PASTOR Victoria Oladipupo
Freedom of Christ Church
Topic: A BOLD STEP.
Scripture Reading: MT. 14: 28 – 31
28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
[29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
[30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
[31] And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Taking a new step is what people fear most. For example starting a new business employing a new employee, changing to new job or starting a new relationship. If we have to become who God said we would be, we need to arise and take some big steps of faith. We’ve got to destroy fear, timid ness and be bold to take a big step forward and step out of boat as Peter did. God will give you breakthrough but you have to take a step because it is the steps of a good man that is ordered by God.
In Mt. 14: 28 Peter said to Jesus that ‘I don’t have to be in the boat, I am willing to take this big step of doing what you are doing, just command me to come with you’. He took that step of faith. You don’t have to be content with the condition you are in for life, just talk to Jesus and do the impossible. There are people who are willing to stay the way they are, staying where the enemy is putting them and never what to take a step forward, they are like the 11 disciples. They have what I call BOAT MENTALITY. They are always comfortable in comfort zone, they talk big, they give advice but never get out of the boat.
In verse 29 we can see that Peter put faith to action, you have to put your faith into action by taking a big step. What happen when you take a big step – a big storm will come. You will see a big mess if you decide to answer the call of God.
If you decide to get closer to God problem will arise.
If you decide to invest in something tangle rather than just spending your money lavishly, it will be then that you will have financial setback.
When you make the decision to seek the face of God through fasting is when someone will bring some nice food to work for you.
When you decide to walk faithfully with God by paying you tithe is when you will have a commitment that you cannot say no to.
It is when you decide to pray that the phone will start to ring and etc
The storm will come. It was when Peter took the big step that the storm became stronger. You will have setbacks and all hell will rise against you but you just have to focus your mind and be sure of one thing - THE STORM HEARS HIS VOICE! Amen!
Psalm 29 says “[3] The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.[4] The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.[5] The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.[6] He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.[7] The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.[8] The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.[9] The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
It takes a man to stand up and said I am walking on the water.
It takes faith to say I have to do something with my life.
It take boldness and confidence in the Lord to say I just have to do it, if it works it works, if I perish, I perish, but with God I will not perish, the Lord will see me through.
When you take the step and the storm arise, criticism and persecution will come. If you decided to change and the storm rise suddenly, they will say you did not qualify but I just want you to know that God is not keen about your qualification, He always uses people that will set out in faith, obey Him and get out of the boat. I know that Peter is a Fisherman but He acted in faith.
I would want you to understand that a simple obedience will bring storm. Don’t think that because it is the Lord that asked Peter to come, he shouldn’t have experience a storm. When the storm comes He sometimes calm the storm, but sometimes He calm His children through the storm. Amen! He has the power to quench the fire for the three Hebrews but He did not. God did not send the storm to teach us lesson but He uses us to teach the storm lessons. What the Lord is saying during storm of Life is :
“FIRE! There are some people that you cannot burn because I am with them”
“WATER, There are some people you cannot overflow because I am their Lord they are precious to me, I have loved them”
Now listen to the other disciples in the boat.
‘We told him not to get out of the boat’
‘We told him not to leave his previous job’
‘We told him not to change’
‘We told him he will fall, he put himself in trouble’
Now, this is where I am going, at least, PETER GET OUT OF THE BOAT! Even though he was sinking, Peter is better off. The one that start the business and fail is better off, the one that sat for the exam and fail is better off. The lesson is that no matter how deep you may have sunk into your problems, Jesus is able to rescue you out of your problem, all you’ve got to do is to do like Peter, “Lord save me”
Yes, Peter was sinking but before we criticize him let’s look at those other 11disciples. To me they are coward, dreaded people, good for nothing, critics, crying baby that never grow up who always need to be fed, and they need people to do everything for them, comfortable anywhere. The only thing they are good at is criticism. Check yourself if you are not one of them that have boat mentality who always see fault in the choir, ushers, pastors message and the service.
Before I finish, I want to assure you that you have to realize that you only need the support of God in your steps. It is not by power, not by might but by the spirit of God and You can do all thing through Jesus Christ that strengthens you!(Phil. 4: 13). Stop Thinking too much of what people thought of you. People might see you as a failure but God saw you as a success. You have to get to a stage in life that you are going to say I don’t care what anyone think of me, I am going to take that step, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world, I am more than conqueror and I am an overcomer. Even if I die, I am getting out of the boat.
I encourage you to rise above average and take a bold step. Separate yourself from people who always tell you what you cannot do. The Bible said you can do all, all, all all things. You can lead the choir, sing, and teach in the Sunday school. You CAN!
And if you fail you fail but you just have to rise above where you are.
The Righteous man falleth 7 times but he will rise up again. You will rise up again. I dare you to take that bold step of faith because you can do all things. You can accomplish your goals and dream, not through your own power but through Christ that strengthens you.
Altar call.
