The anguishing gut-wrenching cries of agony resounding from the room. The sounds of labor as a lady in child birth, with tenacious determination, struggles with the exertion of it all, yet willing in order to bring her child into the world. It was early, before the breaking of the dawn, yet the excruciating resonant groans as she wept wailing with the unmistakable, definitive, distinct and undeniable voice of travail.
Yet, it was not from the walls of a hospital room from which the cries were heard. No.. but the sounds were coming from a room that had the direct attention of God. A place were many tears flowed, burdens were brought, and passions were born. Some call it, the prayer room.
But what is travail and what is its purpose?
Isaiah 66:8 says that as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
As the children of God travail in prayer, things are birthed and brought forth in the Spirit. Things begin to happen.
Paul was a man who travailed. Galatians 4:19, My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. Paul had already travailed for them to be born into the kingdom of God , and now he was travailing for the remainder of the work to be done, Christ being formed in them. Paul knew that the destiny of baby Christians was to ultimately come into the fullness of Christ. Those little children were not to remain “babes,” but were to be brought into maturity becoming sons of God. Travail produces sons.
Daniel was a man who experienced travail. In Daniel 7:15, he is seen grieving in the spirit.
In I Samuel, Hannah is seen weeping and in such agony that the priest accuses her of being drunk. But her travailing at the altar produced a son.
Jesus wept in travail just before he woke Lazarus up from the dead. Then... there was a resurrection.
The greatest travail of all time was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross for the sins of the world. “Luke 22:41‑44: “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and knelt down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
This travail was so agonizing and painful that it caused Him to sweat blood. The Lord knew what awaited Him on the cross of Calvary. He could never have faced the crucifixion without first praying through and getting the victory in the spirit. This great travail gave Him the serenity and courage to face the traumatic events of the next day. He had won the victory in the spirit before He ever faced the enemy in the flesh.
How comforting to know that when you pray in travailing, intercession, God will answer!
Joel declared "Let the priest weep between the porch and the altar and let them say, spare they people oh Lord...". (Joel 2:17)
This morning as I entered in a deep spirit of travail, where gut wrenching sobs racked my own body as I prayed for a particular situation. I begin to pray for understanding and the Lord gave me the scriptures in Micah 4:8-10, 13
And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. Be in pain, and labor to bring forth O daughter of Zion, lie a woman in travail; for now thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
When we travail in the spirit, God is using us to bring forth His will into the world, or into a particular situation.
We should constantly pray that God would "Let His mind be in us"!
Romans 8:26‑27: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Lord let YOUR spirit pray through us, for we don't know how to pray! But praying in the spirit and with understanding, we will see those things be birthed and come to pass in the name of Jesus!
Speak your answer into existence! Believe the report of the Lord! Let Him use you in prayer, intercession and venture into the deep waters of travail, for when Zion prevails it brings forth children. When we stand in the gap for a situation or a person, Jesus will respond!
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