Surviving The Battering Storms

Mark 4:35-41 KJV And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

It is important to note that among the people caught in the middle of this unexpected storm were to be found some experienced, seasoned seamen.

It is also to be noted that the Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, was also with them!

Storms come! They will come!

Storms come in all sizes and degrees of intensities.

In the natural world there are some mini storms that we ignore and others which are a bit of a nuisance then yet others that are violently destructive.

A Christian’s life is not devoid of storms.

Not because you serve Jesus should you believe that your life will be storm free!

Storms in our lives can be labeled as follows: emotional storms, physical storms, marital storms, financial storms, spiritual storms.

We will find our life’s boat being rocked severely by these storms.

We may be seasoned sailors close to the Master but yet storms will come.

Jesus said in this world you will have tribulations!(pressure (literally or figuratively): - afflicted, (-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.) How does He say we should deal with them? John 16:33 KJV 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.

Paul said that we will encounter tribulations on our way into the kingdom of God! Acts 14:22 KJV Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path. She complained, “This is not a path at all. It is all rocky and bumpy.” “Sure, it is,” he said. “The bumps are what you climb on.”

The most astonishing question in this passage is "Master, carest not thou that we perish?"

Jesus’ response, How is it that ye have no faith? brings us to an important question: How does faith come? Paul makes this declaration So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 KJV

The difference between defeat and victory depends on our attention and obedience to the Word of God!

In Matthew 7, Jesus had just come to the end of the declaration of His Kingdom Precepts and was now giving His closing remarks: Matthew 7:24-27 KJV 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.

James makes it clear that without faith we are just wavering and when we are wavering, we are driven by the storms of life back and forth.

James 1:5-6 KJV If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

The reason for the ministry gifts is given by Paul: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV