Acts 27:1
And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they proceeded to
deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort
named Julius. 2 And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to
sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea, accompanied
by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica.
1.
WHEN GOD HAS DETERMINED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE, HE'LL MAKE A WAY
- AND EVEN CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE TO PAY FOR IT.
2.
GOD CAN USE ANYONE IN THE WORLD TO GIVE YOU FAVOR.
Psalm 30:5
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may
last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Proverbs 12:2
A good man will obtain favor from the LORD....
First Wind - Contrary Winds
Acts 27:3
And the next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with
consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 And
from there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because
the winds were contrary.
Little winds that aggravate you
Song 2:15
"Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards,
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let
us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Second Wind - No Wind
Acts 27:7
And when we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had
arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we
sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone;
No Movement. Dead in the water. What do we do now?
A.
Reflect on what God has done
B.
Learn to rest in God
Third Wind - False Wind
Acts 27:13
And when a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had gained their
purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.
IT
LOOKED LIKE A WIND THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TO THEIR DESTINATION, BUT IT WAS A
FALSE WIND, LEADING THEM IN TO TROUBLE.
Mark 13:22
for false Messiahs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and
wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray. 23 But take heed;
behold, I have told you everything in advance.
Col 4:17
And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in
the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
Phillipians 3:13,14
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those
things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward
call of God in Messiah Yeshua.
Fourth Wind - Violent or Hurricane Wind
Acts 27:14
But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called
Euraquilo; 15 and when the ship was caught in it, and could not face the
wind, we gave way to it, and let ourselves be driven along. 16 And running
under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to
get the ship's boat under control.
IT
SEEMS THAT THE MOST VIOLENT WINDS ALWAYS COME WHEN YOU ARE CLOSEST TO YOUR
DESTINATION.
Rev 12:12
For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the
earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great
wrath, knowing that he has only a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw
that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth
to the male child.
1 Peter 5:8
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about
like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him,
firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being
accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
BUT PERSERVERE. TRUST GOD THROUGH THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND HE
WILL SEE YOU
THROUGH.
John 10:28
and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one
shall snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's
hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
Acts 27:18
The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison
the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard
with their own hands. 20 And since neither sun nor stars appeared for many
days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our
being saved was gradually abandoned. 21 And when they had gone a long time
without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, "Men, you ought to
have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete, and incurred
this damage and loss.
Acts 27:22
And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there shall be no loss
of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night an angel of
the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying, "Do
not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has
granted you all those who are sailing with you." 25 Therefore, keep up your
courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have
been told. 26 But we must run aground on a certain island. 27 But when the
fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic
Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching
some land. 28 And they took soundings, and found it to be twenty fathoms;
and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be
fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the
rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak.
Acts 27:33
And until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take
some food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly
watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I
encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation; for not
a hair from the head of any of you shall perish. 35 And having said this, he
took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he broke it
and began to eat.
Acts 27:42
And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should
swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely
through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could
swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should
follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And
thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.
When God tells you to do something, or go somewhere, He will make the way
for it to happen. No matter how impossible it seems. God will do it.
