Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour… 1 Peter 5:8 KJV

Accidents, disasters, catastrophes are all avoidable. The grace, mercy and favor of God is so great that even during a catastrophe that He warned you about, He can turn circumstances around to make you the victor. But what is better than being a victor, because being a victor means winning a fight, is to avoid the fight altogether, unless it’s a necessary fight. We’ll discuss the occasional necessary fight, but let’s focus on avoiding the unnecessary ones.

Now, we have all had accidents, including me, and I don’t seek to be critical or condemning of anyone who has suffered from an accident. What I seek to do is to help us get healed and avoid these mistakes in the future.

My oldest son was a teenager working at a local fast-food restaurant in the evening. As my family sat down to dinner while he was working, I felt led to pray for his safety which I did. Leadings are of no value unless you follow the leading. I followed the leading. Then, as my wife and I lay in bed, while he was still at work, I was led again to pray for his safety. Again, I followed the leading. At 230am he burst into our room and announced that he had been in a terrible accident but survived unhurt. Apparently, he and another boy were engaged in silly teenager actions! Instead of going home after work, they had decided to drive fast in the other boy’s car on country roads around our home. Country roads can turn ninety degrees in an instant because you are supposed to drive SLOW on them! This road turned on them, the car rolled over on a railroad track, and almost crushed the boys, but they were unhurt. Catastrophe avoided!

Accidents don’t ‘just happen.’ They happen because of spiritual forces that come to steal, kill and destroy seek to make them happen, and because we don’t exercise our spiritual authority to keep them from happening. The Lord ALWAYS warns us, and if we heed His warning, we can avoid disaster. Even amid the disaster, He can protect us and bring us to safety. The classic NT case along this line is Paul and the wheat ship…

Paul was a prisoner headed to Rome, and at least Luke was traveling with him…

And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. Acts 27:6-11 KJV

In our understanding and application of the truth we are seeing here, Paul represents the Holy Spirit, and our unbelieving mind is represented by the centurion. Paul gives the warning, and the centurion refuses to believe it. It’s interesting that sailing experience agreed with Paul. Sailing experience said that sailing was dangerous right now because of the time of year – – ‘the fast was already past.’ Don’t discount common sense and experience when seeking to walk by the Spirit! Many have done so and have walked into disasters when they thought they had ‘faith’ to get through! Paul does not have the legal freedom to make his own decisions. Let’s see what happens…

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. Acts 27:13-20 KJV

The warning revelation is ignored, and now they are in a disaster. But Paul, again representing Holy Spirit, is about to save everyone’s bacon. What interests me is that everyone is going to live, even the centurion. You can see these weren’t wicked men carrying Paul to Rome. They were simply unsaved guys doing a job and the Lord has complete mercy on them, even the knuckleheads among them, if they will be obedient to Paul, representing HS. Paul was now in a necessary fight…

But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. Acts 27:21-26 KJV

In martial arts training – I have a black belt in Taekwondo – you are taught to address your courage and take authority over a situation, showing who is in charge. Paul stood forth in the midst, commanding the stage, and even the centurion was listening. Paul speaks forcefully but not arrogantly, just like the HS. Paul gives the revelation and says ‘I believe God!’ bringing hope in the midst of the disaster. Now, you can’t plan to have courage, you can only practice courage regularly. Then when the pressure comes on you, you will revert to your training. If you have trained with courage, you will find courage under pressure. Paul was cool under pressure because he practiced courage regularly. Maybe we need to train all our pastors in martial arts!

27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. Acts 27:27-32 KJV

Now the centurion was listening. Paul had won his respect. Courage, righteousness, faithfulness will win the respect of those who are hungry, because they respect real leadership. Do you think the centurion finally got saved some time during this trip? I’ll bet he did.

33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. Acts 27:33-37 KJV

It appears Paul was leading them all in fasting, perhaps even in prayer, for their lives. Paul as a man of God, was a bigger man than the ship or the centurion, or even the storm. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! Same truth with you and I if we are willing to exercise it. Do you see it?

And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land. Acts 27:41-44 KJV

Wow! It wasn’t easy, but everyone lived, just like the revelation had said. Do you realize the revelation had changed from before the trip, where it was that everyone would die, to the middle of the trip, where it said that everyone would live? What changed the revelation? The mercy of God and the intercession of Paul, just like when Moses interceded for Israel when the Lord had pronounced judgment on them. Paul asked the Lord to turn the circumstances around during the disaster, and God did it. Your intercession amid disaster can do the same thing!

Accidents, disasters and catastrophes can be avoided if we stay quiet and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit daily, even on what we think are little things. I can think of so many personal experiences where a small word, an intimate leading, turned a great circumstance. Think about what you are thinking about, and ask yourself, why am I thinking about that? The Lord’s love is thorough, and unconditional, and caring for even the smallest detail. He rules and overrules in the affairs of men if we just let Him. He REALLY LIKES YOU, and He likes your children, your car, your house and all that you have, and He seeks to protect it, even cause it to flourish, if we will just listen and obey daily. Amen? Love you!

Remember dear one, we must be about our Father’s business…