When God gives you a promise and things are not happening because of age, circumstances, time, size of task or problem to be tackled, - to stop doing something because of the question - "How do I know or how can I be sure whether or not this is going to happen or succeed?", is unbelief.
I recently was led to Luke chapter 1: 18: 34 [NIV] where we see Zechariah and Mary believing for the same thing - a miracle child. As if it were a controlled laboratory experiment, God sent the same Angel Gabriel with the same message - you are going to have a child - to two different persons, one who believed and the other who did not.
The result? Zechariah questions, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” And to avoid further unbelief, Zechariah is struck dumb till the promise came to pass. In the meantime, because of the dumbness (which ironically, I believe God now used to make Zechariah start believing the Truth) Zechariah finally did the normal thing and John the Baptist was born.
On receiving the same message Mary asks a different question, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
I asked the Holy Spirit for the difference between Mary and Zechariah’s questions. The answer - When visited by God, the response should be what should I do or how will this happen rather than to ask for proof or evidence that what is being said is really the Truth.
No wonder Gabriel the Angel was quick to respond to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come on you...." And so, Jesus was born!
Like Mary the right question Zechariah could have asked was "Me and my wife are too old and have tried many times having a baby without success. So, how will this be?"
Peter found himself in almost a similar situation. After spending the whole night fishing without success he was instructed by Jesus, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Though the skilled fisherman Peter had his doubts and questions to what he was being asked to do, he replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” The result was a miraculous catch of many fish. See Luke 5:1 – 11 [NIV]
Everyday make it a habit to ask the Father for the Holy Spirit so you may receive revelation on the right thing to do in every situation. You will soon realise you have the same step by step guidance the prophet Samuel received when he had no clue regarding which of Jesse’s sons to anoint the next king of Israel. (See 1 Samuel 16:3). It may well mean you need to go to the doctor again, apply for the job again, try the business again or pray again for wisdom.
Farai Mutsambiwa
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