Bill Johnson - Today Is Your Day for Breakthrough
chapter 6, Israel is to march around Jericho, which is the first city they are instructed to take. They are to march around it for six days in silence, with no visible signs of progress. After the seventh day, they shout praises, and the walls fall. Miracles often happen suddenly after a season of promise.
Today, I believe many of you are in your seventh day. You’ve put your lives on the line and I am surrounding you with the armies of God. This is your day of breakthrough—whether in family, health, or business.
Let us gather and pray now. If you are in need of financial breakthrough, stand up so we can surround you with prayer. This is your seventh day! If you desire prayer for relationships, health, or ministry breakthroughs, I want you to stand as well.
Let’s proclaim together: «This is your seventh day!»
Good morning! It’s nice to see you on this wonderful day. We had a great medical healing conference this week, and it was so fun to be with all these medical professionals who use their skills to bring glory to God. I am so thankful for them. What’s really exciting is hearing the incredible miracles. It’s inspiring to see people do what they can and then make space for God to do what only He can do. What a perfect marriage that is! I tell you, that’s just so encouraging. I am truly thankful that the natural and supernatural realms are merging; it’s a significant development.
When it comes to finances, we pray for provision, but we also work, right? Most of us take responsibility for the natural part, while also looking to the Lord to do what we can’t. It’s the combination of the two that matters. I am very thankful that Paul is really leading the charge on this and carries a strong message about it.
Anyway, I have a very important story to share with you today, one that I read for the first time at the medical healing conference this week. An old geezer who had been a retired farmer for a long time became very bored and decided to open a medical clinic. He put up a sign outside that said, «Dr. Geezer’s Clinic: Get your treatment for $500. If you’re not cured, I’ll give you back $1,000.» Dr. Young was certain this old geezer didn’t know anything about medicine, so he thought it would be a great chance to make $1,000. He went to Dr. Geezer’s clinic.
This is what happened: «Dr. Geezer, I’ve lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me?» Dr. Geezer responded, «Nurse, please bring medicine from Box 22 and put three drops on Dr. Young’s tongue.» Dr. Young cried out, «This is gasoline!» Dr. Geezer said, «Congratulations! You’ve got your taste back. That’ll be $500.» Dr. Young was annoyed and went back after a couple of days, trying to figure out how to recover his money.
Dr. Young said, «I’ve lost my memory; I can’t remember anything. Can you help me?» Dr. Geezer responded, «Nurse, please bring medicine from Box 22 and put three drops on the patient’s tongue.» Dr. Young exclaimed, «Oh no, you don’t! That’s gasoline!» Dr. Geezer replied, «Congratulations! You’ve got your memory back. That’ll be $500.»
After losing $1,000, Dr. Young left in anger. He came back several more days later and said, «My eyesight has become weak; I can hardly see.» Dr. Geezer said, «Well, I don’t have any medicine for that, so here’s your $1,000.» Dr. Young responded, «Hey, this is only $500!» Dr. Geezer replied, «Congratulations! You’ve got your vision back! That’ll be $500.»
That’s seriously funny! I thought it was appropriate for the medical conference this week, just because I’m here to serve and bring encouragement. I really look forward to every time we’re together, so it feels like a broken record to say I’ve been looking forward to today. I believe I have a very specific word and a specific faith for a certain kind of breakthrough that I believe we’re going to see today.
Let me set up the stage for this: Remember how David killed Uriah? If you’re not familiar, King David was a great king in Israel, a wonderful man. However, he fell morally at one point and wanted to destroy the evidence, so he wanted to get rid of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. He was a great soldier, a man of integrity, prepared for victory. David told Joab, the general in charge of his armies, to put Uriah on the front lines of battle and then withdraw all the other troops so that he would be alone. They did that; Uriah was left alone on the front lines and was killed.
The tragedy is that he was a man of integrity and yet died because he wasn’t equipped to beat an army by himself, but he was equipped to be part of an army that defeated the enemy. As a result, he died. What I have wanted to do this week is to champion certain individuals in the room who have put themselves at risk, who have put themselves on the front lines of battle, so to speak. I don’t want to challenge you to take risks and then leave you to fight for your breakthrough on your own.
I hope this makes sense. I want us to have the readiness to surround you with prayer to see breakthroughs in four areas: finances, relationships, health, and ministry. I feel that in each of these areas, different individuals in this room have put themselves at risk. A great example would be Mike, who just got up and talked about missions. We did a financial series here several months ago, and as a result, many of you have put yourselves at risk. You’ve taken on challenges for nations, and you’ve wrecked me with your passion to sew into these causes and support those we release around the planet.
I know some personal situations where there was great risk involved in making that commitment, and I don’t want to encourage you to be bold and take risks and then pull back from you while you’re on the front lines economically. Some of you have moved here from other parts of the country or the world with a vision and a dream. I don’t want to encourage you in your dream life and then draw back or forget about you while you’re on the front lines of your battle to establish that vision for the business you’ve started.
It could be any number of ways, but you have put yourself at risk, so I want us to surround you. I believe today is a day of great breakthrough. I’ll explain more later. The same thing goes for relationships; we had a tremendous story in our pre-service prayer time today about an unusual reconciliation that happened after 30 years, completely unexpected, with no warning signs. Suddenly, healing and reconciliation took place this week, and we rejoice in that.
Many of you have been bold, putting your testimony forward and taking risks with friends and family members. I was with someone from the body this week who described themselves as the black sheep of the family because they believe in raising the dead. Some of you have made your boldness known and become isolated. I don’t want us to pull back from you and leave you in that position. I want to ensure we pray for you so that the breakthrough you envisioned when you took that risk actually happens.
It’s the same with health; many of you have volunteered in our healing rooms, which has over 900 people praying for the sick. Some of you have pursued breakthroughs for others but, unfortunately, have faced affliction in your own health. I don’t want us to leave you there; I want to ensure we surround you, saying God didn’t put you on the front lines to be humiliated and to lose. He put you there because you are fully equipped for the victory He has designed for you.
So, we’re going to go after this! In ministry, many of you feel a deep longing for something in God and have put yourselves at risk. What we’ll do today is take about the last 10 minutes of our service to pray. I want you to open your Bibles to Joshua chapter 1; that’s where we’ll start. We’ll be reading from chapter 1, also chapter 3, and then chapter 6.
Let me provide some context. As I mention these four areas, I know that many of you need breakthroughs. We all need increase; amen? We are all ready for more—more blessing in every area we can think of. Still, some of you are in a critical situation where a breakthrough is almost a life or death matter, whether that’s financial, relational, or in some other way. I believe today can be a day of breakthrough.
I’ve carried this conviction in my heart this week and prayed about it deeply yesterday and this morning. I became almost overwhelmed early this morning, envisioning what I believe is supposed to happen today. In Hebrews 11, we find the great chapter that honors the Heroes of Faith, where many of the Heroes of Faith from the Bible are listed. However, the buildup to Hebrews 11 is in the last few verses of chapter 10, which I can summarize. There’s an exhortation to have enduring faith—a faith that endures, that not only believes in a breakthrough but is unwilling to change the subject until it arrives.
That passage concludes with a correction: God does not take pleasure in those who shrink back. God isn’t about shaming us; He wants us to understand how He thinks and views situations. Those who put themselves to something and then turn away halfway through don’t please Him. For each of us, He commands us to come into strength—not because it’s a good idea, but because He knows we are wired for it.
He doesn’t ask us to do anything we aren’t suited for. We’re going to read two verses out of Joshua 1. Joshua is leading Israel as they prepare to enter the promised land, which symbolizes all of the Kingdom’s blessings provided for us as New Testament believers. Verses 5-9 are among the most important verses in the Bible for me. I often return to them; I read them, pray them, and declare them. I just can’t get rid of these verses because they feed and challenge me in the purposes of God.
We’re going to start with verse 7: «Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, My servant, commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then, you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.»
Going back to verse 7, here is the command to be strong and courageous. If the Lord commands me to be strong, then strength is within my reach through my choice and obedience. He doesn’t command me to a virtue outside my grasp; that would be cruel. It’d be like assigning a child a task they can’t possibly do without help. When the Lord says, «Be strong,» He’s commanding us to choose strength.
Strength is on the other side of an act of obedience. The second thing He says is that the book of the law will be in our mouths, and we will meditate on it day and night. The scriptures must be in our mouths and meditated upon day and night so we can ensure our own success and breakthrough.
This describes prosperity and success, which is not simply about mansions on a hilltop or multiple cars. Amen? For some, that includes it, but that’s not my target. I have a wife who loves me, kids who love me, grandkids who love me, and friends who love me. I don’t know how one could get any richer.
Here’s the point: it’s tough to declare, «I have financial problems coming out my ears. I don’t know when I’ll get a breakthrough,» and then constantly pray for it. It’s difficult to have both sweet and bitter water come from the same spring without expecting contamination at some point. We need to reach a place where we are only willing to decree what God is saying.
I’m not talking about creating our own reality through our confession. I believe there’s power in words; life and death are in the tongue. But we must focus on what God is saying and protect our hearts through conversation about His revelations. It’s foolish for bitterness to escape my mouth while expecting something sweet to occur.
He instructs that this book of the law will not depart from your mouth but will be your meditation. This ensures the profound effect of what God is saying becomes heightened through what we say. Many don’t want to confess what God has spoken out of fear of appearing presumptuous.
