This morning, we continue our series, “The Miracles of Jesus.”
Before we get into the miracle, let’s look at the foundational scripture I will share be sharing with you all year.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us. I pray you get refreshed and restored as we study each miracle.
This miracle is covered by Matthew, Mark, and John ((Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:15-21).
We will look at Matthew 14.
(Matthew 14:22-32 NIV)
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,
24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. It’s okay to ask God without hearing from God, just as long as you don’t move out without hearing from Him.
Yesterday I received the following text message in response to Today’s Word:
“As I listened to your message this morning, I think I had something out of order. I came to believe that I had to hear from God before I could ask. This has prevented me from asking in many cases. Now I realize it is OK to ask for things as long as I am committed to waiting for an answer before I move. This is a very important distinction for me that allows me to ask bigger and more frequently. Thanks for pointing this out.”
I agree. This is a very important distinction. So I will elaborate further. Part of my calling is to teach people what I have learned about God, His Word, and how to walk with Him. Since we cannot please God without faith (Heb 11:6), and since the Bible teaches us in four different places that the just shall live by faith (Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, and Heb 10:38), then understanding faith is vital. Today I will give you somewhat of a “faith refresher” within the context of this miracle.
— I have made it very clear that I believe God’s grace must precede our faith.
— I believe faith begins where the will of God is known.
— I believe the things we ask for, in faith, must be in alignment with God’s will and not our selfish desires.
— Like the person who texted me yesterday, since I drive home the message that faith CANNOT be about selfish desires, sometimes people take this to believe that they can’t ask God for things without first hearing from Him.
— Like we found out yesterday, it’s okay to ask God for big things and make God-sized petitions. Asking is not the issue. We can and should ask. Now, James teaches us that if we ask for things that DO NOT align with God’s will, we will NOT receive them because the petition is selfish (James 4:3). However, as it was in the case with Peter walking on water, if our petition DOES align with God’s will, then God will put His stamp of approval on our request, granting us the desire, because we asked for something that was in agreement with His plans for our lives.
— This doesn’t lessen the importance of God’s will, or His grace, in any way. It puts the emphasis on us to discover God’s will for our lives and make a human alignment with our divine assignment. When we do, our faith taps into God’s grace, and we get to experience God’s best. That is what happened with Peter, and that is how we walked on water.
— This leaves us in a position to either: A) ask God for things that God tells you to ask for (in which case you are praying back to God the prayers He has already prayed over you), or B) ask God for the things that are in your heart, with the caveat of knowing that you cannot MOVE OUT, in faith, until you hear from God.
I hope this helps you better understand the relationship between God’s grace and our faith.
2. Hearing from God is critical to living by faith.
a) Peter knew better than to get out of the boat without hearing from God first. Faith is not about doing whatever you want. Faith is an expression of your confidence in what God has said or what you believe He is saying to you today. Faith is something you say or do in the present, that is based on what you believe God revealed to you about your future.
c) God reveals things to you in His Word, by His Spirit, in dreams, open visions, through circumstances, and through people. When He does, and you believe God has spoken to you and revealed something to you that is future to you but past to Him (meaning that for you, it has not happened yet, but for Him, because He is in eternity, it is already done), then your ability to make decisions and take actions based on what God revealed is what we call “FAITH.” You are not being moved by what you see (with your natural eyes). You are only being moved by what God said or revealed. This is how we live by faith, and this is how our faith taps into God’s grace.
d) When Jesus said, “COME,” Peter had to believe in that word from the Son of God. Peter did, for a few steps, before he lost his focus. But for those few moments, he did something no other human (other than Jesus) has ever done. Peter walked on water because he was walking on a WORD from God. The Word Jesus spoke, “COME,” revealed God’s grace, and Peter’s action (getting out of the boat), was his faith. Everything God does for us, He does by grace. Everything we must do in response to God, we do in faith. When we release faith where God has provided grace, then we get to experience what God planned for us before the world began.
e) None of what I just explained works without hearing from God. This is a reason God put His Spirit inside of Adam, and He does the same for us when we are Born-Again. God gave you His Spirit so He can communicate with you Spirit-to-spirit. Jesus only said what He heard the Father say, and He only did what He saw (in the Spirit) the Father do. The Father then gave you His Spirit (the same Spirit that was IN Jesus), so you can live the same way.
f) Once you know you have heard from God, you can launch out in-faith. Until that happens, whatever you are doing is NOT faith. If Peter had gotten out of the boat without hearing from Jesus first, it would not have been faith. Unfortunately, believers all over the world ‘get out of their boats’ daily, launching out into new projects and calling it “faith” when they have not heard from God. When they do, they are not operating in faith. What they are doing is nothing more than having high expectations that are based on selfish desires, and when it doesn’t work, they say, “God failed me.” The problem is God was never part of it.
g) Jesus taught us we are not supposed to live our lives by natural bread only. We are supposed to live our lives by every Word God speaks to us (Mat 4:4).
h) Reading the Bible (what God said) conditions your mind to think like God, and it prepares you to discern God’s voice. So, when you read the Bible (what God said), do so with an expectation to hear what He is saying to you today. The purpose of studying what God SAID is so that you can hear what He is SAYING!
Once again, I hope this is giving you a better understanding of faith.
3. Hearing from God is only half the equation. You must then have the faith to attempt what you hear.
a) It takes investigative faith to ask for permission to attempt the impossible. But once the permission is granted, it takes fearless faith to actually attempt it. Said another way, it took one level of faith for Peter to say, “Lord, if that is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” It took another level of faith for Peter to actually get out of the boat and step out onto the water. You may have had the faith to ask God for it, but when God grants you the permission, do you have the faith to GO GET IT?
b) When you have the audacity to ask God for something that exceeds your ability, you are exhibiting faith in your LIPS. However, having faith in your LIPS and having faith in your LEGS are not the same thing. Many people can talk a good game. But after you have said it, prayed it, asked for it, and declared it, then once God gives you permission, you still have to GO DO IT! The faith you had on your LIPS must be transferred to your LEGS!
c) Are you walking on the WORDs God has spoken to you for this year? Hearing what God said is great, but attempting to DO it is something else altogether. Faith is an action Word. Don’t hesitate any longer. Get out of your boat and WALK on the WORD God spoke to you, and He is still speaking to you about for 2023!
d) Most Christians know more and have heard more than they are actually doing. Make a decision today that you are NOT going to just be “A HEARER” or “AN ASKER.” Determine that in 2023, you shall be a DOER of what God says!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I believe this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
As I study the miracles of Jesus, my faith is increased!
I am Your child; I hear Your voice, and the voice of a stranger I will not follow.
You speak to me daily and throughout each waking moment, and even while I am sleeping.
I read what You said with the goal of hearing what You are saying to me every day.
When You give me a Word, I know Your grace accompanies Your Word. You will never give me a Word to do something that You have not already given me the grace to perform.
So I embrace Your Word. I expand my capacity to believe You. I have the audacity to ask for permission to perform the supernatural. And once the permission is granted, I launch out in faith!
I get out of my boat in 2023! I walk on Your Word!
I live by every Word that proceeds from out of Your mouth, and I WALK ON everything You say!
This is how I know, GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
