Get Out the Boat: Walking on Water When Life Gets Stormy

When Peter stepped out of that boat onto the water, he did something the other eleven disciples never experienced. Sure, he started to sink - but he also walked on water. And that's the difference between those who stay comfortable and those who experience breakthrough: one group talks about what could happen, the other group has a testimony about what did happen.

Life Is Going to Keep "Lifing" - Here's How to Handle It

Let me be real with you - something's going to happen. I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just being honest. The difference between successful people and those who don't reach their goals isn't that successful people avoid problems. It's how they handle things when they happen.

Solomon said it in Ecclesiastes - there's a time for everything under the sun. Time for laughing, time for crying, time for weeping. It's all part of life. Life is going to keep "lifing." The question is: how are you going to handle it when it happens?

Here's what you need to understand: often times on the verge of your greatest breakthrough, all hell will come at you. And you should get to the place of understanding - it's normal.

You Might Be Just One Degree Away From Your Breakthrough

At 33 degrees, it's cold. At 32 degrees, freezing happens. At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, boiling happens. You might just be one degree away from your breakthrough today.

When Jesus told the disciples "get in the boat and go to the other side," He was giving them a promise. If Jesus said "I'm going to meet you on the other side," it means you're going to make it. He didn't say what you'd go through, but He said you'd make it.

And sometimes in the faith walk, we're stuck between the word and the manifestation. You got a word, but you haven't seen the manifestation yet. You're in the birthing canal, and you stop pushing. You're too close to stop pushing now.

Your Prayer Life Is Your Lifeline

If Jesus - God in the flesh, the chief intercessor - had to separate Himself to spend time with the Father, how much more should you get yourself by yourself?

Listen, your prayer life is your lifeline. When you pray, it's like incense - you let off an aroma that goes up to heaven. But prayer isn't just you talking. The Bible says "be still and know." Sometimes you need to be quiet and say, "Lord, speak. Your servant is listening."

I wake up at 6:30 every morning to pray. Not because I'm super spiritual, but because about 20 years ago, God asked me, "Where were you?" when I missed my prayer time. I realized that when you make a vow to God, He's going to hold you accountable. Your yes needs to be yes, and your no needs to be no.

Here's the truth: if God is in your tomorrow today, why wouldn't you talk to Him today about your tomorrow? God is not subject to time - you are. So you can talk to God and ask Him questions about your tomorrow today. That's why some people are winning at life - they've got the scouting report.

The Power of Walking on the Word

When Peter said, "Lord, if it's really you, command me to come," he understood something profound. He didn't have a revelation on walking on water yet, so he needed a word to walk on. The word gave a word to walk on the word.

John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 says "the Word became flesh." In Revelation, Jesus is called "the Word." So the Word gave a word to walk on the water.

Hebrews 11:3 tells us "by faith we understand that the universe was framed by the word of God." Simon Peter understood that since he didn't have a walking-on-water word, he needed to create one. When you find the word on your situation, you speak that word.

Finding Your Word for Every Situation

Whatever your issue is, get the word on it:

• Sickness in your body? "By His stripes I am healed" (Isaiah 53:5). "I am the Lord God who takes sickness and disease away from you" (Exodus 15:26).
• Money problems? "I've been young and now I'm old, but I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging for bread" (Psalm 37:25). "My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory" (Philippians 4:19).
• Stressed and worried? "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known" (Philippians 4:6).
• Living in fear? "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

That's why they call it scripture - like a prescription. Whatever issue you have, get the word on it and work your script until you get what God has for you.

What Boat Has You Bound?

Here's a revelation: when Jesus said "come" to the boat, He gave a blank check. Any of those twelve disciples could have stepped out, but only one did. You have to understand - stepping out is not for everybody. Most will tell you "be careful."

But the breakthrough was not in the boat. The breakthrough was on the water. And sometimes you have to get uncomfortable.

If you want the natural, stay natural. But if you want the supernatural - glory to God - you've got to step out.

Stay Focused on the Goal

Jesus had a goal. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. Whenever you're going for a goal, you'll endure a cross. If you're going for something big, expect adversity. If you're going for promotion, expect hell to come at you. Just expect it - don't be shocked.

Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast, committed and focused on You." Focus. I make goals that take my lifetime. If you have short goals, you stop all the time. Have big goals - goals so big they'll take your whole life, and then you don't have time to say "I'm good."

The Bible says a good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children. So until your grandkids are good, you ain't ready yet. There's work to do.

You're Closer Than You Think

Let me close with this story. Florence Chadwick decided to swim from California to the Catalina Islands in 1952 - 26 miles through shark-infested waters. She got tired, it was foggy, and she couldn't see. She told her mother, "I can't do it." She went another mile and gave up.

As she got in the boat, the fog lifted. She saw the seashore. She was that close.

Two months later, she went back and did it. She broke the record. Then she swam the English Channel. Her impetus? Failure.

Don't allow what didn't work to stop you from making it work. You're closer than you think. Failure is not final. Failure is part of the process. The Bible says "a righteous man falls seven times and gets back up."

Key Takeaways for Your Faith Walk

1. Stay focused - Don't let distractions sink your faith
2. Focus on what God says, not what you see - Your eyes can deceive you
3. Turn to Jesus when you start sinking - He's only an arm's length away
4. Obey when God gives you a word - Even when it's uncomfortable
5. Step out of comfort - The breakthrough is outside the boat
6. Let faith release the supernatural - Faith activates God's power
7. Don't let fear sink you - Fear is faith in the wrong thing
8. Remember: a little faith is better than no faith - Peter walked on water even if he sank
9. Call for help - Jesus was closer than Peter thought

When you are in the will of God, you are invincible until God says so. When Jesus grabbed Peter, He was only an arm's length away. Peter was closer than he thought.

And so are you.

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