The Prayer that Pleases God

Mark 4:35-41
The Voice

35 The same evening, Jesus suggested they cross over to the other side of the lake. 36
With Jesus already in the boat, they left the crowd behind and set sail along with a few
other boats that followed. 37 As they sailed, a storm formed. The winds whipped up
huge waves that broke over the bow, filling the boat with so much water that even the
experienced sailors among them were sure they were going to sink.

● This storm was demonic, not a natural storm! It was a deterrent from the toppling
of the territorial spirit that was keeping that whole region in bondage through the
demonized men in the Gadarenes.

38 Jesus was back in the stern of the boat, sound asleep on a cushion, when the
disciples shook Him awake.

● You know you have faith when you can be resting in the middle of a storm!

Disciples (shouting over the storm): Jesus, Master, don’t You care that we’re going to
die?

● Funny that the disciples would accuse the Savior of the world of not caring if they
might perish! How often does our confession of faith become a cry of hopeless
despair when we are facing a storm in our lives?

39 He got up, shouted words into the wind, and commanded the waves.

Jesus: That’s enough! Be still!

And immediately the wind died down to nothing, the waves stopped.

Jesus: 40 How can you be so afraid? After all you’ve seen, where is your faith?

● They didn’t do anything illegal here! They went to Jesus and petitioned him with
great passion! This, in our view, would’ve been the best thing to do! In the middle
of a crazy demonic attack, shouldn’t we run to Jesus and cry out for Him to
deliver us?
 ● This was not wrong, they got Jesus to respond and calm the storm! But, it wasn’t
the best response! By this time, after having seen and heard what He could do,
they should’ve responded in a greater level of faith!

● Jesus was training them to exercise their faith and was expecting that by this
time they would’ve understood the power of their words of faith- He was
expecting that they would have calmed the storm!

● This has always been and will always be God’s plan for us as His sons and
daughters, that we grow in faith and learn to speak into the situations we are
facing; rather, then to merely petition Him in prayer.

● REMEMBER, when we don’t know what His will is in a given situation, then the
PRAYER OF PETITION is good and right! But, when we know what the Word
says about something- like sickness- then the PRAYER OF FAITH is the more
effective and powerful way to see the situation changed!

41 The disciples were still afraid, slowly coming to grips with what they had seen.

Disciples (to one another): Who is this Jesus? How can it be that He has power over
even the wind and the waves?

● Even after this incident, they were still not getting it! They were still asking the
wrong questions!

Exodus 14:13-16
English Standard Version
13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the
Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall
never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go
forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that
the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.

● You might be in a situation right now! You're facing a massive demonic storm!
SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN AND COMMAND IT TO BE CAST INTO THE
SEA!!!!
Hebrews 11:1-4 TPT
11 Now faith brings our hopes into reality…

● “Faith has it, hope says I am going to have it”

● Hope is about future things, Faith is about present things!

● Faith speaks things that are not as though they were because in HIM they are!

● Faith knows that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!

● Faith knows That the Lord is not the Great I Was or the Great I Will Be- He is the
Great I AM!

and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the
evidence required to prove what is still unseen. 2 This testimony of faith is what
previous generations were commended for. 3 Faith empowers us to see that the
universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He
spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.

● This is the God-kind of Faith that Jesus wanted His disciples to exercise on that
boat over 2,000 years ago! This is the faith He longs for you to exercise!

● He wants us to speak according to His Word and allow the pregnant invisible
realm to give birth to what was once unseen!

● The Unseen Realm is pregnant, full of unclaimed promises, breakthroughs,

healings and miracles!

● I can imagine how excited Jesus was when He was walking on the water and
Peter asked Him to walk on the water too! How joyful Jesus was when Peter
started walking on the water! Then, when Peter started sinking, How Jesus
grabbed a hold of Him. I could imagine Jesus looking Peter in the eyes and
embracing Him! He told Him why he has such little faith, but it wasn’t a harsh
word of discouragement or condemnation, but a loving admonition to step up
higher in his faith level!
Hebrews 6:6 TPT
6 And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to
God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who
passionately seek him.