God wants you to “break through” in every difficult situation you face! David faced his first and greatest challenge from the Philistines immediately after he was anointed king. David asked God if he should go out and fight the Philistines, and God instructed him to attack, assuring David that He would give him the victory. Desiring to honor God for answering his prayers, David renamed the area of battle so that everyone who came there in the future would know of God’s goodness to him in that place. It was known as the place of breakthrough.
David referred to the battle in terms of the innate power that water has to break through any resistance. A flood of waters is an awesome force. It can break down dams, dikes, and walls, even moving rocks as it overwhelms everything in its path. Even more mighty is God’s power, a force so great that it sweeps away any barrier the enemy tries to erect against us.
Not only is God powerful in giving the breakthrough, but He is also strategic. In the second battle against the Philistines (1 Chronicles 14:14), God told David to encircle them and launch a surprise attack. David obeyed and broke through to victory again. Here we see that God is infinitely more powerful than the devil-and smarter!
Wait upon God for His strategy, and move at His command. Believe today that His power and His wisdom will give you a breakthrough, for He is Lord of the Breakthrough!
1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17
19Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.”)20When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.21They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.22Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.
Others Join David at Hebron
23These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said:
24from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;
25from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;
26from Levi—4,600,27including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men,28and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
29from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;
30from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;
31from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;
32from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
33from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;
34from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
35from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;
36from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;
37and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.
38All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.39The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them.40Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel
Bringing Back the Ark
13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.2He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.3Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.”4The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
5So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.6David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.
7They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it.8David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.
9When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.10The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
12David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?”13He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.14The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had.
David’s House and Family
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.2And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.
3In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters.4These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,5Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,6Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,7Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
8When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.9Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim;10so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The LORD answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”
11So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.12The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.
13Once more the Philistines raided the valley;14so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.15As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”16So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the LORD made all the nations fear him.
Romans 1:1-17
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures3regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David,4and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.5Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.6And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.9God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.17For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Psalm 9:13-20
13LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14that I may declare your praises
in the gates of Daughter Zion,
and there rejoice in your salvation.
15The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16The LORD is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
17The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,
all the nations that forget God.
18But God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19Arise, LORD, do not let mortals triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20Strike them with terror, LORD;
let the nations know they are only mortal.
Proverbs 19:4-5
4Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.
5A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will not go free.