This lesson will be taken from Matthew 14: 22-32. This is one bible reading that has helped me a lot to overcome fear, anxiety, doubt, and unbelief. It gives a clear perspective of the exact place where God is when we are facing storms and our faith is wavering. And how God will use our storms as testimonies for others to know His existence.

Matthew 12-22-32

This encounter was experienced after Jesus fed a multitude of five thousand men with no counts of women children with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Jesus asked his disciples to go into the ship to the other side while he send the multitude away. He went up the mountain to pray after he had sent the people away and when evening came he was all alone. The ship had sailed in the midst of the sea and tossed with waves and wind. Jesus then began to walk on the sea towards the disciples.

The disciples showed all the various characteristics of our human nature anytime we face a storm. The disciples had been with Jesus all these while so they pretty much knew what he could do including walking on the sea. But the human nature in them took over.

Then all of a sudden, the disciples see Jesus walk on the sea and they were troubled (Anxiety). Some said it was a spirit (Unsure), and they cried out with fear (Fear). Jesus told them to not be troubled but of good cheer for it is He, Jesus. Be to be Afraid.

And Peter answered him and said Lord, if it is you (Doubt), bid me come unto thee. And Jesus said, “Come”. And Peter started to walk on the sea. I want you to note here that Jesus did not calm the sea and wind for Peter’s walk to be easier… He asked him to come amidst the storms.

This is the verse I want us to focus on, Verse: 30.

But when Peter saw the boisterous wind, he was afraid and began to sink (Peter took his focus off from Jesus and placed it on the turbulence of the storm and that is when he began to drown). Where is our focus when we are in the midst of the storm? The focus should be on Jesus.

Peter then cried out to Jesus and Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him “O thou of little faith, wherefore did thou doubt”. Then the wind ceased when Jesus went to the ship. Most of the time our focus is derailed from God and we focus on the storms:

1. Anxiety: God tells us to be anxious for nothing, in all cases with prayer and thanksgiving, we should let our supplications be made known to hin God (Philippians 4 6-7)

2. Fear: The bible has 365 times of “fear Not” in it, each day for one.

3. Doubt: Our doubts can be replaced with hope and unwavering faith in God. We doubt because we do not believe. God has told us that we will find Him if we seek him. (Jeremiah 2911-13). Why are we then focusing on the storms?

   In verse 30, Peter called out to Jesus and He heard his call and reached out to him. In our moment of doubt, disbelief, anxiety, fear etc, what do we do? This is not the time to focus on how big the storm is, but rather an invitation to call out to God. A simple prayer as “Dear Lord I need you” can work miracles.

   Verse 31: tells us that Immediately Peter called out to Jesus, and He was there to rescue him Psalm 23 also says even though I walk through the valley of shadows to death, I will not fear evil for You, Lord are with me”. That shows God knows those moments of stormy seas in our lives, He knows we will go through turbulence of storms and we will have anxiety, doubt, unbelief, and even hopelessness but he has already reassured us He knows us, he sees us and all we have to do is to call out to Him.

4. I want to stress again, that God is not far from us, He gave us his Holy Spirit on his departure and He is with us all the time. Whatever we are going through and experiencing I believe that God is right there with us. His hand is stretched to rescue us but are we willing to stretch forth our hand for God to pull us out? He tells us to call on him and be saved.

5. Your doubt, anxiety, wavering faith, hopelessness, and fear, all will lead to testimony after the storm. Your storm is paving the way for others to see that God exists and He is all-powerful and He definitely reveals himself amidst the storm.

   May God guide our steps. Philippians 4: 9, those things ye gave both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do and the peace of God shall be with you. Psalm 89:9 also says God rules over the ocean and subdues their storm-tossed waves so nothing is impossible in his sight.

   I hope whatever storm you are going through, God will give you the strength to reach out to him.

   XoXo,

   Naomi.