Get in the Boat!!

Matthew 14: 13-27 was the subject of our teaching for our last Women’s Ministry RISE UP meeting.  I’d like to share a few things on this message to inspire us to Rise Up and come together for God’s plan.

In reading through Matthew chapter 14 where Jesus feeds the 5000, most of you have most likely heard of this passage in the Bible, the great provision miracle,  but I would like to expound a little bit further as we read through the rest of the chapter. Let’s take a look at this passage starting in verse 16 where Jesus tells the disciples to feed the multitude with the five loaves and two fishes. After feeding the 5000, the disciples picked up the leftovers and filled up 12 baskets full. Side note….there was MORE THAN ENOUGH! Imagine the physical evidence of a huge miracle right before your eyes because that’s exactly what the disciples witnessed.  Right on the heels of that amazing display of miraculous power, and after everyone was fed, Jesus immediately told the disciples (keep this in mind he told the disciples… All of them) to “get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake”. As we read, we see that when the disciples reach the middle of the lake they ran into a storm. The King James text reads, “they ran into trouble, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary”. Ever feel like you’ve run into trouble, felt tossed around, and felt like this is completely contrary (opposite) of what you thought or felt God had for you? Now, let’s stop and picture this, Jesus tells the disciples to go get into the boat and to “go to the other side”.  Now we know God is omniscient….“Knowing everything “. God is all knowing. So we know that Jesus, knowing a storm was coming, told the disciples to go to the other side anyway. Now, let’s picture the storm.  And keep in mind, they fed the 5000 because it was “getting late”….so we’re talking about a storm that is in the night hours. It’s in the “dark hours” (ever feel like it’s dark?). So the disciples get in the boat, they start rowing, its DARK, they can’t really see clearly, their really not sure what direction they are going, and the waves begin to pummel the boat. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:7, a messenger of satan was “sent to buffet me…”. The word “buffet” here means to beat, blow after blow -like a wave….hmmm sounds familiar doesn’t it?  In this passage its talking about an intense, wearying difficulty or affliction. So we see the disciples got in the boat as they were told, in the dark, and they were being “tossed by the waves” (blow after blow, intense difficulty after intense difficulty), they don’t even know if they are going in the right direction (boy I’ve been there a zillion times), and certainly don’t know HOW LONG THIS STORM IS GOING TO LAST! But, right in the middle of the journey ….. Jesus shows up….of course He does….and His words….”Be brave and don’t be afraid, I AM HERE”!!! Many, actually all of us, at different times in our lives, are experiencing these storms….blow after blow….in the dark, not knowing if we’re going in the right direction, it’s scary, its confusing and often heartbreaking.

But keeping this storm picture in mind, let’s back up a moment and look at something a little less obvious. When Jesus said to the disciples, “go get into the boat”, he did not say, “Peter, go get into the boat by YOURSELF and go over to the other side”, He did not say, “John, go get into the boat by YOURSELF and go over to the other side”. Quite contrary, Jesus said to ALL TWELVE OF HIS DISCIPLES …..GO into this storm TOGETHER!!! Ya see guys…we are not made to “go it alone”. There is no such thing as Superheroes in the kingdom of God!  God joins us together with one another (the body of Christ). As we encounter the storms of life and as they buffet our lives (and we know they will and they do), we are to have our “posse”, our “gang”, our “LIONESSES” along side of us!! They entered, endured, and came through the storm… TOGETHER!!!

This is what our Rise Up Women’s Ministry is endeavoring to emulate. The coming along side of one another…. the lifting up and many times picking up of one another!! Ya see children of God, as we apply Deuteronomy 6, making a “lifestyle of Jesus infused throughout our lives”, we become strong individuals that RISE UP TOGETHER as an impenetrable force that, “No weapon formed against …can prosper”! (Isaiah 54:17).

In our Women’s Ministry we have been humbly experiencing the tremendous power of God. As fast as our groups prayer requests come in, God is faithfully answering us. I believe whole heartedly it is because He is wanting us to actually SEE AND KNOW how powerful it is that we are joining together, standing together, praying together, and attacking together!! Literally just as the Lionesses in the volatile wild do…… they “watch, strategize, protect, and attack” together!!!

Let’s get in the boat together and watch our Father “calm the waters”! His part…..He calms the waters….our part….We come together!!

Peace and Blessings!