Hello, thanks for joining me today for Give Him 15. The title of today's post is The Matrix.

Isaiah 66, 7 to 9, before Zion travailed, she brought forth before her pain came. She was delivered

of a man-child. Who's heard of such a thing? Who has seen

such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?

For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth, says the Lord?

Or shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb?

Galatians 419 uses the word travail again,

my little children of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. That was of course Paul speaking.

The words birth or birthing are often used not only to describe bringing forth offspring,

but in the creation or production of something new. This could be an idea, a policy, an invention, even a nation.

In prayer circles, the words are sometimes used to describe producing an outcome through our prayers,

birthing. The Bible uses many analogies of the natural realm, depicting spiritual

truths, such as moving mountains through prayer and faith, planting God's word in our hearts,

or being born again. In this same way, we speak of birthing things through prayer.

Traveille, another word associated with the natural birthing process, is also used in the context of prayer.

In the opening passages, travail is used to describe birthing a nation.

Isaiah 66, 79 is often associated with prayer,

and of travailing to birth maturity in believers.

Though prayer can certainly be hard work, often involving persistent labor, and at times tears and groaning.

These physical aspects are not the primary reason the word travail was chosen.

It was used because the laboring done in prayer was birthing something in the spirit.

Spiritual power, not just physical energy.

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