Patrick J van Rensburg
- When the enemy sees progression, he comes in full force.
2 Samuel 5:17 (NIV) When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
Satan is our enemy, and like the Philistines went up in full force to search for David; Satan wants to destroy us.
2 Corinthians 2:11 (NLT) “so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes”
Satan wants us to doubt God. John 20:27 “Stop doubting and believe”
- Go down to the stronghold.
2 Samuel 5:17 (NIV) When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
David heard that his enemies were coming in full force to search for him, but when David heard it, he went down to the stronghold. He did not run away from his enemy, no he went down to face his enemy. He knew that his strength was not in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord.
Psalm 91:7-10 (NLV) “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand. But it will not come near you. 8 You will only look on with your eyes, and see how the sinful are punished. 9 Because you have made the Lord your safe place, and the Most High the place where you live, 10 nothing will hurt you. No trouble will come near your tent.”
- Pray and Obey
2 Samuel 5:(NIV) 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19 so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
Whenever David faced a trial, especially with his enemies, he always asked to know God’s will. And each time he inquired, the Lord graciously gave him a clear and definite answer.
We please God when we ask Him.
David was instructed to attack the Philistines, and he did. David was obedient to the instruction of the Lord. Our obedience is a prerequisite to our breakthrough. We must be obedient if we want to see that sudden shift we are praying for.
- The place of Breakthrough
2 Samuel 5:20 (NIV) “So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.
What does the name Baal-perazim mean? Well, the word Baal just means “Lord,” and the word perazim means “breach” or “breakthrough.” So Baal-perazim means “Lord of the Breakthrough.” That is exactly why David named the place where God broke through his enemies “Baal-perazim.” God is a God of breakthroughs.
God is the Lord of breakthroughs.
“The greatest breakthrough’s happens in the most difficult of times. Expect, believe and receive it.” ― Jeanette Coron
- The battle you fight after the battle you’ve won
2 Samuel 5:22 (AMP) “The Philistines came up once again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
We have seen that once David became King, the Philistines went after David. They attacked the army of David and lost the battle. Now the Philistines came up once again. This is exactly the strategy of the enemy, he keeps on coming back at you, especially when you are tired. Remember David’s army just come out of a battle and now the enemy returns. The Devil will attack you when you’re in a weak position, both physically and emotionally. Jesus was attacked after He had fasted for 40 days. The Devil attempted to attack Jesus at one of his lowest points physically.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 (GNT) ‘We wanted to return to you. I myself tried to go back more than once, but Satan would not let us.’
Note the words ‘more than once’. When you have an assignment from God, Satan will repeatedly attack you and try to stop you from fulfilling it. This is exactly what he tried with David. The enemy failed the first time and now he returns for a second time.
Isaiah 59:19 (KJ21) What the enemy forgot was that “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV) “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one”
Deuteronomy 20:4 (ESV) “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory”
- The Lord Begins to Turn Things Around When We Fully Obey His Word
2 Samuel 5:23-25(AMP) When David inquired of the Lord, He said, “You shall not go up, but circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall pay attention and act promptly, for at that time the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 David did just as the Lord had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
Breakthrough is not something we sit around and wait for, Breakthrough is God waiting on us to respond in obedience to what He has already commanded and already promised. Obedience is when we completely surrender to God’s authority and base our decisions and our actions on His Word. It shows God that we trust Him. Obedience shows God that we love Him, and we trust Him which in turn activates His power in our lives.
Obeying God leads to success.
God has promised to bless us if we obey Him.
Deuteronomy 28:1 (NLT) “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 8 “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.”
Luke 11:28 (NIV) “He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
“If you want increased favour in your life, start obeying God in every area of your life.”- Dave Martin
John 15:7 (NIV) “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Obeying God leads to God continued guidance
Psalm 37:23 (LB) “The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take.”
- The Lord Brings Breakthrough When We Are Willing to Fight
2 Samuel 5:20 (NIV) So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.
Victory only comes through acting. Faith without works are dead. Although sometimes we don’t need to fight, we have to take up our positions. Taking up your position shows not only your faith, but that you act on your faith. Faith without action is dead. When we do the natural, God will always do the supernatural.
2 Chronicles 20:17 (AMP) “You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’”
Take up your positions! Don’t run away when the battle comes, but take up your position. When David heard that the Philistines were coming for him, he did not run away; no! instead he went down to the stronghold. Running away from your problems is not going to solve them. You have to tackle them head-on, knowing that the battle belongs to God. The battle did not disappear. Victory can only be obtained by fighting the fight. The Lord brings the breakthrough when we are willing to fight.
2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Stand – Remain in your position! Keep in position, keep praying; and watch what God does! 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Watch God at work! “So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’
In this scripture we are told to “That the Lord is with you.” God is at work, His purpose is to perform. He isn’t a man that He should lie. He is working on your behalf. He is the one true powerful living and active God.
Deuteronomy 20:4 (NLT) “For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!”
Joshua 23:10 (NLT) “Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised.”