Riding the Storm Out…What to do when life isn’t going your way.
Genesis 1:26 ( GWT ) 26 Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness.
Genesis 2: 7 Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the earth and blew the breath of life
into his nostrils. The man became a living being.
John 16:33 – I’ve told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the
world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world."
James 1:2-4 ( GWT ) 2My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.
3You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. 4Endure until your testing is over. Then
you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.
James 1:12 ( GWT ) 12Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test,
they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Let’s take a look at a life challenge – a storm.
Mark 4:35-41 ( GWT ) That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along in a boat just as he was. Other boats were with him.
A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the boat so that it was quickly filling up.
But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat. So they woke him up and said to him,
“Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”
Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind
stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm.
He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”
They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey
him!”
Keys to Riding the Storm Out
1. Get Narrow
2. Have faith for the middle
3. Relax
4. Watch what comes out of your mouth
5. Avoid fear
a. Matthew 7:13-14 ( CEV ) 13 Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is
wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that
gate. 14But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow
that only a few people find it.
a. Romans 5: 3 But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that
suffering creates endurance, 4 endurance creates character, and character creates
confidence.
b. Galatians 6:9 ( TMSG ) 9So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the
right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.
a. Mark 4:37-38a ( GWT ) A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the
boat so that it was quickly filling up. But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the
boat.
b. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
a. Mark 4:38b ( GWT ) So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that
we’re going to die?”
b. Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk
will have to eat their own words.
a. Mark 4:40-41 ( GWT ) He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any
faith yet?” They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man?
Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
b. 1 John 4:18 (GW) 18 No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear,
because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn’t have perfect
love.
6. Choose wisely who is in your boat
a. Prov 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked
leads them astray. (NKJ)
