FAITH AND ACTION BRINGS BREAKTHROUGH
1 Chron 14:8-14 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand." So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.
2 Samuel 5:20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
David is describing the natural power of flooding. When waters break out of their banks great power is displayed washing everything away in its path and he describes the power of God in a similar way because when God unleashed His power there was nothing that could stop it.
Before the breakthrough the scene in the scripture is called - Valley of Rephaim meaning house of the giant
After the breakthrough it is called - Baal Perazim - possessor of breaches
Why was this place renamed after Baal a god of the Philistines and not after the Lord? Because at this place the enemy thought he was the strongest – so David called it Baal Perazim meaning that God broke through in the strongest place of the enemy - God wants to give you a breakthrough in those areas of your life that the enemy is the strongest
What area of breakthrough do you need – Faith –Family – Finances - Freedom
HOW DO WE GET BREAKTHROUGH?
It says that when David sees the enemy he inquires of the Lord. It is interesting that David doesn’t assume the obvious. They have come to fight and God has given us an army to fight them with. It would seem evident that this is God’s plan. But, David does not assume to know God’s thoughts. He goes to God to seek God’s favor upon him.
It takes Faith and Action
1. Ask God - And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" To inquire - by implication, to request; to ask, consult, pray - Once God speaks to you then you have faith – our problem is we don’t ask God about our situations
2. Hear God - Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God So we must set aside time to ask and listen – most of our questions regarding circumstances are clearly defined within the word of God – relationships – finances – church attendance etc and if not addressed specifically they are referred to in principle – God will not ask you to do something that is not endorsed in some way by His word – however He may ask you to do something that is contrary to our natural understanding Hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees - Marching in the tops of trees?
3. Obey God - "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
Faith is not a blind leap - Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path - a path is a way of walking – God’s directions may be contrary to our understanding – we will not be able to work out the results from the action
It takes faith plus obedience – pray and obey – hear and do – E.g. if you want to get out of debt you have to stop spending – if you want to see the results of God in your life – Ask – Hear – Obey - Abraham the father of our faith received nothing from God till he put into action what God told him to do – leave your fathers house – go to a land I will show you …
It takes Faith and Action
James 2:14-20 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
DEAD FAITH - Is faith without action - Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
DEAD WORKS – Is works without faith – any work that God does not initiate –
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God
Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Rev. 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,’ these things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
HOW TO GET FAITH
Seek God’s direction - David understood that he needed God’s direction before he went into battle - David had won his fair share of battles including his great victory over Goliath - he could have easily relied on his own personal military experience, confidence and skill as a warrior to handle the situation - David depended on God so greatly that when the Philistines attacked a second time, he sought God again before he attacked - We need to continually seek God’s direction
In Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s book, a Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Ivan endures all the horrors of a soviet prison camp. One day he is praying with his eyes closed when a fellow prisoner notices him and says with ridicule, "Prayers won’t help you get out of here any faster." Opening his eyes, Ivan answers, "I do not pray to get out of prison, but to do the will of God."
Follow God’s direction - where God leads He is also present, so if we follow His leading we will always be in His presence and there would be assurance of God’s protection, provision or power.
Let Patience Have Its Perfect Work – be patient - James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
