(August 07, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to discover God’s barrier shattering power…

Greetings to all my Echo of His Call extended family. It is always a great joy to connect with you all.

The Bible teaches us that God makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This includes our seasons which around the world season are changing… and every season possesses its unique beauty. We require both the heat and the rain for growth.

As Solomon said, there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. Now I’m unsure of the season you have experienced thus far this year— but remember, the best is yet to come! The crucial aspect is learning to embrace God’s promises. Often, we are aware of God’s promises but struggle to make them ours. 

1. Achievement With God
It may take weeks, months, years, or even decades to witness God’s promises manifest in our lives. David waited more than 15 to 20 years to see the prophecy over his life fulfilled, from Samuel anointing him to becoming the king of Israel.

God does not rush nor delay; He operates according to His perfect timing. We must patiently wait to see how He unfolds His plan in His appointed time.

David understood this, which is why he frequently reminds himself recurringly in the psalms to ‘wait on the Lord.’ His descriptions of God’s attributes are unparalleled in the Bible: a God who answers prayers, stores our tears, is a refuge, shelter, guide, friend, mother, father, husband, companion, rock, shade, shadow, and shepherd. God helps us to achieve as we wait patiently on Him and His timing.

These names uniquely reflect David’s life experiences. One name that resonates with me is Baal Perazim, found in 2Samuel 5:20, meaning ‘God of Breakthroughs.’ Just as water bursts forth and breaks obstacles in its path, God will shatter barriers and bring about breakthroughs. It is a profoundly powerful name.

The naming of individuals, businesses, and homes in accordance with a vision is a practice that carries significant meaning and power. When assigning names, it is advisable to seek wisdom from God, as names are believed to bear a special anointing.

2. Breakthrough With God
In the Bible, names often hold profound significance. Let me provide some background on the name Baal Perazim—

David’s anointing as the king of Israel (2Samuel 5) marked a crucial season in his life. Despite enjoying God’s goodness and experiencing fulfillment akin to a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12), David faced immediate challenges.

The devil, portrayed as a liar and a roaring lion, sought to disrupt David’s peace, happiness, and joy, aiming to undermine the blessings bestowed on him. And the Philistines, on learning of David’s anointing, positioned themselves in the Valley of Rephaim, symbolising a battleground where giants roamed.

(i) Seek Baal Perazim’s Plan!
Being in the centre of God’s plan invites Satan’s attention! This strategic move by the enemy forces illustrates the opposition faced when aligned with God’s will. David, recognising the impending threat, sought divine guidance before engaging in battle, demonstrating a reliance on God’s plan.

Despite feeling surrounded and trapped, believers are encouraged to remember that God, the Lord of hosts, is omnipresent. The Valley of Rephaim, perceived as an enemy stronghold, became a site of divine intervention as God shattered the opposition like a breakthrough of water. This victory underscored God’s role as Baal Perazim, the God of breakthroughs, capable of turning apparent defeats into resounding triumphs.

Dear friends, wherever you may be, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, I encourage you to be of good cheer, bold, and strong, for we serve a God of breakthroughs! He assures us that He will go before us and defeat our enemies. The victory that God granted David over the Philistines was remarkable, akin to a powerful gush of water breaking through all obstacles. This is why David named the place of this victory as the Place of Breakthroughs.

Remember, this is your place of breakthroughs! Seek it! Pray, claim it, confess it, and declare with confidence, ‘This is my season of breakthroughs. Baal Perazim will lead me, destroying every weapon formed against me, my family, my marriage, my business, my children, my ministry— He is Baal Perazim.’ Say it aloud with unwavering faith.

Do not focus on the current situation; trust in the Lord’s plan. Just as it seemed illogical for the Israelites to march around Jericho’s walls for seven days, we must not rely on our own understanding. It would have made no sense for Moses to believe that God could deliver His people with nothing more than a staff in his hand.

Look at things through the eyes of faith, believing that God as Baal Perazim, is going ahead to conquer our enemies. Amen!

(ii) Seek Baal Perazim’s Presence !
When ambushed and trapped in a cycle of sin or stagnation, where progress feels unattainable, we must seek the presence of God for a breakthrough. David, on realising that he was surrounded by enemies, turned to the Lord for guidance.

Do we bring our problems to the Lord as our first response? Pause your activities, retreat to the stronghold of God, and pray fervently. Approach His presence with humility, asking, seeking, and knocking on His doors. Proverbs 18:10 reminds us that ‘The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.’

David sought God’s counsel when he found himself surrounded, humbly kneeling in prayer for divine intervention. And, 2Samuel 5:19 tells us that God responded in his favour.

We worship a God who hears and answers prayers, but our approach must be earnest. To achieve a breakthrough, one must demonstrate seriousness by setting aside distractions, focusing intently, and persistently seeking God’s guidance without wavering until His response is clear. The greater the gravity of the situation, the more fervent our prayers should be. Strengthening one’s bond with the community of believers is also crucial.

(iii) Seek Baal Perazim’s Power!
The Philistines lurked in the Valley of Rephaim, plotting harm and seeking to thwart David. Symbolically, the Valley of Rephaim signifies a place where Satan positions himself to hinder, harm, and obstruct God’s purpose in one’s life, including their children and calling.

While some may find themselves in this valley of failure, defeat, and despair, it shall be the very place where their adversaries will be vanquished, fleeing in fear! Despite the daunting presence of enemies akin to roaring lions, it is precisely where God will orchestrate a remarkable triumph— a field of game-changing victory where we can achieve a transformative shift.

Today, God desires to grant us breakthroughs precisely in the areas where we perceive the enemy to have a grip. Just as David exemplified, we often fail to grasp the full extent of God’s plans for our lives due to our limited perception of His unseen workings on our behalf.

Pursue our God, our Baal Perazim! Trusting in the Lord’s faithfulness — His plan, presence and power — leads to triumphant outcomes even in the most challenging battlegrounds of life.

Baal Perazim is a location named by David after the Philistine’s defeat.  It signifies a pivotal site where the enemy’s apparent strength was shattered by God’s intervention. It serves as a testament to God’s power prevailing over the enemy’s strongholds.

3. Conquering With God
Even as God’s angelic armies led the host of Israel, He is actively working in your life to bring about the tremendous victory you have long awaited. This principle holds great significance because often, when God is quietly orchestrating events in our lives, we may mistakenly perceive His absence, feeling abandoned. 

In 2Samuel 5:21, we witness the Philistines fleeing, relinquishing what was rightfully theirs, as David’s forces burned and destroyed it all. I pray that the Lord will go ahead of you, turning your valleys of struggle into places of abundant blessing, empowering you to eradicate all that the enemy has left behind.

Remember, when you find yourself under relentless attack by the enemy, take heart, for you are in the right place—God is performing marvellous works in your life.

Our adversaries are in retreat, shattered by God’s intervention. David’s soldiers set ablaze all that opposed them, leaving nothing but ashes in their wake.

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, proclaim this boldly, ‘This is my breakthrough moment. Today marks the beginning of my victory.’ Just as God transformed the valley of Rephaim into Baal Perazim for David, He stands ready to do the same for each one of us today. Always remember that we follow—

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Pastor Angeline Selvakumari is Honourary Editor–in–Chief Echo of His Call, India’s Spiritual Newspaper, and Dr S Sam Selva Raj’s daughter. In furthering Echo of His Call ministries, established 1969, Dr Sam daily broadcasts 5–minute messages in Hindi, Tamil and English on YouTube, trusting the Lord to provide for the costs. Link: sam@echoofhiscall.org 
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