Your Condition Is Not Your Conclusion

“Your Condition is NOT your Conclusion!”

-Scripture Text: Acts 27:9-36 – Open & Read

*In life we are faced with difficult ‘Storm Like’ situations and challenges!! A loyal worker goes to work as he normally does, then 1 year before his retirement, is told he is layed off! Storms! A parent lays in bed @ 3am, worrying & waiting for their teen to come home, only to hear a policeman’s knock @ their door! Storms! A widow... lyes in her bed alone for the first time. Storms! STORMS... we all have them... we all will get them at some time in our lives. It’s not WHEN will they happen, it’s more like HOW will we Respond to them?? They are difficult...If God is your ANCHOR, That condition is not your conclusion!

Point Number One: “Be Of Good Courage”

=Acts 27:22 “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.”

=Life has a way of throwing us a curve ball from time to time. Sometimes we’re left thinking to ourselves, “Lord why me?” “Why did this happen to me?” There is going to come a time where it seems like everything is going wrong! I don’t know about you but sometimes it seems as though I’m the ONLY ONE going through a time like that! Ever feel that way?? It’s true! Everyone will experience this sometime in their life!

= “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, (take heart),because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.” Paul is offering some words of encouragement to the crew on the ship. He’s trying to tell them that their condition is not their conclusion.

=I see the word courage. – ‘Take Heart! Don’t LOSE Heart! Take Courage! Courage by definition is the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear!

=I know there are some people that can be so spiritual that they don’t need encouraging words from time to time. But, I got to keep this thing real! I don’t know about you... but every now and then I need some words of encouragement! Life for me gets hard too...and sometimes I don’t feel like I can make it; but when a friend, comes by with a few encouraging words it gives me that extra PUSH to go on!

Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

(2) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

=This verse says, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, (CAUGHT in a worrysome state; CAUGHT in a difficult situation; CAUGHT in discouragement; CAUGHT in rejection and abuse!) you who are spiritual should restore him gently... Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

I know some of you are saying “Well pastor you are a preacher and you are suppose to be able to do this and to do that. You are anointed and you can handle any and everything.” Well that’s true because Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength!”

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, but every now and then I have to go to my island of Patmos and say “Father I stretch my hands to thee, no other help I know!”

*I don’t know about you, but I’m still a work in progress. WE all need to be Encouraged!!

=Now as Paul talks to the crew he tell them to “keep up their courage because not one of you will lose your life.” Paul knew that being on that ship in the storm was a condition, but it was not their conclusion! I can imagine that once Paul made this statement, smiles permeated from man to man.

=Now keep in mind that these men were on this ship in a storm for fourteen days in total darkness. Eating was not on their mind. They were not eating because of the storm and they feared for their lives. That was their condition but it was not their conclusion.

*QUES: Now how can Paul be so cool about the situation & say what he said? The reason Paul was cool about the situation is because he had his CONNECTIONS! If you go back and read in your leisure in chapter 27 verses 23-25, and angel appeared to Paul and reassured him that the crew would be saved, but the ship would be destroyed.

As long as you have your CONNECTION with the messenger, which is the “Holy Spirit,” He will reassure you that your condition is not your conclusion.