Sunday sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, 8 August 2021

2 Samuel 5:20-20 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 hecalled the name of that place [a]Baal Perazim.

• God burst forth. Bal Perazim is a place of burst. That means to force open something that is shut. To break apart into pieces.
• The Lord who we serve and take refuge in, is the Lord God of Baal Perazim. Let every hard situation in your life be broken into pieces. He is a God of Breakthrough.

Mathew 14: 29-30- 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [a]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

• We often here this phrase in the world of sports- to build momentum. “To get on a roll”- You have momentum going for you. Confidence level is up, courage is high, you think you are the best you might belong to the most inferior team but you can win. You have the confidence that you will win again. You have the momentum.
• David had the momentum with him. He said, God delivered me from the paw of the lion and that of the bear, I can now take victory over Goliath, this uncircumcised philistine. That is spiritual momentum!
• I know I am a winner. The God that helped me in the past is able to deliver me in future. If Jesus gave me victory in the past is able to

Momentum is what brings impact.

• In the past, the ways in which God helped us. Gives us the confidence that He can do so again. God was able to bring us out of a small debt in the past, that gives me the confidence that he can bring me out of bigger debt in future. In the past God has shown me a season of victories, that gives me confidence for the future.

I have momentum working for me for God is with me.

Bible uses the words, ‘going from victory to victory, from strength to strength, from glory to glory, from faith to faith.’ This is momentum. A forward movement!

You are going to burst forth, you will go forward and take possession of everything that God has got for you.

Greater the momentum, greater the impact or the further you go.

If you get one victory, don’t sit there feeling good. Now you have to move forward to another victory! If you sat for 21 days of fasting and prayer, don’t sit around satisfied. Get ready for a 40 day fast. I prayed for 8 hours, I will pray now longer!

Get into that grace and move forward and you will have an impact in the Kingdom of God.

They generally say, the cyclones or Hurricanes, over the Bay of Bengal is gaining momentum. By the time it arrives to the Kochi coast, its impact will be great. It started small but it turns and whirls and gains momentum.

Acts 2: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, there was a sound of the mighty rushing wind.

• In the past, in Genesis, there were some small victories, creation happened, the Holy Spirit hovered over the darkness and emptiness left. David killed Goliath and Samson tore the lions apart.

In the Old Testament, people witnessed this but in the Day of Pentecost, the Lord released the FULL impact of the Holy Spirit on the church of Christ.

• When we are closer to the return of Christ, the momentum will only increase. “Lord, get hold of me and use me”

David says in Psalm 18:37- I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet.

• He did not just overtake them, but he gained the momentum and beat them so much so that they could not rise again. If it were us, we would be happy with beating the enemy and we would celebrate but David tapped into the momentum. Our war is not against flesh and blood but against the devil and his powers, against sickness and disease.
• God gave me victories in the past, but still, no matter what demonic bondages, addictions, sinful relationships, debt are thrown at me, I will break it and go from victory to victory.

Momentum can come into some families

2 Samuel 3:1- Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

We see positive momentum in David’s family and there was reverse momentum in Sauls’ family.

Some families are gaining to gain positive momentum. God is going to release it upon some families by the Holy Spirit. Financial strength, influence, impact for the kingdom, increase for societal good. God is releasing a momentum upon your family.

Don’t be a stagnant water body, burst forth and move forward. God is releasing some of you into that grace,

2 Samuel 8:1- After this it came to pass that David [a]attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took [b]Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute. 3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates.

• You see David gaining victory after victory.

Verses 7-8-Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So, the Lord preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

• Wherever David went, God gave him victory. Not just against one enemy, but enemies that came from all directions, were defeated.

In everyplace you go to and whatever you set your hands to, God will bless. In every area, I am going to burst forth and God is giving me victory.

In Verse 11, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, her husband. That got him out of the momentum

Sin is a momentum killer.

• But after he confessed his sin and repented, he was brought back into the momentum. True repentance is the reigniting of the momentum after you turn away from a sin. If you call on the Lord and say, Lord I made a mistake, I am sorry, He is faithful to once gain bring you back and reignite the momentum.
• Don’t have any momentum killers in your life. Hard heartedness, a lying habit, unforgiveness, dishonoring parents, evil talk, gossip. It could be anything. Whatever will kill the joy or block your relationship with the Lord, repent of it. he will be able to wash you with His precious Blood.

All through your life, may the Holy Spirit give you momentum.

