“In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). Of all the promises Jesus made during His time on earth, that’s one we all know too well. But thankfully, the verse doesn’t end there. “Take heart!” He continues, “I have overcome the world.” In this message, Dr. Stanley explains how God works in our favor even amidst life’s passing storms.
storms come and go in that life usually
is not in a fun
in fact storms usually bring pain and
suffering and loss of all kinds in spite
of all the questions we have
there was a verse of scripture in the
Bible that is the underlying foundation
for our belief and here’s what it says
in Psalm 103 19 the Lord has established
his throne in the heavens and his
sovereignty rules over all that settles
a lot of questions the Lord has
established his throne in the heavens
and his sovereignty his control always
rules over all so he’s probably you’ve
had questions sometimes when storms come
your way and you think where is God what
do you up to in my life
God did you caused this and you ask
yourself the question that I caused it
who is responsible Lord you know the
pain I feel you know the loss I feel
what’s this all about and so there are
some answers to those questions of why
God does what he does and so I want us
to look at a passage of scripture that
gives us an example of pain as a result
of storm and if you will turn to the 107
Psalm 107 and someone almost look at
this passage for a moment because all of
us have questions about storms things
that we go through we will talk about
the different kind of storms surely but
listen to this beginning in verse 23 of
the hundred and seven Psalm those who go
down to the sea and ships who do
business on great waters talking about
people for example who labor on the sea
with cargo and so forth they have seen
the works of the Lord now that’s what
the psalmist calls storms listen to this
and his wonders in the deep for he spoke
and raised up a stormy wind
in case you’re wondering where some of
them come from we should lift a listen
to this for he spoke and raised up a
stormy wind which lifted up the waves of
the sea they rose up to the heavens they
went down to the depths which is a
beautiful way of talking about a high
storm high waves low waves this listened
and when that happened their soul melted
away in their misery the sailors they
reeled and staggered like a drunken man
and with their wit’s in then scared to
death
thought this was the end the Bible says
they cried out to the Lord in their
trouble that’s always the wisest thing
to do when you’re in trouble and he
brought them out of their distress as
hallelujah he caused the storm to be
still praise the Lord so that the waves
of the sea were hushed then they were
glad because they were quiet so he
guided them to the desired Haven let
them give thanks to the Lord for his
loving kindness and all his wonders of
the sons of men
let them extol him also in the
congregation of the people and praise
him at the seat of the illness that is
thinking about this the question is is
God in songs is he or is he not well
some of you think he is do you think God
is in the storms do you think the Bible
says God is in the storms well somebody
is still not convinced are giving you 3
CH 3 opportunities to respond correctly
sure he’s in the storm listen nobody
says for he spoken raised up a stormy
wind God is in storms not always in the
same way all storms are not necessarily
of God some storms we create some storms
God create and some stones are just
naturally created so when people say
that you think God is in these storms
you can say yes I do
they show how do you explain that
because usually definitely about
somebody that’s lost their life and they
want to accuse you of being foolish by
believing that a loving God would do
something like that and so people want
to trick us as Christians and say well
you folks just believe that God’s in all
of this in some way
he’s in everything and so I want us to
look at this past subscription to see
what God is saying to us here but
whatever storm comes he’s in control if
it’s a storm you can you that you have
created for yourself he’s still in
control if it’s a storm he’s created
he’s still in control God is not out of
the storm business unbelievers for like
for us to think God has nothing to do
with any storm that’s just you
Christians being a little naive a real
true God would not allow these things to
happen and certainly would not allow
somebody to lose their life well I’m
coming to all that so people want to
give us a very strong unbelieving and
simple to leave God out of anything and
everything especially if they can’t
control it if they can’t control it
don’t let God get into this because they
know they can’t control him so also
thinking about that there are three
kinds of storms there are those natural
storms of hurricanes and floods and the
tornadoes and so forth they come in a
well even though the big rain storms and
then there are emotional storms and
emotional storms I believe are far worse
than the physical storms because it
