Learning Center - Bible Studies

Water Walking Faith
by Rev. Ty McGehee

Water walking faith? Just what is water walking faith? Water walking faith is simply the act of stepping out of the boat, our comfort zone, and doing what God wants us to do, even when it seems impossible. By keeping our focus centered on Jesus Christ we begin to exercise, or develop our faith in the ability of Christ to meet our needs; He will take the impossible and make it possible.

This is a hard concept for us to grasp. When the storms of life hit us, it is our natural tendency to rely upon our own understanding of how the world around us functions. We place our focus on the visible elements of the storm so that we can use our own human intellect to guide us through the path of the storms, instead of placing our focus upon Jesus Christ and developing our faith. When we use our intellect to guide us through these storms, we leave ourselves open to the accusations of the adversary and the temptations of believing those accusations. But on the other hand if we place our focus on Christ the one that has the power to still the storms of our lives (Mark 4:35-41) and trust and believe (an act of faith) in Him to provide for our needs then He will make the impossible possible.

In the book of Matthew in the 14th chapter, we read of the account of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). Some read this account and look at the failure of Peter. But I must ask did Peter really fail? Let us look at the setting. It was the fourth watch, somewhere between 3:00 am and 6:00 am in the morning, there was a storm happening and the little boat was being violently tossed around. This alone could be very distressing and then the disciples looked out on the stormy water and saw a figure walking towards them - a ghost! Their response was the most natural one, that of fear.

Christ encouraged them no to be afraid, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Peter upon realizing that it was Christ said, "Lord if it is you command me to come..." With one simple word, "Come," from the lips of Christ, Peter took a step of faith. Placing his faith in Christ's ability to protect and meet his needs, he stepped out of the boat, his comfort zone, onto the stormy waters of life.

As long as Peter kept his focus on Christ it did not matter what type of storm was going around him. However, the moment that he took his focus off Jesus Christ and began to look around at the elements of the storm he began to sink. How many times during our storms do we look at the elements and begin to sink? O' that I could find the anchor to stable my boat in the mist of the storm.

We in our daily life face many trials and temptations (storms) and like Peter we have the tendency to focus on the problem and not on Jesus Christ who has the power to deliver us through the storms of our life. Greater is He (Christ) who is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). When we stay focused on Jesus Christ He becomes our anchor in the storm. We can find comfort in the words of Apostle Paul, "... God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but... will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to beat it." (1 Corinthians 10:130. In this verse, the Greeks words translated "temptation," and "tempted" can also be seen to mean a testing in general. From this passage, God reveals to us that even during our storms (temptations) He will provide a way for us to endure it.

All of us have a little of Peter in us and from time to time we take our focus off Christ. When we do we will begin to fall/sink, but like Peter when we cry out, "Lord, save me!" He will be there to pick us up. God said that He would never leave us no forsake us (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6,8). Christ stands by us and holds us up during the storms that we encounter.

When Peter stepped out of the boat to meet Christ it was an act of faith in Christ. Peter had grown up around the sea, he was a angler, and he had been out on the sea many times. By common sense Peter knew that man could not walk upon water. What was he thinking? By faith, Peter knew that when he stepped out of the boat that Jesus Christ would support him. By faith, we know that when we step out of the boat to meet Christ on the stormy waters that He will be there to support us.

When the storms of life rise around us we must stay focused on Christ and be ready to get out of the boat, or comfort zone, and meet Christ in His plans for us. Stepping our of the boat is not always an easy thing to do. It is an act of faith that requires us to fully trust in God to meet our needs, even when it seems impossible. I once heard, "That impossibility is the first stage to a miracle." Remember that with God all things are possible (Mark 9:23, 10:27).

Every storm, every testing is a faith building experience. Each time that we step out of our comfort zone to meet Christ Jesus we go through a spiritual transformation, our faith in Christ to meet our needs is strengthened. The storms of life never go away, but as we pass through each storm they become easier and easier.