Storms! Navigating the Struggles of Life The Satanic Storm ONE THING The storms of our own doing many times become the storms of our undoing. Last week we looked at the first type of storm The 1 st Type Jonah s Storm à For correction to DISCIPLINE The 2 nd Type Satan uses storms to get us to give up à For rejection to DISCOURAGE Types three and four we find confronting the disciples The 3 rd Type The third type of storm is the one when you feel as though God knows, but doesn t care I mean, you know He said He would never leave you nor forsake you, but sometimes you feel as though He s asleep on the job Jesus asleep in the boat à For perfection to DEEPEN The 4 th Type
How about the STORM where you know the Lord has led you into it? This is another disciple storm where Jesus literally makes them get in the boat while He stays behind on the shore He sent them into the storm!!! à For direction to DEVELOP Jesus walking on the water The 5 th Type The final type of Storm is another story of Paul in a shipwreck Acts 27:20 (ESV) 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. In this one though, the Lord uses Paul in the midst of the certain disaster to DISPLAY the POWER of God to several hundred lost men à For connection to DISPLAY Paul in shipwreck and all the crew saved By being able to identify the type of storm we are facing, we will be in a better position to know how to stand through the storm! Job 5:7 (ESV) 7 man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships. -- Helen Keller God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf
world. C.S. Lewis If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don t recommend Christianity. C.S. Lewis Don t tell GOD about the SIZE of your STORM, rather tell the STORM about the SIZE of your GOD! This morning s focus reality is ONE THING As a Christ-follower know that the enemy is always trying to set you UP in order to set you DOWN Satan uses storms to get us to give up Satan uses storms to get us to give in Satan uses storms to get us to give out 2 Corinthians 11:25 (ESV) 25... Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; We have an enemy bent on thwarting the advancement of God s Kingdom here on earth Any and every attempt on our part to join Jesus in this cosmic battle WILL BE MET with GREAT and HOSTILE resistance. 2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV) 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. Acts 14:22 (ESV) 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
2 Timothy 2:3 (ESV) 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny C.S. Lewis 1. RECOGNIZE him, he is RUTHLESS! How do I know if my storm is caused by Satan? à ORIGIN Is it APPROACHING you from evil means? Evil Thoughts Bad Teaching Worldly Motives James 1:13 (ESV) 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 2 Corinthians 11:3 4 (ESV) 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. à OBJECTIVE Is it HINDERING you from fulfilling what the Lord has told you to do? It is Satan s relentless and ruthless practice to hinder the work of God 1 Thessalonians 2:18 (ESV) 18 we wanted to come to you I, Paul, again and again but Satan hindered us.
2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, à OUTCOME Is it LEADING you away from the Lord? James 1:14 15 (ESV) 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 2. RESIST him, he is ATTACKING! James 4:7 (ESV) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Submit is in the aorist passive imperative This means that we must surrender our lives to the Lord Resist is in the aorist active imperative This means that we must actively engage in resisting the devil Satan FUNCTIONS in FOUR WAYS à As DECEIVER à As ACCUSER à As TEMPTER à As DESTROYER Ephesians 6:11 13 (ESV) 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in
the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:14 17 (ESV) 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God 3. RENOUNCE him, he is DEFEATED! Matthew 10:1 (ESV) 1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. Matthew 28:18 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. When Jesus had sent out the 72 disciples to go and take the Gospel of His Kingdom to towns and villages They returned rejoicing Luke 10:17 (ESV) 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name! Luke 10:18 (ESV) 18 And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:19 (ESV) 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (ESV) 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. Isaiah 54:17 (ESV) 17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.
Storms! Navigating the Struggles of Life The Satanic Storm Reality: As a Christ-follower know that the enemy is always trying to set you in order to set you 1. him, he is! How do I know if my current storm is caused by Satan? à - Is it you from evil means? à - Is it you from fulfilling what the Lord has told you to do? à - Is it you away from the Lord? 2. him, he is! Satan functions is four ways: à As à As à As à As 3. him, he is!