Breakthrough Before You Breakdown

Note: This message was started from a talk given by Joe Grice at the Ft. Mill Pastor’s Conference. Thank you Joe for the spark and idea.

Title: Breakthrough Before You Breakdown

Theme: To show that we need to breakthrough what we are going through before we have a major breakdown in our lives.

Text: 1 Samuel 30:1-8

1Sa 30:1-8 Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, (2) and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. (3) So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. (4) Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. (5) And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. (6) Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. (7) Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, "Please bring the ephod here to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. (8) So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all."

Introduction

From a young age God anointed David King. At ten years old this would become the first of anointing of three (young boy, King of Hebron, King of Israel)

He was chosen of God to fulfill this ministry.

Yet this is not how it began. David went from being anointed to, killing the giant, to being in King Saul’s house, to becoming a man on the run.

He gathered around him many men of destitute as he hid from the very man God had anointed him to take his place.

Everywhere David went he set out to fulfill the purposes and plan of God.

Here David is hiding from the king and setting out secret parties to kill the Philistines. I mean he is doing the work of the Lord. Yet his is now threatened by his men.

David was under a lot of pressure. From himself, from his men, from the family. From his calling.

Negative results of Pressure

Irritability

Often times when we are under pressure we get irritable. Nobody can touch us or say anything to us. This happens after “a long day at work” or when having to make major decisions.

Sad part is we usually wind up hurting the people we love the most. We take it out on those who are willing to listen and they don’t deserve it.

Complaining

Php 2:14-16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, (15) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (16) holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Problems with Complaining

1. Complaining will become a habit and will destroy your happiness

Many people are miserable because they have allowed themselves to become a chronic complainer.

2. Complaining will destroy your contentment.

1Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

Php 4:11-12 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: (12) I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

3. Complaining will destroy your usefulness

4. Complaining is contagious

Family, friends, co-workers, spouse

1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without complaining and disputing, (15) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Israel had a problem with murmuring and complaining. This is what caused them to spend 40 years in the wilderness.

Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Bitterness

If we are not careful we can become very bitter. We see things around us and we begin to complain. We see others who seem to have freedom and no problems and we become jealous.