There are times in our walks with Jesus we can get discouraged and feel like nothing good will happen. Like we won’t have anymore breakthroughs, like the situation will never get better or that we’ll never see the prayer answered.
This is hard especially if you’ve been praying for something specific over and over like Jesus instructs us to do in Luke 11.
In the Old Testament we find a man named David in the book of 2 Samuel where he fighting up against an army called the Philistines. This Philistine army was strong and they were not going to be defeated without a heck of a battle. Let’s check out what happens when David went to battle:
So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. ( 2 Samuel 5:20)
With the help of the Lord David defeated his enemy the Philistines but what’s interesting is what he named the place where defeated them… he called it “Baal Perazim” which was symbolic. He named it that because that was where the Lord came and helped David, it was where the Lord saw him through and David didn’t want to ever forget that.
Think about what Baal Perazim means… David said it was “the place where the Lord broke out against my enemies before me” it was a landmark for David. Whenever future generations came along they would pass through and see Baal Perazim and they would remember that was the place where the Lord came through.
We need to remember our own Baal Perazim’s. We need to live in remembrance. What has Jesus done for you in your past? What can you look back and remember was your Baal Perazim’s? Did Jesus set you free from an addiction? Did he heal you from hurt, guilt or pain? Did Jesus save a family member? Did he provide for you when it didn’t look possible?
You’ll see that you have your own Baal Perazim’s when you think about your life. When you identify them write them down if you never have before, make a note somewhere and remember how good God was to you.
For me I can remember back when Jesus opened the door for me to attend an amazing bible college, that was one Baal Perazim. Another for me was when Jesus was with me and made a way for me to get my pilot license, that was another Baal Perazim.
Take note of your Baal Perazim’s… remember all that Jesus has done for you especially in times where it feels like nothing will change. If God was there for David and helped him defat the Philistines then he’ll be there for you as well. He may have done something awesome in your past and He will do it again in your future. He’s God of the breakthrough! He’s always up to something… He wouldn’t have brought you to where you are just to say “your here forever.” He’s with you and he’ll never leave you!
I love this one song called “Remembrance” by Hillsong Worship because it helps me look back over my life and remember what the Lord has done. The lyrics go like this:
“You’ve been so, so good to me, Oh to think where I would be if not for you”
Where would you’d be if God wasn’t in your life? Remember what all he’s done for you and call them your Baal Perazim’s.
Bryant Westbrook 