The Storm - Joshua Sullivan

Jul 19, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Sleeping Through the Storm’s Fury

The same Jesus who slept through crashing waves still rests unshaken by life’s chaos. His peace isn’t absence of trouble but presence in turmoil. Storms reveal what we’ve anchored to—if we’re fixated on waves or the One who walks on them. True rest comes not from calm circumstances but from clinging to the Prince of Peace. His slumber in the boat wasn’t neglect but an invitation to trust His authority over every squall. [07:00]

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. (Matthew 8:24-26, NKJV)

Reflection: When has a past storm revealed Christ’s faithfulness in ways calm seas never could? How might His rest in your current struggle invite you to deeper trust?

Day 2: The Boat You Didn’t Want to Board

Obedience often leads straight into gales. Jesus insists we board vessels headed for turbulence, not to punish but to prove His power. The disciples’ “immediate” obedience landed them in a tempest, yet birthed their awe of His divinity. Our most reluctant yeses become theaters for His glory. What looks like reckless navigation is divine navigation. [23:35]

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. (Matthew 14:22, NKJV)

Reflection: What “boat” has God called you into that feels storm-bound? How might this difficult obedience become a stage for His miraculous intervention?

Day 3: Rebuking Waves With Whispered Promises

We’re called not to narrate storms but to command them. Jesus didn’t analyze wind patterns—He spoke. Our words either amplify chaos or release heaven’s authority. Every “I can’t survive this” fuels the tempest; every “He who calmed waters calms me” stills demons. The battle isn’t against waves but for our confession. [35:10]

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14, NIV)

Reflection: What storm narrative have you been repeating that needs rebuking? Which Scripture promise can you whisper today to shift from victim to victor?

Day 4: Calmness Before the Miracle

The stilling of storms always precedes greater works. After quieting winds, Jesus healed paralytics and transformed tax collectors. Our present turbulence may be preparation for coming wonders. Peace isn’t the finish line but the launching pad. The same calm that followed “Silence!” will precede your breakthrough. [44:13]

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27, NIV)

Reflection: What miracle might God be preparing through your current storm’s calm? How can you posture your heart to receive both His peace and His next assignment?

Day 5: The Other Side of Unexpected

Storms don’t get the final word—the destination does. Jesus promised the other side, not smooth sailing. Every wave serves the purpose of carrying obedient sailors to new shores of ministry. What feels like detour is divine navigation. The miracle isn’t surviving the storm but becoming someone storms obey. [22:00]

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:45-46, ESV)

Reflection: What “other side” might God be leading you toward through this storm? How could embracing this journey transform you into a calmer of others’ tempests?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 8 puts Jesus in the boat first, and that matters. Jesus gets in, his disciples follow, and then, suddenly, a great storm rises up. The boat gets covered with waves, but Jesus is asleep. His sleep is not carelessness. His sleep shows what he is. He is peace in the middle of winds, waves, noise, fear, and chaos.

The disciples panic and cry, “Lord, save us. We are perishing.” Jesus answers their fear before he answers the storm. “Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?” Then Jesus rebukes the winds and the sea, and everything becomes calm. The storm has to take notice at his command. The winds and waves obey him because Jehovah has the final say.

The storm becomes a place of revelation. Jesus cannot reveal the magnitude of who he is until his people go through something. Going into a storm, going through a storm, and coming out of a storm all become places where the great I Am gets bigger in the eyes of faith. The storm does not get the final word. Jesus does.

Matthew 14 presses the same promise again. Jesus strongly urges the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. He never promises there will be no storm, but he does promise the other side. That means a delay or a detour may happen, but destiny will not be demolished in the storm. A family will not be destroyed in the storm. A believer will not die in the storm when Jesus is in the boat.

The four R’s of the storm are revelation, remember, rebuke, and rest. Revelation sees who Jesus is. Remember holds on to what Jesus has already done, because if he did it once, he can do it again. Rebuke stops talking about the storm and starts speaking to the storm. Rest receives the peace Jesus gives, not the fake peace the world hands out through distraction, escape, alcohol, scrolling, or bingeing.

