Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Why don't you stand? As we honor the reading of God's word, I want you to open.
[00:00:04] We'll share our theme verse out of Romans 15, preaching part two of a message that is simply called marked. Everybody say marked.
[00:00:15] What in the world is that about? If you're here last week, you'll know. If not, I'll recap very quickly. Romans 15:13. This is our theme verse. It's there on the screen. Says this now May. In fact, do we want to read it together?
[00:00:27] Let's do it together. One, two, three, go. Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Now, Galatians, chapter 6 and verse 17. Paul's concluding his message. It's a defense of his ministry, essentially. And this is what he says now, don't let anybody bother me. Just leave me alone.
[00:00:53] And this is his reason why I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. He earned his stripes. He has room and the authority to talk about what he's talking about because he's been persecuted. He's endured the storms, he's gone through the trials, and he's walking in authority.
[00:01:16] Well, today, Acts 27, this is a longer passage, but I want you to get the story. Paul, in this particular episode, has been arrested.
[00:01:26] He has appealed to Caesar, and they put him on a boat. He's essentially on there with a bunch of prisoners, and they're taking him now to Rome is their desire. But he encounters a storm on the way. In verse nine, this is what it says now.
[00:01:43] When much time had been spent, the sailing was now dangerous because the fast was already over. Paul advised them, saying, men, I perceive this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but our lives nevertheless. The centurion was persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship by the things spoken rather than the things spoken by Paul.
[00:02:07] Because the harbor was not suitable to winter in the majority, advised them to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening towards the southwest and northwest, and winter there when the south wind blew softly. Supposing they had obtained their desire. Putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete, but not long after, a tempestuous. There you go. There's your vocab word for the day. Tempestuous headwind arose, called Euroclydon.
[00:02:40] You know it's a bad storm when they name it.
[00:02:44] When the ship was caught, they could not head into the wind. We let her drive the running udder.
[00:02:54] And running under the shelter of an island called Claudia, we secured the skiff with difficulty. This would make a good movie. When they had taken it aboard, they used cables to undergird the ship, and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis sands, they struck sail. So they were driven.
[00:03:12] We were exceedingly tempest tossed. The next day, they lightened the ship, meaning they're throwing stuff overboard. On the third day, we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. Now, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.
[00:03:32] But after long abstinence from food, Paul stood in the midst of them and said, men, you should have listened to me.
[00:03:41] Oh, praise God. You should have listened to me and not sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. But now I urge you, take heart.
[00:03:52] Be filled with courage. There will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship. There stood by me this night, an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, don't be afraid, Paul.
[00:04:11] You've got destiny on your life. You must be brought before Caesar, and God has granted you all those who sail with you.
[00:04:20] Oh, my goodness. Therefore, take heart, men. I believe God.
[00:04:26] It will be just as it was told me.
[00:04:29] However, we will run aground on a certain island.
[00:04:34] And this Trinity Church is God's word, and we believe it to be true. You may be seated.
[00:04:45] Last week we looked specifically at the life of Paul, and I shared. And this is another episode. This is another instance of this. Everywhere the apostle Paul went, he experienced a revival and a riot, typically in that order. But you'll see that today he experiences the riot first. And there's an expectation God's going to do something great through this. I don't think it was a coincidence that Paul experienced riots and revivals. He was stoned, he was persecuted, he was harassed, he was afflicted at times by demons in the flesh. Satan hindered his plans. In other times, he was hungry, he was anxious, he was fearful.
[00:05:34] And he overcame it all.
[00:05:36] He overcame it all. So we shared last week. Don't think it's strange when you fall into trials. The Bible says that God is producing in you a weight of glory that we. We won't even fully realize until we see God face to face.
[00:05:54] Trials are an entrance to glory.
[00:05:58] And when you endure trials, you are entering into greater realms of the kingdom.
[00:06:06] In fact, even this last week, I was hearing a Testimony. One of the great healing evangelists went home to be with Jesus just a couple years ago by the name of Oral Roberts.
[00:06:16] He said, it was in my sickness that I found the healing ministry.
[00:06:22] Young boy, tuberculosis, nearly a death sentence. But God raised him up. And for the rest of his life, he walked in an authority over sickness and disease.
[00:06:34] Even last week, when I shared on the idea of being marked, how Paul bore in his body the very marks of Jesus, I got a text message from one of our pastors, Pastor Edwin, and He said, Galatians 6, 17 is a life verse of mine. He actually has the word marked tattooed in Hebrew on his arm. And this is what he said. He said, I have carried scars because of my own trials. He's made decisions. It wasn't because he was suffering for Christ, but even those scars, God has turned for glory.
