Go Overboard

Image by madison.murphy via Flickr

As you know I am Mentor with Setting Captives Free ministries. While mentoring there is a lot of blessings that come from it. so I want to share with you something that one of my students wrote during lesson 40. As I read what he wrote it really blessed me and spoke to me. as I prayed for this student the Lord gave me scripture to go with it. 

Here is the devotional that i sent my students from being blessed. So lets take a look:

The Student said “If I didn't give myself totally to Jesus Christ, I'd still be worshiping the idols of pornography, lust, and self gratification. A friend of mine said to me yesterday, "You've become too radical! You've stopped playing video games and doing everything you used to do, I just don't want you to relapse and go crazy again. You've just become too radical, I don't like it... Your smile to much now." My reply was simple lol. I laughed and said, "Didn't the disciples give up everything they loved to follow Jesus? I don't think I've become radical enough. I smile now because I am happy and I can't not be happy knowing what I know now." Praise Jesus for the work in me. He is making me radical!!!”

As I was praying for this student and thanking Jesus for his words and encouragement and these words popped in my head “his friend thinks he is going overboard.” And that is when the Holy Spirit started speaking to me. look at this verse:

Mat 14:27-29 “But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying “be of good cheer! It is I do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord if it is You command me to come to you on the water. So He (Jesus) said “come” and when Peter had come down out of the boat he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”

Is that radical or what? The disciples are out at sea being tossed to and fro by the waves and Jesus shows up out of nowhere and commands Peter to get of the safe little boat and walk on water with Him. Isn’t this like us? Isn’t this like our fight for purity? Sometimes we are at sea being tossed to and fro by our enemy, and we don’t know how to brake free. we feel like we are going to die in the journey to the other side (freedom). it seems like we have tried everything to save ourselves. Just like I am sure that the disciples tired everything to keep the ship stable and under control. Then out of nowhere our savior Jesus comes and commands us to do something radical. He commands us to go “overboard!” …. Again we see out of this that we must be active in our fight for freedom. we must be radical in our pursuit for purity…. So again I ask you what in your life to do you need to be radical with? Is it confession, amputation, appropriation, accountability, and/or humility, etc….???

Now if we keep going in Matthew 14:30-31 “But when he (Peter) saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out saying “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him (and said) “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” and when they got into the boat the wind ceased.”

Look at Peter’s example. He was radical. He went overboard to meet Jesus. He was obedient to Jesus’ command to “Come.” Brothers Jesus is calling you to “come” overboard and to be radical in your obedience and pursuit of Him… now look when Peter was afraid, his first reaction was “Lord, save me!” and what did Jesus do? He “immediately” saved him. Brothers as you begin to go overboard and be radical in your obedience to Jesus you may feel “fear” but let your first reaction be “Lord save me!” and Jesus will rescue you out of you fears and out of your bondage.

Finally what did Jesus say to Peter when they got to the boat? “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” we could spend all day looking at this scripture, but for today I want to focus on the faith part. I am reminded of James 2:18 “But some will say “you have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without your work, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Paul is simply saying that we will show are faith through our works. Brothers right now we are in a fight for purity, and our works of obedience to Jesus must be radical, we must go overbroad. Faith and works (actions,.. radically amputate, accountability etc…) go hand in hand…. We started today off with Mat 14:27 when Jesus said “be of good cheer! It is I do not be afraid.” Don’t be afraid to obey Jesus when He tells us “come,” come overboard.

Your Brother in Christ

Nate Cook

Setting Captives Free Team Member