In the Bible in Matthew 8:23-27, we read about the two ways to go through a storm in life. You can go through a storm as the new creation (ang bagong lalaki) or as the old creation (ang matandang lalaki). The story about Jesus and His disciples, who were caught up in a storm on the sea of Galilee, represents the behavior and actions of the old creation versus the new creation. Jesus and His disciples went through the same storm, but their behavior and actions were completely different. Through their actions, they distinguished themselves and showed, who they really were: the new creation or the old creation.
The behavior of the old creation during a storm
And when He was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. At, masdan, there arose a great storm in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep. And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, kasabihan, Panginoon, save us: we perish. And He saith unto them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, kasabihan, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him! (Mateo 8:23-27)
Let’s have a look at the way the old creation goes through a storm. The disciples were still the old creation. They weren’t ipinanganak muli in the spirit. When a storm came up, they saw the great tempest in the sea and saw the wind and the big waves covering their ship. They were led by their senses; by what they saw, and immediately became worried, fearful, and panicked. Fearful thoughts entered their mind, and instead of taking these thoughts captive, they meditated on these thoughts. These thoughts produced the worst scenario, someone could think of, namely that they would perish.
The disciples of Jesus didn’t follow Jesus’ example and weren’t peaceful, like their Master.
The disciples didn’t have the peace of God that passes all understanding. They were certainlyhindi walking in faith.
They didn’t do what they had seen Jesus do all the time, namely taking authority over the situation, by commanding the winds and the sea to be quiet.
Hindi! sa halip, they became fearful and panicked.
The disciples of Jesus were led by the situation, by their carnal senses and their thoughts, at dahil dun, the situation took control of them. They became victims of the situation and therefore they became worried, fearful, and panicked.
They woke Jesus up and said that they would perish. But Jesus hindi panic, He only asked them why they were so fearful. He called His disciples ‘you of little faith’, which means to have a lack of confidence (kay Kristo). Jesus arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm.
The men marveled. They were surprised that the winds and the sea obeyed Him.
The origin of the visible realm
Every visible thing has its origin in the spiritual realm. Ngayon, it’s up to you, bilang bagong nilikha, if you are going to walk after the Spirit as Jesus did, or you stay carnal and keep walking after the flesh, and be led by your carnal senses, mga kaisipan, damdamin, atbp. just like the disciples did.
The Firstborn of the new creation
Jesus was the Firstborn of the many new creations, that would be born of tubig at Espiritu.
Para sa kung sinong dati pa Niyang nakilala, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, upang Siya ang maging panganay sa maraming magkakapatid (mga Romano 8:29)
The behavior of the new creation during a storm
Jesus was a new creation, and showed us, how to walk as the new creation on this earth. He walked after the Spirit, in faith, authority, at kapangyarihan, doingang kalooban ng Diyos. He knew, Who He was, and walked in the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Jesus ruled over every situation and took control of it. He was not led by circumstance or ruled by any situation.
When Lazarus was already dead for 4 days, Jesus took control of the situation and commanded the death, to give Lazarus back. And the death obeyed and gave Lazarus back to life (John 11).
And let’s not forget ang pagpapako sa krus and resurrection of Jesus. When Jesus conquered the devil and legally took back the keys of death and Hades.
During the storm on the lake of Galilee, Jesus took authority over the situation; the storm and rebuked the winds and sea. He spoke, and the words He spoke came to pass. The winds and the sea obeyed Him, and the sea became calm.
The new creation has, kay Hesukristo,
all authority in the heavens and on the earth
Ang bagong likha, who is born of water and Spirit, has the same peace as Jesus. The new creation has been given His Spirit and therefore has been given authority and power to rule over every situation, instead of situations ruling over the new creation (Basahin din: How to walk in the dominion that God has given to the new man?).
The new creation doesn’t worry and fear and is not controlled by evil, negative, and destructive thoughts, that try to enter the mind. But the new creation guards the mind and takes authority over thoughts and commands them to get out and stay out (Basahin din: Kumuha ng awtoridad sa iyong mga iniisip bago sila kumuha ng awtoridad sa iyo!).
There will be storms in life
Every person goes through storms in life, that’s a fact. There is no one excluded. It doesn’t matter, what kind of storm you’re facing, it’s all about how you will go through the storm.
Will you go through the storm as the old creation, and do you murmur, complain, at have a pity party? Will you talk negatively tungkol sa the situation and share it with others? Do you let everyone know, how hard and difficult your life is? Are you led by your negative thoughts and will you become worried, fearful, anxious, depressed, and will you panic?
Or will you go through the storm as the new creation, and not talk about the storm (situation) to others, and not complain and murmur to them, but stay in perfect peace and talk to the storm; to the situation instead?
How do you go through a storm; how do you go through situations? Are you led by your flesh or by the Spirit?
No matter what situation might come your way, when you keep walking after the Spirit, in the will of God, and stay in the Word of God, you shall keep your peace. You shall stay in the peace of God and will not be moved by the situation. No situation will take this peace away from you.
Keep standing on the Word and don’t give up!
Maybe at first, you won’t see any result in the visible realm and think that nothing happens. But no word of God will return void! When you speak the words of God to the situation, in the spiritual realm things are already happening. Remember that! All you have to do is believe and keep standing in the faith upon the Word, and not give up.
Jesus Christ has lahat authority over the elements of the spiritual (invisible) realm and the elements of the physical realm. All authority is given to the new creations, who are His Body; His Church.
Kapag naging bagong likha ka na, ikaw ay nakaupo sa Kanya. When you walk after the Spirit and obey His Word, at gawin ang Kanyang kalooban, you shall walk in His authority, sa mundong ito, and reign together with Him, over every element of the visible and invisible realm.
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