Plunder for the Kingdom
Words of Faith 11-28-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 4
[35] That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." [36] Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. [37] A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. [38] Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
[39] He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
[40] He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
[41] They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

When Jesus had concluded this rather serious teaching about the kingdom, he suddenly suggested a road trip, or really a lake trip. "Let us go over to the other side..." What we need to realize is that this was not a trip without purpose, this was a mission. Jesus very deliberately set out to cross over to "the other side" of the lake.
The eastern side of the Sea of Galilee was in the region of the Decapolis-- the Ten Roman Cities that controlled the region. It was an area considered unclean by Jewish people and known to be dominated by demonic activity. Jesus was going into enemy territory.
We need to remember that in Mark 3:27, Jesus told us that, "no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house." The Greek word there is diarpazo, dee-ar-pad'-zo, and means to seize or plunder. Jesus made it clear that His intention was to tie up the "strong man" Satan-- and plunder his house and territory.
Jesus was going "plundering." It was surely a righteous plundering. Scripture is clear that Satan comes to kill steal and destroy. Jesus comes to plunder Satan's house and rescue those he has taken captive. The disciples did not know it but in a sense, they were aboard a righteous Spiritual pirate ship!
So It should not have been surprising that as they went across the lake, a furious squall came up. It was quite a storm. Waves broke over the boat-- and it was nearly swamped. The disciples were terrified by the storm, and then mortified by the fact that Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat. When they awakened him, they asked, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Of course, Jesus took charge and rebuked the wind. "Be silent! Be muzzled and remain so!" It was the same command that He had given to demons. It is clear that in some sense demonic opposition was commanding this storm. But now the wind died down and it was completely calm. There must have been a stunned silence.
"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
We don't want to miss the fact that Jesus had been teaching about the Kingdom-- the sovereign rule and power of God that is now here. On this lake trip, Jesus was now demonstrating His absolute authority over hostile power. Given the mission ahead, this was critical for the Disciples to understand.
We also don't want to miss the fact that we are going to have opposition. If you are doing the mission of God you can be sure that the Enemy camp is not going to be happy. We will have storms that we think are about to swamp the boat. But Jesus is still with us; He will not leave you or forsake you.
The power of Jesus can handle any storm. No matter the situation you are going through Jesus can handle it-- the worst family crisis, the most terrible business situation, or the most intense "life storm"-- Jesus can handle it. This is the first of four miracles that clearly show Jesus' sovereign authority over various hostile powers-- a storm at sea (4:35-41), demon possession (5:1-20), incurable physical illness (5:25-34), and death itself (5:21-24, 35-43).
God uses the storm we are in to prepare you for the mission that is ahead. He uses the storm to demonstrate His awesome power, to build and strengthen your faith, and to gather strength in "the fleet."
How do we respond? Jesus said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Jesus has not come to steal from you. Jesus has come to rescue you. But Jesus has also come to plunder the strongholds of the Enemy. Jesus is the stronger man.
Are you ready to trust Jesus? To trust Jesus with a life storm? Or are you going to keep battling the wind and the waves on your own? Are you ready to trust that God is preparing you for His mission through you?
God has a purpose in the storm.

Lord God, thank you for your power and presence in the storm. Forgive me for the times I have failed to trust you. I sent my heart fully upon your promises to never leave me or forsake me. Do your work of strengthening preparation in my life for the missions that are ahead. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.