Pastor Dan’s Blog

Breakthrough

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown.

 

Some of the greatest inventions in life were the result of a barrier the inventor had faced but refused to give up hope on. Some of the greatest stories are from people who overcame obstacles & handicaps (Ben Underwood). Whether in the medical arena, sports field, technology or travel, all breakthroughs can about because someone refused to breakdown & breakthrough.

 

Barriers are a way of life. Life is full of barriers, obstacles and roadblocks. These barriers can release great breakthrough in our lives or set us up for great breakdown. It all depends on how we face them. The life of Joseph gives us a wonderful picture of a man that refuses to breakdown.

 

He realized that:

 

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown and believe

Breakthroughs aren’t obtained by the talented but the tenacious. You see, Joseph was not a superhero. He was just a young man who realized God gave him the dream and only God could take it away. His brothers or his father could not take what they had not given to him. His dream would not be validated or voided based on his circumstances.

 

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown and prepare

Promotion comes without warning but not with out preparation. We cannot sit idly by and wait for breakthrough to happen. We must continue to give our best and prepare everyday for that day of breakthrough. Joseph kept doing the right thing even when no one noticed. His integrity would not allow him to stop doing his best. Everyday in Potiphar’s house or in the prison, he gave his best effort.

 

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown and be free

We all know people who have been released from prison but are still prisoners to their past. It is possible to be out of a situation but still be imprisoned by it. Your location might change but the memories can keep you locked up. If we are to breakthrough we must be free from yesterday’s bondages. You are not defined by what happened to you.

 

Notice Genesis 41:51

51Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father.” 52Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering.”

 

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown.

Barriers are not removed in one decision or action, it is a series of decisions or actions. Joseph had two sons: Manasseh & Ephraim following his release from prison. Their names are important. Manasseh means “Forgetful” while Ephraim means “Fruitful”. The principle is deep but simple, “You must give birth to forgetfulness in order to produce fruitfulness.” You will never be fruitful as long as you hold on to the hurts of yesterday.

The Apostle Paul, the former persecutor & murderer of the church said:

 

13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 3:13

 

We cannot change our past but we can change our present & future. We must make a decision to give birth to forgetfulness. Like a baby, forgetfulness is a action that is conceived, developed and then delivered. It is a process.

 

Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown.

 

How do we birth forgetfulness?

1.       Acknowledge hurt to begin with.

If we are to forget we must first admit the pain exists. Our natural defense system causes us to deny that any pain or hurt ever exist to begin with. We refuse to give the abuser the satisfaction to acknowledge their actions effected us in any way. Joseph was able to identify that he had had trouble in his life.

 

2.       Identify its source

Next, Joseph identified the source of this conflict & pain. He states that “the family of my father” is where the trouble came from. He had to identify the source if he was ever going to be healed. Knowing what caused the pain can be the first step to achieving freedom.

 

3.       Give it to God

Lastly, Joseph states that “God made him forget”. Every unfortunate memory of abuse, neglect, abandonment and betrayal has a pain associated with it. It is not until we are healed from the pain of the event are we truly able to event for the glory of God. The abuse is a one time affliction that left undealt with can imprison you for a lifetime. Once the pain is faced & handed over to God, you are now on the verge of breakthrough.

 

How can a sexually abused girl speak openly about her pain to others in need? How can a physically abused woman stand strong and encourage others in an abusive relationship? How can a former addict give hope to others who are struggling with addictions? They have removed the pain from the memory and moved into forgetfulness which releases them into fruitfulness.

 

Not being fruitful in your marriage, career, relationships or endeavors? Check and see if you have moved into forgetfulness. Forgetfulness must be produced before fruitfulness.

 

Remember, Breakthrough happens when we refuse to breakdown!

 

Tags: barriers, forgetfullness, fruitfulness, obstacles, roadblocks

Breaking Through Barriers

Barriers are every where, on the roads, airports, stadiums, etc. They are designed to stop people or motorist from gaining access to certain restricted areas. Some barriers are temporary, others are permanent. However, the hardest barrier to overcome is not a physical one but a mental one.

 

Prior to May 6^th,1954 the idea of running a sub four minute mile was consider impossible. Many world class runners and athletes attempted the feat only to falter. That is until Roger Bannister turned his greatest disappointment into his biggest triumph.

 

In 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Roger ran in the mile competition and came in fourth, out of medal contention. This was huge dissappointment. It was that defeat that spurred Roger to focus on his quest to be the first man to break the four minute mile barrier. He set a plan, trained with a purpose and set the goal.

 

Being no man had ever accomplish the feat, Roger had to strategize in order to accomplish the goal. So he found two men to serve as his pace runners. These men would be there to set the pace. They would each need to run a half mile under two minutes. Once the first runner finished, the second fresh runner would the set the pace. As long as Roger kept up with them over the one mile course his goal could be reached.

 

We all need pace setters that can help us reach & breakthrough our previous barriers. We cannot run alone nor do we. As we daily read the word of God, find ourselves running this race with pace setters like Paul, Peter, Daniel, Abraham and Elijah. They set the pace to help us break our personal barriers.

 

This historic event took place on 6 May, 1954 at Iffley Road Track in Oxford. It was watched by about 3,000 spectators. The conditions were not perfect with 25 mile an hour winds but Bannister did not allow the conditions to determine his destiny. There will never be perfect conditions to break thorugh a barrier. Two other runners, Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, provided pacing while completing the race. Both went on to establish their own track careers. When the gun had sounded Roger Bannister had become the first man to ever break the four minute mile barrier at a 3:59:4.

 

Since that time, every world class distance runner can run a sub four minute mile. In fact, just 46 days later another runner John Landy broke Roger’s record at 3:57:9.  What was impossible for years, once the barriers were broken, the four minute mile became the standard not the barrier.

 

Every barrier we breakthrough today will become a gateway for the next generation tomorrow. Breakthrough the barriers. Carve new paths. Release new opportunities.

Tags: barriers, breakthrough, pace setters, Roger Bannister, standard