Have you ever read a passage, verse, or maybe a story in the Bible that leaves you perplexed, curious, or just wanting to know more details?? Like a good book or movie which stirs emotions and responses that cause you to want to know more about the circumstances, leaving you to try and visualize, placing yourself in the scenario. You are left asking yourself, what would I have done, or how would I have reacted?? I believe that anyone who has endeavored to walk with God has asked themselves such a question. It is my experience that this should be a normal on-going process in our relationship with God. The main passage that we are looking at has always left me wondering “What was He Thinking??
In the main passage today, the characters are Jesus, the disciples, the weather and a boat. Matthew 14:22-33 says “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. And in the evening, 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 came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were greatly troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying “be of good cheer! It is I, DO NOT BE AFRAID!!” This passage tells us that the disciples were in a state of distress, the extreme elements of the rain, the wind, and the waves, had them fearing for their lives. Their response is completely natural; given these conditions. And to make it worse, Jesus shows up and their first instinct was now a ghost had come to torment them!!! Doubt breeds fear, speculations become fact, and rumors become truth. This event took place in the fourth watch of the night (3:00am to 6:00am); Only hours removed from the miraculous feeding of the multitudes with the five loaves and two fish, their mindset and reality had become; “we are all going to die, we are going to be swallowed up by the sea, and now to make matters worse, a ghost has come to further frighten us!!” False Expectations Appearing Real!!!
Verse 28 says, And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So, Jesus 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 ye of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got in the boat, the wind ceased. Then those that were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
Verses 22-27 is more about the weather, the disciples and their reactions. Verse 26 implies that fear distorts our perspective, our mindset -and our reactions. I have often asked myself, why did they not recognize Jesus? The answer is they were simply not looking for Him, in their current circumstances, or they would have known Him instantly. The point is this: fear and faith cannot live in the same heart, for fear blinds our eyes to the presence of the Lord. It was Jesus that had sent them out across the lake, and all was good, now things had deteriorated into perceived chaos. It is amazing how quickly our circumstances can change our outlook. In Verse 28, the focus goes from a group experience to a one on one encounter between Jesus and Peter.
What caused Peter to have a different reaction and response from the others that were in the boat?? Was his faith greater than the rest?? Did his ever enthusiastic and impulsive nature cause him to react without really thinking?? Or was it that his Spirit man made a supernatural connection to the presence of Jesus. Afterall it did just say in verse 26 that they all were afraid and cried out in fear!! What changed, what shifted in his heart and mind??
I recently read a scientific study about the effects of spirituality on the brain. More specifically it focused on specific spiritual activities that one may practice. One of Newberg's studies examined the brains of Tibetan Buddhist monks as they meditated. The monks indicated to Newberg that they were beginning to enter a meditative state by pulling on a piece of string. At that moment, Newberg injected radioactive dye via an intravenous line and imaged the brain. Newberg found increased activity in the frontal lobe, which deals with concentration; the monks were concentrating on the activity. But Newberg also found an immense decrease in activity in the parietal lobe. The parietal lobe, among other things, orients a person in a three-dimensional space. This lobe helps you look around to determine that you're 15 feet away from a bathroom, 6 feet away from a door and so on. Newberg hypothesized that the decreased activity in the brains of the meditating monks indicated that they lost their ability to differentiate where they end and something else begins. In other words, blurring the lines between the physical and spiritual realms.
Newberg also found similar brain activity in the brains of praying nuns. Though the nuns were praying to God, rather than meditating like the monks, they showed increased activity in the frontal lobe as they began focusing their minds. There was also a decrease of activity in the parietal lobe, seemingly indicating that the nuns lost their sense of self concerning the real world and were able to achieve communion with God. There were, however, slight differences in the brain activity of one religious group: Pentecostal Christians who speak in tongues. The Pentecostals experienced a decrease in frontal lobe activity; instead of focusing their attention as the nuns and monks did, they paid less attention to the task at hand. Even though they spoke in tongues, the language center of the brain wasn't activated. This brain activity is consistent with descriptions of what speaking in tongues is like – you give control of yourself as a person to God, and God (the Spirit) speaks through you. After all, if we are wired to believe in God, then it's only a small leap of faith to believe that God is the one who has wired us this way. So had Peter’s faith affected his brain???
