Power for The Middle

October 11, 2026 (Speaker: Teonna Thurmond)

And we’re back! The Due Date series is running full steam ahead.

Every single Sunday, God has been bringing different voices to the mic to maintain the momentum of this season.

This week, our very own Minister Teonna Thurmond stepped up to the platform and met us in the tension between what God promised and what we’re currently looking at.

When a woman is carrying a child, we say she is expecting. But what happens when the journey to that expected end doesn't look or feel like what you imagined?

Teonna brought a powerful word anchored in Jeremiah 29:11, breaking down how to navigate The Middle—the space between where you are and where God intends for you to be.

Let’s unpack it.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

—Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

We all know Jeremiah 29:11 by heart. The King James Version articulates that God’s thoughts toward us are to bring us to an "expected end." We know we can always trust what God says... but what happens in the middle?

Historically, whenever humanity has to sit in the waiting space, we get restless. And that restlessness almost always leads to rebellion, which subsequently leads to consequences.

That’s where we find Judah in Jeremiah 29. They had been taken captive by Babylon—and here’s the kicker: Babylon was God’s doing.

God had been wrestling with Israel's stubbornness for generations. So, in His sovereignty, God basically put them on a time-out. Look at what Isaiah prophesied 130 years before Jeremiah ever wrote "I know the plans":

“Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.” 

— Isaiah 2:5 (NIV)

“The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” — Isaiah 2:11 (NIV)

God was reminding them that He needed what He placed inside of them to walk in the light. But because their eyes became arrogant, He had to humble them.

The plans God has for your life aren't just about your personal comfort—there is an entire world that needs to be stewarded, and you are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Babylon represents the uncomfortable, humbling place where God will allow you to sit if you refuse to submit to His will. Sometimes, the hard season you’re in isn't an attack from the enemy—you’re just being prepared to become conducive to the Master's plan.

In case we forgot who's in charge, Isaiah 42:8 gives us a clear reminder:

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” — Isaiah 42:8 (NIV)

God is not having an identity crisis. He knows exactly who He is, and He knows what He's thinking concerning you!

It was actually God’s grace that prepared Babylon, because Israel desperately needed to get it together.

When you look at your current circumstances and realize they don't look anything like your "expected end," you have to step out of your own feelings and step into God's thoughts—because there is true peace in His perspective.

And honestly, who told you that the middle was evil?

The stretching you feel isn't evil, God is making room in you. Think about a pregnant woman who experiences nausea, labor pains, and discomfort; those aren't signs of destruction to her body, they are the natural symptoms of carrying.

You can't avoid the pain and discomfort that comes with what God placed inside you. The enemy will try his best to warp your perspective and make you feel shame for the pain you experience in seasons of stretching, as if you're somehow being punished. But you have to choose to believe what God says about you.

“Every time you accept God’s truth, you release the power of dominion in that area of your life.” — Teonna Thurmond

Then, Teonna dropped a truth bomb: True spiritual power only comes when you fully surrender your personal will to the Lord.

If the middle season feels unbearable, you might not have a warfare issue...you might have a will issue. You may be due for a "nevertheless" check up.

When you try to operate in spiritual power without that prerequisite, things go left real quick. Ask the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:11-20). Power doesn't come simply because you know about God, it comes when you completely surrender to His authority.

Look at how Jesus modeled this posture for us in the Garden of Gethsemane:

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’” — Luke 22:41-42 (NIV)

There will be moments in the middle where unexpected things surface that you were not prepared for, things that will make you feel afraid or backed into a corner. When that happens, you have to go back to God and re-submit your will for that very thing.

Notice what happened right after Jesus surrendered His will: the text says an angel appeared and strengthened Him. He received power to endure the cross.

“Surrendering your will will release the power you need to see the middle differently.” — Teonna Thurmond

What does appropriate heart posture look like? Teonna pictured it as being seated with your arms stretched out—a physical symbol of total surrender.

When your arms are stretched wide open, you can't grab the steering wheel. When you maintain the right posture before God, you relinquish the need to be in control.

Look at the Apostle Paul: his middle season was filled with shipwrecks, beatings, and prison cells. Yet he had supernatural power for the middle because his will was completely surrendered to God.

We get so caught up complaining about what God is requiring from us that we completely lose sight of what He is trying to give us: hope and a future.

Yes, the middle is uncomfortable. Yes, the labor pains are real. But the process is producing something eternal.

“There will be many due dates, and each one will get you closer to the expected end.” — Teonna Thurmond

Don't panic in the middle. Surrender your will, stretch out your hands, and trust the God who holds the blueprint for your expected end.