Standing In the Storm(Cares)
There is a parable in Matt.7 and Luke 6 about two houses. One is built on a rock and another was built on sand. This is a great lesson about the way ALL PEOPLE face storms in life.
One house stood while the other fell. This is the way people do when faced with all the problems in life.
Storms come to everyone, no matter how old, young, spiritual, or carnal. We all face storms in life and in fact are promised to have them.
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.
Jesus said that we should have peace in the mist of troubles. When you are standing at the bedside of a loved one and they are only given hours to live we are to have peace.
PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENTS OF PROBLEMS. Peace is how we handle the problems.
It may be hard to be of GOOD CHEER when the job tells you they are having a reduction of force but Jesus said that HE HAD OVERCOME THE WORLD.
Lets look at some scripture and learn how we are to respond to the Storms Of Life.
Matt. 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell and great was the fall of it.
The key to the house that stood was not in the hearing of the Word.
The key is in the doing of the Word.
This same principal of being a DOER of the WORD is found in another parable.
Mark 4: 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended
18 And these are they, which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Jesus tells His disciples “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
Jesus was saying this is a key to all parables.
75% of the people were not DOERS OF THE WORD.
Only 25% of the people were DOERS OF THE WORD and produced FRUIT.
V.15 No understanding of the Word
V. 16 Understanding and did well for a while, but become offended.
V. 18,19 Produced Fruit for a while but become unfruitful. They BACKSLIDE.
Why?? The CARES OF THIS WORLD choked the WORD
CARES== fearful concerns
Fear is the most used and the most effective of all the tools in the devils toolbox. Most fears are small fears.
FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real
Fear is a perversion of faith.
Fear is Faith in Failure.
Fear is based on belief. Faith is based on what we believe.
Pr 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Fear produces 2 reactions. RUN or PARALYSIS – can’t move.
Paralysis is what the Devil wants to happen. This keeps us from be a doer of the Word.
Fear is from the devil, it is a Spirit.
Most fears are small: lose a job, health, worry about the future.
WORRY is MENTAL TORMENT.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God has given us Tools to fight FEAR.
POWER, LOVE, SOUND MIND
We must receive them to use them.
1. POWER. Miracle working power- Supernatural Anointing,
The Holy Ghost power.
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
This is a promise of Jesus. Power to drive out fear.
Peter had denied Christ three times, would not be seen with the other disciples, After the Holy Ghost= preached and 3000 got saved.
Power to witness. Power over Satan, Power over bashfulness, power to dance and shout and run, breaking the power of fear.
2. LOVE. Agape Love- God’s Love -Giving Love
When you love someone and you are meeting their needs , you don’t have time to worry about your problems.
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
When you love the sinner and you don’t want them to go to hell, you lose your fear to witness.
3. SOUND MIND A controlled mind- what you think about
You think in pictures, I say a RED BALL you see a red ball.
Think about the Word of God;
He says you are an Heir of God
More than a Conqueror,
Prosperous, Healed, Vessel of Honor, Salt of the Earth, Light of the World, The Elect, the Beloved, Saints, Servants of the Most High.
Look at one of our promises
Ps 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet
We have been given the promise of treading- putting under our feet-
Immediate Fear; lion and snake
Imitate Fear; The killing lion
Imagined Fear; the dragon
You take control
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Begin to confess to being what the Word says I am.
Begin to Speak the Word. You cant think about your fears while you are speaking the Word.
When you take control of your fears-the Word of God will become your Rock- that solid sure rock the House was built on and was not even shaken.