God is giving the church a spiritual momentum. He has given us land and a church, He has given us a YouTube channel but don’t sit there and settle down. We are going to move from victory to victory, glory to glory.

Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever.

Of His government and increase, there shall be no end. Wherever Jesus is , is His headquarters. If Christ is in you, then every area of your life should only increase, and not end or diminish. In finances, health, peaceful family relationships, the work of your hands, all this will only increase.

If I were to give this sermon a sub title, I would have said, Why are you sinking?

Mathew 14:29-30- 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [a]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Peter called out, ‘Lord, save me’. If God wants you to gain momentum, then why are you sinking?

A plane cannot take off without momentum. No matter how wonderful the engine is, it needs that runway to gain momentum. This year you are supposed to be taking off financially, spiritually, materially, in your careers, but why are you not taking off? Why are you are sinking?

Today is the last day that you will sink. Let that sinking nature be broken off. Lord, I want to take off again. Give me a thrust for your glory!

WHY ARE YOU SINKING?

Peter is the one who walked over the waters. Something very unlikely to happen. It is impossible, it is unusual. When we speak of momentum, it indicates that God has called us to do the unusual stuff! Let the church do usual and impossible things for God.

Nehemiah built the wall of Jerusalem in 55 days. Impossible, unusual! We would take 2 months to build the walls even around a small house! Can a young boy kill a mighty Goliath? Can Moses bring out and sustain 6 million Jews through the wilderness? But that is what God does for His people. Get ready for Supernatural encounters, supernatural spiritual momentum. How did the walls of Jericho fall down with a shout of praise during the 7th round. Impossible!

Lord bursting forth for your life and for you. Get ready for this!

• There a favourite part of a message that I had preached years ago. “You come to me with a sword, javelin and spear but I come to you I the Name of the Lord My GOD. I don’t have anything in my hands but I have my relationship with the Lord, and I come with that strength.”
• Peter said, if it is you Lord, then I will come. Lord, if you say so, I will come.

Mathew 14: 30 But when he saw [a]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

What is making Peter sink? He was supposed to walk on water. It was Jesus himself that had called him!

It was not the waves of the winds that caused him to sink. It is what you are looking at! As long as he as looking at the Lord he walked over the waters.

Your momentum is reversed when you turn away your eyes from the Lord. Your focus in the midst of the winds and the waves should still be on Jesus.

• Even when he started walking, the winds blew but the only difference was that His eyes were on the Lord. Your wind and wave might be OCVID -19, debt, business failure etc. economic situation will not determine your business success.
• Peter was a water walker. Many say, ‘the government policy is against us, the second wave has been most tough, we could not survive it.’ You sink based on what you are focusing on. The Indian economy is not in your control. Your rising high or coming low is not impacted by you following the Indian economy. Instead fix your eyes on Jesus.

What you focus on determines the outcome

What your mind is full of, that is what will manifest in your life. If your mind is full of Jesus, then you will walk over the waters.

• If you look unto Jesus, you will walk over every situation. Peter was able to do the unusual and impossible when he was looking at Jesus.
• Many people are worried about the world. This world will not get any better. Read the book of Mathew on the signs of the last day and you will know why I am saying that. BUT whatever be the chaos out there, the Lord’s peace will guard your heart if you are looking to Jesus.
• There is the presence of the Lord and the presence of the wind. Peter shifted his eyes to the presence of the wind.

The greatest blessing that the Lord has given us is His presence.

• Moses said, Lord do not take me up from here unless Your Presence goes before me. Preservation, provision, protection, blessing and victory in all within GOD’s presence.

It is the presence of God that guarantees victory. You have to be conscious of God’s presence.

• There are people who will keep looking to the problem every day. You might still be praying but you need to take your eyes of those circumstances. Many of us are so closely following COVID related data that we know how many people are dying of it every single day! You wouldn’t study even the BIBLE with such commitment! You don’t need those data points, they are not relevant to you.
• What you focus will determine whether you are attracting fear or faith into your life. We say the Lord’s prayer and we say, give us today our daily bread. Many people are only asking for bread every day, but GOD is the bakery.
• Many of us pray only asking for bread, you are not seeking His presence. Jesus is the Bakery HIMSELF, the bread of life. Your prayer has to be bigger than bread and butter. • You are not sinking because of the problem or the wave but because you have lost your focus on CHRIST. Look to HIM. He is Baal Perazim, the God of the Breakthrough, He will take you from victory to victory.
• Many pray asking God for money. Wisdom and favour is bigger than money. A prudent wife is from the Lord. Land and properties can come from your fathers but a prudent spouse is exclusive. There is no franchisee or dealership for it. There the only one who can provide with that and it is the Lord JESUS.

