It is that time of year. A time when we will have pop-up thunderstorms regularly in the evenings or at night. They usually are short, but for a few minutes, they are violent. These storms can serve as a great reminder of who is in control of everything. The title “Walking In the Storm” comes from the book of Matthew where Peter steps out of the boat during a storm to go to Jesus. Today, I want to look at the lessons we can learn from Peter’s “Walking in the Storm.”
The background of this event started with Jesus feeding the 5000, and the multitudes flocking after Him. The intent of the crowd was to take Jesus and make Him their earthly king. After a long day, Jesus decided it was time to break up this following. He sent His disciples away in a boat across the sea. He left them and went up to a mountain to pray. I can imagine after a long day it was very comforting to be alone with His Father. It is like getting home to your loved one after a hard day away from them. The first thing we must do if we are to be able to walk in the storm is to make time to be alone with God. Notice I said “make” time. Satan will always throw obstacles in our path to keep us from God. We will be exhausted, kids will be needing us, and everything around us will seem to demand our attention, but God must come first. No matter what comes your way, you must make time for God, good time, and quality time, if you are to succeed through the storms of life. There is no other way to handle them if God is to receive the glory from them.
Matthew 14:22-23 “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”
The disciples obeyed and started across the sea. Soon they were in the middle of the storm. It was dark and the waves were angry. Jesus finishes His time with His Father and walks to them on the water. When they saw Him coming, they were afraid, thinking He was a spirit, or as we would say a ghost. Jesus speaks to them and tells them not to be afraid. Peter, the impetuous one, immediately asks Jesus if he could come to Him on the water. Jesus bids Peter to come. I can only imagine the adrenaline flowing through Peter as he steps out of the boat onto the water. What a thrill to be walking on water! He was also doing this during a storm, and to top it off he was walking to Jesus! Wow!
Matthew 14:24-29 “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”
While this was a great display of Peter’s faith, things quickly changed. Peter begins to pay attention to the strong waves crashing against him and he begins to sink. When in the middle of the storm he was distracted instead of keeping his focus on the One in control. We too tend to allow the details to swallow up our thinking and our emotions. Soon, instead of the wisdom of God directing us, we allow our emotions and worldly thinking to overshadow God working in our lives. When our faith waivers doubt sets in. The opposite of faith is doubt, and doubting God is a sin. When we doubt God, we are leaving the door open for Satan to plant untrue thoughts in our minds and cause us to focus on our problems rather than the One who can solve them. We all will have moments like this but when we do, we must realize as Peter did that only looking back to Jesus can keep us above the storms of life.
Matthew 14:30-33 “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”
When Jesus called Peter to come, He did not calm the seas to allow easy passage. Jesus wants us to prove our faith to Him no matter what the circumstances. When Peter looked at the storm instead of focusing on Jesus, Jesus allowed the storm to overtake him. We need to understand that we cannot ask Jesus to help us if we are not going to follow and focus on Him. Too many times we have one foot in the boat and one foot on the water. It is as if we are making sure, on our own strength, we have an element of safety. This is not faith in Jesus, but in ourselves. When we put both feet in and keep our focus on Jesus, it will cause us to worship, our faith will increase, and our relationship will grow. When we follow with vivid explosive faith, God will use us in a mighty way.