GOD, is that YOU? (Part 1)
GOD, is that YOU?
Main Scripture Reading: Matt 14:22-33
ESP vs 27-28
Introduction and Background
In this passage of Scripture , we meet the disciples, having
set sail, already in the midst of the sea and Jesus coming to the boat in a
spectacular way-walking on water! After
overcoming the initial bout of fear where they had mistaken Him for a ghost and
He had assured them it was Him, Peter then utters an amazing statement…
28 And Peter answered him and said,
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Matt 14:28
1. THE SIGN OF HIS WORD
Indirectly Peter was asking for a sign that this was the
Lord and the sign had to do with Him releasing a Word.
In a world where there are so many voices, this verification
stance from Peter is pertinent.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me:
John 10:27
God takes delight in you hearing His voice because in that
Voice there is everything you need.
Hallelujah!
Going back to Peter…
‘Lord, if it is You’
He did not say,
If it is You I am coming there where you are…
This would have denoted the use of Peter’s own strength.
He realized that if it was the Lord, it would take only His
word (voice) for Peter to walk in this uncommon miracle.
This speaks to total reliance and total surrender to the
Master.
To what extent do you surrender to the Master?
Some want to surrender to a degree and still be in control
of the situation.
Are there some issues where you say, I got this…watch
me step out and walk on this new path.?
Each time you try out something new and uncommon, are you
relying on a promise or an assurance from Him ? Or you have done enough
research and you got this?
What is the sure word guiding your steps?
What did He say to you?
2. THE SIGN OF SUSTENANCE (GRACE)
So you have stepped out of the boat? Congratulations!
One of the key signs that this is God is sustenance.
Peter is facing El-Shaddai the All Sufficient God…His power
and provision is all sufficient…nothing lacking.
It is pertinent for us to seek Him (His word in this case)
first before we step out because only He (His Word) can sustain us despite how
impossible (boisterous) the situation seems.
What is the Lord saying to you today?
When He releases a word – ‘come’ in this instance, it
carries the grace to carry you as you hold on fully and totally rely on the
word He spoke
30 But when he saw the wind
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save
me.
Matt 14:30
Peter considered the boisterous winds…
Each time you consider the boisterous winds around you, you
are trying to be in control of the situation to an extent.
Someone once said let go and let God! Hallelujah!
Ever since Peter was born, he had never walked on water
until this very day. Among all his tasks and on his to do list that day, Peter did not have ‘walk on
water’ as part of them.
I like his thinking … ‘If Jesus is walking on water, I
must be able to walk on water too.’
Sadly, Only 1 out of 12 disciples thought that way!
Do you realize that this was a chance for everyone on that boat to walk on water? If it is you
Lord, we can do it! I can imagine them 1 by 1 stepping out of the boat and
walking on the water singing Hallelujah!
Anyway, Well done Peter, here is a chance to defy Archimedes
principle…
Archimedes Principle implies that when the buoyant force of
an object is more than the density of the liquid then an object drowns.
What made Peter float was the grace in that word Come
and the ability to hold on to that word. That defied Archimedes Principle and
made him thrive in a realm beyond natural science. What will make you thrive
beyond any human reasoning is the grace that is enveloped in His instruction
for your life and your ability to hold on to that instruction. Hallelujah!
God, is that you?
Ladies and gentlemen let me submit to you that if a decision
or a move is of the Lord, it will carry enough provision and or sustenance for
it to come to pass.
Where God is, Grace is already provided.
6 Being confident of this very
thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ:
Phil 1:6
He who has begun a good work in you is able to see it to
completion. Hallelujah!
When He opens a door, He ensures that there is adequate
provision for you to walk through that door and attain what He has planned for
you. So when you are in the middle of asking God is that you ? Check for
provision associated with you making that particular decision or pursuit of
that course of life.
What is also interesting is that even when Peter starts
drowning and he cries out He is able to pull Him up and get him back on his
feet. Hallelujah!
He did not say …drown, you doubtful…
The sign of grace and sustenance is absolutely key.
3. THE MAGNITUDE OF VICTORY
Consider the story of the 4 lepers at the gate of Samaria,
3 And there were four leprous men at
the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here
until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the
city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit
still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of
the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we
shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight,
to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost
part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6 For the Lord had made the host of
the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise
of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath
hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to
come upon us.
2 Kings 7:3-6
They decided to take action and go to the camp of the
Assyrians then Boom!
God made the Assyrians to hear the sound of a mighty army
from 4 sickly lepers- not trained soldiers. Hallelujah!
If there were onlookers in this story, seeing the Lepers
taking a step towards the Assyrian camp, they could have asked God, is that
you? have you sent these 4 lepers to deliver a whole nation, including
thousands of men of war?
The lepers were probably never trained as soldiers. The
chance to be a mighty army of the Lord was now and God was in it and gave a
resounding victory! Hallelujah!
You could be tired of a certain situation right now. Like the 4 lepers. Nothing is making sense.
Neither Staying nor going makes human sense. Could it be that God is speaking
to you to start moving in a particular direction?
Conclusion
There are many times when we have to make decisions or
simply just step out and try something new.
When you are busy asking God is that You?
Remember…
1. The sign of His Word
What has God said about that particular decision or step ?
2.
The Grace
Sometimes the best way to see if God is in it is by checking
whether His supernatural characteristics are inherently present with your
decision. These are enveloped in His grace.
For instance,
Supernatural provision
Supernatural favour
Supernatural Ability
Destiny helpers
and so forth...
3.
The magnitude of victory
You could be contemplating on some major decision right now
and wondering how it will turn out..
When God is in it,
His hand is evident!
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