The storm doesn't mean you are out of the will of God

When you quit every time things get rough and blame the quitting on, “This way must not be God”, will have you moving backward instead of forward.

The apostle Paul didn't think he was out of the will God because he had a shipwreck, deadly snake bite, and people talking about him. No! He overcame all three of those things and keep on moving forward IN THE WILL OF GOD. In other words, you can be right in the center of God's will and have the worst day, month, and year of your life. The hardship doesn't mean anything. It doesn’t mean you’re out of the will of God. Just rebuke the people who got you caught up in the ship wreck (as Paul did), shake that snake off and move forward. Paul didn't blame the hardship on God or say everything happens for a reason. No, he knew it was unwise people and the devil, so he used his authority and stayed focused on the will of God for his life.

Satan (Not God) brings confusion and diversions through trials and hardship so he can have you re-thinking your destiny. You must know who is behind everything. In order to know that, you must mature and practice so that you can have your senses trained to discern (Hebrews 5:14).

When things go wrong people say:

“Ok, God I’m listening”.

“I wonder what is God trying to tell me?”

“I thought I was on the right track, but maybe not”.

“Maybe God is saying go a different direction”.

“God obviously doesn’t want me to do it, or all this hardship wouldn’t be coming at me like this”.

Many have missed the will of God with this type of ignorance. Those people never say, “The devil is doing this, and he is a liar. I will overcome this, keep on moving, and believe God that it shall be even as He spoke it to me”!

Acts 27:25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.

Paul didn’t blame the shipwreck on God. He didn’t say, “God must be redirecting us, or God is teaching us something through the storm and hardship”. No, he rebuked the people who were to blame and then told them to cheer up. God didn’t do it or allow it. God reassured Paul through an angel that he would make it out alright including the people with Paul. Paul had an appointment to get to and “going through the storm was unnecessary if the people would have listened to Paul’s advice in the first place. Some things we bring upon ourselves. That hardship had nothing to do with God. Often times, it’s us simply not listening to wisdom. Yes, it happened for a reason. The REASON is YOU didn’t listen to wisdom and you did something you were not supposed to do! The reason is YOU!

Read this story:

Acts 27:18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. 21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.