“A Year of Breakthrough”
Notes
Transcript
Our Year of Breakthrough
Our Year of Breakthrough
Opening . . .
2024: “Our year of breakthrough”
Breakthrough: spiritual power encounter
Only what God can do
What is our part in gaining breakthrough?
20 years ago:
What do I want to do with my life?
“To pastor a life-giving church”
What is “life-giving”?
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 61
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and freedom to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of our God’s vengeance;
to comfort all who mourn,
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,
and splendid clothes instead of despair.
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the LORD
to glorify him.
Initially, I focused on the tasks:
To preach
To heal
To proclaim
“Who are you becoming?”
Become “rich” where I am “poor”
Become healed where I am broken
Become free where I am bound
Who we are determines what we do.
Our actions are a reflection of our beliefs.
Where am I not taking action?
Where I am not taking action has more to do with my beliefs than my abilities.
Our beliefs are a reflection of our choices.
I choose my beliefs
My choices are shaped by my perceptions
Wrong perceptions create resistance
Where is your resistance?
External: people, situations, resources
Internal: beliefs, choices, process of becoming
Transition. . . A man who needed breakthrough
A crowd
Pharisees
Friends
Breakthrough
English Standard Version (Luke 5:17-26)
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
17 On one of those days, as [Jesus]was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.
18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
“Pharisees in the crowd” . . .
The Pharisees wanted to control Jesus
A Pharisee heart is oriented to ongoing control.
Obstructions aren’t always from the devil.
Gaining breakthrough will alter the dynamic of our relationships.
How can we identify our Pharisees?
“Reason”
“Who is this man?”
“Who is able?”
“Authority”
In order for us to gain breakthrough, we can’t allow Pharisees to control who we become.
“The power of the Lord” . . .
Lack of power is never the issue.
The problem is never on God’s side.
If we are not receiving the promised breakthrough for our lives, we must stop and ask “why”.
Hitting resistance:
They were unable to get to Jesus
Their resistance was external that could have turned internal
“We have to access the power that is available.”
Refusing to take “no” as final
In order to gain breakthrough, I must become a climber.
“Don’t go it alone” . . .
Breakthrough doesn’t happen in isolation.
We need friends who will help us get to Jesus.
The start of breakthrough for the paralyzed man was in the hands of his friends.
He didn’t have the strength or ability to get to Jesus on his own.
Good friends get us to Jesus.
In order to gain breakthrough, I must become a friend.
Jesus saw their faith . . .
Make your faith visible.
Worrying about what people will think makes your faith invisible.
Breakthrough will require digging.
We dig into our perceptions and beliefs.
We dig into our attitudes.
We dig into our relationships.
We dig into the tender places that have been allowed to live in darkness by bringing them into the light of Christ.
Being willing to do whatever it takes to get to Jesus makes your faith visible.
In order to gain breakthrough, I must become a digger.
Immediately he rose up . . .
When God speaks, obey.
Jesus said it with the full expectation of the man responding.
The man heard.
What is Jesus saying to you?
The man responded.
To hear means to obey.
We don’t just listen for the sake of gaining information; we hear for the sake of response.
The man received his breakthrough.
When he heard, and when he responded, he received.
I don’t believe he would have received his breakthrough if he would have remained lying down.
At this point, his friends couldn’t do it for him. He had to get up in response to Jesus.
In order to gain breakthrough, I must take action.
Where do you want breakthrough in your life for 2024?
Separate yourselves from “Pharisees.”
Get the right friends around you.
Don’t take no as an answer.
Do whatever it takes.
Choose to believe.
Take action.
Response: Get specific
What is the specific area of breakthrough you want for 2024?
Write it down.
Get it to Jesus.
Take action.