Embracing Breakthroughs: Readiness, Community, and Divine Intervention
Summary
In a recent message, Seth Goldsmith addressed the concept of breakthroughs, particularly focusing on the feeling of hopelessness that can often precede such moments of significant change. He began by drawing attention to the biblical story of the pool of Bethesda, where many sick people, including a man who had been ill for 38 years, gathered in hope of healing. The belief was that an angel would stir the waters, and the first person to enter afterward would be healed. This story set the stage for a broader discussion on the desire and readiness for personal breakthroughs.
Goldsmith emphasized that despite the duration or depth of one's struggles, the possibility of a breakthrough is always present. However, he pointed out that some individuals might not be prepared for the change that a breakthrough entails. He used the story of the man at Bethesda to illustrate how Jesus approached the man and asked if he wanted to be healed, which, on the surface, seemed like an obvious question but was deeply significant in assessing the man's readiness for change.
Throughout the message, Goldsmith shared personal anecdotes, including a story about a medical mission in Uganda where he assisted medical professionals by holding down children so they could receive treatment. He likened his role in that scenario to his current role in guiding his community through the process of seeking breakthroughs—not as the healer but as one who points to the doctor, in this case, Jesus.
Goldsmith also introduced a 28-day challenge involving prayer, fasting, and studying the word of God. He encouraged his community to engage in these practices not as a way to manipulate God but to become more sensitive to His presence and movement in their lives. He stressed the importance of communal support in this journey, warning against the dangers of isolation, which can make individuals vulnerable to spiritual attacks and prolong their suffering.
The message highlighted the power of divine intervention to demolish strongholds and the importance of seeking God's help in overcoming personal challenges. Goldsmith urged his listeners to identify their strongholds and surrender them to God, symbolically pinning them to the cross as a physical act of letting go.
In conclusion, Goldsmith called for a commitment to prayer, fasting, and community as essential elements in the pursuit of breakthroughs. He reassured his listeners that breakthroughs are possible and invited them to believe in the transformative power of God's intervention in their lives.
Key Takeaways:
- The story of the pool of Bethesda serves as a powerful metaphor for the human condition, illustrating how hope can be intertwined with superstition and how desperation can lead to a cycle of disappointment. It is a reminder that true healing and breakthroughs come not from myths or legends but from a direct encounter with the divine. [55:47]
- The concept of readiness for a breakthrough is crucial. It is not enough to simply desire change; one must be mentally and spiritually prepared to embrace it. This readiness involves recognizing the need for divine intervention and being open to the transformation that follows. [54:57]
- The 28-day challenge of prayer, fasting, and scripture study is an invitation to deepen one's spiritual discipline and draw closer to God. It is an opportunity to empty oneself of distractions and fleshly desires to become more attuned to God's voice and guidance. [37:59]
- The act of pinning one's strongholds to the cross is a symbolic gesture of surrender and faith. It represents a commitment to trust in God's power to overcome the barriers that prevent personal growth and spiritual freedom. [52:18]
- The importance of community in the journey toward breakthrough cannot be overstated. Isolation can exacerbate struggles and delay healing, while being part of a supportive community provides strength and encouragement. Just as zebras rely on their herd for protection, individuals benefit from the collective faith and prayers of their spiritual family. [01:11:24]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. John 5:1-9 (NIV)
> "Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, 'Do you want to get well?' 'Sir,' the invalid replied, 'I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.' At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked."
2. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
> "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
3. Matthew 7:7 (NIV)
> "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the belief surrounding the pool of Bethesda, and how did it affect the people gathered there? ([54:31])
2. How did Jesus approach the man who had been ill for 38 years, and what question did He ask him? ([54:55])
3. What was the man's initial response to Jesus' question about wanting to get well? ([57:52])
4. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4, what kind of power do the weapons we fight with possess?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus asked the man if he wanted to get well, even though it seemed obvious? ([54:55])
2. How does the story of the pool of Bethesda illustrate the concept of readiness for a breakthrough? ([54:57])
3. What does the act of pinning one's strongholds to the cross symbolize in the context of seeking a breakthrough? ([52:18])
4. How does communal support play a role in the journey toward personal breakthroughs, according to the sermon? ([01:11:24])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt hopeless about a situation. How did you respond, and what could you have done differently to seek a breakthrough? ([56:54])
2. Are there any strongholds in your life that you need to surrender to God? What steps can you take this week to symbolically pin them to the cross? ([52:18])
3. How can you incorporate the 28-day challenge of prayer, fasting, and studying the word of God into your daily routine? What specific distractions might you need to eliminate? ([38:02])
4. In what ways can you engage more deeply with your church community to support each other in seeking breakthroughs? ([01:11:24])
5. Think about the readiness for change in your own life. Are there areas where you desire a breakthrough but feel unprepared for the transformation it requires? How can you prepare yourself mentally and spiritually? ([54:57])
6. How can you make your prayer life more intentional and focused during this 28-day challenge? What specific time and place will you set aside for daily prayer? ([40:52])
7. Identify one person in your life who might be struggling with a stronghold. How can you offer them support and encouragement this week? ([01:11:24])
Devotional
Day 1: Healing Beyond Superstition
True healing comes from divine encounters, not from myths or rituals. The story of the pool of Bethesda reminds us that hope placed in superstition can lead to disappointment, whereas hope placed in God can lead to genuine breakthroughs. This encourages a shift from seeking miraculous signs to seeking a personal relationship with the divine. [55:47]
Hosea 6:1 - "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds."
Reflection: Have you ever looked for solutions in the wrong places? How can you redirect your hope towards God for true healing?
Day 2: Readiness for Transformation
Embracing change requires readiness of heart and spirit. It's not merely about desiring a different circumstance but being prepared for the transformation that comes with it. This readiness is about recognizing the need for God's intervention and opening oneself to the work He wants to do within us. [54:57]
Isaiah 30:18 - "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking change? Are you truly ready for the transformation that may come?
Day 3: Deepening Spiritual Discipline
The 28-day challenge is an opportunity to deepen one's spiritual discipline through prayer, fasting, and scripture study. This practice is about becoming more attuned to God's voice and guidance by emptying oneself of distractions and focusing on spiritual growth. [37:59]
Jeremiah 29:12-13 - "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Reflection: What distractions can you remove from your life to better hear God's voice during a time of prayer and fasting?
Day 4: Surrendering to Divine Power
Pinning one's strongholds to the cross is an act of surrender, trusting in God's power to overcome personal barriers. It's a physical representation of letting go and allowing God to work in areas where we need breakthroughs the most. [52:18]
2 Corinthians 10:4 - "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
Reflection: What strongholds are you holding onto? How can you actively surrender these to God today?
Day 5: Embracing Community Support
The journey towards breakthrough is not meant to be walked alone. Community provides strength, encouragement, and protection against spiritual attacks. Just as zebras rely on their herd, individuals benefit from the collective faith and prayers of their spiritual family. [01:11:24]
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."
Reflection: How can you engage more with your spiritual community to support and be supported in your journey toward breakthrough?
Quotes
1) "There is no depression darker than that place you reach when you decide there is no breakthrough possible. I want to tell you right now, breakthrough is possible." [56:51] (Download)
2) "Loneliness is what lengthens lament. Loneliness, when we isolate, that is what lengthens our time of lament." [49:06] (Download)
3) "Believe that God is capable of intervening in your life. So prayer is easy for anybody. Then you can pray, because you can just, hey, God, I need your help." [41:46] (Download)
4) "Fasting is when we say no to the flesh and a lot of times it's hard to say no to the flesh. So fasting is an emptying of ourselves physically so that we can be filled spiritually." [44:19] (Download)
5) "We need a breakthrough. And we serve a God who's capable of it. You may have already given up on it. Learn to live with it. But God will bring your breakthrough." [34:11] (Download)
6) "So what I'm telling you to do is to look for your breakthrough in Jesus. And to not look any further. And that gives us, by the way, no more excuses." [01:03:03] (Download)
7) "God may be already working on your breakthrough. And you've been too busy and too full, saying yes to the flesh in too many ways, for you to realize that God's already been working on your breakthrough." [45:13] (Download)
8) "The devil would love to keep you fighting your stronghold alone. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." [49:44] (Download)
9) "Together we're gonna lift up whatever breakthrough, whatever stronghold has a grip on you, and we're gonna pin it to the cross." [37:19] (Download)
10) "But Jesus didn't say, hey, would you like me to help you get into that pool so that you could be the first one? How do you want me to fix you is how we would like God to interact with us, right?" [01:00:51] (Download)
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