July 20, 2026

Jul 20
6 min read

Introduction

My brother, Tim Sheets, preached a powerful message recently from the lives of Mary and Joseph, the earthly parents of Jesus. Tim pointed out incredibly important principles to remember as we move from the conception of a miracle to completion. You can hear the entire message on his YouTube channel, but here are portions of it in nugget form. His title is:

Miracles Are Growing

I want to share an insight from Luke chapter one that I believe speaks to our times. In verses 26–38, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with an astounding announcement: she had found favor with God and would supernaturally conceive His Son, who would be the Savior of the world. Though Mary did not fully understand how this could happen, her response became one of the greatest declarations of faith in Scripture: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38 KJV). And the miracle of our redemption began.

It took 33 years, however, for the purpose of Christ’s miraculous birth to reach its miraculous conclusion. His journey reveals an often-overlooked truth: some miracles are conceived, but then must grow over time.

Whether they be personal miracles or those involving churches, regions, or Kingdom assignments, the principle remains the same: some miracles must grow into their fullness, progressing from conception to completion.

The greatest Biblical example of a miracle growing over time is Christ’s birth, His earthly life, and His redemption of the human race. His conception was unquestionably miraculous, but the miracle of our salvation was not complete at His birth. The One who would become the Savior of the world had to grow and mature for thirty years before completing the miracle at Calvary. From His birth to His resurrection, the incarnate Christ was a miracle that developed from seed to fullness.

Growth is a process that requires time, something rarely associated with miracles. We want and expect miracles to occur instantly, not realizing that they often unfold over time. When an instant miracle doesn’t occur and time passes between the conception of God's promise and its fulfillment, doubt often creeps in. Unbelief whispers that nothing is happening, nothing will change, and the promise isn't working. Circumstances, emotions, and hope deferred begin to speak louder than God's promise. If those thoughts are not resisted, they can hinder what God is doing. We can abort the process! More miracles in the making are abandoned because of this waiting process than for any other reason.

The key to preventing this tragedy is simple yet essential: keep your faith focused on what God has said. Believe until you receive. The miracle Mary and Joseph were entrusted with required thirty years before its ultimate purpose was accomplished. Joseph died somewhere along the way, but the promise of God rested in Mary's heart for three decades.

In much the same way, many in the Church have carried the promise of a great move of God for decades. During this time, God has been preparing the Earth for unprecedented numbers of individual and corporate miracles. For over thirty years, I have declared that the greatest outpouring of God's Spirit is still ahead. I have proclaimed it repeatedly because I believe God is still growing that miracle. The seeds have been planted, and He has been nurturing them towards harvest.

How challenging Mary’s wait must’ve been. At its beginning, Gabriel personally appeared to her and announced God's promise. Elizabeth confirmed the promise while Jesus was still in Mary's womb (Luke 1:40-45). Angels sang and celebrated His birth with a dramatic light show, and the wise men later affirmed His identity, as did Simeon and Anna at His dedication (Luke 2:25-38). But beyond those moments, Scripture records no additional angelic promises to Mary. No yearly reminders. No fresh prophetic visitations reinforcing the original word. Only silence…for 30 years! Mary waited and simply believed, holding tightly to the word God had spoken.

And the miracle grew.

The lessons from Mary’s and Joseph’s journeys can be applied to both personal and corporate miracles. Not only will we need to persevere to receive personal promises, but their story reminds us of another important truth: extraordinary moves of God often require extraordinary perseverance. The miraculous birth of Christ introduced a completely new era for humanity, but the miracle would include decades of preparation before its fullness could be revealed.

Delays

Some delays in receiving miracles are demonic, of course, and must be confronted with spiritual warfare. Others result from human activities, including a nation's sin and rebellion. Those obstacles must also be addressed. HOWEVER, some delays are simply the necessary passage of time while God grows the miracle to completion. Remember: Preparation is not the absence of a miracle; it is often part of the miracle itself!

Promises from God often require time for people, circumstances, and other alignments to come into place. He must position individuals, open doors, develop character in people, or arrange events, much of which cannot happen overnight. This process does not mean God is inactive; it means He is preparing.

The miracle that began in Mary’s womb was still growing when Jesus was 10, 20, 30 years old. The miracle never stopped growing. Most of the time, its progress was invisible, and Mary and Joseph couldn’t see what God was doing, but Heaven was continually preparing for the fulfillment of Christ’s miraculous purpose.

Sometimes our personal growth is part of what is necessary for the miracle’s growth. As Jesus was prepared, He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52), progressing toward the fulfillment of His earthly assignment. Likewise, there are times when we must grow before the miracle God has prepared for us can be completed.

“Fight the good fight of faith” for your personal miracle (1 Timothy 6:12). Keep believing. Keep learning. Keep listening to Holy Spirit. Perhaps there is a key He still needs to reveal. Perhaps He is leading you to the right person, the right place, the right counselor, physician, advisor, or opportunity. Perhaps He is opening a way you cannot yet see. Wherever He leads, continue to follow. Continue declaring what God has said. Faith continues believing while the miracle is growing. Mary’s journey reminds us just how important this is.

And we must do the same for national and regional miracles. We must believe and persevere from conception to completion. Holy Spirit is calling the Ekklesia to rise into greater faith as we stand at this prophetic moment of fulfillment. For decades, many have carried promises of revival and harvest. Now is not the time to become passive or allow unbelief to abort what God has been growing.

Just as Jesus’ life seemed ordinary for thirty years before a sudden eruption of miracles changed history, God has been working behind the scenes today, preparing for His greatest era of signs, wonders, healings, and harvest. Our promise is still growing. Trust the God who cannot lie. Strengthen your faith, refuse doubt, and believe that God’s seeds of promise are coming to full term.

Pray with me:

Father, even when we cannot yet see the fulfillment of Your promises, You are working. Encourage the church to stand with unwavering confidence from conception to completion, guarding their hearts from doubt, discouragement, and hope deferred. Teach us to trust Your timing, follow Your leading, and remain faithful as You bring every promise to full term. By Your grace and empowerment, we refuse to grow weary, become passive, or abandon what You have spoken. Release Your glory to the church, causing signs, wonders, miracles, revival, and a great harvest to break forth.

We also pray for those in Texas, who have been ravaged again this year by devastating floods, and those in various parts of the country who have experienced terrible wildfires. Comfort those who have lost family members, friends, and possessions. Give grace and wisdom in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

And as always, we pray for our government officials who are working to protect our election process, eradicate fraud, and steer our nation back to strength and stability. We also continue to pray for Your divine intervention with Iran and the Middle East. We continue to declare that the “Prince of Persia” operating in that area is losing his hold and influence.

All of this we pray in Jesus' Name, amen.