BEYOND THE STORM

 

Beyond The Storm: Awaking Jesus

St. Mark 4:35-39 "And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

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.

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?

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."

Storms in life do come. When things go out of control. When ends tend not to meet. When serious live's questions seems not to get answers. Storms are meant to be overcomed. Where did the storm comes from in the first place? The adversary! The adversary specializes in creating storms. The greater one who is greater than the adversary is on our side.

Great men and women had storms. Abraham had storms. Moses had storms. Esther had storms. Solomon had storms. Jeremiah had storms. Jesus had storms. You probably had just come out of a storm or you are about to come out of one. There is life beyond the storm. Something better is coming out of your life after the storm. The quality of your life will be better.

Jesus told his disciples:

"...Let us pass over unto the other side."

There is a 'this side' and there is a 'the other side' of life. On 'this side' is a measure of glory. On 'the other side' is a greater glory. You do not just find yourself in the other side. You have to cross over to the other side. Jesus told them:

"...Let us pass over unto the other side."

Can they not go without him? He wanted to go 'WITH' them because he saw what they did not see. What he saw was beyond them but while it was beyond them, it was a cheap thing for him to handle. He knew the strategy of the adversary they had no idea about. He saw the next moment. Jesus is offering you the same invitation today: LET US GO TO THE OTHER SIDE TOGETHER.

What a friend we have in Jesus. I want you to accept Jesus' invitation today. He can see clearly what is ahead of you. He has the answer to all situations. Yours is a simple case before him. No storm from the adversary can take him by surprise. He is equal to any task thrown by the adversary. Do you have any idea how the red Sea part into two and the children of Israel passed through on dry ground? It was so cheap for God to handle. God will do it for you.

"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."

The disciples sent the multitude away for the journey. Only they who could walk with Jesus closely undertook the journey. There will be a time when you will be alone even in the midst of the crowd. It is good to know that Jesus is with you. If he said "Let us go to the other side", be asured he will not let you down. Sometimes the multitude will be a distraction.

"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."

Go along with Jesus and it will surprise you to know that "..there were also with him other little ships." You will have support team that you never expected. Jesus gave them the invitation: Let us go to the other side and you know what they did? They took him along. They did not abandon him. Along the journey, issues may arise.

"And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full."

How can Jesus be in the ship and yet a storm will arise? That was exactly what Jesus saw from the beginning and he told them, "Let us go to the other side". It is at this point that they needed Jesus the most. Financial storms are too small for Jesus to handle. Health storms cannot shake him. He was more than able to handle any storm. The adversary is about to be put to where he belongs. Jesus will handle him cheap and effortlessly. The issue with the storm that arose was that it was already getting the ship sinking.

"... the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full."

This was no joking matter. The ship was capsizing and Jesus was doing nothing about it. In fact, the funny thing about it was that Jesus was sleeping. How can that be?

"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?"

One would have concluded that Jesus was not serious about the whole thing in the first place. How can the ship be sinking yet Jesus was sleeping? All the shaking of the waves did not wake him. All the running water that entered the ship did not wake him. Why?

"...  they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

God never sleeps nor slumber. The only time Jesus responded was when they woke him up from sleep. Had they not waken him up, just imagine what would have happened to them. Good news, when they woke him up, he arose and challenged the storm. The power of intercessory prayer is enormous. Why will the world be in pain and God appears not to know? He needs our heartfelt intensive prayers. Nothing is impossible with God if only we ask in agreement as we present our request to Him. What ever will stand as a stumbling block to our prayers not to be answered, God will have mercy and reduce the storm to nothing.

"... Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

They thought that he did not care. The Master cares. He is touched by whatever is hurting us. We shall not perish. The Master is awakened and the storm will suffer a defeat. The adversary has a serious query to answer. The adversary is found wanting.

"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."

The Master arose when he was awakened. He did not continue to sleep. When a master is clueless, he keeps giving excuses. Jesus is a Master that has the solution to calm the storm (any storm).

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind,..."

He demanded that the wind should stop the ugly assignment. Jesus knew the root of the storm. He brought the storm to an end. If Jesus ask you to go to the other side with him, you become a partner with him. As senior partner, he will never allow your ship to get shipwrecked. Awaken Jesus in regular commitment to prayer and spiritual alertness. This is how Jesus rebuked the storm:

"...Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Wow! He spoke to the storm as though it could hear and it obeyed. The storm could hear Jesus. Any storm can hear Jesus. Spiritual storms can hear Jesus. Family storms can hear Jesus. Financial storms can hear Jesus. Health storms can hear Jesus. Political storms can hear Jesus. Name it, any storm can hear Jesus. Today, Jesus is speaking to the storm that is wrecking your:

"...Peace, be still.. ."!

What do you think the response will be?

"... And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Great calm shall be your portion in  the coming days, weeks and year. Great calm from God shall overwhelmed you in Jesus name. Cross over to the other side of greater glory and Jesus shall receive the glory.

Pray:

Father God, I go with Jesus in this journey. I speak to every storm to be still. I roll away the darkness in Jesus name. Amen!