Storms are not meant to destroy us. Do not fear and be of good cheer

Acts 27:21-26 KJV
[21] But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
[22] And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
[23] For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
[24] Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
[25] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
[26] Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

In my previous posts, I have discussed some ways in which we can keep hope alive during this time of Storm which are:

• To focus our eyes on God
• To connect to God's word
• To connect to prophetic grace

Today's discussion will focus on verses 24 & 24 of the above text.

Acts 27:24-25 KJV
[24] Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
[25] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

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One of the words of God to Paul was that he should not be afraid (verse 24). Fear is one of the weapons that the devil uses to destroy several people. In fact, fear kill more people than the real challenges they are faced with. In other to keep hope alive we must not give room to fear. While God's word can help us deal with the issues of fear in our lives (faith comes by hearing God's word -Romans 10:17), too much exposure to the news about current stormy situation around us can create more fear in us.

In verse 25,we are asked to be of good cheer. Being cheerful is never given to dejection, sorrow, bitterness or fear. It also entails being full of courage. One of the ways of keeping hope alive in the midst of storm is to be merry, sing praises to God and be joyful in the hope of God's promises to you. Remember to cook and eat, play, exercise yourself and carry out your regular routine. Do not let fear hold you bound. Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Storms are not meant to destroy us, they are meant to reveal the stuff we are made of and also to bring out the best in us. Every storm has it's expiry time - they are meant to come and pass. Covid-19 is a storm which God has allowed in the midst of humanity not to crush us but to strengthen our faith and trust in him. Keep your hope alive in the Lord, rejoice even in this, never give room to fear. This too shall soon pass away.