In previous weeks, I challenged you to believe your prayers have power and to stand firm in your Divine Partnership. Now, as the calendar turns toward the New Year and the season of Epiphany, it is time to put those internal shifts into radical external action. The world feels increasingly like a storm-tossed sea, and it’s tempting to hunker down. You might feel safer staying in the “boat”, the familiar, the comfortable, the status quo. You might think that staying quiet and keeping your head down is the best way to survive the waves. But deep down, you know that clinging to safety is not the same as living with purpose. The problem isn’t the storm; the problem is the fear that keeps you paralyzed within it.
I promise you that if you are willing to shift from merely believing in Jesus to believing like Jesus, you can transcend the “politics of grievance” and navigate the storms of this life with a power you didn’t know you had.
The Myth that Believing in Jesus is Enough
A common myth is that “faith” just means intellectually agreeing that Jesus is the Son of God. You might think, “I believe in Jesus, so I’m good.” But Jesus calls you to more than just spectator faith. He doesn’t just want you to watch him walk on water and applaud; he wants you to get out of the boat and do it, too. Believing in Jesus might keep you safe in the pew; believing like Jesus gives you strength to step out onto the waves.
Water Walking Faith
Reflect on the well-known story of Peter in Matthew 14. The disciples are in a boat, terrified by the wind and waves. Jesus walks out to them on the water. When Peter realizes it’s Jesus, he asks to join him. Jesus says, “Come.”
And then Peter actually does it. He swings his leg over the side, puts his feet on the water, and walks. But then, he sees the wind. He loses focus, gets scared, and starts to sink. Jesus catches him, but he asks, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
I don’t think Peter doubted Jesus. I think Peter doubted himself and his ability to believe and act like Jesus. He got into his head, felt the pull of gravity (the way things “usually” work), and pushed the miracle away. Like Peter, you have moments of water walking faith, but when the winds of life kick up, you might let doubt sink you back into the ordinary.
Stepping Out of the Boat into the Impossible
To move toward Epiphany—the manifestation of the divine—you need to adopt a “Growth Mindset” regarding your faith.
- Faith of Jesus: This is the upgrade. It means tapping into the same source of power Jesus did. It requires you to see the world through Jesus’ eyes.
- The Lesson of Sinking: It’s important to remember that sinking isn’t failure; it’s part of the learning process. Even when Peter sank, he was still the only one brave enough to get out of the boat.
- Epiphany is Action: Epiphany isn’t just a date on the calendar; it is a call to reveal God’s light in the world. You cannot do that while hiding in the boat. You must be willing to step out into the “impossible.”
Next Steps/Takeaways
God is asking if you are ready to advance from disciple to apostle. You are being invited to resist evil, injustice, and oppression not by complaining, but by rising above the waves with water walking faith.
Answer the Call: Don’t just watch Jesus work. Ask him to call you out onto the water. And then take the action you are called to with the same faith of Jesus.
Practice: This week, identify one area of your life where you are “staying in the boat” out of fear. Take one small, concrete step onto the water.
To fully activate this “Water Walking Faith” and start your New Year with power, I invite you to join me at my upcoming retreat: Epiphany: Manifesting the Miraculous. It’s time to leave the safety of the shore and discover what you are truly capable of.
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In two instances, you put move from apostle to disciple, and then from disciple to apostle. Disciple is the goal. To not only follow Jesus, but to put on Christ. In the children’s game of “Follow the Leader”, we would follow the leader, but not necessarily in the same fashion of the leader. Matthew 4:19, calls us to follow Jesus, to be obedient to God’s will and not be distracted by this world. Jesus said he would make us, not simply transform, but to equip us with His power. To be fishers of men where we share the Good News and lead others to eternal life with Him. So, disciple first or apostle first?