1. The Anchor of Stability
• Holds firm when our "own" navigation system fails
• A treacherous moment when we reach the point of abandoning hope-God steps in and says "Don't be afraid, I have a plan!"
• The Anchor of Stability is God's word
• But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1, 2 ESV)
2. The Anchor of Unity
• During a storm there is an overwhelming urge to abandon ship and let each one fend for themselves
• As Christians we need the presence of God's people surrounding us when the bottom has dropped out of our lives
• The Anchor of Unity holds us close
• And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 ESV)
3. The Anchor of Renewal
• We run our tanks dry trying to fight the battles on our own and we end up physically weak, emotionally drained, and doubting everything
• Spiritual renewal comes primarily through prayer
• Seek His direction in prayer and His Word- don't give up until you're satisfied you have the Lord's mind
• Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. (Psalms 32:6 ESV)
4. The Anchor of Reality
• The Anchor of Reality says, "Jump right in! Get directly involved! Under so circumstances are you to be passive! Be engaged!"
• All involved in a storm need to be engaged in the process of getting through it
• Passivity is Faith's enemy
• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV)
The best plan for surviving in any storm is always be in preparation! The secrecy to survival is what you do ahead of time.
1. Spend time in God's word-alone and with others
2. Spend time in prayer-alone and with others
3. Spend time in worship-alone and with others
When you do all these things and apply the anchors to your life you will always be ready for the storms of life and be able to respond in faith instead of fear.
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