Viola Solid Rock Assembly
Obstruction to New Faith
But the thing is, is storms are not always bad things. They're construction things. They're not, they're not bad things. They're constructive things. When we're going, when we go through the storm and Jesus brings us through it, if we haven't gained something from it, then we've messed up. 'Cause there should be some construction that took place. And I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but that's what should take place. And I was thinking about the storm and that we've been looking at. And I was thinking about how, how when Peter got out and walked on the water, which we talked about last week, but the next verses after he was walked on the water, it says in verse 32 that Matthew 14 verse 32, it says, when they climb back into the boat, Jesus and Peter, when they climb back into the boat, the wind stopped. The wind stopped. As soon as they climb back into the boat, it wasn't like they climbed back in, took a seat, streaking a cup of coffee, and then it stopped. As soon as they topped the rail, feet hit the floor of the boat, the wind stopped. But verse 33 is the most important and most probably impactful verse of this whole chapter. Because then it says, and the disciples worshiped him, you really are the son of God, they exclaimed. This, this was the moment. Matthew doesn't record any moment prior to this, that the disciples worshiped. It was in this moment that something happened that changed them. This storm had served its purpose. The reason that the wind had stopped was because the purpose that the storm was therefore had been served. They were following Jesus' instructions. In verse 22, he says, immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people away. As soon as he's, they fed the 5,000, he tells the disciples, go get in the boat, go to the other side. Now it boggles my mind because they never said, well, how's he gonna get there? They just did what he said. They went and they got in the boat and they started on their way and Jesus sent the people away and we know he goes up on the mountain and prays alone. But as soon as they got a little ways out from shore, they faced this storm and this storm that challenged them. It stretched them, gale force winds and waves that were threatening to capsize the boat and they were terrified and they wouldn't, they were afraid that they wouldn't make it through the night. They were doing exactly what God had told them to do. They were doing exactly what Jesus said. Jesus said to do this and then they faced this storm. How often do we end up in the same place that God speaks to us? He gives us instructions. We step out to follow and immediately the storm hits. We're challenged, we're stretched. In some instances, we probably even questioned if we made the right decision. If we are following God's plan for our lives, it shouldn't be this hard. It should be smooth sailing with no friction, no pushback, no problems. But I read something this week that nailed this whole thing that I was thinking about. It said obstruction is a predictable occurrence that often follows obedience to the Lord. Obstruction or the storm is almost, you can almost guarantee that when we are, you step out in obedience to God, that an obstruction or a storm is gonna come your way, you can almost guarantee it. You must put money on it. Why? Because something typically needs to happen. In order for us to complete what God is asking us to do. Well, why does it have to be so hard? He didn't say it was gonna be easy. Why does it, why do we have to go through the storm? Why do we have to go through this? The obstruction leads to construction. Through the obstruction of the storm, there was some spiritual construction that happened. Storms come to build our faith, to stretch us to a not new height in our walk. Through the obstruction of the storm, there was some spiritual construction that took place in the disciples. They had seen Jesus perform miracles, right? I mean, they just saw Him take three fish and five loaves and feed over 5,000 people. That is a miracle. They've seen Jesus heal people. They've seen Jesus meet people in their time of need, but these guys had never experienced, they had never gotten themselves in a predicament that needed a miracle for their own lives. They had not gotten in a spot that necessitated it, right? They had not gotten a spot that needed that miracle for themselves, but the obstruction, the storm that followed after they were doing exactly what Jesus said calls them to need that miracle. Verse 32, when they climb back into the boat, the winds stop, then the disciples worshiped Him, saying you really are the Son of God. They needed a miracle. They were terrified. I mean, think about it. They saw Jesus and said, oh my, it's a ghost. Don't worry guys, it's just me. Yeah, right. I've seen ghostbusters. And they're there and Jesus, they needed that miracle and Jesus steps forth and gives them the calm in the storm. It's the first time recorded though that the disciples worshiped Jesus. There were some spiritual construction that took place. They said, hey, you know what? There is something to this. We needed a miracle and He showed up for us. There's something about Him that's different. What caused Him to be able to say? Peace be still. He didn't even speak to the wind in the waves. In this instance, He just stepped in the boat and it stopped. He didn't have to. But because of this instance, because of this moment, because of what happened right here, we see in Matthew chapter 16, verse 15, when Jesus asked, who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered, you are the Messiah, the son of the living God. What caused Him to be able to say this because of what happened in Matthew chapter 14 when they got into the water? And Jesus said, come on and walk on the water. That's what caused Him to be able to say that because He experienced it. He was walking on water and He started to sink and He cried out and immediately Jesus grabbed Him by the arm and lifted Him out of the water. I pick on you 'cause you sit right here. He's gonna move across the room. But the reason that it wasn't necessarily just that Peter, what really got it was when they got back in the boat and it stopped. The whole time He was walking on the water, the wind and the waves, it was still happening. Everything was still going on. He wasn't walking on, Jesus wasn't surfing on ice blocks, okay? This was what some people believe. That wasn't happening. He wasn't walking on glass. It was still choppy water. It was still wind that was knocking Him down. And yet as soon as they climbed over the edge of the boat, it stopped. It stopped. It was the instruction that led to the obstruction that led to construction that got Him to the point that He followed the instruction to step out of the boat and begin to sink because of the obstruction. But the construction of Jesus, rescuing Him, changed everything. Now He says, you are the Son of God. They were following instructions and God on the boat. And then they met the obstruction of the storm. And then Jesus climbs in and the wind stopped, the wave stopped. And the construction of the faith was built. He really is the Son of God. It really, it really is Him. And when we go through storms, sometimes we get mad at the storm. This is terrible. I hate this. I don't want to go through this. Why do I have to deal with this? Just wait 'cause construction is coming. And I was gonna build our faith. We see the same patterns with Moses. He followed God's instruction to go back to Egypt. And when he got there, he met obstructions with Pharaoh. But God was constructing, proving, providing with the plagues. Then He's leading the people out of Egypt only to get to the obstruction of the Red Sea to see God start the construction process of making a highway through the sea and to watch the waters that were held back for your protection be loosed for the destruction of your enemies. Faith was built that night. Think about standing there. All these people are standing there. It obviously didn't work for some of them because they grumbled more. But standing there at the edge of the Red Sea and God just say, and it's split. And a million people walked over on the dry ground. How wide was the highway there, Kenan? It all happened in one night. I don't think I could get 150 people to walk over in one night, the same direction. (laughing) And then to watch, to turn around and watch as the water that was held back crashes in on the enemy. We look at, look at Saul, Paul, Saul. He has this incredible life-changing moment when he's blinded on the road to Damascus and Jesus speaks to him and then sends Ananias to pray for him. Ananias did not want to go. Ananias said, you've lost your mind. But what did Jesus say to him? He says in verse 15 of Acts chapter 9, he says, but the Lord said, go for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. He was saying, I have chosen him. He's been marked. He's been marked. He's about to do something incredible for me, go. Paul immediately, the scripture says that Paul immediately begins to proclaim the gospel of Christ. But within a few days of obeying God's instructions, he begins to experience obstruction. As he learned of a conspiracy to kill him. But from the very beginning, the Lord reveals Paul with experience, unusual adversity. Because verse 16, right after verse 15, he says, he was gonna be the guy. Verse 16 says, and I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. Showing that Paul was about to go through some unusual adversity. I mean, I don't know. Sometimes I feel like Paul some days. And then I read 2nd Corinthians, I'm like, I don't know, maybe not. (congregation laughing) What's going on here? It's time, right? He's getting persecuted and all because he's following God's will. Carried him through an unbelievable amount of storms. 2nd Corinthians chapter 11, verse 23 says, and they servants of Christ. I know I sounded like a madman, but I have served him for far more. I have worked harder than put in prison more often, been whipped times without number and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes. Three times I've been beaten with rods. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I've faced dangers from rivers, from robbers. I've faced danger from my own people, the Jews as well as from the Gentiles. I've faced dangers in the cities, in the deserts, on the seas. And I've faced danger from men who claim to be believers, but are not. I've worked harder and longer. And during many sleepless nights, I've been hungry and thirsty and often gone without food. I've shivered in the cold without enough clothing to keep me warm. And then besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all these church people. He didn't say that. He said churches, but he wasn't worried about the buildings. He was worried about the people. When I start wondering, why am I going through stuff? I'm just thankful that I'm not feeling the same thing that Paul felt. When you get to feeling sorry for yourself, go and read 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 there. Let me know how you feel afterwards. I look at Paul and my store's pale in comparison to his. I just start looking for the construction when I'm going through those things. What is he teaching me? What is this faith builder for? Where am I going to use it later? Not that I have to know right then, but that's the questions that I start leaking and asking God. I know you're teaching me something. Am I getting it? As I don't like this, I don't want to go through it no more. Whatever it is, whatever it is, when God brought me out of the delta, I prayed that whatever I needed to learn and the delta I learned because I don't want to go back. One of the characteristics in the life of Paul that truly impacts was that he didn't allow himself to be satisfied with what anyone else would have considered unprecedented success. He also didn't allow himself to become burdened down or bogged down by the storms. Philippians 3 verse 12 says, I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I've already reached perfection, but I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possess me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focused on this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God through Jesus Christ is calling us. The storms that tried to derail him became his catapult. Some of the disciples, the storm that the disciples faced rather would have, that was meant to destroy them, was actually being used by the Lord as a preparation for the next step. At that time, none of them understood the scope of God's plan to use them, not Paul, not the disciples, none of them understood the scope of what God planned for them. They were gonna be used to change the world, right? Acts 17 verse six says, and I like the last part of this, it says, when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities shouting, these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. That's the part I like, these men who have turned this world upside down. I want some world turns, I want some people who are gonna turn the world upside down in a good way, not in a bad way. But they go and they're preaching the gospel and every time they're told not to, they just do it more. 'Cause they say we're gonna follow God, not what man says, it's more important for us to obey God. The disciples had no idea though, that they were about to lead when they were going through the middle of the storm and that ship, they had no idea that they were about to lead a movement that would circumnavigate the world, that would carry on for generation after generation that 2,000 years later, we would still be talking about the storm that they went through and comparing it to our lives. Paul had no idea that his letters to the churches would be used as tools to strengthen our faith 2,000 years later. Those guys didn't know what they were actually doing. They didn't realize that what they were going through and what they were, the storms that they were facing, what God was using that to accomplish. And we don't either. The storms that you face, the storms that you're going through, the things that you've went through and faced, you don't know how God is going to use that from here on out. Will the stories be told? Will the stories be shared? Will they say, "Man, they went through the real storm," but God brought them through it and look what they did. And because of the storm that they went through, they were able to lead that person who was going through another storm, but they were able to lead them to the Lord and that person went to reach millions for God. Because they gave in an offering, God was able to reach millions. These guys made it through the storm. The obstruction became construction. It moved them forward. You know that a diamond, a diamond is actually made out of the cheapest carbon particles there are. They're everywhere, they're everywhere. The thing is, is that it went through a process and it was put under extreme heat and extreme pressure. And that's what made it this precious gem because of heat and pressure, stress, storms. We are the same. Our faith is often as a compared to being more precious than gold. The storms that we face, the obstructions, that stretches us, that leads us, that stresses us, that cause us wanna pull out our hair and some of you already did. All those things. It was forming us and making us better. It was making us more dependent on God. It was building our faith because now that we've made it through those storms, we know that we can. Next time we face those things, it made us be able to say he is the Son of God. It made us to be able to say if he can do it, then he can do it now. It leads to construction that molds our faith. Verse 33 of the ESV says, "And those in the boat worshiped him." It doesn't say just the disciples. It just says, "Those in the boat worshiped him." Saying truly, you are the Son of God. When we walk through the storm and get to the other side, are we worshiping the one who directed us through it? Or are we allowing our hearts to be hardened? These guys are worshiping Jesus. He helped them through the obstruction. They were in the storm because he told them to go. Now he's rescued them and they're worshiping him through the obstruction it molded in their spirit who he was was. And that later allowed them to be able to rejoice with joy. What are we going to do with the storm that we're facing? Are we going to allow it to harden us? Are we going to go with joy? Acts chapter, Acts chapter 5 verse 41, it says, "The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace to the name of Jesus." Why were they able to do that? They were able to do that because one day they got in a boat to go to the other side of the lake and a storm wailed up. And