Walk on Water
You can walk on water. I want to tell you how.
“Everyone can walk on water if it is cold enough.” Unknown
A Calling, Chaos, Courage, Being Centered, Being Clutch, A Crew, & A Chance are all necessary for you to walk on water! Make no doubt about you can walk on water if all these conditions exist! It is easy to believe Jesus walked on water: He is God. However, for mere men to walk on water the conditions must be right!
(Maximforleaders.blogspot.com)
Peter walks on water!
Matthew 14:28-36 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong[d] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said.“Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. 34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
Conditions for walking on water!
1. Condition 1. Called: You have to ask and be invited.
The opportunity to walk on water is by invitation only. Jesus invited Peter over the side of the boat. Peter asked to go walking on the water on was invited by Jesus. Only one man in all the world ever walked on water and that was Peter. Peter had a desire to do everything that His master Jesus did. He didn’t let his humanity inhibit his abilities. He was bold. He asked to walk on water.
My point is this. When there is an opportunity in a difficult situation you want to be invited to help solve that problem by the leaders in your organization, team, and business. You should ask
2. Condition 2. Chaos: You have to be in a difficult situation.
Storms are under God’s hand. It is God’s classroom. God’s classroom often comes with on the job training. Storms require quick thinking, calmness, and character to endure. Storms are a difficult situation God puts you in to train you for his greater purposes, and to teach you his greater principles and truths. This storm was unexpected, sudden, and caught all of them off Guard. They didn’t have their sail up, they had their oars out. There was no wind for them to catch so they were rowing to make better time. “They were in serious trouble.” Mark said.
Trouble is not the end of us. It is a test for us. Trouble need not distress us, as it can grow us. In trouble, just remember God sees it, controls it, has sent it, and wants to accomplish something through it in you. “Trouble” comes from the word “turbuler” and refers to waters that are raging and waves that are like tubes crashing over you. Waves like this which can drown you are ridden everyday by surfers.
3. Condition 3. Courage: You have to know fear and face it.
Leading is not for everyone. It is called a spiritual gift. Leading means you have to know fear and face it. Know fear and face it! If you are in the storm and it scares you that is all right. General Ulysses S. Grant was often afraid in battle. However, he wrote, (I am paraphrasing) his fear of battle and Lee’s army soon dissipated when he realized that General Lee was just as scared of his army. He was determined from that moment to press on and pay the cost and risk his soldiers in the great cause of God’s judgment on the nation in the Civil war. Great difficulties are the stuff of making great leaders. In the locker room of the University of Michigan Football team a sign hangs and it says, “Those that stay will be champions.” You have to face the difficulty to become all that you are meant to be. What happens if Peter stays in the boat? What happens if that boat sinks to cause of Jesus Christ and the church? What happened because Peter walked on water?
4. Condition 4. Be Centered: Focus is essential, as distraction will drown you.
Grow your ability to stay focused and to keep your faith in your calling amid the wind, waves, water, and distressing people. Peter shows us very clearly that in our humanity it is very easy to become distracted, decrease in our faith, and to drown in the storm. The distraction of the storm can drown you.
Focus is what Herman Cain calls WAR. It is Working on the right problems. It is Asking the right questions. Finally it is Removing all the barriers you face to success. Leadership is W.A.R. Herman Cain
How focused are you in the difficulty of the storm.
Faith is not, in this situation, merely a belief that Jesus could allow Peter to walk on water. It is faith that Peter himself a man could walk on water. He could do what only God himself was capable of doing. Faith like this is what Gene Kranz the director of Apollo 13 had when he said, “This could be our finest hour.” If you have the faith that you are called to lead then do what leaders do and get out of the boat and walk on the water.
(http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0005117/quotes)
5. Condition 5. Be Clutch: Seize opportunities to grow that appear as obstacles.
A storm on the sea has all the elements of a storm on land without anyplace for shelter. On the sea you must cling to what can drown you. You cling to the boat, the oar, and your team and in the midst you either build your reputation or destroy it. You either become the leader or there is a mutiny. Distress and difficulty are a great opportunity and when you meet with obstacles you will either rise of sink. The leader sees the storm as a chance to demonstrate his character, courage, and abilities.
There is a line in the first Pirates of the Caribbean where the young man and sword smith doesn’t want to follow Captain Sparrow right after they have stolen the ship Intrepid. Sparrow reminds young Will Turner that on the sea there is only one rule. What a man can and can’t do. Turner could not navigate or captain a ship so he was going to be servant to Captain Sparrow. In the storm leaders will rise and lead. The rest will follow out of necessity. Remember difficult situations are opportunities for you to grow.
Condition 6. A Crew: You have to have people pushing you out of the boat.
I love the story of Peter walking on the water. I love it because I often wonder what the other disciples were thinking when Peter asked to go walking on the water. I just can’t picture Peter as anything but the captain of the ship in this venture and the crew in mutiny. I think the others pushed Peter out of the boat. It was his leadership, his boat, and his brother John was likely a better navigator. It is my opinion that Peter wanted out of the boat for a number of reasons.
A good leader often feels like he is responsible and bears that burden to the end. This was Peter’s Jonah moment. Maybe going off the boat would cause the storm to stop and save his crew. I think some of the disciples were pushing Peter to get off this boat believing at some level he was responsible for the situation they were in.
A good leader has influence. I believe it is also possible that Peter was encouraged to go to Jesus by the disciples for another reason. He was the bold one. He was the strong one. He was a natural leader with a gift for leading and influencing others. How cool would it be to see Peter walk on water?
Condition 7. A Chance: You have to get out of the boat!
A good leader understands that in any venture there will be an opportunity to sink. However, there are few things that risk brings with it. Peter lived a more exciting life. Peter experienced so much more about the storm than the others. Peter understood what it would take to work miracles. Peter had greater focus, greater experience, and was the most prepared. Risk is a part of leadership. You will sink, you will swim, and with the conditions you can walk on water!
Leadership Maxim: When the ship is sinking it makes perfectly good sense to get out the boat.
Water Walking Links:
http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/01/31/how-to-walk-on-water/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBQLq2VmZcA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_on_water
http://biznik.com/articles/who-thinks-you-walk-on-water
http://books.google.com/books/about/If_You_Want_to_Walk_on_Water_You_ve_Got.html?id=KJHqRd5vRrQC
