The Lord breaks through
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The passage we will read this morning takes place about seven years after the death of Saul. Several important events have taken place.
David was crowned king of the southern two tribes, Benjamin and Judah. Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was crowned king of the norther ten tribes. David’s capital was in Hebron, south of Jerusalem. Ishbosheth’s capital was in Mahanaim, a city in present day Jordon, west of the Jordon River and just south of the Sea of Galilee.
There was an ongoing battle between the two sides with David gaining the upper hand.
Ishbosheth was murdered and David killed his killers. David mourned for Ishbosheth. His mourning for Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, paved the way for the northern ten tribes to ask David to be their king. David agreed and unified the nation. He attacked and conquered Jerusalem and set up his capital there.
The Philistines saw that David was king. Earlier, David had gone to the Philistines for safety. When Achish offered to let him go to battle with him, David agreed, but the commanders in the Philistine armies didn’t want David fighting against Saul. They didn’t trust him.
Now Saul is dead, his son is dead and David is king, they come against him in battle.
That becomes the background for our text this morning.
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
This morning I want to focus on the name given to that place of battle, Baal-perazim.
Baal was a local deity of the Canaanites. As time goes on, Israel describes Baal as a false God, a god in opposition to the God of the Old Testament.
Baal means master. It was used as a term for husband. It was also used as a term for an archer. An archer was a master arrow person.
In this context, Baal is used to describe the God of the Bible. The Gaithers wrote in a song called, “There’s Something About that Name, that he is “master, savior, Jesus...”
So Baal can be just a generic word for God that identifies him a master.
Perazim means to break through.
So in this battle theLord breaks through.
Baal-perazim.
Some of us need the Lord to break through.
Baal-perazim The master breaks through or the Lord breaks through.
Our hearts are going cold. We have lost our first love. Spiritual things are important to us, but other things are more important and are screaming for our attention. We have our own lives to live. We have other people to please. We have voices from our past that are still speaking to us today.
Some need a spiritual break-through in their marriage. Some need a spiritual break-through in their work environment. Some need a spiritual-breakthrough in their hearts.
We hear messages and teachers. We know a lot. We also are very aware that we are not doing what we know God wants us to do. As we look around, we may not see others doing what we know they should be doing.
We need the Lord to break through.
In looking at the life of David, we learn something about how the Lord can break through in our lives. If we were to write down these observations and go home and do them, we might find the break-through that we so desperately want.
But if you do, here are some observations from the life of David that will help you.
When and how does the Lord break through?
When and how does the Lord break through?
Here are some observations from the life of David that will help you. God can break though using other means, but David’s life is an example of someone who had a spiritual break through.
The Lord breaks through in the midst of a battle
The Lord breaks through in the midst of a battle
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.
David is about to engage in his first battle after becoming king of the unified country. This is his first test. One would hope that being a king would be an easy task. Tell people what to do, collect taxes and then live the easy life.
However, that is not reality. The reality is that in spite of God’s anointing, his blessings, and his provisions, we are in a battle.
If you want a spiritual break through by coming to church, it can happen. If you want a spiritual break through by attending a conference, you might find it taking place.
Most spiritual break throughs happen in times of battle. We find that our resources are not enough to win the battles, so we trust in the Lord.
The Lord breaks through someone who is willing to fight
The Lord breaks through someone who is willing to fight
And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
2 Samuel 5:
The second observation is that the Lord breaks through someone who is willing to fight.
We all agree that life is a battle. But some of you are worn out. Everything seems to be a battle. Some people might be really afraid of what would happen if they took God seriously in their lives. Some people are happy with their lives and don’t really want to change.
Whatever the cause, there will be no spiritual break-through unless you are willing to enter the battle.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Phil
This is the work of God in your life. First, God is working to make you willing. Second, God is working to put you to work. He wants you to work for his good pleasure.
Part of your battle may be resisting the work of the Holy Spirit that is trying to bring you to the point of willingness.
The Lord only breaks-through with those who are willing to enter the fight.
The Lord breaks through with those who engage in meaningful prayer
The Lord breaks through with those who engage in meaningful prayer
The Lord breaks through in response to prayer.
The Lord breaks through in response to prayer.
And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
What is prayer? In this context, prayer is a holy huddle with God in order to find out what he wants you to do. You go to God for direction. You don’t tell him what you want to do. You ask him what he wants you to do.
It’s in response to prayer
This prayer from a willing servant is the kind of prayer that brings spiritual break-throughs. I don’t know if David was eager to fight or not. He was a warrior. Yet, he had responsibility to the nation and to the soldiers not to needlessly put them in harms way. He only wants to fight if God is behind and in the fight with him. How does he know? He gets into a huddle with God and asks him, “Should I fight or not?”
There is a time to fight and a time to refrain from fighting. David wants to know God’s will on this matter.
The Lord breaks through when his people obey the Word of God
The Lord breaks through when his people obey the Word of God
And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.
David went and fought. He didn’t ask for a second opinion. He didn’t listen to God and then go do his own thing. David responded in obedience.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
-26
The whole purpose of Christ’s death was to bring about the obedience of faith! David obeyed because he believed. God wants us to trust him enough to do what he says how he says to do it.
David was in a battle. He was willing to fight. He prayed to the Lord about what to do. When he received the answer, he did it.
The result?
The result?
And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.
The result was that the Lord broke through the lines of the Philistines and brought victory to David and Israel.
David was so impressed with the way the battle turned out that he named the place “Baal-perazim” which means, “The Lord breaks through...”
When we have this kind of break-through, we know the Lord is behind it. When we are willing to enter the fight, to do his will, to pray and then obey, we know that the break-through is from the Lord.
If your marriage is in trouble, enter the battle to keep it. Huddle with God and ask him what he wants you to do. Then do it.
What is your work environment like? Are you making any spiritual headway? Enter the battle. Pray and then obey.
What’s going on in your heart? Discuss your heart issues with God. Listen to his voice. Pray and then obey.
Don’t think that a one time try is going to do it.
And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
David continued to battle against the Philistines. We are in a war, not just a battle. But when we work with God, we will see break-throughs.
When we see those break-throughs we will know, as David knew, that Baal-perazim, “The Lord breaks through.”