Heading for a Shipwreck – How to Survive the Crash

by Rex Rouis

Everyone faces shipwrecks in life. They happen to all of us – even the Apostle Paul. A shipwreck is like a slow-motion disaster: you see it coming, brace yourself, hit the obstacle, and then find yourself in the aftermath. What do you do? How do you make it through in one piece? To find some answers, let’s look at Paul’s literal shipwreck in Acts 27.

The story begins in Acts 27:1. Paul is ordered to appear before Caesar and must travel by ship to Rome, even though it’s late in the sailing season. He warns that disaster is ahead, but the voyage continues anyway. This reminds us that you don’t need to be the one causing the shipwreck to feel its effects. All 276 people on board – including Paul – are caught in the storm. Yet, as the story concludes in Acts 27:44, everyone on the ship makes it to safety.

During the worst of the storm, Paul draws aside and seeks God on behalf of everybody on board. An angel of God appears to him and tells him, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ – Acts 27:24 He now knows that the ship will be lost, but they will be saved. Paul believes and proclaims to all on board the following statement of faith, ‘Therefore, keep up your courage men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.’ Acts 27:25

Fortunately, they listened to him, followed his directions, and made it safely to shore. Let us now look at the things Paul did in preparation for the coming shipwreck:

1. He knew that God had the answer so he sought Him for it. He found a place during that violent situation to get quiet and hear from God, and he stayed there until he heard from Him. He did not focus on the problem, but rather, he focused on getting the answer from God. He knew that God was good and that He was a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

2. He believed what he had heard. He then boldly spoke it out to all on board. Romans 10:17 says that, ‘…faith comes by hearing and hearing by the (spoken) word of God.” He was able to believe because he had heard God speak His will directly to him. He also encouraged others to join him in believing in God.

3. He acted consistent with what God had said. Situations arose where people started to act contrary to God’s instructions and he stepped in to stop it. He walked the situation out to victory, with his eye on the goal of God’s promised end.

The crucial part was drawing aside and making himself hear from God. If he had not done that, they all would have died. It was the single most important thing he did. God has a way out of situations, but we must find it, and to find it we must diligently seek Him for it.

He did not focus on the problem, but rather, he focused on getting the answer from God.

What are the core components of walking in faith? They are learning the word of God, speaking the word of God, hearing the spoken word of God, and then obeying the spoken word of God. The word of God in the Bible is meant for general guidance but it alone is not specific enough to get you through a shipwreck. You must have the word on the page quickened to you and made personal for your specific situation.  This is done by the work of the Holy Spirit.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will show you what is to come. John 16:13

Study the Bible and seek the Writer of the Bible. He will make it come alive and will speak specific things about your life and your future.