“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10, NKJV)
A popular phrase surfacing in the church world today—specifically in regard to the subject of prayer—is “breakthrough.” In my opinion, the word in and of itself, without any context, clarification or instruction, conjures images of Christians praying simply to get some-thing from God and thereby, start equating the precious supernatural language of prayer with a means of merely satisfying natural wants and improving one’s caliber of life “on earth.” This is surely not the Kingdom concept of breakthrough prayer.
Christian bookstores are simply littered with titles boasting all sorts of tips and tools that believers need to get their needs met by Jehovah Jireh. Preachers present sermons week after week, exhorting congregations to implement the X-number of steps to receiving their breakthroughs and experiencing love, joy, peace, health, prosperity, problems-turned-into-solutions, yada, yada, yada.
“Faith ministers” (Word of Faithers) implore us to not only pray for, but expect and in some extreme cases, actually demand God to come through with a “break through.” Can I be honest? If I hear the word “breakthrough” one more time, I think I’m going to lose my lunch. Why? The concept is totally perverted because it is presented without proper context, or even worse, from a selfish perspective of getting what I want or need from God. I actually attended a church where the pastor preached a series called “How to Get Whatever You Need or Desire From God.” (available on CD, DVD, and on television). Hmmm, seems like these are the messages people are clamoring for, right? After all, isn’t this the concept of prayer Christians want to learn about and implement in their daily lives? If we were to live carnal, flesh-directed lives, then yes—this “version” of prayer would suit us just fine. But let me tell you, our flesh is dominated by tunnel vision. It so quickly hones in on and settles for mediocre counterfeits and perversions of glorious supernatural realities.
And that brings me to the subject of praying for true Kingdom breakthrough, not only to meet needs in our lives, but to reveal the nature, character, and reign of King Jesus “on earth as it is in heaven.” To work from any other understanding of breakthrough is, quite frankly, living far below our born-again birthright as Holy Spirit-possessed people.
Is it incorrect to pray for our needs to be met? Not at all. God desires to meet them and, often times, with great extravagance. The key is maintaining a Kingdom perspective. Oh, that our hearts’ desire would be for none but Jesus and nothing but His ever increasing reign. We want to see His world “break-through” to this one, primarily through the salvation of sin-bound souls, and for His Kingdom’s advancement to be physically signaled with miraculous demonstrations of power. And to think, He has sovereignly ordained to accomplish these supernatural exploits through us, His Church!
Amidst our needs being met and problems being fixed, let’s delight in the great Truth of prayer: Representatives from an undeserving humanity have been saved and filled with the very Spirit of God to execute His divine decrees on the Earth. The conduit? True break-through prayer.
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