Walking without Sinking II

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Walking without Sinking II

Sunday, 11 August

 

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 14:22-32 And 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. 23 And 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. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 

MORE LESSON: Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

Anytime you stand in faith looking at Jesus as the Word, the Blood, or the Life, there is nothing that can make you sink in life. Faith in God turns water to rock and wherever you stand becomes solid rock. In every circumstance that surrounds me, I see life behind the cross. For as long as you set your eyes on the Cross of Jesus, nothing can sink you. Before any evil can get to you, it must first win over the cross. Standing on the cross is an authority that governs the universe, a strength that has never experienced failure. Choose to see the cross first before seeing anything.

When I first started ministry, people used to come to me with many sad stories of what was happening to them. I used to become sober and downcast along with them and feel sorry for them. But then I started discovering that the people have not come to see me but who I represent. So when people come now with situations that could make anyone cry, I start making joke out of bad matters.

When they come crying over a bad case, I begin to laugh and crack joke with them. Then I share God’s Word and I pray with them before I ask them to go. Some think that it is because I do not understand what they are going through. No, it is because I choose not to see what the devil is doing but what God can do. I choose not to see the storm but Jesus miraculously walking on the water.

A woman came to me crying over her medical report of a cancer diagnosis. I collected the report and said, 'Father thank You because You are bigger than all this nonsense report. I replace the bad report with a good report'. Then I gave her back the paper and told her go see her doctor for a re-check. She looked at me and asked, 'Is that all?' Then she went and reported to the person who brought her that the Bishop didn't lay hands on her head. The fellow replied, 'Did he say anything to you?' She said that he only spoke a few words of prayer and told me to go and see the doctor again. Then the fellow said, ‘Go and do what he told you’. The Lord healed the woman supernaturally.

What she didn't know is that when I spoke to her, I wasn't seeing the cancer anymore; I was seeing her situation changed by the Miracle Worker. She forgot about the cross and remembered cancer as she came. But I decided to focus on the cross and help her put her attention away from cancer to the Great Physician. I don't care what you are going through; as long as you remove your focus from the situation and put it on the finished work of Christ on the Cross, you will experience miracles. You will walk on waters and not sink, in Jesus’ name.

 

Prayer/Action

* Declare in faith that every water that is designed for your sinking, let it be turn to solid ground.

* Pray for the strength never to see or pay attention to what the devil is doing but only on what god is doing around you.

* Thank god for keeping you and for not letting you to sink.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Flowers fade, grasses wither but my glory shall never fade nor wither, in the mighty name of Jesus.