Speaking to Life’s Storms

Bible Passage

Psalm 119:49–50 (CSB)

Psalm 119:49–50 CSB

Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.

Introduction

Church, let’s be real—storms are a part of life!

We all face winds that threaten to blow us off course.

Sometimes it feels like the waves won’t stop crashing, and the lightning won’t stop flashing.

But let me tell you, storms don’t last always, and our God is greater than any storm!

When life gets dark

When bills stack high,

When your heart breaks,

When people you trusted walk away,

That’s the moment you have to do more than panic!

You gotta speak to your storm!

You gotta reach down, and pull out your spiritual receipts, and remind the storm, “God made me a promise, and I’m holding Him to it!”

God’s promises aren’t just words—they’re anchors!

When the wind is howling and the thunder is rolling, God’s Word will keep you standing.

Context

Take a trip with me to the dusty streets of ancient Israel.

The Psalmist was not a stranger to hard times.

He said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path!”

That’s more than poetry—that’s surviving the night with nothing but a promise!

When you can’t see tomorrow, when you can’t find your way, God’s word puts a light on your path and hope in your heart.

He cried out, “With my whole heart I seek You; don’t let me stray from Your commands!”

That’s a storm prayer!

That’s somebody saying, “God, I’m lost out here. Don’t let me drown in this mess!”

He didn’t hide his pain—he said, “My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word!”

Translation?

“God, I’m down so low the dirt is in my mouth, but if You speak, I can rise again!”

Even in his darkest hour, he refused to let go of God’s promises.

He declared, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven!”

That’s not just faith—that’s faith that can speak to a hurricane and say, “Peace, be still!”

So what’s the lesson?

When the storm comes, you don’t just survive—you speak to it!

You remind your storm, your doubt, your fear—“God has already spoken over me!”

This Psalm is your survival guide for every stormy season.

It teaches us to stand, to pray, to believe, and to declare that what God said, God will do!

Illustration

Church, let me paint a picture for you—imagine you’re standing at the checkout line in your local department store.

You hand over your hard-earned money, and before you leave, they give you a receipt.

That little slip of paper ain’t just a formality—it’s your proof!

It says, “I paid the price, and you made a promise!”

Now, if something goes wrong with what you bought, you don’t come back empty-handed.

Oh no!

You march right back in, waving that receipt, and you say,

“Excuse me! Here’s my proof!

You said this would work, you said this would last, so I’m holding you to your word!”

Somebody in here needs to know—when you’re battered by life’s storms, you better know how to pull your spiritual receipts!

When the enemy says you’re not gonna make it, you wave your receipt and say, “

God promised me peace.

God promised me victory.

God promised to bring me through!”

How many times have you let a storm tell you what God never said?

It’s time to remind your storm, “I got receipts.

God said He’d never leave me.

God said He’d supply all my needs.

Storm, you can’t have my mind,

Storm, you can’t have my joy!”

Psalm 119:49 says, “Remember Your word to Your servant, for You have given me hope.”

That’s your receipt!

That’s your proof in the middle of the downpour!

So, church, let’s ask:

What do you need in your hand?

What kind of faith, what kind of trust,so you can speak to your storm and remind it of God’s promise over your life?

If you’ve got the receipt, you have the right.

If God said it, you can bank on it, He’s gonna do everything he said he would do!

So What Must We Have to Speak to Life’s Storms?

1. We Must Have Storm-Speaking Faith

Wishful thinking won’t calm a storm—you need faith that speaks!

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is your access pass to the impossible!

When you hold on to God’s word and speak it into your storm, something in heaven starts moving!Your faith gets God’s attention.

Your faith lets the storm know, “You can roar all you want, but you can’t win!”

Faith is not just a feeling—it’s a weapon!

Faith will shut the lion’s mouth and split the sea in two!

Faith gives you courage to stare down the storm and say, “I will not be moved!”

When you have faith, you find peace in chaos.

