There is a storm raging and we need to calm it. What do we
do? There is spiritual warfare and we need victory. How do we win?
There seems to be trouble on every side and no solutions. What do we do in
these times? Maybe we ask: Is this some kind of Judgment against me? What did I do wrong? We desperately whisper where is God. I
need him. We look up for help, but there is none. Have you ever been through a storm? Maybe you are going through one right now?
Have you ever felt like there is no hope for your situation? Or perhaps you have had to go
through a great ordeal? Have you ever wondered why your prayers are not being
answered?
It is a troubling
time when everything seems out of control. Your universe is spinning
chaotically. There is nothing solid to take hold. Thing are going bad in your life and there seems to be no answers
in sight. When the storm is raging. Waters are pounding against your ship and even worse, you look at the waters
and they are overflowing into the your vessel from both the rain and the surf. Coming from above and below. Both the spiritual and the natural. What do you
do?
Most people panic and then they pray. It seems, there are no
human answers to your problems. After you have done all that you know to
do and there are no answers in sight, it seems, if ever there were a time for
panic, now is that time. So you pray fervently.
Have you ever been there? Being in
an ocean of problems and no help in sight. Water coming into the ship and no
one to help. Further, to make it worse, the ship is slowly going down and all
you can do is splash around. Yes, panic sets in. You pray and the tears fall like the rain in the storm. Tears start rolling
down your face as the pain rises from your soul, pain rises like the stormy sea. Overflowing feelings, out of control, anxiousness knots your stomach. Oh it continues, you look and see your hands shaking.
The problems of life can get
like this analogy of being in a mighty storm on a sinking ship. Sometimes it seem
that everything is too much. You say, "I can't take it, there
is no way out." Everything is getting worse and you ask in a panic stricken voice: "Where is my
God?" We once heard that even the disciples ask,
"Lord! don't you care?"
The answer is, "Yes." Of course he cares,
even if it looks bad right now. At the moment the facts do look bad, but I ask
you, can your faith change the facts? Now at this point you're past all the religious clichés like: Send money and your blessing will be on its way; or maybe this
one, turn around three times and the Lord will turn you situation around; how
about this one, he never gives you more than you can handle so deal with it. To
these quips you might retort: Well let me tell you, if I could handle it by
myself I would never need to call on God; I would just fix it myself and
that would be that. These are mouthing's you may have heard. Sayings that might work at another time but, right now you need solutions to these problems quick, fast and in a
hurry! You don’t have time to be spiritual about it or meditate on it, after
all this is a life and death situation. You need help right now!
There are many stories of people in the Bible about people who went through life and death situations and miraculously lived to tell about it.
However, that was so long ago and this is today. Does our God still have the
same eyesight one wonders? He might have gotten old age vision? Maybe he is getting too old and too
short sighted? Can he even see my predicament?
You could stop and take the time to
read the Bible, but the storm would still be raging in your life and even worse, more
water would come into your vessel. Oh, what will you do? At this point you
are yelling at the mountain and there is no movement. It seems like prayers are
just bouncing off the ceiling and falling back down on your ears.
In the storm, in the trouble, in the thunder of his voice,
I say stop and quiet yourself, listen to
our God he is speaking. First, find a quiet space. Find a place away from all
the troubles. A place in your universe where there is stillness. Start in the
physical world and find a still, quiet place where you can just be physically
silent. Quiet your soul, let peace come over your mind. Hold your spirit and
comfort him. I have read someplace that God will keep you in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on him, because this person trust in the Lord he will keep this person at perfect peace. Find a place
where you can relax; body, soul and spirit. A place, a sanctuary where you can
meet Jesus. You can be alone with the
Holy Ghost. In a high tower above the storm.
Maybe you need some music to change the atmosphere? Maybe
you need to read the scriptures to meditate and focus your mind. Maybe you need
tears to fall like the rain for cleansing your soul or maybe emotions will rise up like an ocean overflowing and just taking everything away and cleansing your world. What-so-ever the need: Find your place and just be still. Let you
mind be still. Be at peace. Don't let your mind run wild with accusations and
self pity. Find self-control. Stay peaceful. Find a place in your heart and
release gratefulness and then rest therein, rest in that place of gratefulness
to the Lord.
After a while, open your mouth with praise, slow down and just
worship the creator of your universes. Invite our King of Glory into your
existence, wait he will come and fill you. You will feel him enter into your
quieted spirit: Your quiet space, the place of rest. Invite Jesus,
he will come and sit with you in this quiet, still and peaceful place. Don't
let your mind run away from your inner-spirit, stay together, nor run from the
Holy Spirit stay in communion. Unite spirit to Spirit. Stay and sit with the Holy Spirit. Spend quality time there. He said
that you are worthy. He said that he would be with you in the time of trouble. He
said that in him you are more than a conqueror. So be still and know that
you're with the Lord, God Almighty, after-all he is truly the Lord of all.
