God Is Bigger Than Your Problem: The Almighty Power of Our God

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith is a fallen angel sure once he has you worry. Once you chew you up to Greg Laurie says there's good news today that Satan is powerful, but his power is no match for God is greater is he that is in you that he is the world God is powerful than Satan, God is bigger than your problem power should be better will consider the bill as 75, seven, 10 mining waste 750,000 pounds empty 13 feet all comparison beginning to Greg Laurie points out, there's no comparison between our enemy God. God bigger than your problem.

How does that sound. I'm sure of talking to somebody right now that is facing the problem of some kind so I have a very hopeful message for you today.

Starting with this thought.

There is a God in heaven who deeply loves you if you forget everything else I say to you in this message. Just remember that you are loved by God and God wants to reveal his custom-made plan that he has just for you. He wants to flood your life with love and peace and joy and purpose, and then if that's not enough. And that's a lot you want to the spend all eternity with him in this amazing place called heaven. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is Jeremiah 2911 or God says I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord God said, peace, and not to be able to give you a future and a hope. So yes, it's true.

God loves you and God has a plan for your life and God has a future for you know. Listen to this. Just as surely as there is a God in heaven who loves you. There is a devil from hell who hates you. He's a hateful spiteful wicked creature who opposes God and opposes anybody who follows God, the Bible describes him like a roaring lion skulking about, seeking whom he may devour Jesus a bit up this way.

He said in John 1010 the thief speaking of the devil comes only to steal, kill and destroy. What an contrast crisis, but I have come that you might have life in them more abundantly. So the devil he wants to stop you from following Jesus Christ.

He wants to ruin your life when you're being tempted you are to remember the words of the great evangelist Billy Sunday who said, quote, hell is a hires reward. The devil can offer you for being a servant of his. While hell is the highest reward without a mind. Why would anybody ever give in to the temptations of the devil answer. Sin makes us stupid. I mean think about it. Think about the people you know that our intelligent individuals who've gone and done the craziest things under the sway and power of sin.

That's why we give into these things. So though the devil is powerful. Don't forget this God is way more powerful. Listen, the devil is not God's equal God is the Almighty Creator of the universe devil, Lucifer, Satan is a fallen angel, a powerful one for sure, but not anywhere near the equal of God and the Bible reminds us a greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

So God is more powerful than Satan and God is bigger than your problem.

I want to tell you a story from the Bible Mark chapter 5, but encourage you to turn over there with me right now. It's a story of a man who had been completely taken over by the power of the devil, tortured, miserable, suicidal shell of a man in what appeared to be an absolutely hopeless situation that is until Jesus came along. What we see in this man is the devils package deal.

If you will that he has in store for any person who is in his grip. Is he the devil will start with just a foothold and then he'll take over. Give them an inch and he'll take a mile. Once he has you worry. Once you chew you up and those spit you out Judas Iscariot is a classic example of this.

One of the Hendrick disciples of our Lord.

But of course we know that you this Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. I get some money look pretty appealing to Judas but then after the devil God what he wanted from Judas Iscariot. He kicked them to the curb like yesterday's garbage so Judas found out the end result of doing the wrong thing. The story before us illustrates these points and more. We see three forces at work in the text that were going to be looking that we see Satan society and the Savior are another way to look at it we see chaos, culture, and then Christ now is our story begins, we see that Jesus is on his way to reach this tragic man who had actually been taken over for the power of demons.

Not one demon not to demons but many demons as it turns out it so is Jesus is on his way a storm comes on the Sea of Galilee, effectively sent by the devil to stop Jesus from reaching this man but Christ would not be stopped and reminds us of God seeks us out how God loves us. Jesus told the story of shepherd to add 100 sheep and one cheap one astray, and he left the 99 she and sought that one stray lamb and found it wrapped it around his neck and brought it back rejoicing. That's how Jesus says he's going to reach that person like that tragic woman at the well from Samaria who had ruined her life and Jesus had an appointment with her like little Zach. She is a tax collector who lived in Jericho. Jesus thought about and Jesus will not take no for an answer. Years ago I was with my son Jonathan is now in his 30s, but then he was just a little guy probably around five years old so we were in a hotel and tell he loved to push the button and let them do that in so he is always running head to get in the elevator and so I said wait for dad Jonathan. Then he ran ahead around the corner. I come around the corner and just as I got to the elevator doors were closing with little Jonathan in there all by himself.

