Do you want to see the Master of Breakthroughs at work?
2 Samuel 5:17 -25
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. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 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.” 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. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
The context is – David becomes king over Israel. David defeats the Jebusites and conquers Jerusalem. He captures the fortress of Zion. He takes his residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. (2 Samuel 5)
This is when the Philistines attacked with full force. We are most vulnerable in our infancy, especially if the plans are great.
It was probably their success over Saul that encouraged them to attack. But they did not realise that David is not alone. The enemy will not know our relationship with The Lord in the secret place.
Psalm 91:1
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The above passage shows us that God brought breakthrough to David against the Philistines. Let us glean from David’s life to see what kind of man we need to be to see breakthrough against the barriers before our lives.
1. A man walking in anointing
v17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel,…
– When you go against the enemy, make sure you go under the anointing of God upon your life.
2. A Man protected in his stronghold
v17 … And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.
– For the Believer, it is our place in Christ. Our lives are hid with Christ in God. You should know how to stay in your stronghold.
“as the deer pants for the water brooks…” As a predator chases a deer, it jumps into water so that its smell is lost and the enemy can’t find it.
3. A man of prayer
v19 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
-The sin of presumption and haste has brought failure to many well-meaning endeavours entered into by God’s people, even His choice servants. David enquires before he charges.
4. An obedient man. A man who has the courage to obey God.
v19 And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
v20 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.
Footnote in Bible (NIV) tells us that the word Baal Perazim (v20) literally means The Lord who breaks out or the Master of Breakthroughs. We have all experienced how stifling the enemy makes it for us through our circumstances. In these difficult times, we need breakthrough. David learned that God was the Master of Breakthroughs.
-Asking and discerning God’s will is just the first step, doing His will is the step that brings the breakthrough. Too often breakthrough does not come even though it is just one step away, the step of obedience.
– David went into the battle knowing for sure that he will win since God has confirmed it.
– David depended on God and not on the power of his own army.
– When God delivers, He not only destroys the enemy but also demolishes the enemies’ gods.
5. A man who gives all glory to God
v20 …. 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.
v21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.
– I could not have done it if he had not done it before me; he opened the breach like the breach of waters in a dam, which when once opened grows wider and wider. David did not consider what he did worth speaking of; and therefore, not unto us, but unto the Lord, give glory.
– He put their gods to shame. They brought the images of their gods into the field as their protectors, in imitation of the Israelites bringing the ark into their camp; but, being put to flight, they could not stay to carry off their images, for they were a burden to the weary beasts (Isaiah 46:1), and therefore they left them to fall with the rest of their baggage into the hands of the conqueror. Their images failed them, and gave them no assistance, and therefore they left their images to shift for themselves.
– God can make men weary of those things that they have been most fond of, and compel them to desert what they dote upon, and cast even the idols of silver and gold to the moles and the bats, (Isaiah 2:20,21). David and his men converted to their own use the rest of the plunder, but the images they burnt, as God had appointed (Deuteronomy 7:5): “You shall burn their graven images with fire, in token of your detestation of idolatry, and lest they should be a snare.”
6. A man whose dependence is on God and not on his own understanding.
v22-23a Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord…
– David values his relationship with God over his own experience.
– God appoints him to draw back, as Israel stood still to see the salvation of the Lord.
– God promised him to charge the enemy himself, by an invisible host of angels.
(Psalm 91:3, 9-11-15)
7. A man who is willing to take no for an answer and still follow God.
v23 and he answered, “Do not go
– Same place. Same enemy. Same David. Same God. But the answer is different.
8. A man who knows that God always has a plan and a strategy
v23 and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
Last time you went up. This time you circle around.
– We may not understand His plans, we don’t need to. All that is expected of us is to obey.
– God’s plan and strategy is different everyday because He knows the end from the beginning.
– You cannot overcome today’s enemy with yesterday’s strategy.
9. A man who waits on God and is sensitive to His voice.
v24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees …
– David waited, with his army and their family and possession for God’s small voice.
10. A man who is willing to surrender all to God’s leadership
v24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”
– Last time I delivered your enemy to you. This time I will fight your battle. Last time I brought you up. This time I will lead you out. Last time you were at a different level. A different level needs a different strategy.
– When you hear the marching on top of the mulberry trees…. – God will bring confusion in the enemy camp. Hearing the march of an army against their front, they retreated and fell into David’s army which lay behind them in their rear.
And we again see David’s obedience
v25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
– Faith is immediate obedience. Faith is not discussion or negotiation. Faith is not when you get an answer to your prayer. Faith is trusting God and doing what He says.
Our victory is in the obedience.
David observed his orders, waited till God moved, and stirred them, but not till then. Thus he was trained up in a dependence on God and his providence.
God performed his promise, went before him, and routed all the enemies’ force, and David smote the Philistines, even to the borders of their own country.
Surrender fully to the Master of Breakthroughs today – your mind, your will and you emotions. Surrender your plans. Allow the power of the Holy Spirit to “breakthrough” and to break up any residue of disobedience that is still there. Let it burst forth as the waters through an overly stretched dam. Let every chain be broken and every shackle be destroyed in the name of Jesus. Bring every negative thought and vain thinking that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, captive to the obedience of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit search your inner being and replace with divine wisdom and revelation everything that is not of God and help you lead a life of abundant blessing God intended for you.
Amen!