THE STORM IS UPON US
By W. G. Guy
A storm refers to a time of severe turbulence. A stormy turbulence can be weather, national disasters, societal upheaval, political infighting, spiritual waywardness, personal conflict or physical condition. In President Trump’s first term as President he declared that a storm is coming. The press asked him, “What storm”, to which he responded, “You’ll see”. It seems like he was prophesying something he sensed was coming.
Indeed, today the storm is upon us, and few are actually able to discern it. Stormy conditions are occurring in nearly all of the arenas listed in the above paragraph of this article. Many of you are experiencing turbulent conditions right now, and in one or more of each listed arena.
So how are we to endure and overcome such trials and turbulent storms of life? First we need to understand that the storms of life will come to everyone. Jesus even stated this fact.
John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation (storms): but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
This is a fact of life. Storms will come and storms will go; you may even get wet; but you will dry out!
The key to enduring and surviving any storm is TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS, and not on the turbulence that surrounds you. The Bible records an example of this for us to heed. It is the time when Jesus came to His disciples while in their boat, walking on the water.
Matthew 14:22-33 – And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
It appears that a wind storm came up creating turbulence on the sea. Jesus is on His way, walking on the water, to meet His laboring disciples, the sight of which cause them to fear.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
As Jesus drew near, He immediately put them at rest. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Then Peter put forth a question that set him up for a unique experience when he asked. “if it is thou, bid me come unto thee on the water”; of course Jesus cannot deny that it is He, so He catered to Peter’s request.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Here comes the lesson that we all need to learn as we endure the storms of life. Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the conditions that surrounded him.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Without out keeping his focus on Jesus, the conditions surrounding him overcame him, and fear set in. That fear was so great that Peter cried out, “Lord, save me”. Peter was a fisherman: he made his living on the water; He knew how to swim as evidence in John 21 when he saw Jesus on the shore and jumped out of the boat and swan to meet him. But now he cries out for Jesus to save him. This shows just how fearful the conditions were that he was in.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
What was it that Jesus chastised Peter about his failure? O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Therefore the key to enduring the storms of life is to have faith in He who gave His life for you, and do not allow the conditions that surround you to cause you to doubt.
James 1:6-8 – But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (up and down like a yo-yo).
Faith in the Lord, and in His Word, is like a peaceful resting place.
Isaiah 26:3 – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
If you continue to look at the adversarial stormy conditions around you it will cause you to lose faith and begin to doubt, just as happened to Peter. You may not be able to understand why things go bad or become turbulent around you, creating the storms of life; but you need to continue to acknowledge His love for you, and He will keep you safe in the palm of His hand.
Romans 8:35-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A key element in having true faith is being faithful, or being obedient to the faith. This requires that you have been taught by Christ’s true ministers who build you up in obedient faith to trust in Him and in His Word. These are those upon whom the storms of life will overcome and continue to stand.
Matthew 7:24-27 – Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The means of weathering any storm is to keep your eyes on Jesus, the one who cares for you so much that He gave His life for you, and continues to intercede for you.
Romans 8:26-27 & 34 – Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
So don’t focus your attention of the stormy conditions around you; focus on He who cares for you in whatever situation you find yourself in.
1 Peter 5:7 – casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Yes we are in the storm that the enemy has stirred up against us, but we are not to fear.
Romans 8:31-34 – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
In Christ you can weather the storm that is upon you!
