Kingdom EncountersSample

When God allows a storm in your life, He does it for a purpose. Now, the purpose may not be the same for all of us at the same time. For example, the purpose of this storm in the disciples’ lives wasn’t the same purpose as the storm God sent to track down Jonah when he sought to run away from His presence. But whatever the purpose may be, look for it. Because when God sends a storm, He is attempting to work in you, through you, or around you—either to correct or perfect something. God wants to fix something that may be broken or develop something that may need to grow.

Jesus deliberately placed His disciples in the storm. Even though it may not have felt like it to the disciples, they were smack dab in the middle of where God wanted them to be. And what’s more, they were alone. At least they felt alone. Last time they were in a storm, Jesus had been with them, sleeping on a pillow. But this time, Jesus had chosen to go off by Himself and pray. He was doing what we read about in Hebrews 7:25.

If we look elsewhere in Scripture, we can gain insight into what Jesus is praying. In Luke 22, we come across another situation where Jesus is praying for one of His disciples. Peter has just told Jesus that no matter who betrays Him, he never would. But Jesus knows better. And Jesus knows what was more important in the long run, and that is the retaining of Peter’s faith in the midst of Peter’s failure. Because personal failure can often lead to a landslide of lost esteem, which then produces a lack of faith and confidence.

Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. Likewise, when Jesus prays for you as you go through a storm, He is praying that your faith might remain strong in spite of the circumstances that He Himself has allowed you to be placed in. He is praying for the strengthening and development of your faith. Trials are designed to cause you to trust Him more. Thus, when storms are splashing all around you—whether they be financial, relational, professional, or any other type of storm, especially one that involves a contradiction—it is God attempting to develop greater faith in you. He wants you to have a kingdom encounter that will expand your knowledge of Him, belief in Him, and compassion for others who also need to grow in faith.