[00:07:13] Even the scars. And so this is what he has tattooed on him. Scarred for a cause.
[00:07:20] Scarred for a cause. And I'll just remind you, this is all kind of recap of last week.
[00:07:28] Paul found his success when he returned to grace. Everybody say grace.
[00:07:37] This is very important for us. If you're going through trials, if you're experiencing storms, I encourage you go back to the places where God spoke to you. Go back to the places where you encountered his grace. This is why coming together for worship is so important. You may have been beat on all week, but when we come back into this place and we set our eyes on Jesus, who is like the Lord, there is no one like Him. He is holy. All of a sudden, your problems come into right perspective.
[00:08:11] As we magnify him, he becomes great in our sight. And all of a sudden, our problems become diminished.
[00:08:18] It's important be intentional to come back to the places of grace.
[00:08:25] Even earlier this year, I had the joy of preaching the opening rally at Christ for the Nations. And this was especially unique. It was awesome for me because 20 years ago that semester, I had gone there as a student myself.
[00:08:44] And it was incredible. As I was standing on stage, I didn't plan for this really to be a moment during my message, but I remember just as I was opening and telling the students, like, I learned how to worship Jesus standing in that spot right there.
[00:08:59] I learned how to pray. I got yelled at by a. By a man from Ghana. He taught me how to pray in this prayer room back over here.
[00:09:08] I had roommates that formed the Love of the Word of God across the street in that building right over there. And as I began reflecting on all the things that God had done over 20 years ago, you know, it was like I was right back there in that place.
[00:09:24] It was like I was experiencing. I remember what it was like to experience God in worship for the first time. I remember the first miracle that I saw in the prayer chapel over there. I remember. Oh, I remember flirting with Leah in one of the back rows up there on days that I was bored by the class and I'm just gonna pass notes to my girlfriend. But what happens when you do that is all of a sudden those very same graces come right back into your heart. Why? Because God is timeless, you understand?
[00:09:57] In the very same way he was moving in the Book of Acts, he's moving here today.
[00:10:02] The grace that you experienced 20 years ago, God is the same. God, he's the same yesterday, today, forever. So if you're in trials, I encourage you, go back, revisit the testimony, rehearse the stories, tell somebody about the goodness of God.
[00:10:22] Now, today we're dealing with storms.
[00:10:26] And there's a lot to say about this, but here's my thesis. Adversity develops the call.
[00:10:33] Storms shape our destiny.
[00:10:37] Adversity develops the call. We talked about that a little bit last week. But storms shape our destiny.
[00:10:46] In this life, you must know you will face storms.
[00:10:51] You will face storms. If you have been alive for like, more than six months, you've probably faced a storm in this life, haven't you?
[00:11:01] You will face life. And there's a. There's a number of types of storms that we're going to deal with today. I want to help you. Today's. I know I came off heavy, maybe last week, but the feedback I got, I think a lot of us were in the same place, but there's victory on the other side.
[00:11:18] You will face, firstly, natural storms.
[00:11:22] Every one of us will experience natural storms. Life happens.
[00:11:28] Seasons come and go. Storms happen, and it's normal.
[00:11:34] I don't know about you, but sometimes I like I'm driving into the Walmart parking lot. Now, if I get a good parking spot, I feel like I must be under the favor of the Lord. And if I have a bad parking spot, God must be angry with me today.
[00:11:47] And as silly as that is, we tend to do that. But can I just tell you, sometimes a lot of people just decided to go to Walmart that day.
[00:11:56] And sometimes I just gotta go five spaces back. And if I would have just parked five spaces back, I could have walked up there in the time it would have taken me to find a closed parking spot anyway.
[00:12:07] But we all experience this, you know, sometimes Sickness or an affliction in your body can be spiritual warfare.
[00:12:16] And sometimes people just get sick.
[00:12:21] I'm trying to help you. You don't need to over spiritualize everything.
[00:12:24] Sometimes it's an attack, but sometimes you just need to take some vitamins.
[00:12:29] Hallelujah.
[00:12:32] My mentor, he died after a seven year battle with cancer. He was a great revivalist and people would ask him as he was going through this, is this a spiritual attack? Is this warfare? Has somebody pronounced a curse over you? And, and I'll never forget the last time I heard him preach. He stood up and he was pale, he was sick, but he was still preaching the word.
