40 DAYS AT JESUS' FEET DAY 19 "4 VITAL KEYS TO KEEP INNER PEACE IN THE MIDST OF STORM"

TODAY IS DAY 19 "JESUS CALMS THE STORM"

Readings Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

While Jesus the Master is sleeping in the boat, his followers the disciples were struggling to sleep.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. People with insomnia have one or more of the following symptoms: Difficulty falling asleep. Waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep.

Questions/ Do you struggle with stress? trauma? depession? insomnia?

WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF INSOMNIA AMONG THE DISCIPLES AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM?

LET US ENGAGE PRAYER

1st reason of insomnia among the disciples : Fear of death

The disciples could not sleep the way Jesus did because in them there was fear of death. They express and manifest the fear of death to Jesus in their prayer by these words:

• In Matthew 8:25 they say, "Lord, save us we perish"
• In Mark 4:38 they say, "Master, carest not that we perish?"
• In Luke 8:24 they say, "Master, Master, we perish"

Question/ Do you struggle with the fear of death? Why are ye fearful? What is the threat that makes you fear? Do you fear tomorrow? Do you fear the things you cannot control?  Do you fear something you cannot identify?

LET US PRAY TO REBUKE AND BANISH THE SPIRIT OF FEAR

Before Jesus Christ rebukes the wind, he started by rebuking the spirit of fear in the disciples

When Jesus wakes up, he asks them a question "Why are ye fearful?" (Matthew 8:26)

PRAYER 1 

- Father, the spirit of fear is not from you but from the devil. You have not given me a spirit of fear but a spirit of confidence, assurance and joy. I therefore rebuke the spirit of fear causing me to be unsetled, unsecure and sleepless in the Name of Jesus Christ !

Read and pray with 2 Timothy 1:7,– "God has not given us the spirit of fear ..."

PRAYER 2

- Father, I pray that you deliver me today from the fear of death in the Name of Jesus Christ 

Read and pray with Hebrews 2:15 "... deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." 

PRAYER 3

- Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I take authority against anything threatening my life. I rebuke it and declare it condemned and judged. I declare and I decree that I am safe in Jesus Christ. I declare and I decree that no one and nothing can ever harm me. I declare and I decree that I am above any threat of the devil and his demons 

Read and pray with Psalms 4:8 "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."

Read also Proverbs 18:10; Proverbs 29:25

PRAYER 4

- Father, because you live I declare and I decree that I will not fear tomorrow, I will not fear for my future, I will not fear for my llife in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Read and pray with John 14:19 "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also."

2nd reason of insomnia among the disciples : Lack of faith

The reason why the disciples could not sleep was not because the storm was great but because their faith was little.

In Matthew 8:26, Jesus tells them "O ye of little faith"
In Luke 8:25 Jesus asks them "Where is your faith?"

When in the midst of the storm we ask God "Where are you Lord?", God in the midst of the storm asks us "Where is your faith?"

LET US PRAY TO BE BAPTIZED WITH THE SPIRIT OF FAITH FROM HEAVEN

PRAYER 1

- Father, I pray that you baptize me afresh with the spirit of faith in the Name of Jesus Christ !

Read and pray with 2 Corinthians 4:13, "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;" 

- Father, increase my faith !

Read and pray with Luke 17:5 "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Pray also with 2 Corinthians 10:15 and 2 Thessalonians 1:3

3rd reason on insomnia among the disciples : Lack of focus on the prophetic word

Before they start the journey in the boat, Jesus spoke a Word "LET US GO OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE" (Luke 8:22).

After speaking his Word, Jesus went confidently to sleep and continued sleeping despite the great tempest. Unlike their Master, the disciples lost focus on the Word and started wavering with the raging wind.

Question/ Do you focus on the Prophetic Word released by the Lord concerning you? Do you get so easily distracted? What distracts you the most in your journey with the Lord? Are you a focused man/woman of God?

LET US PRAY FOR THE GRACE OF STRONG FOCUS ON THE WORD OF THE LORD

PRAYER 

- Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke, revoke and disconnect myself from anything causing me to lack focus on your Word. I pray therefore that you deliver me from worries, worthless talks, worthless thoughts, worthless companies, worthless activities in the Name of Jesus Christ my Savior

Pray with Hebrews 12:2 "We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God."

4th reason on insomnia among the disciples : Lack of knowledge and revelation of the nature and character of Jesus Christ

Until Jesus rebukes and calms the winds and the tempest, the disciples never knew who their Master really was and what He was able to do. But after the storm was over, they all grew in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ as it is written :

• They marvelled

"But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" (Matthew 8:27)

• They feared exceedingly

"And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:41) 

• They wondered

"And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him." (Luke 8:25)

LET US PRAY FOR THE GRACE TO GROW IN THE REVELATION AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST

- Father, I pray that you would give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Christ better.

Pray with 2 Peter 3:18 "Grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen."

Pastor T.D. KASUKU K.K.

The Word Of Life Church International

Nairobi/Kenya