Let the Water Break - a sermon

Let the Water Break

2 Samuel 5:20 (NKJV)

So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, "The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

(NLT)

So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "The LORD has done it!" David exclaimed. "He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So David named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").

(AMP)
And David came to Baal-perazim, and he smote them there, and said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like the bursting out of great waters. So he called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through].

There is extreme continuity with the three versions of the scripture quoted above. They all explain the very same thing:

1. David's enemies were defeated
   
2. David exclaims that it is the Lord's doing
   
3. David commemorates the defeat of his enemies by naming he place Baalperazim

Looking through the lens of time, we can ascertain that people have had enemies since the beginning of humanity. With Adam and Eve, they had the enemy of the serpent tempting them to move outside of God's will. Joseph's father gave him a "coat of many colors" and subsequently, his brothers became his enemies because of jealousy.

In the life journey of any person, we will undoubtedly meet with enemies. In grammar and high schools, young people often deal with the threats of bullies. In the workplace, we may have to contend with someone that is vying for the same position - and thus, become an enemy to us. Indeed, we all deal with enemies in some form or another throughout life. The enemy that all of us has come to know deeply and personally is the enemy of self. We tend to want to do things on our own without help; we can be hurtful to other people by having a callous or indifferent disposition. Death and life are in the power of the tongue and we often use our tongue to kill people. Our tongue becomes our enemy.

We are likewise acquainted with the enemies of racism, sexism, colorism and classism. Any individual or group that falls into a category of the "other" will find they have ready-made enemies by the hegemonic power.

Because of these enemies, we need the power of God to Baalperazim; to break or burst through like a raging flood!

When we normally hear of water breaking we think of the childbirth process. Water breakage, surprisingly to me, actually occurs in relatively few women (15%) as the first sign of birth. Normally, water breakage occurs after contractions have already begun. Still, water breakage must occur for the miracle of birth to take place. Because of the water breakage in our scripture, the enemies of David were defeated.

Contemporarily, I believe that the enemies that we encounter can each fall under three categories:

1. The enemy of Oppression
   
   Oppression is defined as "unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power." Oppression is an external force inflicted upon an individual or group. I would say that oppression is a fear of aggression; the oppressive group fears that the ones they are oppressing will be domineering or combatant if they do nothing...this fear is what causes them to oppress the "other".
   
   Looking at the history of black folks in the United States, we can see this first hand. Black people were demeaned by utilization of several tactics; breaking up the families by separating mothers, fathers and children during slavery; not allowing for slaves to be educated; lynchings; calling blacks "niggers". All of these and a host of other methodology were used in order to keep black folks "in their place". Soon after slavery was ended, there is recorded in several memoirs of once-slave owners, a fear that the once oppressed would now become aggressive. It is this fear that led to the Jim Crow era and the plantation prison system.
   
   Oppression not only works against the oppressed, but it also works against the oppressor. The oppressor loses their sense of humanity and dignity when they perform inhuman acts or harbor ill will and thoughts towards others.
   
   
2. The enemy of Depression
   
   Depression is defined as "a state of feeling sad; dejection." Depression is an internal force that is self-inflicted in most cases. (As an aside, I am not speaking of clinical depression where there are chemical imbalances that can be biologically remedied with medical treatment.) I believe that depression is a work against ones perception; the one that is depresses has a skewed perception of reality that causes them to be "stuck in a rut."
   
   Depression often works against a confession as well. How many times has someone asked you how you were doing and you answered "fine" when you were anything but that? How many times do we hold our feelings in without ever giving voice to them - all in the name of being strong? Often we feel guilty when we are confused or sad.
   
   The problem is never in feeling confused or sad - but with holding those feelings in. When one does this, they continue to pile on issue on top of issue on top of issue. This causes the skewed perception of reality; that "nothing is going well". We may have life, health and strength, but cannot see the goodness and sweetness of life because of present-day situations. We cannot see the beauty and splendor of the forest for the trees, which seem to inhibit our movement.
   
   Depression extinguishes the fire for life within an individual.It causes one to believe that life is not worth living.
   
   
3. The enemy of Repression
   
   Repression has several definitions, but the one I wish to use is "to prevent the natural or normal expression, activity, or development of; to exclude from consciousness." My reworking of this definition is that repression is like depression, an internal force but works against expression; repression creates within a guilty persona causing you muffle who you are.Salt ‘n’ Pepa had a song that said, “...express yourself, gotta be you and only you,” and how true is this.
   
   One such example of repression is with women in religious traditions.Speaking of Christianity, traditionally, women have been excluded from many roles and functions within the church.No doubt, Paul’s words, when not understood contextually, have been utilized as the foundation for the belief that all women at all times “keep silent in churches”, shouldn’t be “permit[ed] to teach” or to “have authority” particularly over men.
   
   Repression kills the creative force of a person or group.It diminishes their human value and worth to the world and to God.Repression stands against the life force that causes us to want to build, create, live and love.

Bringing it all together

Biblically, water is symbolic of the Spirit of God that works within the life of the believer. Several scriptures record a metaphorical nature of water. Isaiah tells us (12:3) with joy draw ye waters out of the wells of salvation and John (7:38) tells us out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Knowing that David's enemies were defeated by water breaking, we can infer that it was the Spirit of God that defeated his enemies. Likewise, in our lives, we have an assurance that the Spirit of God will let the water break. We can beseech the Lord to allow the water to break; to allow for the Spirit of God to burst through like a raging flood; to allow for the miracle of the birth of salvation, holiness and creativity.

When we say "let the water break", we ask God to defeat of the enemy of oppression. Instead of oppression, we will seek liberation from bondage of sin, shame and guilt. Socially, people will be liberated from the bondage of sexism, racism and classism.

When we say "let the water break", we ask God to defeat the enemy of depression. Instead of depression, we will see the true perception of reality. Things may not be wonderful - we may have very tumultuous situations causing unrest. But be dismayed because God will take care of you! Certainly, there will be rough times where we are confused, angry, or saddened. But we can still understand that since we have life and breath, we have opportunity. We have the great faithfulness of God that is brand new morning by morning! We don't have to be depressed, even when we are surrounded by bad situations - but we can recognize the God that works in ALL situations.

When we say "let the water break", we ask God to defeat the enemy of repression. Instead of repression, we will truly be expressive in the gifts that God has granted us. We will not sit on ministry or gifts that we have been given because we do not want to offend others. God has placed something valuable in each of you that God wants you to share with others. We will speak life to the creative force of expression.

Lord, let the water break! Break through - burst through the enemy that causes us to be oppressed, depressed and repressed. And when the water breaks, a birth will take place! A birth of love! A birth of joy! A birth of salvation! A birth of peace! A birth of understanding! A birth of creativity!

Lord, let the water break!