Riding On The Storms | Rev Dr Taiye Adeola

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Text: 1 King 17

TEXT: MARK 4:35 – 41

A storm is a tempest that generates negative winds that are capable of wreaking terrible havoc on the victims. The storm is symbolic of unpleasant and negative situations simulated against us by the enemy intended mainly to stop us, destroy us, discourage us and make us doubt the love of God. Storms come in the form of challenges of life and some challenges are stormy and ravaging with its turbulence; some are windy and mild but the effects are still not palatable.

When we are confronted or hit by the storms of life, we respond differently and the response is usually a product of a number of factors such as the nature of the storm, the previous experiences, the grounding we have in the Lord and the knowledge of the word of God in relation to the storm. The general tendency, however, is to respond in fear and at times feel that we are helpless and think that the storm will destroy us but NO; as we see from the experience of the disciples in Mark 4: 35 – 41 God is able to sustain us, he is able to rescue us, restore us and carry us through the storms of life.  God is able to make us ride on the storm, he is able to help us to sail through and arrive at a safe haven.

Jesus is our perfect example, He, in the phase of pending death rode gallantly into Jerusalem (Mathew 21: 1-11); Jesus in the midst of the storm slept unmoved (Mark 4:37-38); Paul and Silas sang praises in the prison (Acts 16:25); the three Hebrew men stood their ground to a point of entering into the fire on account of their faith (Daniel 3:15-23) and Daniel survived Lion’s den because he led a righteous life and had faith in God (Daniel 6:21-22). You can ride on the storm to safety if you have faith in God and cast out fear; the storm can become your vehicle to victory if you will allow God to handle you and handle the storm. Challenges of life are real and experienced by everyone including your pastor. The dimensions, impact and grace to cope however vary from person to person but the love of God is constant.

From the experience of the disciple and his response to their fear of the storm, we get some insight about how we can ride on the storm.

1. Storms can arise anytime – verse 37- “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full”.
2. Jesus in the ship did not stop the storm from striking but his being there makes the difference. That you are a Christian does not mean the enemy will not try to attack you but his presence in your life will make the difference in times of storm.
3. Your relationship with the master is crucial and defines your being able to call on him to calm the storm.

Two things are glaring from Jesus’ response to the disciple and these two are connected. Jesus asked Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

1. The first thing is that you must conquer is fear
2. The second is you must have faith in God – Mark 5:36

These two are interwoven; your faith in God is what instils confidence in you to the point that you are not afraid in the phase of the storm.

Where there is no faith there will be fear; where and when fear dominates faith cannot be active and as such battles are lost. In Mark 4:40 Jesus asked the disciples “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? This statement by Jesus implies that if you have faith you will not fear; fear is a demonstration of lack of faith; it is a display of lack of confidence and the tendency to fail is there when we are fearful.

How do you overcome fear?

1. Trust in God absolutely and Trust his word – Psalm 56:3 – 4
2. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith and not on the storm – Matthew 14:30 (Peter’s experience)
3. Live above the realities of what you know or see by faith
4. Believe the report of God above that of men
5. Develop confidence in God, His Person, His Character, His word, His name and in his ability to do whatever he says.
6. Develop confidence in yourself under God. Do not have low self-esteem
7. Don’t tie yourself to the past; free yourself from it to embrace the future

Storms can be fierce, boisterous and with destructive tendencies but you can ride on the wings of the storm to get to the destination that God intends for you. Joseph weathered the storm and became a prime minister in a strange land; everything that the enemy meant for evil turned around for his good. You just have faith in God and refuse to be fearful, and call God to handle the storm and see how he will bear you on his wings leading you to his own destination.