One day Jesus said…. (and you can fill in the blank). What is it that Jesus has spoken deep into your heart? What is the promise of God that you know was given to you but still remains unfulfilled? What word are you waiting and hoping for? What word of Jesus speaks of your purpose and your destiny?
The disciples had a Jesus encounter and Jesus said a word to them. It was a word of purpose and a word of destiny. It was a word that was intended to bring change to their lives. “One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out.” (Luke 8:22, NIV84) The disciples were fishermen, they were used to the water. They had confidence that this would be exciting and fun. Surely they had the knowledge and the strength to walk out the word of Jesus. Surely, this would be an easy word to obey.
“As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” (Luke 8:23, NIV84) Jesus had spoken the Word and now He rested. For the disciples, the speaking of the word was the time for the storms to begin. The Amplified sheds some light on the kind of storm that arose. “But as they were sailing, He fell off to sleep. And a whirlwind revolving from below upwards swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger.” (Luke 8:23, AMP) This was no ordinary storm, but it was a whirlwind of confusion and dark power that came from below. The power from below threatened death not only for the promise of Jesus to get to the other side but for the lives and the hopes and the destiny of the disciples.
Reflect for a moment on the destination of the disciples which was the Word of Jesus which was the destiny of the disciples. Jesus said they were going to the other side. This place we learn in verse 26 is the Gadarenes. The word Gadarenes means “reward at the end”. Before the storm Jesus invited the disciples to go with Him on the journey to the place of reward. That is the Word of God for each of us. We are promised by Jesus that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Jesus seeks to heal our bodies, minds and our spirits. God’s purpose is that we walk into all the fullness of the promise of His Word. And when we realize that it is a good thing to follow Jesus and obey His word, demonic storms from below will seek to steal, kill and destroy that promise and entice us to believe that we will perish on the journey.
What to do in the storm? We look to Jesus. If our faith is strong, perhaps when we see that Jesus is resting, we too will lie down next to Jesus and rest with Him. Sometimes however, the storm reveals that our faith still needs to grow in order for our journey to find the place of reward. The disciples learned that their natural skill in the sea as fishermen could not qualify them to walk ot the plans and purposes of God. Natural abilities cannot quench a supernatural storm.
The disciples went to Jesus. They confessed that they did not know how to get to the place Jesus called them to. “And the disciples came and woke Him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And He, being thoroughly awakened, censured and blamed and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there came a calm.” (Luke 8:24, AMP) Notice Jesus rebuked to demonic storm but not the disciples. He allowed the disciples to learn that demonic storms against God’s Word were to be quenched and stilled by the Word of God spoken in faith and trust in Jesus.
And so they arrived at Gadarenes, the place of reward. What did they find? They found more demons. Perhaps the disciples wondered how this could be a place of reward. However it was here that the disciples learned about the supernatural authority of God over a legion of demons and the compassion of God for one person. (Luke 8:38) Immediately after this the disciples saw the power of God to raise even the dead (Luke 8:52).
And now the journey through dark demonic storms and legions of demons was complete. The authority of the Word of Jesus still stood. Now, the disciples were at the place of great reward. The Word of God had endured and shown forth the power to defeat every dark demonic attack.
What then was the reward? “THEN JESUS called together the Twelve [apostles] and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases, And He sent them out to announce and preach the kingdom of God and to bring healing.” (Luke 9:1–2, AMP) Every demonic storm prepares us to become people of great authority. In the storms where all we can do is cling to Jesus, we learn the key to great supernatural authority. Your reward is coming. You are a history maker. You carry healing and power and authority for the people and nations around you.
