Every Stormy Gale

A windstorm blew in last night.  I woke in the early hours of darkness to the sound of violent rushing, and small, sharp things pelting the windows. It sounded like the wind was trying to get into the house. It was wild and ferocious.  I couldn’t help but think of the enemy.

Be careful!  Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

He comes with noise and fury.  He brings confusion and chaos.  He flings sharp words of shame, regret, accusation. He’s always looking for a chance to catch us when we’re sleeping, to take us out, to sabotage our mission. His goal is to blow us off course, to tear us apart, to destroy us.

The disciples found themselves in the middle of a storm one night.  They were seasoned sailors, and they were sure they were going to drown.  But the storm didn’t bother Jesus one bit.  “He rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Quiet down!”  Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

The other night, trees were uprooted, shingles and siding torn off, people left without power.  It was a powerful storm.  We can’t prevent the storms that blow into our lives. But how we respond is completely under our control.

What did the disciples do in the storm they faced?  They sought out Jesus.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.  Psalm 107:28-29

Why did the wind and waves calm down in response to Jesus?  Because He is the Creator, and He has never lost His sovereignty.  So we snub the enemy the same way that Jesus rebuked the waves – by reminding him who is in control.

Jesus said, “The prince of this world approaches.  He has no power over me” (John 14:30). It’s no contest.  It’s not even a question.  The enemy has no power over Jesus.  And that means that he has no power over us.

I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him.  This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.  God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. Ephesians 1:19-22

The power that Jesus has is for our benefit.  He exercises His power and authority to rescue and protect us.  He seeks out our good.  His goal is to promote our best, to prosper us, to bless us. This is why He is a place of safety, a shelter, in every storm.  Because He wants the best for us and uses everything at His disposal to bring us safely through the storm.

So when the enemy rages against you, when the storm roars around you, seek out Jesus. The wind, the waves, the enemy – they all still flee before His authority.