Anointed Breakthroughs

Today’s message speaks of the steps necessary for tomorrow’s victory. We know the ultimate victory comes by the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 12:10–11 “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

We have the victory in Jesus. We have the victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world! The Word of God says we have the victory, and that the victory comes by the blood of the lamb!

I am going to ask everyone to stand for the reading of the word! Hebrews 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

In the book of Joshua, we see the death of Moses and the son of nun, who assumes leadership of the nation of wanderers. For 40 years, the children of Israel wandered the wilderness where there was a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, guiding them and protecting them. We see the nation of Israel cross the Jordan River, and the banks dry up to let them through.

Victory Unbeknownst

So many times we see an upcoming battle, and it is necessary for us to prepare for the battle, but so many times - prior to the seen battle, the visible war, there has been a conquering, a victory unknown to us. Joshua 5:1 “And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.”

Scripture says that when the news of the children of Israel came to the kings of the Canaanites, the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan so that the children of Israel could pass to their land. Their hearts melted. Immediately, we see a loss in their fighting spirits.

See, we get so focused on an upcoming battle that we do not realize the victory given to us by our mighty God. How many times have we walked into a situation thinking we were defeated when, unbeknownst to us, God gave us a victory to get us in the ring?

Think about that; it is like a world heavyweight championship match. Two contenders enter the ring, and each one has to earn a victory just to qualify for the championship match.

We see a looming obstacle in our way, and we get focused on what is coming, that we do not give praise to God for the victories it took for us to get there. The WoG says theirs hearts melted and their spirits were not in them anymore.

If only we could shift our perspective from what is coming to the victories God has given us, which are very likely unknown to us. Can I get an amen!?

Crossing the Jordan is a picture of crossing over from the old life to a new life, from the defeated life to a victorious life. Think about that the Israelites lived a defeated life.

a life of enslavement, oppresion, persecution, and suffering

a life of complaining, grumbling, murmuring, and unbelief

a life of distrust and lust, feeding the flesh

a life of turning away from God and rebellion

a life given over to idolatry and false worship

But, on the other side of the Jordan River, what was a life of worldliness, immorality, lawlessness, pride, arrogance, and selfishness was a life walking in new beginnings, a life walking in victory, a life walking in the promised land.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom_6:6). But symbolically, as we cross over the Jordan River into our new lives, we must put on the new man, the new person. “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luk_1:74-75).

Resanctification

In Joshua 5:2, “At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.” Joshua 5:3 “And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.” Joshua 5:4 “And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.”

We see in these passages a reckoning of sorts between the passing of time and obedience, going back to Genesis 17, where God made a covenant with Abraham of circumcision.

Joshua 5:6 “For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.”

See, before God would allow his people to conquer Jericho, there had to be a spiritual surrender of sorts that placed them directly under God’s protection, provision, and purpose. Before God allowed his people to conquer Jericho, they had to be conquered. So, God commanded Joshua to circumcise his people. This created a posture from which God would use the Israelites to drive out the enemies of the promised land.

How true is this for us today? Before God can use us, we have to surrender ourselves to his will.

Jericho was a fortress city; it was the symbol of the enemy’s strength and power. It was made up of men and women wholly given up to idol worship. This city stood directly opposed to Israel’s inheritance. This city had great walls that spoke of its great strength, and it had a reputation for being indestructible. Impassable. And to the Israelites, it was unavoidable.

As Christians, we will inevitably face confrontation in our lives. Physical and spiritual! Just as Isaiah told King Hezekiah to get his house in order, God requires sanctification through us, which is given to us by the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and through the redeeming power of the Holy Spirit.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Co_5:17).

Provision and Worship

After the sanctification of the Israelites, we see the Israelites celebrate Passover, and something happens, something changes dramatically. In Joshua 5:12 “And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” The WoG reveals that the fruit of the land replaced God's supernatural provision for the Israelites. Here we see that God’s supernatural provision of last season is not always meant for us in the new season of our lives. That means, what was meant for yesterday is not always meant for tomorrow but the promise of provision never changes. Can I get an Amen?! The provision was replaced by land of milk and honey!

So often the provision of our yesterday ceases, and we get scared and we replace our faith with unbelief and lack of trust.

