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Trusting
the Lord of Breakthroughs
by Inspiration Ministries
The Bible
provides many different names to describe the Lord.
He is our
righteousness… our healer… our provider… our victory… and much more.
But one of my
favorite names of God is “the Lord of Breakthroughs” or “the
Lord who bursts through” (1 Chronicles 14:10-11
NLT).
No one else
in Heaven or on earth can claim a powerful title such as this.
What does
this mean if you’re seeking a breakthrough in some area of your life today? It
means there’s only one place you need to look for your answer.
Why? Because
the closer you get to God, the closer you will be to your breakthrough.
Although this
is such a simple truth, it is often overlooked.
I meet so
many people who are frantically seeking a breakthrough of some kind without
first seeking the Lord.
They need a
turnaround in their finances, their health, their family, or their emotions,
but they’re seeking the breakthrough by their own strength and ingenuity.
This approach
nearly always results in frustration — not because God is unwilling to give the
person a breakthrough, but because He wants them to receive it from HIM.
King David
and other Biblical heroes discovered that God was their source of every
blessing and breakthrough.
As a
shepherd, David understood that sheep cannot survive very long on their own — they
need a shepherd, both to lead them to provision and to rescue them from danger.
That’s why he
joyfully proclaimed, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
Draw Near to Him
Today the
Lord of Breakthroughs is beckoning you to draw near to Him.
When you do,
He promises to also draw near to you: “Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you” (James 4:8).
And when you
come boldly to His throne, He says you will “find grace to help in time
of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
What
resources do you need from Heaven today? More love? More power? More peace?
More provision?
You can
receive all of these things — and much more — when you draw near to the Lord of
Breakthroughs.
However, the
Bible also teaches that breakthroughs seldom come without a battle.
In fact, the
word “breakthrough” was first used as a military term to signify an
offensive thrust past the defensive lines of warfare.
The word
entered the realm of common speech during the technological age, often used
to describe a sudden discovery or invention.
God is first
revealed in the Bible as the Lord of Breakthroughs in a military context
involving King David.
Years
earlier, he had conquered the Philistine giant Goliath.
But later he
was preparing for battle again, facing the Philistine army not far from the
site of his famous encounter with the giant.
This time,
the Philistines waged their attack in the Valley of Rephaim, which means “the
Valley of Giants” or “the Valley of Trouble.”
Recognizing
his need for God’s guidance and favor, David paused to pray, asking God
for His marching orders:
David asked
God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to
me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to
you.
”So
David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines
there.
“God did it!”
David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!”
So they named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts
through”) (1 Chronicles 14:10-11 NLT).
The
Philistines abandoned their gods and fled, but they returned again to raid the
valley one more time.
Even with the
memory of the first victory still fresh in his mind, David prayed again and
listened for the Lord’s strategy:
Once again
David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied.
“Instead,
circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you
hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack!
That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the
Philistine army.”
“So David did
what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from
Gibeon to Gezer. So David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused
all the nations to fear David (1 Chronicles 14:14-17
NLT).
Notice that
David did several crucial things here: He actively sought God’s instructions… he
listened for what the Lord would say to him… and then “David DID what
God commanded.”
And it’s a
good thing David was listening, for God’s strategy this time required a very
different approach than before.
Exiting Your “Valley of Trouble”
As you seek
the Lord of Breakthroughs and obey His instructions, your “Valley of Trouble”
can become the very place where you have a fresh encounter with the One “who
always leads us in triumph” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
He will not
only give you new strategies, but He will ALSO give you new
strength to carry out those strategies (Isaiah 40:31).
Friend, don’t
despair if your victory doesn’t come right away, nor be discouraged if you
encounter a difficult battle before your breakthrough.
And if you’re
struggling to shake off the memories of past failures, remember what God’s Word
says: “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise
again” (Proverbs 24:16 NIV).
When you
fully surrender your life to the Lord of Breakthroughs, He will fight your
battles.
No matter how
far, or how often, you may have fallen, He will lift you up and give you
victory!
Inspiration Ministries Mission
Purpose: To cover the earth with the knowledge of the
glory of the Lord as the waters cover the seas.
Mission: Impacting People for Christ Worldwide Through
Media.
Vision: To shine the light of the Gospel on every
continent, in every major language group, through every form of technology.
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