What does Christmas remind you of?  As my family and I prepare to celebrate Christmas, it has evoked many good memories of my childhood.  Now, I get to see my children get to experience the multifaceted joys of Christmas—which includes giving and receiving gifts!

As a follower of Christ, as I study and experience the multifaceted aspects of Christ’s established Kingdom, I am simply in awe.  Through Christ, we become co-rulers in His Kingdom.  We get to live out purpose as God intended.

But one of the gifts I am grateful for is the gift of breakthrough regarding fulfilling purpose.   The coming of Christ into the world to fulfill purpose was no easy feat.  Jesus experienced tremendous resistance toward fulfilling his purpose from birth!

• Messiah was not born in comfort – but in a manger (Luke 2:7).
• Messiah and parents had to flee to Egypt because of plots to take Jesus’s life (Matthew 2:13).
• Messiah was tempted to get off track in fulfilling his purpose (Matthew 4:1-11).
• Messiah was faced with the hard decision to experience death on the Cross (Luke 22:42).

Through all the resistance, Jesus overcomes resistance to fulfill his Messianic Purpose.  Jesus’s Purpose Story was not filled with ease and comfort; rather, he had to overcome many conflicts to experience breakthrough and to establish the Kingdom.  As a result, he has conferred upon us the Kingdom (Luke 22:29) and we can reign with him and reign in life! (Romans 5:17).

Like Jesus, your Purpose Story is most likely colored with resistance, rejection, disappointment, abandonment, hurt, pain (the list can go on). However, Jesus’s Purpose Story did not end there. The theme of breakthrough echoes in every chapter.  May Christmas remind you that you have the Gift of Breakthrough and that Overcomer is part of your Purpose Story.

Here are 40 points that will help remind you that you are a Breakthrough Believer and that you can fulfill your Purpose.  May the new chapter of your Purpose Story begin!  Sign up for the course that will help you get clear on your Purpose Story.

40 Characteristics of Breakthrough Believers

1. Breakthrough believers SING songs of deliverance: “For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall” (2 Samuel 22:30).
2. Breakthrough believers know how to execute long wars and WIN: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days” (Hebrews 11:30, NASB).
3. Breakthrough believers don’t strike their arrows once or twice, or thrice. Rather, they GO HARD in battle when they see the hand of the Lord in it: “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times” (2 Kings 13:19, NASB).
4. Breakthrough believers understand and echo the LORD’s decree: “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” (Psalm 2:7, NASB). Declare your identity in Christ!
5. Breakthrough believers encourage each another to fight the good fight of faith! Yes, you have won and will continue to win! (1 Timothy 6:12).
6. Breakthrough believers know how to WAR with the prophetic word of the Lord: “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 1:18, NASB).
7. Breakthrough believers are TENACIOUS; they will not give up wrestling for the BLESSING even when DAWN BREAKS (Genesis 32:26).
8. Breakthrough believers are APOSTOLIC. They have a sense of mission because they have been COMMISSIONED by the King to take TERRITORY (John 17:18; 20:20-22). 
9. Breakthrough believers are COURAGEOUS; they trample upon lions, cobras, and scorpions because they have been AUTHORIZED and EMPOWERED to fulfill their KINGDOM ASSIGNMENT (Judges 14:6; Psalm 91:13; Luke 10:19).
10. Breakthrough believers KNOW their COVENANT RIGHTS and can access them through COVENANTAL OBEDIENCE through CHRIST (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:20; James 1:22)
11. Breakthrough believers are UNDIGNIFIED Praisers and Worshippers; they are not ASHAMED to DEMONSTRATE their gratitude to the LORD. 
12. Breakthrough believers are STABLE; they do not waver between two opinions. They only believe the REPORT OF THE LORD (1 King 18:21; Psalm 112:7-8; James 1:8).
13. Breakthrough believers are AGILE; they can run against troops and leap over walls (Psalm 18:29).
14. Breakthrough believers FLOURISH even in desert like conditions; they are connected to Jesus, the TRUE VINE (Psalm 92:12; John 15:5).
15. Breakthrough believers know how to PRESS; they know how to run the race to win, as well as overcome resistance (1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14).
16. Breakthrough believers are IMPORTUNATE; they never stop praying until the answer comes (Luke 18:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
17. Breakthrough believers UNDERSTAND their spiritual weaponry and use them effectively (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:11).
18. Breakthrough believers walk by FAITH; they recognize that without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
19. Breakthrough believers are DILIGENT; they stay the course and develop the skills and acumen needed to win in life (Proverbs 21:5).
20. Breakthrough believers are STRONG; the draw from the strength that the Holy Spirit gives (Ephesians 6:10). 
21. Breakthrough believers are WISE; under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they make right choices (Psalm 32:8).
22. Breakthrough believers are OVERCOMERS; they are more than conquers
    (John 16:33; Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:57).
23. Breakthrough believers have the WORD IN THEIR MOUTH; they know how to speak it in every situation (Deuteronomy 30:14; Romans 10:8). 
24. Breakthrough believers walk in DOMINION; they rule and reign in life (Genesis 1:28; Revelation 5:10).
25. Breakthrough believers operate by GRACE; what they do will be effective and bear much fruit (1 Corinthians 15:10).  
26. Breakthrough believers are INNOVATIVE; they have the capacity to figure things out and find solutions to problems (Proverbs 8:12).
27. Breakthrough believers have FORESIGHT; they can understand the times and know what to do (1 Chronicles 12:32).
28. Breakthrough believers have POWER; they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be ambassadors of the Kingdom (Acts 1:8).  
29. Breakthrough believers possess INSIGHT; they walk operate in the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17). 
30. Breakthrough believers think EXPANSION; wherever their feet have trod they claim for the Kingdom (Joshua 1:3).  
31. Breakthrough believers are BOLD; they do not shrink back because of fear, doubt, and unbelief (Proverbs 28:1).  
32. Breakthrough believers are WEALTH DISPENSERS; their covenant with the Lord gives them the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).  
33. Breakthrough believers have KINGDOM KEYS; they can release what God releases and forbid what God forbids (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:19; 18:18; John 20:23).
34. Breakthrough believers INQUIRE of the LORD for strategies on the battlefield
    ( 1 Samuel 30:8; 2 Samuel 5:23).
35. Breakthrough believers REJOICE; because the joy of the LORD is their strength (Nehemiah 8:10; Philippians 4:4).
36. Breakthrough believers walk in SHALOM; they keep their minds steadfast and focused on the LORD and they trust Him (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27). 
37. Breakthrough believers STAND FIRM; they know how to fight from their place of victory (Ephesians 6:13).  
38. Breakthrough believers GIVE; they sow in famine or in plenty because they recognize their covenant with JEHOVAH-JIREH (Genesis 26:12; Luke 6:38). 
39. Breakthrough believers PRAY IN THE SPIRIT and in their UNDERSTANDING; they know how to employ all kinds of prayer for any situation (Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20).   
40. Breakthrough believers operate as a TEAM; they cover each battle in the day of battle (Ecclesiastes 4:9; 4:12; Mark 6:7).