Step out the boat and keep walking by faith!

As Christians, we operate by the law of faith and walk by faith. The law of faith predominates the natural laws. Look at the life of Abraham. Abraham believed God for His word and walked by faith. According to the natural laws, it was impossible that Sara would conceive a child. However for God nothing is impossible, since He is the Creator of all things. Therefore by faith it was possible. We call that a miracle. A miracle is nothing more, than something, that annuls the natural laws of the universe. One of the best examples of how the law of faith exceeds the natural law is the story of Jesus walking by faith on the water and how Peter stepped out the boat and was walking by faith on the water too, until…

Walking by faith on the water

And when the disciples saw Jesus 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. 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 (Matthew 14:26-32).

I don’t think there would be anyone, who would try walking by faith on the water. Because when you step into the water, you expect that will sink and touch the ground, because of the natural law of gravity.

What you can do is floating on water, but walking by faith on the water? No, that is impossible, according to the natural laws of the universe and the carnal mind.

But when we look at the story of Peter, it shows us, that it is possible to walk by faith on the water. Peter was courageous to step out of that boat in faith. In the beginning his faith (in Jesus and His words) overruled the natural law of gravity. Because the natural law of gravity says: “you will sink”.

Jesus has the final authority

Jesus has the final authority, which means His law is above any law, including the natural laws. That’s why Jesus walked by faith on the water. No matter how wild the sea became and how big the waves were, Jesus kept on walking by faith. Jesus knew who He was and who His Father.

Peter believed that Jesus was the Son of God and that nothing was impossible to Him. Peter believed and trusted the Word of God. And because Peter believed, Peter acted upon the words of Jesus and stepped out of the boat in faith. What a faith!

There was nothing in the visible realm, that proved or guaranteed him, that he could walk on the water. He only saw Jesus doing it and Peter trusted in the words of Jesus. 

By seeing Jesus doing it and by believing the words of Jesus, Peter walked according to the law of faith and stepped out of the boat in faith. And yes, by faith Peter could indeed walk on water!

The law of faith worked; the natural laws became inferior to the law of faith.

If Peter just kept on walking by faith, by the law of faith, Peter could have kept walking by faith on water and could have returned to the boat without a splash of water. But Peter didn’t.

Doubt destroys faith

Peter’s senses took over and Peter began to look at the stormy wind and the waves and doubt entered his mind. He began to reason upon that doubt and eventually Peter acted upon that doubt. Peter let his senses take over and became afraid and began to sink into the water.

Because of the doubt and fear that Peter allowed in his carnal mind and reasoned upon, the law of faith was annulled. The natural law of gravity took over and Peter began to sink in the water.

That stormy wind was there all along, but Peter didn’t notice it at first. Because Peter only had his eyes on Jesus walking on the water and Peter wanted to do the same thing Jesus did. Because of the fact that Jesus could do it and Jesus said to Peter that he could do it, Peter stepped out the boat and walked by faith on the water. Until Peter looked at the weather, the circumstances and doubt (fear) killed the law of faith and the natural law of gravity overruled the law of faith.

Step out the boat and keep walking by faith and not by sight

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4)

When you become born again, you should walk by faith after the Spirit and not by sight. You walk by what the Word says and speak the Word of God into being. Therefore you must get to know the Word and renew your mind with the Word of God, so that your mind lines up with the Word of God.

You should not be led by circumstances, situations, what doctors say, what the economy says. You should not be led by your senses and the words of the world and believe them. Instead, you should be ruled by the Word of God and speak those things which are not as though they were and rule over the natural laws and words of the world. Because the just, those who have been made righteous in Christ and are followers of Him, shall live by faith.

‘Be the salt of the earth’