Lord of the Breakthrough

Part two of “21 Days of Seeking the Lord”

I Samuel 7: 5  Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you." ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD.”  . . .

 ⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them.  . . . .

 ¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.

In I Samuel 7, we read a story of the Israelites who were under attack from the enemy. They needed a breakthrough victory.

I Samuel 7:2 says this: ² It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD

The Ark of the Covenant was there, but there was a problem. The Ark of the Covenant had returned to Israel, but Israel had not returned to God. The presence of the Lord was there in front of them, but they were not experiencing the fullness of God. The Philistines were constantly on their heels. They needed a breakthrough.

Have you ever felt like the presence of God is nearby, but you just can’t get to it? Perhaps, like the Philistines were on the heels of the Israelites, the enemy is on your heels . . and you need a breakthrough. Perhaps, like the Israelites, you will get your breakthrough as you get serious about your relationship with God and you FAST!

Five Steps To Experiencing Your Breakthrough

1) Put away the junk of your life.

I Samuel 7:3, 4 says ³ And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." ⁴ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.

Fasting is a “Cleansing Process” for our body, mind and spirit. There are times we need to go through a cleansing process.

During this Fast, one of the things many of us are learning is how to put away the idols of food and drink. Many people give in to the god of nicotine or tobacco – they have to have it. It controls them. Some people give in to the god of alcohol – they gotta have another drink. Then, some of us give in to the god of food.  Yesterday, I was craving a juicy cheeseburger. But I resisted!

Last evening, I went to Golden Corral and had to say no to a steak and no to bread, no to chicken and no to dessert. I have to say that the Daniel Fast is indeed helping me be more disciplined in my eating. 

For some of us, during the Fast, we’ve had to take control over the god of caffeine. I was listening to Christian Comedian Chonda Pierce and she jokingly referred to coffee as the Pentecostal Whiskey.  That is funny.

We must put away the junk of our life. I remember speaking to a young lady who was praying for a breakthrough in her life.  Turns out that she was living with her boyfriend and having sexual relations with someone who was not her husband. She was living in sin. And yet she wanted to be close to God. But because she was unwilling to put away the junk of her life, she never experienced the blessings of God.

Sometimes, people pray for a financial breakthrough, but refuse to put away the junk of buying things on credit. Their creditors have control over them. And they cannot even tithe.

What “junk” is there in your life?

2) Fast.

Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you." ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD.”  . . .

What was the significance of pouring out water before the Lord? I believe there were two reasons.  First of all, history tells us that at that particular time, water was a precious commodity. No water was being wasted. So, to pour out water on the ground was a sacrifice. And the Israelites were so serious about wanting a breakthrough that they were willing to sacrifice water to the Lord.

Secondly, water is a symbol of cleansing and is Fasting!  As you Fast, your body goes through a cleansing process and so does your mind and spirit.

3) Keep on calling on God.

I Samuel 7:7 – 9    ⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines." ⁹ Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered him.

Have you ever stayed at the altar praying and praying and praying to God until you got your answer from God. Sometimes, we've got to keep on crying out to Him!

This is how God responded . . .

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.

The Israelites got their breakthrough!  The reason why do many of us do not experience our breakthrough is because we give up too soon.

4) Remember what God has done.

I Samuel 7:12  ¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us.

Ebenezer means “Stone of help”

5) Build an altar.

I Samuel 7:17  ¹⁷ But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.

“building” an altar simple represents “establishing a place of consistent prayer before the Lord. One of the reasons we are doing 21 days of seeking the Lord is because we are establishing Godly habits and discipline. Samuel already experienced his breakthrough. So, why would he need to continue to pray and seek the Lord?  Because he needed to be prepared for bigger breakthroughs down the road.