While I almost had a heart attack by pushing the button. By the way, when you push a button on an elevator over and over doesn't make you come faster but it makes us feel better pushing the button pushing to pushing the pushing it. It seem like an eternity. Only the doors open know Jonathan all my gosh so I get in the elevator I go down to the lobby. I go to the front does is gives me the latest on the phone excusing kinds gives me sermon don't know excuse me I need to type yes what is it, my son got on the elevator and I don't know where. Yes I need you to call security. I need you to call the police. I need swatting here.

I need total force help me find my boy.

Hold on one second search against him. So I run back to the elevator and I pushed every button on every floor and as the elevator would go to the floor. The doors open and I'd yell out his name and after about five floors. The doors open and very man I got a minute I was so thankful to find that was a very scary situation will look I was going to find my son.

Nothing was going to stop me from locating him I would've not been every door in that hotel until I found them. God is going to seek you out. He loves you. He cares about you, but the devil tries to stop Jesus from reaching this man, Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment we send these daily studies out via radio satellite over the Internet. We don't always know how these messages are touching lives.

Pastor Greg, I stumbled on your daily Bible studies.

One morning, while listening to the radio became so interested in the way you explain the Bible and the station went off the air. I searched and was able to find your Google podcast and listen to every day, the way you explain the Bible stories finally let me connect with the Lord in a way I've never been able to before. I grew up attending Christian school and church here ministry because it was like someone finally turn the lights on and connected the dots. After all these years it took someone across the country for me to finally explain things in a way I can understand. I appreciate you and thank you for turning on the light were so grateful to hear of the change lives through harvest ministries. If you'd like to download Pastor breaks podcasts. You can do that through Google Apple course modifying or go to harvest.org that's harvest.org will Pastor Greg digs into today's text now as he brings her message God is bigger than your problem. Let's listen Mark chapter 4 starting in verse 35.

By the way I'm reading from the new living translation.

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples. Let's cross to the other side of the lake you might underline the phrase a come back to. Let's cross to the other side of the lake so they took Jesus in the boat and started out leaving the crowds behind them. The other boats follow soon appear storm came up in high waves were breaking into the boat and began to fill with water. Verse 38. All of this Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat with his head on a cushion they had hit a pillow that's nice.

He was comfortable in the lower part of the boat is a storm is raging. The disciples woke him up, shouting teacher, don't you care there were going to drown Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves. Silence. Be still.

Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm. And then he asked them where you are afraid.

Do you still not have any faith. I love this last verse.

The disciples were absolutely terrified saying who is this man, even the wind and the waves obey storms happened all the time on the Sea of Galilee. Apparently this is a pretty bad storm because the season sailors themselves were freaking out and then we find the Lord coming up on deck and stopping the storm. I wonder if I'm talking to somebody right now, who's going through a storm when I see a storm.

I mean a hardship, a difficulty, perhaps even the tragedy.

It's a big powerful storm and you feel like the disciples are saying of the Lord, Lord, don't you care that I'm suffering don't you care that I'm in trouble right now. Are you even paying attention.

Storms come into our lives as Christians. Sometimes God himself will send the storm as in the case of Jonah, who was so disobedient to God. The Lord called him to go free for the city of Nineveh and he said no, God said, go Jonah said no, God said all God always has the last word so you might see that Jonah was the original chicken of the sea going the wrong direction running from God what happened. The Lord sent a mighty storm and of course to pursue that storm that God God the attention of Jonah. Sometimes we bring these storms on ourselves because our of our disobedience.

You might be in a situation right now we are effectively reaping the consequences of your actions chickens have come home to roost. If you well in your Civil War is ugly me you actually brought it on yourself.

So sometimes God will send a storm.

Listen to this. Sometimes the devil will send a storm as in the story before us, but God allows it. Sometimes we call on the Lord, and he stops a storm like the story before us. Other times, the Lord sustains us through the storm.

But know this wherever you read your storm has a beginning, middle and and then one more thing I would add you read their pulling into a storm or you coming out of the storm will be another one coming just know that. And please don't let that some depressing. I hope it doesn't because Jesus is with you and your storms as well as when he is with you on your sunny days and the fact of the matter is you learn things in the midst of storms or hardships or trials that you will not learn anywhere else.

And besides, there's no reason to panic.

Why Jesus said to the disciples in Mark 435 let's cross to the other side of the lake, God, Jesus, and said let's get on the boat and go to the middle of the lake and die.

I probably would not aborted that boat without somebody said he said let's go to the other side of the lake. He did not promise smooth sailing, but he did promise a safe arrival. He promises the same view right now. He never said life is going to be easy. He said in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

But you'll get you to the other side and and ultimately for us as Christians. The other side is when we get to heaven let's go to the other side he was on board. Listen to this.

