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Dr. Phillip Phinn, Contributor

God desires for married couples to procreate, yet, for some, it is a medical impossibility. One word from God can change a situation and grant the release of a child, amid any situation.

Prophet Elisha was built a prophet's chamber in the home of a couple he visited frequently. To show appreciation, he wanted to release a blessing upon the home. He made several suggestions to the woman of the house, yet there was nothing she pressed on receiving, but the prophet was adamant in blessing her, as he operated as any ambassador of Christ would; on the principle of sowing and reaping.

His servant, Gehazi, pointed out that a child would be a wonderful experience in this particular home, and though the man was up in age and it totally appeared impossible for the process of conception, by him with his wife, Elisha called upon His faith in God and his mature prophet anointing and declared to the man's wife, "about this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son." The creative word of God flowed out of Prophet Elisha and the manifestation of a boy child was the case nine months thereafter. (2 Kings 4 v 8-18).

Another example is Hannah. With or without her husband's accompaniment to the churc she approached the throne room of God repeatedly through prayer and intercession year after year. One day while at th at church, as she was petitioning the Lord, her priest, Eli, assumed that Hannah was drunk but she made it clear she was only distressed. The said priest also carried a prophetic anointing, and when he learnt of Hannah's sincere desire, said unto her, "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him." Prophet Eli was not given a divine revelation concerning Hannah's situation but God used him in the office of priest and prophet, to declare a word and it was so established shortly after that. As God states in Numbers 14 v 28, "as surely as I live, as you have whispered in my ear, so will I do unto you."

Hannah was seeking God for quite a while, concerning conception and birth of a child, but for some reason, Eli had a part to play in Hannah being blessed with one. Hannah did not allow Eli's misjudgement to hinder her miracle; but laying hold of the word and believing for it, was what she did. In that day and hour, Hannah believed that regardless of her initial point of contact with Eli and his previous assumption, this was God's representative in this time and hour to pronounce a change, using the office given him by the Holy One, Jesus Christ. She went home immediately after the declaration of the word, to be with her husband and she indeed conceived shortly thereafter; bore a son, Samuel the prophet. (1 Sam 1 v 1-20).

In the Holy Scriptures, many are the women who were told they would conceive before it actually happened. Some were even told the sex and name of the child to come. Isaiah and Hosea were told the names they were to give to their children, their names being a living prophecy to the nation of Israel. Manoah and his wife were so informed as well, while Mary and Joseph, Zacharias and Elizabeth were given the names of their children beforehand and the ministry each one would possess.

Abraham, known as the Father of Nations, had his "promised" child with his wife Sarah, when he was 100 years old. He tried to assist God in bringing the Word of God to pass, and thus, ended up with the child Ismael, the child coming out of relations he had with Sarah's handmaiden, one hand-picked by Sarah. Amid their doubt, God kept covenant with them and so it was, Isaac was born when Sarah was approximately 90 years old.