Say to the Storm

Scripture: Romans 10:9

Years ago a state-wide news program hosted a television show called “Those Terrible Twisters.” The Oklahoma-famous Gary England would go from town to town, projecting viewer-submitted VHS recordings of close encounters with tornadoes.My father’s claim to fame is a run-in with such a storm. I was with him. Standing on our front porch, Daddy hoisted the heavy camera on his shoulder and recorded a tornado that tore up part of our town. He sent in the tape which ended up on the touring twister show.Oklahomans are… different. I’m just going to put that out there right now. We like gawking at these storms. There are entire Facebook groups, social media pages, and television shows devoted to the power, the potential devastation, and the awesomeness of thunder and lightning. Why are we okay with watching storms? Because we, for the most part, know the comfort of our shelter. We know where to run for safety. We can take videos of the wind and play in the rain because we know the power of our protection.Do you know the power of your Protector? When life’s storms come up – and they look different for everyone – do you know who you are and whose you are?Your storm doesn’t define you. And if you’re letting it, let it go.Your burdens don’t define you. And if you’re letting them, let them go.Your past does not define you. And if you’re letting it, let it go.What defines you, my friend, is your Creator.Over the next few days we’ll join together and uncover the audacious authority we have and the power of our protection. We’ll uncover who we are and whose we are so we can speak to the storm.So let me ask. Do you know whose you are? Do you know the authority you have and the power of your Protector? It all starts by believing and following Romans 10:9. This one verse tells how to experience salvation and receive access to all the promises, protection, and authority God has given. This verse says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Let’s start off this study with prayer: “Heavenly Father, I openly declare that Jesus is Lord and I believe that you raised Him from the dead. Thank you for saving me! Amen.”

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10, John 15:15, Psalms 139:14, Romans 6:6, Romans 8:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:4

“Mommy, mommy! Look what I drew! Do you know what it is?”Let’s face it. We have no idea what a toddler’s drawing is.A horse on a rocket?An elephant with seven trunks?A deflating beach ball?But 3-year old Sophie knows exactly what it is. And she’s so proud. She can’t wait to show it off to mommy and me and everyone who walks by. Because she created it.

God created you. No matter what others think of you, no matter how they try to define you, you can only be defined by your Creator, and He’s pleased with His creation. All this week, write down these verses, speak them aloud of yourself and your family, and know who you are and whose you are! (Proclaim “I am…” followed by the words in all-caps.)

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Anyone who belongs to Christ has become A NEW PERSON. THE OLD LIFE IS GONE; A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN!

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are GOD’S MASTERPIECE. He has CREATED us ANEW IN CHRIST JESUS, SO we [I] CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED FOR us [ME] LONG AGO.

John 15:15 – Now you are [JESUS’] FRIENDs, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

Psalm 139:14 – I will praise you for I am FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLYMADE.

Romans 6:6 – We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.  We are NO LONGER [A] SLAVEs TO SIN.

Romans 8:2 – For the law of the Spirit of life has SET you FREE IN CHRIST JESUS FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 – …God has CHOSEN you to be his own people. 

Scriptures: Philippians 4:6, Proverbs 12:25, Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 10:5

Cole is my 13 year old, cotton-topped, super logical, hilarious, and the-best-in-the-world son. You know how most little kids pick their noses? Cole NEVER did. I mean never. If he saw another kid in kindergarten doing it, he’d start gagging. So if we went to a friend’s house for dinner, I never add “don’t pick your nose” to a list of etiquette reminders. Sure, “don’t pass gas” was in there, but never “don’t pick your nose.” Why? Because he wasn’t prone to do it. It wasn’t a part of who he was & is.

Just like I know the ins and outs of my son, God, too, knows the ins and outs of His children. Over and over throughout His word he gives us a list of reminders. The one at the top? Don’t worry/fear not/don’t be afraid (See Philippians 4:6, Proverbs 12:25, Isaiah 41:10, and many more). He knew we’d be super prone to let our thoughts wander.

This is especially true in a storm. Just like we can see the lightning and hear the thunder of an April shower, so too can we see and hear an emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical storm in life. It’s easy to let our thoughts focus on the storm.

All this week, recognize those times when your mind wanders. His word says in Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

When your thoughts begin to shift to worry and fear and the what-ifs, follow 2 Corinthians 10:5 that says to “capture rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

“Fix” and “Capture” are two action words. Let these actions start with prayer:Heavenly Father, please make me aware of when my thoughts aren’t fixed on good things. Father, let me quickly capture those thoughts and line them up with your words and your promises. I realize this is my responsibility and I commit to capturing worry-filled and fearful thoughts today. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Scriptures: Psalms 23, John 16:33, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28, Matthew 6:33, James 4:7, Psalms 91:9-10

I find this odd comfort in knowing that good, God-loving people in the Bible had problems. It makes me feel normal. David, for example, said, “Hey, I’m walking through a dark valley,” and let us know that he had enemies around him, needed protection, and longed for comfort. But, as though he’d already read the then-unwritten New Testament, David follows our lesson from yesterday.

