If You Don't Believe Me

0:37 Matthew 14, 26 through 28. Once you found him, won't you say, I got it. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. It's a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them, take carriage, it is I. Don't be afraid. Lord if it's you Peter replied tell me to come to you on the water you may be seated When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.

1:32 Peter, of all the disciples, was the only one who asked, if it's you, let me come to where you are. I want to preach for a little while today using as a subject, if you don't believe me, just watch. If you elbow your neighbor, tell them if you don't believe me, just watch. Look at the person behind you. Look at the person behind you. Tell them if you don't believe me, just watch. Writer C.S. Lewis once said, without risk, faith is an impossibility.

2:29 Somebody needs to write that down. Without risk, faith is an impossibility. Very few people would understand that better than the late Madam C.J. Walker. He was born into slavery in 1867, orphaned at seven, married at 14, widowed by 20. She worked as a washerwoman earning a meager $1.50 a day. With all the stress that she was under she suffered a severe scalp infection leading to radical hair loss. She refused to leave it as it was.

3:28 She began to experiment with homemade remedies and took the risk of putting her own concoctions in her own head. After trial and error, miraculously, she saw results. At the turn of the 20th century, there was not one beauty company that served black women. So she took the risk and started her own hair care line. She had no investors. She had no partners. She had no grants.

4:12 But with a meager savings, she made the product and bought ads. Ladies and gentlemen, on a pittance salary, She didn't have any data to support her idea. Nothing to substantiate this tremendous leap of faith. She went with no background understanding. Not only did she do it, but she employed black women to go door to door. She took a tremendous leap of faith moving from the south to Indianapolis She did so because Indianapolis at the time was the heart of the railroads So she knew if she could get there she would have greater access to distribution I want you to hear this and hear it well That by the end of Madam C.J. Walker's life she employed 200,000 black women across the country.

5:20 The history will record her as America's first female self-made millionaire. My focus this morning is not actually about Madam C.J. Walker. It is about the 200,000 women who watched her do it, but never replicated her model. once you see it can be done, then why are you not doing it?

5:58 You have seen how the risk has brought results and it has defeated all of the skeptics and all that is charged to you is to wash and repeat. Stop watching and make it work. that's the same problem I have with the disciples. Jesus put all of them on the boat, sent them to the other side. He later walked on the water to catch up with them, and the Bible says they were terrified. People are literally petrified over what you are about to accomplish. they are shaken to their core that you will succeed and you're going to do it without their support.

6:57 They are bothered you are taking care of business without any help from the bank. They can't stand that you keep scoring even after life has tackled you. When you walk in the room, all eyes are on you and folk are trying to figure out who you are and where you came from and they got no idea. It's not me you are looking at. It's the favor and the light of God that emanates out of my life. Peter is like the tin man going to see the Wizard of Oz. He found his heart and said, Master, if that's you, let me come out and walk on the water with you. And with no hesitation, the Savior sent him an audible invitation and said, come.

8:03 Peter started walking on the water. The ax that I came to grind is that while Peter is walking on the water, new birth, don't miss it, Peter is walking on the water and 11 people are watching him. too many of us are just like them. We watch instead of getting in. And I'm trying to figure out if they are disciples called of God and they are watching a miracle manifest right in front of their eyes. How are they staying on the boat when Jesus is giving invitations? and many of you are missing your moment and your opportunity because you are jealous of people you should be following.

9:00 Stop hating on people that God has given you as an example. If God did it for them, get your behind off the boat and start walking behind them and say, God, if you did it for them, Thank you. And Dr. Margie Worrell's book, Brave. I want you to get that book. In the book called Brave, she asserts that humans are innately risk adverse and quietly come into agreement with the status quo. So you keep your head down. Keep your mouth shut. Keep your eyes closed. You have refused to sign your own permission slip for greatness. You have resigned that where you are is your last stop.

10:01 You no longer aspire for anything more in your life. When the psalmist said, lift up your head, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up. He then comes back with the question, who is the king of glory? The Lord mighty in battle. I am scared of people who no longer dream for anything better. If you are satisfied, you might as well die. But if there is something in you that is saying, there's got to be more for my life than where I am right now. I want you to confound the work of the enemy. I don't want you to give God glory for what you already have. I want you through the spirit of expectation to thank God for what you're getting ready to go after. Would you celebrate him for what you are dreaming, not just for yourself, but what you dream for your children and what you dream for your grandchildren.

11:04 And I'm not just talking about financial gain. And those of you that want more of the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit, and you want miracles and signs and wonders and evidence, God, if you did it for them, I need you to do something for me. There are a whole lot of people that are getting ready to be confused by you. You ain't got the degrees they have. You don't have the contacts they have. You don't have the pedigree they have. but you got the favor they never gonna have and all you gotta do is walk on water. Daniel Keenan, you may be seated. Daniel Keenan in the book Thinking Fast and Slow. The book is entitled Thinking Fast and Slow.

