Come Walk on the Water

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd April 30, 2017 - Filed in Teachings by Dion - #Christian  #  #teaching  - 2,783 views

  Come Walk on the Water from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

  Transcript: 

  Today I want to talk about something that happened in Matthew chapter 14, something unique and that only occurs in that chapter of the Bible: A common fisherman that walked on the water. I am not talking about Jesus, but about Peter.
  
  
  Peter was a fisherman, and as he himself said in Luke 5:8: “A sinful man.” Peter was married to a wife because in Luke 4:38, Jesus healed his mother-in-law. According to Acts 4:13, Peter was an “uneducated and untrained man”. Sometimes Peter walked in the flesh and spoke words inspired by satan. Matthew 16:23 tells us that at least once Jesus rebuked Peter and said: “Get thee behind Me satan” after one of Peter’s speeches. Can you imagine Jesus telling someone this? Think of that when you put on your “What would Jesus do” bracelet. 
  
  My point is that Peter was not a priest nor a saint, at least not then. He was a common, sinful, married, uneducated fisherman, not that much different than a construction worker today. I say that because I "are" one, and I can relate. I grew up on a farm, dropped out of school as soon as possible, just like my dad and brothers had all done before me, and I worked in construction as a laborer digging foundations and pushing wheel barrows full of concrete. I am not bashing the common man, I am the definition of it. I am saying that being a person of low status in social circles will not stop God from powerfully using you, as we will see. 
  
  With that said, lets read the the story. Jesus had just fed 5,000 men, plus the women and children, with only five loaves of bread and two fish. We then pick it up in Matthew 14:22:

  
  
  Matthew 14:22–33 (NKJV) — Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 
  
  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 

  
  
  And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 
  
  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
  
  Now this group of people in the boat was not the general population of the world. See Jesus had thousands of followers, He had just fed over 5,000 that were following Him and listening to Him teach, but He had sent them away. Earlier He had chosen 12 people to train that He poured His life and knowledge into, and even in that group, there were an inner 3: Peter, James, and John who were with Him almost all the time, including on the mount of transfiguration. So we are talking about the chosen ones here, not thieves and robbers.
  
  
  So there were twelve of His closest disciples in the boat that night. One got out and walked on the water with Jesus. That is 1/12^th or 8.3% of the group. That means that about 92% of the innermost 12 “Apostles” stayed in the safety of the boat that night. 92% of the chosen ones would not leave the safety of the boat. 
  
  Then there is the question of why did Peter get chosen to walk on the water with Jesus? Well, he didn’t. Peter asked Jesus for the opportunity. He said: “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water!” and Jesus simply said: “Come on out.” All 12 of the disciples could have walked on the water with Jesus, but apparently they didn’t want it bad enough to ask for it, or they were too afraid, or maybe they were too Holy to trouble the Lord with “trivial” things. James 4:2 tells us that “We have not, because we ask not.” Peter asked Jesus. 
  
  Another thing was that Peter was excited about God. He wanted more. He wanted to do what Jesus was doing. He wanted to be where Jesus was. Are we excited about God? Do we crave to be where He is? Are we hungry for His presence?
  
  A couple of years ago, the Lord gave me a vision of Him standing out on the water and calling to a group of us that were huddled together on the shore. About 5 to 7 people out of a hundred began to walk out towards Him, while the rest stayed on the shore. Then the Spirit said to me: “He is calling those that are willing to walk on the water.” In time, I forgot about it, but this week while I was praying, He suddenly asked me: “Why did Peter get to walk on the water? Because He asked to.” And it all came rushing back to me.
  
  The Lord is going to provide some great opportunities to those that are zealous enough to ask Him for it. Those that will believe Him. Those that will leave the safety of the boat and be willing to look like a fool just to be closer to Him. 
  
  This message came to me in a song that I am going to sing for you, but first let’s pray. If you feel that you are one of the 8% and are willing to take that risk, then pray with me. If you want Him more than anything else in the world. You do not have to do this. Like I said, 92% of the Apostles didn’t and they turned out OK. But there is something special coming for those that are willing to risk it all and zealously ask Him for more, and it may be scary:
  
  
  Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to be one of the 8% club. Call me out to You, and I will come. Open that door, and I will walk through it. Here I am Lord, send me. I want to walk on that water. I want to do exploits for my God. I want to walk with His signs following me today. I know that You are God Almighty and that all things are possible to You. Please let me be a part of what You are doing today. In Your name I pray.