grinds at the heart at the soul at the
verse at the birth center of your life
feeling rejected and oftentimes being
rejected by somebody or maybe some a
group of people whatever it might be so
these storms are very difficult to deal
with or whatever it’s a natural storm or
an emotional storm but most of all what
I want to talk about spiritual storms we
create spiritual storms in our life by
disobeying God when we reject him
disobey him
choose our own way do it our own way in
their own timing there’s a storm and
here’s the reason for the storm let’s
say that you’re a believer you’ve
trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior the
moment you did that the Holy Spirit who
convicted you to become a Christian and
enters your life and he is there sitting
by a holy God to live in us to guide us
to lead us and the Bible tells us all
the works of the Holy Spirit within us
one of those works is thinking Victor’s
of sin so when a believer deliberately
willfully sins against God listen this
little wind begins to be a torrential
song it’s a storm between you and your
God you have chosen to be disobedient to
God to walk in your own ways you’ve
chosen to get out of his will that means
you’re on your own
that means your conduct your
conversation and character all changes
and you and God have a huge storm
brewing in your life and so what do
people do they either drink or they take
a bunch of pills and especially do they
always blame somebody else so the storms
we create within ourselves a hellish
kind of storms because there doesn’t
seem to be a very quick answer and
especially if we think somebody else is
at fault if we can blame somebody else
the storm gets worse storms are a part
of life it can be a light storm it can
be just a temptation that you have or
whatever it might be but they come
either they’re instituted by God we
bring upon ourselves all there of the
devil all kind of storms and so when I
think about the sources of them I think
about storms that we create for
ourselves and that’s deliberate willful
disobedience to God starts a storm and
so he said the Holy Spirit does what he
begins to cause us to feel afraid
oftentimes separated from God distant
from God
our whole spiritual being gets warped
and we don’t know where we are at times
and we are wandering and fretting and
blaming and become useless and
oftentimes a bad testimony so that’s
that’s oftentimes what happens to us and
then when Satan creates them and he is
the instigator of a lot of storms so I
want to give you an example
let me give an example of how the devil
works turn to 2nd Samuel chapter 11 for
a moment and this is a story you have
either read or heard maybe even seen a
movie about it but in 11th chapter of
2nd Samuel the scripture says this
beginning in verse 1 then it happened in
the spring at a time when Kings go out
to battle that David sent Joab and his
servants with him and all Israel and
they destroyed the sons of Haman and
besieged Rabbah but David stayed at home
in Jerusalem now where should he have
been out in the war beside his valiant
soldiers he decided to stay at home
watch this now he listened carefully
that’s not very good are you listening
say him in when you get out of God’s
will you’re already in trouble now watch
what happens he stayed at home now when
evening came David arose from his bed
and walked around on the roof of the
king’s house and from the roof he saw a
woman bathing so she must have been
partly naked and the woman was very
beautiful appearance the storm just
began when he looked and he kept her
looking to a look became lust and lust
became a longing within him the next
thing you know he’s in trouble
Satan is an originator of storms
this is why you have to be careful what
you look at who you look at why you look
at what you want what you see and the
scripture says so David sent and
inquired about the woman he could have
stopped at any time but he didn’t and
once said is this not Bathsheba the
daughter of Elam the wife of Uriah the
Hittite he’s at that fighting boy David
sent messengers and took her and when
she came to him he lay with her and when
she had purified herself from her
uncleanness she returned to her house
too late the woman conceived and she
sent and told David and said I’m
pregnant
let me tell you something Satan is the
instigator of storms all kinds of storms
David would have told you that would
never happen to him being the king but
the right place Shelly said this the
wrong place at the wrong time with their
own thoughts the wrong look and the law
listen and the Pat watch this and the
power to fulfill his lust he began
actions that lasted him the rest of his
life David and Bathsheba we caused her
own storms the devil causes storms in
their life and sometimes God sends a
Stallman in life so sometimes God sends
a storm in our life the chastises the
devil and he certainly sent one in the
David’s life
the chastise us to get our attention and
to get our protection unless we
absolutely destroy ourselves God does
sin stones into our life you know what