12:16 Said that when assessing risk, we lean towards thoughts of potential loss. rather than bending towards potential gain. What we focus on tends to magnify in our imaginations. The risk of things not working out is actually smaller than them working out. Stop catastrophizing and start expecting. My dear sister over D3 Entertainment, Michelle Duffy, says every morning, she said this, every morning she says to herself, what's the best that can happen?

13:02 And how good is it going to get? Man, I like that thing. Would you just declare out loud, what's the best that can happen? How good is it going to get? look at the person besides and tell them every day say to yourself what's the best that can happen how good is it going to get how many of you believe that God has the best in mind for you come on I need you to declare it with authority what's the best that can happen how good is it going to get? Come on. You ought to say it to your dream, to your idea, to your goal, to your application. What's the best that can happen? How good is it going to get? Things will work out for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Y'all don't have that kind of faith in here. Let me say it another way. All things work together for good to those who love here.

14:15 The late Fred Price said, not making a decision is a decision. That's what Fred Price said. Not making a decision is a decision. We delude ourselves into believing it's not so bad. we have adjusted to our own dysfunction of unhappiness. We just hope that it will organically, magically get better. You've got to do something in order to change it. In the book, Stop Playing It Safe, it shows how neurologically our minds are wired where we overestimate risk and underestimate our ability to handle them.

15:19 We overestimate risk and underestimate our ability to handle them. Can you imagine the chokehold they were in on the boat? Here's the catch. While Jesus is present. they won't take the risk and they see them now.

15:45 They won't take the risk and they see Jesus offer an invitation, hear this, for somebody who is not called to do it. Peter is not anointed to walk on water. He just had enough nerve to ask for it. y'all just missed it some people got more than you not because they smarter than you not because they better than you but because they were crazy enough to ask for it he said if you ask anything in my name it shall be given to you Thank you. They didn't get close to the Savior because they stayed on the ship.

16:46 Maybe, just maybe, you feel distant from God because he's waiting on you to take the risks. I'm going to say something that's getting ready to mess you up. I got to say it to you. I got to say it to you. I need you to hear this. Jesus was not in the safety.

17:12 He wasn't on the boat. Jesus was not in the safety. Jesus was in the risk. he was in the water. You got to get into something that if God don't show up, you going to drown right in it. You got to dream so big that if he don't intervene, it's going to fall apart. You going to lose everything. Your dreams are too safe. Jesus is not in safety Jesus is in the risk you may be seated hallelujah you're going to have to try something you're going to have to go after something you're going to have to invest in something you're going to have to launch something you're going to have to apply for something.

18:20 He ain't in safety. He's in the risk. And some of us are so close to God because all my life I had to fight. I had to trust God for everything and it didn't make sense to other people but I had to trust him in the risks. Here's what I so regret is that there's no microphone on the boat. I hate there's no microphone on the boat because can you imagine the conversation when Peter lifted up his foot? to go step in the water.

19:14 I wasn't there. I don't know what happened. But in my mind's eye, when he's about to step in the water, Dowding Thomas yelled, I don't think that's a good idea. Come on, y'all ain't saying that. When he's about to step in the water, Judas said, I think it's going to cost you too much. Every now and again, whenever it is that folk tell you, you can't do it, you ought to use that as your motivation if you don't believe me. I'm reminded, you may be seated, I'm coming.

20:05 I'm reminded of somebody needed this word today. I'm reminded of a story about two frogs. And these two frogs got away from the pond and they fell into a deep ditch. They were missing for so long from the pond that all the other frogs established a search party. they discovered that the two frogs had fallen into this deep pit and the frogs that came to rescue them looked down and saw how deep that pit was and said to them reserve your strength there's no way you're gonna jump out of this So one of the frogs just sat right there, reserved his strength, and eventually he died.

21:11 But the second frog just kept jumping. The frogs that were on top of the pit said, no, reserve your strength. You ain't going to get out of there. But he just kept jumping. Ladies and gentlemen, they kept waving their hand and said, this is futile. it's a waste of your time you're gonna burn yourself out your legs are gonna give in your knees are not that strong but he just kept jumping and finally new birth he jumped out of the pit the frogs got around him and said why did you jump out of the pit when we told you to save your strength the frog said my bad which y'all don't know is I'm deaf and I didn't hear you say stop jumping when you were waving your hand I thought you were encouraging me telling me to just keep on jumping every now and again when it looks like you done lost it you gotta keep on jumping Is there anybody here that understands?

22:28 I once would die. I once was lost. But I just kept jumping. God said if you jump, you'll jump out of poverty. You'll jump out of depression. You'll jump out of stress. You'll jump out of Section 8 housing. Criss-cross will make you jump, jump. Is there anybody here that's still jumping after everything you've been through?

