We know intellectually that God is supernatural. We are certain that He exists above the natural, physical world. But it still shocks the system to read that Jesus overruled the laws of nature and calmed a raging storm with His words and even walked on water. God is not limited by the rules of the physical world. He is almighty and all powerful. The things that look impossible to us are no sweat for the God we serve.
Matthew 8:23-28 says,
“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So, the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'”
Matthew 14: 22-33 says,
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So, He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you oflittle faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.'”
I live in Southern California, and one of my favorite summer activities is to boat across the Pacific to Catalina Island. A few years back, our friends invited us to take the journey across the water and stay with them overnight on their yacht. It sounded luxurious, fascinating, and fun…until the storm hit. Docked in a cove outside the island, the wind and waves kicked up. To say I did not sleep a wink that night is an understatement. I was absolutely petrified.
I can relate to these disciples. Even if you’re a good swimmer, the fear and uncertainty of the restless waves beneath you are frightening. But Jesus commands the winds and the waves, whether they be in the life of the disciples or the personal journey of Peter. He is in control of the seas. I’m sure you have had these times of testing in your life as well
But God is calling out your faith. Did you notice the scripture said Jesus was asleep? Jesus can rest in the midst of the storm because He is our rest in the midst of the storm. He only awoke to meet the needs of His children, not necessarily to calm the storm. He was not affected by the storm but He was affected by the cry of His disciples.
Oh, Jesus is always looking for ways to increase our faith. Not only was He teaching them to trust Him in the storm, but now He is teaching them to trust Him over the storm. When He called Peter out of the boat to walk on the water, it was to teach him a lesson in faith. Not only did the wind and the waves calm at His command, but now He’s taking authority by defying nature and walking on the water.
Whether you are in a boat surrounded by uncertainty, or Jesus is testing your faith to walk on water, the beautiful assurance we have is that Jesus is always in control.
Time to trust God
There are times in our lives when we must simply trust God. We have decreed and declared, we have spoken of His goodness and His power. Now it is time to exercise our faith.
When we want to rely on the resources and strength of others, we know we must trust in God alone. Have you fully trusted in God for your miracle?
Is your fast an act of obedience from a place of faith? Is it an offering you are giving unto God?
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, ‘The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.’ So, we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. – Ezra 8:21–23
Ezra knew he needed help for safe travels from their enemy, but he did not want to ask the king. He had been bold in declaring the goodness and fame of his God to all the people. He had proclaimed that his God was strong and would protect and guide the people. Now, he had to act on his faith. He was too proud to ask the king for help. This led him to faith. Ezra offered a fast to God and invited the people to join him in believing God for protection and well-being. Ezra knew that God alone would come through for them. Ezra believed God would provide for them, but I think deep down, he wished that he had the courage to ask for help.
God’s ways are beyond our ways. I love the fact that God can turn our enemies against one another to protect us from their harm. God tells us in Exodus 14:14 that He will fight for us: “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Whether it is God telling the sun to stand still or telling you to stand still…we must take Him at His Word. Where do you need to just stop and let God work in your life?
This content is an excerpt from Tammy Hotsenpiller’s book, Fasting for Miracles. Tammy is an author, speaker, life coach, and leader of a national women’s movement. She has a passion for equipping others to embrace their natural abilities, personal passions, and spiritual gifts. She is the president of Total Life Coach, LLC, and the founder and executive director of Women of Influence. Hotsenpiller and her husband, Phil, are the co-founders of Influence Church in Anaheim Hills, California. They live in Orange County and are blessed with three children, who have equally incredible spouses, and seven grandchildren.
