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Go to the other side!
Sunday, February 1st, 2009 | Uncategorized
February 1, 2009
Dear Friends,
…I said the world is in turmoil and that does not necessarily mean you if you will follow Jesus’ example. As a Believer in Jesus Christ, you have a choice to either flow with the world in turmoil or to disconnect from the world’s system and abide in the Kingdom of God, living in peace and blessing in the midst of the storm. Abiding in God’s Kingdom system doesn’t mean that you will be taken out of the storms of life. No, as long as you are in this world, you will have to deal with the storms of life; but what we can have assurance of is the fact that we can have success and victory with peace in the midst of the storm.
“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”
Now, let’s go through this story to detail the spiritual lessons to be learned and applied; especially as we live in the turmoil of today’s world:
- Jesus understood the Will of God for His life – “Let us go to the other side”. Christians often get overwhelmed with the turmoil of the world, not knowing what to do and allowing confusion and a sense of helplessness create fear in their lives, because they do not understand God’s Will for their life.
- Jesus had faith in God’s ability to fulfill that Will of God for his life no matter the circumstances – “he fell asleep”. Jesus abided with God, a relationship of love and trust that assured him of success. Jesus understood, as he stated in John 14:10: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”
- Jesus knew that he had the power and authority, because he was in God’s Will, to overcome any adverse circumstances attempts (the enemy’s) to stop him – “then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.” It cannot be stated clearly enough, that we will only walk in the awesome power of God (the power and authority of God) when we are fulfilling God’s plans and purposes and not using such power for our own purposes. It is when we are declaring “not my will by thine be done” (Luke 22:42) – and not seeking our own plans, purposes, recognition, etc., that we will walk in the fullness of Signs, wonders and miracles. Total dedication to God and a ‘no-compromise with the world’ attitude will always bring the fullness of God’s sovereignty to bear upon your behalf to fulfill His plans for you: No matter how dire the circumstances!
We are called to be like Jesus on this earth, and to not only do the works that Jesus did but greater works (John 14:12). But the problem is that Believers in the midst of the storms of life react in a manner that is reminiscent to how the Apostles dealt with the storms instead of like Jesus: They knew God’s Will through Jesus’ commandment; Jesus was with them in the midst of the storm but they didn’t think he cared about them; and when the circumstances seemed overwhelming they chose to believe the circumstances rather than the Word and Will of God.
No, you need to overcome the world and not be overcome but it. If you will react to the storms of life in the same manner as the Apostles did, you will have failure in life and will be in the same mess as the world: Without hope or answers and full of fear. The same question will be asked of you that were asked by Jesus of them: “Where is your faith?”
I would encourage you to meditate upon the following scriptures over the next week (honestly, I would make these scriptures a part of my daily confessions for the foreseeable future) and get them deep into your heart, till you have confidence and faith in God even in the midst of the world’s storms of turmoil:
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John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
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1 John 4:4: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
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1 John 4:17-19: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.”
And my favorite passage of scripture in the Bible –
Romans 8:37-39: “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.”
In all these things – in the midst of economic, political, societal and cultural turmoil that is burdening the people of the world – nothing shall be able to separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We have been given the command by Jesus to “go to the other side”: A place of God’s blessing and happiness; the land of healing, health and prosperity; peace and fulfillment in the midst of thee storms of life. Be like Jesus, trust and have confidence in God’s love and willingness and ability to see you make it to the other side; and rest peacefully even in as the world is in turmoil.
Be Blessed and full of joy -
Dr. Will