And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 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?”
Mark 4: 37 – 38 (KJV)
When the storms rise
Let me set the scene for you:
Jesus is on the ship with His disciples going over to Gerasenes. At some point during their trip, a huge storm arises. The ship is being tossed around by the wind and water is getting into the ship faster than the disciples can handle. There is total panic aboard, it looks like the ship is about to sink and everyone is going to die. The disciples look around for Jesus and find Him comfortably sleeping on a pillow with not a care in the world. What?! “Master, don’t you care if we perish?” the disciples cry out to Him. In other words “Don’t you care if we die?”, “Are you not concerned about our well-being here?”.
How many times have you asked that same question? “God, are you seeing what is going on here? Don’t you care if I drown in all these troubles? Are you even listening to me right now? Come on, say something, Lord!”
Oh, what a familiar cry. “How can you be peacefully resting while I’m here struggling, Lord?”
Now, see what Jesus does when He wakes up (finally):
“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. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”
Mark 4:39-40 KJV
You may be wondering “But how can I stay calm in the midst of a storm? With the waves beating all around my vessel and the water filling my ship so much it’s about to sink and I drown?”
The answer is Faith. In Mark 4:35, Jesus had spoken a word to the disciples “Let us pass over on to the other side”. He had declared the end right from the beginning: “We are going to get over to the other side” and this word was sufficient to get them through the journey. Jesus’ word made the end certain.
So, how can I survive the hard times?
1. Invite Jesus on your boat
One thing that Jesus’ disciples seemed to forget was that JESUS was on the boat with them, THE master, LORD over everything. If the boat actually sank, that meant Jesus was going down with them and this most definitely was not about to happen. Your boat can’t sink with Jesus in it.
Through all the uncertainties of life, one thing you can always be sure of is that God cares for you and He will never leave you nor forsake you.
The Bible says:
for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:13 NIV
When trouble comes, call upon the name of Jesus. That’s how you bring Jesus to the scene, that’s how you invite Him into your boat.
By inviting Jesus into your situation, you can rest, certain that no matter how hard the storms rage you will never drown.
2. The name of Jesus
The name of Jesus gives you power of attorney to exercise His power and authority. When you use the name of Jesus, it is as though Jesus himself was speaking.
Some time ago, I needed a document but I was unable to go get it myself so I signed a power of attorney document so that my friend could collect the document on my behalf. That power of attorney document allowed them to act as though they were me. Every time the document was presented, it was as though I was there myself, my friend was considered as me; they could take what was mine, act in my name, and exercise the same authority as me.
The same thing happens when you use the name of Jesus, it gives you the power and authority of Jesus. You step in Jesus’ shoes and everyone who sees you sees Jesus Himself.
So, when storms arise, do like Jesus in Mark 4v39: rebuke the storm. Do it in the name of Jesus and the winds will cease.
The Bible teaches us that the name of Jesus is above everyone and everything, and at the mention of the name of the name of Jesus, every must bow.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11 NIV
Here’s what I do when adverse situations come my way (for example dealing with migraines): I say “Migraine, you have a name! My Bible tells me that everything that is named must bow to the authority of Jesus, so right now, migraine bow in Jesus’ name! By His stripes I am healed!”. I find verses in scripture pertaining to whatever the current situation is and declare them in faith.
You can apply this principle to every area of your life: health (mental, emotional, physical), spiritual warfare, finances, career, education, relationships, etc. When adversities arise, command them in the name of Jesus to BOW.
When you bring your requests to God in prayer, the Bible says to ask the Father anything in Jesus’ name and it will be given to you (John 16:23). When you do, it is as though Jesus Himself was standing there talking. What a privilege!
3. Pray
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV
When you cast your anxieties on God, He takes your burden and gives you His peace. When you pray, know that God hears you and that His hands are not too short to save (Isaiah 59:1).
Go on your knees and pray to God when storms arise. Worry and anxiety won’t change the situation, but praying will.
