GOD IS GETTING YOU READY FOR A BREAKTHROUGH
Luke 1:5-14
A breakthrough is something you desire but can get on your own. It is beyond
your capabilities, your knowledge, and your power. God is a breakthrough master.
There is nothing too hard for God. God wants you to have the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
There are some musts in getting your breakthrough.
First, you have to believe in God the Creator.
Second, you must speak your breakthrough into existence through prayer with
the Father asking in the name of Jesus.
Third, you must believe your prayer has been heard and answered
Fourth, you must be prepared to wait on the Lord's timing.
Fifth, you must live a life pleasing to the Father.
The text is about an older couple, Zachariah and Elizabeth. They
wanted a baby, but throughout Elizabeth's childbearing age, she had no luck.
The time clock had run out. By man's standards, it was too late.
GOD HAS SET A TIME FOR YOUR BREAKTHROUGH
V:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
A. God knows the desires of your heart. They wanted a Child
1. Wait patiently on the Lord
2. Serve the Lord faithfully while waiting
3. Just because you have a relationship with the Lord, does not mean
you will get what you want when you want it.
4.. Don’t give up on God, He has not given up on you
Mark 11:22-24
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Elizabeth had two mountains; her age and her barrenness
5. See your problem as a blessing, not a curse. Elizabeth was barren
See your problem as an opportunity to exercise your faith
It would appear that her clock had stopped ticking
God can raise the dead in you.
GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO SERVE
V:8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
B. God bless those who work for Him.
1. Your faithfulness positions you for a private conversation with the Lord
2. God has believers praying for you as you serve.
3. Serve the Lord according to His plan
YOUR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED WHEN YOU PRAYED
V:11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
C. Humble yourself as you serve
1. When in the presence of the Lord expect to hear from the Lord.
2. Listen carefully to the Lord
3. Follow His instructions
BELIEVE THE WORD OF THE LORD
Luke 1:18-20
V:18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
D. There is nothing too hard for the Lord.
1. Don't make excuses for your unbelief
2. Your faith can move mountains if you exercise it.
3. Your lack of faith has consequences
4. Don’t hinder God’s blessing with unbelief
5. Zachariah believed the man he had never seen before was an angel
from the Lord, why would he not believe his word?
THE CONSEQUENCE OF UNBELIEF
V:19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
1. Sometimes God has to stop you from spreading your unbelief.
2. Zachariah had given up on having a son.
3. When God is ready to bless, your unbelief can't change His mind
4. God will show you His power with a personal miracle.
5. Because his mouth was shut, Zachariah couldn’t spread the good news like
a proud Papa.
ACT ON GOD’S DIRECTIONS
Luke 1:23-25
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
E. God moves mountains that block your blessings
1. Sometimes God has to light a fire to get you moving
2. When the time was right God opened Elizabeth’s womb
3. It may have been the shut-up mouth of Zachariah that caused him
to immediately have sex with his wife.
4. When you act on faith miracles happen
BLESS OTHERS WITH YOUR TESTIMONY
V:25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "
Give God the credit for your breakthrough.
You didn’t do it. You couldn’t do it. Why be silent and act as if it
was no big deal.
We do not hear from Zachariah that he told the men about God's miracle.
For nine months, Zachariah's mouth was shut up by the angel.
He could have had a Hallelujah dance. He could have praised God
with his hands. He could have jumped up and down. He didn't
have to do anything for nine months.
You need to be quick to shout out the GOOD NEWS of what God has
done in your life.
YOUR BREAKTHROUGH IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU
You never know why God delayed answering your prayer.
The whole world may be blessed by the miracle God does in your life.
John was a miracle birth. It was no doubt it was of God.
God named the son; John, God is gracious
He was the fulfillment of a prophecy Malachi 3:1
The forerunner of Jesus
Malachi 3:1
"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty.
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