“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
In our lives, we often have to face an impossible situation, which is a situation that we cannot change by ourselves. We may have tried to change it many times in various ways, but still the situation that we face has not changed. As believers, we realize that only God can change that situation. So, we then pray to God. However, the prayer that can change an impossible situation is not the normal prayer but the prayer that breaks through the situation.
“So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.” (2 Samuel 5:20)
The kind of prayer that can change an impossible situation in our lives is not the normal prayer but the breakthrough prayer. The normal prayer is like the rivers of waters that stay within the banks. The waters do not overflow the land, let alone overturn all that stands in their way. On the other hand, the breakthrough prayer is like rivers of waters, which break the banks, and overflow the land, and overturn all that stands in their way.
“Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?” (Numbers 11:23)
Praying the normal prayer is praying for something which is still possible in our situation while praying the breakthrough prayer is praying for something what is already impossible in our situation. For example, a couple in their thirtys pray that God will give them a child because they have been married for more seven years but still childless and another couple in their ninetys like Abraham and Sarah pray that God will give them a child because they have been married for sixty years but still childless. The first couple can still pray the normal prayer because it is still possible for them to have a child, but the second couple cannot pray the normal prayer because it is absolutely impossible for them to have a child. They must pray the breakthrough prayer.
“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” (Matthew 14:28-31)
Breakthrough prayer is not the same as desperate prayer. What is the difference? Breakthrough prayer is a bold prayer of faith while desperate prayer is a helpless cry out of fear. Breakthrough prayer is like Simon Peter asking the Lord Jesus to command him to come to Him on the water while desperate prayer is like Simon Peter crying out to the Lord Jesus for help when he was sinking in the sea. To ask the Lord Jesus to command him to come Him on the water is a very bold request, and the Lord granted his request. To ask the Lord Jesus to save him from sinking is a helpless and desperate cry out, and in His mercy the Lord heard his cry. God will always answer our breaktrough prayer because of our bold faith in Him while He may sometimes answer our desperate prayer because of His great mercy for us.
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 4:12)
When we are in a desperate situation, we are sinking like Simon Peter sinking in the sea. What did he do then? He cried out to the Lord for help. Likewise, we should also cry out to God for help. He will hear our cries and save us like what He did to Simon Peter. After we have been saved, God wants us to have a steady life. A steady life is like Simon Peter and the other disciples inside the boat going to the other side on a calm sea. All they needed to do was direct the boat to their destination. When we live a steady life, we still need to pray consistently in order to keep ourselves from falling into a desperate situation again and to direct our lives according to God’s direction. Nevertheless, sooner or later storm will come into our lives. When this happens, we should not be afraid but calm, because this storm is actually a sign from God that it is time for us to go up to the next level. The storm is a challenge for us to do something that we have never done before. It is time for us to pray the breakthrough prayer like Simon Peter asking the Lord Jesus to command him to come to Him on the water.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
When there is no storm in our lives, we will pray a normal prayer. But, when a storm comes into our lives, we will either pray a desperate prayer or a breakthrough prayer. If our eyes focus on the storm, we will be afraid and pray a desperate prayer. We will cry out to God for help. But, if our eyes focus on the Lord, we will be calm and pray a breakthrough prayer. We will speak boldly in the name of the Lord to overcome the storm. Desperate prayer will sound like a scared chicken when it sees a storm while breakthrough prayer will sound like a brave eagle when it sees a storm.
“The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Many believers know how to pray a normal prayer. They also know how to cry out to God when they are in a desperate situation. However, not many believers know how to pray a breakthrough. So, how can we pray a breakthrough prayer? The first and foremost key to pray a breakthrough prayer is to have the peace of God in the heart. This peace of God is supernatural because it surpasses all understanding. When we have this peace, we will remain calm when a storm comes into our lives. We will be peaceful even though our minds think there is no reason to be peaceful.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)
How can we have the peace of God in our lives? We must set our minds on the Lord. Our minds are easily distracted with many things. So, we need to train them to be set on the Lord always until our hearts can easily trust in Him. The best time to do this is when there is no storm in our lives. If we wait until a storm comes, it will be too late. We will immediately feel afraid when the storm comes and it will be too difficult for us to set our minds on the Lord. Thus, we must learn to set our minds on the Lord before the storm comes so that we can have the peace of God when the storm comes.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14)
After our hearts are guarded by the peace of God in the midst of the storm, the next thing we must do is surrender to God. What does it mean we surrender to God? It means we do not force our will on God but give our will to Him. This is very important because we will never be able to do breakthrough prayer if we still have our own will. Why must we give our own will to God? The purpose is not so that we become indifferent that we will just accept whatever happens to us, but it is so that God can make known His will to us. So, true surrender will replace our own will with the will of God. This will of God is the basis for us to make breakthrough prayer.
“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
Like the breaking of the fountain of the great deep and the opening of the window of heaven that produce a mighty flow of river of water, the peace of God that we feel deeply in our hearts and the will of God that we know clearly in our minds produce a breakthrough prayer in our lives. We will pray boldly with a mountain moving faith. Our prayers will be like the river of water that breaks the banks, overflows the land, and overturns all that stands in its way. We will ask God to do the impossible in the same manner Simon Peter asked the Lord Jesus to command him to come to Him walking on the water.