Walk Through the Storm

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A little later in the program we'll tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's devotional, Moments in the Word. But first, here's the message, Walk Through the Storm. Faith because faith honors God. You say, what is faith? Well, we practice faith every day, simple faith. When you get on an airplane, you're putting faith in the pilot and the copilot and the air controllers to get you to your destination.

That's faith. When you go to the doctor, the doctor writes a prescription that you can't even read and you take it to a pharmacist that you don't even know. And they put little pills in a bottle that you don't even recognize and you take them. You do. You do that. You take it by faith. You go to a restaurant. You order a meal.

You anticipate that the meal will be healthy and wholesome and nobody's spitting in your food, et cetera, and that you're eating a good meal. We live by faith every day. But that's simple faith. We're talking, of course, about faith in God and that we can trust in God.

We're talking about the evidence of things not seen, the evidence of things not seen. Later on in that same chapter in verse six, we're told that without faith, it is impossible to please him. It's been said, if you please God, it doesn't matter whom you displease. But if you displease God, it doesn't matter whom you please. Jesus said, according to your faith, be it unto you. Not according to your feelings, be it unto you. Not according to your finances, be it unto you. Not according to your fortune, be it unto you.

Or your fortune, be it unto you. But according to your faith, be it unto you. We're to live by faith. We are to know our faith. And how do we know our faith? Romans 10, 13. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by what? The word of God.

Whether it is in a worship setting like this one with the word or whether it's a small group of discipleship. When we're in the word and the word is in us, we are building our faith. Remember this, that faith is like a muscle.

If you don't use it, you will lose it. When you exercise your muscles, when you move your muscles, they get stronger and more mobile. And so when you exercise your faith, when you use the faith that you have, then you begin to grow your faith. So you not only are to know your faith, but you are to grow your faith. Why, in order that you may show your faith, others may see your faith, and then that you may sow your faith.

Well, again, what we have in Matthew chapter 14 is an epic story about faith. And how we walk on water. To get out of the boat, to get out of our comfort zone, and to walk where Jesus walked. We're told in the scriptures that we are to walk in his steps. And so when you talk about walking, walking on water, he has called us to get out of the boat and spiritually to walk on water. Now this is a miracle, of course, and we believe in miracles. But every miracle is also a message.

And there are lessons in the miracles that we learn especially related to faith. So let's read this great passage from Matthew 14 beginning at verse 22. Immediately, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side. While he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Now when evening came, he was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

He was the fourth watch of the night. When Jesus came walking on the sea, verse 26. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled.

That's an understatement. They were terrified. The sea is the Sea of Galilee. But the thing about the Sea of Galilee, the storms can seemingly come out of nowhere and very fast.

And the winds can be contrary. And so they enter a storm. Jesus sent them into the storm. And in the middle of the night, the fourth watch of the night, which is the darkest part of the night, Jesus comes walking on the water.

Verse 26. They were troubled, saying, it is a ghost. They freaked out. And they cried out for fear. But immediately, Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer.

It is I, do not be afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. So he said, come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. I wonder what that was like. Was it like walking on jello?

Was it like walking on pavement? Was he walking on air? He was walking on the water with Jesus through the storm. And verse 30 says, but when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid.

That is, Peter was afraid. And beginning to sink. Mark that in your Bibles.

Beginning to sink. He cried out, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately, Jesus stretched out his hand and called him and said, oh, you of little faith.

Why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And then those who were in the boat came and, watch this, worshiped him.

That's the bottom line of this story. It brings us on our knees, face to face with the power of God and what God will do with people who believe and worship and obey him. And they said, truly, surely, you are the source of the Son of God. So, how do we walk on the water with Jesus? How do we walk through the storm and what do we learn here?

Lesson number one, if you're taking notes, here's point number one. Point number one is that storms inevitably come in light. Storms will come in light. I'm not talking about a physical storm, though this was a physical storm. But, of course, I'm talking about difficulties and dangers and disasters that may come our way. Hardships that hit us seemingly out of nowhere. You're having a good day.

The sun is shining. And then the phone rings. And you're in the middle of a storm. Or you find yourself facing a collapse in your career. You get a pink slip, a dismissal.

It's a bad doctor's report. On and on. We all know that storms are representative of seasons and times in our lives when we're facing difficulty. There was darkness all around the disciples. They were distant from the shore. They were in the middle of the night. They couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. The wind, the direction of the wind was blowing them. They were like a cork in the sea, bobbing up and down. They figure they are going over, under, and Jesus is nowhere to be found.

Because Jesus is not in the boat at this point with them. Sometimes storms come so suddenly and with gale-like force in our lives. Now the fact is we can always play it safe. Stay at the shore.

Never launch out into the deep. We can disobey God. And sometimes when we disobey God, He allows a storm to come into our lives like Jonah. He obeyed God. He ran 180 degrees in the wrong direction from the will of God.

So God sent a storm at sea and Jonah was thrown overboard and was swallowed by the great fish because God was directing His disobedient prophet back to Him, back into His will. These are storms of correction that may come to our lives when we are disobedient to God. But often these storms that come to us are storms of discipline. Storms of correction, but storms of perfection.

