Walking on Water -- The Power of Christ in Our Lives Today

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"Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. - Matthew 14: 29 (NLT)

You know there were 11 other guys in the boat. All we ever talk about is poor Peter. How he took his eyes off of Jesus. How he sank in the midst of his own circumstances. We write books about how Peter had the courage to step out of the boat. Theologically we rightly discuss how if we can just keep our eyes on the Lord, we will avoid sinking in the middle of our storms. I recently wrote that after ten years of walking with God; I think I finally understood Peter. When you are facing a storm so vicious it threatens everything you have ever known -- it is hard to not look at the waves. I know that is not super-spiritual but guess what? None of us really are! When the salt water is slapping your cheeks and getting in your eyes it is difficult to keep that focus on God. Let's be real with each other. When the wind in your storm is so unrelenting and so fierce that it threatens to toss you from the very boat you call your life -- it is hard to keep your eyes on Jesus. The faith Christ expects from us is not impossible but it is formed and strengthened in the middle of the very storms we are talking about. It is the fact that Peter stepped out of the boat at all that strengthened who he was in Christ and paved the way for him to eventually become the preacher at Pentecost that saw 3000 saved and the new church formed. Was he perfect and super-spiritual? Of course not! He denied Christ three times in between the key verse and Pentecost. But faith is built in our failures as well as our successes. It is strengthened in the storm, even if we sink. But there were 11 other guys in the boat that day and today I want to talk about them.

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" -- Matthew 14: 24-26 (NLT)

All of the disciples were in the boat that day. They all were going through the storm and fighting the heavy waves together. What a word picture of the church today. We are all in the same boat beloved; trying to navigate what is often a very stormy world. We are all fighting the good fight together and out there in the darkest hour of the night our Savior is always walking above what frightens us to assure us that He is above everything:

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. -- Ephesians 1: 19-22 (NLT)

Did you catch that? Christ is over everything for the benefit of the church! I do not know where this writing finds you but you need to understand the power of the God you serve. That bad medical report? God walks above it! The ongoing problems with your kids or your marriage? God walks above it! Whatever the storm and no matter how high the waves -- God walks above it!

But sometimes"you gotta get out of the boat. If you look at the healings Jesus performed in His ministry He always made a reference to the person's faith. God's heart and hands are moved by our faith. In fact the Bible says it is impossible to even please God without faith! But quite often we do not want to venture outside of our boat. The boat feels safe and secure. It is tangible to us. And that is how the enemy wants us thinking. That it is unsafe outside of our boat. That it is too dangerous to show the type of faith that Peter showed that day. Because we need to realize that as soon as we dare step out in faith -- the enemy will come against us hard. The waves will reach higher than before. The wind will seem harsher than before. The water will seem colder than we thought possible. All to get us to take our eyes off of our Savior and onto our problems.

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. -- Matthew 14: 30 (NLT)

Were there strong winds and high waves before Peter stepped out of the boat? Of course so! But the enemy made sure he saw them clearer once he was on the water. Why? Can you imagine how bad a day it would be for the devil if believers everywhere started walking on water? If believers everywhere started walking above their problems -- focused only on Jesus? If believers everywhere wanted to walk on water"

And that brings us back to the 11 other guys in the boat. Why didn't they also show the faith that Peter had? Who were they? They are the 11 people sitting next to you on Sunday. They are the 11 people you meet in your small group or your ministry. They are you and me beloved. I think there are four very different and very real reasons why these 11 people stayed in the boat that day. The same four reasons why Christians everywhere prefer the safety of the boat to the uncertainty of stepping out in faith.

The first reason is fear. One of the favorite weapons the enemy uses against the children of God. With fear the enemy whispers into our ears everything that could possibly go wrong with stepping out of the boat. Everything that could go wrong on that missions trip. Everything that could go wrong in that new ministry opportunity. Everything that could possibly go wrong with that evangelism outreach. But realize that fear is a spirit and it is not from God:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. -- 2Timothy 1: 7 (NLT)

Well, if God did not give you that spirit of fear in your life -- guess who did? The devil does not want you walking with any of God's power or love. It took self-discipline for Peter to step out of the boat that day. He may have failed at the end, but he started out as a success. But you know that some of the 11 other guys that day must have been afraid. They must have seen the situation and thought, "no way am I leaving this boat!" Just like some of us sit in the pews week after week and think, "no way am I joining the choir" or "no way am I signing up for that missions trip." Fear is quite common. But God will never call you to a place He has not equipped you for.

