Jesus places significant emphasis throughout the gospels on faith, because it is the currency and language of heaven. We know God speaks and understands every language but the one that grabs his attention immediately is faith.
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm (Matt 8:26).
Jesus was very disappointed in the way his disciples handled the storm. Surely they had no prior warning since the storm arose suddenly. They probably would not have even ventured out into the sea, knowing what a storm is capable of doing. Jesus on the other hand, knew, nothing on earth is hidden from him.
Faith in the midst of the storm
Jesus was sleeping in the midst of the dangerous waves that were sweeping over the boat. He was sleeping very deeply and comfortably when his disciples frantically wakes him up. Why did he not wake up when the storms began and the waves were crashing against the boat? He was obviously not bordered or intimidated by the storm, he was not a bit phased by the crashing waves and strong winds. A storm of this kind would awake anyone, even Jesus. Could we deduce that there is nothing that could disrupt the peace of the Prince of peace himself? That’s true, but perhaps, an even more compelling fact is that Jesus wanted to see how his disciples would handle their first storm and how they would use their faith.
Use your authority and Exercise your faith
Jesus knew that his disciples had the same capabilities as he had. They had the same power residing in them to rebuke the winds and the waves just like he had, but they failed to exercise it. Jesus knew that man was created with power to have dominion over, and His job was to restore that dominion to a fallen human race who do not know who they really are, and what they are capable of accomplishing with God on their side. What this storm revealed was the fact that the disciples possessed the authority to speak and declare the word of God just like Jesus did but they lack faith to do it.
Faith to take action
A lack of faith will produce a lack of actions in the right direction. When we are asked to do something, we need to step out and do it, even when we may feel fear and even when we really don’t know what the outcome will be. Jesus addressed the lack of faith, because it hindered the disciples from exercising their God given potential. Faith really means going beyond ourselves and Jesus calls us to think outside the box. Faith is simply trusting in the supernatural ability of God and accessing, all that is already made available to us through the finished works of Jesus Christ.
Advancing the Kingdom of God in the earth!