Because most of us are only familiar with living out of our own strength and resources, the idea of living above the downward pull of sin seems strange and unfamiliar, maybe even impossible.

Although I no longer jog, I did for years. I was in pretty good shape and could run for miles without much problem. However, the idea that a human being could run a marathon at a sub-five-minute-per-mile pace seemed physically impossible. I could not run even one mile at that pace! It was not in the realm of possibility for me, but because people are on record for having done it, I knew it was possible. Walking in the Spirit is similar. It may not seem possible to us because we have not yet experienced it, but the Bible says it is. We may even know someone who lives that way on a regular basis.

We should never base our theology on what we have experienced. Rather, we should accept what the Bible teaches.

When we try live out of our own strength and ability, we are doomed to failure. God never intended or designed us to be able to do that. From the beginning the Creator planned for us to draw on his life and ability, but Adam and Eve chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil over the tree of life. They wanted to be self-authenticating independent beings instead of what God designed us to be, God-authenticated dependent people who experience God’s abundant life.

Sin is rooted in our stubborn desire to be independent from God.

Our pride is the reason why we try to be our own boss and life source.  Even well-intentioned people with “good morals” sin against God by refusing to surrender to Jesus’ lordship and humbly draw upon God’s resources. There is no possible way to be a “self-made” man or woman in God’s kingdom. Doing it “my way” made for a good Sinatra song, but it is a path that leads straight to hell.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. Isaiah 53:6 (NASB) 

Therefore, a prerequisite to learning how to walk in the Spirit is to repent from trying to do life on our own.

This is the essence of repentance. God wants us to surrender ourselves to the rule of the Lord Jesus by placing our complete faith and allegiance in him. (Romans 10:9-10) When we do this, He sends his Spirit into our lives to be our Helper, the One called alongside us and dwells in us. Then we begin the lifelong process of learning to “lean not on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6), but to lean on the Spirit of God.

How to Walk on Water

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:25–31 (NKJV)

Jesus walked on water because he needed to get to the other side of the lake without a boat, but there is more to it than that.

Our Lord demonstrated an important principle of life in the Spirit: with God’s help we can do the seemingly impossible.

The recorded fact that Peter also walked on water confronts our logical reasoning ability, as do the amazing feats of marathon racers. If Peter could do it, why not others? Could I walk on water, too? Just how does a person do that?

If God had required Peter to support himself on the surface of the water, he would have failed. It was beyond the realm of his ability. We all know that heavy objects sink because their density is greater than the water’s. But if God supernaturally overcame the natural physics of buoyancy and density, Peter could walk on water, and he did. The most challenging thing for Peter was getting up the nerve to step out of the boat onto the water, which is exactly what Jesus invited him to do.

Walking on water requires us to have faith that God will hold us up. That is the key to walking in the Spirit, too.

Peter had no previous experience of being able to walk on water. It seemed impossible; yet, he saw Jesus doing it! Because Jesus told him to come to him on the water, he had a promise from God. All he needed was to believe Jesus’ words.

Faith enables us to “step out” when we have no outward “proof,” apart from God’s promises. Some call this a “leap of faith.” In the sense that Peter had to push himself off the boat’s side, it was a leap;l however, it was not “blind” faith. Peter fixed his eyes and hope on Jesus as he took his steps in obedience to Jesus’ clear command to come to him.

Faith is never blind. It always has God and his promises in view.

In Peter’s case, the only “proof” that he could walk on water was that Jesus was doing it and told him to join him, and that was enough. So, Peter climbed up on the gunwale of the boat and then slipped or jumped onto the surface of the water. What an adventure! What a bold step! He was rewarded with experiencing God’s power to do the impossible.

Our part in the miracle of walking in the Spirit is to take “steps of faith” in obedience to God. (Romans 4:12) God’s promise is to support us when we do.

When Peter did his part, taking that first step, God did his part by holding him up.

Standing in Grace

God’s grace supports us and keeps us from being sucked under by the waves of doubt, temptation, adverse circumstances, and the downward pull of “the flesh” and sin.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2  through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 (NASB)  

We stand by faith in God’s grace. Perhaps you have seen cars apparently floating on water at some televised golf tournaments. Someone had to build an invisible platform just under the surface of the water to hold the car up.

God builds a platform of grace under us when we put our faith and allegiance in Christ and the power of the indwelling Spirit.

Walking erect requires our being able to stand first. The enemy seeks to knock us down, but God’s grace gives us the victory, if we do our part in the process.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13 (NASB) 

Peter had to keep his eyes on Jesus to stay on the surface of the deep. As soon as he allowed fear, doubt, and adverse circumstances to distract him, he began to sink. The same thing can happen to us, if we do not keep our focus on Jesus and the grace he provides. Peter, learned this lesson well and wrote the following.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 1 Peter 5:12 (NASB) 

It took faith for Peter to walk on water, and it takes faith to stand in grace and walk in the Spirit.

The Difference between Trying Hard and Living by Faith

Jesus did not tell Peter to try really hard to walk on water. He merely commanded him to do it. Whatever Jesus commands us to do is possible for us, if we learn how to lean on him to perform it.

God loves to command us to do things that are beyond our natural abilities so that we can learn to live by faith in the power of the Spirit.

Trying hard to live the Christian life is called “legalism.” It always ends poorly. We get frustrated, angry, or discouraged. Sadly, we often transfer our inner turmoil to those around us. Frustrated and unhappy legalists are poor advertisements for the gospel. Why would anyone want to be like that?

Because we have never understood how to walk in the Spirit, many of us who follow Christ conclude that the Christian life is impossible and fall away from the Lord. God, in fact, does want us to give up without falling away. He wants us to finally stop trying to live out of our own resources and allow him to live through us. He wants to bring us to the same place he brought the apostle Paul, who wrote the following passages in Romans Chapters 7 and 8.

For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24  Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:22-25 (NASB) 

The following chapter begins with the glorious proclamation:

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)  

Meditate on these two passages until the Spirit gives you understanding.

Until we realize that Jesus has removed us from being under the Law’s power to condemn us, we will never live in freedom.

Until we learn to lean on the Spirit’s life and power within, we will never experience the abundant life.

It’s like walking on water. God gives us the ability to do what seems impossible, if we take steps of faith.