[00:12:56] And he says, you know, people ask me, is this the devil? Is this spiritual warfare? Is this an attack? And he's like, the Lord spoke to me and I know exactly what it is.
[00:13:06] I got sick.
[00:13:09] I just got sick.
[00:13:11] And that's exactly what it is part of life.
[00:13:14] There was a moment In Luke chapter 13, there were people who died in a construction accident. They were building this tower in Siloam. And you can read this in Luke 13, that tower falls down and they're asking Jesus essentially like, were they sinners and that's why they died, were they bad and that's why this happened. And Jesus response says, listen, do you think they died because they're less righteous than you are?
[00:13:42] No.
[00:13:43] This is essentially what he says. You need to focus on your life because one day we're all gonna die.
[00:13:51] So live a life that is quick to repent and follow the Lord Jesus. That was his advice to them. Don't try and judge this tragedy over here. That's not the wrath of God. No. Sometimes life happens, even during the Sermon on the mount. Matthew chapter 5, 45, it says, he makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good good. He sends rain on the just and the unjust. Guess what? Evil or good, the sun's still going to rise.
[00:14:21] Had a good week or a bad week? It may just rain.
[00:14:25] And that's just. I'm trying to help you because we as Pentecostals, we get over spiritual about a lot of different things. You know, sometimes people live long and sometimes not. How is it that Ozzy can outlive Hulk Hogan by six years?
[00:14:44] This guy's doing hard drugs his entire life. The other one lives in the gym.
[00:14:51] I don't get it. It's life. I can't always make sense of it. But there are, there are natural storms, there are at times even financial storms. Sometimes there are curses on finances. You have the Devour, eating at you. And there are spiritual principles, by the way, that you can combat that.
[00:15:12] Be a sower and you will be a reaper.
[00:15:15] The Bible says if you tithe, he will rebuke the devourer for your namesake. There are spiritual principles of giving that you can.
[00:15:25] That you can enact and you can walk in. However, ask the Davenports. You ought to show up to their class.
[00:15:32] If you're in poverty because you have invested poorly and you've been a bad steward, you ran up your credit card. That's not the devil that made you do that.
[00:15:44] That was poor planning.
[00:15:46] Those were unwise decisions. And you can learn and you can come through it. But, friend, that's not the devil that's coming after you.
[00:15:54] Sometimes that's just life. You know, you can look at so many areas, your friendships or your marriage. Yeah, maybe there's a spiritual attack on your marriage. Or maybe you ought to buy your wife some flowers and take her on a date.
[00:16:09] Maybe it's not the devil that's attacking you. Maybe you just need to stop being a jerk for a little bit, huh?
[00:16:18] I'm trying to help you. Some of these storms. Oh, the devil's after me. No, he's not.
[00:16:25] There's natural storms.
[00:16:29] But secondly, now this is where we will get a little more spiritual. There. There are supernatural storms every one of us will experience. Supernatural. Now, you are probably inclined to naturally fall into one of these.
[00:16:42] Either one, everything's natural. No, the devil's not after me. And that's what you come to naturally. And that's true sometimes.
[00:16:50] But people that are inclined to believe that will probably shrink away from the idea man.
[00:16:56] This is spiritual in nature. There's something funky going on in the spirit realm. And I think that's what's going on in this situation here. And so I'm hopefully going to help us see both of these at times, because I'm inclined to believe that this is what the Apostle Paul was dealing with.
[00:17:12] I said it a moment ago. But you know that you're facing a bad storm when they name it.
[00:17:18] And there's a lot of verbiage that would actually connect this. I don't have time to do it, but.
[00:17:25] But you'll see this connected actually to spiritual forces. And you look at what was going on. It was an attempt to kill the man of God, to delay the plans of God and to stop the assignment that was over the Apostle Paul. Those were demonic assignments.
[00:17:43] And you can see these types of storms all throughout Scripture.
[00:17:47] In the garden, you have the serpent that Came to Adam and Eve to deceive them.
[00:17:54] And, and, and we know, of course, there's the serpent and we see the curse. And oh boy, I love that song that we sang. A Jesus, the heel that crushes the head of the enemy. Come on. Jesus has victory. But we understand that wasn't just Eve giving into her own flesh, her own temptation. No. Satan came with an assignment to undermine God's children and to destroy that, that, that perfect harmony that they had in garden.
