February 25, 2025

The Matrix

“Before she [Zion] travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath 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? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.” (Isaiah 66:7-9)

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19)

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, or even a nation. In prayer circles the words are sometimes used to describe producing an outcome through our prayers. 

The Bible uses many analogies of the natural realm depicting spiritual truths, such as “moving mountains” through our prayers and faith, “planting” God’s Word in our hearts, or being “born again.” In this same way, we speak of “birthing” things through prayer.

“Travail,” 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 66:7-9 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 - was being released to “give birth” to occurrences in the spiritual realm. 

As sometimes occurs, many who have been associated with the concept of travailing prayer have made physical manifestations the focal point (hard work, groanings, weepings, crying out, etc.). We have failed to remember that the primary point of using the word travail is that something is being birthed. The reason for this mistake is simple, but no less harmful: we are physical beings, live in a physical world, and are informed through our five physical senses. It is very easy for us to at times over-emphasize the physical realm. 

For example, Charismatics and Pentecostals have a phenomenon they often call being “slain in the Spirit.” Although this is not a biblical phrase, and the practice is certainly abused, I believe people can and do fall under the power of God. Many in these circles, however, over-emphasize it, believing that those who fall down are receiving more from the Lord than those who do not. Some assume, even if only unconsciously, that nothing is happening to those who don’t fall, judging what is taking place in the spirit realm by what they see in the natural. This is dangerous and leads to extremes, imbalanced practices, and wrong expectations. 

With any spiritual release of power, the possibility of a physical manifestation or impact always exists - that is biblical. People may weep, fall down under the power of God, laugh, even appear drunk. But we should never judge what is occurring in the spiritual realm only by what we observe in the natural - including with the subject of prayer! 

When Paul said he was “travailing” in order to see Christ formed in the Galatians (4:19), he was not necessarily groaning, crying out, weeping, etc. over them as a woman might do in her travail. He may have at times, because he prayed for them intensely. But he was making the point that he worked or labored diligently in prayer to bring forth their maturity. The Passion Translation refers to Paul’s travail in this verse as “spiritual ‘labor pains.’” The emphasis was on spiritual passion, not the body’s response. Paul said elsewhere of Epaphras that he was “laboring earnestly” in prayer for the Colossians (4:12 NASB). Same concept. Both Paul and Epaphras were praying earnestly and passionately in order to “give birth to” spiritual realities. 

Prayer that “births” spiritually can occur whether or not a physical manifestation occurs. We can do so when walking, kneeling, driving, doing housework, mowing the grass, preparing for our day, or in a prayer meeting. Anytime we are releasing the power of Holy Spirit to bring forth His life and victories, we are “giving birth.” If the prayer becomes more intense, involving weeping or crying out, find an appropriate place and let it happen. But do NOT assume you have given birth to spiritual life only when this occurs. 

Holy Spirit Wants To Use Us!

We truly are God’s “birthers” on earth. The Holy Spirit wants to “bring forth” life through us. Jesus said of believers in John 7:38: “From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” 

Interestingly, “innermost being” is the word koilia which means a womb or matrix.(1) The church is the “womb” of God upon the earth from which He releases the power of Holy Spirit in order to bring forth life. We are not the source of life, but we are carriers of the source of life. We do not generate life, but through prayer we release Him who does.

As we mentioned, Galatians 4:19, speaks of prayer being used to “birth” maturity in new Christians. Many years ago when the Lord first began emphasizing this truth to me, I was counseling 4-5 very troubled individuals. Three of them were suicidal (they were also seeing professional counselors). Some days I was spending hours with these people, trying to help them through their pain and distress. There were occasions when they called me at very critical moments, saying they were planning to take their lives right then. I remember one calling me at 2:00 A.M, saying, “I have a gun to my head right now…” Trying to help several people in this condition made this a stressful season, to say the least. 

One day during my prayer time, Holy Spirit spoke these words to me very clearly: “If you spent a fraction of the time releasing My power to these individuals by praying for them, as you do talking to them, you would see many times the results.”

I know a good deal when I hear it! 

I began spending a couple of hours every day praying for these people. This may sound like a lot of time, but I was spending more than this “counseling” them. I would simply say, “Father, I bring [their names] before You now, asking that as I pray, Holy Spirit will be released to go and hover around them, bringing forth Christ’s victory and nature in them.” Then I would usually just pray in the Spirit. I began seeing results immediately. Breakthroughs began occurring in them quickly. Almost overnight, bondages began breaking, mindsets began changing, and healing began. It was remarkable.

What was taking place? The power of Holy Spirit was being released through the prayer to “birth” spiritual growth in these individuals. Strongholds were broken, deception was removed, revelation was born, and truth began its work of making them free (John 8:32).

We have been doing this for America, birthing transformation with our prayers! Power has been released EVERY TIME we have prayed for our nation and the nations: weakening strongholds, lifting the veil off of evil to expose its hiding places, and even positioning the right individuals to bring about change. Don’t let up, we are winning. 

Do this also for your family members and friends. Don’t be hesitant. You are not being disrespectful or telling Holy Spirit what to do as you pray with boldness or make decrees. You are releasing Him from your spirit to do what He desperately wants to do. Holy Spirit loves to save, deliver, and set captives free; He loves to fulfill the mission statement of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19: 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (KJV). 

Let’s pray now. 

Pray with me:

Father, You rebuked the Corinthian Church for acting like “mere men,” (1 Corinthians 3:3; NASB), acting as though they were “only human.” We are NOT only human; we are humans filled with Your Holy Spirit; we are sons and daughters of You, the all-powerful God, carriers of Your life and power. You desire to use us to birth change on the earth, just as You did through Jesus and the early church. 

You have been raising up a company of believers who understand this. Though they are still a remnant, they are a growing remnant, now comprised of millions of believers around the world. This remnant has been birthing things in the natural realm by releasing Your power in the spiritual realm and will continue to do so.

We release Your power, light, and life into our world today. We ask that You continue to expose evil, overthrow the strongholds of darkness, and liberate captives - here in America and around the world. Shatter strongholds of evil. Continue to transform America and other nations. You are using our prayers to birth revival, and once again we call it forth today, allowing the power of Holy Spirit to issue forth from our obedient prayers and decrees. We will not be intimidated by lies and accusations accusing us of trying to manipulate You; we are obeying and partnering with You. All of this we pray in Yeshua’s name. 

Our decree:

We decree that the purposes of God are being released around the world through the prayers of the Ekklesia.

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1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2836.