Jesse Duplantis
Sep 26, 2024
Water-walking disciples are motivated by His purpose.
There were twelve disciples in the boat, but only one walked on the water- just Peter. The other eleven saw Jesus walk on water, and they saw Peter walk on water. Can you imagine? They witnessed both miracles and chose to stay in the boat.
Why Peter?
I believe it was because Peter was motivated by God’s purpose. The miracle those twelve witnessed on the lake that night was just for them. Jesus could have walked on water for the multitudes, but He didn’t. He chose that moment, on that night, on that lake, in the middle of that storm. Peter knew that Jesus wasn’t out for a late-night stroll.
He was demonstrating something to His Disciples, something more important than a new form of transportation. He was showing them a new way to walk through the storms of life. Peter understood that as surely as Jesus had taught the multitudes by parables, He was teaching them by example.
He was showing them that they could walk on water. That they, through faith, could walk through Satan’s storms and break through the power of natural law.
But they could only do it if they got out of the boat.
Does that mean the boat was sin?
Of course not, but God expects anyone who wants to be a water-walker to stop depending on manmade things. He was showing them that they didn’t need the boat.
Man made the boat; God made the sea.
If He made the sea, He can control the sea.
If He made you, He can control you.
Then, He can make you control what He made.
That’s what peter understood- God’s purpose. Peter knew that Adam had once had dominion, and now it was being given to them. Peter chose to take that dominion and walk on water.
“Now, Brother Jesse,” someone said, “it never said in the Bible that Adam could walk on water.”
Not in those words, but the Bible makes it clear that Adam had dominion over all the works of God’s hands. I’ll leave that for your theological mind to figure out.
Adam could do what God could do. Why? Because God gave him a job to do, and He wouldn’t give him a job to do without the power to do it. Adam was to take dominion.
And so are you.
I’ve got a secret for you: You’ll never do it until you walk on water.
Peter understood that his ultimate destination wasn’t to stay in the boat. It was faith that directed Peter out of the boat. Faith will always direct you out of manmade things and into God-made things. That’s why every person will only do as much as he believes.
There are four things required of a water-walking disciple. First, you must walk with God (Genesis 5:22). Second, you must walk after God (Deuteronomy 13:4). Third, you must walk before God (Genesis 17:1). Fourth, you must walk in God (Colossians 2:6).
When you become a water-walking disciple, you won’t sink. I don’t care what situation you’re in. I don’t care if you owe thirty dollars or thirty million dollars. If you don’t get the money you need, you’ll go broke needing thirty dollars just as quickly as you will needing Thirty million dollars.
If you’re going to walk on water, you’ll have to do what Peter did when Jesus said, “Come.”
He walked.
That means you must be prepared to leave the familiar and face the unknown with Jesus. Have you noticed that it doesn’t take long for something to become familiar? The moment that happens, you can be sure there is another step to take.
That’s why it was so hard to teach that woman how to swim. She wanted to stay with the familiar. She couldn’t swim because she only went on what she knew. She thought I was her death wish, but I was taking her into a whole new unfamiliar area of life.
Genesis 5:22 (NIV)
After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
Deuteronomy 13:4 (NIV)
It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Genesis 17:1 (NIV)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Colossians 2:6 (NIV)
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.
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