To ‘stretch’ means to lengthen, extend, or spread; to make demands on one’s capacity or resources, or to make the maximum use of something.
When God is in the stretch, the stretch makes room for the miracle:
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left…’ (Isaiah 54:2-3a)
Some things only become possible when we stretch and make room for enlargement. These include personal growth, provision, new people, transformation, and new levels.
I believe God is speaking to those of you who are facing, or who have been in, a season of stretching. You may feel you are being extended as far as you can go. Hear your Father saying:
“As you are faithful to allow the stretching at My word, know that you are not going to break. You will see the miracle of enlargement.”
1. The Stretch Shifts You Out of the Comfort Zone.
In Matthew 14 we read of a time Jesus sent His disciples out in their boat, where they would face a storm:
‘…The boat was in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”’ (Matt 14:24-29)
Comfort zones in our lives are like Peter’s boat—small, familiar and comfortable places that we can handle ourselves until a storm arises and shakes us out of our complacency.
So long as we are in our comfort zone, we do not need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We can work and live in our strength.
However, God has a way of positioning His purpose for our lives outside our comfort zone.
2. The Miracle is in the Stretch when the Stretch is at God’s Word.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Matt 14:28-29)
The miracle is in the stretch when we get out of our comfort zone and into the obedience zone.
What does saying ‘yes’ to Jesus look like to you right now? Is the Holy Spirit bringing something to mind?
3. Saying ‘Yes’ to the Stretch Requires Faith
Peter jumped out of the boat because at that moment, he saw himself in his mind’s eye, walking on the water with Jesus.
A God-sized stretch requires faith—because there is no natural way we could do what God says.
There is an element of impossibility.
In the same way that something has been stretched and does not go back to its former condition, God says “There is a new normal for you.”
- You have attempted new things. Your faith has grown.
- The miracle is in the stretch. You have experienced it and you will experience it again.
4. There is Grace in the Stretch
‘But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”'(Matt 14:25-29)
Sometimes, we are filled with faith. At other times, we are tempted to notice the difficulties surrounding us more than we do of Jesus. Like Peter did, we can waiver.
When you falter and fall—you can receive the embrace of grace.
I love the story of Bruce Marchiano, the actor who played the part of Jesus in The Visual Bible—Matthew movie.
The scene when Peter walked towards Jesus on the water dramatically impacted Marchiano. As he watched the actor playing Peter walking toward him, a deep love rose in his heart. He later said,
“He looked so clumsy in such a good way… He was trying so hard to be good. When Jesus said, “You of little faith,” can’t you read between the lines and hear Him say, “O you of little faith – you lovable and beautiful man!?” I believe Jesus was thinking, ‘What a pleasure to have this man love Me so much!’” [2]
Consequently, in the movie scene, when Peter gets distracted, looks at the wind and waves, and begins to sink, Jesus picks Peter up, laughs, and embraces him.
Bruce Marchiano’s depiction of Jesus reminds us that even when we get straight off the starter’s block of obedience to Jesus, and get distracted, or fail and fall flat on our face–Jesus is still there to pick us up, dust us off and rejoice that we still want to stay on track and be with Him.
5. There is a Revelation of who God is (to you) that you will only receive in the Stretch!
When Jesus sent the disciples out in the boat to face a storm, God was engineering circumstances to bring them a deeper revelation of Who Jesus is.
By the end of this story, the disciples are worshiping, acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God!
There is a revelation of God that you will receive in the stretch that you could not receive any other way.
Jesus desires to reveal Himself to you—His faithfulness, power, and intimate love for you.
It is time to say ‘Yes’ to the stretch.
Notes:
[1] Some thoughts from this prophetic teaching are drawn from my eBook, ‘How to be a Supernatural Christian in Your Everyday World’, which is available from our online store.
[2] My source for this quote was an article in Charisma magazine dated September 1995, called ‘The Jesus Who Smiles.’ www.charismamag.com
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© 2015 Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
Enliven Ministries: Prophetic Ministry for a Revival Generation
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.
Almost 5 years ago I heard Holy Spirit say, “I am going to begin a new cycle in your life.” I had no idea what that meant. About 6 months later ( through a number of Spirit lead circumstances) I started road “cycling”. One of the things I now need to do is “stretch” my muscles this helps me recover, become more flexible and enables me to go further for longer without getting sore and tired, stretching helps me endure. It is vital that I stretch in this new cycle, I can get fit quickly and build muscle quickly but to become flexible through stretching takes a lot longer.
I think in this season, like Peter stepping out of the boat, we must keep our focus on Jesus as he calls us, otherwise we may find ourselves being overwhelmed with the storms going on around us, and start to get that sinking feeling.
Great article, thanks Helen.
Thanks David, that’s such a great illustration about stretching to go further!