The purpose of the previous two paragraphs is not to make a direct comparison between Tibetan Monks and Charismatic Spirit-filled believers, or that one speaks in tongues or not, but it is to say that there are two worlds. The natural world, that we experience with our five senses; and the supernatural (Spirit) world. And God, through the Holy Spirit gives us the power to operate in both. Depending on what world we choose to operate in, can often dictate what outcomes (victories or defeats) we may experience. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.”
I feel way too many Christians see that previous verse as a safety net, a secure comfortable position in a great promise from God. And it is all of that and more!! But let’s look at that verse in the context of the interaction between Jesus and Peter in the middle of the storm. Peter says, “Lord if it is you??, command me to come to you on the water.” Personally, it is hard for me to wrap my head around Peter’s approach, because there is not one thing natural happening in this dialogue. So, it can only be a spiritual (supernatural) interaction/connection Spirit to Spirit. And Jesus responded, “Come.” Peter does not say, “If you would like me to,” or “I am considering the options” or “Let me pray about it.” Peter said, “command me.” an authoritative order, a directive, to urge one to action, to grow, to expand. And the response from Jesus was not a suggestion. “Come”: to advance, to approach, to move near. So, Peter steps onto the water and moves toward Jesus. I would hope that if I was one of those in the boat, I would be “shouting hallelujah, you go Pete!!” But sadly, my first instinct would probably have been, “has he lost his mind?”
It says he walked on the water toward Jesus!! Does it say how far?? Does it say how quick?? No, it doesn’t!! But it does say, when he saw the wind.. he began to sink.
He left the boat in the realm of the Spirit (unlimited possibilities) and came back to the reality of the natural world (carnal mind) and began to sink. Doubt had changed his entire perspective!! In the boat he was afraid of the wind, he stepped out onto the water unafraid of the same wind, and now that same wind cut his walk toward Jesus short of his desired destination!!!
He cried out “Lord save me”, and Jesus caught him saying “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” So how many times has doubt (which is lack of faith) stopped your ambitious pursuit of God??
So back to Proverbs 3:5-6: Peter trusted in the Lord with all his heart; He did not lean on his own understanding; (trusted the Spirit) in all his ways he acknowledged God (he responded), and Jesus directed his path. (told him to come to him) He said come to me on the water! Not in a natural setting, not in the comfort of your daily routine, not while sitting on a soft pew during a Sunday morning service. He required Peter to step out of his natural reasoning, to completely surrender to the Spirit of God, and solely trust in Jesus command!!! So, when was the last time God commanded you to do something supernatural?? Your answer could depend on which world you choose to reside and operate in when it comes to the things of God.
1 Cor 2:11-16 says For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that he might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.”
Verse 14 says the things of God, are foolishness to the natural man. And more specifically the Spirit of God (The Holy Spirit) is not understood or is foreign to this same man. Before we immediately think this is talking about the unsaved man verses the saved or born-again man; we need to remember the Bible is written for the redeemed in Christ. This verse can equally apply to a Christian who walks and operates solely in the flesh, verses a believer who has learned to live in and by the Spirit!! Peter nor any other person can walk on the water in the flesh!!!
Yes, it is entirely possible to be born again, love God, be sincere in action and service; and never learn to be led by, instructed by or have a supernatural experience in the Spirit outside that initial salvation encounter.
Having the mind of Christ is more than simply taking on His Nature, His Characteristics, His desires: it also means accepting His power, His authority and His dominion.
Mark 16:17-18 says And these signs will follow those that believe in Me. In my name they shall cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; (expose the schemes of the enemy), and if they drink anything deadly it shall not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”
John 14:12-14 1Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.
In closing: I believe there is a place that we can walk on the water, just as Peter walked on the water!! In that place, all things in God are possible, all the things that Jesus promised and taught become reality. When we chase after the flesh in our mind, we operate in the things of the flesh; but when we set our thoughts on the things of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit manifest in our lives and become second nature. So which world is most predominant in your life?? I will leave you with a quote that asks this question differently.
God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, and if we are not filled, it is because we have accepted living beneath our privileges. D. L. Moody
Reference: Dr. Andrew Newberg is a neuroscientist who studies the relationship between brain function and various mental states. He is a pioneer in the neurological study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field known as “neurotheology.”
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