Raising Up Breakthrough Believers

Raising Up Breakthrough Believers

© Dr. Jonathan David 2004

RAISING UP BREAKTHROUGH BELIEVERS

Breakthrough believers raise up breakthrough city churches. The nature of the church changes because of their lives and spiritual position and input. The male child in Rev. 12:5-6 (whom I believe can represent the breakthrough believers) are responsible for :

• The nourishment of the woman (v. 6)
• The war in the heavenlies (v. 7)
• The pulling down of Satanic kingdom (v. 9)
• The spiritual positioning of the believers to rule and reign (v. 8)
• Satan was not strong enough because we became stronger.
• Satan had no longer a place because we’re found our place in Christ.
• The manifestation of Christ’s kingdom upon the earth through the complete work of Calvary (v. 10-11)

I. THE SPIRIT OF BREAKTHROUGH BELIEVERS

Breakthrough believers are PIONEERS in the true sense. They are a different breed from those who become SETTLERS.

a. PIONEERS BEGIN A NEW MOVE OF GOD

They are not tempted to stay on well established paths of the former generation. They are flexible and versatile to move in the present day. They do not settle on excuses and neither accept NO for an ANSWER because of what they are pursuing.

b. PIONEERS CHART THE COURSE FOR THE WHOLE COLONY

They determine how far the next generation of settlers will move or should move. Their decision affects the destiny of the future generations. They create a momentum for the settlers to be enveloped by. 

c. PIONEERS ESTABLISH LIFESTYLES AND STANDARDS

They form the habit patterns of the next generation. They shape the generation to come by laying down a lifestyle and structure of society that will absorb the next generation. Their ideals become the standards for their future society. 

d. PIONEERS ARE FAITH PROPOGATORS

They seem to rise above natural and self-limitations to fulfil their dreams. They rise above human traditions and fears to achieve their goals and ideals. They are high achievers.

e. PIONEERS ARE VISIONARIES

They have an unshakable hope for the FUTURE. They see the future they want for the next generation. They have an inner energy of hope that helps them CREATE THE FUTURE they want. They do not fear the UNKNOWN because they see it as what it should be. They level out the mountains and fill the valleys until the natural landscape is according to their spiritual ideals and vision.

II. THE CHURCH HAS 4 TYPES OF BELIEVERS

1. PIONEERS - those who make things happen. They are always spoiling for action and often put pressure upon the church to move forward. They keep expanding the borders of church ministry to embrace every opportunity God’s giving their way. They create a momentum until others are absorbed into the flow of their vision for the Lord.

2. ENABLERS - those who support things happening. The pioneers have clarified their hearts and captivated them for action. They will bring in their talents, time and resources to help fulfil the vision of the pioneers. They will also encourage others to participate in the move. They are basically exhorters and ministry of helps.

3. RESISTOR A - those who don’t know what is happening. These are people who resist because they are ignorant of what is taking place. Things are happening faster than they want or are ready for. They do not see the whole picture of what God is doing and their fears and inner limitations are exposed in their objections to this new thing. They can be won to become enablers if spiritual understanding is given to them.

4. RESISTOR B - those who will not allow anything to happen. They oppose change because they do not want to pay the price for change to take place in their lives. Normally these are people who have settled and have an upper hand in the situations at present and fear to loose their position through changes that might take place. Their inabilities to move forward in the present move is covered up by their strong objections and reasoning. They do not want their comfortable life to be pressured by spiritual convictions and activities. They do not want anybody to unsettle their comfort zone.

III. CHARACTERISTICS OF BREAKTHROUGH BELIEVERS

(Text Matt 14:22-23)

1. They are ALWAYS SENT AHEAD (v. 22)

- often sent to pioneer into new grounds, territories

- sent ahead to prepare for a new move

- often faced with loneliness (you are out there by yourself)

- often faced with lack of role models (you are ahead of others)

- often faced the persecution head on (you upset others)

2. They must MOVE WITH STRONG CONVICTIONS OF GOD’S

COMMISSIONING (v. 22)

- the knowledge that it was Jesus who is sending you

- His authority is behind us as we obey

- important to stay true to convictions despite contrary winds and pressure

- this is YOUR DESTINY

3. They must DEAL WITH CROWD PRESSURE (v. 22-23)

- the ability to move from POPULARITY and FAME to the next step of obedience in

Christ that leads to the straight and narrow path again.

- to become EXTRAORDINARY - move away from majority standards, past

victories and launch into fresh new directions in God.

- when staying with the crowd the temptation to bear the burden of the people instead

of the burden of the Lord’s becomes more pronounced.

4. They will SEE A GREATER MANIFESTATION OF JESUS (v. 26-27)

- different dimensions and nature of Jesus were revealed in this journey compared to

the one on the shores when He fed the 5000 men.

- Ex. 6:2-3 reveals that we need different types of revelation of Jesus to accomplish

different type of breakthroughs.

5. They LEARN BY THEIR GOD-DIRECTED EXPERIENCES (v. 30-33)

- their experiences are based on explicit obedience.

- they learn of God’s ways and His purposes only after their obedience is

complete.

- the purpose of God becomes clearer and properly understood in the time of

experience.

- proper faith development takes place. Exercising faith on a personal level was

different from exercising faith in somebody else’s faith (Jesus) when feeding the 5000

men.

- Jesus took them out of a crowd into a group situation to an individual expression of

faith. Different levels of faith expression.

- Obedience to God helps us to break into new territories with the supernatural power

to heal, deliver and set others free.

- new grounds of evangelism

- new power to influence others because of fresh encounter with Jesus.

IV.CONCEPTS OF ANTIOCH BREAKTHROUGH BELIEVERS

(Text Acts 11:19-22)

1. Raising them TO MOVE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE

- pressure produces quality in believers (chocolate soldiers who melt in the sun)

- when in training, we push them to break their own fears and limitation and realize

their potentials.

- only those who know their God will do great exploits in the last days of evil.

2. Raising them TO RETAIN THE STANDARDS OF TRUTH they have learnt

- they need to be faithful to truths entrusted to them even when they are not in the

presence of any leadership.

- practising truth believers vs. hearing truth believers. One is of breakthrough calibre,

the other is deceived.

- they did not compromise truth to the situations and persecution.

- finding a way to check church believers if they are living in the standards of truth

taught them.

3. Raising them TO MOVE INTO PRESENT DAY TRUTHS AND PROGRESSIVE

REVELATIONS.

- Peter was led to minister to the Samaritans (Acts 8) even though they had no

dealings with the Jews.

- Peter was being led by the Spirit to minister to the Gentiles (Acts 10)

- the disciples who were scattered were also moved by the same Spirit to preach to

the Gentiles (Acts 11:20).

- Blessed is the pastor whose congregation is moving on in the things that he himself

is taught by the Holy Spirit.

4. Raising them TO MOVE FORWARD UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF GOD

AND HIS APPOINTED LEADERSHIP.

- first they submitted their lives to God (v. 21) and then they submitted their lives to

Barnabas when he came to Antioch (v. 22-24). Then they yielded to Paul’s ministry

also.

- coming under the hand of God is an essential quality in breakthrough believers.

- they yielded to mature leadership even though they were the ones who pioneered

the Antioch church.

5. Raising them TO INFLUENCE THEIR SOCIETY BY THEIR LIVES.

- Many hearts of those who believed turned to the Lord (turning hearts and face to

seek God)

- had tremendous testimony and grace upon their lives that the news about them

reach the ears of the church at Jerusalem.

- it takes one life to change another.