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JPCC Sunday Service 1 at The Kasablanka31 July 2016
Facing the Storm of Our Lives
by Ps Philip Wagner
from Oasis Church Los Angeles
Last year in America there is a movie titled "Room". The movie told about a woman who was a captive in a small room in backyard of a man. She then has boy from the captor. She can live but she and her son are prisoners. In the view of the boy the room is the whole world. The mother tries to explain the difference between the room and the whole world. Finally they are escaping the room.
But when they leave the room they come to the real world.
Are you ever stuck in negative experience in your life? Like abuse, broken heart, and losing someone important. Those are the rooms that trap us. Jesus is come to set us free from the room. God can brings beauty from the ashes of destruction in our life.
Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
God has come to bring us joy not a sorrow, freedom instead of despair. But it is a journey of faith. You may be going through difficult season in your life but that is only one of the part from your story. That is not the end of the story.
Mark 4:35 (NKJV) On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."
Mark 4:37-40 (NKJV) And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
Jesus told the disciples to cross to the other side, but there are storm in the way. The disciples are fisherman /sailor, they know about the storm, but when they are facing this storm they got fear. Our journey is just like that sometimes we found ourselves in the middle of the story facing the storm of our lives. Have we ever thought asking Jesus like disciples asking Jesus in the story. But do we know that we are facing the storm to get to the other side? The other side where Jesus has promise for us.
Even when we are near to God we can have our problems (financial, job, marriage). Even in the presence of God. When that's happened we can choose between focusing on Jesus or focusing on our problems.
2 Kings 6:15-17 (NKJV) And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
If our eyes of the faith in our heart are open we can see God hands in our lives. God with us in the battle God with us in the storm.
Ps Philip also has experience in facing the storm. Ps Philip has cancer and it has been cured. But when he was released from cancer he got health problems that come from all the chemotherapy. After that he faced that he lost his friends in church in the leadership of church. Ps Philip found that focus is not on the storm but in the story that he is crossing to the other side and focusing that there is Jesus in the same boat with him.
How we fight the storm?
1. Decide to finish strong
Doubt and weariness kill dreams. Determination to endure and preserve will bring us to see the blessing of God. Keep going because God is faithful.
Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV) For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise"
2. Express genuine thankfulness
Find things to be grateful for. You're not being tormented from the past and not worrying about the future instead you say thanks for what Gid has done to us. It builds faith. Remember that God is in the same boat with us. If we can thank God the fear of the future will diminish. And we can aware of God's presence. Ungratefulness will keep us in the room in the storm.
3. Hold on to God's words
Hold on to God promises. It is the battle of faith. Stand on the word of God never heard people that drag us from God. Find those promises of God that God is bringing us to the other side.
Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
4. Help someone else while we are in the storm
There is something about helping others facing their battle. Helping them will also help us. Be the helper for someone else instead of waiting someone to help us. Learn from the good Samaritan.
Proverb 11:25 (NLT) The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
5. Keep your heart and soul healthy
Pay attention to the room in our heart.
Hebrews 12:15 (NKJV) looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Ps Philip Wagner With Ps Jose Carol
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