How do you define the miraculous? Do you view occurrences such as getting a close parking spot on Black Friday as a miracle? How about when the cashier hands you an unexpected coupon for your purchase? What about that person who was involved in a car crash, was thrown out their window, but landed softly on the ground, unharmed? Does that constitute as a miracle?

I am going to give you my definition of a miracle – to me, a miracle is anything that bypasses the natural; it’s anything that circumvents the divine order that has been established by our Creator. It’s an occurrence that can happen in an instant.

Dictionary.com describes as miracle as being “an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause…such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God…a wonder; marvel.”

I began thinking about miracles as I was reading through Matthew 14 this morning. We see the story of Jesus walking on water to meet his disciples at their boat. Jesus had sent them to “the other side” while He hung back, ascending the mountain to pray. Sometime during the night, Jesus caught up with them, but in the most unusual way – He took an unnatural, unusual path; a path which superseded the natural laws set in place by God.

We all know that if we were to try and walk across the ocean, we’d sink. If we do not have a firm foundation under our feet, we will fall. Jesus, however, was able to do the miraculous; He took a long walk across the sea, to their boat, without sinking.

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.’” John 5:19

I believe in this instance Jesus was beholding his Father, which enabled him to do what we would consider to be the impossible. Jesus saw his Father as having authority over all the laws of the land. He saw his Father ruling over the land, and bypassing natural laws to do the supernatural. Jesus also knew who he was created to be, and what he was placed on this earth to accomplish. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus knew what belonged to him and he was exercising his authority, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the Father.

So the disciples were hanging out on the boat at night, in the midst of the sea. I don’t know about you, but I think that would make for a great beginning for a scary movie. Imagine it – perhaps there was mist rising up all around them, the moonlight glistening down upon the water, and suddenly a man appears, walking toward them. There’s no place to run, where would they hide? They’ve never encountered anything like it! It’s no wonder they cried out in fear, thinking it was a ghost!

“But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear.” Matthew 14:26

The disciples saw something that didn’t make sense in the natural, and they instantly thought it was demonic. How many times do we see things that don’t make sense to us, so we write it off as being the devil? I remember many years ago my first encounter with people speaking in tongues, and then with individuals falling down after being prayed over. I couldn’t make sense of it and thought it was pure madness. How could something like that be of the Lord? It wasn’t until the Holy Spirit revealed it to me that I understood what was happening, and that those manifestations were of the Lord. The same thing happened with the disciples. They were afraid and couldn’t see Jesus in that particular manifestation of the supernatural UNTIL he revealed himself in it.

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid,’” Matthew 14:27.

The things of God have to be revealed to us.

“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

We will encounter things we have never seen before, things we have never heard before, things that are inconceivable to our natural minds, yet just because we don’t understand them, or because they frighten us at first, does not mean they are not of God. These are simply things that must be revealed to us by His Spirit.

1 John 4:1 instructs us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” and Peter still wasn’t so sure it was the Lord, so he tested the spirit which stood before him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

It is at the Lord’s command that we can perform the miraculous. Just as Jesus did only what he saw his Father do, we also can partner with the Lord to accomplish what He’s doing in this moment. We can walk in the authority given to us by Christ Jesus, and we can use His Name to carry out the will of the King here on earth. It’s when we step out on our own authority and take our eyes off from Jesus, and what He’s trying to accomplish, that we begin to sink, and the supernatural does not manifest. It’s imperative that we listen for the instructions given to us by the Holy Spirit (the One who came after Jesus to guide and direct us) if we expect to overcome things in the natural realm and “walk on water.”

If you’re up against the storms of this world, know that there is One who can quiet them; there is One who is nearer than a brother, just waiting for you to cry out to Him. No one can come to Jesus on their own – He must call them first, but you can cry out just as Peter did on the boat, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you…Lord, save me.” Others cry out with similar words, “Lord, if you’re real, if it’s you I’m hearing and you’re trying to get my attention, here I am; save me!” At our first cry to the Lord, He grabs ahold of us and keeps us from going under.

“Jesus IMMEDIATELY reached out his hand and took hold of him…” Matthew 14:31 (emphasis added).

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Peter began to take those first steps toward Jesus, but “when he saw the wind, he was afraid,” and began to sink. When we come to Jesus, there will be storms. The wind and the rain may come, but we will not be overtaken.  Doubt and disbelief may threaten to take us under, but as we cry out to the Lord and look to Him as our deliverer and strength, He’s faithful to grab hold of us, and bring us through. Every storm we face is a reminder to us of our need for Jesus; we cannot weather the storms all alone – He is our strength and our ability to overcome. By going through the storms in life, we become stronger and more resilient. It becomes easier to go through, and we bounce back quicker.

The Lord said He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), so since He’s always there waiting for us to call on Him and ask for His help, what are we waiting for?

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30