Prepare for Breakthrough

2 Chronicles 20:14–21 NIV84

14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. 15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ” 18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. 20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

1. Position Yourself for Victory

I was watching the Spurs game. Chris Paul passed the ball to Sochan but he was not in the right position to score. Chris Paul explained to Sochan what he needed to do in order to get the score. Later in the game, Chris Paul passed the ball to Sochan, however, this time, he was in the right position to get his breakthrough.

A. Stand in Faith

2 Chronicles 20:17 “17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ””

Importance of maintaining a stance of faith

B. Humble Yourself Before God

James 4:10 - "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

The power of spiritual submission

C. Seek Divine Guidance

Proverbs 3:5–6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Follow God's direction

2. Prepare Your Heart

A. Purify Your Motives

Psalm 51:10 “10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Examining our intentions

B. Release Past Hurts

Philippians 3:13-14 - "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead."

Letting go of past disappointments

C. Expectancy is the breeding ground for Breakthrough

Hebrews 11:1 “1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Develope spiritual anticipation

3. Practice Persistent Prayer

A. Pray with Purpose

1 John 5:14–15 “14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Strategic prayer

B. Fast with Focus

Matthew 17:20–21 “20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

The power of dedicated fasting

C. Maintain Consistency

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."

Building a lifestyle of prayer

4. Present Your Praise

A. Praise Before Victory

2 Chronicles 20:21 “21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.””

Preemptive praise

B. Proclaim God's Faithfulness

Psalm 89:1 “1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.”

Testimony and declaration

C. Worship in Warfare

Acts 16:25–26 “25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”

Using praise as a weapon

Conclusion (5 minutes)

True breakthrough requires positioning ourselves correctly, preparing our hearts, maintaining persistent prayer, and presenting continual praise. Like Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, when we follow these principles, we position ourselves for God's supernatural intervention.

Altar Call Points

Prayer for proper positioning before God

Prayer for heart preparation and purification

Prayer for consistency in spiritual disciplines

Prayer for breakthrough in specific areas