If you don’t know how to pray, here are some practical tips to help you:
- God is our Father (Dad, Papa, Dada, Baba, Daddy): How would you talk to your father who loves you more than anything in the world? You are dearly loved by God and He wants you to lay all your troubles down at His feet and experience peace. He is concerned about you and everything that preoccupies your mind. He wants to get rid of everything that is stealing your joy.
- God knows everything: there is no point in hiding anything from God. He knows everything, even your deepest and darkest secrets, He knows even the most “embarrassing” details about you, He knows even those things you have never told anyone. So when you pray, don’t try to hide anything from God. Be honest with Him. Don’t pray according to religion: saying things because that’s what you think you are expected to say or sticking to some kind of formula. Just be honest with God. Pour out your heart before the Lord who cares for you.
- Acknowledge God’s presence: When you are praying to God, remember He is right there with you. Talk to Him like that very present Father, Helper, Counselor, Lord that He is.
- God is love, He will not answer prayers that come from a place of hatred and malice. He will not hurt that coworker or neighbor who has been hitting your last nerve.
Prayer is fellowship with God. Good fellowship comes from great relationship. Think about your best friend or someone you have really great fellowship with (e.g. you understand the inside jokes, you can tell what they are thinking just by looking at them even with no verbal communication, etc.), how do you attain such levels of fellowship? It is by building a strong relationship (getting to know them, spending time together, talking together, going through various experiences together). To achieve great fellowship with God you need to build a strong relationship with Him.
4. Have faith and do not doubt
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24 NIV
In the above verse, Jesus teaches that the time to believe is now – right when you pray, not after you have seen the physical manifestations of what you prayed for. As soon as you pray, consider it done for it is so. Jesus said it Himself.
When you pray for healing, receive it now, not when the pain completely subsides in your body or the medical results come back negative.
When you pray for a financial breakthrough, receive it now, don’t keep looking at your bank account and saying “Oh when Lord?”.
The time to receive the answers to your prayer is right when you pray, not the next day, not in a week’s time.
If you’re thinking: “I understand, but what happens if I don’t see results?”, I get it, when you’re in the middle of a storm on a ship that’s about to sink, time is of the essence, you need to see the results ASAP. Here is what the Bible says:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
And
Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Romans 5:5 AMP
Faith never fails. Just because you don’t see things happening immediately, it does not mean that nothing is happening. God cares about you.
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Psalms 121:3 NLT
Faith is the absolute conviction that God is in control, even when physical manifestations don’t happen immediately. Faith does not give doubt any room to exist.
Note: Faith is not denying the presence of the storm, it is denying its (the storm’s) right over you. Faith keeps you in a state of peace, knowing that you will not drown because Jesus is aboard your ship.
Staying calm is not the absence of chaos, but the ability to find peace within it. Embrace the serenity that lies in your response to life’s unpredictable as well as probable moments.
Monika Ajay Kaul
When you get closer to God and know Him on an intimate level, one of the things you will realize is that He loves you waaaaaayyyy more than you could ever fathom. He is a loving Father. Do you think a loving parent will let their child drown and die under their watch when they can reach out and save the child? So why do you think God would ever do anything that vile? (Matthew 7:9-11)
5. Trust and Obey
I invite you to read this Bible Study post: a story about how one man obeyed God and did something out of the ordinary, leading to him and his family being preserved from destruction.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
Walking in faith requires full trust in God, manifested through obedience, even when He asks you to do something that doesn’t make sense to you.
There is a story in the Bible about a man called Naaman. He had leprosy and went to Elisha, a man of God to be cured. Elisha asked Naaman to go bathe in the river Jordan seven times [not once, not twice – seven times]. At first, Naaman was angry about this because it just sounded absurd to him. However, he finally came around and obeyed, and after he dipped himself in the river for the seventh time, he was completely healed (2 Kings 5).
If Naaman had stuck to his stubborn ways and walked away like he initially intended to, he wouldn’t have received the healing he sought. However, by becoming submissive and bending himself to the will of God, he obtained his healing.
Your faith in God should be revealed in your obedience to His word even if it just doesn’t make sense to you. It is important to remember that God’s ways are not our ways and that the wisest of man’s wisdom is foolishness in God’s eyes. Don’t try to add your spin on it, don’t try to resist, just obey and do EXACTLY what God says to do.
