Mark 5:36 “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”

DAILY READING; • • Revelation 4; Nehemiah 5:1-7:4; Psalm 99

On 12th July 2018, Fox News reported the amazing story of 19-year-old Blake Spataro who survived nearly 10 hours of fighting for his life in the Atlantic Ocean.
In July 2018, Blake and his father, were on a holiday trip and visited the St. Simon Island in Georgia. On Tuesday, 19th July, Blake was all alone just sitting in the shallow waters of the Island, when he was suddenly hit by a strong rip current. This wave pulled him out into the Atlantic Ocean. Blake screamed for help, but no one heard his cry.
He tried to swim to safety but the waves were too strong for him and he only found himself drifting further away into the ocean.
When his father could not find him, the U.S. Coast Guard were alerted and a frantic search began for him.
Blake’s mother, who was not part of the holiday trip, was alarmed to receive the devastating phone call that her son was missing. But being a strong Christian, she kept her eyes on Jesus.
Though it appeared unlikely her son could survive that night of being all alone in the wide dangerous ocean, she stood in faith and prayed to God for his rescue.
Throughout that night she called upon God, and refused to accept the inevitability of her son dying in the deep waters.
Meanwhile, Blake kept fighting for his life for nearly 10 hours. When he got exhausted from swimming and treading water, he drifted on his back. As he faced grave danger all alone in the dark sea, he kept talking to God to deliver him.
In the wee hours of the next day, exhausted and dehydrated, Blake was almost about to give up, when he saw lights from a nearby Coast Guard ship. This sight gave him hope and the renewed strength to begin pushing through the waves and swimming towards shore. It was with joy that Blake finally reached the shore and set his foot on dry land. He discovered he had swum to a golf course, miles away from St. Simon Island, where the waves had dragged him into the ocean.
He borrowed a stranger’s phone to call his parents. His mother’s faith and prayers were rewarded when she picked up the phone and heard Blake’s voice say, “hey, mom, I am alive”!
When his parents later located him and he was taken to the hospital, amazingly, after spending ten hours in the dangerous waters, Blake did not suffer any harm or injury. His mother knew that as she had called upon God throughout that night, He had faithfully shielded her son from coming to any harm.

In Mark chapter 5, Jairus’ 12 years old daughter was on the verge of death.
Jairus ran to Jesus for help, but while they were coming back to the house, Jairus received the devastating news that his daughter had died.
But at that very crucial moment, Jesus told Jairus, ‘Do not be afraid, only believe.’
In other words, Jesus was telling him that despite how hopeless the situation may look, through faith, he would see a miracle. And truly, as Jesus had said, Jairus saw the miracle of his daughter’s resurrection.

Indeed to him that believes nothing is impossible. One of the greatest abilities God has given each one of us is our ability to believe. If you can believe, you will see the miraculous.
Today, we live in perilous times, when the enemy is fighting fiercely because he knows his time is short.
When we look at all that’s going on in the world, it’s easy to live worried and afraid. We watch the news and see violence, killings, kidnappings, natural disasters, sicknesses, accidents etc.
Yet in the midst of all these we must remember what God says in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.”
God is our ever present help in trouble. And He has given us the incredible power of faith to overcome the world and its problems.
When you have faith in God’s Word, it can overcome any negative report, supersede even natural laws and achieve the incredible.
Though the enemy may sometimes send bad news your way or organize discouraging situations, as long as your faith remains strong, you will surely experience a miracle.
It is important to constantly build up our faith because the battles of life have no timetable. We need to live in spiritual preparation, holding up the shield of faith, ready to quench every fiery dart of the wicked.
With arrows flying by day and by night, our shield of faith needs to be constantly up and functioning.
Anytime any bad news or evil report comes your way, you immediately quench it with words of faith.
Strong faith is built through diligent study of the Word, prayers and fellowship with the Spirit.
As we commit to a life of faith, we will constantly experience miracles, signs and wonders. Truly, as long as we keep believing God’s Word, nothing shall be impossible to us.

PRAYER: Lord, Please enable me to accept the responsibility of building up strong faith. By Your grace I will surely experience the speedy manifestation of Your wonders and miracles in my life in this season in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- – WORDBITE 222.