Joshua 5:13 “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” Joshua 5:14 “And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?” Joshua 5:15 “And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”

We see here an encounter with Joshua and the Lord of Hosts. When Joshua was by Jericho, planning, preparing, and scouting. In other words, all of the things that we do in ourselves, instead of trusting God. Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.” We see the Angel of the Lord, appear, we see worship occur by Joshua and we see a place that was natural become supernatural. The location of the encounter with Lord of Hosts became holy!

When we surrender ourselves to God, and worship him, and give him praise - there is a real change in our lives and in that moment - the Holy Spirit is with us bearing witness of Jesus in the midst of us. Worship is the atmosphere for the conception of the miraculous: It was to the shoulders of barefooted priests that God entrusted the ark of his presence. To possess our spiritual inheritance, we must become barefooted, meaning, no personal agenda, no selfish ambitions; given up to the plans purpose and will of God. It symbolizes an exchanged life, my plans for his plans, my will for his will, and my desires for his desires.

In Joshua 6:1 “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.” Joshua 6:2 “And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.” We see in this passage the Lord of Hosts tells Joshua, that the defeat of Jericho is in the hands of Joshua. In other words, God is saying here the battle you are about to fight, the ring you are about to enter, God says I have already defeated the enemy. What a promise!?

I don’t know what walls of difficulties you may be facing today, but I can tell you this, God is looking for barefoot worshippers. Instead of griping and grumbling and complaining about the problems in your life, just take your shoes off and worship. Get back to the basics. Rediscover your first love. When one bad report after another had reached Jobs ears, and he had lost everything. Job kept is identity in worship. Scripture says,Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”(Job 1:20-21.)

Obedience is the Key!

A main point I want to emphasize here is Obedience is the key.

In Joshua 6:3–5 “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”

God gave direction to Joshua, they were not suggestions, they were his commandments, and their victory was totally reliant upon their obedience. You have to work with the Word.

What were the commands? You shall go around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day, there shall be 7 trumpets made of rams horns, bore before the Ark, and the men of war shall compass the city seven times on the seventh day and the priests shall blow the trumpets. As the trumpets are blown, the people shall shout, and then the people of Israel shall ascend into Jericho when the walls come down.

In Joshua 6:16 “And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.”

There comes a time, when you know you have lifted your eyes above your problem, and you have taken off your shoes and stood barefooted and worshipped God, and you have aligned yourself with God, and obeyed his voice. And you have learned how to speak only that which builds up and edifies. Then all that’s left is to shout. Not because everything looks right or sounds right or feels right, but because God has said the victory is yours. “ this is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith.”

Praise is faith expressed audibly. Faith has a voice. Faith calls those things, which be not as though they were, and those things that be as though they were not. Faith hears God say it’s done, it’s finished, and sees God make it done and shouts because it believes it’s done. I’m talking to someone who needs a breakthrough. A breakthrough is a victory over or through a wall or an obstacle anything that presents a united front of opposition against you and the will of God for your life.

Everybody needs a break-through at some point in his or her life. Every one of us will come to some place in our lives where we face something that presents itself before us as a united unbroken wall of opposition.

The good news is that Our God is the God of the break through. He is the chain breaker, and the stronghold shatter.

To break through, to burst through, to breach.

To break down, make a breach in, to burst open.

To break into, to break up, to break open, break in pieces. To be a breaker.

To break out violently, to break over limits, and to break through by the increase of El Shaddai, El Elyon, the God of the Most High.

Our God is more than the God of breath throughs. In Luke 3:4–6 “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Micah 2:13 “The breaker is come up before them: They have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: And their king shall pass before them, And the Lord on the head of them.”

Our God breaks through and breaks up, and is the breaker of the enemy! Can I get an Amen!? In other words: there is the anointed presence of the breaker that shatters through anything, prisons doors open, chains and shackles loosed, and anything that the enemy has tried to lift up against us is destroyed because of the anointing! Jesus said: upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. All the united power and opposition of hell put together will not be able to stop the movement and progress of my anointed breakers. Isaiah 10:27 “And it shall come to pass in that day, That his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, And his yoke from off thy neck, And the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal_5:1).

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal_6:9).

Benediction

Joshua 6:20 “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” Amen!!!

Communion

Matthew 26:26–28 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Altar Call