Mark 4:35-41
Jesus provides hope in the midst of storms so we can have faith, knowing He is with us in the boat.
Introduction
Batten down the hatches is a nautical term from the early 19th century. When a ship was about to enter rough seas, the captain would order the crew to batten down the hatches. The crew would close all the hatches (doors) on the ship’s decks and use lengths of batten (rods) to secure the hatches in the closed position. People often use this term to talk about security and protection or to concentrate and get work done. Some examples are, “We batten down the hatches before we went on vacation (securing our home),” or “For the team to complete the project, they batten down the hatches (cut out distractions).”
Batten down the hatches is not about the storm. It is about the vessel. A few weeks ago, we got a simple word for our church. A trusted person was standing in the back of our service, and they heard the Lord say, “Batten down the Hatches.” They were brave enough to tell us; we have been praying over this for the last few weeks. We also invited the staff to pray as well. When receiving a word like this, it can feel scary if you are focused on the storm rather than the vessel. We are encouraged by this word as we see that Jesus provides hope in the midst of storms so we can have faith, knowing He is with us in the boat.
Faith, not Fear
• Jesus saw that the fear for their lives was getting in the way of seeing the opportunities ahead. They were focused on the storm, and it would surely take their lives.
• Fear causes us to desperately seek worldly solutions, while faith compels us to turn our focus to Jesus.
• Jesus is our captain. Jesus is in the boat.
• What causes us to fall into fear? What does faith look like?
• When we are fearful, we are looking at our circumstances. We are focused on the impact to us. We begin to fight against rather with. We become desperate. (
• Faith causes us to look around. It causes us to look at the bigger picture and see the opportunities.
A Contrary Wind
• This region was not primarily populated by Jews but by Gentiles.
• Jesus was going to that side of the lake because, as always, He was following the leading of the Father, and someone over there desperately needed Him, and the devil knew it.
• From this event, we learn that the devil can, as well as God can, control the weather, and he had sent this wind to prevent Jesus from rescuing a man whom he held in bondage.
• Jesus did not just tell the wind to stop. John tells us that Jesus “rebuked the wind.”
• Satan was terrified and angry that Jesus was coming to this side of the lake, and He wanted to stop Him. This wasn’t an accidental storm. It was a contrary wind. It’s a vivid example of the kind of spiritual warfare every disciple of Jesus will face.
• After Jesus rebuked the storm and they arrived on the other side, they were met by a man.
• He didn’t just go and tell a few friends. He became a dynamic evangelist, to such an extent that the next time Jesus returned to the region, the response was different.
An Awaiting Victory
• When Jesus returned to the region, a large crowd gathered to hear him. They were so interested that they went without food and slept in the open for three days.
• Once again, Jesus fed the multitudes (Mk. 8:1-10). There are two times this happened in the bible—the feeding of the 5000. The boy had five loaves of bread and two fish. They had twelve baskets left over) and this feeding, the feeding of the 4000, started with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. After everyone finished eating, they had seven baskets left over.
• For Jesus and the disciples to see this kind of victory, they had to go to the other side of the lake. They had to rebuke the enemy and keep their eyes on Jesus.
• Batten down the hatches for us isn’t about the storm. It’s about the victory on the other side. We believe God is telling us that we need to prepare ourselves spiritually, for He is about to do something new.
• Whenever we position ourselves to defeat the enemy, he will try to oppose us. We can count on it, but we can also be assured that Jesus has given us the authority to stop the assault and continue to complete our assignment.
Application
When we face a contrary wind, we must:
1. Refuse Fear: Opposition will come but don’t react in fear. It weakens us and renders us helpless. It allows the enemy to control us.
2. Don’t accuse God of forsaking you (Mk.4:38): If we grow angry and distrustful toward God, we cut ourselves off from our source. He isn’t the problem. He is the solution.
3. Recognize the spiritual source behind the opposition: Not every problem is caused by Satan, but some are. We must learn to discern and recognize the “schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).
4. Address the enemy confidently using the authority God has given you through Jesus (Mt. 28:18, 20; Lk. 10:19).
Conclusion
God has not given us a warning through this word, “Batten down the hatches,” but rather, He has given us a strategy so that we can make it to the other side of the lake. He has given us an assignment. We do not believe it was by accident that the timing of this word came just as we were about to blanket the North Seattle area with prayer. Over 350 people spread across our community to pray. So, let’s batten down the hatches. Confess sin often. Keep short accounts. Spend time in the word, worship, and prayer, and watch each other’s back. We are preparing not for a storm but for a victory.
Discussion Questions
- Have you experianced lately a situation where you gave into fear, and you should have given into faith? Explain.
- Share about a time you have faced a “contrary wind.” Did you know that is what it was?
- Considering the word we recieved as a church to “batten down the hatches,” what is God asking of you?
- Bonus: Read Mark 4:35-41, 5:1-20 and 8:1-10 with a friend and discuss.