The Storm Of Fear Series

Why does God allow storms in our lives? To teach us that we need Him every day and every hour of our lives. Storms don't just gradually, progressively come. Fox news does not put on a news flash, "Thus saith God, 'a storm is coming to you'". Storms happen just like that, like lightning out of a blue sky. But those storms come from God to demonstrate His power, His might, His majesty, His absolute control over all of the universe. God uses storms to shake us out of our comfort zones into a position of complete dependence upon God for our survival. God will get you to the place that if He doesn't come through, you're not going to make it. That's when you're discovering how really good God is.

In the text, the 12 disciples are on the Sea of Galilee with God Almighty in the form of Jesus Christ in the boat, and the storm comes up. It was no surprise to Jesus it was coming. He led them into the storm. He got in the boat with them to increase their faith. Listen to this. Every storm is God's seminar on faith for you. Listen to this today. You're going to see yourself in it several times. Read with me Matthew 8:23 and following. Ready? "And when He had entered in the ship, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea. In so much that the ship was covered with the waves, but He was asleep". See how disturbed He was. And His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord save us, or we're going to perish". And He said unto them, "Why are you fearful"? And that's what God is asking most of you right now. You're in a great storm. Why are you fearful?

Father God, I ask the Holy Spirit to help us recognize the spirit of fear in our lives and give us the courage to crush it, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Jesus asked His disciples, "Why are you fearful"? Say that with me. "Why are you fearful"? When America was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941, Americans gathered around the radio. And they heard the voice of President Roosevelt, saying, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". And I assure you the nation was shaken, because we were not in one of the wars you've known where you go over and fight 12 months and come home. It was a war for our survival. Those boys were drafted for the duration of the war plus six. That meant we intended to have victory, or we were going to be goose stepping. So, we had a lot to be concerned about. You've never lived in a war like that if you've lived beyond the second world war.

We did not have fear. And the American people went to work. And we worked hard, furiously, because we had an enemy that we had to defeat so that we could still be the land of the free. Thank God for the men and women who served us then and now in the U.S. Military. If you repress your fear, you drive it into your subconscious mind where it festers and manifest itself years later in weird, compulsive, destructive acts and attitudes that destroy your life and the life of everyone that's around you. You don't ever get away from it until you whip it! Listen to the voice of God through King David. "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and He delivered me from all of my fear. I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me".

When the fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer, and no one will be there. Isaiah wrote, "I will trust, and I will not be afraid". Say that with me. "I will trust and not be afraid". The New Testament begins with an angel telling the virgin Mary, "Fear not: for thou hath found favor with God". Why should Mary fear? Because in the Bible, when a girl was found to be pregnant without a husband, she was stoned to death. She had a reason to be fearful. The New Testament ends with Jesus telling John on the Isle of Patmos, "Fear not", "Fear not", "I am the first and I am the last. I am He that was, and He that is, and He that shall be forever more". "I am the Lion of the Tribe of Judah". "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last".

Fear falls before the fortress of faith. Men fear men because they do not fear God. Don't let another person ramrod your life into the dirt! Be driven by the dreams God gives you for your life, not the opinion of other people! What are two kinds of fear? There's first, the emotion of fear. That's God given. And I see some of you macho, John Wayne types flexing your shoulders right now. That's not me. I assure you, if you're walking through the woods, and you step on the tail end of a rattlesnake, suddenly your John Wayne-ism will melt. You'll be very concerned about your survival.