2 Samuel 5:17-21 | 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 Lordanswered 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 Lordhas broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
Isaiah 55:18-19 | 8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In 2 Samuel 5, there is a short but beautiful story of God delivering his people from a huge army. There are many stories like this throughout the Bible, but I like this one, in particular, because it highlights a new name for God.
David exclaims in 2 Samuel 5:20, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood. Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. (which means, Lord of the Breakthrough).”
I love this because it helps me to realize that it is not just God’s actions, but also his character that I can depend on. God’s nature and his heart never change, even if his actions aren’t always predictable.
God’s ways are higher than ours. But the fight of faith isn’t about twisting God’s arm so he will perform a specific outcome for us. Faith is so much deeper than our external circumstances. The battle we face every day is to trust God’s heart and believe for the impossible.
We are always going to need breakthrough in our lives. Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33). Our fight, the trials, and the hardships will continue as long as we are on this side of glory. But until that day, we can hold on to the promise given by Jesus in the last part of the previous verse, “But take heart I have overcome the world.”
So when the mountains loom large in front of you, I pray that your faith will stir you and you will believe for more. I hope you will never forget what God has done and never forget who he is.
Breakthrough isn’t just something God does, it is who he is!
“Then I will say unto my soul, ‘Don’t be discouraged; don’t be disturbed, for I fully expect my Savior-God to break through for me.’ Then I will have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.” (Psalm 43:5 TPT).