"And giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5).

The Greek word for "knowledge" is gnosis. This knowledge does not mean educational intelligence or experience. It is spiritual intelligence.

The apostle Paul operated in this spiritual intelligence throughout his ministry. In Acts, Chapter 27, when he was sailing for Rome, we find him facing rough seas in a time of trouble. On this voyage, he received some inside intelligence from the Holy Ghost: "Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives" (Acts 27:9,10).

In this instance, we see spiritual intelligence being added to Paul's faith. Faith without intelligence is blind. An example of this is an automobile being driven on a mountain road. That vehicle can be moving under much power; but if the driver has no idea where he is going and cannot see around the next bend, the car could crash and burn.

Paul received spiritual intelligence about the rest of the trip. He warned the men on the ship, but they did not listen. They continued on with their journey and, as a result, sailed into some rough seas. Scripture tells us about the kind of wind they had to face. It says: "There arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon" (Acts 27:14).

In the Middle East a Euroclydon is a gust of wind that comes from nowhere. Winds on the Red Sea can be calm when all of the sudden a Euroclydon comes out of the northeast. Captains in that region of the world are fearful when a Euroclydon approaches. The winds suddenly get stronger, the waves rise up, and many ships are sunk as the result.

Just as Paul had learned what would happen by receiving spiritual intelligence before their journey, their ship ran into some rough waters: "And when the ship was caught and was unable to head against the wind, we gave up and letting her drift were borne along" (Acts 27:16 AMP).

This is what happens when you are not listening to God and following His spiritual intelligence. You may want to go in a certain direction, but circumstances will take you in the opposite direction. You will be caught helpless unless you receive some more intelligence. What happened when the ship was caught in the middle of that Euroclydon? Paul began to seek for more intelligence from the Lord.

Even though in our situation we may have failed to listen to God the first time, God will keep on working with us because He loves us. He knows how we can be hardheaded, bullheaded - just downright stupid. (And I'm pointing a finger at myself, too.) God knows how we are. Sometimes our head can be as hard as a piece of wood, but God keeps working with us.

"And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship" (Acts 27:18). That ship was hit so hard by the storm that those men had to lighten their load, so they threw out all of their cargo. They would not have lost their cargo had they listened to the Lord speaking to them through His servant, Paul.

God does not want you to lose your possessions, but you will lose them if you are too hardheaded to listen to His instructions and heed His directions.

That storm raged on against the ship for 14 days. Can you imagine being caught in a Euroclydon for 14 days?

Paul shared with those sailors some inside intelligence. He said: "For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, [inside intelligence] Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee" (Acts 27:23,24).

He was telling them, "Everybody aboard this ship will be saved." He said: "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me" (Acts 27:25).

Think about that: It shall be even as it was told me. How exciting! That's the way it will be when God tells you something. Just make sure it is really God that has told you. When God tells you, then it will be that way! So you can be of good cheer, even in the midst of life's great storm - whether cancer, family problems, financial difficulties, job trouble or some other problem area.

Some "great Euroclydon" may come into your life, but you can be of good cheer. The God Whom you serve will save you in the midst of that storm. He will save you even when you are caught out in the darkness. He will save you even in the midst of your problem - whatever it may be.

The sailors were ready to jump ship once they got close to the land. They were ready to try to swim ashore. But Paul was given some more inside intelligence. He was saying to them, "If you get out of this boat, you won't make it." God was saying, "I will save you, but you have to stay in the boat." There is a time to get out of the boat and walk on the water, but there is also a time to stay out of the water and in the boat.

When you find yourself in the midst of a Euroclydon, you can know that same peace Jesus knew, even when everybody around you is panicking. You can sleep when nobody else can. You can rejoice when nobody else can. That's because you have inside intelligence that the Lord is on your side, no matter what may be going on around you.

Through the storm, the apostle Paul had that same kind of peace, and he was able to share that peace with those sailors. Because they listened to him, they eventually made it to shore.

You receive inside information like that once you have come to know Who Jesus really is. By spending more time on your face seeking the Lord, nothing - I said nothing - will stop you from receiving from God.

Then you will not be blind to the ways of God. You will never stumble or fall when your eyes are on Him. You will not forget what has been revealed to you. The Holy Ghost will give you that revelation. Once you have received that inside intelligence, you can go on regardless of what may be happening around you.

Source: Success Strategies From Heaven by Keith Butler.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers