The Messiah] Will Go up Before Them

Micah 2:13 (AMP) — 13 The Breaker [the Messiah] will go up before them. They will break through, pass in through the gate and go out through it, and their King will pass on before them, the Lord at their head. BREAKTHROUGH Micah 2:13 (AMP) The Breaker [the Messiah] will go up before them. They will break through, pass in through the gate and go out through it, and their King will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.

THE PROCESS OF BREAKTHROUGH

1. The Messiah goes first: Prophetic Vision 2. They will break through: Determination 3. They will pass through the Gate: Transformation 4. They will go out through it: Restoration DAVID’S BREAKTHROUGH TEST AT ZIKLAG

Ziklag was not God’s plan for David. History tells us that during this period in David’s life, he wrote no songs or poetry. Prophetic revelation ceased in David’s life. LESSONS FROM ZIKLAG

• Ziklag was part of the inheritance of Judah (Joshua 15:31), but had not been conquered by the Israelites up to the time of David. The Philistines still controlled the city. Philistines represent that which is outside of God’s covenant with Israel

• David fled to the Philistines thinking if he were there, Saul would stop pursuing him.

• David gained favor with the Philistines as he pretended to have deserted Israel and his allegiance to Saul.

• David was given the town of Ziklag by the Philistine King of Gath, Achish LESSONS FROM ZIKLAG: #1: Fear Can Take Us Out of Our Assigned Place

1 Samuel 27:1, 2, 6 (ESV) — 1 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. … 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. #1: FEAR CAN TAKE US OUT OF OUR ASSIGNED PLACE 1 SAMUEL 27-28 1. Fear will cause us to move out of the place of our destiny into a place of false security and comfort a. Promise seemed improbable b. The enemy (Saul) was holding David’s place of destiny to prevent him from taking it out of his (Saul’s) hands c. The enemy will create fear so you will think there is no other option left, but to flee d. David’s fear was not actually of the enemy Saul, because God had already given him the throne. David had to deal with his own personal fear LESSONS FROM ZIKLAG: #2: God Will Often Use Conflict To Get Us Out of Our Comfort Zone

1 Samuel 29:3-4 (ESV) — 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. #2: God Uses Conflict: 1 Samuel 29

Conflict is sometimes used to redirect us 1. Conflict is a “clash of interests” between two parties 2. God is committed to you to get you back into the place where He has destined you to be 3. “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him.” vs 4 1. God had not assigned David Ziklag 2. Fear will never place us in the God assigned place 3. Did God supernaturally place you where you are? LESSONS FROM ZIKLAG #3: God Restores Our Prophetic Vision: Empowered to Take Back What Is Ours

1 Samuel 30:1,6, 8 (ESV) — 1 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire…6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God….8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” #3: Restored Vision: Empowers Us to Take Back What is Ours

1. The enemies on the outside were a reflection of what was going on inside of David’s life 2. If you want to know what’s going on in the inside, look at what is going on on the outside 3. David regained his focus and his vision upon the Lord…he strengthened himself in his God 4. David took back what had been taken from him THE BREAKTHROUGH 1 Samuel 30: 6,8 But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God….8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 1 Samuel 30:18–19 (NLT) 18 David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. Micah 2:13 (AMP) The Breaker [the Messiah] will go up before them. They will break through, pass in through the gate and go out through it, and their King will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.