Today I want to share with you a way to really think about Breakthrough.

It comes back to the passage we have been studying.

The NLT translation has David proclaim, "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!"

The key words are "he used me."

The word "breakthrough" may sound like God independently makes changes in our lives. It may sound as if God alone conquers our enemies while we are on the sidelines.

Read this alternate translation:

"God has broken through my enemies by my hand."

Yes, it is God who will do the breaking and going before you. But you are not passive in this.

This is a hard concept to fully understand. But a key step today is to recognize that God's power works through us.

God's grace, alone, defeats death and sin. So while we have no power to make ourselves righteous before God, we don't sit idly by either.

We have to repent. We have to live with faith. We have to follow Christ as the Lord who has broken through for us.

The notion that breakthrough happens by sitting, waiting, and hoping without some active change by us through which God can work isn't a strong Biblical one.

Sadly, there's a dangerous thread of passivity rising in the church. It's magical thinking. It's helplessness masking as grace.

You were meant to be used by God for his glory and greater purpose. In another translation, David says, "Like a flood of water, God has broken through my enemies by using me.”

The foundation of the Gospel is essential for us to recognize the need for breakthrough and to allow God to defeat our enemies "like a bursting flood."

As a counter example, there's a man I know who reacts to his feelings. He tells people he's a feeler. The church knows him as the feeler. He has reacted to his feelings in past by accusing people he is angry with. He reacts to his feelings by numbing himself.

The thing he hasn't done is take responsibility that his feelings are not God.

When biblically confronted about changes, rather than being wise and investigating the word, he reacts to....his feelings of being corrected.

He relieves himself of any responsibility by equating his feelings as a Word from a God. And many times what he interprets or imagines runs counter to scripture.

This is someone who isn't taking action by allowing God to use him. He shifts that responsibility away from himself.

He blames his past. He blames others. He makes decisions to get himself to "feel" the way he wants to feel. He is tossed by the winds of his own anger and needs.

The person who allows God to burst force through themselves surrenders to God. The person obeys God, not their feelings.

The person knows God's word and, from there, seeks what to do instead of instructing themselves from visions and emotions of their own making.

Let's become an instrument for God's breakthrough through obedience.

Look at how David first sought God and then acted:

“David prayed to God: “Is this the right time to attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?” GOD answered, “Attack; I’ll give you the victory.”” 1 Chronicles 14:10 MSG

Ask for God whether he will give you breakthrough. But ask, "Is this the time to act and what should I do?"

The answer will lie in his inerrant Word.

Let me know what you think.

Do you see the difference between being a passive bystander and being someone used by God for your breakthrough?

Hit reply and let me know if a shift has occurred within you to being an instrument for God's breakthrough in your life.

Look forward to hearing from you.