The Power of Faith

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;" (Matthew 14:30)

Peter did not look at Jesus constantly and continuously. He was looking at Him spasmodically. He did not see the wind through Jesus. We must look at our problems through Jesus. Otherwise we will sink. We must understand all our problems and see them through Jesus. Here was an immature Christian. He was more enthusiastic than filled with faith. We err, because, our faith is mostly just enthusiasm. We begin to imitate others. Here Peter was imitating Jesus. When it is enthusiasm and not faith, Satan gets an opportunity to discourage and destroy us. But here Peter did have some faith, so he did not completely sink. Sceva's children, who tried to imitate St. Paul had no faith at all. "And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded" (Acts 19:15,16). Because they were sons of the high priest, they wanted to exercise authority over the evil spirits. But it was not possible.

Remember we are in a world where we are surrounded by powers of darkness. The moment we try to do something above our faith, the powers of darkness try to overpower us. Peter wanted to walk on the sea like Jesus. Jesus encouraged him to step out. But the wind was blowing hard and Peter began to sink deeper and deeper. Jesus' feet did not sink. Peter lifted his hand and cried out to Jesus. Jesus did not call him a man of unfaith but 'one of little faith.' We have faith, but it is only a little faith. Once Jesus said to Peter, "You cannot follow me now, but will follow me later." But Peter affirmed that he would follow Jesus right then. That very night when questioned by a girl, he denied Jesus outright. Look at Jesus constantly. You will develop a consciousness of His presence always. "A storm is brewing. Why are you here?" some say to you. You should say, "Jesus is with me. He has not asked me to move." Small troubles sometimes appear very big because we do not look at them through Jesus. When we study the lives of saints who faced big troubles with wonderful faith, they challenge us. You sometimes are unable to forego small things for Christ in your places. Small troubles in the house absorb all your attention. You do not realize God will take care of your child and you as well. You do not look at the Cross. Jesus said, "If they have killed me, they will kill you also; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Look at your persecutions through me, through my cross and my sufferings. They called me a glutton and winebibber and devil-possessed." Jesus fasted for forty days. Was He a glutton? If we look at our troubles through Christ, they will appear microscopic.

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" (John 17:23). Jesus was one with the Father. That made Him very bold because He was in the Father. "All mine are thine, all thine are mine." Jesus wants us to be able to say that. Jesus was walking on the water because He was one with the Father. Alas, we are separate from him. "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2:9,10). We are complete in Him. What a great statement! Jesus prays that we may be sanctified through the truth. Let your prayer be the Word of God. When God's Spirit came on Elisha's servant, he saw the horses and chariots of God. Till then the army of the enemy overwhelmed him with fear. When the Holy Spirit is upon us, we also will see them. Our troubles will become very small when by His Spirit we see all of them through Christ.