Surviving The Storm

We all go through storms in life, whether they are in nature or in our personal life. Many people are going through them now. To me a storm of life can mean the loss of something we held dear; whether that is an idea, a material item, or a person. It could also be that we are discouraged or frustrated things in our life are not going according to our plan. It can mean we have doubt about our future. A storm can also mean we have negative or damaging thoughts or mindsets that limit us.

Overall a storm can be a battle we are in that we must overcome. Maybe sometimes we get anxious because we know something great is supposed to happen in our lives. Sometimes we know God does not want us to stay where we are at. It can be frustrating to know that God made us for something greater but we see little if any movement forward. That does not mean progress is not being made, as God works behind the scenes as well. We get fearful and anxious because we don’t always see what God is doing. We are told to be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we are to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

We must have hope for our future during the storm. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11). We must take up our shield of faith to fight the enemy in our storm. If you are breathing than there is still hope and a fight left in you. We have to have hope to fulfill God’s plans for our life. When we are in the storm we have to be careful to not to lose hope. You are never out of God’s reach. ” The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

We must never say we want to die or quit on God when we are in desperation. In the Bible Moses said he wanted God to kill him when he felt he couldn’t live up to the pressure placed upon him (Numbers 11:15). The prophet Elijah said he wanted to die when he was fleeing in fear from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:4). Some of us have said we wanted to die when things got real bad.

If you catch yourself saying something like “I can’t take this anymore. I just want to die.” Or maybe “Take me God,” this is a spirit of death. This spirit would love for us to die but if that can’t happen it would like to kill the dreams God gave us. Our dreams cannot die in the storm. The spirit of death wants us to give up on pursuing the goals of God. Whenever those thoughts pop up in your mind rebuke this spirit in the name of Jesus! The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). We cannot let him destroy our dreams or God’s plans for us. When the devil starts attacking you more it might mean that you are on the right track.

In these times we have to focus on helping other people so that we won’t keep dwelling on our pain. Rather than focus on your pain or discouragement, focus on helping someone else in their storm. When we get our mind off of our self and onto helping others our problems seem to shrink. I don’t mean just sow into the lives of your close friends. Sometimes we need to help someone we would not even consider as a friend. Galatians 6:8 tells us we will reap what we sow.

Just as we sow into the house of God, we should also sow into the lives of God’s children on a personal level. If we help someone else go through a door to their destiny, we may arrive at our destination. While prayer and encouragement are great, we may want to help create or open the door for someone else.

The Bible tells us the fisherman Simon received help from Jesus because he first helped Jesus. Jesus needed a place to preach where he could reach the crowd of people. He sat in Simon’s boat and asked Simon to put it out further from land, and Simon did the kind deed. In result of Simon’s kind act he was rewarded by catching an abundance of fish; so much fish the net began to break. Also he wasn’t the only person blessed by the catch. Simon received that breaker anointing. From that one kind act he helped other people break through to their blessing and purpose. Hebrews 13:2 tells us that sometimes we unknowingly entertain angels. Simon entertained Jesus! He may have known Jesus but this time it was more on a personal level: So much so that he received revelation of who Jesus was.

Jesus not only helped Simon catch the fish, He also helped him become a fisher of men. This meant that Simon would help Jesus get people saved. When we support and lift someone up so that they can glorify God, they might turn around and bless us with the help of God. Do you know someone who you can help so that they can accomplish their goals for God? We can find the fisherman story I referenced in Luke 5, 1 through 11.

Helping someone else should give us hope because we should expect blessing from it. Some of us need more hope during the storm. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God says he has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. One way to increase our hope is to have the joy of the Lord. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that “the joy of the Lord is our strength!”

Sometimes I say the joy of the Lord is my strength when I don’t feel joyful at the moment. It seems to always come true at some point. There is power in the word of God. The word of God says weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Someone may say that what they are going through is too terrible to have joy, but Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God all things are possible. If the Joy of the Lord is your strength, God can give you strength to have joy.

I believe we can increase our joy by helping others with our God given purpose. There are instructions for doing this in the storm. The Holy Spirit can guide us with instructions to help us navigate through the storm with strategic directions. I like to think of the Noah’s Ark story in the Bible when thinking about instructions. God gave Noah detailed and specific instructions on how to build the ark. We must be persistent like Noah and not give up. Noah did not build the ark over night. It took him a while to make sure all the instructions were carried out. He was in a season of preparation as many of us have been. Don’t give up and don’t be impatient. As I said if you are breathing there is still hope.

God provided the provision for Noah to build the ark. God will provide the provision for you to carry out the instructions he gave you. God will give you grace to do what he wants you to do. As God gave Noah the detailed instructions on the ark, He can give you detailed instructions of how to help people. We can find the story of Noah in Genesis 4:16. It may not be easy but if you step out in faith God will meet you. As we follow instructions we need peace.

God can give us peace that surpasses understaning (Philippians 4:7). Sometimes I think “I know I should be worried or really upset now. So why am I not?” Then the Holy Spirit tells me He is giving me a peace about the situation. I appreciate and praise God for that peace, for this peace helps me be able to have joy in the midst of trial.

In the Bible James said to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-3). If we allow Him to, God can use these storms to test and refine us. God allows theses storms so that we may turn to Him for advice through the Holy Spirit. Our instructions help us gain wisdom and strength, which produce character.

The beautiful person we become is the goal. After we are refined we can show the world God’s love and step into our God given purpose. Sometimes we feel frustrated when we have to be patient while waiting on the Lord but it’s in his timing. It is when he says we are ready. Perhaps we get the most frustrated right when we are on the verge of a breakthrough. Maybe sometimes this is to push us forward into God’s plans. We may feel as though we are running out of time. If this is the case God will let you know what to do if you ask. Like I said we have to have peace because God is getting ready to move. We need peace so that God can move in our lives. In John 14:27 Jesus said “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you.’ Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

God wants to heal our hearts so that we can step into his plans. I like the prayer in Psalms 51:10. It says “create in me a clean heart O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” God in Jesus name create in us a clean heart. Heal our hearts and minds. If there is anything holding us back from our harvest please let us know God so that we can step into your plans for our life. Draw us closer to you God. Even if God has to reroute us in the storm, we can still be victorious and have a beautiful life.

God showed Noah a beautiful rainbow to convey his covenant with mankind (Genesis 9:11). God made a covenant that he would never destroy the earth through flood again. In Genesis 9:16 God said “The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” Do you ever notice how the sky is so much clearer after the storm? Image how beautiful it was after the flood. Maybe you feel like you are in a flood, but after you make it through the storm, your life will be even more beautiful.

Not only did Noah survive the storm, but he and his family were blessed because he obeyed God. God will even bless you in the storm if you let him, because he loves you. God loves us so much that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16). No longer do blood sacrifices of animals have to be done to be forgiven. God changed this because he loves us. No matter what you face in life know that God loves you! He told me he loved me when I was in sin. He loved me so much he helped me get out of it.

I believe God is preparing many of us for a harvest. God is good. He wants to bless us beyond anything we can hope think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Here recently he told me my lifestyle is about to change. Perhaps I will gain a harvest. By harvest I don’t mean just money. I mean being able to make an impact or change for God. Maybe harvest can mean stepping into purpose. Not that God doesn’t bless us financially but there is so much more reward for us than that. God wants us to have a beautiful life full of blessings.

If you want to have a beautifully blessed life please say this prayer: Father God thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Jesus I Thank you and I confess with my mouth that you died for my sin and rose again. You did this because you love me. Thank you for your Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth so that I can not only survive the storm but also so that I can thrive! I look forward to the harvest you will provide. I praise you Jesus!