Walk on Water
Walk on Water
Jesus expects all who believe and have faith in Him and the Father to walk on water. You are probably saying, that is too much of a bold statement and outrageous pronouncement.
Well look deeper into Scriptures and specifically the occasion when Jesus and Peter walked on water. Most times we don't want to even acknowledge and mention that Peter actually walked on water but only remember his sinking into the water.
Let's read the account in Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Sea
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,[a] tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,[b] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and[c] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of[d] Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
Notice that Jesus walked on water without being prompted. He was just being himself and doing what was natural to him as God and Son of God.
Notice that it was after Peter and others recognized that it was Jesus instead of a ghost that Peter asked Jesus if he (Peter) can come to Jesus. What was Jesus response? He did not question Peter but just said "come".
Notice what is key here - an established relationship. Jesus and Peter had a relationship. Master and a follower or a disciple. This relationship was established by Peter putting his faith in Christ. Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it's impossible to please God and he must believe that God exists.
Likewise any of us who is a follower of Christ came to be by faith and trusting God. Ephesians 2:8.Peter placed his faith in Christ and started walking on water. What happened next was Peter forgetting who told him to come and started looking at wind, started doubting and then started to sink. Peter cried out instantly for Jesus.
Jesus told Peter what happened to your faith? Jesus rebuked Peter for lack of faith. He did not say nice try Peter. No. Jesus expected from Peter faith and He expects faith from all of us at all times. He is saying your faith is not what you turn on and turn off. Our faith in Christ is confirmed and sealed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is permanent in all who believe and trust God. He is not here today and gone the next hour.
What am saying? Every believer is expected to walk on water because our faith is in Jesus who walks on water and He can do all things. Hello, Jesus made everything that is made and created everything that is created (John 1). As long as our eyes and faith are focused on Jesus then he will do what he does through us because he is the one who lives in us. Jesus instructed us in mark 11:22 "Have faith in God".
Where does prayer come to play here? Notice Peter asked Jesus first and Jesus said yes, come. So as we relate to Jesus in prayer and his word and as we ask and hear from him and he says yes then nothing can stop us from doing He wants us to do including walking on water.
What water do you have to walk on? We are not being presumptuous.
We can do whatever Jesus sanctioned us in prayer and in his word. We can do whatever is according to his will because it would be Jesus doing it. Let me put a big disclaimer: this not a “name and claim it” theology which is crazy and unbiblical. We are talking about doing whatever God has instructed and asked us to do.
Remember David when his wives and children and families of his soldiers were carried away by the enemies. David inquired of the Lord and God said go after and pursue the enemy attackers and he did and recovered everything.
There is work to do after we hear from God. Peter had to step out of the boat and that is faith being worked out. David had to pursue the enemy after hearing from God.
What have you heard from God? Let's go back. Have you asked God about your situation or storm? What did he say? Do what God has told you. Walk on your on water today and forever.
In another instance, Paul inquired of the Lord and got the answer "my grace is sufficient for you and for in your weakness my strength is made perfect " basically saying, the answer you are expecting is not what I have in mind but trust me for I am with you all the way with my grace for you.
Remember we are following the conqueror Jesus. We are matching along with the victories of Jesus. The great victory was won on the cross and everything else that we face are already won by Jesus who does all things in us and through us.
Bottom line: Jesus is requiring faith in Himself and in the Father from His children at all times. The just live by faith and we walk by faith and not by sight. Amen
Our response must be like those of the disciples. They “worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Jesus is calling us to a super natural living and not to a common sense natural living. We must live by the Spirit and “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Galatians 5:16. The disciples were told to wait for the Spirit (Acts 1) and now the Spirit is here and in us which is the very life of Christ. To walk by the Spirit is to totally depend and rely only on what God can do and not what our natural abilities can do. Walking by faith and by the Spirit is to totally depend on the cross of Christ which is sufficient at all times.