6. Sow a seed
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Genesis 8:22 NIV
Imagine going to a farm during sowing season and just praying over the soil without sowing any seeds. When harvest time comes would you be surprised to only find weeds in your farm? He who doesn’t sow should be prepared to reap whatever the ground decides to produce.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Galatians 6:7 NIV
If you are praying for a new job, consider sowing a seed by sending your CV to different companies, or networking with people to learn about opportunities at their companies. Consider learning the necessary skills required to do the job. Create a public profile on platforms like LinkedIn where recruiters and hiring managers can easily connect with you.
If you want to grow your business consider networking; tell people about what products or services you are offering. Learn about marketing and advertising, offer people great quality products and amazing service, learn good business practices, invest some time, effort, and money into the business.
Whatever it is, do something, get proactive. Don’t just sit and say “Well, I prayed for it, now it’s all up to God”. Faith is not an excuse to be lazy! Faith assures you that you will obtain a harvest in due time by following what God says, it assures you that your seed will grow and the results will come. Faith gives you the confidence to keep going.
You can also sow a seed by donating some of your time, money, resources, etc., to a meaningful cause. As someone who has the vision to build great big buildings for God’s glory, I like to sow seeds in other ministries doing similar projects, trusting God for a hundredfold harvest.
A viable seed, planted in fertile ground will produce a good harvest in due time when properly nurtured.
7. Be patient: don’t bend to the pressure of time
Tough times don’t last, tough people do.
Robert Schuller
Many people start to fold and succumb to doubt when things don’t happen immediately. Faith doesn’t bend to the pressure of time, faith doesn’t waver.
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”
James 1:6-7 NIV
When you pray about something, believe that you have received it and it is yours. Talk like one who has been delivered, like an overcomer, like one to whom everything has been given.
Instead of going around talking about your deteriorating health or your abysmal financial situation to everyone who will listen, start testifying about God’s miracles! “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”, “By His stripes I am healed”. If someone tries to discourage you, tell them “Brother, it may not look like it right now but it is done! God says the struggles are over. In due time you will see the fruits”. No one plants a lemon tree one day and expects to have a tree full of lemon fruits the next day, just because the fruits are not yet visible, it does not make the tree any less what it is.
If you feel doubt begin to creep in, counter it by confessing the word of God. Find out from scripture what God says about your specific situation and keep declaring it in faith. Say it till it becomes your reality and don’t stop speaking it. “By His stripes, I am healed! It may not feel like it now but I am not moved by what I feel”. Declaring God’s word in faith eradicates all doubt and brings forth manifestations.
constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength]
Romans 12:12 AMP
Rejoice dearly beloved! God has heard your cries and He says your days of crying are over. The storm is over, hallelujah!
Reflection
- How do you think Jesus speaks? You can find out by studying Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
- Do you know that God loves you?
- Do you trust in God’s perfect timing?
- When you pray, do you actually expect answers or do you just pray as part of a routine with no expectations at all?
- What does scripture say about your current situation?
Further reading
- 1 John 4:17 (NIV) […In this world we are like Jesus.]
- John 16:23 KJV [“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”]
- Psalms 62:8 NIV [Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.]
- Isaiah 59:1 NIV [Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.]
- Matthew 7:9-11 KJV [“Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”]
- James 1:6 NIV [But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.]
- Ephesians 3:20 NIV [Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us]
Prayer
God, I thank you for I am not alone. Thank you for being with me even through the darkest nights and wildest storms. I will not be afraid for you are with me, Lord. I thank you that you have made me more than a conqueror, and will overcome any challenges the devil tries to throw my way. I know how this all ends – I win. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now, take a moment and pray about anything that’s on your mind, not with a “woe is me” attitude but with a “thank you, Lord, you’re in control” attitude.
Community
Leave a comment to let us know what lessons you learned and revelations you got from this message. You are also welcome to share your testimonies about the wonderful things God has done in your life so that others can be blessed and encouraged.
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God bless you!
