15 Bible Verses About Breakthrough
“I’ve started to wonder if my breakthrough will ever come,” a friend recently remarked. “I’ve done all I know to do, given my best effort, read countless Bible verses about breakthrough, and prayed for months. I feel like God isn’t listening.”
We were sitting by the creek on an unseasonably warm autumn day. The firmament hung low and grey, like maybe the underbelly of heaven was brushing against us.
“I don’t know why God gave me this dream and then slammed the door closed in my face,” my friend added through tears.
I sat with her words and offered her space to be honest about what she felt.
We’ll return to this conversation at the end of today’s post. First, I invite you to pause and consider the breakthrough you have been waiting for. Is there a dream that’s been slow in coming to fruition or a change you’ve been waiting for?
Like my friend, maybe you’ve grown weary from waiting.
Bible Verses About Breakthrough
If this is the case, here are some Bible verses about breakthrough to stand on while you wait. I invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you press into God as you wait for your breakthrough.
15 Bible Verses About Breakthrough
1. Ephesians 6:12, ESV
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
When a breakthrough is slow in coming, it’s important to remember that the forces holding us back are often forces in the spiritual realm. For followers of Christ, we have the authority of Jesus. We can stand in his authority and command the forces of darkness to release us in Jesus’ name.
2. John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The breakthrough almost always comes on the other side of obedience.
Has God been nudging you to obey him in some area of your life? If so, don’t delay. Many breakthroughs happen after we obey.
3. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
This verse reminds us that we can endure any trial or any period of waiting by relying on Christ for strength.
4. 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Have you been waiting for a breakthrough to help you overcome a destructive behavior? Cling to the promise that God will always provide a way out of every temptation. The next time you feel tempted, watch for the way out. It is always there.
5. 2 Corinthians 10:4
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
God has provided us with weapons to destroy spiritual strongholds. We can speak the Word of God out loud and stand in his authority. We can hold up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation to protect ourselves. As we fight back against these strongholds, we move toward breakthroughs.
6. Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Are you waiting for God to fulfill a desire?
Make God your greatest delight, and he will fulfill your desires. This happens as he aligns your desires with his desires.
7. Psalm 91:3-4
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Do you need a source of refuge as you press toward your breakthrough? Run to the Lord. You will find refuge under his wings.
8. Proverbs 4:25-27
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
We move toward breakthroughs by keeping our gaze fixed forward. We aim to make wise decisions and not stray from God’s path.
9. Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
This verse offers three ways to move toward a breakthrough: Avoid the love of money; be content with what we have; and trust that God is always with us.
10. 2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
When God imparts his grace, he works in our lives to accomplish what we cannot do in our human strength.
God will give you all the grace you need to do what he has called you to do. Trust in this promise as you wait for your breakthrough.
11. Psalm 100:3
Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
God is a good Father. Like a shepherd caring for his flock, God cares for us. Trust in him as you wait on him.
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to read to the end of this post and find a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment.
12. Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Are you waiting for a provisional or financial breakthrough?
Trust God by offering him the first portion of your earnings. Our family has learned that when we are faithful to tithe, God always provides what we need.
13. 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
This powerful verse tells us how to step into God’s healing: We humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn away from sin.
Have you taken these steps as you wait for your breakthrough?
14. John 14:12
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Jesus has promised to give us the authority to do even greater works than he did. When we pursue him with our whole hearts, trusting him and obeying him, he fills us with his power.
15. Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places . . .
Did you know that you have every spiritual blessing? You lack nothing. God has given you everything you need to step into your next breakthrough.
Be faithful to serve him humbly while you wait and trust that his timing is always perfect.
Let’s now take a moment to apply these Bible verses about breakthrough to our lives. I invite you to join me with my friend as we sat along the creek, and we’ll talk about how to respond when the breakthrough doesn’t come in our timing.
Apply These Bible Verses About Breakthrough to Seasons of Waiting
As we sat by the water, my mind recalled a different conversation from years ago, a conversation in which a mentor looked me in the eyes and told me it was time for me to forgive God for not letting my dream come to fruition.
I told her I didn’t need to forgive God. How can you forgive someone who can never be wrong?
“Sometimes we need to forgive God, not because he was wrong, but so our hearts can heal,” my friend replied.
Sometimes we need to forgive God, not because he was wrong, but so our own hearts can heal. #healinginGod #forgiveness Share on X“This kind of forgiveness is for us, not for God. It’s about releasing blame and offense,” my friend elaborated.
Years later, I reflected on the conversation as I sat with my younger friend.
“Sometimes, God closes doors because what waits on the other side would destroy us if those doors opened wide. Can you release the bitterness you’ve been holding on toward God and trust him with this?” I gently asked her.
I then told her about a dream that might have destroyed me if that door hadn’t slammed shut.
“I’ve also learned that there’s one thing that matters more than stepping into the breakthrough,” I said.
What Matters More Than Your Personal Breakthrough
“Whether you’re ready to break through into your new calling, your new ministry, your next relationship, or that quiet dream that keeps you awake through the long hours of the night, the one thing that matters more than your personal breakthrough is this: The condition of your heart while you sit in the waiting room.”
My friend agreed that her heart had grown hard in the waiting. We talked through this, and I let her air her frustrations without judgment.
Perhaps you need this reminder today too, friend.
If you sit in the waiting room with a disgruntled attitude, God might keep the door closed until your heart changes.
If you refuse to open your heart and allow God to prepare you in the waiting room, he might decide you can’t handle whatever is on the other side of the door.
The waiting room is where we grow.
Jesus spent somewhere around 30 years in the waiting room, waiting for God to open the door and launch him into public ministry.
Hannah spent years in the waiting room praying for a son. And God tested her in the waiting room. He tested her to see if she would grow hard and turn on him and give up on the dream of a child.
David spent years in the waiting room tending the flock of sheep before he could tend the flock of Israel.
Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before he led God’s people out of slavery.
We Grow While We Wait
If God has kept the door closed on your dream, don’t lose heart. The growth that comes before the breakthrough will prepare you for the day when the breakthrough finally comes.
In the meantime, here are a few things to do while you wait for your breakthrough:
1. Worship while you wait.
Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever. Psalm 86:11-12
2. Pray while you wait.
Pray without ceasing . . . 1 Thessalonians 5:17
3. Serve while you wait.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
4. Keep a soft heart while you wait.
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
5. Give thanks while you wait.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12
~~~
When we stood to leave the brown water, I was not sure my words had reached my friend’s heart. Turning to follow the muddy path out of the woods, she wiped a strand of loose hair from her face, and I saw it in her eyes – a softening.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
Your Free Devotional
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