Once you have found this place, don't get complicated. Communion
is simple and peaceful. Spirit to Spirit. Keep it simple. If you need to ask
your questions: Wait for the right time to ask. Then wait for your answers!
Wait I say, wait in that quiet place. Wait on the Lord and enjoy the moments of
sweet Communion with the creator. When he comes he always brings healing. He always brings
comfort and much more. So just relax and let him be God and give you what you need. Receive
it, feel it, let it flow throughout your universes. Relax and let you mind be
at still waters. Jesus will lead
you to that place of still waters where he has made provisions. Ask him for
rest.
Here is the question: "Lord please lead
me to the green pastures which you promised." That may not look like a
question, but it is. It is a question of direction and placement. It is a
question of covenant. It is a question of his word being made real, here on
earth as it is in heaven. It is a question of being quiet in faith and waiting
for your Lord to speak: Shalom. You King, your Father, our Holy Spirit, will
lead you.
He will talk to you.
Do you journal? Then journal. Do you vibrate? Then vibrate.
Find the frequency of the Holy Spirit and just stay there: In him. Resonate.
Vibrate. Meditate.
Noah was
in a great storm. He trusted in the Lord. Noah
went through, to go through. He found a new and better world waiting on the other side of the storm.
All the examples
in the bible have a common theme. Did Joseph
stay in the pit? Did Daniel stay in
the lion's den? Did the three boys stay in the fire? Did Jesus
stay in the grave? No they all went through, to go through. They all had great
ordeals and gained great victories which brought great glory to God. Keep this in
mind: What I am going through will pass and on the other side of this, my great ordeal,
things will be greatly better. My blessing is just on the other side of this
storm all I have to do is hold out. Remember; the greater the ordeal, the greater the praise: To God be the
glory. I will praise the Lord.
I remind you of the story of Noah.
When the rain was over, Noah had to
find the right time to leave the ark. It only rained for forty days and forty
nights. It was 150 days before the waters were abated. Then after another forty
day he opened the window. Noah sent forth a raven. Why? Ravens are scavengers
and there must have been a lot of dead rotting things. Can you
imagine the amount of dead carcasses the raven had? Did the raven return to the
ark? What did the raven's behavior tell Noah?
Ask the Spirit.
How many times did Noah
release the dove from the ark? Didn't he wait seven days each time before he
released the dove again?. Each time, the dove's actions told Noah
something? What was it? Noah found his
way by observing the actions of the dove. At the right time, the dove's actions
proved Noah's way.
Be like Noah;
understand your circumstances and learn exactly when to step out. He observed the actions of the dove, whereas you follow the directions of the Holy Spirit. Let
the Spirit do his work, wait in the ark until the Spirit is finish. Keep your mind
stayed on Jesus, stay in his' peace. The dove returned with an olive branch. We
know as New Testament believers that the olive branch is part of the olive tree
and olive oil represents the
anointing. The Spirit comes with an anointed path, a chosen path. Follow the dove and step out of the ark when the dove leads. As the
dove's actions directed Noah to leave
the ark so let the Holy Spirit's acts, signs and wonders show you the right time
to step out. Only then should you leave the ark. Don't follow the leading of the raven, follow
the dove.
Remember Noah
built an alter to the Lord and Noah gave the Lord a sacrifice, a sweet smelling savor. We New
Testament believers know that we build an alter of praise and let our worship
rise up unto the Lord as a sweet smelling savor. Let the Lord's heart be
changed, praise him, let love flow like rain, praise him. Make the atmosphere change, deluge him with adoring praise. Praise until
the overflow comes. Let the worship rise like a sea of emotional worship. Praise him and touch his heart.
Now you might ask: Why should I do this? After all, I am out
of the storm and I got what I needed. Well, for one reason, your gratefulness can
be expressed. You can thank him for his deliverance.
Secondly, some people keep going through the same mess over and over again because they don't
remember who delivered them. They don't remember what it took for them to get past the storm nor do they honor the passage created for them to cross over to the new
experience so consequently they repeat the ordeal. Don't forget what God had to do to get you through. Thirdly, remembering where the blessing came from
touches the Lord's heart and more importantly, we pray that we don't have to go through another
experience like this again cause next time we might not make it. Maybe the Lord will put a type of rainbow over you
as a sign of remembrance? Maybe a crown will be laid up for you someplace? A
memento, a reminder, a keepsake, a symbol of this ordeal. A symbol that you’re an
over-comer.
Therefore, go forth, be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth; in this, newly created passage, by faith go through into your new life experience, which he has created especially for you. Always remember: He kept his
worshiper.