Let’s repeat this: «This book of the law…» This phrase refers to the word of God. So, the word of God will not depart from my mouth. Because it won’t depart, it will be my meditation day and night, so that I can make my way prosperous and successful. Many breakthroughs are just one declaration short of happening!
Now, let’s move to chapter 3, where Israel starts to cross the Jordan River. For those unfamiliar, Israel left Egypt—a picture of sin—when the blood was put on their doorpost, symbolizing Jesus’s shed blood that set them free. They were in the wilderness, being trained for the promised land, where they would rely on God. At this point, they must cross the Jordan River, which is going to part just as the Red Sea did, and that will be through Joshua’s leadership.
The Lord spoke to Joshua in chapter 1, saying, «Moses is dead. Now you rise up and take these people into the land I promised their fathers.» Larry Randolph had the best line on this: «God is not obligated to fulfill your potential.» Some promises are never fulfilled, but it’s not God’s fault. He gave the word and the means, and there are actions we can take to help bring about God’s purposes in our lives.
The forefathers of this generation alive with Joshua were given the promise to enter the promised land, yet only Caleb and Joshua entered. Why? They guarded what they said, protected their vision, and aligned with God’s promise. Because of that, God entrusted something significant to them.
Now, the Israelites stand at the banks of the river and are instructed in verses 1 through 4 to watch the ark go into the water. They had to keep a certain distance because of their fear of God. In this case, they were to keep distance, as they hadn’t yet encountered the blood of Jesus that eliminates distance.
They were to follow the ark into the promise. What’s the ark? It represents God’s presence. If we want to enter something new, we need a heightened awareness of His presence. It’s not just about principles; it’s about the presence.
Joshua tells the people, «Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.» Israel had already experienced signs and wonders for 40 years. However, the next day’s signs and wonders would bring a dramatic shift in their lives. Miracles had sustained them in the wilderness, but as they entered the promised land, the miracles would serve to advance them.
Their sustenance would come from their labor, and they would receive a supernatural touch on all their natural labor. This partnership between the natural and supernatural signifies the promised land. Joshua instructs the people to sanctify themselves. What does this mean? To set themselves apart.
Israel was required to sanctify themselves because they anticipated the supernatural increase about to be released. It is crucial to note that there was no correction for sin or rebuke; they were living according to God’s commands. Yet, the Lord commanded them to sanctify themselves.
What does that mean? There could be many good things in one’s life—activities that are busy, active, and involved. But when a shift is imminent, when we sense the Lord is about to bring about dramatic increase or a breakthrough, it’s time to refine our focus and dedicate ourselves to that season.
We should not be diversifying our energies at that moment but rather committing fully, hoping not to miss anything as God does what we anticipate. The weight of a lifestyle of signs and wonders must fall on a sanctified heart to be established.
Every one of us requires seasons and moments to focus. It’s not about doing something wrong; rather, we can get too busy with wonderful things. But there are moments when we must trim back and make sure we are fully attentive to what we believe God is doing.
This is similar to driving to the office; I never look at street signs because I know the way. When you’re navigating familiar territory, you don’t need signs, but if you’re venturing into the unknown, you’ll require guidance. Signs point to a greater reality.
When you’re moving forward, how you perceive the journey is essential. If there’s no sign for a destination you’re certain you’re heading toward, perhaps you’re not on the road you believe.
Chapter 6 reveals Israel moving against Jericho. This city represents their first conquest in the promised land, where they are to circle the city for six days. On the seventh day, they’ll march around it seven times and give a shout.
The important takeaway here is that there was no sign of progress after the first day. Nothing had broken or crumbled; this continued for six days until finally, on the seventh day, they saw breakthrough.
Today could be someone’s seventh day. This is the day of breakthrough! You’ve put your life on the line, you’ve lived a life of risk, and we’re surrounding you with God’s armies. Many of you need breakthroughs in your families, bodies, or businesses.
Jericho was secured tightly against the children of Israel. None of them went out, and none went in. But the Lord said to Joshua, «See! I have given Jericho into your hand, along with its king and mighty men of valor.»
It’s interesting how God views problems. When Gideon was terrified, God told him, «If you’re afraid, go down into the enemy’s camp and I’ll speak to you there.» The notion here is that God’s perspective is often opposite to our own.
Jericho was fortified, ready to fight, yet God told Joshua, «See? That’s a sign; it’s yours!» Joshua understood, and God instructed him to march around the city.
On six days, they marched in silence, since their previous conversations had kept them out of the promised land. On the seventh day, they shouted, lifting a cry of praise.
Let’s lift a shout! The Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift His countenance upon you and give you peace. This is your day of breakthrough! This is your seventh day!