In Psalm 23 David starts out by saying “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Boom. Period. End of sentence. But then, as if those worrisome thoughts started creeping up, he kept reminding himself that even though life is tough, even though his enemies are around him, look what the Lord has done and is doing!

The Bible never promised a storm-free life. We live in a trouble-filled world. But Jesus addresses this in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” And, again, we’re reminded in 1 John 4 that “You belong to God… the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in this (trouble-filled, sometimes crazy) world.”

So what, then, do we do when we face hardships? I mean, this entire study is about being in a storm and we’ve yet to discuss our tornado shelter! Watch for the all-caps command words in these verses about dealing with storms—otherwise known as burdens and cares:

Philippians 4:6-7 – DON’T WORRY about anything, instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING, TELL GOD WHAT YOU NEED AND THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. He will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7 – GIVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES TO GOD, for He cares about you.

Matthew 11:28 – COME TO ME (JESUS), all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 6:33 – SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY, and He will give you everything you need.

James 4:7 – RESIST THE DEVIL, and he will flee from you.

Psalm 91:9-10 If you MAKE THE LORD YOUR REFUGE, if you MAKE THE MOST HIGH YOUR SHELTER, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

Do you notice that the answer to a prayer is AFTER each command? When a storm crosses your path, read these verses and our lesson from yesterday, act, and believe the promises. 

Scriptures: Matthew 6:33, Matthew 11:28

I loved playing in the sprinkler as a child. You know, the sprinkler with an arched metal tube with tiny holes? The water would fan back and forth as we darted from side to side to stay wet. “We” was me and my cousin, Heather.

We’d play until one of us would want a turn squirting the other or splashing in the newly created mud hole under the tire swing. At that point, an argument might start over whose turn it was. All I had to do was say “Dad said…” or “Mom said…” and the argument ended. If Dad said it was time to come in, it was. If Mom said it was my turn to swing in the tire swing, it was. End of story.

The power of those words—their words—topped everything else. At that point, those words were all that mattered. All this week I’ve never once said, “Here’s how to stop the storm.” Maybe I should have. Maybe that should be the focus. But I don’t believe that we’re called to stop every storm. I believe we’re called to SPEAK to every storm and realize the power of those words—HIS words.

To say to the storm, “Hey, Matthew 6:33 says if I seek God first that He will give me everything I need, even in the storm.” To say to the storm, “Look, God said—that’s right, GOD—that if I come to Him, he will give me rest. So there!”

The power of the word of God is just that—the WORD OF GOD. Do you realize you’re speaking GOD’s WORDS? Just like 8-year-old me proclaimed, “Daddy said…”, the 40-something me can say, “God said…” and the same action, the same results, the same power is spoken to the storm.

So what are you saying to your storm?

Seriously, stop and answer. What are you saying to and about your storm? 

Scriptures: Proverbs 18:21, Mark 4:37-39

We talked about who you are and whose you are. We took responsibility for capturing worry-filled thoughts and fixing our thoughts upon Him. 

We learned that answer to prayer (a promise from God) often comes after an action we should take. 

We realized the authority of the Word of God.Today is the day we say to the storm, I’m done. No matter how much the thunder crashes and lightning blinds, no matter how deep the flood waters rise and winds whip through, I will stand. Today we take all the verses from this week and we say to our storm: 

“I am God’s masterpiece. He created me to do good things that He planned for me. This storm does NOT line up with those plans. The storm of sin must go, because the Word of God says I am no longer enslaved to sin. The storm of inadequacy must go, because the Word of God says I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

The storm of fear and worry must go, as I choose to capture fear-filled thoughts and align them with the Word of God which says if I stop worrying and, instead, pray about everything, tell God what I need, and thank Him for all He’s done, I will experience God’s peace. I choose to do that now. 

The storm of heavy burdens and exhaustion must cease, because the Word of God says if I give my burdens to Him, He will give me rest. Father, God, I give my burdens to you now. 

The storm of temptation and troublesome thoughts must go, because I give no room to Satan in my life. If I resist the devil, he is required to flee. My Father said so. 

The storm of financial burdens and of not-enough must go. I come today seeking God above all else. The word promises that when I do, my needs will be met. 

The storm of sickness and disease must go, because today I make you, Heavenly Father, my shelter and my refuge. I put my full trust in you and in knowing that when I do, no plague can come near my home. 

Today, I take the authority I have as a child of the living God whose Words flow out of my mouth. I have faith and I believe every prayer and every promise. I praise the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever. I praise the One who loves, who wants good for me, and who called me to a purpose. Today, I say to the storm the very words of the One who conquered death, hell, and the grave. 

Today, I say to the storm, “You no longer have power over me.” Today, I say to the storm the same words that Jesus, my friend and Savior, said: Peace, be still. I pray this in the name above all other names, Jesus. Amen.”