(Matthew 7:24-27 NIV) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(Luke 6:48 NIV) They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came…
- Jesus taught us that the storms of life come to everybody!
- Storms come to good people!
- Jesus taught us that you can be prepared for the storm!
(Psalms 46:1-3 NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (3) Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
(Hebrews 13:5 AMP) …for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] [Josh. 1:5.]
God has promised us that He is our ever-present help in times of trouble and will never leave us. How does He do this?
(John 14:16-18 NKJV) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— (17) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (18) I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Jesus made a point to stress that the Holy Spirit would be with them “forever” in contrast to His soon departure.
He then said that He would personally be present when He said, “I will come to you.”
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man if only Jesus was here to help me in this situation like He did in the Bible…”
The awesome truth is that the Holy Spirit says exactly what Jesus would say if He were present.
(John 14:25-26 NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. (26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would do two things for us:
- He will teach you all things…
He is the One that brings us light and revelation from God’s Word.
(Ephesians 1:17 NKJV) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
- He would remind us of what Jesus has said to us.
The greatest impact of His ministry to us is when He reminds us of the Word of God when we are in the midst of the storm.
The Holy Spirit will most likely not speak to you in loud, booming voice.
(1 Kings 19:11-13 NKJV) Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; (12) and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. (13) So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
(Mark 4:30-32 NKJV) Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? (31) It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; (32) but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
The soil into which the mustard seed is sown weighs 1000x more than what the seed weighs.
The voice of the Holy Spirit in us is always going to be overshadowed by the problems of life but His Word will overcome them.
Make The Deposit
- We must learn the Word of God before we use it and need it.
- The Holy Spirit cannot remind you of what you have never learned!
When you spend time in the Word of God, you are making a deposit into your heart that can be drawn upon later.
“Put the Word in your heart when you don’t need it and it will be there when you do need it.” – Pastor John Osteen
(Luke 6:45 NIV) A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
When you are in the midst of the storm, you need to speak out of the Word that is deposited in your heart, not out of the fear that is going around in your head.
Put voice to the Word of God only! Vocabulary of silence might be necessary.
- If you want to be prepared for the storms of life, you must learn to have regular WOODSHED TIME!
When we spend time in or study the Word of God, you are not always going to have this “AHA! moment.”
The best way to get the Word of God in your heart is to set aside and PLACE and TIME on a consistent basis to read and study.
It will not be a magical experience at first.
This will have an effect on you whether you realize it or not.
- You must school yourself in the discipline of meditating on the Word.
(Joshua 1:8 AMP) This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
The most reliable way to harness your thoughts and redirect your attention is to read aloud.
Meditation in the Word will change your doings!
God looks over the whole earth to find that man or woman who is clinging to His Word!
(2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal (Hebrew: Shalame- full, peace) to Him…
(Jeremiah 1:12 NKJV) “…for I am ready to perform My word.”