On December 31, 2021, as I was on my back porch having a cup of coffee and a devotional time, I said, “God, I need a breakthrough.” I was feeling the weight of a world, from the daily news to friends who are suffering and more. I was really saying, “God, we need a breakthrough,” corporately.
I thought of the Baal Perazim of 2 Samuel 5:20 and meditated upon my need to hold on to the promises of God, if I’m going to possess the Land of Promise. I have to remember where God brought me from and what He promised me. It is important to remember the promise, as we live through the process, so we can possess the Land of Promise.
STEPS OF FAITH
In 2 Samuel 5, David needed a breakthrough. To see it come to pass, he had to demonstrate faith.
“And David inquired of the Lord saying, ’Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.’” (2 Samuel 5:19)
In other words, God is saying, “Go for it. Take that step.”
“So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.” (2 Samuel 5: 20)
David placed his faith in Baal Perazim, the Master of Breakthrough, and won a great victory.
Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Before Abram became Abraham, he was called by God to “go.” Leaving his comfort zone, Abram took that step of faith, then another step, and then another step. And as he began to take those steps, God went before him, changed his name, and made a remarkable promise, that Abraham would be a father of nations!
PSALM 73
How many of us look at the world and said, “God, these people don’t even love you? They’re living in arrogance and pride and sin, but they seem to prosper, they seem to be blessed. I’m trying to serve you, so why am I struggling?” We all have those questions, sometimes, don’t we?
This is what the psalmist is thinking in Psalm 73, as he talks with God about all these things He doesn’t understand.
“Behold, these are they ungodly who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands and innocence.” (verses 12-13)
He goes back and forth, bantering in his own thoughts, until finally he answers his own questions:
“When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me – until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.” (verses 16-17)
“Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by your right hand. You will guide me with your counsel, And afterward receive me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? There is none upon the earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (verses 23-26)
Then finally, in verse 28, he says, “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have my trust in God, that I may declare all your works.”
He came back to his senses, to the reality of the presence of God, which is continually with us.
Like the psalmist, my heart has been grieving over all the things I see going on in the world. At the same time, I know if we get into God’s presence and hold on to what He has promised, He will accomplish it. It’s no longer time to dwell on circumstances, or the giants, or the obstacles. We are God’s people, and He has called us to take a step of faith.
NEW SEASON, NEW LAND
To possess the land, we must move beyond just looking across the river. It’s not time to talk about crossing. It’s time to possess the promises of God—it’s time to possess the land!
At the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, I began to share that I believed we were entering into a new season, a new era, not just a new year. There is no doubt we entered a new season in 2020! Things have changed, like after 911. Life never will be the same. The world changed. The global pandemic, political divisiveness, racial tensions, wars and rumors of wars—it’s like Luke 21 is coming alive. But we’re given a promise in Luke 21:13 when Jesus says, “It will be an occasion for your testimony.” In the midst of the most difficult of times, there is the redemptive value of the testimony of God.
In this new season, it is important to walk in discernment and wisdom. God has laid important spiritual foundations, and we have seen increasing expansion in the Kingdom of God in recent years. But we have also experienced challenges by the enemy. It’s important for us to be ready to give witness to what God can do, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
We have needed new wineskins because of the new wine God is giving. Church looks different. We’ve had to hear from God and adjust. We’ve seen more people respond to the Gospel in ways they’ve never responded before. I believe that’s because we’re in a season of harvest!
If we fixate on everything going on in the world it can be very overwhelming and perplexing. But I believe there’s a redemptive side to the world’s problems, and the only way to redeem what’s in the world is for the Church to recognize the authority God has given us. We are called for a time such as this, and we need to break through.
But God is about to do what only He can do. After all, He is the Master of Breakthroughs!
SYNCHRONICITY OR SUDDENLY?
The word synchronicity means things are interconnected even though they do not appear to be. This is the way God often works in His suddenly moments! They are “suddenly” for us, but not for Him! The coming of Holy Spirit and bold proclamation of the Good News with thousands being saved in Acts 2 is one of those moments. God had was already working behind the scenes, calling people from many nations to Jerusalem for just that time – even though no one else understood what He was doing.
There’s a whole lot going on in the spiritual world that God is doing on our behalf. We can’t always see it in the midst of the giants and the obstacles and the circumstances. But if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and we take that step of faith in obedience to Him even though we do not understand—we will see the promise fulfilled!
God is bigger than the giants in the land. If God said, “That’s the land and that’s your place,” then remember the promise and remember that God is always bigger than your giants. When God suddenly moves, we get a revelation and say, “Wow, look what God was doing!”
We often think what we’re going through is about only one situation, but God may be touching many facets through that one moment. He shows up in that place of the synchronicity and shows us we are exactly where we are supposed to be.
JERICHO WALLS
Even when God gives us a promise, there are still giants, obstacles, and unexpected detours along the way. That’s why it’s important to not perceive according to the flesh, but to hear from the Spirit of God and respond. We must recognize that this is our moment.
God wants us to say, “Here I am, Lord, use me.” Then we take a step of faith, like Abram, and another step, and another step. He takes us by the right hand and leads us where He wants us to go. He can do great things through those of us who don’t feel qualified or have it all together. God can use any of us.
To possess the land, we need the breakthroughs of God. We need to attract His presence so we can see the supernatural expansion and the divine intervention of God. When we hold on in faith to the promise, then step out in faith and obedience toward the promise, we will see with our eyes the answer to our prayers.
The Israelites had received the promise of a wonderful land, but the first time God brought them to the Jordan they lost sight of His promise because of the giants. Forty years later, when it was time to cross over again to possess the land, they saw it wasn’t going to be easy. But this time they stepped out and crossed the Jordan in faith.
But two and a half tribes were satisfied where they were and decided to settle on the east side of the Jordan. Like those tribes, some of us may be so weary and tired we don’t want to go all the way. God gave us a promise. He wants us to walk in the fullness of His promises. Why labor all these years to stop just short of what God has promised us?
Here’s what’s interesting about the kind of a breakthrough we see at Jericho. God says, “I’m going to do all the work. Just walk around the walls of Jericho once each day, for six days. Don’t say anything, just walk.” On the seventh day, they were told to walk around at seven times, without saying a word. But after the seventh trip, God said to shout! And when they did, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down!
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, I would take about 100 young people with me to walk around rock concerts. We even had praise dancers going out before us. People would look at us and say, “What are they doing?” Then they started coming and asking us questions. We prayed for people and handed out Gospel tracts. We saw miracles take place by just walking around the building, in obedience. People came to us, and the presence of God was with us.
You see, sometimes God asks us to do things for a breakthrough that don’t make sense. But if we will be obedient and take a step of faith, the breakthrough will come! If we praise Him with heart of gratitude, get back into a place of authentic communication with God, and attract His presence through worship, He will give us a strategy.
The harvest is here. He wants us to participate with Him for this incredible time of breakthrough. When God’s suddenly comes, we will see supernatural expansion in our personal lives and the corporate life of the Church so we can sow into Kingdom expansion that only the divine intervention of God can bring.
-Doug Stringer