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I Can’t Believe This Happened – Dr. Jamal Bryant – Sunday, December 7

Written on . Posted in Sermon Notes.

Scripture: Luke 1:34–35

Overview

This service marked Dr. Jamal Bryant’s 7-year pastoral anniversary at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The sermon focused on God’s power to do the unbelievable, using Mary’s question—“How will this be?”—to teach about faith, purpose, miracles, and obedience.

Key Themes & Teaching Points

Chosen Without Explanation
Mary was selected without Scripture listing credentials or reasons, showing that God’s favor doesn’t require human approval or explanation. People may question why God’s hand is on you, but God’s choosing is sovereign.

Favor Comes With Complications
Mary’s calling came with real complications: she was a virgin and engaged. Dr. Bryant taught that God is not intimidated by complications and often uses them so it is clear the outcome is God’s doing, not human perfection.

Your “Why” Unlocks Your Power
Many people stall because they have not discovered their purpose. Knowing your “why” fuels endurance, confidence, and spiritual authority. Dr. Bryant declared that for some, this would be the day they discover why they were born.

Supernatural Partnership
The Holy Spirit would do what a man could not do, pointing to miracles that happen through divine proclamation rather than human participation. When God speaks a thing, it must come to pass.

Protection Matters
God could trust Mary’s connection because Joseph protected what she carried. Many miss blessings not because they can’t carry them, but because they are connected to people who won’t protect their calling, reputation, or assignment.

Push Through the Pain
Mary’s delivery showed that anointing does not remove pain. Purposeful assignments can hurt, but the instruction is to push, and the community of faith helps believers deliver what God placed inside them.

Prophetic Declaration

Dr. Bryant led the congregation to practice a declaration for the coming weeks:
“I can’t believe this happened.”
He connected it to testimonies of healing, restoration, reversals, reconciliation, and breakthroughs that will feel unbelievable.

Ministry & Church Highlights

The church celebrated seven years of leadership, noting progress in reducing New Birth’s debt from $43 million to $10 million. A faith goal was launched to raise $1 million toward debt reduction, with $431,000 already collected. Dr. Bryant also introduced the Sons of Gideon rites-of-passage program for young men and observed HIV/AIDS Awareness Sunday, offering education and testing to help break stigma.

Closing Message

Some people are not assigned to every chapter of your life, yet you can still deliver what God promised. The call was to obey God’s instructions, trust the process, and push through pressure until the promise manifests—until you can honestly say, “I can’t believe this happened.”