Are you struggling through a trial right now?
When you think of the challenge before you, does it make your heart sink?
How can we overcome even when it feels like all hell is breaking loose?
Today we’re talking about how you can navigate the storms of life. This will be a three-part series.
Now today is for you if:
If you’re in a trial, coming out of a trial or heading into a trial.
Challenges are just shadows.
Psalms 23:4 “even though I walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death, I will fear no evil.”
Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave (Colossians 2:15). They can’t ultimately hurt us.
We all encounter scary shadows walking toward us, threatening to take us down.
We have powerful tools to help us through.
To help us understand today’s tool, let’s go to an incident–a serious life-threatening situation–that Jesus and His disciples went through.
READ Mark 4:35-41 NASB - Jesus calms the storm
Why did Jesus rebuke them for being afraid?
This incident came right after a day of Jesus talking to the crowd in parables (Mark 4:1-34).
Mark 4:3,” Listen to this! Behold, the sower….”
Listen in Greek means to hear God’s voice, which is part of Him birthing faith within.
Jesus tells everyone to really listen to hear God’s voice because he’s going to birth faith in them.
Later Jesus says,” If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Hear is the exact same Greek word–listen.
Jesus explained each parable to His disciples because he wanted them to grasp something.
Jesus said, “let’s go over to the other side.”
Then, after Jesus calms the storm, He asks His disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Faith means God giving His persuasion.
We can see from the disciples’ reaction to the storm they weren’t entirely persuaded that what Jesus said would happen, and they missed out on what Jesus wanted to do in and through them.
How do I get this Faith–God-given persuasion?
1. Listen
Listen to hear and let God birth faith in you.
Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Spend time in God’s word listening–actively reading in a way that we’re listening to what God wants to show us.
As we develop this “Listening” skill, God births His Faith or persuasion in us. It’s this faith that takes us through the valley of the shadow of death.
Action Step:
What’s one way you “Listen” when you’re in the middle of the “Valley of the Shadow of death”?
Next episode, we’re going to develop some strategic “Listening skills” to develop this Faith–God-given persuasion.
If you want to live a life free of fear, pick up my free resource, Three Habits to Live Fearlessly Free, at https://www.heatherlbunch.com/.
This worksheet will help you overcome the fear holding you back and help you stop the negative conditioning.
Thanks a bunch for listening!
Until Next Time, Live Fearlessly Free
