Jesus Walks on Water
Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
I’ve heard the story of Yesusha Jesus walking on the water ever since I was a little girl. But today, when I read it, I realized some new things.
1. Yeshua Jesus sent the disciples into the water, in a boat, while he stayed on land and sent the crowd away.
2. After the crowd left, Jesus went up into the hills to pray… alone (he loved his “alone time” with His Father. He stayed there into the night.
3. While the disciples were in the boat and crossing to the other side of the lake, night fell and a storm came up. The disciples got scared (remember, it was dark and the boat was being tossed and the disciples were probably very wet).
4. Yeshua Jesus would not have been able to see the disciples and the boat from where he was on land (it was dark) but He knew (in a supernatural way) that the disciples needed help.
5. Yeshua Jesus appears to the disciples as a ghost, which must have meant that maybe he had a glow about him. The Bible doesn’t say this, but I’m trying to think about how the disciples would have seen him, walking on the water, if the sea was churning, the rain was pelting, and it was dark.
Now this is where it gets very interesting.
6. Yeshua Jesus tells them not to be afraid because He is there. He didn’t say “don’t be afraid, it’s just Me and I’m not a ghost” He said, “I am here”. As if to imply that if He were with them, nothing could go wrong because he is God and He controls all circumstances. “I am with you.”
7. Peter then says, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” Yeshua Jesus, recognizing that Peter’s faith was weak, and that he needed a “sign” to strengthen that faith said, “Yes, come.”
8. Peter steps out of the boat onto the water, and starts walking. He is WALKING on top of the water! His faith is strong – he is believing that Yeshua Jesus will keep him from harm… will keep him from drowning. His faith is very strong for a few seconds, and then Peter’s focus goes from believing Yeshua Jesus’ supernatural power, to looking at his natural circumstances (he is getting wet, the wind is strong and maybe even some disciples are calling him back, saying, “I can’t believe you’re going to do this – don’t do it, you’ll drown.” – all very “real” and “natural” circumstances) and he probably started to wish that he were back in the boat because in the natural, we know that water doesn’t support a man’s weight.
He starts to sink…
9. He cries out, “Save me Lord!” and what does Yeshua do? He immediately reaches out to him. Now, think about how far away Jesus would have been from Peter? He had to have been very close to be able to just reach out for him. Maybe Peter had arrived at where Jesus was and was standing in front of him when he realized what was actually happening (he was standing on the water) and that’s when he wondered how it could be happening and doubted what was.
10. Now Jesus tells Peter why he started to sink. He says, “You have so little faith.” And then a most profound statement…
>>>>> “Why did you doubt me?” <<<<<
And here's the take-away for today. When Peter took Yeshua Jesus at His word and trusted Him, He was safe. When he doubted, he lost his ability to have supernatural abilities. Peter walked on the water supernaturally… without Yeshua physically touching him. He asked Yeshua for help to do it, and TOGETHER Peter was able to walk on the water. Yeshua gave him the ability to do it ONLY with Peter's faith. When Peter doubted, he lost the supernatural ability to walk on water.
God will always keep His word. He will ALWAYS do what He promises AS LONG AS you are walking Holy before your God AND you believe that God will do what He says, in His word (that's having faith).
God is a faith God and he tells us over and over and over again to believe that He will do what He says.
"But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:6
"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into
the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he
says is going to happen, it will be granted him." Mark 11:23
His faith is very strong and he has received more answers to prayer than most of us. Faith is key. God is a faith God and He wants to do things for us. He is only limited by our faith. How strong is yours? Do you want it to be stronger?
Take a look at this inspiring video of Thurman Scrivner’s testimonay
to learn how this Grandfather applied the two verses above to “move a
mountain” and brought his granddaughter “back from the dead”. Oh, my heart longs to have faith that can move mountains. How about you?