[00:18:24] We see that when Moses was born, there was an attempt to kill Moses through the annihilation of innocent children. Every child under the age of two was to be killed in that moment. And the same thing happened when Jesus was born. Herod put out a decree, an attempt to kill children to destroy the life of Jesus and many others before they even had the opportunity to live. Now, here's what's interesting. I put this in your notes, but in Revelation I won't read to you the whole thing, but Revelation 12, it gives us insight. You see, we could think that what Herod did was natural.
[00:19:06] He was an insecure leader. He didn't want there to be another king, so he ordered all the children to die.
[00:19:13] But Revelation gives us an insight.
[00:19:17] It talks about this serpent of old, this little crafty serpent that was in the garden with Adam and Eve by the time we come to Revelation, has now grown into a fierce dragon.
[00:19:29] And the Bible says that that dragon was crouching over Israel waiting for this son of promise to be born. It was waiting for Jesus to be born so that he could dove devour that child. But there was warfare that was going on. God the Father intervened and allowed a rescue of Jesus as he fled to Egypt.
[00:19:53] My point is that was not just a jealous king enacting, you know, Herod's version of Planned Parenthood. It was a demonic assignment to wipe out the anointing and God's anointed.
[00:20:08] So we must come to realize there are real demonic agendas in the world.
[00:20:15] An agenda to hinder the work of God. Yes. An agenda to kill babies. That's demonic in nature.
[00:20:23] It's demonic in nature. And I praise God that even in Texas it's getting shut down. Hallelujah.
[00:20:30] That's praiseworthy and that's a victory.
[00:20:33] There's agendas to keep the poor poor and to keep the corrupt in power. It's not just, well, this is my life and this is my people group. And this is a. This is just the situation. This is just our political stance. No, at times there are demonic agendas that must be identified and resisted and overthrown as we see the kingdom of God come.
[00:20:58] Oh, some of you are with me today.
[00:21:00] This is why you ought to pray. Jesus said, lord, deliver us from evil. So you know what I do every day I pray this God expose evil, shine a light on sin and every strategy of the devil. I pray. Come on. He said. He said that the shame that Jesus endured on the cross, he did to put the devil to open shame. Oh, I've made this like my life mission and goal. I want to embarrass the devil. I want to put him to shame. Come on. When God touches your life, that sickness that the devil meant to wipe you out, that calling, he's trying to annihilate your marriage, he's trying to destroy you. Realize you put the devil to shame every time you come through the storm and experience breakthrough.
[00:21:50] God is faithful as someone tell me. You know, they heard my story about someone apparently pronouncing curses, draping dead snakes on my mailbox. That happened. And someone says, you know, something similar has been happening to me, Pastor. There's a snake here, and I saw a spider here. And. But. But what was interesting is they were seeing it all.
[00:22:12] And I highlighted that to them, like, listen, now, don't freak out because this is happening. Rejoice in the fact that you are. It's being revealed before it afflicts you or your health or it affects your finances. God is showing you. This is what's happening right here.
[00:22:28] You ought to praise God. He's exposing the works of the enemy. He's exposing demonic assignments. The Bible says, Luke 10:19, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. That's Luke 10:19. That ought to be a memory verse for you. Somebody even pointed out to me this last week, and it so blessed me. Had a friend call me Pastor Jacob. I heard about that snake that got put on your mailbox. But can I just point something out to you? Like, yeah, and he says, you realize that your mailbox sits on public domain.
[00:23:08] It wasn't allowed. It tried to come close. But that curse, that witchcraft, could not cross that property line. It could not come into your home. It might try and put fear in you, try and open a door, but it could not come on you or your family.
[00:23:23] And I say, thank you, Jesus, Satan. You can come this far and no further because this home is covered by the blood of Jesus. My health is covered by the blood of Jesus. Come on. My finances are covered by the blood of Jesus. You ought to declare that over you and your life. Come on. Your relationships, your friendship, your church, your business is covered by the blood of Jesus.
[00:23:46] So we'll face natural storms and supernatural storms. Thirdly, you will experience internal storms, fears, anxieties, worries, self talk and doubt. We all experience it. It's what the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 7:5. We arrived in Macedonia and there was no rest.
[00:24:08] We face conflict from every direction, battles on the outside and fear on the inside.
[00:24:16] 2nd Corinthians 11:28. And apart from all other things, there's a daily pressure that is on me. The anxiety for all the church is you will face battles like this. You're going to have times that your brain goes nuts and you're in the company of the Apostle Paul.