When God is perfecting us, correcting us in our lives. And He actually allows the storms or sends the storm into our lives. Did Jesus know that He was sending His disciples into a storm when He told them to get into the boat and go to the other side?

Of course He did. Of course Jesus knew a storm was coming. And Jesus knows when the storms hit us.

And He uses them. He uses these storms in our lives. Turbulent times in our lives. To maybe turn our lives upside down so that we can look closer to Him.

To use these winds that blow against us in our lives as a way to drive us closer to Him. The fact is no one is immune. Christianity is not immunity from problems and trials and struggles and storms in our lives.

It's inevitable. The good news is that what comes to pass doesn't come to stay. And the storms pass over. And ultimately you will get through the storm.

And they are to our personal benefit in life. We can be more productive and more useful in the kingdom of God because we go through stormy seasons. We are able to learn how to rise above and to be unsyncable. We're talking about how to have an unshakable and unsyncable faith in times like these. And I've discovered in my life that some of the very things that I dread the most are the things that drive me to Jesus.

But know this. The one who stirred up the storm is the one who is our security in the storm. The one who has created us has created the storm and allowed the storm to enter our lives. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message.

Walk through the storm. When you set aside daily time to connect with God. He'll give you the ability to live a godly life and fulfill his plans for you in the coming year. And we'd like to help you walk even more closely with the Lord in the year ahead by sending you Pastor Graham's 180 day devotional moments in the word. It's our way to thank you for your gift today to help proclaim the gospel to more people around the world through PowerPoint. So call now to get your copy of moments in the word when you give call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131.

Text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is Jack Graham.org.

Now let's get back to today's message. Walk through the storm. Number two, Jesus is watching us in our storms. Jesus is watching us. Verse 23 says that he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. And Mark's gospel gives us an added detail about what Jesus was doing on the mountain while he was praying. Verse 48 says he saw the disciples straining at the oars.

They might have thought as you may well have thought in your lifetime, where is God in this? He is watching. And when we say watching, not watching passively, but passionately. God is watching over us. Proverbs 15 verse 3 says the eyes of the Lord are in every place watching the evil of good. Isn't it an encouragement to know that while we may lose sight of Jesus, he never lose sight of us. He's always watching over us.

He was on the mountain, they were on the sea, but he is praying powerfully over them. Nothing escapes the attention of God. He knows who you are. He knows where you are right now and what you are going through.

And he cares. Romans 8 34 says that our God ever lives to make intercession for the saints. That he is at the right hand of God, Jesus Christ, who is interceding for us. The God who is watching us is praying for us. Now if I told you right now, if you're going through a struggle and I said, you know Jesus is in that room right now, he's just a few feet away and he's praying for you. Don't you think you could endure any storm you were facing?

Sure you could. Well let me remind you, with God the distance makes no difference. He is watching over us, he is with us, and he is praying for us. It is a simple but profound truth that Jesus is interceding for you. He is praying for you. And so in the middle of your storm right now, whatever you may be going through, and the winds are howling, listen very carefully.

Because Jesus is with you, watching over you, praying for you. And in his own way, in his own time, he will come to you just as he did the disciples. In our world, we're facing great storms today. Politically, internationally, a great storm is coming to America. This storm is spreading rapidly throughout the earth. Terrorism is on the move.

We've experienced it in our country, in Europe, of course we're seeing it in the Middle East. And in these days we need to be sharing, ramping up our message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, right here, right now, around us in our communities. And let's bring faith to people who are not of our faith, who need Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

That's the way to defeat the terrorists and the terrorism that is all around us. Thirdly, if you're taking notes, what to do when you face these storms, Jesus helps us, comes to us in our storms. After watching, Jesus then comes to them, with them. And when did he come?

At the last possible moment. Look at verse 25 again in Matthew 14. It was the fourth watch of the night that Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. What is the fourth watch of the night?

It is the last part of the evening in Jewish chronology. And it is the darkest before the dawn, so it's the deepest part of the sea, it is the darkest part of the night, and Jesus comes to them at the right time. You know, with God, time means nothing, but timing is everything. And maybe you've been in the middle of a problem for some time and you wonder, where is God? Why doesn't he come through in my life?

Let me remind you that he is never early, he's never late, he's always on time. And if he delays for some reason, it is not a denial, but he's waiting for the perfect time and the perfecting time in your life as he's making you more like Jesus. Romans 8 28 says this, For we know that all things work together for the good to them who love the Lord, to those who are called according to his purpose. So God is watching, God is waiting, and God, while he is waiting, is working in your life.

And why is he working in your life? Romans 8 29 says that he is making us more like his son. That's verse 28. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. What that means is that God is using storms and circumstances in our lives, working them all together, even when things seem to be above our heads that he is working.

And in his own way, in his own will, he will work it together. And the purpose is to make us more like him. Don't you want to be more like Jesus?

