“A Greater What If”
Pastor Albert Almore
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 NKJV
📝 If not careful, two words that will rob you of the abundant life that Jesus promised you are, “WHAT IF?”
WHAT IF?
What if nobody shows up? What if they show up for a while, then flock to the next new church that pops up? What if the church won’t be financially stable? What if? What if? What if?
I know this had to be in Peter’s mind as well. The Bible says in Matthew 14:23-24,
“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
Matthew 14:23-24 NKJV
“Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.”
Matthew 14:25-26 NKJV
“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.””
Matthew 14:27-28 NKJV
“So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, HE WALKED ON THE WATER TO GO TO JESUS.”
Matthew 14:29 NKJV
I want to speak to you from this subject this morning….
Today’s Message
A GREATER WHAT IF
How do you go from Lord if it’s you, to walking on the water….All of a sudden a greater what if began to arise in Peter! What if it is Him?! What if this is my moment?! What if this is what we’ve been praying for?! What if I was made for more than this boat?! What if I was supposed to go down in history as the only man to walk on the water besides Jesus?! HOW DO YOU AND I GET TO THE GREATER SIDE OF WHAT IF?!!
📝 • It takes greater FAITH to get to the greater what if.
The apostles said to the Lord, “SHOW US HOW TO INCREASE OUR FAITH.”
Luke 17:5 NLT
The Lord answered, “If you had faith EVEN AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!
Luke 17:6 NLT
To increase their faith, Jesus presented them an illustration to awaken their faith.
📝 You’ve been assigned this mulberry tree to AWAKEN YOUR FAITH.
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as GOD HAS DEALT TO EACH ONE A MEASURE OF FAITH.”
Romans 12:3 NKJV
📝 Mulberry trees help you EXERCISE your measure of faith.
📝The question isn’t, “Do you have faith?” The question is, “Are you WORKING the measure that your Heavenly Father has given you?”
YOU HAVE FAITH, BUT DO YOU HAVE WORK SUPPORTING THAT FAITH?
📝 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have WORKS, is DEAD.
James 2:17 NKJV
This leads us to thought number 2 today…
📝 • It takes greater MOVEMENT to get to the greater what if.
“So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.””
I Samuel 30:8 NKJV
“SO DAVID WENT...”
I Samuel 30:9 NKJV
SOMETIMES IT’S EASIER TO GO INTO PRAYER THAN IT IS TO COME OUT OF PRAYER AND MOVE ON GOD’S VOICE.
“So He said, “Come.” And WHEN PETER HAD COME DOWN OUT OF THE BOAT, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”
Matthew 14:29 NKJV
📝 Your DETERMINATION has to be greater than your HESITATION.
The sluggard will not plow BY REASON OF THE COLD; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Proverbs 20:4 KJV
What does this movement need to look like? Exodus 23:20…
📝 LITTLE BY LITTLE I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
Exodus 23:20 NIV
📝 Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t be unrealistic. DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY movement is key. