Peter walked on water as he showed what faith’s substance is all about! It’s all because of the Lord’s invitation of "Come",and Peter got out of the boat and took that step... and the rest was an inspiration to everyone who will read the Bible. Let this story be an encouragement to everyone of you who is on the brink of hopelessness, an illumination to you who is at a lost on what is really God’s will on your life. I say to everyone who is present here today to just hear only Jesus’words and take that risk of stepping our of your boat... Miracle will happen to you, fainthearted ones into brave hearts!
HEAR THE WORD:v.27-29
We have a mindset of doubters than believers,whiners rather than speakers of truth in Jesus, losers rather than winners and followers more than leaders. We have been conditioned by our past, our cultures and environment that we have lost sight of WHO WE REALLY ARE IN THE SIGHT OF THE ONE WHO HAD LOVED US EVER SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF TIME!
Instead of eating at the family table,we just content ourselves with eating the crumbs on the floor, because we believe that, that is all we are designated to partake of.
The only thing that can remove us from that box of thinking is to HEAR THE MASTER’S WORD of "it’s all right, I am here! Don’t be afraid." No matter where you are right now or what your current circumstances are, eventually if you keep listening to Jesus’ words? You going to take charge of the situation because all you need is an entirely new mentality. Ain’t not the Apostle Paul exhorted in Philippians 2:5..."Let this mind be in you,which was also in Christ Jesus."
Victorious and not victims.
Over comers and not overcame.
There were 12 disciples in the boat, but only one overcame his fear and his mindset by acting on the word of Jesus.The adage of Jesus of;"many are called but few are chosen" rings to my mind here. In fact, only one experience the miracle to walk on water!
Dave Thomas,graduated from High School; working on somebody and decided to work by himself in a business. No money behind him. Started hamburger business and named it after his grand daughter’s.... and Wendy’s came into being and became a success in the food chain business. Just like Dave, just HEAR THE WORD and believe you can do it!
His Word still rings true today. For Jesus is the same yesterday,today and forever...
ACT ON THE WORD:v.28,29
This is where it divides most Christians. This is where men are separated from the boys. This where most believers chose to eat meat rather than to stay on milk or soft diets. Jesus wanted each one of us to experience the beauty of His fellowship. To walk in the truthfulness of miracles. Our only part is just to believe on His word. The father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit since birth have begged Jesus to have mercy and help them.The father said;"If you can?" Jesus asked;"What do you mean.’if I can?", anything is possible if a person believes"(Mark9:14-27NLT).There were 12 disciples also called apostles, but ONLY PETER experienced the benefit of the miracle of walking on water.
Let us remember always that hearing of the Word would show what matter of the heart the seed of the word is planted.By our response to the Word reveals the state of our hearts. My prayer therefore for everyone is to act positively on the power of the Lord’s Word.And from there; a step of miracle would ensue in our life. Spiritually,emotionally, physically and financially. A balanced blessing in our Christian walk, that is. God always wanted us to move in miracles. But many of us is just contented on hearing the Word.
If only we can take that first step?
We are afraid to take that risk. Many mishear,dismiss the Word of the Lord of;"do not be afraid, it is I"
Acting on the Word of our Lord is the second part of the word hear. Peter challenged the Lord...."Lord,if it’s really You, TELL ME TO COME TO YOU BY WALKING ON WATER"(v.28).He tested the authenticity of the supernatural happening that he is seeing. This is the beginning of true faith. The dawning of a miracle in Peter’s life. And Jesus answered the inquiry with another dare;"come". Peter is being ushered by Jesus from faith to another level of faith. From His miracle to Peter’s extraordinary feat.Risk in taking that first step is the price to pay for every success, for every miracle. Peter did that, God will also put you in a much good position to experience that miracle.
The same Jesus, the same challenge.
The same risk, the method of success.
