Giving birth to a vision can be likened to bringing forth a child. Four key elements must be present to ensure a healthy delivery.
In this season of spiritual renewal throughout the earth, we hear a lot about travail and “birthing,” particularly related to intercession. Often intercessors will experience something similar to what a woman goes through during labor and delivery when they are praying for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in the earth.
They are not always the carriers of the vision themselves. But those who intercede are like spiritual midwives who assist in the birthing process.
During childbirth, midwives rely upon four key elements that should accompany a healthy delivery: power, passenger, passage and position. If a woman has problems giving birth naturally, it is due to the misalignment of at least one of these four factors.
Problems can occur in the process of bringing God’s vision to birth as well. Whether God has called His church to birth new souls into the kingdom or to bring forth a vision or a purpose, obstructions can arise.
- Power. Natural childbirth may be hindered by inadequate contractions or the body’s lack of power to bring forth the baby. Just as many women lose strength at the end of their labor, many Christians lose heart and lack power right before the fulfillment of God’s promise. But what is wrought in secret spiritually will make a big difference in the open later for the kingdom of God.
Although the church may feel it lacks power against the wiles of the devil, we have hope for whatever we need because the Bible says, “Power belongs to God” (Ps. 62:11, NASB).
- Passenger. Another reason for failed childbirth may be due to the passenger—that is, the baby. When the mother is overdue, the infant is sometimes too large for her body to deliver.
The vision, or the spiritual passenger, may be too great for a small group of believers to bring forth alone. We must acknowledge our need for one another.
- Passage. A third birthing problem occurs during passage when the mother’s pelvis is too small. Fear can cause a women not to relax enough for her body to make the necessary changes.
In the spiritual realm, fear may come upon believers with a vision, causing them to delay too long. This is why unity is so important—it allows us to encourage one another in the process of bringing forth God’s plan.
- Position. This fourth element is also critical in natural terms because a baby poised in the wrong position can stop the birthing process. The baby’s head must be tucked down so that the smallest diameter of the head comes out first. If the baby holds its head in an odd position, problems can result.
Position must also be correct in the spiritual realm too. Believers involved in bringing forth God’s vision may have moved from where they need to be through unbelief or deception. We need to be in the right place, at the right time, to bring about revival and the purposes of God.
God promises that His people will give birth to the plans, visions and purposes He has given them because He will help them. His Word tells us that we will have fruit from our intimate walk with Christ, and our fruit will be healthy and will multiply.
Intercessors have been given the task of aiding in the birthing process. By praying for the perfect alignment of power, passenger, passage and position in each “birth,” they will act as spiritual midwives to bring about His purposes in the earth.
Pat Chen is founder and president of First Love Ministries International and author of Intimacy With the Beloved from which this article was adapted (Charisma House).