You have to stop focusing on problems and scarcity and keep focusing on Jesus.

Be mindful of Him. Look at who is with you. Just think about it. Despite having Jesus right in front, Peter began to sink. Many of us have Jesus with us, still we sink. It’s not because God has left you but because we are not mindful of His presence.

Psalm 114:1- When Israel went out of Egypt,

The house of Jacob from a people [a]of strange language,

Judah became His sanctuary,

And Israel His dominion.

3 The sea saw it and fled;

Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,

The little hills like lambs.

What ails you, O sea, that you fled?

O Jordan, that you turned back?

6 O mountains, that you skipped like rams?

O little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,

At the presence of the God of Jacob,

• Why is all this (whatever is mentioned in the scripture above) happening? It is because of thepresence of the God of Jacob. Only HIS presence will remove obstacles, make a way for you, take your forward, provide for you, remove your problems and bring about what you desire. The greatest thing for me is the presence of Jesus. I want to move and walk and be conscious of the Presence of Jesus in my life.
• A rock like problem is made into a fountain of water. A flint rock is turned into stream that satisfies and refreshes you in GOD’s presence. Problem is not problem; obstacles is not an obstacle, but where are you focusing. That which is in your control is what you need to pay attention to.

God wants to take your forward, propel you forward and thrust you forward but that is when you keep the focus on Him.

• Three of Daniel’s friends were in the fiery furnace. The fiery furnace is not an issue. The Fire of His presence descended into that fiery furnace and set them free. Daniel in lion’s den was not an issue. The presence of God came down even there to shut the lions’ mouth.

Hebrews 13:5-6- et your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

• GOD’s presence brings boldness, you are not afraid of anyone.

1 john 4:4- 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

• The one in you is bigger than the one out there in the world.

Matthew 28:20- 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [a]Amen.

Romans 8:31- if God is for us, who can be against us.

Christ in you, with you, for you

• Then why in the world are you worried? Just wake up, brush your teeth and lift up you hands and praise Him. The lion Is not the strongest, not the fastest or the angriest animal in the forest. But he is kin of the jungle because he is the boldest. We are children of the Lion of Judah. We are confident because the Lord is with us!

Genesis 39:2-4-2The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave himsuccess in everything he did,4Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potipharput him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.

If His Presence is with you, then you will

1. Be prosperous
2. Find favour

Focus on the Lord. Build a consciousness of His Presence. “I am aware…Jesus is with me”.

If you keep looking at your back account, you will sink. If you keep counting your age and worry about ageing, you will sink. But if you are conscious of Jesus with you and if you look to Him, you will burst forth momentum will work for you, you will do the impossible and the unusual. If you focus on Him, you will be water walker.

HOW DO YOU ACTIVATE THIS?

1. FASTING -This is not a punishment nor is it a ritual. The flesh needs entertainment and pleasure. The flesh is made from the world and it is obviously attracted to the things of the world. When you fast, you are focusing on God and becoming sensitive to HIM. the entire purpose of fasting is to be sensitive to the Spirit and not to keep thinking about what to eat and where to eat when you break the fast. I am conscious of God; will and God’s voice. It is not a religious activity. You are defeating the purpose when you fast for the wrong reasons.
2. MINDFUL PRAYER- Prayer having consciousness of Jesus. You are actually talking to Jesus. Not some vague repetition “glory glory glory…hmmm…” etc.
3. MEDITATE ON HIS WORD- whatever we eat will have an effect on the body. Spiritual food too will have an effect. However, you read the scriptures, it will have a positive impact. Sometimes, it may not be very tasty but it will still have an impact on you. One Man of God used to shiver while reading the Word, and I used to wonder why I don’t feel the shiver when I read! The Lord told, shiver or no shiver, you just read the Word.

When you read the Word, even if you got only half of this sermon, there is something happening in you. Certain diseases are leaving your body.

4. MINDFUL WORSHIP- people think worship is listening to someone else sing! Mindful worship

Psalm 36: 5-7 ESV- our steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast you save, O LORD.

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

• Many of us worship without any thought on God. God will propel you forward. Worship Him meaningfully, mediate on these scriptures even as you sing. That’s when there is momentum!

Be mindful of His presence, be sensitive to Him. And that is what propels you to burst forth to gain momentum so that you don’t sink.