OPPOSITE OF FRUITFULNESS
1 Samuel 1

“But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13) The angel that appeared to Zacharias pointed out to Zacharias that to be afraid is a prayer hinderer. Prayer and being afraid cannot go together before the manifestation of prayer request. The prayer point of Zacharias was not mentioned but it can be concluded, from the response of the angel that Zacharias must have been praying against barrenness in his marriage. Prayer opens heaven for the extension of God’s hand over every prevailing force. Absolutely, there is no door that prayer cannot open. Barrenness will succumb to every effective fervent prayer that is rendered unto God. Psalm 128:1 states that, “Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.” The psalmist went further and mentioned the kind of blessings. Among such blessings that are mentioned in Psalm 128:3 is, “Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around the table.” Barrenness is the opposite of fruitfulness and through the whole Bible, the only one that was mentioned for barrenness was Micah (Wife of David, the daughter of King Saul). Micah mocked King David for praising God. Besides Micah, it is evident that prayer opened wombs and terminates barrenness. Hannah having waited for a long time for the fruit of the womb, prayer was her only avenue to confront the agent of barrenness. 1 Samuel 1:12-15, “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Pouring out our soul before God is also an effective fervent prayer and it will open every door that has been shut on us. Barrenness, the representative of lack and of stagnation, will undoubtedly respond to prayer. In the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth, in the life of Elkanah and Hannah, prayer unlocked the door of barrenness and they were blessed with fruitfulness. Are you experiencing barrenness in any area of life? Today be encouraged, in your experience, experiment with prayer and an effective fervent prayer by pouring your soul out to the Lord. The blessed, good and merciful God will not pass you by.
 
Prayer for today: O Lord my God I ask that you intervene in all that is representing barrenness in my life. I ask in Jesus name that you make me a fruitful vessel.