The second reason I think some of the 11 other guys stayed in the boat that day is distractions. They saw the waves; felt the wind and were distracted from even the possibility of venturing outside of the boat. It just naturally never occurred to them in the midst of their current situation. We can also get like this in our walk far too easily. We have our own things to deal with, don't we? We have our own career, bills to pay, kids to raise, and future to prepare for. Sure we go to church because we feel we should or maybe our wife feels we should. Or maybe we think it is good for the kids to see us in church. We may tithe right and even serve in a ministry but stepping out of the boat? Never even occurs to us in the middle of all of our regular "life" issues. We are stagnant -- never pursuing the next level God has for us. Some may feel a connection between these first two types but realize that the fearful person sees the opportunities and is afraid of them. The distracted person never even sees them because they are so preoccupied with everything else the world gets them distracted with. Jesus taught us:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. -- Matthew 6: 33-34 (NLT)

Besides some of the 11 being fearful and distracted, I think a third unexplored possibility is that they were simply content that Peter was going to try and walk on water! In most modern churches 100% of the ministry activities are usually done by about 20% of the congregation. The numbers do not even get a lot better inside of membership. There are worker bees and there are watcher bees and unfortunately the watchers seem to outnumber the workers 5-1. Let's be honest with ourselves, it is sometimes easier to just watch. I am sure that some in the boat on that day said to themselves, "Glad Peter is doing this and not me!" But God did not save Peter to do Paul's work:

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -- Ephesians 2: 10 (NIV)

There is a work for each and every one of us beloved. God has prepared it for us to do. He does not need us to do it because He will always get the glory and will find another way for His will to be accomplished but how sad would it be if we were to not realize everything God had planned for us to do! What better victory do we give Satan then to never fulfill our destiny and calling in Christ Jesus! To never step out of the boat because we see that Peter already took care of it. How sad.

We are not called to everything but we are called to do something. Too often we get our fire insurance policy from hell and we sit in a pew. And we sit. And we sit. And we watch as the other Peters in our world keep stepping out of the boat. The other Peters become the minister we were supposed to be. The other Peters become the evangelist we were supposed to be. The other Peters become the missionary we were supposed to be. We sit in the boat and wait until Jesus comes. But Jesus has warned us:

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. -- Matthew 25: 29 (NLT)

The last and final reason I think is possibly the most disturbing and infectious in the lives of believers today. I think that some in that boat that day did not step out because they did not think they could. Regardless of the weather and elements. Regardless of their faith. They did not seek to walk on water because they do not set their spiritual goals that high. They dismiss the power of God as being that strong. They do not walk under the power Christ appropriated for them back on Calvary's hill. They recreate their God as a tiny God, not the big God He is. Life has either beaten them down to this point or they simply have let the enemy rob them of the power of Christ in their lives. Take the father of the demon possessed son from Mark chapter nine. This man has lost not only his faith in God's ability but he has lost the true sense of the power of the God he believes in. Here is how he approached God:            

The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can." -- Mark 9: 22 (NLT)

If you can?? How many of us have minimized God in our lives to the point where our very prayers to Him doubt what He can do. This is the God who created the entire universe by speaking a single sentence. Yet we limit Him with our finite understanding and our weak faith. Walking on water? Sounds ridiculous right? I mean even Peter failed"wait a minute"Peter did NOT fail! Peter DID walk on the water! He did not step out of the boat and sink. He stepped out, walked on water, took his eyes off of Christ and onto his problems, and then sank in them. We preach so much on the failure portion we may overlook the fact that Peter did walk on water! That is the power God intends for us to walk under beloved! The Bible says faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. Not just figuratively - literally! Too often we sit in our boat in the middle of our storm and pray for Jesus to walk over to us and save us. Meanwhile, He wants us to get out of the boat and walk over the problems in our lives and towards Him!

Jesus doesn't want us to be like the other 11 guys in the boat. He doesn't want us living fearful lives when His perfect love casts out all fear. He doesn't want us living distracted lives when seeking Him first will resolve all our distractions. He doesn't want us to play church as spectators but rather serve Him and discover all the plans He has for us. Lastly, He doesn't want us to have small spiritual goals when the God we serve has no limits. Jesus did not hesitate that day when Peter asked. He said, come to me on the water. Peter had that power within him because of Christ. We have the same power within us today. But first we have to step out of the boat.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- January 30, 2012

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.