Between the Doors: Faith, Promise, and God’s Performance

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: With God, Nothing Shall Be Impossible

No matter how impossible your situation may seem, remember that with God, nothing is beyond His power or reach. Even when logic and circumstances say otherwise, God’s word stands true, and He is able to bring forth miracles in the most unlikely places and seasons. When you feel weary or doubtful, anchor yourself in the truth that God specializes in doing the impossible, and His promises are not limited by age, time, or human limitation. Stand firm in faith, knowing that what He has spoken, He is able to perform. [52:22]

Luke 1:37 (ESV)
"For nothing will be impossible with God."

Reflection: What is one area of your life that feels impossible right now? Will you boldly bring it before God today, trusting Him to do what only He can do?

Day 2: The Posture Between Promise and Performance

There is a sacred space between receiving God’s promise and witnessing its fulfillment—a place often filled with waiting, uncertainty, and the temptation to doubt. How you posture yourself in this “hallway” matters: will you complain and waver, or will you praise and trust God even when you don’t see the outcome yet? God is looking for those who will worship, believe, and remain faithful between the doors, knowing that the waiting room is not meant to be permanent, but a place of preparation and trust. [01:18:00]

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: How can you intentionally shift your attitude from complaining to praising God while you wait for His promise to be fulfilled?

Day 3: The Power of Agreement with God’s Word

Breakthrough comes when you come into alignment with what God has spoken, even if it doesn’t make sense to others or to your own understanding. When Zacharias agreed with the word of the Lord and named his son John as instructed, his mouth was loosed and praise erupted. There is power in agreeing with God’s word over your life—when you say “yes” to what He says, you unlock blessing, freedom, and the ability to testify of His goodness. [01:14:44]

Luke 1:63-64 (ESV)
"And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God."

Reflection: Is there a promise or instruction from God that you have hesitated to agree with? What step can you take today to come into full agreement with His word?

Day 4: The Importance of Godly Connections

Sometimes, the breakthrough you need comes through connecting with someone who is carrying the word and presence of God. When Mary visited Elizabeth, the promise in both of them was stirred, and the Holy Spirit moved powerfully. Surround yourself with people who can celebrate, encourage, and speak life into your journey—those who can handle the anointing and the promise God has placed in you. [01:07:28]

Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

Reflection: Who in your life encourages your faith and stirs up the promises of God in you? How can you intentionally connect with them this week?

Day 5: The Power of Speaking and Believing

There is creative and transformative power in your words when spoken in faith. God calls you to speak His promises audibly into the atmosphere, believing that as you do, angels are dispatched and His word is set in motion. Life and death are in the power of the tongue—so declare what you are believing God for, and trust that He is able to perform it as you praise Him in advance. [01:23:36]

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

Reflection: What promise or need will you boldly declare out loud to God today, trusting Him to bring it to pass?

Sermon Summary

There are seasons in life when we find ourselves “between the doors”—standing in the hallway between the promise God has spoken and the performance, or fulfillment, of that promise. In these moments, it’s easy to grow weary, to question, or to let doubt creep in. But God is faithful, and what He has spoken, He will surely bring to pass. The story of Zacharias and Elizabeth in Luke 1 is a powerful reminder of this truth. Though they were righteous and blameless, they still faced barrenness and the reproach of unfulfilled longing. Yet, their story shows us that being in right standing with God does not exempt us from waiting, nor does it mean we are forgotten.

Zacharias continued to serve faithfully in the temple, even while his own prayers seemed unanswered. In the midst of his service, God sent a word through the angel Gabriel, declaring that the impossible would become possible. Zacharias’ initial doubt cost him his voice, but not his promise. God’s word was not dependent on Zacharias’ perfect faith, but on God’s own faithfulness. Elizabeth, too, received her promise in a way that defied human expectation. She hid her pregnancy, wrestling with the opinions of others, but God was working in her, bringing her to “full time”—the moment when the promise would be made manifest.

Mary’s encounter with Gabriel further illustrates the power of curiosity and faith. She questioned, but not from a place of unbelief; she simply wanted to understand how God would do what He said. When Mary and Elizabeth came together, the presence of the Word—Jesus, carried in Mary—caused life to leap in Elizabeth. Sometimes, we need to connect with those who carry the Word, so that our own promises are stirred and encouraged.

The posture we maintain in the hallway—between the doors—matters deeply. Will we murmur and complain, or will we praise and trust? God is not bound by our timelines. The waiting room is not meant to be comfortable or permanent; it is a place of preparation. Our faith, our words, and our willingness to praise in the waiting are what position us for the performance of God’s promise. As we speak in faith, dispatching angels with our words, we align ourselves with heaven and prepare for God to do what only He can do.