You find strength when you feel empty.You stand in the storm and declare, “My God is still on the throne!”

Faith whispers, “You are not alone.”

Even in the darkest night, God is holding you.

Even when you can’t see His hand, you can trust His heart!So grab hold of your faith—your receipt, your rescue, your reason to keep standing when everything else says sit down!

2. We Must Have Storm-Enduring Perseverance

Let me tell you—perseverance is the muscle that holds you up when the storm tries to knock you down!

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who endures under trial, for after the test comes the crown!”

Perseverance is your anchor in the flood.

It lets God know, “Storm or no storm, I’m still standing on Your word!”Sometimes you gotta dig your heels in and refuse to be moved!

Sometimes you gotta praise God in the rain, shout hallelujah in the wind, and keep trusting even when you can’t trace Him!The storm may shake you, but it will not break you!

Perseverance proves to the storm, “You can’t take what God gave me!”

It’s in the struggle that you become unshakeable.

It’s in the midnight hour that you come out shining like pure gold!Perseverance is the fire that purifies,

the grind that toughens,

the process that makes you a walking, talking miracle!If you keep pushing,

keep praying,

keep pressing—

even when it hurts—

you’re telling the storm, “I trust God to bring me through!

”If you don’t quit, you win!

Don’t let the storm steal your perseverance—there’s a blessing with your name on the other side!

3. We Must Have Storm-Shifting Prayer and Declaration

Prayer is how you talk to the storm.

Declaration is how you tell it who’s boss!

Mark 11:24 says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours!”When you pray, don’t just hope—expect!

Walk like you already got the victory!

When God’s people pray, storms lose their power!

Mountains move, chains break, miracles show up at your doorstep!

Prayer turns your valley into a victory lap.

Prayer brings the power of heaven into your situation.

When you open your mouth and declare God’s promises, you’re not just talking—you’re releasing the power of God into your storm!

Prayer lines you up with God’s will.

Declaration brings God’s power right where you need it most.

Stop letting the storm do all the talking—open your mouth and speak!

Pray bold prayers.

Declare God’s truth.

& Watch the storm bow to the name of Jesus!

Closing

As I close, let me talk to you, my brothers and sisters—

It’s time to speak to life’s storms!

It’s time to pull out your receipts and remind your storm of what God already said!

What receipts am I pulling?

Im pulling Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." My God’s got a blueprint for my breakthrough!

Im pulling Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." When you make God your joy, He’ll fill your hands with blessings!

Im pulling Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Not some needs, but every single one, according to His riches in glory!

Im pulling Romans 8:28 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  Not just the good days, but the bad days too! God is the Master at making a masterpiece out of your mess!

Im pulling Psalm 91:14-16 - "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." That’s my coverage—better than any insurance policy!

Im pulling Matthew 7:7-8 - "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." If you pray, God’s gonna answer! If you search, God’s gonna show up! If you knock, God’s gonna let you in!

Im pulling 2 Corinthians 1:20 - "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." God’s answer isn’t maybe, it ain’t someday, it’s YES and Amen!

Im pulling Psalm 84:11 - "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly."  If you walk right, God will make sure you never walk empty!

Im pulling Isaiah 40:31 - "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." You won’t run out—you’ll run over! You’ll soar like an eagle, run and not get tired, walk and never faint!

Im pulling Isaiah 41:10 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." God says, 'Don’t you worry, don’t you stress! I’ll hold you up with my righteous right hand.'

So hold on to faith!

Stand strong in the storm!

Pray and declare His Word over your life, over your family, over your future!

If you keep your hands on God’s receipts, you can make it through anything!

God is not a man that He should lie—He will keep His promises!

So I dare you, I double-dog dare you, to go back and revisit those promises.

Remind God, 'Lord, I’m holding You to Your Word!'

Then stand back and watch—watch His power show up, watch His provision overflow, watch God do what only He can do!