[00:24:38] You're in the company of people like Peter, who, for fear of his own skin, denied knowing Jesus.
[00:24:46] You're in the company of people like Elijah. This is one of my favorite stories in First Kings, chapter 19. You know, he's just got chased off by Jezebel.
[00:24:57] He's in a low place in his life. He feels like he's all alone. You ever felt like that?
[00:25:02] He's laying out in the desert and he's depressed and he even prays for God to take his life. He's suicidal.
[00:25:11] And an angel comes to him and tells him.
[00:25:16] Read the story in acts. I'm sorry. 1 Kings 19. This is wild. The angel makes him a cake.
[00:25:24] This is the first instance of angel food cake.
[00:25:29] Angel makes him a cake.
[00:25:33] Don't eat deviled eggs if you want. No, I'm just kidding.
[00:25:38] Angel makes him a cake and tells him to take a nap.
[00:25:42] Do you know how many fights in your life could be avoided if you just eat a snack and take a nap?
[00:25:50] Serious, before you go, have it out with your boss, eat a snack.
[00:25:57] Before you bring up that issue with your spouse, go take a nap. You know what, honey? Before we fight this thing out, we should go take a nap.
[00:26:05] I want to make sure I'm not coming in this hangry.
[00:26:10] And so he took a nap and he ate some cake and he was okay, if that's all you get out of today, that's going to help you.
[00:26:20] That'll help you.
[00:26:23] But I want to give you a couple tools today. How did the Apostle Paul.
[00:26:26] He was in this storm. What did he do? We read the verses earlier, but I want to highlight a couple things and how we can navigate storms and come through strong on the other side, God is going to form your destiny. As you endure the storm, he's shaping it in you. He's forming his will and his desires in your life. And this is what the apostle Paul says. Acts 27 in verse 22. I urge you to take heart.
[00:26:52] There will be no loss of life among you. We're going to lose the ship. But there stood by me. I Love this. Verse 23. There stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve.
[00:27:10] There stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve. I want you to write this down. Here's how we're going to get help. You have unseen help.
[00:27:25] You have unseen help.
[00:27:28] I want you to say that out of your own mouth. I have unseen help.
[00:27:34] I love this. An angel of the God to whom I belong. I mean, think about where he is. He's been in a storm for days.
[00:27:45] Dark for days, tumultuous for days. No food, no rest. He's a prisoner about to go on trial, and an angel shows up.
[00:27:59] An angel. I love this. Of the God to whom I belong.
[00:28:07] I belong. He didn't say, an angel of the God that I believe in.
[00:28:13] He didn't say, it's an angel of. You know, I'm a part of this body of believers, and we adhere to. I've got this statement of faith. I'm a member of this church. All that's important. But no, it's not like I belong to a church.
[00:28:28] I profess this by faith. No, I belong to God.
[00:28:34] I belong to God. And I want you to know something, friend. God is working on your behalf even before you say a word.
[00:28:45] Isaiah 65, 24. It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer. And while they are still speaking, I will hear even before you start to pray. God's already moving.
[00:29:01] You're in the storm of your life, and before you even voice your need, God is already moving on your behalf.
[00:29:09] Jesus reiterated this in Matthew 6, 7. When you pray, don't use vain repetitions as the heathens do. They think they will be heard for their many words. Don't be like them, for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him.
[00:29:29] He knows what you need, and he's working on your behalf. You have unseen help.
[00:29:35] Peter was delivered from prison in Acts, chapter 12. An angel came and struck him on his side and led him straight out of the prison.
[00:29:46] Angels strengthened Jesus after he overcame the devil in the wilderness In Matthew chapter 4, in verse 11, angels came and strengthen Jesus. Unseen help angels also strengthen Jesus in the garden as he was preparing to be crucified in Luke 22, in verse 43, you have unseen help.
[00:30:08] There are angels that show up, my friend, and sometimes you don't even realize it.
[00:30:13] My wife, she was sharing. It was a powerful story when she was first leaving for Bible college. And she grew up in Hawaii, never left home, never away from her parents. And so here she is, 17 years old, gets on a plane, is flying to Dallas, Texas. And that's scary if you've never been away. Have you ever been to Hawaii? It's small.
[00:30:33] You know about everybody on the island. And so for her to leave this little community and to come to big Dallas with nobody, that was frightening.
[00:30:42] But she's sitting there on the plane, she's crying, she's afraid, and then comes. Sit next to you.
