JESUS IS LORD OVER ALL! I want to start this month’s teaching by encouraging you not to ever let the devil, or your imagination, tell you anything different! It doesn’t matter what kind of storm you are facing — Jesus is Lord over the wind and the waves! And that is what I am going to talk to you about in my letter to you today.

But first, very briefly, I want to say THANK YOU for what you’re doing to help us with the office-building and land purchase in Moscow. We are still believing for the full amount needed, and we are in faith that it will come on time. If God moves on your heart to help us financially with this project, we thank you in advance for doing whatever He leads you to do. I simply cannot overstate the importance of your prayers and your gifts of support as we expand our capacity to serve the people who call into our ministry daily. Denise and I are so thankful that you have joined hands to help us fulfill this part of our assignment. You are making a difference in so many lives in the former Soviet Union and beyond!

I want to talk to you about spiritual storms and raging waves that try to derail us when we’re obeying God and stepping out to do something significant for the Kingdom of God. When you step out to do something in faith, that is usually the moment when the enemy attacks and tries to thwart what you are doing.

In our own ministry over the years, the enemy has struck to destroy from time to time. These attacks have usually come at points when we were about to do something especially important in the Kingdom of God. Each time, those attacks were attempts to thwart the plan of God. But the devil’s attacks always failed, and the power of the Holy Spirit always prevailed. And that is what is going to happen with you too!

Let me direct you today to Mark 4:35-41, where the Bible tells us that even Jesus came under such an attack when He was preparing to cast a legion of demons out of the demoniac of Gadara. Jesus was headed to “the other side” — where a great miracle was going to take place — when, suddenly, winds seemed to come out of nowhere to try to capsize Jesus’ boat and drown Him and His disciples in the middle of the lake!

Mark 4:37 says, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.” The words “there arose” were taken from the Greek word ginomai, which describes something that happens unexpectedly or something that catches one off guard. This word is used in Mark 4:37 to tell us these winds overtook them unexpectedly. Suddenly and unexpectedly, there arose “a great storm of wind.”

The word “great” is from the word mega, which denotes something of magnificent proportions. It is where we get the idea of “mega-bills,” “mega-work,” “mega-tired,” etc. — and the word “megaphone.” By using this word, the Holy Spirit was telling us that this was a mega-storm! And notice what particular kind of storm it was. Mark didn’t say it was a thunderstorm or a rainstorm; he said it was “a great storm of wind.” The word “wind” is the Greek word lalaips, which describes turbulence or a terribly violent wind.

This “great storm of wind” was an attempt of the enemy to stop Jesus and His crew from reaching the other side of the sea where a great breakthrough would occur. So when Jesus was on the edge of a breakthrough, violent and destructive turbulence showed up. This was a preemptive strike of the devil to stop the plan of God. But it didn’t work, and it won’t work on you and your breakthrough either!

But since an attack like this came against Jesus, you need to know that the enemy will attempt to do this to you as well. That’s why you must “put on the whole armor of God” (see Ephesians 6:11) and learn how to take authority over the wind and the waves that come against your life — against your family, your finances, or your body — just as Jesus took authority over the wind and the waves that came against Him.

So what do you do if you come under a demonic attack? BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE…first check to make sure you have left no doors open for an attack. Then just like Jesus did in the middle of that storm, you must take authority over the wind and the waves in your life and command them to stop in Jesus’ name!

When Jesus was done taking authority over the wind and waves that night on the sea, the winds ceased, and there was a great peace. And “a great peace” is exactly what Jesus wants to bring into your life right now.

•  If the enemy has created a great financial problem in your life, Jesus Christ wants to match it with a great financial blessing.

•  If the adversary has created a great sickness in your body, Jesus wants to match it with a great healing.

•  If the devil has created a horrible marital mess in your life, the Lord Jesus Christ wants to match that marital crisis with a great marital blessing.

•  Whatever the devil does, Jesus Christ wants to match that attack with an even greater blessing in your life!

I want to tell you that your best days are ahead of you. If you are experiencing a raging spiritual storm, it may be a signal that you are on the verge of something magnificent, and that may be the very reason why a storm has suddenly shown up to try to stop you. But that storm is your opportunity to see a demonstration of God’s power in your life! Rise up in faith and rebuke those spiritual winds, and they will cease, and a great calm will come, and you will make it to the other side!

If you need help to do this, let us help you. We are very serious when it comes to praying for our partners. But to know how to specifically pray for you and the storm you’re facing, we need to hear from you. So call or write and let us know how to pray. We’ll rise up in faith with you to take authority over the wind and waves in any area of your life!

It has been so good to share this word with you today. Please continue to pray for us as we do what God has called us to do in Russia and around the world. God’s Word has the power to change lives, but people have to really hear it, embrace it, and believe it in order to experience that transformation. So together with our partners, we’re doing our part to get the life-changing Word to them through every vehicle and avenue God opens up to us. Thank you for helping so profoundly like you do! We are deeply grateful — and we love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families