Break Out Power
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These past few months in particular we have been praying for breakthrough and restoration. This evening I want to share with you about God’s BreakOut Power.
Take a look at 1 Chron. 14
Tonight we are going to take a look at how a humble Christian can experience more divine blessing than a brilliant theologian surrounded by a vast library of books. It is simple devotion of the heart, not complicated concepts that opens the windows of heaven’s blessing upon our souls.
This is illustrated in our example of David. He went from being a simple shepherd boy to being the king of Israel because God was with him.
God is omnipresent - existing everywhere in the universe at the same time. David faced tremendous odds and powerful enemies yet stood the triumphant in the end because God’s hand was with him. David’s life is a clear illustration of just how marvelous it is to live under God’s special care.
The secret of this unique relationship is found in 1 Chron. 14 - David had survived more than 10 years of being hunted by a jealous King - King Saul. King Saul had recently died and God had promoted him to the throne of Israel - just as was promised him as a teenager. God followed through on His promised to David.
The new king had the support of the nations twelve tribes and there was excitement in Jerusalem because:
So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.
During this time of high popularity and momentum there was tension brewing in that of David’s enemies the Philistines.
Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them.
What a great reminder for the church and people of God:
“No matter how wonderfully the Lord has worked on our behalf, spiritual enemies are still arrayed against us, and their spiritual attacks must be encountered until Jesus comes again”. - Jim Cymbala (The church God blesses P. 137)
Plain facts of spiritual warfare is Satan’s most strategic moments occurs when a great victory is won and we are on a kind of “spiritual high”. He likes to attack when we least expect it.
The Philistines could care less about the excitement that surrounded David becoming king or the fact that God’s promise for his life had been fulfilled. They came in full force to search and destroy David.
Satan is a relentless foe who knows that the high spiritual moments are when we often relax our guard and cause us to be less vigilant against his approaches. There is a whole class of attacks in his arsenal for such a time as these. He reserves them to rob us of our favor with the Lord.
We need to ask God for more grace so that we can follow scriptural warning:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Let’s remember that experiencing God’s blessing does not make us less of a target for enemy attacks if anything it gives us special attention.
Don’t be discouraged God is able to give us the victory over EVERY satanic assault.
Continuing on with the message of David as the new king against the Philistines. We are told that David “went over to meet them” how did he go about that?
Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
The Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”
David inquired of God!
And the Lord answered him!
“Go for I will hand them over to you!”
David was at the height of his popularity, new king, his army poised to defend and it’s not like this army had never fought before. He had high loyalty with the people emotionally and politically. He was known as God’s anointed servant. Then the enemy that he was up against years earlier he slew their champion Goliath. So the new king had everything going for him and really could have rushed off without a second thought.
But did he do that? No
The popular king humbled himself before God and asked for divine direction on how to handle this battle. Then he asked God to go with him in power so the enemy will be defeated!
He realized it was not about him it was all about God! He knew he was who he was because of who he served.
Although he was God’s anointed king and a veteran warrior, although the Lord had helped him countless times before, David would not move without God’s approval and promise of blessing.
David did not take God’s favor for granted!
Those of us here who want God to fight out battles we have to pause and contemplate all of this very carefully. We cannot go on auto pilot and expect God to take care of everything in our lives.
We must CONSTANTLY seek and need the Lord’s direction as we face ALL decisions of life.
We cannot live off of past successes either, because there is no guarantee that we will have God’s approval and blessing in our next venture without talking to him.
Don’t just assume you have His blessing!
Don’t take His favor for granted!
Don’t assume God is with me because the Lord was never with any king more than David yet he still had to seek God for fresh instructions.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
What do you think about our need to wait before God for instructions about life?
A great truth about this message about King David is when we sought God’s advice:
THE LORD ANSWERED HIM!
What else would a loving, heavenly Father do but happily respond when his child comes before him in prayer with a humble and teachable spirit?
God honors our desire to seek his will and blessing.
So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
David’s careful prayer for God’s direction resulted in a stunning victory over the Philistine forces.
When we consult with the Lord concerning His will for our lives and when we desire his presence above all else, the result - BREAK OUT POWER!
We experience the combo of “God has broken out” along with “by my hand”.
What an experience to have God working on behalf of His people while they fight bravely in His name!
BREAK OUT POWER
tired of leading mechanical services attended by lukewarm believers
lead churches that God blesses so that communities can be impacted with the gospel and Christ is exalted.
“It is far better to live just a few years in that wonderful atmosphere of making an impact for Christ than living through decades of wandering around in a spiritually barren wilderness” - J. Cymbala (The Church God Blesses, p. 143).
God is ready to radically change things because no obstacle is too difficult for him.
The place where David defeated the Philistines “Baal Perazim” means “the Lord breaks out”
Our God is a breakout specialist! He delivers us from opposing forces and set us at liberty to better serve Him. We have a God who can “break out” and supernaturally help us. It all begins when we humble ourselves and pray.
“Breakouts” begin not with noise and clamor but with a surrendered heart that asks “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
There was not only one attack against David but there was another attack.
Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley.
The Philistines were not going to give up easily. Even with this continual face of opposition David learned he was under attack again.
You may think that after having been so blessed by God and having recently crushed the same enemies, David would quickly race out to the battlefield and give a thumping.
But he did not. He inquired of the Lord again before he made a single move. The natural thing was to follow instincts and fight back immediately. But David wouldn’t budge unless he again had God’s consent.
God faithfully answered David and added specific instructions as to how to fight the battle.
Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.
He is a faithful God!
God gave the plan of attack right down to the specific timing. What humility and trust this shows on the part of the king and what vivid illustration of God’s great love.
Lesson - stay in close communion with the Lord if we are to enjoy His full blessing.
Reflex responses based on past experiences are not adequate because we need to continually seek God for fresh guidance and be sensitive to the Lord’s timing concerning our actions.
We often pursue God’s will for something but don’t have the faith to seek His timing for it as well. As we wait before the Lord, we will learn to “hear the sound” of the Holy Spirit’s voice in our hearts and move out into God’s perfect plan for us.
If God directed David to fight against the Philistines thousands of years ago, will he not also guide is in the way we should go?
God has detailed plans for everyone of His children and he would love to share those plans with us. Do you care to know?