Read Matthew 14:-20-33
This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus”. Jesus fed the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves after a long day of ministry. When the crowd was gone, Jesus directed His disciples to go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. After He said goodbye to the people and His team, Jesus went up into the hills by Himself to pray. See, His cousin, John the Baptist, had recently been killed. Jesus was so busy performing ministry that He had not taken the time to process John’s death. Jesus needed some ‘alone time’ with the Father. We all need that from time to time.
After many hours alone with the Father, Jesus decided to catch up with His team. By this time the boat was already a long way from shore. John’s account (John 6:19) tells us that they were about 3-4 miles away. So there Jesus was. He was at the seashore, His disciples were gone, the crowds were gone, and the boat was gone. The miracle we are covering today did not occur because Jesus was trying to “show off”. The simple truth is, Jesus walked on water because He did not have a boat. A miracle is a supersession of natural laws; or laws natural to this world. In this case Jesus superseded gravity. He walked on water in order to catch up to His disciples.
By the time Jesus caught up with His team, they were exhausted from the day and from dealing with the wind and waves. They had dealt with a storm and it was the fourth watch of the night (between 3am and 6am). I don’t care who you are and what you have done the previous day, most humans shut down between 3am and 6am, and the disciples were in the middle of a body of water, because Jesus told them to be there. They were doing the Lord’s will, and they still faced a storm. And to make a bad situation worse, Jesus was not with them.
It was at this point that Jesus approached the boat, walking on water. Their initial thought was that Jesus was a ghost and they were scared. Jesus sensed their fear and said, “Don’t worry! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.” Peter replied, “Lord, if that is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responded with just one word, “Come!” This was Peter’s authorization to actually participate in what Jesus was doing. Jesus was inviting Peter into the supernatural. With that, Peter did what no human (other than Jesus) had ever, or has since ever, done. Peter superseded the limits of this world. Peter reigned over natural laws. Peter made nature subject to faith. Peter walked on water, but what He was actually walking on was the Word Jesus released.
I will stop here for today. There is so much to this story that it will take days to cover it.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. We all need alone time with God. Even with Jesus’ busy ministry schedule, He needed some alone time with the Father to process the death of His cousin, John the Baptist. While the goal is to allow God’s humanity to flow through our divinity, we must remember that we are still human and we will have to deal with pain associated with human loss.
2. Being in a storm is not an immediate indication that you are outside of God’s will. The disciples were doing exactly what Jesus told them to do, and they still faced a storm. Sometimes you face a storm in the center of God’s will. But like the disciples, don’t stop, keep pressing through the storm. This too shall pass.
3. Natural limits are not limits to God.
a) Jesus did not walk on water as some sort of ‘parlor trick’ or ‘circus show’. Jesus walked on water simply because He did not have a boat and He needed to catch up to His team.
b) A miracle is a supersession of the laws that are natural to this world. Jesus demonstrated power over gravity by walking on water. This is a reminder that our God is not confined by the limits or laws of this world.
c) There is nothing God cannot do. When you finally get this clear in your mind, you will open your heart to a God of no limits.
4. Be ready when God invites you into the supernatural.
a) As soon as Jesus said, “Come”, Peter got out of the boat. Do you have the faith to get out of the boat like Peter?
b) If you don’t get out of the boat, you will never walk on water.
c) God is not against doing what He does. He doesn’t feel threatened when you want to operate like Him. He does not count it “robbery” for you to function like He functions in this present world. He actually welcomes it. He will invite you to be JUST LIKE HIM in this world. The question is: when the invitation comes, will you be ready?
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. This year I will experience the supernatural like never before, because my heart is open to it. I know You are a God of no limits. I am IN You and You are IN me. You invite me into Your realm. You empower me to operate on Your level. As Jesus is, so am I, in this world. The impossible is possible for You. Therefore, the impossible is possible for me! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
