If I were to ask you what is currently holding you back from completely devoting your life to Christ, what answer might you give?
Suppose you currently are and have been committed to Him your entire life — but have you intimately sought Him with your whole heart and soul during a raging storm?
The predicaments of life can often be as chaotic as the ocean’s current. There are times when life’s situations dampers our spirituality and we become complacent. When a storm comes in with a great uproar and crashing waves, we often decide to steer away rather than face our God-given tribulation for the appointed time. If we allow our minds to focus solely on the possibility of being overthrown by the current, we will become paralyzed by fear that renders us helpless from facing the storm. When we place too much confidence in our own ability, we forfeit the understanding of God’s ability. We are all human and fear our battles, but know this: our “storm” is designed for God’s glory.
For every storm that comes your way, don’t be afraid to get out of the boat and step into the miraculous. The bigger the dream, the greater the glory God receives. Therefore, do not settle for normalcy -— expand your faith by envisioning a God-given dream that can only be accomplished by staying close to Him and spending time in divine prayer. This means having a fully devoted plea so great that only God can handle. Pray your way through the storm; pray your way outside of the storm. Have boldness in the Holy Ghost to say, “Give me this storm, Lord.”
God will always intervene in our situations when we learn to intercede through divine prayer. Do not be afraid to risk your reputation or to bear temporary discomfort for what could result in the miraculous. Why? Because if you look back in Biblical history, you will find that all legendary men and women risked their reputation for what seemed impossible. But in the end, their stories will forever be told to all mankind.
In the book of Matthew, God bid his disciple, Peter, to get out of boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee to walk on water towards Him. Peter had to make a decision: he would have to decrease his reputation if he wanted to increase God’s. A test to prove his trust and the purest dependence upon his Savior — his Refuge. So Peter made a radical move and stepped out of the boat -— with radical results. Just as we become fearful of walking out to the unknown, Peter too quickly became fearful of the windstorm he had to walk through on the sea. Matthew 14:30 states, “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”
Distress. Uncertainty. Fear. Anxiety. Defeat. Abandonment.
I can only imagine Peter experienced such feelings as these. He must have, in order to do something as absurd as walking on water. But let me remind you that with God all things are possible. Never sacrifice your greatest blessing on the altar of unbelief: Get out of the boat, experience the supernatural.
” for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” {Matthew 17:20}.
Notice when Peter looked down beneath at his troubles and saw the storm raging fierce: he began to sink. Often we do the same in our own lives, and we, too, will be engulfed by our troubles if we don’t keep our eyes on the Lord. However, Peter did have faith to step out of the boat when he saw his Savior. He could have easily let his spirit become weary and lose sight of his miracle by letting the force of the waves push and pull him , but by believing he proved that his God was bigger than his storm.
This year, be intentional about letting the Word of God come alive in your life.
Let the Spirit of God guide you into a greater, deeper dimension that could possibly change the course of history!
Image via Dollar Photo Club