Acts 27:21-26

There is nothing like an angelic visitation at just the right time! God’s purpose, as we have been speaking about, will not be thwarted because of contrary circumstances. And God, in His goodness, “has granted safety” to everyone on board—meaning it had already been decreed. As far as Heaven was concerned, it was a done deal. What God says, God does.

That had to be welcome news for some, although I am sure there were still a few skeptics in the bunch—but not for long.

When God decrees something, it has the full backing of Heaven. He can move heaven and earth on our behalf. The accounts of God intervening in the affairs of men are abundant throughout Scripture, and yet how skeptical we can be sometimes. There are those who readily accept the biblical accounts of God interacting with mankind through angels, visions, dreams, and other heavenly encounters, yet when we hear similar claims today, we tend to question them.

Granted, there are charlatans who make unsubstantiated claims in hopes of gathering a following, and eventually their fruit—or lack thereof—usually exposes them.

So how do we know what is genuine? This is where our relationship with the Holy Spirit is so important. Jesus said that the Spirit of truth would “guide you into all truth.” The Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit in various ways, always consistent with the truth of God’s Word. Sometimes something simply doesn’t seem right—there is an uneasiness in your spirit that won’t go away. Other times, you suddenly “just know” something you didn’t know before, almost like a download of information deposited into your spirit. And sometimes He brings a Scripture to mind at precisely the right moment.

The importance of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives cannot be overstated. So much so that Jesus commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem after His resurrection until they were endued with power from on High. It wasn’t a suggestion.

The Holy Spirit is our constant Companion, and Paul was certainly dependent upon Him throughout this storm. Storms have a way of doing that in our lives. There are times when we face situations far bigger than our capacity to handle, and in those moments, we had better know Who to call.
And there is no one better than Jesus!

When our resources have been exhausted, when circumstances are beyond our control, and when there appears to be no way out, He is still Lord over the storm. There are times when God may lead us to speak to the storm in faith, exercising the authority He has given us, and there are other times when He calls us to trust Him as He carries us through it. The key is knowing His will and following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Our authority is never independent of His authority; it flows from it.

No one delivers like He does.