Better to be in the storm would Jesus and anywhere else. Without him, and I find it interesting that the storm did not awaken Jesus from his sleep because he was a deep sleeper, but the cry of the disciples did they see in verse 38 don't you care there were going to drown as it ever seem he was a God is sort of asleep well in this sense, Jesus really was asleep. Remember he was fully God.

He was fully man and he was really exhausted and drained from the activities of the day. He really was asleep when in a broader sense God never sleep. The Bible says he that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps in God's always aware of what your going through. But listen to this. In this story Satan was trying to stop Jesus, but he failed, by the way, when Jesus went out to the storm and said, peace be still, it could better be translated.

Peace be muzzle as though he was talking to crazy aggressive wild animal or dog. My wife and I were out walking the other day we went to the one street there's this big dog no lease in these barking, kinda coming out us and I can to push her back at home. Let's go down that street. I know with the owner was up to, but the dog was clearly think this is my street. You know what is usually the big dogs that bite you with those little Japanese dogs. We recently are a while ago.

I should say where walking through another area of our neighborhood where there's this tiny little park in and where walking on a little sidewalk and a lady was approaching with one of the small gap.

The little dogs and when I see the person with the dog.

I always go around the dog. I don't trust him. They might bite. And sure enough that dog bit Kathy in the ankle and it broke the skin. It was not a good thing and that's always a happy dog. General white of the bite so much. Maybe they're just upset. I'm little I knew you happy I am and not an attractive dog, even a cat is better than me and they know it like the little Chihuahuas are only seeking why the shaking because her thinking. I'm not a rat. Don't feed me to a snake. I don't know what you got bit by the park and the funny thing is now.

Whenever we walk near that park is a let's go through dog bite part so we sort of memorialize the blood Jesus was speaking to the power behind the storm, which was the double like a wild animal, or an aggressive dog.

Peace be still or peace be muzzle listen when the devil has a person under his control the sunken to give them up easily. He's sort of like a lion with a kill. Nothing's going to happen without a fight. That's why it's so hard to get someone to go to church with you.

Well I don't know if of the things to do in the devil holds on to his prey. But again, remember God is more powerful than the devil, and God is bigger than your problem so they come across a sea of Galilee.

Jesus is stop the storm and what is waiting for them on the other side but a man who was possessed by demons turned out in Mark chapter 5 Herman read verses one through nine, which says so they arrived in the other side of the lake in the region of the Gadarenes and would Jesus climbed out of the boat. A man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him.

This man lived in the burial caves and can no longer be restrained even with a chain. Whatever he was put into chains and shackles as he often was he snap the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue them in day and night. He wondered among the burial caves in the hills howling and cutting himself with stones. When Jesus saw him some distance away. The men saw him and ran the medium endowed book forum with a streaky screen. Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, son of the most high God in the name of God, I beg you don't torture me and Jesus had already said to the spirit come out of this man, you evil spirit. Well, when the story this is downright spooky of frightening evil man with super human strength hanging around in a graveyard screaming and howling another one of the gospel accounts tells us that wasn't enough, the guy was naked so is running around nobody wanted to go near that graveyard. No one would want to go up either respect to their loved ones would pass they might run into the crazy naked guy who broke chains and so everyone wrote this guy off and he's out of his mind is under the power of the devil and notice it says he cut himself is not interesting, you know, cutting her self injury is that sometimes called, is becoming far more widespread among young people today kids cutting themselves as sharp objects like razor blades and by the way girls do it more often than boys. At the end of my message him and to tell you a story of one of these young people.

Young girl named Nikki cut herself and was very despondent when God did for her. How this guy ended up in this day worries cutting himself in and so tormented.

We can only imagine this man was dead spiritually. The Bible says that were dead in our trespasses and our sin. The Bible also says that she that lives for pleasure is dead while she is living. You know when guards will leave a condemned man down. The prison hallway. They would call out the word dead man walking dead men walking here that's exactly who this guy was.

He was a dead man walking.

Romantic story beginning pastor Greg Laurie with a study from Mark five titled, God is bigger than your problem and he'll have that final story in just a moment. Hopefully you heard all the pastor Greg's counsel today, but if any interruptions prevented that you can catch up by listening again online stream. The study or download an MP3 for later.

Just go to harvest.org and it is a real privilege to have Shannon bring them with us today. She's, of course, anchor of Fox News at night on the Fox News Channel and she is also author of the brand-new book were making available called the women of the Bible speak pastor Shannon.