Jesus gives calmness in spirit, mind, soul, and body. His peace is not always a pretty little river scene. Sometimes peace looks like a dove perched on a branch while water crashes all around. John 14 says, “My peace I give to you.” That peace gets God’s people to the other side.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus must be in the boat The text starts with Jesus entering the boat, and that order matters. The storm is not the first reality in the story. Christ’s presence is. A storm without Jesus becomes panic, but a storm with Jesus becomes a place where peace has authority. [12:01]
2. Revelation comes through the storm The storm becomes the place where Jesus shows the magnitude of who he is. Calm seas may comfort the flesh, but troubled waters often reveal the great I Am in a deeper way. John on Patmos received revelation in exile, and the same pattern still teaches that hard places can become holy places. [13:44]
3. Remember what Jesus already did The storm has a way of making yesterday’s faith feel far away. Remembering is not nostalgia, it is spiritual resistance against fear. If Jesus saved, healed, delivered, provided, and carried before, then the present storm does not get permission to rewrite his faithfulness. [25:13]
4. Speak to the storm The storm does not need endless conversation, complaint, and rehearsal. Jesus rebuked the winds and waves, and God’s people are called to stop giving the storm so much airtime. A mouth can either magnify the trouble or declare that the enemy will not have the family, the marriage, the mind, or the future. [35:29]
5. Rest is not unspiritual Jesus slept in the storm, and that rest was not weakness. True rest begins in the spirit and then orders the mind, soul, and body. The peace Jesus gives is not the world’s temporary escape, but a calmness that can sit like a dove while everything around it is crashing.

## [44:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:10] - God’s Word Does Spiritual Surgery
[05:23] - Life Is Full of Storms
[06:19] - Jesus Asleep in the Boat
[09:36] - Bitter or Better Through Suffering
[11:36] - A Recipe for a Miracle
[13:44] - Revelation in the Storm
[21:33] - The Promise of the Other Side
[23:35] - Jesus Strongly Urges the Boat
[25:13] - Remember He Can Do It Again
[35:10] - Rebuke the Winds and Waves
[42:44] - Rest in Spirit, Mind, and Soul
[50:15] - My Peace I Give to You
[55:27] - Speak What God Said

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 8:23-27
“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?’” [06:19]

Matthew 14:22-27
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’” [23:14]

John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” [50:15]

Observation questions

In Matthew 8, what happens first: Jesus getting into the boat, the disciples following, or the storm rising? Why does that order stand out? [12:01]
In Matthew 8:23-27, what do the disciples say to Jesus in their fear, and what does Jesus address before he calms the sea?
In Matthew 14:22-27, what does Jesus tell the disciples to do, and what kind of conditions do they face on the way to the other side? [23:35]
What are the four R’s for walking through a storm, and what does each one call a believer to do? [13:37]

Interpretation questions

Jesus being asleep in the storm shows more than physical tiredness. What does his rest reveal about who he is, and why would that matter to fearful disciples? [06:50]
Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” before rebuking the wind and sea. What does that suggest about the connection between fear, faith, and how people respond in a storm?
Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side, even though they would face strong wind and waves. How should that shape the way believers think about delay, detour, and destiny in hard seasons? [21:33]
Jesus gives peace “not as the world gives.” What is the difference between true peace and the temporary peace people often reach for when life feels overwhelming? [51:15]

Application questions

What storm feels most real in this season of life right now—family, health, work, grief, fear, or something else? Where is the struggle to remember that Jesus is in the boat? [12:01]
Revelation often comes through the storm, not just after it. Looking at a present or past hardship, how has the greatness of Jesus become clearer through something that was painful? [13:44]
Remembering is a way to resist fear. What is one specific time when Jesus provided, healed, saved, carried, or answered prayer before? How might remembering that moment help steady faith now? [25:13]
It is easy to keep talking about the storm instead of speaking to it. What does that tendency look like in real life—in conversations, thoughts, prayers, or even complaints? What might it look like to start speaking God’s truth instead? [35:29]
Some storms keep getting more airtime than Jesus does. What words need to be rebuked or shut down in this season—hopeless words, fearful words, bitter words, or constantly rehearsing the same wound? [37:25]
Rest is not weakness or laziness. What usually gets used as a substitute for peace—distraction, scrolling, bingeing, shutting down, overworking, or something else? How is that different from receiving Christ’s peace? [50:15]
Jesus promises his own peace in the middle of trouble. What would it look like this week to pursue rest in spirit, mind, soul, and body in a way that actually reflects trust in him? [44:41]

Sermon Clips

50s

#JesusPromiseKeeper

“I'm not going to let other people have that much power or give them much credit in my life because people will hurt you. People say dumb things. People try to get on your skin. I've got to realize, lord, during this moment and during this time, when I come out of the storm, I'm going to be faithful to you. I'm not going to waver with you, Jesus. I'm going make sure you're in the boat because we're to get to the other side. Amen. Somehow, someway. What do you mean? Jesus never promised you wouldn't go through a storm or storms. But what he did promise with him, you will get to the other side. Amen. Amen. Why? Because Jesus is a storm stopper. He's a promise keeper and he's a miracle worker. Amen.”

