WALK ON THE WORD

“So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he WALKED ON THE WATER to go to JESUS” – Matthew 14:29

To walk in perfection is to WALK ON THE WORD: “So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he WALKED ON THE WATER to go to JESUS” (Mt.14:29). To walk on the Word is to Walk with Jesus – the Word (Jh.1:1). Peter learnt to walk on the Word in a storm! There were high winds, crashing waves, and low visibility. For the disciples who were on the sea in a small boat, the situation had reached crisis proportions – and Jesus was not with them. While they were dealing with the fearsome weather, He was on the mountainside praying!

Amidst the storm, the disciples probably thought Jesus had forgotten them. However, He knew exactly where they were and what they were wading through. Though we do not see Jesus physically, He is omniscient – He knows and can identify where we are at every moment. No darkness can hide us; no tide, tempest or storm can obscure His vision. We are always seen, known, and understood! Leaving the place of prayer, but still bearing the atmosphere of power, Jesus sought out the disciples. And that’s what He will do for anyone whose heart is stayed on Him. Strangely, the Twelve didn’t recognise Him because approached them walking on water. Jesus often does not come in the way that we expect. Our preconceived ideas of how He walks and works can make us wonder where He might be and blind us to how near He actually is.

Peter represents the believer’s God-given ability to WALK ON the WORD! Peter challenged Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (v.28). We can walk with the Lord when we challenge Him according to His word to show Himself as the God who answers prayer and honours His word. However, if He does not answer, He is still God, as the Hebrew boys demonstrated (Dan.3:17-18).  Peter did not act on emotion, tradition or intellect, but based on God’s word. People sometimes neglect scriptures and seek for carnal ideas and worldly techniques, whereas God’s Word has answers to all human problems. Peter was able to walk on water as he obeyed the Word of Jesus: “Come”! Those who ignore the Word will hardly ever encounter the miraculous. The Word is the secret of walking on impossibilities!

Peter was able to walk on water because his only focus was on Jesus – the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb.12:2). The moment he removed his eyes from the Lord – from the Word, he saw the wind, fear and doubt set in, the surrounding circumstances began to overwhelm him, and he began to sink, but for the ever-resent Mercy of Christ that heard his cry for deliverance (“Lord, save me”), caught and rescued him (vv.30-31). The wind was always there, but it had no power over Peter as long as his focus was on Jesus. The loss of focus attracted fear: “when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid” (v.30). Fear came with doubt: “O you of little faith, why did you DOUBT?” (v.31). Doubt and fear led to sinking!

Walking with Christ doesn’t guarantee a life of ease. The most precious truths can be garnered as we experience walking with Him in tough times. During an earlier rough sea adventure, the disciples had observed Jesus’ faith and His authority over nature (Mt.8:23-26). They had “marvelled, saying, “What can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Mt.8:27). Now, they watched the Lord walk on water along with one of their own do it. Through the storms, they learned who Jesus was, what He could do, and what their own potential was in Him!

When turmoil hits, rather than retreat in perplexity, let’s ask for spiritual eyes to discern the Lord’s presence, listen for His voice and obey: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jh.10:27). Beloved, rise up to WALK on the WORD, no matter the odds!