Without travail there is no natural birth, every mother knows this. Similarly, without the travail of soul there can be no spiritual birth – does this not answer our question as to why men are not born (born again) on our altars? It is because we do not travail for their birth. As soon as Zion travails in birth she brought forth her children (Isaiah 66:8). Listen to Paul say again, “my little children for whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). It was said of Christ in His redemptive work, “He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).
The only reason why Christ could justify men was because of the travail of His soul for souls; that sorrow of Gethsemane, the offering of His soul for sin, the outpour of grieve and sorrow, sweat mingled with blood, the Son of God soul-travail was a drink offering unto God for men. He groaned; he wept, he agonized, he drank the cup, and it was finished. Many souls would be born. If the master tread the path of travail should not the servants? For the servant is not greater than his Master says the Lord. If the Master wept for souls should the servants not weep? If He travailed that men be forgiven, are we exempted? If He carried the burden of His God, should we not at least yoke ourselves together with Him? We can do nothing without Him, so why do anything apart from Him? If that was the way shown by ‘The Way’ shall we choose for ourselves another way?
The secret of birth is not hidden but the price for birth is too high, yet no woman ever says ‘No’ to birth for the joy that a man child is born. Of the spiritual birth, a far greater joy, for Angels in heaven rejoice over one soul that repents. Shall we then not groan and agonize over lost men if not for anything but for the joy that a child is born into the Kingdom of God? We are without excuse, pardon my ignorance, but hear me please; is it not intelligent to say that heaven weeps over souls that are lost, at least if indeed there is joy over a soul that repents?
How sad must heaven be, I am but man, and I cannot see the full picture, but I have by mercy seen a people, My people who have not the Lord, these close to a billion people are bound by superstitions and idolatry? O the pain it must be for the Lord that these people are lost without hope and God in this world though they boast of their idols. Why are these many souls lost and are getting lost? Because there is no one to bear the burden of the Lord, Judah hath said the arm of men who bore the burden is weak and there is much decay (Nehemiah4:10). Because men would rather escape than travail for souls, rather boast about so-called achievements than share the heartbeat of the Master, it will not take too long for all men to see the result of their investments.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy, though they go forth weeping bearing the precious seed of intercession, they will doubtless come back rejoicing bearing their sheaves (saved souls) with them – these are they who are wise, they shall shine as the stars because they turned many unto righteousness through their soul travailing prayer.
On that day when God shall reward all men and give His reward to ordinary clays who are men of the secret, indeed on that day the word of the Lord would be amplified, “the Lord who sees in the secret shall reward men openly”. If all you claim as your wealth are these perishables (cars, mega infrastructures, fame, connections, and all…), you have done well. I say to you many would say on that day, ‘but I preached at the meeting and he got saved but why does this poor woman get the reward or this feeble man wear my crown?’ It shall be told them:
“these are they who travailed, who pulled the hand of heaven to show mercy and pardon, who laid hold on the horn of the altar until mercy was shown to the saved souls, you are a mere vessel to accomplish that purpose; if you were not available, a dumb ass would have done a better job”.
Let me reiterate and emphasize this glorious truth again, “no soul is won in preaching that is not first won by praying (soul travailing prayer that prevails)”.
Do we sincerely want to see our young people saved? Do we really want to get God’s attention in saving sinners? The answer is a question? Are we willing to drink the cup He drank? Are we willing to go the way of travail? Of such men who travailed for souls, Paul was a class of his own among many other gems like David Brainerd, John Hyde, Abel Clary, Edward Payson, and many more faithful men who took God’s challenge and stood in the gap for men, until they are changed. Indeed this generation groans and travails in pain waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Dare we not follow after these men who through devotion and consecration turned many to righteousness? Shall we not travail that God may no longer wonder that there are no intercessors? How long will God wait before He spews us out of His mouth? If we do not travail, how many more millions will Hell claim? We should say with Paul, ‘necessity is laid upon us, and woe not only is us, but also lost men if we travail not for souls in prayer’.
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