part, we proclaim it will be, but we don’t do what’s required to bring it into the present.
What do I mean by that? That is a strong indictment. Is it justified? What is the missing element or factor? I believe it is Travail. The deep longing that is so intense it consumes, for God’s kingdom to be established, lost souls to be won, purity of heart to prevail, and the powers of darkness to be destroyed. That is Travail. Isaiah 66:8 – “For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth children.”
In 1 Kings 8, in the dedication of the temple Solomon built, we see something interesting. In verse 8, we read that when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud (shekinah) filled the temple… It was so powerful that the priests could not stand to minister because the shekinah glory filled the temple. Could we relate the Holy Place to us going into the presence of God in prayer (Travail)?
In Acts 1-2, we see the 120 in the upper room (place of prayer). It became their place of Travail and Holy Place to enter God’s presence. When they prayed (travailed), something happened: PENTECOST! They travailed, and God moved!
What did Jesus identify as the Greatest Commandments? Love God with our entire being and our neighbor as ourselves. How is love, consuming our entire being, manifested? How is Covenant Love demonstrated? It will die, if necessary, to reach, provide for, and protect the object of Covenant. How much do we love God? How deeply do we love our neighbor? The presence or absence of Travail answers that question.
If having a move of God does not move us into Travail, it is a nice thought, not a consuming desire. If the thought of eternity is only theoretical, we will not be moved with the needed compassion that drives us to Travail.
Remember the words to Ezekiel? God made him a watchman charged with sounding the alarm. If he did not, the souls of the lost would be on him. I believe being a watchman is more than proclaiming; it is reclaiming in Travail.
Jesus died so we could live. In the Finished work of the Cross, we have the power and authority to bind hell and pluck souls from the devil’s clutches. Let Gethsemane be our example. Our eternity was so valuable to Jesus; He travailed UNTIL He overcame and stripped hell of its power.
How deeply do we want a move of God? How deeply do we want family, friends, and people saved? That will be expressed in our Travail.
The missing ingredient in the Last Days move is Travail.
