The Barren Shall Bear Fruit

THE BARREN SHALL BEAR FRUIT

(by brother Tarran Dookie)

SARAH

Gen 18:9-15 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

The Bible tells us that Sarah was ninety years old when the promise was made to Abraham that she would bear him a son (Gen 17:17). When Sarah heard the promise from inside the tent she laughed. It was not the laughter of rejoicing but of doubt. How could someone of her age have a child? The Lord's word was 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' When the voice of God speaks to us, we must be attentive. We must be ready and willing to trust and obey. Let us not have unbelief but let us have faith in the word of the Lord that He will make us to bear fruit.

Sarah doubted because of her age. You may be a believer for a number of years and you may long for a blessing in your life. You want to be used of the Lord, to bear fruit. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Notice that after God's promise to Sarah even though she was 90 years old she was made beautiful as a princess so that Abimelech wanted her as a wife (see Genesis chapter 20). When the barren bear fruit they shall be made young again. We shall experience seasons of refreshing in the presence of the Lord. God is able to restore the years that the cankerworm has eaten if you yield to Him and trust Him.

REBEKAH

Gen 25:20-21 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

It was not Rebekah's prayer but Isaac's prayer that caused Rebekah to bear fruit. He entreated the Lord on her behalf and she conceived. There are situations where the barren will not bear fruit without an intercessor. As we look around us we shall see many who are not bearing fruit. Let us entreat the Lord on their behalf.

We are to bear one another's burdens. We are to seek the interests and the good of others. We are told in Isa 59:16 that God wondered that there was no intercessor. God is looking for those who will stand in the gap and make intercession, so that more and more of God's children will come to maturity and bring forth abundant fruit.

HANNAH

1Sam 1:9-11,27-28 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head... For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

1Sam 2:1-5 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.