 June Teaching Series
BREAKING THROUGH SPIRITUAL BARRENNESS
Rev. Renato Bernardo
Director for Education
June 10, 2008
- What did you have when you were first called by God?
- Have you grown into your maximum potential?
Isaiah 51:2
“Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one and I blessed him and made him many.”
Barren
Incapable of producing, or not producing offspring; not producing fruit; lacking in interest or attractiveness; dull. - Webster dictionary
Historical Background: (Barrenness in the Bible)
- The Israelites saw children as a particular blessing from the Lord.
- Women who couldn’t bear children were considered sub-female.
- Infertility brought with it not only a debilitating personal sorrow but also the reproach of a woman’s husband, the disapproval of the woman’s family, and the rejection of society.
Kinds of Barrenness:
- Physical barrenness
- Spiritual barrenness
SPIRITUAL BARRENNESS
- Is an abomination.
- Is a willful and calculated withholding of one’s ability to produce and bring forth fruit.
Spiritual Barrenness entails:
- Lack of growth
- Smallness
- Feeling of fear
- Intimidation
- Poor-self concept
- Lack of vision
TO BE small IN NUMBER IS A CURSE IN THE BIBLE!
1. JESUS WANTS TO START WITH VERY LITTLE (…he was but one).
Isaiah 51:2
“Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one and I blessed him and made him many.”
- The choosing of the 12 disciples.
- Mark’s introduction of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- First miracle: Turning water into wine.
- The feeding of the 5,000 men.
- Gideon and his 300 armies.
2. BUT TO REMAIN LITTLE IS NOT OF GOD (…and I blessed him).
Isaiah 51:2
“Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one and I blessed him and made him many.”
a. Mark 11:12-13
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” and his disciples heard Him say it.
b. Ezekiel 47: 8-9
…Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
“Everything will live where the river goes. There will be trees of many different kinds. And the fruit will be for food, their leaves for healing.”
c. Matthew 25:14-30
(The parable of the talents)
d. John 15:1 – Jesus said, “I am the vine.”
3. FOR ONE TO GET OUT OF BARRENNESS HE HAS TO MULTIPLY
Isaiah 51:2
“Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one and I blessed him and made him many.”
A. God is going to deliver you from the curse of barrenness through DIVINE INTERVENTION
(…made him many)
Examples:
Genesis 18:11-14 - [Sarah]
Allow the God’s intervention to break the spirit of barrenness.
1 Samuel 1:17 - [Hannah]
God has given Hannah a word (1 Samuel 1:17)
“SPIRITUAL BARRENNESS cannot be broken by human hands; since it is in the spirit, it can only be broken by God’s Spirit. Therefore, it is necessary for GOD’S INTERVENTION.”
B. God is going to deliver you from the curse of barrenness if YOU LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE
(…made him many)
You must WANT it!
Only when GREATNESS for GOD’S GLORY has become your LIFEBLOOD can GOD even begin His work in you.
Conclusion:
- Renounce the barrenness in your life.
- Long for God to multiply you.
- BE READY TO RECEIVE THE ANOINTING OF MULTIPLICATION.
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BREAKTHROUGH AT THE WALL
Rev. Renato Bernardo
Director for Education
June 16, 2008
1. City of Jericho
- Covered about 8 acres
- The walls may have been as much as 30 ft. high and 20 ft. thick
- Protected by the gods of Canaanites
Schematic cross-section diagram of the fortification system at Jericho based on Kenyon's west trench.
BREAKTHROUGH
Spiritual, Physical, and Financial
Doubts, Fear, Despair, SIN, Discouragement, failure, depression..
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS:
1. They had to march around the walls of Jericho everyday for 6 days.
2. They had to march in absolute silence as they carefully followed the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant.
3. On the 7th day, they were to march around the walls 7 times.
4. At the end of the 7th time, the priests were to blow the trumpets in expectation that God Himself would destroy the walls of the city.
Thoughts to Ponder
- God’s plan to destroy Jericho involved 7 days of seemingly “pointless” marching by the nation Israel.
- It takes patience – over what can seem a long period of time- for God to totally destroy the walls we are facing.
- “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him… Psalm 37:7
2. The Israelites carefully followed the instructions that God gave them.
Deut. 11:27
“ …blessings if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today.”
(Pagpapalain Niya kayo kapag sinunod ninyo ang Kanyang mga utos.)
3. Without the eyes of faith, we will not be able to see the progress taking place in the invisible realm.
Worry
-is putting question marks where God has put periods.
-is a form of atheism, for it betrays a lack of faith and trust in God.
“Fear not ; stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today.”
Exodus 14: 13-14
4. As God reduced Jericho to rubble, He will destroy every obstacle that keeps you out of your “Promise Land’.
Jesus looked at them and said, ’With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
Conclusion
We need breakthrough in order to see heaven come on earth and to see the Kingdom of God released among us. God is looking for people who believe Him for breakthrough . God wants us to rise up in faith to see the breakthrough. God is the one who will breakthrough for us but once we have received revelation from Him, we must then obey Him in what He is asking us to do.
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BREAKING THROUGH PAIN
Rev. Renato Bernardo
Director for Education
June 24, 2008
God desires to be the "LORD OF THE BREAKTHROUGHS" in our lives.
So David went to Baal Perazim and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim.
2 Samuel 5:20
What is BREAK THROUGH?
- More faith
- More passion
- More grace
- More of God’s presence
Mark 5:21-34 (NIV) A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman
1. THE PAIN OF SUFFERINGS
v.25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
- Her illness had left her personally, socially and spiritually cut off.
- This woman was not only defiled, she defiled anything and anyone she touched.
- HAVING GOD’S STRENGTH IN TIMES OF OUR WEAKNESSES
- “Affliction is the Christians theologian, I never knew the meaning of God’s Word until I came into affliction; My temptations have been my Masters in Divinity; no man without trials and temptations, can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures.”
Martin Luther
2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quiet well that we were destined for them.
- “Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trials of extraordinary grace.”
- SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS ARE SPIRITUAL PROMOTIONS! - John Bradley
2. THE PAIN OF HELPLESSNESS
V26a She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had.
- The severity of her problem comes to light in both the length of the illness and the futile measures she had undertaken.
- It had cost her all she had only to become worse.
- HOPING FOR GOD’S HELP IN TIMES OF HELPLESSNESS
3. THE PAIN OF HOPELESSNESS
v.26b She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
- This woman appeared beyond all hope and help.
- Her suffering had only intensified at the hands of the physicians, a motif not uncommon in healing stories.
HOLDING ON TO GOD’S HOPE IN TIMES OF HOPELESSNESS.
BREAKING THROUGH PAINS happens when JESUS enters into the gates of hungry hearts and lives are forever changed.
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