THE JOURNEY

Today’s devotion is from Luke 8:22-50

Now it happened, on a certain day, that Jesus got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out.

Stepping out in faith includes both a journey as well as a destination…

The disciples stepped out in faith at the command of Jesus – they fully expected to arrive at their destination, but were they prepared for the journey? Many believers think that if they follow Jesus and step out in faith that it will be nothing but smooth sailing. Jesus fell asleep in the back of the boat while they were crossing over to Gerasenes on the other side of Galilee.

As they journeyed, they encountered a powerful storm of hurricane proportions and the boat began to fill up with water and began to sink. They franticly woke Jesus up 

shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then He asked them, “Where is your faith?” Jesus had taught His disciples how to operate in faith and given them authority in His Name, but they did not use it… why was that?

I believe that part of the reason may have been that they were not prepared to face storms and hardship. They may have assumed that if Jesus was with them and if they were obeying Him that nothing would go wrong. Instead of using their faith and authority, they panicked and started fearing the worst.

Stepping out in faith is both a journey as well as a destination. Each journey has it’s own timetable and each journey has tests, trials and challenges, even if Jesus is in your boat. Look at Joseph’s journey from the pit to the palace, look at Moses’ journey, look at David’s journey from his ordination to when He eventually became king. 

Family, we have to be ready to stay in faith for a journey if we are ever going to reach our destination.

Be ready for your faith to be tested, be ready for the enemy’s attacks, be ready for financial storms as well as relational storms. Be ready to stay in the boat and to use your faith and authority until you get to where God is taking you. 

The disciples did eventually arrive at their destination with Jesus. I am confident that you will too, but do not think it strange when you encounter some stuff along the way. In Christ, you have been pre-destined to arrive at your God ordained destination, but it is going to be a journey. Most of the time the Lord takes us through stuff instead of around stuff, as He did with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You are going to have to go through some fires in this journey, but like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in Christ, you will come through not even smelling like fire. 

You need to be fully prepared for an exiting journey that will require faith, grace, tenacity and courage. Your journey is going to test you, but thanks be to God Who always causes us to triumph through Christ Jesus... as you stay in faith, as you use your authority in Christ, as you operate in the power of the Holy Spirit and as you do what you do by His grace, you will get to the other side in victory – Selah!