[00:30:52] It was a lady. Come sit next to her, honey. What's going on with you? She begins to talk to her, begins to encourage her. And then as they're getting off the plane, hands her a wad of cash, big stack of money.
[00:31:07] Leah looks at this thing and then she turns to thank this lady who's just blessed her.
[00:31:14] She's gone.
[00:31:15] Never sees her again. Has no idea who she is or where she went.
[00:31:19] I believe there's moments like that that angels show up. This is unseen help. Angels show up.
[00:31:27] Isn't that what Hebrews said? There's moments where you are entertaining angels unaware.
[00:31:32] That's why I ought to be nice to strangers. That's why you ought to be nice to people. Because you might. You may just be talking to an angel that has come to minister to you. You have unseen help. In Matthew 18:10, take heed. Don't despise these little. This is Jesus saying, listen, you better be nice to little kids. For I say to you, in heaven, their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven.
[00:32:01] What?
[00:32:04] Think about this.
[00:32:07] You're nice to a child.
[00:32:09] Jesus said, there is an angel that is representing them before my Father in heaven.
[00:32:22] You got angels looking out for you. You got angels looking out for your kids.
[00:32:28] You got angels. I know that man, Pastor you. I know. People get weird about angels. Don't start praying to angels. I understand that. The problem is we've gone so far the other direction, we never talk angels. You have unseen help. You have people that will. You have angels that will show up. In fact, the Bible even says, Hebrews chapter one, in verse 14, it says, angels are servants, spirits, to care for people who will inherit salvation. In the new King James, it says there are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation.
[00:33:02] Are you saved?
[00:33:04] Have you been born again?
[00:33:06] Then according to the Bible, God has ministering angels that are available to care for you, to minister to you.
[00:33:16] You're never alone.
[00:33:18] You have unseen help. This ought to make you walk a little taller.
[00:33:26] You're afraid in your job. Like, I don't know if this contract's going to go through. You realize you got angels that are with you.
[00:33:35] You're seeking God. I don't know what to do. I need you to speak. Half the time angels showed up, they were carrying message. Messages. It's literally one of the translations for the word angel. Means messenger or minister. When they show up, they're there to help provide care.
[00:33:55] You are allowed to say amen to this kind of stuff. I don't know. People get it. They get weird with angels. But man, God has sent.
[00:34:04] I don't pray to angels, but you better believe that I asked God. Hey, some of these angels, can you put them to work? Here we have storms, but you have unseen help. God is with you. He is on your side, even in moments.
[00:34:22] We looked at it last week. Paul told Timothy, everybody's abandoned me. I don't have my spiritual sons here. The church hasn't shown up. I've been forsaken. I've been forgotten. But in second Timothy 4. 17, he said, the Lord.
[00:34:33] But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. He delivered me, and he will deliver me from every evil. Jesus never said it would be easy. But he did promise, I will be with you.
[00:34:49] He never promised that this life would be easy. It will hold storms. But he said, I will be with you. Lo, I am with you always.
[00:34:59] Even to the end of the day of the age. We have unseen help. You have angels ministering on your behalf. You have the Father who knows what you have need of, and he is working even before you answer. And you may just have Jesus himself come show up and stand next to you in your time of great need.
[00:35:19] We have unseen help. Secondly, we have seen help.
[00:35:23] Come on, let's make that a declaration, too. I have seen help. I want you to say it. I have seen help.
[00:35:30] This is our main text. I like this. We read it, men. Paul said, you should have listened to me.
[00:35:37] I said, we shouldn't sail from Crete. We could have avoided this disaster and this loss. Now listen. You will endure storms in this life.
[00:35:47] However, there are some storms you can avoid.
[00:35:51] If you will hear wisdom Amen.
[00:35:59] When somebody comes alongside you and says, hey, I know how you can get out of this problem, I'm telling you, that's why I even mentioned the Davenport site. If you're in financial problem, they are there to give you seen help. You can pray the devil off of your finances, praise God. But if you don't learn the principles to stay out of trouble, you're going to continue to have trouble.
[00:36:21] Listen to somebody who's been married for 50 years tell you, hey, try this with your spouse.
[00:36:28] You could avoid some storms.
[00:36:30] Listen, there comes a point in time. I know most of our teenagers will be in the next service. I know by the time you hit like 16 till about, I don't know, 22, 25, your parents are the stupidest people you, you ever meet. You don't know, you don't know what I'm going through.
