AGLOW Asia Regional Conference
25-26 September 2026
ADVANCE AND OVERCOME
By Nancy McDaniel
I am so glad to join you via video for this beautiful conference. I just wish I could be with you personally to greet you with a hug and to hear the many stories of what God is doing in your lives, what's going on in your lives these days, what He's doing in Aglow in your nations.
Many of you have become dear friends over the years, and I am eager to make some new friends, too.
Advance and overcome. That's a powerful conference theme. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will meet you in a very special way to encourage you, to strengthen you, to give you fresh vision. I pray that God will lift you up and cause you to overcome every obstacle that has held you back from the blessings and fruitfulness that God has for you.
I've been thinking about a scripture in Habakkuk 1:5. That scripture says, "Look among the nations and watch. Be utterly astounded, for I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you."
In this scripture, I am greatly inspired to a higher level of faith.
Wow. God says He will do things that amaze us. He will bring breakthrough in our lives and in our nations. He will do miracles that require our faith to grow and to stretch for us to even believe all that He will do.
Right now, I release that word over you. Is there a situation in your life? Is there a situation in your nation?
God says to you today, "Be astounded, because I am going to do something great in your life." Just receive that.
There is one word in this scripture that especially caught my attention. That word is "watch." The scripture says, "Look and watch." So I asked the Lord, "What shall I watch for?"
And I feel the Lord showed me four things to watch for. I want to share those with you today.
First, watch for something that we haven't seen before. Hmm. Isaiah says, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old." The Lord is telling us, "Don't watch for something old. Don't watch for me to do something in the same way I did it in the past, and don't be limited by the past."
Then verse 19 says, "Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." The Lord is telling us here to watch for something new, something we have not seen Him do before now.
Expect God to do something new in your life. Expect God to do something new in Aglow in your nation. Expect Him to do something new in your family. Watch for something that you haven't seen before.
Two, watch for something that only God can do.
Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."
Watch for a solution that you can't even imagine in your own mind. What do you need God to do?
Think of the most fantastic way God could answer your prayer, and then think bigger. If you could solve all the problems, you would do that. You would just take care of things yourself. But we need God to do what we cannot do.
Zechariah 4:6, this is a familiar scripture. It says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord of Host. Watch for something that only God can do.
Three, watch for a miracle. Watch for a God-sized solution. 1 Kings 18 tells us a story of a miracle in Israel. It's a fantastic story. I encourage you to go back and read 1 Kings 17 and 18 and let the Holy Spirit speak to you through this story.
They had a difficult situation. There was a drought. No rain. No rain in Israel, which caused a famine. No food. So people were starving.
When Elijah prayed on Mount Carmel, that's a wonderful story. Remember how the prophets of Baal cut themselves and prayed and danced and
asking for their god to answer by fire, and no fire came.
Elijah prayed a simple prayer, and God showed up by showing His power, sending fire to consume the sacrifice Elijah offered to God. That was fantastic.
But the people of Israel still needed rain. They still needed food for the people. They still needed a miracle. So Elijah got down on his knees and prayed for a God-sized miracle.
The Bible tells us that he sent his servant to watch for the miracle. Six times, his servant reported that he didn't see any miracle. But then, on the seventh time, hmm, there's a message for us in this. Not only should we watch for a miracle, but keep watching for the miracle.
On the seventh time, the servant said, "I see a cloud in the size of a man's hand." Now, that didn't seem like a very big miracle.
But as the servant watched, as he continued to watch for a God-sized miracle, that cloud grew into a God-sized solution. It became a mighty cloud that brought more than enough rain to end the famine and feed the people. A God-sized solution saved the nation.
Watch for a miracle, a God-sized solution.
Finally, watch for the light of God's glory. Isaiah 60, verses one and two, another familiar scripture.
The scripture says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you."
This is the Isaiah 60 era. It is a time of the greatest light of the glory of the Lord, but it is also a time of deep spiritual darkness throughout the world. This deep spiritual darkness touches all of our lives in some way.
And I want to tell you today, do not be afraid of the darkness. Do not focus on the darkness. Do not watch the darkness.
While we can't ignore the darkness, the problems in this world, look up. Set your eyes on the goodness of God.
Watch for the light of God's glory. Don't watch for the darkness. Don't become discouraged. Don't let the darkness overtake you, but watch for the light of God's glory. This scripture says that His glory will be seen upon you. So right now, Holy Spirit, would you come and wash away any darkness, any depression, any hopelessness that is weighing us down or clouding our eyes?
Come, Holy Spirit, let your glory rest upon us. Let your glory fall upon each one hearing this message right now. Let your glory fall upon each of our nations in the Asia region. Let there be a breakthrough, a breakthrough through the darkness that seems to be in these nations, and let your glory rest upon your people. Let your glory be seen. We are watching for the light of your glory.
Lord, anoint each one of our Aglow sisters and our brothers who are here in this conference. Let there be a breakthrough of the light of your glory. Let there be a breakthrough through Aglow in each nation.
Nations where Aglow is not yet established in Asia, let there be a breakthrough of the light of the glory of God.
We are watching for your glory, Lord. Hallelujah. I pray God's blessing upon each one of you. I pray your faith rises to new levels to watch, to expect the goodness of God.
Now, in these next few hours and next few days, as you share in times of fellowship and pray together, watch for the glory. Watch for the light of God's glory upon each other. His word says that His glory is upon you.
Be encouraged by the glory of God that each one of you carries. God has great things for you. God has great things for your nation. God has great things for Aglow Asia.
God bless you. I love you. We are in this together.
Nancy McDaniel
President
Aglow International USA