WALKING THROUGH THE STORMS

Matthew 14:25-31

Matthew 14:25–31 NKJV

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

INTRODUCTION

The word walk in the bible often symbolizes the way we live, the way we act, and the way we conduct ourselves in a certain way. And it has reference to the fact that life is a journey, life is a pilgrimage and that the Christian is a person who is traveling to another country. And so to walk by faith is to live in the confident expectation of things that are to come. The people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, power, and possessions; for the things, which this world can give. But the Christian looks beyond this world with a conviction that believes there is a better place.

Let’s define a few words to help with our understanding of the text today:

Walk is an active verb- it requires movement, it requires progressing toward a goal or place! Not standing still!

Our Guide:

One cannot start out walking without a guide or else they become lost very quickly and wander around!

As believers we have a guide: the Word of God and the Spirit of God! Both serve to be our compass, our roadmap, our navigation system BUT it is up to us if we follow in the direction that they are leading!

We cannot follow unless we are both looking at listening! Think about a navigation system- it gives us audible turn by turn directions but we still have to look ahead to read the road signs, to often look at the map it displays before us! We have to keep our eyes fixed to where we are going and what we are following or else we will at best get lost and off course and at worse end up crashing!

Faith:

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And so to walk by faith requires that we become familiar with the promises that God has given to us. The bible is filled with promises for believers. Nothing is more encouraging or nurturing to our faith than reading the promises of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

WE are saved by faith along by God’s grace alone in Christ alone- what does that mean- it means we believe, we trust in, place our hope in, have faith in Jesus Christ and His work upon the cross- believing that what God’s Word says is truth! That is faith- taking God at His word and clinging onto it with all that we have and all that we are!

But now believe me when I tell you that many Christians have misunderstood what faith is. To them faith is some kind of power or force. They think if they have enough faith, God will do whatever they ask Him.

So when a crisis comes up, they try to move God into action with their faith. When an emergency comes up, they try to use faith like a rope to slip around God’s neck to force their will on God.

And when disaster comes, they try to use faith like a button they push to nudge God into action. And when God does not respond, they become disappointed with God. And they feel like God let them down.

And so some Christians stop praying. Some stop reading the bible. And some even stop coming to church. But what these Christians do not realize is that you got to have a promise from God to hang your faith on. Faith is confidence that God will do whatever God has promised.

And so now as we take a look at our text,

Synopsis: the bible says that the disciples are in a storm and in the 4th watch of the night Jesus came to them walking on the water. Jesus said unto them to be a good cheer, it is I; be not afraid. And Peter said to Jesus, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Now Peter asking to walk on the water was a most unusual request. Some have even criticized Peter for trying to show-off in front of the other disciples. And some have criticized him for trying to show that he had more faith in Christ than the other disciples did.

But in reality one of the main reasons why Peter wanted to walk on the water was because he wanted to be closer to Jesus. Peter wanted to be closer to Jesus on the water, than he was in the boat.

Peter wanted to be close to Jesus and Jesus wanted to be close to Peter.

Church I wonder this morning is there anybody here who really wants to get closer to Jesus.

PEOPLE WHO WALK BY FAITH WANT TO BE AS CLOSE TO GOD AS THEY CAN.

And if you really want to get closer to Jesus you got to walk by faith. Because faith pleases God and without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

True faith is seen in our walking or obedience to What God says to do! Living it out on a daily bases, in word, in action, in deed and in thought! Allowing our minds and desires of our hearts, our emotions to be changed and transformed by the Spirit of God that is within us!

Walking by faith means to make some changes in your life. You cannot stay where you are and get closer to Jesus.

Peter wanted to change from being in the boat to being close to Jesus.

James said, “When you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.”

And if you are like Peter and you believe that Jesus is who He says He is, then you ought to want to have a close fellowship with Him.

James 4:8–10 NKJV

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

SUBPOINT#1

The thing that really made Peter want to WALK BY FAITH AND get closer to Jesus was the storm he was going thru. AND THIS STORM CAUSED PETER TO WALK BY FAITH. CHURCH SOMETIMES STORMS COMES TO TEST US SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF WE WILL WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. Your storm ought to draw you closer to Jesus. Some people can be in a storm and they still don’t get close to God.

SUBPOINT#2

All the disciples in this boat did not follow Peter’s walk of faith. The rest of them were satisfied with sitting in the boat.

Some people are satisfied with sitting in a comfort zone. Boat Folk are satisfied with staying in the boat. Some are satisfied sitting in their anger, depression, regret, guilt, anxiety etc...

But you can’t let boat folk stop you from getting out of the boat. That’s what’s wrong with some of you now, you been listening to boat folk and following their example. You are not wanting to step out in faith and instead just waller around in your self afflicted misery. THEIR IS FREEDOM IN CHRIST JESUS!

Stop listening to boat folk AND STOP LISTENING TO THE ENEMY THAT TELLS YOU IT’S OKAY TO SIT THEIR IN YOUR ANGER, IN YOUR MADNESS, IN YOUR DEPRESSION, IN YOUR WITHDRAWL, IN YOUR SADNESS, MISERY AND GRIEF

Boat folk are not doing anything for God. And they don’t want to see you doing anything for God. Everybody in the boat is not going to walk with you on the water. Everybody don’t want to walk by faith, some people are happy walking by sight.

Can’t you here doubting Thomas in the background telling Peter, Man, you better stay in this boat. Stay in here. You never have walked on water before. What makes you think you can walk on water now?

And so now as we take a closer look at Peter’s walk of faith there are 4 things I want to talk about.

