Have you ever pictured yourself doing more than you are right now? Do you see yourself running your own business, owning your own home, walking in divine health, writing a book, finishing college, high school, teaching, putting that artistic talent to work? Do you see yourself walking on water? đ I know that last one stumped you. But is it impossible? So are all the other things I just mentioned if we tell ourselves that it will never happen to us. Some of us can walk in faith for others but we fail at believing it for ourselves.
How many of you have prayed for the success of someone elseâs business or accomplishment while just settling for where you are? Believing that you canât be better, what you have is good. Playing it safe. Taking the path of least resistance. Complacency is the thief of greater expectations. Itâs the killer of ambition and dreams. It distorts vision and cripples innovation. God has placed within every one of us something that benefits another. Weâre created for much more than we are doing right now. Letâs read about someone who did something that has not been duplicated by any other human being in all of creation. It wasnât limited to him, but no one else has ever dared to try.
âAs soon as the people were fed, Jesus told His disciples to get into their boat and to go to the other side of the lake while He stayed behind to dismiss the people. After the crowds dispersed, Jesus went up into the hills to pray. And as night fell He was there praying alone. But the disciples, who were now in the middle of the lake, ran into trouble, for their boat was tossed about by the high winds and heavy seas. At about four oâclock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the waves! When the disciples saw Him walking on top of the water, they were terrified and screamed, âA ghost!â Then Jesus said, âBe brave and donât be afraid. I Am here!â Peter shouted out, âLord, if itâs really you, then have me join you on the water!â âCome and join Me,â Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. âSave me, Lord!â he cried out. Jesus immediately stretched out His hand and lifted him up and said, âWhat little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?â
ââMatthew⏠â14:22-31⏠âTPTâŹâŹ
The reason why most of us remain stuck is the question Jesus posed to Peter: Why would you let doubt win? Every time we talk ourselves out of doing what weâre capable of, Weâre letting doubt win. Had I given in to doubt I wouldnât have written my first book or my first morning message. Believe me I didnât think that I could, but like Peter, I stepped out and He hasnât let me sink. Writing and teaching is like walking on water for me. I don't have formal training or education for either. But I have kept my eyes on the One who said âcome and join me.â There were times when I felt the overwhelming waves of doubt and fear. But each time Iâve reminded the Lord that itâs all about Him, and that He can shut it down whenever Heâs ready. If I ever start believing that itâs my doing, Iâll sink faster than Peter.
Walking on water in any unfamiliar situation is an act of our will and faith in Jesus Christ. They go hand in hand. When the Lord asks us to join Him in doing the impossible it means weâre capable. That nudge to do what you have been talking yourself out of is Him saying âcome and join Meâ youâre capable of doing much more with Me than without Me. I didnât think I could own a home. In the natural I shouldnât qualify for a mortgage. But He said come join Me. Now Heâs stretching me even more. What Heâs shown me is impossible for me to even consider doing, but impossible has never stopped Him, so I have accepted His invitation to join Him on the water. I will not let doubt win!
God is asking us to believe in what He has placed inside of us. His limitless all powerful resurrection Spirit that brings dead dreams, abilities and gifting to life. All Heâs asking us to do is join Him. The other eleven disciples played it safe, but Peter did not. We may say âbut he began to sink,â but did he drown? Why not? He still knew who to call on for help. He may have started to sink, but he walked back to the boat with Jesus. He did something no one else dared to do. We are capable of doing so much more, the question isnât whether we can, the question is whether we will. Are we willing to step out of the comfort of the boat that is being tossed by the waves and walk on water to the One who will never let us sink? If He said come! Weâre guaranteed never to sink. We may hit some bumps or waves along the way, but weâll walk back to the boat. The waves didnât cease until they were both back in the boat.
We miss that when Peter stepped out the squalls hadnât subsided. The waves were just as boisterous as when he was in the boat. The elements hadnât changed. He stepped out at an invitation to join Someone greater than his fears. By keeping his eyes on Jesus, he was assured of a favorable outcome. But even though fear gripped him momentarily, still he successfully finished what he set out to do. We will too. Joyce Meyer has coined the phrase, âDo it afraid!â Sometimes what God has called us to do must be done afraid. This is in order that, according to the apostle Paul;
âBut we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.â
ââII Corinthians⏠â4:7⏠âNKJVâŹâŹ
When we do whatever it is- afraid- it denies us bragging rights. If we can do all things through Christ, then we are capable of doing much more. Peter didnât just walk on water, he walked on water because Jesus said come. His enabling power makes us capable. Do it afraid. Do it because Heâs asked and invited you to. Heâll be there to catch you when you begin to sink. We wonât go under because we are designed to walk atop the waves of adversity and testing. Why? So that the excellence of the power to accomplish great things may be of God and not of us. Our help comes from the Lord. Someone rightly said âHell trembles when we walk in our identity.â The enemy wins whenever we succumb to doubt. He wins when we tell ourselves what we cannot do. Stop the liar, and do it afraid in Jesus Name!
2022 is fast approaching. What have you been putting off because of fear? Where have you allowed doubt to win? Hear Him saying âCome join Me.â You are capable of so much more.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
December 2, 2021
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