“So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water…” part of Matthew 14:29 (AMP)
Walking on water
You may be familiar with this story but here it is …. Jesus wants time alone and sends His disciples out onto the Sea of Galilee, after they leave He goes up unto the mountain to pray. Then sometime between 3-6am (the fourth watch) Jesus walks on the water towards the disciples in the boat. At first, they are terrified (understandably) because they think that it is a ghost, but Jesus assures them calling out: “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!” Peter boldly replies, “Lord, if it is really You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus simply says: “Come!”. Peter gets out of the boat and walks on the water towards Jesus. But then Peter sees the effect of the wind and begins to sink, previously it states that the disciples were getting tossed and battered by the winds so you can imagine that it is rough water. Peter cries out, Jesus recuses him, and they both climb into the boat, then the wind ceases and all the disciples are amazed at what they have just witnessed.
Reality
I have read this story many times but today I sensed that God had something fresh and new to reveal to me. I saw that when Peter realised what he was doing he sank, it was when he allowed the reality of doing the impossible to hit him that he began to sink. I thought back to the time I bungy jumped at The Ledge, which entailed a cable car ride up to the jump site perched 400m above Queenstown New Zealand. Because we didn’t know if we would have another chance to have such an amazing experience, hubby and I purchased a swing and a jump package each. We started with the swing which at first felt very secure as I was winched out into place but then I pulled the release cord and fell 47m until the bungy cord caught and swung me back and forth. It was a terrifying experience. To complete the bungy jump next it meant that I had to run off a platform. My body was still reeling from the effects of the swing and so with my first attempt my body stopped me, my instincts kicked in and simply wouldn’t allow me to jump. I tried to calm myself down and had another attempt, but the same thing happened. The staff member told me that I HAD to jump at the next attempt. I had to really psych myself up, by simply saying over and over in my mind that I was just going for a run. I also decided to focus on the hills in front of me and not the edge. Which worked and I completed the jump, which again was terrifying and a very strange experience because I felt the freefall effects both falling and being flung upwards by the cord. I am glad that I did it but I did not catch the ‘bungy bug’. I saw that Peter’s reaction, to walking on water, could have been very similar to my body’s reaction to bungy – terror. That possibly in the moment that Peter looked around his instincts kicked in and caused his body to ‘freak out’. I began to understand the story with a whole new depth. But I also saw a lesson embedded in that discovery.
Possible
I believe that God has good and perfect plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He Calls us to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Now the things we are asked to do can be easy but more than likely they are difficult and sometimes they even feel impossible. We can look at the reality of our current situation and feel that the thing God is asking us to do is simply impossible. But the thing I sense God asking us to do today is simply trust Him. How can we show that we trust Him? By taking our focus off our situation or circumstances to fully focus on Him. Just like I had to take my focus off the edge when I was bungy jumping and placed my focus elsewhere. Although our storm may continue to rage around us, I sense Jesus gently whispering to us: “Take courage, I am with you! Do not be afraid!” I sense Him reminding us about Who He is – the God Who makes ALL things possible (Matthew 19:26).
In February this year (2023) I had this special moment where I sensed God asking me to hold onto my hopes and dreams. As I sat with that request I tried to realise the hugeness of what He was saying. I tried to truly and utterly believe that ALL that resides in my heart, mind and spirit can come to pass, really and truly unfold. It seems impossible, overwhelming, daunting….. but deep within me His words stirred something, they sparked within me a passion, a drive, a purpose….. and I prayed: Lord, I want to believe that You can do this, You can indeed unfold ALL the ‘crazy’ things I’ve dreamt about, prayed about, imagined, envisioned and MORE! So I ask You to remove every ounce of unbelief and every skerrick of doubt. I ask You to release to me strength that enables to hold on tight to ALL that You Call me to and perseverance so that I will never ever let go, well that is until You tell me to hand it onto the next generation.
I feel that resolve deepen even further today because God is asking me (yet again) to not allow the reality of my circumstances (my adrenal fatigue battle) to drag me down but rather I’m to keep trusting, keep hoping, keep believing. I am to reject reason (the overwhelming feeling that it is impossible) and stir up my faith.
Declaration
I encourage you to join me in making this your declaration:
May I NEVER doubt God’s mighty power, its ability to work in me to accomplish all this – His plans and purposes, complete the good works He has Called me to do. For He will surely achieve infinitely more than my greatest prayer request. Indeed, He will do superabundantly more than my most unbelievable dream. For certain, He will far exceed my wildest imagination! My greatest hopes and dreams He will outdo them all as His miraculous power constantly renews and energises me.
So let me today, tomorrow and forevermore offer up to God all the glorious praise that I can muster, let it rise from every fibre of my being and be a legacy I leave for the generations to come. May my household and I constantly praise Jesus Christ for what He has done, is doing, and for all that is yet to be manifested throughout all generations, time and eternity. Amen!
Many blessings,
Keona
You can read the full story of Jesus and Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33.
My closing declaration is inspired by Ephesians 3:20-21 (AMP & TPT).
Whilst writing this I took a break and watched an episode of the series The Chosen, they did a flash back to Moses and the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:6-9) and when Moses was questioned about how that could possibly help the people struck down Moses responded with: “Faith, not reason!” (Episode 7). I felt that was so relevant to what I was working on, I love how God confirms things.
Amen! Thank you, Keona!