because He loves us he never sends one
that it’s not banked by love ultimately
so when you think about the stones in
your life let’s think about why he
allows them and I think the first reason
is because it takes a storm some time to
get our attention
got me knock on your hearts door he may
bring something to your attention and
your prayer he may try to get your
attention
and so you don’t pay any attention to it
and often times he has to act beyond
that so one of his primary purposes one
of the things he does he sends a storm
in their life God allows storms to get
our attention listen to this because He
loves us have I always done everything
God said no have I gotten a reproof oh
yes I have because God listen to this
you listen and say men God does not play
favorites it doesn’t play favorites we
disobeyed we can expect the results of
disobedience from a loving God that’s
where he operates
so he gets their attention therefore he
wants to prevent us from destroying
ourselves or somebody else I causing
more trouble a second reason he sent
storms into our life is to get us to
repent and I think about the best
example of that is the Book of Jonah so
look at this God called him and he left
his home left y’all get on the ship he’s
gonna leave God when asleep gonna leave
God storm comes finally asked to confess
up it’s my fault God hadn’t left him let
me tell you something you can’t get any
further away from God than Jonah did no
matter who you are what you believe what
you think what you don’t believe you
cannot run from eternal God because
every single place in person is in the
presence of God and I think some people
who say well I just don’t believe in it
listen that doesn’t mean because you
don’t believe in it that you’ve
eliminated God
you haven’t changed one verse of
scripture but not believing in God but
what I want you to see is your belief
does not watch this your belief does not
affect whether God does or does not
and judgment upon you for disobeying him
and living in sin
Jonah knew he was living in sin he tried
his very best costume while they might
take that trip and so what happened
season the deliverer well and then what
happens I love this story as a simple
story there whale vomited him up and the
scripture says he went to Nineveh and
preached the Word of God they had a
bigger revival and God saved and then
the Vice and then look at this
Jonah’s attitude still wasn’t right
because God had Yun had to chastise him
aptness because think about what he was
what he was arguing about was they were
getting right with God and he didn’t
like that can you imagine being so
messed up in your life to be obedient to
God and then you didn’t like the result
because it wasn’t what you wanted people
get into all kinds of trouble because
they don’t want to obey Almighty God and
so sometimes as Tom brings us to
repentance if you and I knew how many
people come to God as a result of a
storm in their life in their life we
would be shocked probably how many times
have I heard testimonies well I just
didn’t have time for God and then
doesn’t so happened found out that I had
cancer I found out that my son and my
daughter had it or had a wreck or lost
their life in other words whatever it
takes let me just put it this way God
loves you enough to send a strong that
is very very painful if necessary in
order to get our attention in order to
help us they come to him and be obedient
to him so a third reason he les domes is
to conform us to His image that is God
God wants to do whatever and whatever is
brokenness in other words God is willing
to break us and cause suffering and
heartache and pain in that life to bring
us to himself that people in the mission
field people preaching in the gospel
preaching the gospel every Sunday today
all over the world
who came to the Lord as a result of
brokenness running from God and how many
times have I heard testimonies from
pastors who did not want to preach who
absolutely refused the call of God and
then God brought up enough storm in
their life they did surrender to him so
he got his in storms but purposes that
are for his glory
then of course he wants to equip us for
his service and sometimes we go through
hurt and suffering and pain in order to
be equipped to do what God calls us to
do and I think there probably nurses and
doctors and passes and many other people
that doing what they’re doing in a way
that blesses others are helpful to
others as a result of God bringing them
through brokenness brokenness says I
can’t stand any more of this pain God
whatever you want
the answer is yes and the truth is
that’s where he wants all of us at some
point in their life so he can use this
to the maximum of our potential then
sometimes he wants to demonstrate his
power in our life that was we are saved
we know we are but God wants he wants to
bring us to himself in such a way that
we understand who he is and what he’s
doing and sometimes he lets us suffer
awhile and then brings forth healing
whatever it might be but he gives us
enough to let us hurt awhile until we
are finally willing to say yes Lord and
oftentimes it’s at the end of that that
he begins to use a person in their life
like they’ve never been used before I
don’t mean that’s assertive preaching
the gospel but to use you as a witness
wherever you work wherever you live
whoever you live with whatever it might
be God has a purpose in allowing the
storms in our life whatever they may be
and naturally one of them is to reveal
himself to us I can think about times in
my life when I’ve been through storms
and seeking the Lord and asking God to
show me this or whatever it might be
that I get a new Glen
a little different glimpse a living
perspective on how God thinks about
things and one thing about living a
pretty good while you learn things by
experience
you don’t learn early in life and so
sometimes he wants to reveal himself to
us give us understanding of who he is
God knows how to take storms in their
life and do something good for us if
we’re willing to listen to him and
willing not to give up and not to
criticize him and blame God when you
start blaming God here’s what happens
you separate yourself from him
emotionally and spiritually not that he
leaves you but if you blame God you
withdraw yourself from the very source
of the one who loves you who provides
for you who will save you in the storm
who will strengthen you who will make
you a better person you don’t withdraw
from God in the storm and I think all of
us who’ve been through difficult times
when we look back and see what God did
not what we did and that’s somebody else
did but what God did in that life and
how he brought us through it because God
is a loving God and just because it does
a storm in your life doesn’t mean that
God has deserted you it doesn’t mean
that God is punishing you it means that
he has something in mind
whatever the reason watch this whatever
the reason is God’s purpose is always
for our good always to do something in
our behalf that makes us a better person
brings us closer to him demonstrates his
power shows his love for us so storms
have a purpose from God’s perspective
and some of the worst storms very
evident that God is in them because the
results of what happens then somebody
says what’s hard for me to believe that
God demonstrates his love in the storm
so I want you to turn to the 55th
chapter of Isaiah because that sometimes
people say well if God was a God of love
he would never let the
happen the 55th chapter of Isaiah and
they thirst for my thoughts are not your
thoughts that is I don’t think the way
you do though are my ways your ways we
don’t act the same declares the Lord
Forest watch this for as the heavens are
higher than the earth so are my ways
higher than your ways and my thoughts
than your thoughts for as the rain and
snow come down from heaven and do not
return there with without watering the
earth and making it bare and sprout and
furnishing seed to the sower and bread
to leader so will my word be which goes
forth from my mouth it will not return
to me empty without accomplishing what I
desire and without exceeding in the
manifold which I sent it and so God is
in the midst of the storm whatever is
going on and when he comes to why
certain things happen as that 55 is a
very simple or profound answer from the
Word of God so he demonstrates his love
even in difficult times and then I think
one of the primary reasons is this he
reminds us of who is in control God is
in control and I’m simply saying he
doesn’t make mistakes it isn’t because
God doesn’t love us it isn’t because he
thinks that we don’t deserve better in
other words God allows them for a
purpose you said well what’s the purpose
of it they said here that I don’t claim
to have that kind of knowledge nobody
does but God but listen when you’re a
believer following the Lord nothing
happens in your life without God’s
permissive will and always with a
purpose to strengthen us that bless us
to prepare us to equip us to express
love toward us whatever it might be God
always has a loving
motive in mind so that’s a very simple
message I want to be simple because the
next time somebody said she believed God
is a God of love
mm-hmm-hmm and you can say to them yes
he is he loves you enough that you can
wake up his horn and so oftentimes
people who judge God they don’t know him
and you as a believer as long as you
understand who God is and how he
operates that’s what matters
amen and father we just ask you this
morning for storms that have compass
storms that will come did you remind us
that you’re in complete control and that
we can trust you
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that we can believe that you always have
our best interests at heart
show us how to love and to be willing to
understand people who don’t understand
you and we pray that people are being
saved and lives are being changed and
that people are turning to you who would
not otherwise you got their attention
thank you for loving us and being
patient with us and we pray this in
Jesus name Amen
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you