Hello Everyone!

As we approached the next topic within the series (Beckoned to walk on water!), I pray that God gives you the grace to understand His word and prepare your heart to receive it. Amen.

“Last Monday we talked about the event that happened before the storm. We looked at the feeding of the 5000, where Jesus multiplied the five loaves of bread and two fish to feed the crowd (Before the storm!) in a desolate. Today, I’ll talk about the tossing about of the boat carrying the disciples in the lake by waves.”

Matthew 14 23-24 (GNT)

²³ After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone; ²⁴ and by this time the boat was far out in the lake, tossed about by the waves, because the wind was blowing against it.

After feeding His disciples and the crowd with the broken bread and fish, Jesus sent his disciples away in the boat [without his physical presence], to the other side of the lake. It was day, but when evening came, this boat far out in the lake, was then being tossed about by the waves of the lake because there was a wind blowing against the water.

The time…

When evening came – the time of disaster; evil in the world; darkness signifying the end; darkness everywhere; the world is covered with disaster. Then the Lord came in to rescue us [we will talk about this in a later topic]. The whole world was covered in total darkness, when the Lord came to rescue us.

In Genesis 1 1-2, the bible says “In the beginning, when God created the universe, ² the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water.

We are living the evil years (dark ages), where man exhibits the character of the Evil One; living by itself and manifesting his signs. We are living in an age where people do not love anymore. Everyone goes about their own business without the love of God in their heart. That is the age of the Devil; living according to his rules.

Storms of life…

These disciples are being bombarded by the situation in the world that they had to join in-order to live, but living is by Christ. You cannot live without love; you have to possess love in your heart to stay in this world. So the Lord gave them love Before the storm! in their heart to survive the dark ages. The dark ages will come, but how are you going to survive it? It is only by God’s grace would you survive the dark age. The Lord is coming but are you prepared for Him, because He will come in His humble self [in a manger; born to rescue]. He will be in his humble state, but would you recognise him when he comes [just like a ghost walking on the water]?

Will you recognise Him, if He comes today?

Rhapsody of realities!

Rock of Ages!

It is always the journey to the destination that makes you. What does it take to make the journey to the other side? In the middle of the lake, His disciples came against a strong wind and they had to row against this wind in-order to make it to their destination. Jesus has just fed them with the broken bread and fish to help them through their journey on the water to the other side, but there is the wind.

Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the lake for a reason. Far out in the lake was the wind, the storm and the waves – the storms of life in the crossing to the other side. They were in a boat in the water, but still afraid. What does the boat carrying them represent in their life? Secured in His Word, but still afraid of the work of the enemy.

That is the church and Christianity today. We do not believe in His Word, although we are in Him and Him in us. That is what the Word is teaching us – Believe in His Word. We are wrapped up in His word, but doubt has clouded our minds. We do not understand His Word although He lives in us. So then what is the purpose of our life if we doubt Him and doubt His Word? Believe in Him because He is God on earth; born to us through the Virgin Mary. One who knew no sin, but was made sin due to our inequities.

They have just come out from that desolate place where they lacked nothing and have witnessed the breaking and multiplying of the bread and fish. They have just learned about life situations and how to combat them, but now they are faced with real life situations. What should they do? They have just been fed with the Word (broken bread & fish), now how do they apply this Word to their situation? How do you manipulate this to your faith?

Their encounter…

While Jesus was up on the hill praying, the boat carrying his disciples was being tossed about (meaning: to move about restlessly; twist and turn) by the waves of the water carrying them to their destination, because a wind was blowing against the water therefore creating a wave.

Waves transmit energy and these are commonly caused by the wind as it blows across the lake. The waves are being created by the friction between wind and surface water. As wind blows across the surface of the lake, the continual disturbance creates a wave crest. The size and energy of a wave is influenced by:

• how long the wind has been blowing

• the strength of the wind

• how far the wave has travelled

The Wind was blowing against the water – the wind of life; the wind of disappointment; the wind of adversity. There is a wind blowing that is contrary to that of the Lord’s, and this is the wind of lies. So then what is the truth? His disciples were been blown by this wind of atrocities. They were made to sail to the end of the lake, but the wind came in to distract their course. It blew against the very water that has been made to carry them to the end.

The wind is blowing against their very essence of life. They are living in this world in which their boat is being floating in. This boat is carrying the truth to the end, but this truth is being tossed about by the pressures of this life. The truth is what makes us children of God; as Jesus’ disciples [followers of his word; his belief]. This truth is being tossed about by the pressure of this world. so the fear in the hearts of the disciples. The very essence of their life is being tested with and they are scared because the world is against them. Their faith is being tested. They are in a position where they cannot go back on their Word and do not know what to do because they have been given the truth of His Word to share among the crowd. How do they overcome this “fear” in their heart?

The disciples were frightened of the crowds. The lake is a representation of who they (the crowds) are. The world was against them because of what they carry, “The Truth”. The world was against them because of their religion to serve God, and the Almighty God alone. They are in the midst of the world and the world is surrounding them, what do they share with the world apart from their faith in God?

The disciples are lost and need faith to bring them back to the cross. They are being challenged by the Word of God. They are frightened because the Word of God is the truth. But they changed their mind about the truth and went for the lies. They had the Word with them; it was carrying them, they were in the Word but the Word was not in their heart. The waves tossed the boat (their belief) about because they were “shallow” without the Word in them – establishing the Word in their heart; live on the Word of God, breathe the Word of God and manifest the Word of God.

“Shallow” meaning: (adjective)

• lacking physical depth
• not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply.
• lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious.

They are being tossed about because of their faith, just like a dream that I had. In the dream I witnessed evil spirits taking possession of shallow bodies. These were bodies of God servants carrying his Word and walking the path of discipleship, but they had this empty space in their body which was not being occupied by the Spirit of God. This space made them vulnerable to be preyed on.

You have the Word of the LORD in your hand, use it! As empty as you are, that wind-wave will toss you about.  This is their trouble; the empty space in them. The belief that they do not have in them. They have the Word of God, but not in them. The Word has not been implanted in their hearts.

Fill your heart with the Word of God!

Fill that empty space in you with the Word of God!

Be grounded in the Word of God!

Let the Spirit of God live in you!

So that when the evening comes and the strong wind blows the surface of the water, the waves that it creates will not be able to toss you about because the Word of God lives in you.

Prayer…

God we thank you for this amazing journey that we are on. Our prayer is for you to guide us through this, whether good or bad. May your presence [the guiding light] be with us in good times and bad times. May you fill us with your Spirit so that we will be full. May your knowledge be imparted on us throughout these ages, as we walk through the storm. Amen

In case you missed any of the previous posts in this series…

• Blog Post Introduction: Beckoned to walk on water!
• Blog Post 1: Before the storm!

Now that we’ve finished talking about the tossing about of the boat carrying the disciples by the waves of the lake, come back Monday, when I’ll share with you how courageous we should be in times like these?

Written by

Eunice Forson