Fear is a constant battle we fight. It begins with our thoughts. That first nagging, seemingly insignificant doubt that begins to grow roots and like a weed drains the nutrients from the rest of our mind and soul. It is something that can, in the beginning, seem so small yet cause immense damage.
Fear keeps us from moving forward, it’s instilled in our nature and self defense to take caution or avoid all together something that could cause us pain, whether physical or emotional. But thank God he does not operate within our human limitations. You see, our God is a supernatural one, so everything that he is and brings into our lives goes beyond our own capacity. That is why we can have faith! How else would we be able to believe in something we can not see in front of us? Our entire Christian walk revolves around this very truth.
Which is why God takes fear very seriously. He knows and understands how we react to fear. How we allow it to stop us from accomplishing things, from making decisions, from loving without limits. He is in our lives working non stop so that we could live a life free of fear and completely in His fullness. Yet we constantly doubt, we let that one thought get in the way.
I’m reminded of this in the book of Matthew when Jesus calms the storm. (Matt 8:23-27) It says that as they were crossing “a furious storm came”. So strong that it swept over the boat! So I think it’s safe to say the disciples had a legitimate reason for being afraid. What is astounding is that through all this Jesus was sleeping. I don’t know if any of you have ever tried to sleep while being worried or scared about something. It’s practically impossible, yet Jesus slept during a terrible storm. Knowing that Jesus was also man we can conclude that in order for him to have been sleeping he must have felt peace. He had peace in the storm… That explains why when he woke up he said to them “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”.
Why are you so afraid? When there is clearly a storm around you, you can be at peace! You can sleep peacefully as Jesus did. The Word says Jesus “got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” This all happened as they were crossing. Jesus in his complete authority over all commanded the wind and waves to calm. Did you know that he has given us in his name, that very same authority? John 14:12 says “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things.” You may not be in a storm in the middle of a lake, but are you in a storm in your life? Are you crossing through a season of your life that causes you fear? Are you trying to reach a destination yet have been delayed by a storm? You have all authority as a child of God to command the wind and waves to calm. To rebuke that storm of thoughts that is causing you to have fear. The process God is taking you through may not be finished, but you can still be at peace, and continue forward as you cross to reach the other side.
I join you in prayer in this moment, that all negative, life draining and fearful thoughts be gone in Jesus’s name. I declare peace over your life, even as you cross through the furious storm, and that you would learn who you are in Christ and the authority he has given you in his name. In Jesus’s name, AMEN!
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