The Storm Calmer

It’s audio devo day!

Are you in the middle of a fierce storm? You have exactly the right Man in your boat with you. Lean in and hear Him saying to and through you, “Peace, be still!” Then take in the great calm that settles in around you as you listen here:

(Encouraged by this? Know someone else that needs to hear this today? You can either share today’s blog link with them, or look up my Feeding on Jesus podcast for sharing and subscribing. You’ll find it at these links on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and most other podcast platforms, with episodes identical to these audio devos!)

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“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39, NKJV).

Can you picture that? “A great calm.” Serene waves lapping peacefully at the edge of the maritime vessel. A beautiful sky. A sweet, soothing breeze. This great calm was not just external; it was invading the depths of the disciples’ souls too, almost as if the terrifying storm they had just survived had never even happened.

A great calm. Aren’t we all longing for such a thing right now? Well, guess what, my beloved friend. You have just the right Man in your boat with you. The Storm-Calmer is right there by your side.

The Storm-Calmer emanated peace everywhere He went, during the entire length of His earthly sojourn. Before He rebuked the aforesaid storm, He slept in it. The screaming squall could not penetrate the cocoon of His perfect peace as He napped. When His friends did wake Him up, that unshakable peace on the inside of Him then rose up and moved through and out of Him as a mighty force. With it, He subjected the storm. The wind and waves were no match for the all-powerful Prince of Peace.

You know what is amazing? This same Storm-Calmer, this same Prince of Peace, lives inside of you now. Through His indwelling Spirit, His power is now available to you. You know what else is amazing? He actually expects His disciples to learn to live the same way He did. He lovingly called the twelve out on their fear in those moments, pointedly asking, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25, NKJV).

You have to hear the passionate kindness in His voice when He asked them that probing question. With His eyes, with His tone, and with His body language, He was imparting strength to them. He was communicating to their hearts, Watch me and learn. You can do this too, just like Me. You honestly and truly don’t have to give in to fear. You can live in perfect peace just like I do… even in the fiercest storms of life. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also” (John 14:12, NKJV).

Jesus was showing them, for their benefit and ours, that peace is not just the absence of a storm. It’s heavenly power that keeps us strong in the midst of the storm. As we learn to walk in supernatural peace more and more, we are going to resemble Him. His powerful peace will ultimately come up through us and manifest in the world around us.

Did you know that you can loose the power of peace into your environment? Yes, that’s right. The Prince of Peace is greater than he who is in the world. He is greater than your every storm. He’s alive on the inside of you. He’s ready to release His fullness through you to those around you. His peaceful presence is powerful. It brings chaos and confusion into subjection.

When I am in a public place – or often even just walking through my house – I like to focus on the presence of God flowing through me into my surroundings. My spirit perceives it as a river of water pouring out of me everywhere I go. This is wonderfully real. And you have it too. Remember Jesus’ words? “Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says” (John 7:38, MSG).

I vividly remember an occasion when I was in a boat packed full of people, on the Amazon River. A savage tempest came up and was tossing the boat violently. Most of those present were terrified. The life-threatening danger was real. But Jesus was keeping me in His peace. Full of His calm, I watched the angry waves coming against us. I focused on spreading His peace to the ones sitting around me, without any words. The Prince of Peace was in that boat with us, and He was ministering His loving presence to them through me.

We came through that storm just fine. And you know what, deeply loved child of God? You will come through yours just fine too. Remember. Peace is power. Remember that You have Him, the source of that unlimited power, with you and in you now. He’s got the storm, and He’s got you. Maybe just curl up with Him and take a nap in it. And when you wake up, stand up with Him and usher His decree, “Peace, be still!”

Then look around and drink in the great calm that He brings.

Yes, child, peace. Peace, be still.

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Was it unrealistic of Jesus to call out His disciples about their fear in such a legitimately life-threatening situation? What do you think? Is it really possible to be free of fear in even the fiercest of storms?