Everyone that has put their faith and trust in God have faced moments when things did not work the way they thought. In the book of Mark, Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee again. While He was by the sea, a man named Jarius came and fell at His feet.
Mark 5:23 NKJV He begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”
Most parents know what it is like when their child is in crisis. When those situations arise, parents look everywhere they can for an answer. In Jarius’ search, he heard about Jesus and all of the things He was doing. Once he got the news about the miracles of Jesus, he searched until he found Him.
During this phase of Jesus’ ministry, He was traveling all over the region.
Jesus just got out of the boat when Jarius saw Him. At his feet, he begged Jesus to come to his house to heal his daughter. Listen to his faith.
He said: “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”
Mark 5:24 NKJV So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
This is amazing. There was no hesitation in the Lord’s willingness to go. That is what we all want when we pray.
While Jesus was going down the road, the multitude of people kept following Him and pressed around Him from all sides.
In Mark 3, when Jesus entered into villages, cities or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and as many as touched Him were made well. The multitude of people had all kinds of incurable diseases and afflictions. On the way to Jarius’ home, a woman with an issue of blood touched Jesus’ clothes. She had suffered for twelve years with an unusual flow of blood. After exhausting every resource she could find for help, she continued to deteriorate. At the end of her strength, she pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus.
Mark 5:28 KJV For she said, If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole.
It is impossible to know how many miracles of healing took place on the way to Jarius’ home.
When she reached out and touched His clothes, virtue or power flowed out of Jesus into her and she was healed.
Immediately, Jesus recognized that someone had made a draw of healing power through a touch of faith. He stopped the crowd and said: “Who touched Me?”
The Lord knows when you touch Him with faith.
She immediately knew what had happened to her.
Mark 5:34 NLT And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”
While this was happening, Jarius received word that his daughter had died.
Wait a minute. Jesus is on his way to Jarius’ home and this woman is healed, but the daughter has died. That kind of news can shake you to the bones. Things did not work the way Jarius thought they would.
The Lord is not hindered when we face desperate situations.
You may go through the flood and the fire, and receive the worst news possible.
Nothing can stop God from bringing an answer in your life.
Jesus knows all about your troubles. He has the answer before you face the trial and test. The worst news you can receive does not stop God.
Mark 5:36 NKJV As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
These are difficult words when things do not work the way you want.
“Do not be afraid; only believe.”
It is hard to believe when situations seem hopeless! When your situation looks hopeless, listen to Jesus. “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
They continued on the journey to his home. How do you react when things do not work the way you thought? Do you give up, or do you hold to God’s unchanging hand?
Jesus knew the gravity of the situation, so He said, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
Jesus was telling him—“look at Me.” When things do not work the way you thought, keep looking at Jesus. Jesus is the answer.
When He came into the house, He said: “Why are you distressed and weeping? She’s not dead but asleep?”
They could see her lifeless body. Sometimes the realities of our lives do not match the realities of what God is doing.
Her death was more real to them than Jesus’ power.
Death is powerless when Jesus is in the house. Sickness cannot rule when Jesus arrives. Life is in His hands. He is able to bless you when everything around you says no.
After He removed the doubters from the house, He turned to the child and said, “Talitha cumi,”which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”
All around the Sea of Galilee the disciples were in the school of Christ.
The Lord was showing them who He was, what He could do, and how to live by faith. They learned wonderful things about the Lord and saw Him heal, deliver, and supply. They witnessed miracles of power over all kinds of situations.
Much of our faith is developed around the wonderful works of Christ.
After one of those amazing days of teaching, miracles, and feeding multitudes, Jesus wanted to increase their faith.
Matthew 14:22 NKJVImmediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
Sometime our faith grows the most when there is no apparent presence of Christ. Jesus sent the multitudes away and spent some time in private prayer. He was there alone on the mountain.
Even when the Lord does not appear to be with them, He is still watching and developing His people.
There is an all-seeing eye watching you.
Matthew 14:24 NKJV But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Sometimes in the middle of your storm-tossed waves, you feel like the Lord does not know where you are.
We can begin to think that He does not care. Jesus knows where you are today. Contrary wind and waves reveal a lot of things about our faith.
Matthew 14:25 NKJV Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
Jesus knew exactly where to find them in the storm tossed sea.
Our troubles often arise like this. Sometimes it seems that all of a sudden everything that could go wrong happens. Have you been in that situation when suddenly everything changed and you were surrounded by troubles?
Jesus knows all about your trouble. In the storm, Jesus came walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:26–27 NKJV And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
In the midst of the storm, everything looks different.
In the midst of the storm, even your answer and deliverance can look wrong.
Jesus said: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
The storm was still brewing and the sea was troubled. Winds were blowing and waves were still beating.
The disciples are troubled in the boat when Jesus said, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Even though Jesus was near, they were troubled and fearful. His words were not enough for them in the storm. Then Simon Peter did something radical.
Matthew 14:28 NKJVAnd Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
Peter was not sure if it was the Lord, yet, he says: “If it is you!” “If it is you!” does not seem to be enough to step out of the boat.
In the midst of the storm, sometimes we need to face the things that have caused us fear.
This was a gigantic step for Peter while the waves were beating on the boat.
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
Matthew 14:29–32 NKJVSo He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Is anyone here ready to step out of the boat and walk on the water?
When Jesus says come, you can put your fears away and walk on the water. Peter had his eyes on Jesus and was rising above his storm. He must have thought that God had everything under control. You don’t have to sink in what is under you. The storm around will try to intimidate and consume you. Peter must have thought that he could do this.
Matthew 14:30 NKJVBut when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
When you step out of the boat, keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t start looking at all of your troubles. You didn’t get this far with your eyes on your troubles.
“When he saw the wind… he was afraid.”
The things that brought terror and fear were all around him. Peter could not sustain himself with everything that was coming against him.
Beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
At that moment, there was a hand in the midst of his storm.
Matthew 14:31-32 NKJV And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
There is a hand in the midst of your storm.
The troubles that would take you down are going to be defeated. Jesus will come to you so He may give you a hand over those things.
Notice that the storm did not stop until they got in the boat.
Sometimes we do not understand the storms and difficulties. Jesus wanted to take them to another level.
When Jesus made them get into the boat, He was prepared to take them to another level. You got in the middle of what God wanted you to do and you were doing the best you knew to do. Then the storm came on your life and all of the powers of evil started hitting you.
You were full of the joy of the Lord and were rejoicing in all that the Lord had done, and then it started. Don’t give up in the storm! There is a hand in the midst of your storm. The Lord is coming to you today.
Things may not be working the way you thought they would, but don’t give up.
The Lord is walking over your troubles and that consuming flood that has come against you. He is about to take you by the hand. There is a hand in the midst of your storm.