SUCCESS

{1} First of all, let us look at THE SUCCESS IN THE WALK. The bible says in v. 29 that after Peter asked to walk on the water, Jesus told him to come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Now when we think of Peter walking on the water, we normally only think of him sinking. But Peter did have some success before he started sinking. And the reason why Peter was successful is because he believed the Word of God AND KEPT HIS EYES ON JESUS CHRIST.

Peter began his walk on the water by faith in the Word of the Lord. Jesus told Peter to Come. And Peter stepped out of the boat on just ONE WORD because he believed THE WORD.

Yes, the water was deep, the wind was strong, and the waves were high, but Peter still stepped out on the Word of the Lord.

And church, we can always step out on the Word of God. We can always stand on the Word of God. Because whatever God said will hold us up. Whatever God said will build us up. That’s why we need to stop sitting on the premises and start standing on the promises of God.

You can always put your faith in the Word of God.

Let me say a word to the young people: If you really want to be successful in life then you got to obey the Word of God. Keep God’s Word in front of you. Let the Word of God be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Let the Word of God lead you. Let the Word of God guide you.

SUBPOINT#1 And that which seemed impossible became possible because Peter believed the word. Somehow Peter knew that everything is possible to him that believes. There is no danger in walking by faith.

SINKING

{2}But then second, not only do we see THE SUCCESS but we also see SINKING.

The bible says that Peter started out well walking on the water; but after a short way, he became afraid and began to sink.

The verse says, “He saw the wind boisterous”. Now it was not the actual wind itself that he saw; but it was the effects of the wind. And then Peter started to worry, and that’s when he started to sink. Peter took his eyes off of Christ and instead put them on the circumstances.

Church I don’t know who I am talking to this morning, but there is somebody here and you have taken your eyes off Christ and put them on your circumstances. And because your eyes are on your circumstances instead of on the Lord, then you have started to sink in what you should be walking on.

Stop sinking in your circumstances and start walking on top of your circumstances. Stop sinking in your situation and start walking on top off your situation. Stop sinking in your condition and start walking on top of your condition. Peter started sinking in what he should have been walking on.

But you know church I believe that the devil had his hand in this somewhere. I believe that the devil tempted Peter to take his eyes off Jesus.

The devil will always tempt us to take our eyes off Jesus. The devil wants us to walk by sight instead of walking by faith. Because he knows that if he can get you to walk by sight then he can get you to go under what you should be going over.

He can get you to go below what you should be above. He can get you to be less than when you can be more than. He can get you to give in to the same old temptations. He can get you to go down into the same old sins. But you have to do is that you got to learn how to stay up. And the way to stay up is to walk by faith.

SEE THIS IS THE CAUSE OF LACK OF FORGIVENESS- DEVIL GETS US FOCUS ON SELF OR THE PROBLEM, WE GET CONSUMED BY ANGER AND OBSESS OVER THE PROBLEM OR OFFENSE AND REFUSE TO LET GO, RISE ABOVE, FORGIVE, MOVE ON AND FOLLOW JESUS!

SAVING

{3} But then thirdly not only do we see SINKING but we also see SAVING.

Thank God that Peter did not drown.

While Peter was sinking he had enough sense to start praying. The bible says that Peter cried, saying, Lord save me.

When Peter’s faith got weak and trouble came, he did not drown in his troubles. He did not give up in his troubles. But he went to the Lord in prayer. Out of all that Peter had been thru he still had enough faith to pray thru. HE SIMPLY CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND WAS SAVED/DELIVERED, HIS FAITH WAS STRENGTHENED DURING HIS TIME OF TRAILS.

I wonder this morning, out of all that you have been thru, do you still have enough faith to pray?

Do you still have enough faith to get a prayer thru?

Because if you still have some faith then you can get back-up on your feet. If you still have some faith then you can pray your way up. Peter’s faith was little faith but it was enough faith to get a prayer thru. Peter was able to get up because he prayed his way up. EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD!

CORRECTION

After saving Peter from drowning, the Lord CORRECTED him. He corrected Peter about the smallness of his faith and the shame of his faith.

Jesus said, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Peter’s faith was small, but at least he had enough to walk as far as he did.

What Peter needed was more faith to complete the walk. But now keep in mind that Peter had been walking with Jesus for some time now and he had seen Jesus work many miracles. Peter had seen Jesus fill his boat with fish. Peter had seen Jesus heal his sick mother-in-law. Peter had seen Jesus turn water into wine. And Peter had just seen Jesus take two small fishes and five barley loaves and feed 5,000 men plus women and children. And out of all the miracles Peter had seen, he no reason to doubt.

Many of us in here have been walking with Jesus for a long time now. We have seen the Lord make ways WHEN THERE WAS NO WAY. We have seen the Lord open doors that were closed in our face. And we don’t have any reason to start doubting God. We’ve come this far by faith, Leaning on the Lord, Trusting in His Holy Word, He never failed me yet, AND HE NEVER WILL!

HOW IS YOUR WALK, IS IT A WALK OF FAITH OR ARE YOU TREADING WATER, STRUGGLING NOT TO DROWN IN THE WORLD, THE FLESH, THEM SNARES OF THE DEVIL, THE CONDITIONS ALL AROUND YOU? ARE YOU HOLDING ONTO BITTERNESS, ANGER, LACK OF FORGIVENESS, GUILT, SHAME, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PRIDE, SELF, A BAD ATTITUDE, WRONG MOTIVES ??? IS YOUR HEART FAR FROM HIM??

IT’S TIME TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND BE DELIVERED!