Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
T
he truth of the matter may be some-
thing none of us wants to hear: No
breakthrough is complete until the
testing comes. In fact, this is where
the three steps of discovering, choosing, and
sharing Gods promises come together to
form the weapon that nally overcomes the
wall.
The testing is the proving ground of the
breakthrough. It is the re that forges the
separate elements into the steel strong
enough to break down walls. (James 1:2-3)
I. AN AMAZING __________ OF A FAITH
BREAKTHROUGH
Just like what we are all prone to do, when
times get tough and Gods plan is out of
sight, the prophet of God faced a moment of
testing. Habakkuk was unable to hear God,
to see God, or to understand. He joined his
people in wondering why God was somehow
hidden from what was going on. (Habak-
kuk 1:2)
In our darkest moments, we wonder
whether God is even paying attention. In
Habakkuks case, it got even worse. Habak-
kuk heard from God, but it was not what he
wanted to hear: The Almighty God had just
told him that things were going to get worse,
not better. Hows that for the opposite of a
health-and-wealth message! Its like praying
that God will take away an illness a friend is
facing, only to watch our friend get worse. It
is in these moments when we pray and get
the wrong answer that we face the biggest
crisis in the midst of the breakthrough - and
we have to choose between a breakthrough
and a breakdown.
I cant see the answer. Will I still trust? I
cant understand the circumstances. Will I still
believe? I cant imagine a positive outcome.
Will I still press on? Of course, its easy for
walls to go up in times of testing. But theres
an amazing truth about breakthroughs that
involves the very same test: the tests that
seem to be drawing you far from God are the
very things God can use to bring down the
walls in your life.
You dont have to like the tests you go
through, but you must see the opportunities
that they bring. Tests ofer a chance to prove
Gods promises like nothing else on earth can
do.
II. A PROMISE _________; A PROMISE
_________________
The point: there is no conrmation without
the testing; the two go hand in hand.
In science class, we used to have to test
our hypotheses. It was only after the testing
proved our theories to be true that we had
conrmation. And the same is true in real life,
as we see with Habakkuk. He made a clear
decision in the midst of the test that abso-
lutely transformed everything that took place
from that point forward: Habakkuk 3:17-19
When put to the test, you discover that
things dont have to go as planned for Gods
promises to be completely, unconditionally
true and lifegiving.
The tests that seem to be drawing you far
from God are the very things God can use to
bring down the walls in your life.
III. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BREAK-
THROUGHS AND ______________
Somebody once said: When you face
lifes walls, you really only have two choices:
have a breakthrough or have a breakdown!
Breakthroughs and breakdowns common-
ly have all of the same ingredients, but it is
how we use those ingredients in the midst of
the trial that will determine success or, fail-
ure. When people break down on their way
past the wall, it is never because a true prom-
ise of God failed; it is because the person in
the trial failed to focus on the promise, be-
coming distracted by the circumstances that
can be readily seen. On the other hand, like
Habakkuk, at person breaks through when he
xes his eyes on the unseen promise regard-
less of the circumstances. In this case, the
test becomes the opportunity to prove that
the promise is true!
We live in a world that is so confusing, so
upsetting, so illogical, so evil, and so unfair
that if we walk by sight were headed for a
breakdown. But when we walk by faith -
trusting Gods Word even in the midst of all
we see around uswe take the rst step to-
ward a Faith Breakthrough.
The tests of life are all open book: we
can go to the Bible and study Gods prom-
ises over and over again even as were in the
midst of the test. (continued on page 2)
(continued from page 3)
SUNDAY SCHOOL SERIES: WALLS
2 3