The picture of course, is Peter getting out of the boat and walking to Jesus. Peter had to ignore what he knew about getting out of a boat in the open seas. Denying the natural in favor of the spiritual. Peter had to leave the safety and security of the boat made by human hands and his friends to join Jesus. He faced a crisis of belief that He was not expecting that required faith and action.
"And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus." - Matthew 14:28-29
Mary
"And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” - Luke 1:34-37
Mary did not understand how it could be possible for a woman to conceive in any way other than through the intimate relationship with a man. What Gabriel was telling her would require faith and action. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things nor seen." - Hebrews 11:1
Mary chose to believe.
Zechariah
“And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” – Luke 1:18-20
Zechariah was an old man, and like all men his age, past the season when he could produce children. He and his wife, Elizabeth, had tried to have children, prayed to have children, when they were young and could not. Now an angel who appeared in the Temple told him what had been impossible when it was possible, would be possible when it was physically impossible.
Speaking of salvation from sin, Jesus told His disciples, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26
Zechariah chose to believe.
Joseph
“When his [Jesus] mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 1:18-20
Mary might have been stoned not being able to prove that she had not conceived a child with another man. The only natural way it could happen. But Jospeh resolved in his heart that she should suffer no harm before the Angel – presumably Gabriel – spoke to Him. “as he considered these things” What things? What the angel told him but, although the Bible is silent – it is safe to assume that he and Mary had spoken about her pregnancy, and she had explained her encounter with the Angel. Joseph was confronted with rejecting what he knew to be impossible in the natural and trusting and believing in the spiritual.
Joseph chose to believe.
How about you?
Have you heard from God and now you are faced with that you think is impossible in the natural but you are challenged to believe in the spiritual?
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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