God’s grace and mercy to the families and loved ones affected by the tornadoes.
Thankfully, during those times of storms, my property was undamaged and there were no injuries, and I thank God for my answered prayer, and I give the honor to God because of who He is and for His faithfulness and love. This is one of many times that I have prayed and escaped unharmed from storms, but recently I have been impressed by the Spirit to share that testimony so that you might believe. I used a spiritual tool to solve a problem in the natural realm.
Our everyday lives are filled with events that are happening in the natural realm, storms for example,- this is the way of the world,- but if Believers aren’t active in their faith it is easy to fall into the habit of reacting like the rest of the world, instead of living in God’s blessing and using the spiritual tools and authority that we have in Christ. (Ephesians, chapter 2) Throughout his ministry, Jesus showed how to live by the word of God by using the spiritual tools and authority he received through the Father by the Holy Spirit. For example, when Jesus was awakened by his disciples, as their boat was beginning to capsize, his response was not what the world would call normal. Instead of helping bail out water, or telling them to lighten the boat, or whatever else would be done in the natural realm, in Mark chapter 4, Jesus rebuked the wind and commanded peace on the water. That shocked his disciples, but it didn’t shock Jesus.
By the time Jesus began his ministry he knew without doubt who he was in the Father, and what authority belonged to him. It may come as a surprise to read that Jesus, though we know Jesus as our beloved Savior, born of a virgin, who is the Son of God; identified himself not as the son of God, but as the son of man throughout his ministry, because he was fully man, anointed by the Father and filled with the Holy Spirit (John 3). All of the works that Jesus did, His teaching and preaching and rebuking the wind and commanding the sea, etc. were through the authority of the Father and through the power of the Holy Spirit in him. He proves this himself in John chapter 14. Jesus said. “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works‘ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”.
Later, as the time approached for Jesus to go to the cross for our sin he said in Luke chapter 22 “Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God”, which, according to Ephesians chapter 2 is where each Believer sits with Christ. The same Holy Spirit who is in Jesus is in each Believer. Dear friends, the love that God has bestowed upon his children through His own Son, is that he has given us power to become sons of God (John 1). We of ourselves can do nothing, it is the Spirit in us who does the work, just like it was the Father who did the work in Jesus. It does take practice, to learn how to use authority, but Jesus wants us to learn from him. It does require a willingness to adjust how you react in situations.
To follow Jesus is simple really, though it may not be easy. It does not take a degree in ministry or a special calling to follow what Jesus teaches, it just takes the desire to know him more by learning from him, believing him, and doing what he says.
It takes the childlike faith that Jesus spoke of in Mark 10. But if you don’t believe the word of Jesus, then your faith is wavering, and a double-minded man can expect nothing from the Lord (Jas. 1). It takes practice to pray and speak in faith without wavering, but it can be done or else God would not ask us to do it. God will not command you to do something you cannot do. Further on in Mark 11 Jesus said, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”. He also said earlier in this chapter that we were to speak to the mountain (situation). When Jesus spoke to the wind and rebuked it and commanded peace on the sea, he was speaking to the mountain.
The spiritual tools and authority that belong to every believer are there to use so that the Father may be glorified through Jesus, and so Jesus may be glorified through the believer, so that the Believer may draw unbelievers to Jesus. I encourage each reader to read Jesus’ words, to seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit, and to believe and do what Jesus says you can do, just like he rebuked the wind.
Until next time, God bless you and your loved ones.