There’s an interesting sport in the field of track and field, the high jump. The heights achieved by the men and women in that event were so amazing. In the 1960s,the sport went through a major breakthrough in technique that allowed athletes to smash the old records and push them up to new levels. the person credited to make that change was Dick Fosbury where previous athletes use the straddle method to jump, in which they went over the bar while facing it, with one arm and one leg leading, Fosbury developed a new technique at that time,unimaginable, where he went over headfirst with his back to the bar. It was called the Fosbury flop.Branching out a new high jump technique was one thing. Getting it to be accepted by others was another matter. Fosbury remarked,"I was told over and over again that I would never be successful,that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do was shrug and say,’we’ll just have to see,’" AND PEOPLE DID SEE! Fosbury won the gold medal in the Mexico Olympics of 1968, shattering the previous Olympic record and setting a new world record in the process. Since then, nearly all world-class high jumpers use now his technique. To attain his goals, he changed his approach to high jumping,and he didn’t allow others’ comments to make him feel like he would not achieve his conviction.
Don’t allow yourself to be limited by your perception, by the traditions of men. Jesus said;"There is nothing impossible to him that believes."
Everyone has been given the chance to do a miracle for our generation. God would not be limited by our limitations. Our only part of the bargain is just to believe. And believe we must. Act on the Word...
STAND ON THE WORD:v.29
The New Living Translation of that verse states "...So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus." That was active faith... As it is written in Hebrews 11:1-2;"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.For by it the elders obtained a good report."
How did Peter do it? Just hearing the Word? How? Faith equals miracle. I would literally explain it to you according to Hebrews11:1... Read the verse once more.
Number one, faith is always present tense. It is in the active tense never passive.
Number two, faith is a substance. Sub is a prefix word of under. Example is submarine meaning under the water. Subterranean which means under the land or earth’s surface, and so on and so forth. Stance means the position of a standing person or posture. Take this revelation.... Sub-stance means standing under the Word:"Come"
When Peter walked on water, he stood on the Word Come. What he is standing upon is not the water but the Word of the Lord which is"Come!" It doesn’t matter anymore,whether the water froze or he defied the law of buoyancy,just to give explanation on how did Peter do it.The Lord’s Word is a sure foundation of anyone who would act upon His Word. Be reminded of Jesus’ word in Matthew7:24-27 of a wise builder who builds his house on solid rock.The rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against that house,it won’t collapse,because it is built on rock. The Lord’s Words are timeless principles of truth in action and not just theories. Miracles are the natural habitat of a person that stands upon the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ! Faith is the risky step going in for the miracles. Let’s take it. This is a challenge to everyone who had questions on the validity of our Savior’s word. His Word is potent. Eternal and timeless.
My advise for each of us longing for a miracle is to Hear first the Word. Theologians called it the Rhema word. Then act upon that Word. Lastly, stand upon the rock of His Word. They are sure and solidly faithful.
The rest is history and a timeless tale of a true miracle to serve upon each one as an inspiration. There might be no more water walking for us today but let me assure you however, that financial crisis never ends, problems never stops, trials and test and persecutions never let-up... but an assurance of the faithfulness of His words are here to stay as our fortress and our SUBSTANCE for things we hoped for! For us? His Words are more than enough. God wants us to live in the Word of miracles to set us apart from the world.A light and beacon for everyone to witness.
Just as I conclude; let me give you a challenge.
If you were just one step away from reaching your goal, would you take that step?
How do you know?
It would be embarrassing to stop had we known when just a little bit more would make it to reach that goal. It would be a shame it would be to have taken all the steps,only to miss the very last one.
The next step you take may very well be the one that makes all the other count. You owe it to yourself, and the efforts you made, to keep going. No, the next step may not get you there.Yet what about the one after that?
If you keep moving ahead, a little at a time, you will indeed arrive. When you take that final, triumphant step, you’ll be very thankful you persevered. Let us ask the grace of God to take that risky step. At some point your last step maybe is just one step away from your miracle you have been waiting for. Do not fear. The Word and the Lord is One. Keep going and you’ll definitely be there in the victorious side of your life. This is what everyone of us is created to be. To have dominion. To be in control.
It is possible to all who believe.
Abraham believed and walked the vastness of what was left of him when he and nephew Lot separated, and an unknown nation had been born out of that steps.
The Israelites believed and crossed the Red Sea in the time of Moses and eternally imprinted their footprints in the bottom of the Red Sea.
Jesus acknowledges to walk an extra mile to everyone who believe.
As I finish this preaching...
I say unto you, take that step to miracle!
