Believing for Breakthrough
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Intro:
11 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.
Today, the title of my message is, [Believing for Breakthrough].
During recess in elementary school, we all played games. Most oF the time, I was not included for two reasons, it required some sore of athleticism, and some of the games looked like they would hurt.
Take wall ball, for instance. One team would stand against the wall while the other team pelted us with rubber balls with all the strength a sixth grader could muster.
Though I avoided wall ball, basketball, dodge ball, I did enjoy whenever we played Red Rover.
Who has ever played that game?
The concept was simple. We would divide into two lines and link arms. One side would shout, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Daniel right over.”
When I heard my name, it was on, time for me to run. As I ran, I scanned the other team to find someone weaker than me. If I ran with enough strength, I could break the linked hands and my team was happy.
If I did not, my team was unhappy, and not surprised.
The goal was to either breakthrough the other team’s linked hands. Sometimes we got hurt, but we were tougher back then.
I thought of this childhood memory as I read our text. God gave David and Israel and breakthrough.
Though we cannot see it with the natural eye, our enemy puts up roadblocks and pitFalls that he desires to use against us. It is almost as thought when he attacks one of God’s children, he calls out, Red rover, Red rover.
On our own, we are incapable of breaking through Satan’s barriers and attacks. We cannot outwit or outsmart him.
What then is our hope?
The good news is there is One who comes along side us to help us BREAKTHROUGH whatever the enemy may throw our way.
I came with a simple message today— WE NEED BREAKTHROUGH.
In my spirit I feel the Lord speaking to me, many in our church face various circumstances and we need God to come along side of us and give us victory over the attacks of the enemy.
We need a breakthrough over:
sickness
discouragement
spiritual indifference
discord
division
I pray for a breakthrough where we will see God supernaturally:
save people
baptize everyone in our church with the Holy Spirit
enable us to walk in His divine plan for our lives
Who could say with me, I need a breakthrough?
Needing a breakthrough and obtaining one are two different scenarios. Something we MUST remember about the Lord, He can do ANYTHING.
Yet in His divine wisdom, He chooses to channel His power through the work of humans. Therefore breakthrough comes for those who fast and pray.
In our text, we read of the breakthrough God provided David. The king faced a problem that seemed impossible to overcome. In the time of despair, God gave Him direction and helped him overcome.
This message is less about describing breakthrough. We all know the areas of our life and church where we need God to come through for us.
Instead, I want us to see HOW to receive a supernatural breakthrough.
Let’s look at the events surrounding David’s repeated encounters with the Philistines. Through these verses, we will have three points, [Request a Breakthrough], [Receive a Breakthrough], and [Repeat the Process].
Let’s begin
1. Request a Breakthrough
1. Request a Breakthrough
8 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.
9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim.
10 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 was in a unique position. He became king over Israel and everything seemed to work out great for him. One oF his first initiatives was to move the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistine territory to Jerusalem.
He ran into some problems, because of improper planning and disregards of God’s instructions, someone died when the Ark stumbled on the new cart the oxen pulled.
When the Philistines heard that David was king they decided to come against him. Their hatred for David began when he killed their Famous warrior, Goliath.
Imagine how David felt. Life became overwhelming. The Ark was in the home of Obed-Edom. Moving it was unfinished. Now, his enemies taunt him to come out and fight.
David needed direction. But more than that, he needed a breakthrough. He needed God to come down and fight on his behalf.
When in need of God’s supernatural help, he did what God expects of us all. David called out to the Lord, seeking Him for direction.
He inquired of the Lord. He had to have felt weak in this moment. The Philistines assumed they could stop David before he consolidated his power in his new Kingdom.
The Philistines made a foolish mistake as they grossly underestimated the power of David’s God. David was unique. Unlike most kings of that time, they had many gods they worshipped and trusted.
They assumed their god was stronger than David’s God. How could they have forgotten David’s words to Goliath—you come to me with a sword and a shield, but I come in the name of the Lord.
Though David had a relationship with God, he shows what we are to do when we believe for breakthrough. David did not make a decision and inform God later. No, his first order of business was to make a request.
He told the Lord, the Philistines are in a valley near Jerusalem, what do you want me to do? Am I to go and fight them? Will you deliver them into my hands?
One of the strategies of the enemy is to overwhelm us so much that we begin to make decision without consulting God.
Our schedule can get so swamped down and life can get overwhelming. When that happens, we need to slow down and talk to the Lord. Before we make any decision, we need to check with God first.
How does God respond when we request a breakthrough?
He comes through on our behalf. He told David, I will hand them over to you. Once he had a word from the Lord, it was all he needed. He knew breakthrough was coming.
When we believe For breakthrough, it all starts with a request. Then we...
2. Receive a Breakthrough
2. Receive a Breakthrough
11 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.
12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
There are some times in Scripture where the author gives specific details about HOW they battle was won. This time, do not have that information. All we know is David defeated the Philistines.
David was a man of many words. He penned hundreds of songs. He chose a unique word for what God did for him. He thanked God for BREAKING THROUGH my enemies.
Then he used a word that is only found here, breakthrough. God defeated the enemies like a breakthrough of water.
What a picture of what God accomplished.
A breakthrough of water. Water is unique in that it refreshes us. There is nothing like having a cool glass of water when we are hot and thirsty. But that is not the picture David painted with his words.
Instead, he referenced the power of water. Think of the waves crashing in on the ocean during a storm. Or the mighty shipping being tossed back and forth. Or the strength of water when a dam breaks.
We do not know exactly what happened, but when God came and gave David a breakthrough it was so powerful, he compared it to the strength of water that can break something.
The Philistines did not know what happened to them. They assumed they could overpower David early in his leadership. But David had a secret weapon, he requested a breakthrough, and God answered.
I love what David did after he defeated the Philistines. The field was littered with the idols of false gods the Philistines brought with them into battle. David instructed his army to take the false gods and burn them.
God burst through the enemy like a raging flood.
The Satan shares one thing in common with the Philistines. They underestimated the power of a man of God. It seems that Satan does that as well. He continually will attack people who are serious about the Lord.
But if someone possess a genuine relationship with the Lord, we will know what to do when the enemy comes. We will go to God and request a breakthrough.
19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
The enemy will attempt to drown us out with problems, attacks, and anything else he can throw our way.
It is in those moments we call on God, requesting His help and He lifts a standard, a banner, a flag over us that reads BREAKTHROUGH. The Spirit comes and brings us exactly what we need.
Then we can remind the enemy, you are like those dead idols of the Philistines, rendered powerless by the fire of the Holy Spirit that burns within me.
I am believing for a breakthrough today. It begins with a request, then we receive from God. What next…
3. Repeat the Process
3. Repeat the Process
13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley.
Clearly the Philistines were not the smartest people. After losing to David, they went home and regrouped and decided it was wise to fight him again the same valley where they already lost. They were relentless. They thought they could trap David and ruin his leadership.
Something we must remember about these Old Testament nations; they trusted their countries to false gods. They opened themselves to evil influence led by demonic forces.
They came against David, but really, they were influenced by Satan to come against God. Satan was relentless in his attempt to destroy Israel. He might have one this time, but David knew what to do.
14 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.
15 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.”
16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.
17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.
David made a wise choice, he faced the same enemy, but asked God for another breakthrough. Instead assuming God worked the same way twice, he wanted God’s direction.
This time, instead of instructing David to go and fight, he told him to circle around the Philistines and stand behind them in front of the mulberry trees. Then David was to wait.
How long was he to stand there?
Until he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the trees behind him. Last time it was a breakthrough like the power of water. This time it was breakthrough like the sound of wind.
The marching in the trees was indicative of the angels marching ahead of them in battle. Once he heard the sound of divine reinforcement, he knew breakthrough was inevitable.
When they heard the sound in the mulberry trees, the move was on, it was time to fight. And once again, they drove back the Philistines and David’s name became famous throughout nations because God was on David’s side.