23:03 Let's get it out of your system. On the count of three. Everybody jump into your future. Jump into your sight. Jump into your gift. Jump into your cause. Jump into your... Don't sit there and die. Jump, jump. Jump into it. Your next increase is dependent on your jump. Your next opportunity is dependent on your jump. Hey! You still got some jumping.

24:10 It's been a rough year. You had some back doors. You had some knives in your back. You had an unsupported family. You went through a divorce. You filed bankruptcy. Your mama died. Your children ain't talking, but you gotta jump in you. When you jump, jump on the devil's head. You meant it for evil, but you... All right. You may be seated.

25:14 Hallelujah. Put me in strength, son. Put me in strength. I want to show you something. I want to show you something. Peter walked on the water.

25:36 He took that jump. And he lost focus. And began to drown. God gave him the authority, the grace, and the power to walk on water. And he lost his focus and began to drown.

25:59 Pastor, why are you telling me this? The reason why I'm telling you this is because the people on the boat just saw him slipping. they saw him going down. But they weren't close enough to hear Peter say to Jesus, save me. Oh my God. A lot of people underestimated you. When they saw you slipping, they didn't know I'm only going down as far as my knees. God help me people people don't know the kind of prayers you had to pray just to keep your head above water they don't know how you had to talk to God because you felt like you were losing it Come on.

27:04 You will only fall as low as your knees. Those of you who don't have a prayer life will regret your jump. And the Bible says that when he cried, Lord, save him,

27:25 the Lord grabbed him by the hand. If you'll indulge me, if you'll take that neighbor by the hand, I'm almost finished. Take that neighbor by the hand. Jesus took him by the hand, and here's what I wanted you to see, and walked him back to the ship. So the 11 on the boat watched him go out, watched him come back, and none of them ever tried it. even after you saw what my secret is. hold to his hand God's unchanging hand build your hope on things eternal all you gotta do is hold to his hand I want you ever so quickly, while that neighbor's hand is in your hand, I want you to squeeze that neighbor's hand gently.

28:36 if the person next to you does not get in God's hands all they're going to be able to do is watch If you don't get in God's hands and get saved and get a church home and get in relationship with them, you're going to watch me close deals. You're going to watch me get a return on my investment. You're going to watch me close on a house I'm not qualified for. You're going to watch me pay off debt that I thought was too big for me to swallow. If you want what I have, you want to accomplish what I'm about to accomplish, you ain't got to believe me, just watch me.

29:35 I'm telling you, I feel bad for people who think they're too cool and bougie to praise God. Too stuck up and too erudite and too puffed up. You want to know how I live, the way I live, the way I drive, the way I drive, the way I maintain my sanity, the way I maintain my sanity, I will bless the Lord. God, I feel something right here. At all times, we get ready to praise Him right here I'm not going back and forth with you you tell us about my success watch me praise him watch me give him glory I close by saying this.

30:31 I close by saying this. If only one out of 11 of you are going to traffic into something supernatural. One person on every row is going to handle risky business to trust God for outlandish results. The other 11 of you, I ain't begging you to praise God. I'm sick of that. But if you know I'm the one that's getting ready to step out on faith and do something Nobody in my family has ever even attempted For the one of you just get ready to walk on water You got 60 seconds to just give God praise

31:23 Thanksgiving It didn't make it But I'm one I'm one of the ones that did. Lift that hand, I want to pray for you, sir. I'm going to pray for you, ma'am. I pray for every person with lifted hands. that God will show you an unsafe opportunity. God, we'll open up a door for you that makes no logical sense. you know it is God y'all ain't gonna believe there's five of you giving me a migraine headache you know it's God when people who love you try to talk you out of it They don't want to see you hurt.

32:35 They don't want to see you broken. But they also don't want to see you at the next level. Let your pastor pray for you, please. I pray for every person with lifted hands. that God will bless you to do what 11 people before you should have tried. but didn't have the faith to get it done.

33:09 I pray that God will use you to set a new standard, to create a new paradigm, to recreate the operating procedure, the pathway and the manual to be successful and wealthy. I pray that God will anoint you with uncanny ideas, with witty inventions. I pray that God will put something in your dreams that nobody before you ever thought of or moved on. I pray that God will do something unusual, but it will require you to get out of your safety zone, to get out of what it is that you know to do, of what you know how to do, what you have experienced doing. God will bless you to do it.

34:01 and those of you who are trusting God I need you to hear my voice you are trusting God for something that scares the daylights out of you if that's where you are would you give God a cheer of thanksgiving right there Come on, y'all ain't shouting good. Give him a chill right there.

34:28 I hope you are energized that you don't need an energy drink. What you just heard should have you off and running, chasing your dreams, pursuing your purpose, and answering your call. If this was a blessing, share it with somebody else. Don't be selfish. This is what God gave you so that you can be a blessing to somebody who needs it worse.