Breakthrough in Uncommon Places by Pastor Ropo Ropo-Tusin. Mar 21, 2010. Watch photo album of the service
Watch sermon »
More often than necessary we are misguided in our assessment and conclusions about ourselves. We look to our challenges, situations and conditions and reach damning conclusions based on that. I’m here today to tell you your condition or situation matters not if God is on your side. In fact, you can breakthrough in uncommon places.
It was Oliver Wendell Holmes, American jurist and former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States who said “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Really it’s not about what job you have or don’t have, whether or not you are documented; not about where you work or how much you earn but about who you are. If $50000 wouldn’t make you rich and satisfied, $60000 is not going to cut it. You need more than all these.
Joseph was a slave in Potiphar’s house not of his own making. His brothers had grown jealous of him and had wanted to kill him before they decided to sell him to the Ishmaelites. His owners in turn sold him to Potiphar the commander of Pharaoh’s guards and the executioner-in-chief.
But as a slave, Joseph became so successful he basically ran his master’s life. Don’t forget he was not just an alien; Potiphar bought him for a fee! Yet everything but Potiphar’s wife was under Joseph’s watch. And as if this was not enough, even when he was sent to the prison after Potiphar’s wife had wrongly accused Joseph of rape, he once again became a leader and a success. In essence, Joseph’s location or condition did little to influence his success. What was his secret? “The Lord was with him”! Genesis 39:1-23
Joseph’s experience is not isolated. In Daniel 6:1- 6 we encounter Daniel who, like Joseph, was an alien but had gained relevance in a foreign land. He was first made one of 120 administrators; then became one of three super administrators who oversaw the other administrators. That was still not enough. The king was going to make Daniel the chief of the three super administrators! Why didn’t Daniel’s status hinder his success in a foreign land? Just as in Joseph’s case, God was with Daniel.
Just so you know these experiences are not limited to biblical days I’d refer to my experience. My wife and I relocated here from the United Kingdom. We were permitted only three weeks stay on arrival. And of course I applied for extension once I got that. I didn’t get the result of my application until the week our extension ended. I then went ahead to re-apply for another extension but till tomorrow I haven’t heard back from them. I told the Lord I was here to do His job and it was up to Him to make it happen. And He did. I’m a citizen of this great country today. Truth is the Lord makes a way for His own regardless of their position, condition, status, or all whatnot. God can give you breakthrough even at a supposedly disadvantaged position. It’s not about jumping from place to place or job to job, it’s all bout God being with you.
There’s sufficient scriptural evidence to show that when God is with you, nothing can hold back your breakthrough. Let’s consider a few:
Isaiah 43:21
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Isaiah 48:21
“And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.”
Ps 118:6
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”
Deut 20:1
“When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”
Just as God was with Joseph and Daniel, if God is with you there’s no way you will not breakthrough even in uncommon places or in a disadvantaged position. God be with you!