[00:36:45] But somewhere around 25, you begin to realize you get your first job or you get married, you have your first kids, you have these life things and you're like, I think mom and dad know what they're talking about.
[00:36:59] I better. And I'm telling you, your parents, your parents can help you navigate certain storms they can help you avoid. This is God given wisdom that God has given you.
[00:37:11] There's some glimpses into this, but one that really warms my heart.
[00:37:15] Paul, he mentions that he had a messenger of Satan, a thorn in the flesh that was buffeting him. He was in a storm, he was in a trial, I believe. Let me give me some theology. I believe that, I mean, we know that it was an affliction in his flesh, so he was going through something physical. There's a lot of theories on what this is, but I believe that it had to do with his eyes.
[00:37:42] I believe it had to do with his eyes. And because when Paul is writing the book of Galatians, he mentions that he has written it with his own hand. And he mentions in chapter six that he has written it with very large letters. And many scholars believe it's because it's the only way he could actually see what he was writing earlier. In Galatians, Paul is thanking the church for the way that they loved him. And in Galatians 4:15, he says, I testify if possible. You would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
[00:38:17] Paul had something going on, but he had help that was around him.
[00:38:23] He had people that loved him so much. And he knew, you have stood with me and you have loved me in the midst of this demonic storm. And I know that if it was possible, you would have gouged out your own eyes and given them to me. Because you love me that much, friend. I'm telling you, in storms you realize who your covenant relationships are.
[00:38:48] Who are the people who come close to you? Who are the people who stand with you?
[00:38:54] Let me just flip this for a moment.
[00:38:56] You may see that somebody you care about is going through the trial of their life.
[00:39:02] Be there for them.
[00:39:04] Be the one that as they look back on the trial and they say, I've come through it. And you prayed for me. You stood with me. You were obedient when God told you to give me some money. You were obedient when God told you to visit me, to send me that message. You were the one who stood with me, friend. We need people like that in our lives.
[00:39:25] This is why coming together like this is so important.
[00:39:31] I love that brother Steve Eckel sitting here on the front row. We have prayed for this man of God for months and months and months and months.
[00:39:39] And I turn around in our pre service prayer and I see people gathered around him, hugging him, loving him. And we've been with him in spirit. But I'm telling you, Steve, it's something different when you get in the house of God. Isn't it something different when people hug you and embrace you, when they visit you in the hospital, lay hands on you.
[00:39:57] You gotta have some people that'll show up in your trial, that'll show up in your storm.
[00:40:04] Steve, I just prophesy over you. In the mighty name of Jesus, you are coming through this storm.
[00:40:12] You have come through the worst of it and it is glory to glory from this moment forward. In the mighty name of Jesus, no more cycling this mountain again, no more walking through this. You have overcome and there is kingdom of God, authority and glory that is increasing over your life. You will not have to fight this battle again. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray you have unseen help. You have seen help.
[00:40:49] Show up to the plunge party and meet some people.
[00:40:52] Show up on Wednesday night and meet the people that pray.
[00:40:56] Show up to a Sunday school class, get in a Bible study.
[00:41:00] We have so many opportunities. You can literally show up every night of the week. And there is something that is going on at this church. There are people that you can connect with, people that desire covenant relationship.
[00:41:13] Thirdly and worship team. You could come. I'm closing with this.
[00:41:19] Acts 20:7 verse.
[00:41:22] The apostle Paul said, do not be afraid. This is what the angel said, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar. Indeed, God has granted you all Those who sail with you.
[00:41:35] Now, let me just pause there. This is a bonus point.
[00:41:39] There is a protection that is extended towards those who are near to you if you walk with the Lord.
[00:41:48] All of these heathen pagan people were spared because they were with Paul.
[00:41:55] Paul, I'm not just protecting you. I'm protecting everybody who's with you.
[00:42:00] I'm telling you, man of God, nobody else in your house may love or serve the Lord. But there is a favor and a grace and a protection that comes over your household as you stand as a priest over your home.
[00:42:14] Mama.
[00:42:15] As you operate by faith, your husband may not care one bit about the Lord. He may not influence your kids the right directions. But as you are there representing Jesus, being an intercessor and an overseer in your home, I'm telling you, there is a grace, there is a favor, there is a protection that is extended over your kids whether they want it or not.
[00:42:37] That's a bonus point for you.
[00:42:39] Here's the actual point. 3. We are marked with purpose.
[00:42:45] You are marked with purpose. Come on. We've made the other ones a declaration. I want you to say this. I am marked with purpose.