Walking on water is not so much of a doing but of being. It's our new life of faith in the Son of God. Let's go walking on water. Amen
Jesus expects all who believe and have faith in Him and the Father to walk on water. You are probably saying, that is too much of a bold statement and outrageous pronouncement.
Well look deeper into Scriptures and specifically the occasion when Jesus and Peter walked on water. Most times we don't want to even acknowledge and mention that Peter actually walked on water but only remember his sinking into the water.
Let's read the account in Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Sea
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,[a] tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,[b] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and[c] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of[d] Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
Notice that Jesus walked on water without being prompted. He was just being himself and doing what was natural to him as God and Son of God.
Notice that it was after Peter and others recognized that it was Jesus instead of a ghost that Peter asked Jesus if he (Peter) can come to Jesus. What was Jesus response? He did not question Peter but just said "come".
Notice what is key here - an established relationship. Jesus and Peter had a relationship. Master and a follower or a disciple. This relationship was established by Peter putting his faith in Christ. Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it's impossible to please God and he must believe that God exists.
Likewise any of us who is a follower of Christ came to be by faith and trusting God. Ephesians 2:8.Peter placed his faith in Christ and started walking on water. What happened next was Peter forgetting who told him to come and started looking at wind, started doubting and then started to sink. Peter cried out instantly for Jesus.
Jesus told Peter what happened to your faith? Jesus rebuked Peter for lack of faith. He did not say nice try Peter. No. Jesus expected from Peter faith and He expects faith from all of us at all times. He is saying your faith is not what you turn on and turn off. Our faith in Christ is confirmed and sealed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is permanent in all who believe and trust God. He is not here today and gone the next hour.
What am saying? Every believer is expected to walk on water because our faith is in Jesus who walks on water and He can do all things. Hello, Jesus made everything that is made and created everything that is created (John 1). As long as our eyes and faith are focused on Jesus then he will do what he does through us because he is the one who lives in us. Jesus instructed us in mark 11:22 "Have faith in God".
Where does prayer come to play here? Notice Peter asked Jesus first and Jesus said yes, come. So as we relate to Jesus in prayer and his word and as we ask and hear from him and he says yes then nothing can stop us from doing He wants us to do including walking on water.
What water do you have to walk on? We are not being presumptuous.
We can do whatever Jesus sanctioned us in prayer and in his word. We can do whatever is according to his will because it would be Jesus doing it. Let me put a big disclaimer: this not a “name and claim it” theology which is crazy and unbiblical. We are talking about doing whatever God has instructed and asked us to do.
Remember David when his wives and children and families of his soldiers were carried away by the enemies. David inquired of the Lord and God said go after and pursue the enemy attackers and he did and recovered everything.
There is work to do after we hear from God. Peter had to step out of the boat and that is faith being worked out. David had to pursue the enemy after hearing from God.
What have you heard from God? Let's go back. Have you asked God about your situation or storm? What did he say? Do what God has told you. Walk on your on water today and forever.
In another instance, Paul inquired of the Lord and got the answer "my grace is sufficient for you and for in your weakness my strength is made perfect " basically saying, the answer you are expecting is not what I have in mind but trust me for I am with you all the way with my grace for you.
Remember we are following the conqueror Jesus. We are matching along with the victories of Jesus. The great victory was won on the cross and everything else that we face are already won by Jesus who does all things in us and through us.
Bottom line: Jesus is requiring faith in Himself and in the Father from His children at all times. The just live by faith and we walk by faith and not by sight. Amen
Our response must be like those of the disciples. They “worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Jesus is calling us to a super natural living and not to a common sense natural living. We must live by the Spirit and “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Galatians 5:16. The disciples were told to wait for the Spirit (Acts 1) and now the Spirit is here and in us which is the very life of Christ. To walk by the Spirit is to totally depend and rely only on what God can do and not what our natural abilities can do. Walking by faith and by the Spirit is to totally depend on the cross of Christ which is sufficient at all times.
Walking on water is not so much of a doing but of being. It's our new life of faith in the Son of God. Let's go walking on water. Amen
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