Break Through

Excerpt from Break Through by David Cerullo

Embrace the Lord of Breakthroughs

The closer you get to God, the closer you will be to your breakthrough. How do we know this? Because the Bible describes Him as “the Lord of Breakthroughs” or “the Lord who bursts through” (1 Chronicles 14:10-11 NLT).

Too often, people seek 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 doesn’t want you to have a breakthrough, but because He wants you 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).

But David also recognized that he had a role to play in seeking the Lord as his Provider and as the Lord of his breakthroughs: “Those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10). He saw that whatever breakthrough he needed, his REAL need was a “seek the Lord” need!

The good news is that the Lord of Breakthroughs beckons us to draw near to Him. When we do, He promises to also draw near to us: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). And when we come boldly to His throne, He says we 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? All of this—and much more—is available when you draw near to the Lord of Breakthroughs today.

The Battle for Your Breakthrough

It’s important to recognize 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 now he is 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 to the Lord again and listened for His 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.”

It’s a good thing David was listening, for God’s strategy this time required a very different response. The Lord rarely does things the same way twice, so it’s crucial to receive His instructions before we engage the enemy.

Wait for His Strategies

If you need a breakthrough today, make sure to ask God for His battle strategies. His instructions may surprise you, so don’t just assume you know what to do.

Seek Him every time you need a breakthrough, then obey immediately. You can be certain your Heavenly Father wants to bless you and give you His best. As you wait upon Him, He will not only give you new strategies, but He will ALSO give you new strength to carry out those strategies (Isaiah 40:31).

God longs for you to experience the great joy of victory, but you must not be discouraged if you encounter a difficult battle before your breakthrough. 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).

Don’t despair if your victory doesn’t come right away. In whatever trials you may face, remember Jesus, “who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3 NIV).

It’s also crucial not to give up if you encounter failures along the way. Down through history, technological breakthroughs usually occurred only after repeated failures. Thomas Edison reportedly tried unsuccessfully over 10,000 times to invent the electric light bulb before his breakthrough came. The Wright brothers experienced hundreds of crashes before their breakthrough in flight. And numerous scientists performed endless experiments before breakthroughs in DNA research.

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). No matter how far, or how often, you may have fallen, the Lord of Breakthroughs will lift you up and give you victory!

…

Order your copy of Break Through by David Cerullo