42s

#RestInJesus

“Jesus rested. not unspiritual to rest. Hello? I'm serious. Calmness is coming. I'm speaking that to somebody in this room this morning. Calmness in your mind, in your spirit, in your soul, in your body. Calmness is coming. You're not gonna lay awake at night worrying anymore. I declare rest in Jesus name for you right now. Not going wait worried about me. I mean, just sit there. Let your mind go this way and that way. Rest. Rest in your mind. Rest in your body. Rest in your soul. Jesus always calms the storms before the miraculous.”

36s

#YouWillGetToTheOtherSide

“You gotta get your eyes off the situation, the storm, what was done to you, what was said to you, what was said about you, not the the not so good, the dumb decision you made, the choice you made, you know what I'm talking about? Come on, you will not die in the storm. Your family won't be destroyed in the storm. Your destiny will not be demolished in the storm. There may be a little delay or detour but you will get to the other side. Amen. Amen. And you've got to realize that. Those watching this morning, you need to hear that today But you turn to look at look at Matthew chapter 14”

50s

#DontLoseFaith

“It's crazy how six weeks ago, you believe Jesus could do anything. Come on. the unexpected storm comes up and you're almost an atheist. You want some of y'all laughing? Because it's true. Because you don't believe in Jesus. He's going to come true. But, boy, six weeks ago, you're on top of that mountain. Yeah. But, boy, I don't expect the storm comes, and you're almost like an atheist. I don't believe nothing no more. I don't think god will do anything no more. Come on, friend. Christian atheism. We believe in Jesus, but we live our lives like you don't exist. If you continue to live your life like he does exist, you're going somewhere. Yeah. Amen. It may not be where you want to go at the right time but you're go somewhere. He's on he's on calm the winds and the waves.”

42s

#RememberHisPromises

“I'll say it again. You will not die in the storm. Amen. Your family will not be destroyed in the storm. Your destiny will not be demolished in the storm. This there may be a little delay or detour but you will get to the other side. Why? Because I'm gonna have good revelation what he said before, he'll do it again. Amen. I I know that revelation. I will remember what he's done. Come on. And I'm gonna keep trucking on and keep moving on. I love number three. You put on the screen for me is rebuke. The four r's of the storm. Rebuke. In Matthew eight twenty six, the Bible said we read it together. Come on. It says, Jesus rebuked the storms.”

39s

#RevelationThroughStorms

“But Jesus can't reveal the magnitude of who he is until you go through a storm. You will never know how great he is. Yeah. How awesome he is. We just sang about it this morning. You're holy. Come on. Yeah. We're not seeing that? Great are you lord. All these things but until you go through a storm, he can't reveal his magnitude to you. I wanna show you as you're going to it, as you're going through it, as you're coming out of it. I wanna show you how great I am, how big I am. Aren't you glad we have a great god? Amen. Aren't you glad we have a savior that loves us? Amen. Even in our in in spite of our problems,”

24s

#JesusDoesItAgain

“Remember, if Jesus did it once, he can do it again. If he saved you before, he'll save you again. If he set you free before, he'll set you free again. Amen. If he came through before, he'll come through again. If he healed you once, he'll heal you again. Come on, friend. Amen. What do mean? Number two, remember.”

41s

#StayFaithfulInStorm

“Remember, you gotta stay faithful during the storm. This is one of the major things I had to remind myself and the holy spirit help remind me during the storm we've gone through. Our storms we did go through. And I have to say, god, the storms we will go through. God, I have to remember, I must stay faithful to you during this storm. Not faithful to the church, first and foremost, not faithful to denomination, people, family, others. I must remain faithful to you. Because Jesus, you said you are faithful to me. You gotta stay in the boat.”

Ask a question about this sermon

WE ARE STRONG TOWER This sermon · AI assistant

What are the four Rs to handle storms?

Why must Jesus be in the boat?

How should believers respond to spiritual storms?