Key Takeaways

1. Faithfulness in the Waiting Room Remaining faithful while waiting for God’s promise is not easy, but it is essential. Zacharias continued his priestly duties even when his own prayers seemed unanswered. Our service and worship in the “hallway” are acts of trust, showing God that we believe He is working, even when we cannot see it. [56:39]
2. God’s Promise Is Not Limited by Our Doubt Zacharias’ doubt did not cancel God’s promise; it only delayed his ability to speak. God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfect faith. Even when we struggle to believe, God is able to bring His word to completion. Our doubts may silence us, but they cannot silence God. [59:43]
3. The Power of Agreement and Alignment When Zacharias wrote “His name shall be John,” he aligned himself with God’s word, and immediately his voice was restored. There is power in coming into agreement with what God has spoken, even when it defies tradition or expectation. Alignment with God’s word releases breakthrough and praise. [74:44]
4. Praise and Posture Between the Doors How we posture ourselves between the promise and the performance determines our experience in the waiting. Choosing praise over complaint, and trust over anxiety, prepares our hearts for God’s timing. The waiting room is temporary, but our posture can accelerate or delay our breakthrough. [79:40]
5. Speak the Promise, Dispatch the Angels Our words have creative power. When we speak God’s promises in faith, we dispatch angels to bring those words to fulfillment. Speaking audibly and believing in our hearts positions us to see God perform what He has already declared in heaven. [83:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[52:22] - Nothing Shall Be Impossible
[54:56] - Righteous Yet Waiting
[56:39] - Serving While Needing
[57:52] - Angelic Visitation and Doubt
[59:43] - The Cost of Unbelief
[61:45] - The Power of Angelic Assignment
[62:57] - Promise Conceived, Hidden in Fear
[64:17] - Overcoming Reproach and Testifying
[65:26] - Mary’s Encounter with Gabriel
[66:07] - The Word Made Flesh
[67:28] - The Power of Godly Connection
[69:52] - Praising in the Waiting
[71:18] - Full Time: The Promise Arrives
[73:30] - Naming the Promise
[74:44] - Alignment Unlocks Breakthrough
[75:42] - John’s Assignment and Our Purpose
[76:59] - The Value of Every Assignment
[79:40] - The Waiting Room Principle
[81:22] - Posture Determines Breakthrough
[83:36] - Speaking and Praying the Promise
[85:07] - Praying for Every Need

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Between the Doors – Faithfulness in the Waiting Room

Bible Reading

Luke 1 (ESV)
(You may want to focus on verses 5–25, 39–45, and 57–66 for the stories of Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Mary.)

Observation Questions

What does the text say about Zacharias and Elizabeth’s character and their situation before the angel appears? (Luke 1:5–7)
How did Zacharias respond when the angel Gabriel told him his prayer had been answered? What was the consequence of his response? (Luke 1:18–22)
What happened when Mary visited Elizabeth, and how did Elizabeth react? (Luke 1:39–45)
According to the sermon, what did Zacharias do to align himself with God’s promise, and what was the result? ([01:14:44])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the Bible emphasizes that Zacharias and Elizabeth were “righteous and blameless,” yet still had to wait for God’s promise? What does this say about the relationship between faithfulness and waiting? ([54:56])
How does Zacharias’ temporary loss of speech illustrate the difference between God’s faithfulness and our own doubts? ([59:43])
What is the significance of Mary’s question to Gabriel being described as “curious, not carnal”? How does this shape our understanding of questioning God? ([01:05:26])
In what ways does the story show the power of agreement and alignment with God’s word? ([01:14:44])

Application Questions

The sermon talks about “serving while needing”—Zacharias kept doing his priestly duties even when his own prayers seemed unanswered. Is there an area in your life where you feel you’re serving God while still waiting for your own breakthrough? How do you keep going in those seasons? ([56:39])
Zacharias’ doubt didn’t cancel God’s promise, but it did silence him for a season. Have you ever let doubt silence your faith or your voice? What would it look like to speak faith even when you’re struggling to believe? ([59:43])
Elizabeth hid her pregnancy for five months, possibly out of fear of people’s opinions. Are there promises or dreams God has given you that you’ve kept hidden because of fear or shame? What would it take to bring them into the light? ([01:04:17])
When Mary and Elizabeth came together, the presence of the Word caused life to leap in Elizabeth. Who are the people in your life that “carry the Word” and encourage your faith? How can you intentionally connect with them in your waiting season? ([01:07:28])
The sermon challenges us to choose praise over complaint in the “waiting room.” What is your natural posture when you’re waiting on God? What practical steps can you take to shift from complaining to praising in your current season? ([01:19:40])
Zacharias’ breakthrough came when he wrote, “His name shall be John,” aligning himself with God’s word. Is there a specific promise from God that you need to start speaking and agreeing with, even if it doesn’t make sense to others? ([01:14:44])
The pastor encouraged everyone to speak their needs out loud, believing that angels are dispatched when we speak in faith. Is there a promise or prayer you need to start declaring audibly this week? What’s holding you back? ([01:23:36])

Sermon Clips

“You can be blessed while you're between doors waiting on another promise. Zacharias goes and he has to do his priestly duties. He goes to the temple and his assignment is he has to burn incense so that the temple is prepared for the people to come in to pray. He is the one that's setting the atmosphere for others to get what they need. Meanwhile, there's a need at his house, but he went and he fulfilled his assignment between the doors.”

