Peter Really Did Walk on Water

Outside of Jesus Himself, Peter is the only man recorded in Scripture to have ever walked on water. That alone is worth thinking about.

I’ve got a dear friend, Rick Renner, who is a tremendous minister. When he first got turned on to the Lord, he got really into faith and believed he was going to walk on water. So he invited his friends over, bought a new suit and shoes, and went out to the swimming pool. Well, he stepped off the edge—and sank straight to the bottom.

As far as I know, Peter remains the only one besides Jesus to have done it. And even though he began to sink, that doesn’t erase the fact that he actually walked on water. Man, what an awesome miracle.

But miracles aren’t random. They’re not like lightning strikes—you never know where they’ll hit and can’t expect them in the same place twice. Many Christians think that way, but the truth is that miracles are conceived. They happen for a reason. And if you look at this story closely, you’ll see why some people experience the miraculous and others don’t.

Three Accounts, Three Perspectives

Matthew, Mark, and John all record this event. But only Matthew mentions Peter walking on the water. Now, that amazes me. John was there. He saw it happen. But he didn’t include it in his Gospel.

Each writer highlights different aspects, and when you put them together, you see the full picture. For instance, only John records what happened after Jesus entered the boat:

Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

– John 6:21

So not only did Jesus walk on the sea, not only did Peter walk on the sea, but as soon as Jesus stepped into the boat, the entire ship—with all the disciples—was instantly translated to the other side. That’s over a mile in an instant. A miracle stacked on top of a miracle!

John later explained why not everything that happened was recorded:

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

– John 20:30–31

We only have a glimpse of all that Jesus really did during His earthly ministry. The Gospels give us the highlights—but what highlights they are!

When Miracles Surprise Us

One detail from Mark’s account transformed my life. After Jesus calmed the storm, it says:

And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

– Mark 6:51–52, emphasis added

I used to think that being amazed at miracles was a good response. But here, the Scripture says it’s because of a hardened heart. That startled me.

You see, earlier that same day, Jesus had fed over five thousand men—not counting women and children—with five loaves and two fish. If the disciples had truly considered that miracle, they wouldn’t have been shocked by what happened next. When they saw Jesus walking on the water, it really should have been no surprise at all.

And let me just say, if you are more accustomed to living in the natural than the supernatural, then when the supernatural breaks in, it will overwhelm you. I can’t say that that’s a bad response, but it’s not the best response, because you can get to the place where you are accustomed to the miraculous.

Getting into the Boat

In Matthew 14:22 it says, “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.”

That word constrained means He compelled them. There was resistance. Why? I believe the fishermen among them—Peter, Andrew, James, and John—recognized the signs of an approaching storm. Their natural wisdom told them it was dangerous to launch out at that hour.

But Jesus compelled them to go anyway. And here’s the principle: if you want to experience a miracle, you’ve got to be where God told you to be, doing what God told you to do—even when it goes against your natural reasoning. But if you are so locked into your own self and committed to avoiding anything that doesn’t look like natural wisdom, then you’re going to miss a miracle of God.

My Own Step of Faith

I’ve experienced this in my own life. Years ago, the Lord told me to start giving away my teaching materials. In the natural, that was foolish. Every minister I knew charged for their materials. Some even prophesied to me that I shouldn’t give things away. But I knew what God had spoken.

So we obeyed. And today, we’ve given away well over 100 million books, CDs, DVDs, and other resources. Online, people are downloading a million free teachings every month. God has prospered us in incredible ways.

But if I had leaned on my own understanding, I would have missed it. Sometimes God asks you to do what looks unreasonable. But that’s where the miraculous is found.

Leaving the Safety of the Shore

That’s exactly what the disciples did that night—they trusted and obeyed Jesus’ word more than their own human logic and experience as fishermen. And because they obeyed, they saw the miraculous.

Brothers and sisters, if you want to see the power of God in your life, you’ll have to leave the safety of the shore. You’ll have to step into the boat when He tells you, even if it looks contrary to wisdom. Most believers today are just drifting with circumstances, not living by a clear word from God. But God’s will always sets you against the current. It requires faith.

Jesus didn’t say, “Go halfway across the sea and drown.” He said, “Go to the other side.” If the disciples had taken Him at His word, they could have rebuked that storm themselves.

The same is true for you. If God has spoken something into your life, you can stand on it. His Word is solid ground. It’s incorruptible seed. Once planted, it will bear fruit.

Becoming a Water Walker

So Peter walked on the water because Jesus gave him a word: “Come” (Matt. 14:29). That one word carried the power to do the impossible.

What word has God spoken to you? What step of faith is He asking you to take? It may look risky. It may defy natural wisdom. But if it’s His word, it’s enough.

Don’t let a hardened heart keep you from experiencing His best. Don’t settle for living in the natural when He’s called you to live in the supernatural. Step out and trust Him.

Where God Is Calling You

This teaching has ministered to me for decades, and I believe it will encourage you too. But I’m just giving the tip of the iceberg here. My full teaching is available in multiple formats and goes much deeper than I have space to do here. So I encourage you to get the materials.

Miracles come when you follow the word God has spoken to you, leave the safety of the shore, and step out in faith. That’s how you become a water walker.