WHEN YOU HAVE TO REBUKE THE STORMS FOR YOUR FRIENDS

Mark 4:39 KJ2000
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Dear Believer,

Jesus dealt with the storms in different ways. He once walked on the water in the midst of a raging storm. (Matthew 14:24-27). But at another time, he commanded the sea to be still.

We should ask, why deal with the storms in different ways?

You see, when He walked on the sea, He demonstrated mastery over the forces of nature. But when He told the sea to calm down, He not only demonstrated mastery, He also demonstrated His ability to protect His own people. He rebuked that storm for His friends.

That is made clear when we understand that He rebuked the sea because His disciples called to Him in panic and said, “Master, don’t you care that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).

The storm was raging, and the Lord was sleeping! He was sleeping through it all. (Mark 4:36-41). Please read the whole story. If He had been alone in that boat, He would have just continued sleeping, and as angry as the waves might seem, they wouldn’t have been able to do a thing to Him, just like they couldn’t do a thing when He walked on them.

The point I’m making is this: there are times you have to deal with the storms in a firm way, not because of yourself, but because of your loved ones who might be weaker in the faith or too young or not mature enough to understand their authority in Christ. They might not even be born again yet, but they are still your loved ones.

Jesus rebuked the sea for His disciples, not himself. You may have to rebuke some forces for your children, or your wife, or husband, or friend.

Long ago a friend of mine was so sick that he was reduced to ‘a bag of bones.’ I didn’t know anything about it. One day I visited him and was directed to his room. He was deathly thin and on the very brink of the grave.

With tears in love in my eyes, I scooped him up in my arms and began to rebuke that disease in the name of Jesus. The power of God came upon him and the next time I saw him, he was perfectly healthy.

I rebuked the storm for him and it was still.

When you are encouraged to grow up in faith, in the Spirit and to walk in authority, don’t think it is only because of yourself. The strength you are building might be needed by your family or friends someday.

You may walk on your own storms because you have matured so much in power. But your loved ones may still be on the level of Peter the disciples who wanted to walk on the sea like Jesus, and was actually invited to do so, but began to sink at some point. For such people, you must exercise authority to rebuke the storm and help them on until they too can walk on their storms.

You are a Believer. You are greater than the storms.

Have a great day.

Your friend,
Deon Akintomide.