“Sometimes we're in a rough place and it feels like we're going through hell all by ourselves, but then somewhere along the lines the Lord will send you a word. He'll send you somebody that checks out the blue and say I'm just thinking about you. He'll send somebody to call your phone and say I'm just praying for you, I love you. That's the kind of God we serve.”

“Gabriel said no no I'll be with God and I speak what he tells me to speak and so if I'm speaking what he said speaks we know it has to do something when I say it. I just stopped by to remind you that same power rests on the inside of you. If you have Holy Spirit, you've got the power down on the inside of you to say I said so and that's what it is.”

“She hid the pregnancy because in the top verses we see that she felt that she had a reproach on her because of what the people thought. See, we worried about what people thinking and so we not being able to rejoice and be glad about what God is doing. We wanna hide a thing and God is saying no, I want you to testify about that thing. I want you to put that thing out there so you can trust me full term until it comes all the way to pass.”

“Some folks be jealous, what you need to do is start rejoicing. Some folks be backbiting, what you need is to join the team. Some folks be hating, what you need to do is start congratulating. She said let me get to my cousin's house, got some support there so she pressed her way.”

“All you need to do sometime is connect with somebody that's got the word down on the inside of them and they can speak a word to you and life can resurrect. They can speak a word to you and situations can turn around. My God, all I need is the word. Don't give me what somebody else said, what does the word say? If you give me the word I can be encouraged.”

“Elizabeth is getting ready to bring forth her promise. We see in the text that the Bible says—read it for yourself cause this word caught me off guard, prophet Martise—it said Elizabeth was full time, not full term. Do you hear me? Time had fully come for her, time had fully fulfilled itself. My God, it says Elizabeth was full time.”

“You gotta be between the doors praising me and worshiping me. You gotta be between the doors believing that I can do it. You gotta be between the doors giving me glory and honor. You gotta be between the doors not wavering in your faith. You gotta be between the doors being excited about what he said even though you don't see it yet.”

“When you agree with the word, when you come into alignment with God, there is just no way you can lose. To somebody else it may not make sense, to somebody else, but I'm here to tell you to go with God.”

“Sometimes we glorify certain positions and gifts, talents and abilities, but all of them—somebody say all of them—are necessary and listen at this, all of them are important. He sent to the wilderness, to a desert dry place to prepare the way for somebody else. God trusts you with an assignment where you're not the first chair.”

“There a proper way, a proper posture to be between the doors. Say will you complain and murmur or will you still press your way and give me praise? Will you cry and complain or will you say Lord I trust you?”

“God is not bound by time. He steps into time to manifest the promise where he performs, but one day to God it's not the same as it is to man. But what he wants to know is how will you stand in the hallway between the doors? My God, I felt that thing.”

“The way that you stand in the hallway between the doors is going to determine how long you're in the waiting room. Some things are painful, some of us want spouses, some of us want our money that's held up—I'm claiming it in the name of Jesus—because our posture is going to change today between the doors.”

“Whatever your need is today, I want us to have a Romans 12 and 2 mind. We've got to be renewed in our mind right now in this moment so that God can trust us to perform. Does anybody want to see God perform? Does anybody want to see manifest in the natural what's already done in the earth, in the heavens? It's time for heaven and earth to reconcile, but it's up to our posture between the doors.”

“He said his word does not return void. If we send it out and believe it, I want you to get on your mind what that thing is, but here's the challenge today and it's going to determine your faith. Will you have enough faith to speak it audibly into the atmosphere? Will you have enough faith because we understand what happens with our words—when we speak them and believe in faith, something has to happen.”

“All I'm doing is praying with you, I'm not praying for you, hear me. I've got my own prayers to pray. Sometimes folks think the preacher don't need nothing. Preacher needs something too, so I'm praying my prayer, we're going to all pray our prayers, but what we're going to do is we're going to agree together.”

“While we are between the doors we will begin to give you praise. While we're between the doors we will begin to give you praise. While we're the one that performs, God, you're the one that can do it. God, you're the one that does not fail. God, you're the one that is able to do it, to do it, to do it. We thank you right now. We thank you in this moment. We consecrate this.”

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