He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Mark 4:39 (NIV)
Words are powerful.
Mark 4 tells the story of when Jesus calmed a violent storm with nothing more than words. You may have heard this story before, but there are a couple things I’d like you to notice today.
First of all, as the story begins, Jesus didn’t say, “Hey guys, let’s all get in this boat and hopefully, God willing, we’ll get to the other side.” No, he said, “Let us go over to the other side” (v. 35, NIV).
When the storm began to blow and the situation didn’t seem to be heading toward what Jesus had spoken, the disciples started to panic. Waking Jesus up, they said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (v. 38). They couldn’t understand why Jesus wasn’t as freaked out as they were.
But Jesus had spoken the direction. He knew where they were going, and it wasn’t to the bottom of the lake.
When storms rise up that are contrary to what God says you can have in your life, get up and speak to the storm. When the situation is contrary to the healing, prosperity, peace or joy his Word promises you can have, tell that situation to be calm because you’re headed to the other side!
What storm do you need to rebuke today? Tell it to leave, in Jesus’s name, and then claim God’s Word. Start by claiming Numbers 6:24–26. Say, “Father, thank you for blessing and keeping me. Thank you for making your face shine on me, for being gracious to me and for giving me peace!”