THE BREAKTHROUGH FAITH

“And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.  4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." …………………… He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" -  Mark 2:1-12

This story is one of my classics on faith that defies all odds and breaks through. The way of faith is not an easy way especially to a carnal man. This is why I believe the way of faith is never prescribed to a carnal person but to a spiritual person—the just or the righteous shall live by faith. To the just, I mean those who have been justified freely by the blood of Jesus, there is no other way; it is either faith-way or no-way at all!

From this passage, it is established that faith recognizes the fact of the problem, it doesn’t deny the fact of the problem; the only difference is that the breakthrough faith is aggressive enough not to accept the facts as final; it accepts the facts as subject to change. The breakthrough faith accepts the word of God as the final authority to which all situations submit especially when the force of faith is applied. Faith is a supernatural force with a creative and subjugating power.

NO BARRIER TO FAITH

The action of the four men who carried the paralytic appears weird and provocative to a natural or carnal man; nevertheless, their action pleased God! Breaking through the roof to bring their friend to the presence of Jesus might have incurred the wrath of the landlord; but Jesus called it faith, “When Jesus saw their faith”. Now this is the crux of this story; they needed a miracle, and their faith moved them in the direction of God, being undaunted by the crowd-barrier and roof-barrier; they broke through all to God’s Presence where the answer to their problem is.

BREAKTHROUGH FAITH IS ONLY MINDFUL OF GOD

This is one of the qualities of a breakthrough faith; it is neither mindful of self nor what others will think or say, it is only mindful of God. Breakthrough faith doesn’t seek to please self or others; it only seeks to please God. Once God is pleased, the miracle is received. When it comes to faith that breaks through, what I feel is irrelevant, what others feel, think, or say is of no consequence either; what really matters is what God says. God is never ashamed to honor this kind of faith.

One of the factors that are destroying our faith-life is what men will feel, think, or say. Won’t they think I have gone nuts? Won’t they think I have gone berserk? The day we wake up to the reality of faith that seeks to please and honor God alone; our faith will no longer crawl anymore, it will begin to soar and the supernatural will become a commonplace in our lives. If your faith is not irritating natural and carnal men yet, it is not a faith to be reckoned with; it is not a breakthrough faith yet. If you have not been called names on account of your faith, it is no faith yet. If you have not been disdained on account of your faith as Eli the priest despised Hannah and mistook her for a drunk because of her bizarre prayer posture; am afraid, your faith may not have spiritual momentum to breakthrough.

To break through the obstacles of life or the attacks of the devil on your life, you must be resolute in your heart never to mind your feelings or intellect, or better put, your senses. At the same time, you must never mind what people feel, think, or say; set your face like a flint only to please God by your faith actions. When you break through by your faith, it is the same people who mock you that will celebrate you.

As you do this, I see your faith break through and your mockers become your cheer group in Jesus name. Amen.