When Paul left on this ship with 276 souls heading to Rome, he did not know a ” Northeaster” was about to hit them. A northeaster is a unexpected storm so great that the ship could not turn into the wind. A “Northeaster” is strong enough to cause a ship to lose direction against the wind, and as you know it will ” sink” you. Acts 27:15 says they gave away to it and were driven along. So, I define a ” Northeaster” as a condition that can alter your way of life.

Life is filled with ” Northeasters”. These are conditions that you find yourself in, loosing your control of life. Examples are a business that will not provide profit; a family that will not work together even after so much counseling; a marriage that does not come together, even after fasting; a personality that will not change in spite of much correction and on and on and on.

When all is as lost and undone, it is when God takes over and extends His grace toward you. YES. When all your efforts have failed and all the discussion is over, God can take over your boat if you allow Him to do it.

Paul’s cargo ship is almost lost. The storm was so severe that they began to throw the cargo overboard. Acts 17:21 says this: ” AFTER THE MEN HAD GONE A LONG TIME WITHOUT FOOD, PAUL STOOD UP BEFORE THEM AND SAID: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then, you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep courage, because NOT ONE OF YOU WILL BE LOST; ONLY THE SHIP WILL BE DESTROYED.”

When you have a ” Northeaster” come to destroy your call and what God is doing in your life and the life of others, stay calm. In the last minute, God will tell you what you must do. Do not give up. Do not feel rejected by men. Do not cry out that you got into the wrong boat. Stay calm and when God speaks to you, PROPHECY YOUR VICTORY!!!!!!

Rick Bonfim