Rest in the Storm
RISE UP WARRIOR, it’s time to REST in the midst of our STORM(S)!
Our Scripture passage this week is Matthew 8:23-27. Let’s take a moment to read this passage below.
“As He got into the boat, His disciples followed him. Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves—but Jesus kept sleeping. So the disciples came and woke Him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to die!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
-Matthew 8:23-27
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual storm? When you feel “swamped by the waves”, do you find yourself resting in the provision, protection, and presence of God? Or do you find yourself frantically “running across the boat” in fear and doubt?
A few nights ago, my sister embraced my teary eyes with a warm hug and reminded my soul to RISE UP and REST in the storm, just like Jesus showed His disciples in Matthew 8:23-27. While my sisters and I were in the midst of a physical storm (Hurricane Debby) a few days ago, I found my heart wrestling with a spiritual storm that felt out of my control a few nights ago. A few days later, my mom opened the sweetest letter in the mail and shared powerful words with my wrestling heart, “It’s not the size of our storm but the strength of our mountain movers.” Raise your hand with a hallelujah if those words rang true in your heart with a YES and AMEN! The first mountain mover I immediately thought of was Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
“He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
-Matthew 8:26-27
This passage of Scripture is powerful for so many reasons. Verse 23 says, “As He got into the boat, His disciples followed him.” First and foremost, Jesus’s disciples were in the physical presence of God but they lost sight of Him when fear arose in their hearts with the wrestle of the waves! Then, something powerful happened, God’s disciples witnessed the wind and the waves obeying the Lord! “He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
I don’t know what storm(s) you are currently enduring, but I know that the enemy will do anything he can to take a foothold in your mind to raise doubt, fear, and lies in your life, on your calling, and against your family. It’s time to RISE UP and shift our focus from the size of our boat and size of the waves, to the One who commands the wind and the waves! It’s time to lift our hands in worship and walk in faith towards God in the center of our storm! For the Lord is our rock and our refuge, our provider, protecter, and deliverer! The Lord prepares us with His word and His armor to RISE UP and conquer the “waves” of spiritual warfare by praying barriers of protection against principalities, for ALL those who rise up against us will FALL in the Mighty Name of Jesus!
It’s time to RISE UP and fix our gaze on Jesus, RESTING in the presence of God through our storm(s) with active faith and obedience. Resting in our storm(s) doesn’t mean that we wipe our hands of spiritual responsibility and count the clouds. Resting in our storm(s) means that we actively RISE UP in our actions through our faith!
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.”
-Ephesians 6:12
God doesn’t command our mind, heart, and soul to bear anxiety, worry, doubt, fear, or the sins of the world on our shoulders, HE already conquered sin and death on the Cross and on the third day when He rose again! Rather than giving the enemy a foothold in the midst of our storm(s) causing us to “running across the boat” with doubt and worry, let’s RISE UP and carry our cross, place our storm(s) at God’s feet while resting in His protection, provision, and presence! The truth is, no matter how many things we plan Monday-Sunday, we can’t control what will happen in a week. What we can do, is RISE UP and surrender to the one who IS in control, God!
So, I want to encourage you to RISE UP, WARRIOR and take your storm(s) to the feet of Jesus and rest in His presence of protection while rebuking the lies of the enemy over your mind, spirit, life, and family! There is POWER in the Name of Jesus, there is POWER in the whisper of God’s voice, there is POWER in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and there is no storm too big for God. So, RISE UP WARRIOR and REST with faith, obedience, and active footprints of faith!
-Jessica-Andrea Brown
