Matthew 14:22-27(KJV)
22And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
In this life, we indeed experience contrary winds and boisterous waves. At times, these winds and waves are so strong that we find ourselves becoming fearful and despondent. It is as though our circumstances suck the life right out of us and our spirit becomes bowed over rather than upright! With so many discouraging situations such as financial hardship, job loss, sickness, and delayed dreams, it is not hard to conclude that people are in utter despair and the believers are no exception.
Before the disciples saw Jesus on the water, verse 24 tells us that “the ship was in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary”. Have you ever said in your heart to Jesus, “But Lord, I’m your servant!” Or “Lord, I’ve been obedient to your Word and I am still following you, so why is this happening to me?” Or “Is this really of you, Lord?” Just like the disciples who followed Jesus, you’re tossed in the waves and you’re experiencing the contrary winds. But you can’t lose heart. You’re going to have to do what you may not have considered doing before. See Jesus in the midst!
When the disciples saw Him, they assumed He was a ghost and they became afraid. They did not recognize that Jesus was in the midst and that evoked fear. Jesus assured them and said “be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid”. Jesus is saying the same thing to His followers today. First, be of good cheer and give thanks to God that He’s teaching you more about Himself through your trials. Remember, God is in control of everything. You are not outside of His spiritual radar. Second, recognize that Christ is present with you. Jesus said, “it is I”, which means it is I, your savior, your deliverer, your help, and the one who has all power. Whether you think He recognizes your pain or not, you must know that He is there with you. Don’t let the enemy talk to you and convince you that Jesus is not there with you. The very first verse in Psalm 46 tells us that God is our refuge and strength and that He is a very present help whenever we are in trouble. Third, put fear to flight. God did not give you a spirit of fear. Faith and fear cannot work together. They are not partners but enemies to each other. God works in faith and Satan works in fear. Fear will cause you to think that Jesus is, metaphorically, a ghost. Fear will distort your perception of a situation and cause you to think that God has failed and forgotten you when in actuality, God is molding and shaping you even through your circumstance. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, take another look. See Jesus?
