But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. – Exodus 1:12
Nothing can stop divine growth. When the Egyptians set taskmasters over the children of Israel to afflict them, they wanted to hinder the Israelites’ growth. They assumed that their hard labor in building cities would stop them from building their own families. They believed the children of Israel would be so tired, so wiped out, so weak they would not be healthy; and therefore, unable to bear children.
The enemy causes warfare in our lives to stop us from being fruitful and multiplying. We become weary, lose motivation and passion. We sense our fire is diminishing. Our first thought often points to ourselves. We wonder what is wrong with us; why we are not more motivated; why our passion isn’t there; and so on. But it’s not us; it’s the continual warfare that wears us out so we would quit. But at that moment, the opposite happens!
The Holy Spirit quickens, strengthens us, and brings restoration. This scripture tells us that the more the taskmasters afflicted the children of Israel, the more they multiplied and grew. We too grow like a palm tree. The more the weight comes upon us, the more we grow! Our fruitfulness and multiplication are unstoppable. During persecution and afflictions, divine growth flourishes, from glory to glory!