[00:42:54] Paul, you still have an assignment on your life. You still need to appear before Caesar. You're not going to die.
[00:43:00] You have a purpose. God has marked you. And he will fulfill what he has promised to you. He was receiving his marks, but he knew he. He had a purpose. Everywhere he went, revival and riots.
[00:43:17] He's in the middle of a storm. Riot. Right here in this moment.
[00:43:23] He's experiencing the trial.
[00:43:26] But he knows God has a purpose for my life.
[00:43:31] And you know what I love? You can read the story on your own.
[00:43:35] He experiences a revival.
[00:43:37] Experiences a revival. Right in the wake of this tragedy.
[00:43:42] Shipwrecked trouble.
[00:43:45] But he lands. This is such a cool story. Read it. Read it in Acts 27 and 28.
[00:43:52] This isn't going to cost us our life.
[00:43:55] Not one hair on your head is going to. Is going to perish.
[00:44:00] They lose the ship and they land on an island.
[00:44:04] And the Bible says they were met with unusual hospitality.
[00:44:08] There were natives on the island of Malta that were ready to receive the Apostle Paul. And everybody who was there, they build a campfire.
[00:44:19] This is wild.
[00:44:21] The apostle Paul grabs a bundle of sticks. He's bringing it over to the fire. He throws it out on the fire. And all of a sudden, out from that fire, viper grabs him by the hand.
[00:44:35] Paul shakes that thing into the fire.
[00:44:38] And the people said, this guy must have been a murderer. There's a Curse on his life. And they were waiting for him to die.
[00:44:47] I'm just telling you, if I had been shipwrecked, if I had been for days, in storms, no food, all this suffering.
[00:44:57] Even if an angel came and said, it's gonna be all right, and the first thing that happens, you get bit by a snake.
[00:45:03] I would be struggling, man.
[00:45:05] I would be struggling.
[00:45:09] Not Paul.
[00:45:11] He shakes it into the fire and the people are watching. I mean, read this.
[00:45:16] They're waiting for him to swell up and drop dead.
[00:45:19] But he didn't.
[00:45:21] I've given you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy. He's walking in that.
[00:45:32] So the people begin watching him. And when he doesn't die, they said, well, he must not be a murderer. That's cursed.
[00:45:38] He must be a God for real. That's their conclusion. This must be a God. And they were so moved upon by him. Paul. The Bible says that there was a governor that opened up his home. Well, I need to host this God in my house. They go in there. He lays hands on this man who had dysentery.
[00:45:59] He sees him miraculously recover. Now the governor has been healed. He is allowing Paul to stay in his mansion. And the Bible says that the entire island, everyone who had sickness or infirmity, came to that mansion where Paul is now living. He laid his hands on them, and everyone he prayed for was healed.
[00:46:21] He endured the storm and he stepped into a great healing revival. That entire island was ministered to by the power of God.
[00:46:32] God will turn your storms for his glory. He is shaping destiny and purpose on the inside of you. He's got a call and an assignment over your life, and he will fulfill it.
[00:46:44] Come on. The devil may try and bite you, but you're going to come through it in the conclusion. Think about this. I believe that snake biting him is what blew the door wide open for him.
[00:46:59] How did you survive that?
[00:47:01] There's something supernatural that's going on here. And next thing they know, he reveals to them, I'm not God, but the God to whom I belong.
[00:47:10] He's here, everybody. Oh, my goodness.
[00:47:14] Oh, my goodness.
[00:47:20] So take heart.
[00:47:23] There will be no loss of life among you.
[00:47:26] Take heart.
[00:47:28] I believe God.
[00:47:31] It will be just as was told me.
[00:47:35] This is a conclusion. You can make it a point if you'd like.
[00:47:39] We must choose to believe God.
[00:47:42] It's a choice.
[00:47:44] A choice.
[00:47:46] And you and I can choose to. But you can believe the words of this preacher today.
[00:47:51] Okay? The storm. I'm going through. You're saying this is going to turn for my glory? Yes, I am. If you stay close to Jesus, it's going to turn for his glory.
[00:48:00] It will turn. It will. You will endure. You can come through, but you have to choose to believe. Paul could have rejected that word.
[00:48:09] He could have chosen to walk in doubt, in unbelief. He could have chosen to say, that must have been just some crazy dream that I had. I don't know if I really. Was that an angel? I don't know. I'm just delirious because I haven't slept for days.
[00:48:22] I choose to believe God, he said, I choose to believe God.