I would say this third point is the most important in my message. It is great to have requested and received a breakthrough in the past. But when new problems or circumstances arise, must ask again.
What would have happened if David had not asked God for direction? He would have gone into battle and the armies of heaven would not have gone with him.
God is a God of variety. He might come down like a deluge of mighty water, the next time he might gently blow His Spirit on us.
We cannot neglect to repeat the process. We had breakthroughs in 2021, but it is a new year, and I believe for new breakthroughs. The way God will come down might not mirror how He did it in the past.
So we must listen and wait for Him to tell us to move. For once He speaks, then we know we can walk in our breakthrough.
Close:
Believing for Breakthrough.
The word breakthrough is only found twice in Scripture—2 Samuel 5:20 and 1 Chronicles 14:11. It is found in the same narrative of David defeating the Philistines.
Though David coined the term breakthrough, he was not the first to experience a breakthrough. He was not alone in God’s decision to display His power and come through for His people.
Every breakthrough happened because someone somewhere determined to request help from God. God heard their cry and He sent His help, enabling them to receive a breakthrough.
Think about it:
God gave Abraham and Sarah a breakthrough by giving them a son, Isaac
God gave Jacob a breakthrough at Bethel when he saw a ladder come down from heaven with angels ascending and descending
God gave Joseph a breakthrough by releasing him from prison and putting him second in charge of Egypt
God gave Moses a breakthrough when the waters of the Red Sea rolled back for the Israelites to walk on dry ground
God gave Joshua a breakthrough when they marched around the walls of Jericho and they fell down flat when they shouted
God gave David a breakthrough by defeating the Philistines
God gave Elijah a breakthrough by sending fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice and then he broke open heaven and sent down a fiery chariot to take him home
God gave Hezekiah a breakthrough by healing his sickness and extending his life fifteen years
God gave Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego a breakthrough by sending the Fourth Man into the fire, protecting them from the heat
God gave Daniel a breakthrough by shutting the mouths of the lions
God gave Esther a breakthrough by giving her favor with the King
God gave Jesus a breakthrough by rolling back the stone and raising him from the dead
God gave the church a breakthrough by sending the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost
God gave Peter and Paul a breakthrough by supernaturally releasing them from prison
God gave John a breakthrough when he heard the voice, COME UP HIGHER AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WILL HAPPEN HEREAFTER
And one day soon, the universal church will experience a breakthrough when the trump of the arch angel sounds. The dead in Christ rise first and we which are live and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds and so shall we eve be with the Lord.
I look forward to THAT breakthrough, but I am believing for breakthrough for everyone of us. Not just because of what I read in scripture, but what I have experienced personally.
And I do not have to go back years ago to think of a breakthrough. I can go back eight days ago when we drove south on 67 trying to get Davis to the ER. When we got south of Greenville, Davis was inconsolable as his fever spiked to 105.
About that time the rain turned to a mix of rain and snow and the temperature began to drop. Bekah and I had been praying, but slowly the sound of breakthrough prayer rose.
We did not know how to pray, but the Spirit Himself made intercession through us. Bekah and I both prayed in tongues and an authority arose in our voices. God broke the fever, he made a way on the road, he got us in the hospital and brought healing to our son.
I AM BELIEVING FOR BREAKTHROUGH.
But we have to request breakthrough
We need to position ourselves to receive breakthrough
But let us not be ignorant to Satan’s schemes, he is relentless, but so is God’s love for us. When we come against a situation, repeat the process.
And I declare to each one this morning, I feel the gift of faith rising in my heart, HE wants to give breakthrough.
We are fasting for a breakthrough.
So let’s trust God to give us a breakthrough for:
We need a breakthrough in our families
We need a breakthrough in our nation
We need a breakthrough over Covid
We need a breakthrough of Holy Spirit power
We need a breakthrough of revival
We need a breakthrough of healing
We need a breakthrough in our marriages
We need a breakthrough of God’s supernatural power to flow in and through us
And TODAY, I believe a new day is dawning and God is calling us to a new level in Him. Get ready for BREAKTHROUGH!