Jesus walked on the water to them and the moment he climbed in the boat, peace fell on the boat, fell on the water, no more waves, no more wind. And they worshiped him. And because of that moment, when they were told, don't ever speak of his name again, they walked away rejoicing because we've been persecuted. We are worthy for this. We are worthy for this. These guys are worshiping Jesus because they made it through the storm. It would be an absolute tragedy though, to get through the obstruction or the storm and not allow the construction to take place. It would be an absolute tragedy to get through the storm and get through the fire and get through the obstruction just to allow the construction not to take place. Just to allow our faith to falter, just to allow what God is trying to do to go to waste, just to stop because we went through a storm. The reason surviving the storm is one of the greatest blessings, right? It's one of the greatest blessings that could happen, but having our faith built up to a new level, that's even greater. The reason the disciples were able to worship Jesus is their faith had just went to a next level. It would be a tragedy to let that go to waste. So when the winds die down in your life and the storms begin to secede, are we worshiping God, are we moving forward? What do we do? Are we allowing our faith to reach a new level and a new height or has the obstruction been wasted? The scripture says that God will make all things work together for the good of those who love him. So if we're being obedient and we're walking in obedience and God asks us to do things and we step out of faith and obstruction comes, the storm comes. Don't you think he's gonna use that because he says he would in the word and if we believe the word is all true, then we have to believe that verse that says, he'll make all things, that's everything Charles, that's all things, not some things, that's everything. Even when we miss it, even when we mess up, he still uses those things for what? To teach us, to learn, so we didn't even learn. So build our faith, to make us walk further and make us walk deeper in his relationship with him, because when God calls us and God says, step out. - Amen. - Storms happen. Storms happen. And it's not easy and it's hard. And we, the problem that many of us have is not that we're facing the storm, it's that we've not allowed the construction to take place and build our faith. And it's not just that, it's not that we don't trust God, it's that we have not let other people inside to help us walk through this. We are not meant to walk through this alone. We are not meant to walk through storms alone. When we face obstructions, there are people, there are people that can walk beside us, but we have to allow them to. Let's give everyone that would just stand your feet. Lord, I just, I thank you. I thank you for the obstructions that have come my way. God, I thank you because of the obstructions and the storms that I face. You have created who I am. My faith has been molded and been shaped because of the obstructions and because of the storms that I've went through. Because you've called me and you've placed me in those situations and many of the things that I faced, I faced after stepping out in faith for you. I'm not mad that I face those things. It wasn't always pleasant, it wasn't always fun, but God, I know that you had a purpose behind all of it. And Lord, I am praying and believing that people who in this house that have stepped out in faith and they've stepped out in big faith. And God, they're facing the obstruction right now. Lord, I pray that you walk beside them and that you get them inside the boat so that the peace will come over them. And then I pray that the construction will take place and their faith will be greater than it was. Lord, I'm praying and believing that the gift, the spiritual gift of great faith will be poured out in this house. Maybe you're walking in the storm right now. Maybe you're walking in the storm and you say, I know that I'm in the storm. I know that I've stepped out in what God is asking me to do. And I'm walking through a storm right now and I just need the construction. I need the peace. I need that faith builder to begin to activate in my life. I want to invite you to come. I want to pray with you. Don't miss it. Don't let pride or fear of what other people think holds you back. Don't let that, well, I'll pray about it here at my seat. We need to come together. We don't need to walk through it alone. You don't have to. We want to pray with you. We want to believe with you. (muffled speaking) Hold, I just thank you right now. I know there's some more that need to be here this morning and Lord, I pray that you begin to move in their hearts even now. Lord, I pray that you begin to move in this house. Lord, I pray that the storms that we're facing and the things that we're going through right now. Lord, I pray that you continue to use those things to mold, to mold our faith, to help us to walk in a deeper faith, to help us walk in a deeper moment with you, God. Lord, I pray that you just begin to move in this house, even now, God. Lord, I pray that healings take place even now. I pray that your spirit will begin to move on people's lives even now. We just thank you. If you feel it, come and pray around these that are here for your free to do so. I wanna ask some people to come and help me pray for Charlie. He's going in for a procedure tomorrow and I want us to pray for him for that. So if you could come up here and let's pray and let's begin to move, let's begin to ask God to move in this house. [BLANK_AUDIO]