You are so right about keeping our eyes upon Jesus, I think the natural reflex when faced with a challenge, even one from God, is to first look to ourselves to see how we feel or whether we are capable. As soon as we recognise that we are doing that, we should re-fix our eyes on Jesus, where we should be looking. Thank you for that very insightful prompt, David. You’ve given me food for thought today! :-)
Dear Helen, thank you again for this very encouraging and strengthening Prophetic Teaching from the Heart of GOD. I too have a testimony about GOD stretching me, I have written it as a poem. I also think a Butterfly emerging out of its cocoon, with Beautiful New Wings to fly, or a little Bird breaking out of its shell, and learning how to fly for the very first time is a good example.
When the Storm is raging all around, when I feel that I cannot See
This One Thing I Know, JESUS Calms the Storm in me
JESUS Resurrects NEW STRENGTH in me
I will NOT be Shaken, and I will NOT be Moved by the raging Winds of the Storm
I will Abide Under the Shadow of The ALMIGHTY
My Heart will Dwell in the Presence of the KING
I will Focus the EYES of my Heart on JESUS my KING
And I WILL DECLARE the WORD of GOD OVER me
I will Declare the STRENGTH of GOD to Carry me, and I will walk in VICTORY
Casting every Care and Concern at the Feet of JESUS
The Peace of GOD will Cover me, through every Storm, I will walk in VICTORY
Yes, JESUS Calms the Storm in me
The Strength of GOD will CARRY me
Through Every Season of my Life you See
My GOD is GREAT, and HE is STRONG
HE fills my Heart with a New Melody, HE fills my Mouth with a New Song
HE Speaks “PEACE” into me, and gives me STRENGTH and VICTORY
Poem by Irene Kyriacou
Those are such great examples Irene, I love the imagery of the butterfly stretching its wings after emerging from the chrysalis.
Thank you for your powerful poem – your words are always inspiring, may your gift continue in anointing and touch many!
This is so beautifully expressed.- It helped me today!- thank you sis in Christ for sharing.- God Bless You!
Hi Helen,
I experienced this before when I attended one Saturday prayer. No one was going to the alter, so I ask the Lord what’s in the front/altar that I wanted to know. I hear a small voice, “you really want know?”, I reply, ” yes, I do”, the small voice says, ” ok then come and find out what’s in the front that people won’t experience”. As I’m walking towards the front, it feels like there’s a curtain that I need to stick my hands and open slowly. Bey I on the curtains, electricity starts flowing around, once reach the altar, I started to receive gifts that God has for me. I see these gifts waiting for those who are willing to receive unconditionally. I hear the voice saying, “these gift are for my children and yet they need to come forward, ask and it shall be given, but it seems like they don’t want them, so I need to give it to someone else who really needs them”. I said to Him, “so, this is what or
how it feels like when you enter the a1lar. wow, this is awesome! started to laugh, cry”. once, I accepted those gifts, I started to walk out of the altar, shake my head meaning- I can’t believe on what they are missing and what kind of gifts the Lord God has for them if they only step out of their comfort zone.
A wonderful testimony, Julio!
Hi Helen,
I just finished reading the article on the “Prophetic Insight: The Miracle is in the Stretch”.
There’s a section that caught my attention :
? 4. There is Grace in the Stretch
‘But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”'(Matt 14:25-29)
? Peter jumped out of the boat because in that moment, he saw himself in his mind’s eye, walking on the water with Jesus.
Is this similar to when you’re at church service, while praise and worship, no one goes to the altar, suddenly you see or get a vision that you’re being called to pass to front when no one is?
The reason I ask this because lately I’ve been seeing that while praise and worship is going on. I understand there’s order in the house of God.
if it is then I must try it to obey and find out on what’s in the altar during praise and worship.
God bless
Julio Saucedo
On January 23, 2026, I received an email for your blog post about expansion. I felt lead to click on the link at the end that lead me to this post. The week prior to reading this, my husband and I joined our church for a week of prayer and fasting. During that time we were seeking the Lord on whether or not to adopt the two children that we are currently fostering. We already adopted two others a few years ago and I did not want to adopt again…..but my prayer during the fast was “Lord I do not want to adopt, but what do YOU want?” When I got to the part on this post where you said
“The miracle is in the stretch when we get out of our comfort zone and into the obedience zone.
What does saying ‘yes’ to Jesus look like to you right now? Is the Holy Spirit bringing something to mind?”
I prayed right then quietly in my heart “Lord are you telling us to expand our tent pegs and adopt these kids?” At that exact moment, my 5 year old son said, from his bedroom while playing with toys “no fear!!!”. Just those words….out of nowhere! He was singing the Jon Reddick song No Fear. I knew right then that God was telling me to say yes. Ever since then, He has completely changed my heart and actually given me excitement and anticipation for adopting the 9 year old boy and his 4 year old sister. God is good. I just wanted to share how He used this post to speak to me! Thank you for your always encouraging blog posts.
What a wonderful testimony Melissa,
God’s blessing, abundance, be over your precious family