The process.

A huge part of every miraculous answer to prayer is found, not just in sudden moments of spontaneous breakthrough, but first in process. The process is often where breakthrough really happens, and receiving a miracle spontaneously is usually an outflow and overflow of what God did during your process.

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Before I continue, let us first ask: “What do I mean by ‘process’?”

The process is just a simple term for how God works in your life over time, gradually, one step at a time. Process is how Holy Spirit forms the character of Jesus in us:

• It’s how He convicts us of sin, one sin at a time.
• It’s how He teaches us to transform our mind–one thought at a time.
• It’s also how He challenges us to take leaps of faith so we can grow … one leap of faith at a time.

Process is extremely important in the Kingdom.

Process is important because it widens our spiritual shoulders and grows our spiritual muscles.

In other words, if God gave us huge breakthroughs and blessings without any kind of growth process, we would be ill-equipped to carry the responsibility of those breakthroughs. And before too long, we would either implode, collapse, or otherwise self-destruct under the weight of what we thought would be a blessing.

God is too good of a Father to do that to us.

He’s a good, good Father; so He doesn’t give us things that would hurt us. The same way you don’t hand your child a sizzling hot cast iron fajita skillet and ask them to carry it with their bare hands, Father God does not give us sizzling hot things–even if we are convinced those things would be a blessing–when we cannot carry them, or when they would burn us.

There is a process, and the process is extremely important.

So where does breakthrough really happen?

It often culminates in a moment of what appears to be spontaneous, miraculous manifestation. However, I would put forth to you today that breakthrough really happens in moments where we decide to obey God …

… even though it costs us something.

For example:

• When you take a leap of faith and obey Holy Spirit when He tells you to bless somebody … even though your natural man (flesh/logic) tells you you can’t afford it.
• When you crucify the flesh by fasting and praying, even though you really want a hamburger, a giant burrito, or a 20-ounce milkshake.
• That moment when you feel frustrated by the grouchy server at the restaurant, but you choose to smile at the waitstaff and tell them you’re sorry they’re having a bad day.
• When your best friends walk away from you, but you choose to love them and pray for them despite your pain and heartbreak.
• When you forgive those who hurt you.
• That moment you write your tithe check first and foremost … every time you get paid.
• When you pray for those who despitefully use you.
• When you refuse to idolize people you look up to, forgiving them and letting them off the hook when they let you down.
• That moment when you sow an offering you really wished to keep.
• When your husband or wife says something hurtful, and you calmly let them know they hurt you–without flying off the handle at them.
• When you choose to keep no record of wrongs.
• That moment when you choose to let love cover a multitude of sins.
• When you apologize for something you did that hurt somebody, even though you meant no harm and never intended to hurt them.
• When you take ownership for your own mistakes, and you clean them up and make things right.
• That moment when you’re in intense physical pain, but you choose to lay in your bed, lift up your hands as high as you can reach, and bless the Lord.
• When you start thanking the Lord effusively, instead of feeling sorry for yourself like the devil wants you to do.

Beloved, every single one of these things involves one choice made in one moment …

… and that moment is the moment your miracle is birthed.

That moment is where breakthrough really happens.

Yes, I know that the answer to prayer is manifested in a different moment–a moment that feels completely spontaneous. But the fact is, God sent your answer to prayer the moment you prayed. And as the first step to seeing His answer, He often has to prep you to be able to carry it.

It’s just like when we eagerly say to our children, “Close your eyes and stick your hands out! I have something for you!”

When we do that, the gift is already theirs. They’re getting that gift, and they’re getting it now. But the “Close your eyes and put out your hands” part simply preps them to receive.

In the same way, the answers to our prayers are so big and weighty that God has to prep us to receive. And the way He does that is to transform our character moment by moment, day by day. He convicts us and changes us and teaches us so that we become able to carry the heavy blessings for which we prayed.

Isn’t that so beautiful and good of God?

He is our Father, and He sees everything about us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses, and He knows what muscles and strengths we need to develop. Therefore, when we pray, He proceeds to prepare our hands to receive …

… And He does this sometimes by testing us, giving us opportunities to stretch our obedience muscles so that His gifts won’t break our little hands.

We receive the answer to our prayers the moment we pray. But, it usually manifests after we pass the test.

Sometimes the test is little and quick. If the thing for which you are asking God is something you’ve handled before with success, then you’ve already “won” that level and the breakthrough is likely to manifest shortly with little testing.

But if you’re praying and believing God for something big that you’ve never handled before, expect Him to help you grow those faith muscles in big ways–which may take some time.

Beloved, I believe in miracles we don’t have to work for–like supernatural debt cancellation, supernatural weight loss, and massive money drops.

I absolutely do believe in them. For example, the Lord has had me sowing for a year and a half for “massive money,” “massive miracle money,” and “mega massive miracle money.” I believe in that and I know that I know that I know that Holy Spirit told me to start sowing for that. And sure enough, He provides our every need in this ministry (even the big needs)!

But you know what? Even though those things are real and true and Biblical, they are 1% of the total breakthroughs God wants to give us.

The other 99% comes in those moments in which we deny the flesh and obey God. 

And when you choose to deny the flesh and obey God, that’s where breakthrough really happens.

Those moments are when you jump from one level of glory to another level of glory. Those moments are when God takes you from faith to faith and strength to strength. Those moments are called process, and those moments are what breakthrough is really made of.

And when you pass those tests, be they small or large, your miracle usually comes to manifestation shortly thereafter.

So will you submit to God’s process today, beloved?

Will you choose to deny the flesh, take up your cross, and follow Jesus today?

Will you choose to forgive all those who despitefully use you and persecute you? Will you decide to love your enemies, thank God instead of being depressed, and rejoice in the Lord?

Will you choose today to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God” so that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, can guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)?

What will you choose to do with your moments today? Will you obey God in these momentary tests, so you can build the spiritual muscles it takes to handle the big breakthroughs for which you have prayed?

(Used with permission. From His Presence, by Jamie Rohrbaugh. Photo Credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash)