Luke 6:46-49
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
Storms. How do we survive them? Ever hear of a guy named Elijah?
James tells us he was a man subject to the same feelings and passions that we have.
He went from a great VICTORY on Mt. Carmel to asking God to kill him, all in 2 chapters!
So, are there storms in the Christian life? Absolutely. But let me tell you that the same God you worship in the light is the same God you reach for in the NIGHT!
God is there even when you are not aware of His presence.
Peace is really the test of Christ in you. Peace should rule your heart no matter the storm.
Do you want to stop a storm? Then follow:
Job 42:10
And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
The Lord RESTORED, WHEN!
So how do we respond to storms?
Many of us focus on the disappointments or the painful experiences and we forget about our countless blessings.
Someone said, “When you travel life’s road, keep your eyes on the doughnut and NOT upon the hole.”
Someone else said, “To realize the worth of the anchor we need to feel the storm.”
Hebrews 6:19
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
Look again at Luke 6:47-48.
47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
Jesus was telling them, “EVERYONE HAS STORMS.”
Jesus, this was a man doing the Word, He was faithful, paid tithes, He did the right things, BUT WAS STILL IN A STORM! And made it.
Proverbs 10:25 (N.L.T.)
When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away,
but the godly have a lasting foundation.
Sometimes those storms rage, sometimes they get calm.
Look at Luke: 6:49
But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
This person was in trouble when the storm hit.
Why? NO foundation!
People with no foundations, when a storm hits, their life just falls apart and the Bible says, “Great was the ruin of the house”.
The advantage of DOING THE WORD is summed up in vs. 48
He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
When the storm hit, because the foundation was built on a rock, he was NOT EVEN SHAKEN!
Elijah got discouraged in his storm. What about Paul, he was in a storm or two.
2 Corinthians 1:8
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
Paul was so discouraged he wanted to die.
But look at the rest.
2 Corinthians 1:9-10
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
Many times in scripture we read “IT CAME TO PASS”.
Praise God, it did NOT come to stay.
2 Corinthians 4:8
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Paul could say that based on history. God did it before and He will do it again.
James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
So when that storm comes, it’s time to Praise the Lord.
Who am I talking to that is in a storm?
God is IN that storm you’re in.
He walks on storms.
He sleeps in them.
He speaks peace to them.
He will even send you into them.
Elijah supernaturally ran in a storm.
Jonah caught a whale of a ride during a storm.
It’s time for somebody to Praise God.
Time to Shout and Jump for Joy KNOWING that the TRYING of your faith will work joyful endurance.
Storms mature you to the point James tells us you will LACK NOTHING.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Your faithfulness in the storm will work a change in you to change your desires. That’s what a complete work is.
1 Peter 1:7
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Peter is saying, “What you believe is made pure by storms of life and you will bring GLORY and HONOR to Jesus.”
I wonder what the guy thought when the storm destroyed his house because HE HEARD AND DID NOTHING?
The other guy who listened used the storm as an opportunity to prove what he believed, HIS LIFE WAS NOT SHAKEN, because his life was BASED ON THE WORD!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
