Press Through Your Storm - Sept 2008
Storms are a part of every day life...
and we must learn how to walk through them in order to become who Christ wants us to be. Most people are terrified by storms in the natural and we all know how much damage a storm such as a hurricane can inflict on a city or town. The Lord reminded me of Matthew 8:24 Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. Luke 8:23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water. It is interesting to me that while they were taking on dangerous amounts of water Jesus lay asleep. I am sure that at this point the disciples
were afraid for their lives. So why would Jesus be sleeping? In fact, the disciples became so afraid that the next verse says that they woke Jesus up from His sleep. Luke 8:24 Then they came to him and, awaking him out of his sleep, said, Master, Master, destruction is near. And he, when he was awake, gave orders to the wind and the rolling waves, and the storm came to an end, and all was calm. This scripture is significant because Jesus did not fall in fear of the storm. No, as He was in the midst of His storm He spoke to it and told it to end. Jesus is the model for us as we walk through our own personal storm. As you go through your storm consider these words of wisdom:
* We should not focus on our circumstances or what is happening
around us but upon the word of the Lord for our lives.
* We must not give ourselves over to the spirit of fear. We are in
God's hands and the enemy cannot destroy us.
* We must get to a place where we don't lose our peace, joy or
character when a storm comes. We cannot let the storm change who we are
in Christ Jesus.
* We must learn to rest in our storm, staying in a place of faith
as we wait upon the Lord to come to our aid.
* We must learn to praise God in all things and should be careful
not to blame God or become angry towards Him.
* We should repent of anything that comes out of us that is not of
God and learn what it is that God wants us to see in this storm.
* We should be careful of our words to speak only words of life
and not death or curses.
* We should learn to take authority over the storm and command it
to leave once we have learned all that we need to learn from it.
* We should press into the Lord and get closer to Him so we can
hear Him in the storm. Remember that He will never leave you or forsake
you and is always with you.
Storms will come and go in our lives, but Jesus will always be there to
help us through. The storms will produce more fruit in our lives as we
press and pray our way through them. Many of us are going through
storms in this season whether it is debts, family problems, sickness, or
a problem with our job. We cannot let the enemy use the storm to beat
us down with depression, anger, or stress. Some storms clearly last
longer than others but our behaviors in the storm will dictate how long
we will go through the storm. The Lord produces endurance and spiritual
growth in each of us as we are tested through trials, tribulations, and
circumstances.
The Lord has shown me recently that the body of Christ is on the verge
of a major breakthrough but it will be essential that we learn to fight
our way through the storms as many more are on their way in the end
times. Be encouraged as the Lord is taking His people out of Egypt into
their promised land.
forsaken His people but instead He has been training many of us through our hardships and pain. We have been a work being refined through the final fermentation process. It has taken a number of years for us to become purified and usable in the kingdom’s work. In this season it will be those that preserved to the end that will receive and impart the new wine. For in this new wine there is a new level of anointing and power in the Holy Spirit to raise the dead, heal the sick, win the lost, set the captive free and deliver those in bondage. We are in the final days and final hours as the Holy Spirit is raising up people filled with the new wine so that they may be poured out into the lives of others. No longer will the Pastor be the only minister of the gospel in the local church. The Lord is raising up a body ministry to impart the word of God to the unsaved.
Prophet Michael Bacon
