by George Jesze 1st May 2026

“And the same day, when the even was come, he said unto his disciples, Let us
pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they
took him even as he was in the ship…And there arose a great storm of wind, and
the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder
part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him,
Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and
said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no
faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of
man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41 KJV

Every person has storms in their life. Christians and non-Christians have storms,
storms in the family, marriage, finances, health and in many areas. Even after the
storm has passed, we often need healing from the damage it has caused. My first
storm was at the age of five in the Second World War.
I was born in Poland from German ancestry, and we suffered a great deal. There were
suicides every day, my mother had to go into the bombed buildings and bring out the
dead bodies, strip them of their clothes and shoes, and pile them up in the streets.
They were sending small German children away to concentration camps, but God
kept me.

I remember that a bomb fell on the house next door, and I saw it burst into flame and
the dead bodies hanging from the beams. These experiences left me with much fear,
and I had a fear of death and illness many years, until Jesus delivered me. Father was
away, sent as a prisoner of war to England. My mother prayed for God to deliver us.
One night she had a dream where she saw a particular building, a door with a number
on it and an official sitting at a desk in the room. A voice spoke to her: Go now!
She went to that town, in that building and there was the man sitting at his desk, just
as he had seen! With his and God’s help and many miracles, we were able to leave
Poland as refugees, and go over to England, and be reunited with my father, after 10
years.

I was born again, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, at the age of ten, and when
I was 14, God called me into ministry. Still fighting shyness and fear, I went to Bible
College. On Friday evenings, was “Preaching on the Block” when a different student
had to preach for 45 minutes. When my turn came, I preached about Gideon; I got
through him and from Genesis to Revelation in 10 minutes! Somebody had to give a
testimony to make up the time! I was desperate and said, “Lord, why did you call
me?!”

As I learnt to let the Word of God become strong in me, and as I allowed the Holy
Spirit to set me free, I have seen the power of fear broken. In 2 Timothy 1:7 we read:
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a
sound mind.” (KJV)

Storms come suddenly, like a burglar who breaks into a house. He does not send you
a postcard and say, “I am coming at 10 o’clock next Tuesday. Get all your valuables
ready on the table for me!” In 1970, we were in a storm on a ship going from
Denmark to Stavanger, Norway. The music was playing from the loudspeaker: “Oh
what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day! I’ve got a wonderful feeling,
everything’s going my way!” But it wasn’t, for everybody was seasick!
Then there was the storm on an international level of Tschernobyl and the escape of
radiation. I preached in that Russian town. Many houses were boarded up, people had
left, but some of the people who had stayed were Christians. They experienced God’s
power, e.g. one man walked all over his farm, blessing all the livestock and harvest in
the Name of Jesus. Scientists came and measured and found no radiation on his farm.
Many people, including government officials came to buy his milk and produce.

Some storms we bring upon ourselves, like Jonah, who thought he could run away
from God. God prepared a great fish to swallow him when they threw him overboard,
so he spent three days and nights in “Fish Hotel”! Many people think they can run
away from God, but they find like David wrote in Psalm 137:7-12 that God is
everywhere. When we run we take our sin with us! Many Christians are singing
Frank Sinatra’s song: “I’ll do it my way!” But they don’t like the consequences.
Jonah was set free when he repented and cried: “When my soul fainted within me, I
remembered the Lord; and my prayer came in unto your holy Temple …
Salvation is of the Lord!” Jonah 2:7+9. When we recognise our wrong-doing and
repent, then the Lord will bring us also through the storm.

Sometimes other people’s disobedience brings us into a storm. The Apostle Paul
was a prisoner on board ship. In his spirit, he sensed that there was trouble ahead and
advised that they wait for better weather. The centurion did not take notice of this
warning and sailed on. A terrible storm lasted many days; it was so dark you could
not see sun or stars. All hope was gone. Paul prayed and fasted, and an angel came
with a message: If all stay on board, no lives will be lost, only th ship. They obeyed
and the ship ran aground on an island. All lives were saved. Even if we go through a
storm because of the mistakes of others, God is watching over us. Keep in prayer,
seek the Lord, He will bring you through safely.

We read in the Scripture at the beginning that Jesus and his disciples were in a
boat and a great storm arose. Jesus rebuked the storm and there was a great
calm. The storm arose and then JESUS arose! Is Jesus asleep in the boat of your
life? He will not help you until you ask Him. Is the Word of God passive and
asleep in your heart? Stir it up! Cry out to Jesus to help you! He is the Almighty
One, greater than every storm! When Jesus asked the disciples why they were so
fearful and had no faith, it was because He expected them to do something about
the situation.

Speak to your storm! Examine it. Have you brought this on yourself? Has
someone else taken you into the storm? Has Satan deliberately attacked you? Or
has God allowed this experience to teach you new things and to deepen your
spiritual life and ministry? If that is the case, let Him mould you like the Potter
into the design that He has for you.

LEARN THE LESSON AND COME TRIUMPHANT THROUGH THE
STORM!

George preached this sermon in Yoido Full Gospel Church, in Seoul, Korea, where
Pastor David Yonggi Cho was the pastor. We had known him from Germany, George
interpreted for him at a conference and he wrote the Foreword for our book, Winning
over Worry. It was a great privilege to preach there, the biggest church in the world.
When we were there, they had 760,000 members. To God be all the glory! So I made
a Devotional from George’s sermon notes for you. I pray you have been blessed by it