Some powerful keys for spiritual breakthroughs from God’s Word. The following eight steps will help you to understand how to enter into the presence of the Lord and experience a spiritual breakthrough in your life.
1. Confess sin before Prayer
Confession of sin is not prayer. God does not hear you until you confess your sins. (Lev.5:5, 2 Chr. 7:14, 1 John 1:9) God’s Word says, if we will confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Father, your Word tells me that Your Son’s blood is available to lift me up.
Forgiveness
Matt 5:22 Col 3:13-15 Matt 6:14-15 Eph 4:30-32 Matt 18:21-34,35
Willingness to forgive is absolutely essential to deliverance. Forgiveness is not optional. It is absolute. Unforgiveness towards self, God, or others can open a door for torment within our lives by evil demonic forces. Jesus calls us to live and walk as He did – a lifestyle of forgiveness. As He hung upon the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. Forgiveness is difficult because it sometimes hurts to extend it to “undeserving and hard-hearted ones”. To release a wrong doer instead of exacting a “just penalty” requires we reach out in love rejecting the temptation to hold bitterness and resentment. This is contrary to out natural inclinations. Forgiveness is not forgetting the wrong that was done.
Remember, forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling that we make, a faith decision to forgive even if we do not feel like it, as a definite act of our will. Understand and believe that when you choose to forgive someone in the name of Jesus, it’s done-finished. We must understand that forgiveness is not an emotion. It is a choice. Forgiveness is not mental gymnastics, it is not attempting to strain your mind into thinking in a new thought pattern; it is a decision that you can make in prayer.
The real issue is not whether we feel like forgiving, but whether we choose to forgive; for if we choose to be willing, God has promised to even give us the desire to change. God has forgiven and forgotten your sin. You are not higher than God. Therefore, you must choose to forgive yourself and to forget your sin. The blood of Jesus is so powerful to wash away all guilt and shame. Satan is a liar and the Father of lies; to one person unforgiveness is masqueraded as something different to another; to one resentment, to another bitterness, to another ill feelings, or grudges, or hate, or malice or “pay backs”, or envy, but all are roots and names for that which is classified as unforgiveness. Bow your head, close your eyes and pray this prayer out loud, remembering to speak it out as the Holy Spirit recalls names, incidents, and people from your childhood to present. Take your time – do not rush – and cover each individual incident in your life.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I confess that I have held ill feelings and resentments against people (living or dead). I call upon you and ask you to help me to forgive myself, these people, groups, institutions, churches, governments. I ask you Father, in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to drop in my mind and bring to my remembrance the name of anyone or anything, whose .actions or words — real or imagined — hurt me, or another person for which I hold or have held ill feelings and resentments, hate, envy, malice, vengeance, Un forgiveness, bitterness or grudges against. Father, as you forgave me when I did not deserve to be forgiven, so likewise, I forgive, whether they deserve it or not in Jesus name.
NOTES: You need to forgive 3 ways – God, self, others (basics)
2. Confession
How do you approach the throne of God? Start by confessing (1) who God is and (2) who you are in Christ. Confess who God is, “You are the Lord”, “You are so beautiful, Oh God” etc. (2 Sam. 7:22, Ps. 22:3) Ask the Holy Spirit to guide in this.
When I begin to pray I often say, “Father, Your mercies are new every day.” I begin to declare His promises: “Lord, You said…etc. And also in Your word Father, your Word tells me that Your Son’s blood is available to lift me up. Now, Father fulfill Your promises to me.
Usually, I quote specific verses. “Your Word says in Zechariah 13:9, “…they shall call on My name, and I will hear them…”
3. Supplication
Not only do we declare the sovereignty of God and our place as believers; we also confess our needs to Him. This is called supplication.
After the Apostle Paul told us to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17), he declared that we should be, “…Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” (Ephesians 6:18) Literally, take your requests to the Father.
Don’t hesitate to say, “Lord, here is the need I am bringing to You today.” Paul wrote, “…in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6) He knows our petitions before we even ask, yet God is waiting to hear the cry of our heart.
4. Worship
Take time in your prayer life. After your confession has been made and your petition presented, enter a period of divine adoration. “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalms 29:2)
In worship there comes an awareness that flesh cannot produce. Something begins to happen to your spirit-man that you will never ever understand until you experience it. Intimate worship and adoration can only be expressed from your heart and or in a heavenly language.
This is more than telling God who He is; you convey the love you have for your Father from the very depths of your being.
5. Communion/Fellowship
From worship, you move into communion or fellowship. Have you ever looked at your spouse and expressed your love without saying a word? There is no need to say, “I love you.” Every part of you is communicating that sentiment. Or perhaps you had such a bond that you knew what the other person was thinking when no words were spoken. That is what will start to transpire between Jesus and you.
It will not develop, however, until you have taken the steps leading to such a moment. It happens after you have cast your cares upon the Lord in prayer and have worshiped the Lord. Your prayers of “give me-bless me” cease and you begin to worship and adore your loving, heavenly Father. Your needs pale in the light of who God is and you worship and adore Him with liberty.
The Apostle Paul prayed that “…the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you…” (2 Corinthians 13:14)
6. Intercession
Communion is marvelous, but intercession is where a spiritual breakthrough occurs. By taking each of the steps we have discussed you prepare yourself for intercession.
Here is what takes place. Confession, supplication, adoration, and communion bring peace and the necessary ingredient that prepares you for intercession. Peace brings you into worship, and worship brings you into intimacy. The Holy Spirit takes over and now you are interceding. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26)
Through intercession you become an instrument in the hand of Almighty God. Lives will be changed for eternity.
7. Thanksgiving
When you have walked this pathway of prayer there will be continual thanksgiving on your lips. All day long and when you are driving, at work, or with your family and your heart will be filled with gratitude. You will say, “Jesus, I just want to thank You!”
It will not be necessary to make a list. Your mind will be flooded with God’s goodness and mercy. Paul wrote that we are not only to be established in the faith, but “…abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:7)
8. Praise
By faith you know that a miracle is on the way. You declare it and see it by faith because “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Then comes a time of refreshing and praise! This is more than saying a quick ”Thank you, Lord.” You begin to celebrate what God has done. With the Psalmist you will lift your hands and shout, “Praise the Lord for the Lord is good: sing praises unto His name…” (Psalm 135:3) “I will praise thee with my whole heart…” (Psalm 138:1)
Your life will begin to read like Psalm 150:2, you will “Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness.”
Today, when you come before the Lord, start with confession and continue until there is a time of praise and thanksgiving. Please do not feel this is a routine or a ritual you must repeat again and again. Not at all. This is not a formula, but merely guidelines to help you experience a new dimension in prayer. There will be times when you are totally lost in communion and other days when God calls you to intercessory prayer. Open your heart to the breakthrough God has planned for you. May you experience a marvelous outpouring of God’s blessing! ”Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” James 4:8
