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The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough: Seven Day Devotional

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Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:


Day 1: Returning and Resisting

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."- Matthew 4: 10

Devotional: Like the prodigal son, repentance requires us to turn from where we’ve been and walk in a new direction; a direction that may feel tiring, humbling, or unfamiliar. The journey back to the Father can be exhausting; it takes tremendous effort and energy to walk way from sin . Yet every step toward God is worth the effort. The Father is not waiting with condemnation but with compassion, ready to cover, restore, and welcome you home. Breakthrough begins when you decide His presence is worth more than your pride, your comfort, or your excuses.


But as you take steps toward God, be prepared: spiritual attack often intensifies. Just as Jesus was tested immediately after His baptism and during His fast, the enemy frequently strikes when we are most consecrated and closest to breakthrough. Temptation, discouragement, and distraction are not signs of failure; they are indicators that you are on the right path. Jesus shows us how to respond: with the Word of God. Scripture is your weapon when fear rises, temptation presses, or weariness sets in.


Whether you’re pressing through inner exhaustion or resisting outer attack, the call is the same; take the next step toward the Father and stand firm in His truth. The blessing is worth the pressing, and the breakthrough is worth the battle.


Quote: " Are you willing to push past exhaustion, to get to the Father? The pressing is worth the blessing." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What “pig pen” do you feel God calling you to leave behind, and what Scripture can you stand on as you take that step?


Prayer: Lord, as we draw closer to You, strengthen us to press through exhaustion and resist every tactic of the enemy. Help us recognize Your hand at work even in the challenges we face and give us the endurance to keep moving toward Your presence. Fill us with Your Word, Your courage, and Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Day 2: Led Into the Wilderness

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." - Matthew 4:1

Devotional: We often assume that if we’re in a difficult place, its because something went wrong. But Matthew 4:1 shows us something surprising: the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Not the enemy, nor disobedience; the Holy Spirit.


Sometimes God Himself leads us into seasons that feel dry, quiet, or uncomfortable—not to break us down, but to build us up. The wilderness is not a sign that you missed God; it may be proof that you’re right in step with Him.


In the wilderness, distractions fall away. Noise is silenced. Identity is clarified. The wilderness prepares you for what your assignment will require. Before Jesus performed miracles, preached to multitudes, or chose His disciples, He endured a wilderness season. Elevation requires preparation, and preparation often happens in hidden places.


You may feel like God has taken you into a season that doesn't make sense, but trust this: the wilderness is a classroom, not a punishment. What God develops in private will sustain you in public.

Quote: " The wilderness isn’t always punishment; it's sometimes for preparation." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: Where do you sense God leading you into a “wilderness” season, and what might He be forming in you there?


Prayer: Lord, help us embrace the seasons You lead us into, even when they feel uncomfortable. Teach us in the wilderness. Strengthen us in the silence. Prepare us for what You have ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Day 3: Armed with the Word

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." - Matthew 4:2

Devotional: When Jesus faced the tempter in the wilderness, He didn't argue or negotiate, He quoted Scripture. Three times the enemy approached Jesus suggestions outside of the will of God; and three times Jesus responded with 'It is written.' Jesus wasn't just showing off His biblical knowledge; He was demonstrating our primary weapon against spiritual attack.


The Word of God isn't just information, it's ammunition. But here's the thing: you can't use what you don't know. When the devil whispers lies about your identity, your future, or God's faithfulness, you need more than good intentions. You need a rhema word, a specific Scripture that speaks directly to your situation. This requires more than casual Bible reading; it requires hiding God's Word in your heart so deeply that it becomes your automatic response.


When anxiety tries to overwhelm you, you respond with Philippians 4:6. When fear knocks at your door, you answer with 2 Timothy 1:7. When the enemy questions your worth, you declare Ephesians 2:10. The Word isn't just your defense, it's your offense. Every verse you memorize is another arrow in your quiver.

Quote: "When the devil attacks, you don't always have time to grab a bible and pull chapter and verse. Hide the Word in your heart so you have a rhema Word for the moment. - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What specific lies has the enemy been whispering to you lately, and which Scripture verses can you use as weapons against those lies?


Prayer: Father, help us to treasure Your Word in our heart so that we might not sin against You. Give us a hunger for Scripture that surpasses our hunger for anything else. Make Your Word our first response to every attack. In Jesus' name, Amen


Day 4:  The Blessing in the Pressing

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"'Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."- 2 Corinthians 4:16

Devotional:  Sometimes the very thing that feels like it's breaking you is actually making you. That financial pressure, that relationship struggle, that health challenge, what if it's not punishment but preparation? What if God is using the pressing to produce something precious in you? We live in a microwave culture that wants instant everything, but God operates on slow-cooker time. He's not interested in quick fixes; He's committed to deep transformation.


The pressing you're experiencing isn't random, it's purposeful. Just like grapes must be crushed to produce wine and olives must be pressed to release oil, sometimes we must go through pressure to release what God has placed within us. The enemy wants you to believe that difficulty means God has abandoned you, but the opposite is true.


The very fact that you're still standing after everything you've been through is proof of God's sustaining power. Although your breakthrough might seem delayed, it might actually be in the process of being developed. Every day you choose to trust God in the pressing, you're building the spiritual strength you'll need for your next level. The blessing isn't just coming after the pressing; there's blessing in the pressing itself.


Quote: "Your body may be weak and the enemy may be busy. But don't lose heart; the blessing is worth the pressing!" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: How might God be using your current pressures to develop something beautiful in your character that couldn't be formed any other way?


Prayer: Lord, help us to see Your hand at work even in my difficulties. Give us patience to trust Your timing and wisdom to see the purpose in our pressing. Strengthen our inner man as we wait on You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Day 5: The Fire That Forms You

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed." - 1 Peter 4:13

Devotional: Peter reminds us not to be shocked by the fiery trials we face. They are not strange; they are shaping us. Trials are part of spiritual growth and participation in Christ’s own suffering, and because we share in His suffering, we are promised we will share in His glory. There is no crown without a cross, no testimony without a test, and no breakthrough without a breakdown. What feels like breaking may actually be God’s preparation for your next level.


Paul reinforces this truth by calling our present troubles “momentary, light afflictions.” Not because they feel light, but because in God’s perspective, they are producing an eternal glory beyond anything we can imagine. Every tear you cry, every act of obedience, every moment you choose faith over fear is being recorded in heaven. God wastes nothing. What you’re enduring now is preparing you for what He will reveal later.


So endure. Hold firm. Keep your eyes fixed not on what is seen but on what is unseen. Breakthrough is not a matter of if, only when. And when it comes, you’ll recognize that every moment of pressure was shaping you for the glory ahead.

Quote: "Situations that seem great to us are lightwork for God. Your situations are cultivating you for a purpose." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: Where is God inviting you to persevere instead of retreating in the face of difficulty?


Prayer: Lord, strengthen us to endure the trials that shape us and to trust the glory You are producing through them. Help us remain steadfast, keeping our eyes on what is eternal rather than what is temporary. Use every challenge to draw us closer to You and deepen our dependence on Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Day 6: New Levels, New Devils

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." - 1 Peter 4:12

Devotional: Have you noticed that every time you level up spiritually, new challenges appear? That promotion at work brings new pressures. That answered prayer opens new doors but also new opposition. This isn't coincidence; it's the reality of spiritual growth. Where there are new levels, there are new devils, and new devils require new consecration.


The enemy's tactics evolve as you mature. The temptations that worked when you were a baby Christian won't work now, so he upgrades his approach. But here's the good news: God has been preparing you for this moment. Every previous battle has been training for this one. Every victory has built your confidence in God's faithfulness.


The fact that you're facing new opposition means you're occupying new territory in the kingdom. Don't be discouraged by the increased warfare; be encouraged that you're advancing. The enemy only fights for ground that matters. If he's fighting you this hard, it's because he knows what God is about to do through you. Your current consecration isn't just about surviving this level; it's about preparing you for the next one. Stay committed to your spiritual disciplines, even when they feel harder than before.

Quote: "Where there's new levels, there are new devils. Elevation requires new consecration." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What new spiritual disciplines or deeper levels of consecration is God calling you to embrace as you face these new challenges??


Prayer: God, help us to embrace the new levels of consecration You're calling us to. Give us wisdom to recognize the enemy's upgraded tactics and strength to stand firm in our spiritual disciplines. Prepare us for what's ahead In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 7: Worship in the Warfare

Based on the Message: "The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6

Devotional: When everything around you is falling apart, when the enemy is attacking from every angle, when your circumstances look impossible, that's when you lift your hands and worship. This isn't denial; it's declaration. You're not pretending everything is fine; you're proclaiming that God is greater than everything that's wrong.


Worship in warfare isn't about your feelings; it's about your faith. It's choosing to focus on God's character when your circumstances are chaotic. When you worship in the middle of your mess, you're doing more than singing songs, you're wielding a weapon. Your praise confuses the enemy because he can't understand how someone under attack can still worship the One who allowed the attack.


But you understand something he doesn't: God is working even when it doesn't look like it. Your worship shifts the atmosphere from defeat to victory, from despair to hope. It reminds you of who God is when your situation tries to tell you who He isn't.


Worshipers survive because worship connects you to the source of all strength. When you can't see the way out, worship anyway. When you don't feel like praising, praise anyway. Your breakthrough might be one hallelujah away.


Quote: "You might be in the fight of your life, but as long as you're breathing, continue to worship. Turn your breath as a weapon of praise!" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: In what specific area of warfare do you need to replace worry with worship, and how can you make praise your first response instead of your last resort?


Prayer: Lord, teach us to worship You in every season, especially in the storms. Help our praise to be our weapon and our worship to be our strength. Let our hallelujah rise above every circumstance. In Jesus' name, Amen.




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