Cross Over

And I miss your soul.

Hello.

Welcome to Legacy of Freedom.

I'm your host, Eric McBride.

Glad that you've joined us today.

Let's take a moment and open the Word of God together and listen to see what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through the Scripture today.

We're going to be in Mark chapter number four, verse thirty five through forty one.

It says When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, let's go over to the other side of the lake.

They left the crowd behind, and they took him along in the boat just as he was.

There were also other boats with him.

A wild storm came up.

Waves crashed over the boat.

It was about to sink.

Jesus was in the back sleeping on a cushion.

The disciples woke him up.

They said, Teacher, don't you care if we drowned?

He got up and ordered the wind to stop.

He said to the waves, Quiet, be still.

Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, Why are you so afraid?

Don't you have any faith at all yet?

They were terrified.

They asked each other, Who is this?

Even the wind and waves obey him.

Have you ever been in a place where God was leading you and in the process of you obeying him out of nowhere, suddenly a great and terrible storm swept into your life, and it seemed as if there's no way out.

There's no way I'll make it through this storm.

You see, when things like this happen, when we're being obedient to Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit or obeying what the scripture says, and a storm arises, we must remember that the storm is allowed by God, not orchestrated by God.

It's not God trying to stop us if He tells us to do something, but God allows these moments to come that we can operate in confidence and faith.

You see, they were going to a place where Jesus wanted them to rest.

They needed rest.

They're seasoned fishermen, they're ministers, disciples ministering along with Jesus, they're directing crowds, they're doing all the works of ministers, but yet they have to come apart from the crowds, and they have to rest.

And it seems that the moment that their focus is upon getting to the other side, now they're faced with an opposing force.

The storm may have had nothing to do with where they were.

It may have had everything to do with where they were going.

Have you ever thought about that?

That sometimes the storms that arise are to get our focus off of where we're going and just to focus on the storm, or to be fearful of the storm and forget about the commands of God.

Jesus was not going to allow them to fail because that was his command to go to the other side.

The enemy is not attacking where you are, but he is attacking where God is sending you.

Stop and think about that for a moment.

Now I know every storm is not the enemy trying to stop us.

Sometimes things just happen in life.

Problems occur in every area of life, but yet we have an enemy.

We have opposition.

And we must remember that if Jesus sends us, if he is leading us, he is sending us and leading us from a place of authority, and he has given us everything we need.

He's given you authority over the storm.

You know, they were terrified.

The disciples cried out to Jesus and they said, Lord, don't you care?

We're all going to die.

We're all going to perish.

And Jesus got up and he told the storm and the wind to be calm, be quiet.

Listen, if he is with you, why should you fear?

If Jesus is your Savior and Lord, why should you be afraid of the storms that come your way?

He has all authority over all storms, and he will bring you to the other side.

I'm reminded in Deuteronomy thirty one and eight when Moses was speaking to Joshua and the leaders and he says, You know, it is the Lord your God who goes before you.

He will be with you.

He will not leave you or forsake you.

Do not fear or be dismayed.

Jesus asked his disciples after he calmed the storm, Jesus asked them, he says, Why are you so afraid?

Don't you have any faith at all yet?

You know, I'm reminded that faith comes by hearing the word.

And we hear the word, but we need to begin to apply the word.

If God is for me, who can be against me?

I will not fear, though a host rises against me.

You know, we cannot be dismayed because of the storms.

We must be fully convinced.

That word faith, it means to be fully convinced, persuaded in God's power, wisdom and goodness.

It is my prayer that you, that I would be fully convinced in God's power, wisdom, and goodness.

And don't forget, if God is for us, who can be against us?

Don't worry about the storms.

Jesus is the master of the wind.

Trust in him.

Call upon him.

Be strong in faith and practice the word of God in your life.

Until we meet again, remember God is our refuge.

He's always ready to help in times of trouble.

So we will not be afraid.

When earthquakes come, when mountains crumble into the seas, let the oceans roar and foam, let the mountains tremble as the waters surge.

We are the children of God.

And in faith we will leave a legacy of freedom for others to follow in our footsteps to Jesus.

God bless you, we'll see you soon.