Mark 4:39 - Step Toward Faith
Step 1: Pray. Select.
I woke up this morning excited for the week ahead. I finally have some resolution to some recent setbacks I have faced, and I am beyond grateful for the grace of God in my life.
As I asked the Holy Spirit what verse he wanted to go over with me today, a well-known scene of Jesus speaking to the storm on the sea of Galilee from Mark 4 came to mind. I read through Chapter 4 to remind myself of the deeper context, and Mark 4:39 landed in my spirit to meditate on today.
Let’s begin our journey there today, friends.
Step 2: Write. Read. Circle
After reading the scripture three times, the following words stood out amongst the others:
Mark 2:39 - Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Step 3: Re-Write
With a focus on the words I circled that stood out, here is the personalized sentence that came alive in my heart.
Jennifer, He arose and said, “Peace, be still!”
If you are doing this alongside me today, make sure you add your name in front of your unique sentence so the Lord can speak directly to you.
Step 4: Visualize
I start meditating on the words the Holy Spirit gifted me for our time together today.
I picture Jesus in this wooden boat with the disciples, traveling across the Sea of Galilee after a long day of teaching, and amid their travels, this horrific storm ensues.
Everyone is panicked and running like chickens with their head cut off, except Jesus. He peacefully sleeps on a pillow in the stern of the ship. According to Mark's account of the incident, he is not affected by the current circumstances until he is awoken and accused of not caring about the fact they are perishing.
At this point, Jesus is spreading his teachings; however, he has not announced himself as the Messiah, at least publicly, to anyone yet. So, I can’t imagine the disciples' surprise when Jesus awoke, stood up, and spoke these very poignant and direct words to the storm, “Peace, be still!” And the storm halts. If I were standing there as a witness to this act, my jaw would be on the floor at this supernatural wonder. I would realize the power that lay within him.
The Holy Spirit asks me to examine the level of my faith today.
At this point, I am well-versed through the Bible and countless testimonies of how powerful Jesus is, so why would I ever think or question he does not care or cannot do the same miracles for me in the current natural? Why do we still question whether or not Jesus cares if we perish in the storms we face? Or have anguish in our lives when we are in the middle of the thick of things?
I have many questions for the Holy Spirit, so I move to Step 5.
Step 5: Ask. Seek
The requests/questions that came to mind are:
Holy Spirit, please help me strengthen my faith. Please tell me what to do today to step towards unshakable confidence that Jesus will be with me in any big or small storm.
The Holy Spirit tells me to be more precise with my question. So I do as he asks.
Holy Spirit, can you show me what a step to walk towards stronger faith looks like?
Step 6: Hear. Write. Receive
Here is the answer I received:
“Picture yourself standing on a seashore. You have been walking towards the water and following the footsteps in the sand. They have always been laid out before you, so it was easy to follow them. Now, you stand at the shore’s edge, where the water begins to cover the sand you walk on. There is no path in front of you anymore, just water and waves. You know you physically cannot walk on water, but Peter did it, so why can’t you? What did Peter have that you don’t currently have? Peter relentlessly chased Jesus and, at times, was fearless. Some might say Peter was reckless and loyal to a fault. I say at times because we all know Peter denied Jesus as Jesus prophesied and even acted without thinking, aiming to slice a throat but then cut off an ear. Regardless, When he took his eyes off Jesus and let his flesh overtake him, he began to fear, causing him to sink. He focused on his circumstances instead of Jesus. In answer to your question, what does a step of faith actually look like? Let me say it again. It looks like a focus on Jesus one hundred percent. He can speak to fear. He is the only way when there is no way to walk on water. So today, practice focusing on Jesus one hundred percent. Focus on the fact he is who he says he is. He is the same Jesus that spoke to the storm. It is the same Jesus yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Practice your steps; before you know it, you will be where he needs you to land.”
Step 7: Pray. Confirm
If you used the scripture of the day and need prayer or someone to pray with you, connect Here. Remember, you are not alone.
Step 8: Share. Testify
If you used the 8-Step Prayer Practice today, we want to see how God is working in your life! You can comment below or share your miracle or testimony HERE.
Conclusion:
Friends, let’s all take one simple step today toward our destiny and purpose: moving closer to Jesus.
As we take this step in faith, let's think about how he is who he says he is, so why would we be afraid. If he calls you to walk on water, step out of the boat, keep your eyes on him, and run.
How will we all know when we are focused on Jesus? We will do as the storm was commanded - We will be at peace and be still.
Take care of yourself, friends. Know Jesus sees you and will not let you down.
God bless you. See you soon!
