The Power

Many years ago I lived in a place called Nuneaton, right in the geographical heart of England. I ate Yorkshire pudding, walked in the rain, and staffed three YWAM Discipleship Training Schools. Also on staff was Travis.

Travis was also from America. He was always coming up with these crazy ideas for inventions. He even patented one of them while I knew him. Oh, and Travis was prescribed medical amphetamines.

After a couple of months I began to notice a rhythm with Travis.

You see, Travis had a medical condition called narcolepsy. If you suffer from Narcolepsy then you have no natural sleep rhythm or pattern. Travis would have sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness.

In fact if you suffer from narcolepsy you might not be allowed to get a driving license. Because you can drop off to sleep at any time. I experienced this with Travis. We could be having a conversation and he’d nod off to sleep mid-sentence. While he was speaking. He even told me he feel asleep riding a bicycle once. Ouch.

Travis could sleep anytime, anywhere.

Jesus’ Power over Natural World

Jesus Could Sleep Anywhere!

Now Jesus was asleep in the boat. Narcolepsy wasn’t the cause - he’d simply had a long and taxing day of ministry. What I find remarkable however is that he REMAINED asleep. There was such a great wind storm that THE BOAT WAS FILLING WITH WATER! Waves were sweeping over the sides! And Jesus remained asleep.

The disciples were frightened - and I would have been too! I find the prospect of death by drowning to be terrifying. They’d seen Jesus perform amazing miracles. Could He help? Because they were out of options and the situation was critical already!

The Disciples still didn’t have the faith

They woke Him. How could He have remained asleep in the first place? “Don’t you care that we are perishing?”

Jesus didn’t offer up a prayer to God asking for life preservation. He didn’t reassure them that they wouldn’t die. He spoke directly to nature, the wind and the sea, AND NATURE OBEYED HIM.

And then Jesus said to the disciples’s “Have you still no faith?”

You see, the point of this encounter isn’t to say that Jesus is our anchor in the storms of life, etc. The point is that Jesus had authority over Nature. And the disciples understood that only God could directly command nature. And that is exactly what Jesus did.

They were still trying to figure Jesus out. Was He a great prophet like Elijah? Or was He someone else?

Only God has power over nature

You see, the point of this encounter wasn’t to say that Jesus is our anchor in the storms of life, etc. The point is that Jesus had authority over Nature. And the disciples understood that only God could directly command nature. And that is exactly what Jesus did.

They were still trying to figure Jesus out. Was He a great prophet like Elijah? Or was He someone else? And so we can understand when the disciples response is recorded “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus’ Power over Spirit World

Why did they attempt to shackle him

Stuff

Only God has power over spirits

Yes

Story of demons in the night

Application

Jesus has power to calm your fears and anxieties

Power over demons.

Power over circumstances.

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

I cannot promise you that faith in Christ will make every day sunny and beautiful, that everyone will like you, that you’ll get good grades and land a great paying job with amazing co-workers. I cannot promise you perfect good health for you and your family members.

But I can share with you this: We know the almighty all powerful God of the universe as Jesus> and no outside force can remove you from His love. And He is sufficient for you and He is sufficient for me.

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