STEP OUT OF THE BOAT

God equips those He sends

Text: Hebrews 13:20-21

Some times, the reason we fear or the reason we have doubts regarding what God will have us do is because, although we might not know it, we fail to keep our minds stayed on God's ability through us. We fail to understand that we are not sent of ourselves, but of God, hence He who sent us equips us to do that which He has sent us to do.

Let's look at this classic story of Peter and Jesus in Matthew 14: 25-31:"And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is ; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked onthe water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Why did Peter begin to sink? Because He took His gaze away from The One that asked him to come. He prioritized what he could see with his physical eyes over the word he had heard. We must understand that the power to come was in the call to come. Jesus knew Peter's frailties, yet He beckoned on Him to come, and inherent in that call was the ability Peter needed to walk on water. By calling him to come, Jesus called forth the ability to come.

We must realize that God's word has the ability to cause things to exist. It creates what it commands. Things have a way of following suit in the direction of what we say. So in Genesis, when God called forth light, even if the world was unable to produce light, because God said, light emerged. Before God called and sent us,He was very well aware of our flaws and faults, yet He called us. He did not choose perfect people, but by His sheer mercies and wisdom, He considers us fit for the job. We must rest in the fact that God is able and mighty through us, not because of our deservedness, but because of His grace and love for those He has sent us to. The onus is not on us, it is on the power at work in us.When we start to rely on our own works and strength, we are bound to burn out, but when we rely on The Spirit, we are fueled to keep going.

STUDY THIS: Ephesians 6:10, Galatians 2:20

DECLARE THIS: I am submitted to the help of the Spirit. I do not rely on my strengths or works, but I rest in the ability of God through me.