The Process of Breakthrough
The first elements in breakthrough is; revelation, willingness, conception. It is in these elements that we develop a theology that should move us into divine encounters… not prevent them.
After revelation, willingness and conception it is our responsibility to Advanceme the breakthrough, which is similar to possessing the land. Little by little, year by year, possess then advance.
After ‘breakthrough’ then ‘taking possession’ of the territory the next element is valuing the process until the next breakthrough.
The issue arises in that all of us want the “and suddenly” with breakthrough:
Acts 2:2 – “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
- We forget the 10 days of intercession by120 people.
Exodus 14:22-23 – “And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”
- That “and suddenly” moment was the result of months of Moses spending time (40 years) and being instructed by God.
- We are told of 26 days that the plagues took place – in reality it probably took around 50 days.
· Would you imagine that Moses wondered how long this was going to go on?
· Dealing with the people questioning Moses. After the 4th plague of flies he was so close… then Pharaoh hardened his heart.
Are some of you there this morning… so close at times – wondering “how long is this going to take, and defending yourself to others?
Some of the most vital aspects of advancement occur with the most quiet trumpet blast. Consider the replication of DNA. It is a complex process with little fanfare, however without it life would be impossible.
For a culture to be transformed, we as individuals must transform.
- Transform the way we think about achievement by changing the mindset that only values the end result instead of valuing the process that provided the result.
We live in a culture that considers the bottom line – “what is the conclusion”. If we applied that to individuals in the bible you would have to say that David was of no consequence – he did not complete the temple. The disciples were a disappointment as well… imprisoned, beaten, without financial success. The generation that died in the desert and did not reach the promised land are of no value.
To value process it is necessary to see this reality from that reality. When I consider 'that day' instead of 'this day' my commitment to the LORD is altered to build on a foundation already laid – from there future generations stand on what I have built to go higher.
James 1:2 – “Count if all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…”
In the activities of the day… do you consider “all things a blessing.” Or only the ‘successful’ elements?
- “ADD IT UP” - Trials are to be counted joy.
- “Yeah, but I do not ‘feel’ joyful! And I don’t want to be a hypocrite.”
- As a believer you’re only a hypocrite if you consider life from any perspective other than joy.
- Formerly you ‘felt’ then considered joy. Now you ‘obey’ and the feeling of joy comes after the obedience.
- After all – you are called ‘believers’ not ‘feelers’.
I love the “and suddenly” moments with God, those miraculous moments when God breaks forth into this world.
- Healing, deliverance, when His presence rests on a gathering…
However, the bible displays the principal of the farmer who waits patiently for the precious fruit of the earth until it receives the early and late rains.
- The farmer receives the seed
- He then imparts the seed to the soil.
- He goes through the process of protecting and caring for that seed.
- The obligation of the farmer is to maintain the best opportunity for that seed to grow and mature.
Our responsibility is to take the seed God has provided, place it in the soil and keep the field prepared to receive the rain from heaven. It is important to understand that it rains on other days than Sunday.
Valuing the process of breakthrough asks that we see any season as the time of harvest. “Do you not say, there are yet four months, and then comes the harvest” Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
- Lift up your eyes… OK
- Look to the fields… OK
- What do you see… opportunity or oppression?
The process of breakthrough asks that we are responsible with what has been provided “TODAY” so that when the rain comes we are positioned to soak it in. Soil that is hard a rigid – the rain does not soak in. Soil that has been tended to daily receives even the slightest amount of rain and soaks it in.
One of the foundations of transforming a culture is for us as individuals to value process. Valuing the process is different that valuing the “principals and concepts”.
The process of breakthrough requires that we transform our thinking about “blessing”. AND consider the process of breakthrough a blessing…
Think about the life of Jesus… if his ministry began in the spring of AD 29 and the final Passover was AD 33 we have 30 years of preparation 3.5 years of breakthroughs.
Samuel being called by god for the “great thing” that was to take place – after the death of Eli it took 20 years for the ark of the LORD to be returned and for Samuel to speak to the house of Israel again.
LUKE 19:12-17
Background:
Jesus disciples were waiting for the military overthrow of Rome and the return to the days of glory (Solomon, David). They were on their way to Jerusalem, the capitol city of Israel and the throne of the king. Their perspective was limited by how they thought about victory and advancement. They had seen the miracles, the healings and had listened to Jesus talk about the kingdom of God. Yet their perspective was still based on their previous experiences in the world. Namely, the establishment of a kingdom is an immediate, violent overthrow of the reigning governmental system. The disciples wanted the “and suddenly” with Jesus. Jesus now tells them this parable to alter their perspective of how the kingdom of God will advance and be established.
So here we have a nobleman who calls 10 servants and entrusts them with a gift. He asks that they increase that gift until he returns. From this parable we see that how we handle what is in our hand determines the increase and favor of God.
The way we handle our problems determines our breakthrough – the way we handle our blessings determines our increase and favor.
Think about it – in LUKE 2:52 it says – “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
- I understand the increased favor with man…
- But how would Jesus, who was perfect, increase in favor with God?
- Jesus increased in favor with God by how he managed what was placed in His hand, in His life, on a daily basis.
How Jesus handled the word of God rightly, in any given situation, determined His favor with God. It is interesting to realize that most of Jesus recorded life is in the final two years of His ministry. As His favor (how he handled the process of breakthrough) increased so did the manifestation of the Kingdom of God.
So we have a servant who has been given 1 mina ($1000.00) – a blessing in anyone’s life. It was then put upon him to do what was necessary to increase that mina.
- Invest it.
- Purchase land and work the land to increase production.
- Go to school to procure a job to earn a salary to increase the mina.
The 'good servant' valued the process of increasing what had been provided. In other words he valued the process of breakthrough.
In the kingdom economy it is necessary for us to give away that which we want to increase. But it is not flippantly throwing it away… IF I CONSIDER the PROCESS and CHERRISH what I have been given I EXIST every day in a blessing. THAT is how we can “COUNT IT ALL JOY… regardless of circumstance.
It is in the secret places with God that you develop your personal history with God that reinforces the foundation to support your promotion and advancment.
A structure, an increase of weight and stature, cannot be placed on a weak foundation – or the structure will “breakthrough” the weak foundation and the end result will be worse than before. God asks that we take the time to do the necessary ‘work’ (of mixing the concrete properly and letting it cure) so that when the “and suddenly” occurs it can be supported. It is the daily valuing of PROCESS that strengthens us.
THIS IS contrary to the world’s system that looks for the EASY way:
For instance – spiritual maturity.
It bears repeating – I can impart to you revelation that I have received from God. I can lay hands on you and impart… but I cannot impart to you my personal history with God. I can’t give you my days of running and crying out to God for greater revelation and direction. I can’t impart to you the time I have spent on my living room floor praying for the lives of my family. I can’t give you the years of waking up early (regardless of what time I went to bed) to be with my Father.
The point is that how we regard what is in our hand today will determine our future advancement and favor. The sobering part of this parable is that we are left with no excuse for not cherishing what has been offered “TODAY” to us by the LORD.
V22 – “It is our own words (ideas about God) that prevent us from transitioning from servant to governor.
So what are your words saying about the process of "this day". Is it a gift or a curse?
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