Breakthrough 4: Taking Risks on the Front Line
1. Confession of Faith
2. Review (build enthusiasm for each):
A. Ownership -vs- Possession
B. God loved you so much He sent Jesus so that you might have
C. Turn to God and not away from God - we’ve
all fallen short of the glory of God.
1 John 1:9 - confess He’s faithful to forgive
Today is the 4th week and there is one very important statement that I want you to remember:
Don’t Give Up!
Confess:
>I won’t give up!
>The walls are coming down!
>My victory is on the way!
Question: Does the have the power to keep you from getting your victory?
(Answer will be no!)
Are you sure?
Let me give you something to think about for just a minute:
If the has no power - why are their areas that you need a breakthrough? (think about that for a minute)
-----------------------------------------
About 6-7 years ago God started revealing the Power and Authority of His Word to me.
And in the process of His revealing it to me I could see where had no power over me - and that I could walk in everything that had been provided.
That’s a powerful revelation.
There’s also a difference between “knowing” it and believing it. (I believed it).
I also know that John 10:10 tells me that, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...”
He only comes - his only purpose in coming is to kill, steal and destroy.
If he could not kill, steal or destroy he wouldn’t bother coming to you because that is his only purpose in coming.
I also know that 1 Pet 5:8 tells me that I am to be aware, “because [my] adversary the , ...walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”
He’s looking for someone he can devour - kill, steal, or destroy
Don’t tell me that has no power because there are areas in my life he has killed, stolen from and destroyed.
I can walk into any church in American and I get a 100% response from people who have areas they need a breakthrough in.
The very fact that you and I have areas we need breakthrough - is because the , as a roaring lion, saw an area in our lives he could devour and he came and stole, destroyed or killed something in our lives.
------------------------------------
Let me show you something real quick:
Acts 26:18
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of unto God, (KJV)
Are we in “Acts” after the resurrection of Jesus?
That word “power” in referring to what possesses is the same translated word “power” found in:
Matt 9:6
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins...
It is the same word "power" used in:
Matt 9:8
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
It is the same word power used in:
Rom 13:1
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God...
The translated word is “exousia (ex-oo-see’-ah);” and part of it’s meaning is, “force or capacity - power or strength”
-----------------------------------
Let’s review for a moment the Israelites where God has so deeply impressed upon me for this breakthrough that we are after.
>Before the Israelites possessed any of the promises - was there a resistance or enemy?
Yes, there was an occupying force in every land that was promised to them.
>Did that enemy have any power?
Yes - for however long they had lived in that land they were able to keep it and protect their borders.
They each had an army that was equipped for battle.
>Did that enemy pose a threat to the Israelites?
Maybe No, God gave them the victory before they ever went into battle -
Deut 7:23-24
23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. (KJV)
-----------------------------------------
This is very important - follow me because I want you to get this. It is critical to your success in this breakthrough and your being able to live in breakthrough.
Eph 1:19-23
(first time read straight through w/o inserts)
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the , and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and [Far above all] power, and [Far above all] might, and [Far above all] dominion, and [Far above] every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (KJV)
We also read in:
Matt 28:18-19
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore...(KJV)
>Did Christ strip of all power? (most will answer yes!)
No! had power over Stalin, , Bundy and many others - and the beast who will come on the scene.
In our opening message of breakthrough (Ownership or Possession) we read from:
Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive (to take) them, and ye shall have them. (KJV)
You have got to have the confidence to go take it.
You have got to believe that God will deliver that which He has promised.
Did the first generation Israelites believe that they had received the promised land?
No, if they had they would have gone in and
possessed it.
------------------------------------------------
Judg 6:2
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel:
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
(every time they sowed the enemy came)
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
Two things I want you to see:
1. Did the enemy have power over God’s people?
>Yes - when in their own strength
>What was the answer? Cried out to God!
Prayer is your battle ground.
(Stress prayer is the battle ground)
We know that after they cried out unto the Lord in verse 7 the Lord sends a prophet.
The story evolves and we have Gideon with an army of 34,000 men who God said were too many.
>What sent the greatest number of these men home?
FEAR! 64% - 22,000 went home because of fear.
Why didn’t the Israelites go in and possess the land that God had given them?
>Fear!
Battleground: Prayer
Enemies power: Fear
What is Fear?
ed Faith! (Faith twisted)
(Your fear of a rattlesnake is based in your faith that it has power to hurt you - fear is twisted faith or faith in reverse)
>What was the Israelites Fear?
They had more faith in the enemy defeating them then God delivering them.
There faith was in the power of the enemy.
>Why did Gideon’s men go home afraid.
They didn’t believe God would deliver them.
Does have power? Absolutely, but over those who fear.
The exceeding greatness of God’s power is to us - who believe
Mark 11:24, if you believe you’ll go take what is yours!
--------------------------------------------
You say, David, I’m not afraid to pray!
Then why don’t you spend 1,2 or 3 hours a day
in dedicated prayer?
Because we have more faith that it won’t happen
for me then we have that it will.
(would you show up for work tomorrow if you
knew you wouldn’t be paid?)
(The battle ground is Prayer)
God hears the cries of His people!
2 Tim 1:6-7
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee...
(what’s the gift Paul is talking about?)
2 Tim 1:5
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee...
>Stir up the faith that is in you!
2 Tim 1:6-7
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift (faith) of God, which is in ...
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Turn quickly to the book of Acts chapter 4:
Acts 3 - Peter and John Peter says to the lame man, silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I to thee.
The lame man is healed, a crowd gathers, and Peter starts preaching.
In chapter 4 they are arrested and in verse 17 it says that they are “staitly threatened.”
What was the reaction of Peter and John?
Acts 4:29
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, (KJV)
Let me give you the translated version. “God don’t let fear or timidity enter”
Don’t let us be afraid!
They knew their only enemy - the only power that could possibly have over them was fear!
----------------------------
When it comes to spiritual matters, you and I will never know our potential under God until we step out and take risks on the front line of battle.
We will never see what power and anointing are possible until we bond with our King and go out in His name to establish His kingdom.
Sitting safely in the shelter of Bible discussions among ourselves or complaining to one another about the horrible state of today’s society, does nothing to unleash the power of God.
He meets us in the moment of battle. He energizes us when there is an enemy to be pushed back.
