Be A Water Walker: What we can learn from Peter

Read when you have time to reflect and hear Jesus Christ's word for you.

Read time: 15 min's

A recap of me struggling to hear God's voice, hearing it, and being profoundly challenged and spoken to. I trust that there is something He would have for you as well.

Do you ever really stress about making the "right" decision about something? Not the kind of decision where you know God doesn't have a preference for you. This is the kind of decision where you know that God does have a preference and you just can't quite nail down what it is.  This was me the night before and morning of a conference I recently attended. It wasn't a huge decision, but I knew there was one "perfect" choice God wanted me to make. You see, I had to choose which seminar i was going to attend. That's it, nothing crazy, nothing extravagant, just choose one seminar from 5 choices.

I had it nailed down to two choices that I assumed/felt I should take. 

• Option 1 was a great place to network with great church leaders and innovators
• Option 2 was a great environment to interact with missional church leaders doing "church" a little differently.
• Option 3 close my eyes, spin around, point at a door and enter. (not my favorite)

So, with the hallways empty, everyone had entered their chosen seminar and I still had no peace. I did the most rationale thing I could think of. Walk into each room and see if it "felt" right. I started walking toward option #1, and knew before I got to the door it was wrong. Walked to option #2, stepped inside, nope felt wrong.  Feeling frustrated, and still praying why God just won't tell me where to go, I opened my brochure and looked at the faces of the seminar presenters, saw a smiling face and said, "I like his face, I'm going to go listen to him." That guy was Herbert Cooper, and God used him to speak to me, challenge me, and allow me to be utterly overwhelmed by the Spirit. It was incredible, as Herbert started talking, I was awash in emotion and knew I was where He would have me. I wanted to share my notes from that seminar, trusting that He as something for you as well.

NOTES: 5 Lessons About Getting Out of the Boat

"Get out of the boat. Peter was a change maker"

Read Matthew 14:25-33 first.

1. Don't be influenced by the crowd. Listen to Christ's voice and not the crowds voice. The bible says all the disciples were afraid and fearful. You can just imagine the disciples saying, "don't do it. you can't".  Are there people in your life saying similar things? Yet Christ says, "Peter, get out of the boat". You can't worry about being popular. The crowds live in he boat. Leaders are outside of the boat. Leadership can be lonely, because the crowds aren't ouside the boat. Be a water walker. 
2. It requires radical faith to step out of the boat. If you're going to get out of the boat it will require radical faith. Imagine this: It was night time, waves , dark and they see someone walking on the water. Scripture says the disciples were scared. They thought it was a ghost an apparition, spirit coming towards them. Peter says, "if it's you Lord tell me to come." Peter recognizes Christ's voice and gets out of the boat. Radical faith is developed through radical relationship with Jesus Christ. What calls Peter to get out of the boat? Jesus did, and Peter knew and recognized his voice and obeyed immediately. 

• As leaders, followers of Christ, we can't afford to be lukewarm, distant from God. As leaders, or stronger people of faith, we don't usually struggle with good decision vs. bad decisions. No, more often than not, as leaders we struggle with good decisions and good decision. Distinguishing between two good decisions is to know Jesus voice. To have a radical faith.    

Sub Point: 3 keys to develop a radical relationship with Jesus Christ.  

•  Pray. Are you spending consistent, intentional time praying, talking to, hearing God's voice. This takes time. There is no way around this, you need to take time to pray and that means you need to sacrifice something else to do it. For me that means less tv or activities in the evening so that I can get up earlier to spend time in prayer.
• Read and memorize the bible. Honestly, this is very hard for me. If anyone has a good way of doing this please let me know. Again, this takes consistent time and reflection. I have never done this well, but am starting and trying to intentionally do this. Psalm 119:11. Matt 4:4-10 (interesting that the devil knows the word and twists it)
• Be consistent with reading your bible and participating in the church community. Spend time in His word and spend time in community with other believers.  I mention both because its easy to think you dont need the church if you are in the word or vice versa. I often see people, and myself choose one over the other. The reality is we need both. We have to know His voice. that is he key. 

     3.  Realize there will be trouble. When we venture out, their will be trouble. Peter has just heard the voice             of Jesus takes some steps and starts to sink. You can hear Jesus voice, be In His will and still have                     trouble. Trouble is just part of venturing out and starting something new. 

     4.   Remember to quickly refocus on Jesus. As soon as Peter "begins" to sink Peter calls out to Jesus. As                  soon you face adversity quickly refocus on Jesus. Just like Peter, it usually doesn't                                            work out just like you think it will. Just like Peter get your eyes off of people and refocus on Jesus. 

     5.   Recognize that miracles happen outside the boat! The only way Peter could experienced the miracle was            that he had to get out of the boat. Notice that the other disciples got to rejoice, got to be excited, and              share in the miracle, but they never got to walk on water by themselves. Miracles happen outside the              boat.

My hope is that you will take the necessary steps to deepen your walk with Christ. To have a radical faith so that you can hear His voice clearly. So that choosing between two good choices is not difficult because you hear and recognize His voice clearly. I pray that when He calls that we would both step boldly out of the boat. That when we begin to sink, we would refocus quickly on His face. That we would not look to the crowd, but instead Jesus Christ in all we do so that He may be glorified, lifted up and given all glory on heaven and earth. Where is He calling you to step out of the boat....?

Loving the journey...