That's the calling of every Christian, is day by day to grow in our faith, to become more like Christ, more godly, more Christ-like, more spirit-filled in our lives. And so God uses storms, situations, and seasons like this, and at the right time, just when we need him the most, he shows up as he did here, walking on the water. Why did Jesus walk on the water? This wasn't just a publicity stunt or a marketing strategy, but why was he walking on the water?

I'll tell you why. To show us that everything that is over our heads is under his feet, that he has authority over all the storms that assail us, that he is Lord of life and Lord of all. And gee, I wish I could have seen this. Of all the things to have seen in the Scripture, this is one of them, right? To see Jesus with regal, royal stride, walking across the water, the foam in his beard, the wind in his face and blowing his hair, just the powerful presence of God. And he came not only on this mission, but he came with a message, and he said something to the disciples. He said, Cheer up. That's similar to what he said earlier when he said, In this world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. He said, Cheer up.

And he said, It is I. Now they thought it was a ghost. You know why they didn't recognize Jesus?

They weren't looking for him. Their faith needed to grow. They were looking at the winds.

They were looking at the waves. They were looking at their circumstances. So when Jesus shows up, they weren't ready. Jesus showed up, and he said, It is I. And the words there literally mean, I am. Jesus said, Cheer up.

I am. Do you recognize the I am? That's the name of God. This is a declaration of his deity. The I am is the almighty God. He revealed his name to Moses at the burning bush. This is the covenant personal name, the holy name of God.

I am. And Jesus often described himself as the I am. I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except by me. I am the bread of heaven.

I am the true vine. Jesus is the great I am. And therefore he is over all. He is almighty God.

And if you have almighty God watching over you, with you, coming to you, there's no problem that you face, no storm that you fear. But that he is more than enough. I am is also an incomplete sentence.

I am what? Anything you need. Everything you need. You need provision. He is your provision. You need strength. He is your strength. You need hope. He is your hope.

Whatever you need. He is the great I am. The Lord is the great I am. He is the perpetual one, the altogether one.

He is always with us. And so he came walking. So when Jesus came walking on the water, Peter was just overcome with a burst, an explosive burst of faith. And he says, Lord, if that's you, then let me come to you. And Jesus said, come. Now don't you dare get on the water without Jesus.

This isn't name it and claim it. He said, Lord, if it's you, you tell me. If this is your word, this is your will, invite me to come to you and I'm on my way. And Jesus said, come. And Simon Peter began walking on the water, on his way to Jesus. But then the scripture tells us that he began to sink.

Going under. He cried out to the Lord. And Jesus reached out his hand and he saved him.

He delivered him. And the point of this passage is Jesus is teaching us to get out of the boat and come to him and to trust him and believe in him. The rest of those guys were in the boat saying, don't do it, don't do it. Oh, God, don't do it, Simon Peter. But Simon Peter said, I'm going to the Savior.

I'm going to follow Jesus full out. And he got out of that boat. You said, well, he began to sink. Well, Jesus picked him up. And I don't know how Simon Peter got back to the boat. Either he walked back with Jesus or Jesus carried him back.

Either way, that's a good thing. And he demonstrates for us what it means to take a step of faith and obedience to God. The fact is, if we are trusting in God, we can be fearless in the face of any storm in life. Whether it's the band's doctor's report, whether it's that phone call in the middle of the night, that thing that we dread the most, that problem that we can't solve, that storm that is stirring around us. Some of you, God has sent you into a storm right now. You're either in a storm or you're coming out of a storm or you're headed into a storm. But all of us will be in there. The question is, do you have Jesus to save you?

Do you have the one who is the great I am in your life? You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, Walk Through the Storm. Looking ahead to a new year can fill you with expectation, but it can also fill you with desperation. What if things get worse?

What if the world gets crazier? What if you don't have the strength to face what comes your way? It's through spending daily time in God's word that we find the strength, peace and hope we need. And we want to help you do that by sending you Pastor Graham's one hundred and eighty day devotional Moments in the Word.

Our special thanks for your gift this month. So call to request your copy today. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. Text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org, where you can shop our store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our Web site, again, is Jack Graham dot org. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today?

Well, there are many people that are wanting to give up, but I would say, don't you dare give up. Let me remind you that the same Jesus who walked in glory and power on the surface of the raging sea of Galilee through that storm is walking into your life. Jesus rides above the storm.

He walks through the storm. And this is a demonstration of his immense and unmatched, unequal power that Jesus is Lord over life and Lord over the problems and everything that is over our heads. Those storms and rains that fall into our life. All of that is under his feet.

I'll say it again. Everything that's over our heads is under his control. God's got this. So no matter what you're facing, trust in the power of the one who treads across the waters that sometimes seem to bury us. And the same savior who lifted Peter out of the sea when his faith faltered. He'll lift you up as well.

Never doubt that. Don't be afraid. In fact, take heart and do exactly what Christ told his disciples to do.

Cheer up, because the one coming to save you has overcome the world. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr. Graham's 180 day devotional moments in the word as our thanks call 1-800-795-4627.

That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131 text PowerPoint to 313131. Join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about the Apostle Peter's comeback and how you can have a comeback of your own. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.