Note: I am teaching Bible Study tonight on the Biblical benefits of prayer and fasting. We will be live at 7am ET on this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/vcmiva.
Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
For a few days now, we have been also looking at this passage:
(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. Your Heart Must Be Open and Ready for Miracles.
— Live each day in anticipation of God’s miraculous works, aligning your expectations with the miraculous nature of walking on water as Peter did.
— Peter saw Jesus walking on water and had the courage (and boldness) to ask Jesus to do the same. Your heart must be OPEN to the supernatural.
— Prepare your heart to trust God beyond logic, reason, and common sense. Peter stepping out onto the water, an act that defied human understanding, was rooted in His trust in God and God’s power. As believers, we must develop this same level of confidence; God can do anything!
— Develop a heart that is in tune with God’s whispers, ready to respond as Peter did when Jesus called him out onto the water.
— Maintain an unwavering belief in God and His promises, knowing that your faith will keep you connected to God’s grace so you can overcome the storms of life, just as it did for Peter on the water.
— Be steadfast in prayer, understanding that a prayerful heart is ready to receive and respond to whatever God says. When Jesus said, “COME,” Peter did not hesitate or overthink it.
— If you immerse yourself in scripture, your heart will become OPEN to God’s miraculous plans, just as Peter’s knowledge of Jesus’ power fueled his faith. Said another way, Peter knew Jesus, which is why he was willing to get out of the boat when Jesus said, “COME.” Studying the Word of God will help you get to know the God of the Word, so you will be ready to move when God says, “GO!”
2. Learning from Failures in Faith.
— If you never fail, you are playing it safe. Embrace the notion that failure is a sign of courage, not defeat.
— If you’ve never failed, it’s likely you’re staying within your comfort zone. You won’t ever be a world-changer living that way.
— Learn from every failure. Each failure is a crucial stepping stone; never let one go to waste. Use it as a catalyst for growth and a testament to your resilience in pursuing God’s purpose.
— Recognize God’s grace covers our failures. Use moments of failure as setups for God’s grace to manifest, similar to how Peter’s faith was restored after sinking.
— Use failures as reflective moments to grow and mature in faith, understanding that each step of the way is a part of honing a laser-focused faith on God’s purpose.
— Bounce back from failures with renewed vigor and understanding, resilient in faith as Peter was, despite his momentary doubt on the water.
— Treat each failure as a teachable moment to deepen your understanding of faith, learning from every experience to stay more focused on God’s fixed purpose.
— When Peter sank, Jesus said, “You have little faith.” It was not little in type but little in duration. Jesus gave Peter clear feedback on why he failed. His faith was powerful, but it was short-lived. With this type of feedback, Peter could do better the next time. God will do the same for you. The Holy Spirit will help you learn from your failures.
— Learn from your failures, and don’t let them breed doubt; use them to fortify your faith in God’s plans and purpose for your life.
— Adopt a growth mindset, viewing every failure as an opportunity to grow stronger and more aligned with God’s will, keeping your gaze fixed on Him.
3. The Relationship Between God’s Grace and Our Faith.
— God does all He does by grace. We do all we do (in response to Him) by faith.
— Understand that grace enables our faith to be effective; it’s God’s empowerment that allowed Peter to step out on the water in faith.
— View faith as an active decision to trust and step out, responding to God’s grace, as exemplified by Peter’s decision to walk towards Jesus on the water.
— Recognize that faith and grace work hand in hand – God gives grace, and faith is our active response, as seen in Peter’s walk on water.
— Expect extraordinary outcomes when faith and grace align, much like the miraculous event of Peter walking on water through Jesus’ invitation.
— Make your belief actionable, understanding that faith isn’t just believing but acting on that belief, empowered by grace, as Peter did.
— Balance accepting God’s grace with moving in alignment with it, understanding that faith involves both receiving from God and taking action.
— Let your life be a testimony of faith in action, fueled by grace, showing the world the power of a focused life on God’s fixed purpose.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I live with a laser focus on Your fixed purpose for my life this year!
I open my heart to the miraculous, anticipating Your divine works with faith like Peter’s when he walked on water.
My heart is attuned to Your voice, Father, prepared to respond to Your call into the extraordinary, even when it defies logic, reason, and common sense.
Through prayer, I cultivate a heart receptive to Your miraculous power, aligning my desires with Your will and limitless possibilities.
Father, I embrace my failures as lessons in faith, understanding that each misstep is an opportunity to grow stronger in You.
I recognize Your grace in my moments of failure, allowing Your strength to be perfected in my weaknesses.
Failures are stepping stones for me, Father. I use them to fortify my faith, keeping my focus on Your purpose for my life.
Father, I understand the synergy between Your grace and my faith in action. Your grace empowers my steps of faith, as it did with Peter walking on water.
I receive Your grace with active faith, moving in alignment with Your divine guidance and will.
Living this way, 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!