I was wondering, I mean you're on the Fox News Channel. It's the number one news channel really in the country right now, and in your very open about your faith and we really appreciate that you're really a bright light and you do such a great job as a journalist is a newscaster and an and also your coverage of the Supreme Court and explaining things that are happening there that are not always clear to everyone including me, but I swear that's you like what are some of the challenges you face like you note in the job you have other Fox News. Maybe some of the difficulties you deal with just a in in the workplace or challenges or opportunities is tell us a little bit what it's like to be a believer in that setting. Well, I think anything working medium will take that's 24 seven. I pretty much think I love what you deal and I deal. I felt very blessed and very grateful to be on this assignment forever. How long the Lord has me here competent, but the truth is, especially of the last year and we all had see you looking watch his people around us and in our own lives has suffered great loss. People have been frightened today had been very ill. We've lost people.

We laugh people of lost jobs. They don't know how to hold their household together when it's been an incredibly painful time we've had unrest over racial divisions and you know Christ for reconciliation where that is such an open wound in this country as well. We have so many things that need so much healing and so much attention, so there are times that reporting the news and it's very difficult because he sees such destruction and such heartbreak over the last year went down has made me do is read deeper into my faith, I've always been Simeon tries to spend time in the word every day. I know I need the equipping. I know I need that forgiveness every day. But really, over the last year and 1/2 or so it's been okay my priorities. That's when again and then the very first thing I do is I pray I get the word turn on my phone once I do that, you know, I'm off to the races with emails and texts and people who need things and you know things pulling innocent bad news but I realized last year and now I can't wake up and turn on see how many more people have died. How many jobs have been destroyed cities that had been burned. People who are hurting, I got a B in the word first for me on it was a wake-up call that I had found comfort and things that are not the Lord, and anything short is him is not him. It's not where I need to be rooted in laying out my treasure sell. It was a good wake-up call for me to remind myself that I need to spend that time in the word and routing and not every day, then I can take on the rest of it.

The Lord has planned and I can be on somebody with a longer fuse and more compassionate, more empathetic and not rattled by things in this world because it will all pass away.

Sages heard there's a lady who's in the epicenter of news and does.

She starts her day off not with their phone, not with the news but with the good news with the word of God. That's a good example for all of us in the good way that you know get ready for the day and get yourself prepared for the challenges that come your way. Think that's excellent advice absolutely pastor Greg speaking with Shannon bream today about her new book called the women of the Bible speak is full of revealing insight on women who made a difference.

Women who are inspiring examples for us to follow like a subtitle of the book is the wisdom of 16 women and their lesson for today. Don't miss this encouragement will only be mentioning this resource.

A short time longer, so get in touch right away will be glad to send a book your way to thank you for your investment and keeping pastor Greg's teaching coming your way.

Each day you can write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 call anytime 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will pester regulars the news about your new TV program called harvest with Greg Laurie so we really expanded on television.

I would say quite dramatically wanting to reach new people wanting to reach unexpected people in unexpected places like the lifetime channel and is a huge viewership. This is not what you would call a Christian channel it's more of a secular channel a mainstream TV outlet will be on the lifetime network also will be on the FOXBusiness network also on Newsmax. In addition to that will be in great Christian networks like DayStar and TBN if you want to find out more about air times go to harvest.org when next time more of pastor Greg's rich insights from this fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark before we go.

Pastor Greg closes this way. I mentioned earlier about how young people are cutting themselves and I received a letter a while ago from a young lady named Nikki who came to one of our harvest Crusade events.

This is what she wrote all just read it. She says my life lately has been in the slumps. I was freaked out about school. I was having boyfriend trouble. I was stressed to the max and to top it off my family life hasn't been the greatest so Nikki says I started to cut myself to cope with all of this. It was just hurting me more. I tried to stop but I was addicted to reach young lady like this. She's at the harvest Crusade, hearing the gospel.

She said I heard that Christ saves lives. So I decided to give her the chance after attending your service. I felt my like my life is made a complete turn around. I committed my life to Jesus and I decided to stop hurting myself at the time I thought God would never forgive me for what I done to myself and all the sins I committed. But after hearing what Greg had to say God opened my eyes and the king concludes I'm now living my new life as a Christian. Great story by talking to a young person like Nikki. Right now, been cutting themselves a young person that has a family that's falling apart by talking to an older person that's was told in life, whoever you are, wherever you are, God is bigger than your problem and a everybody thinks or listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God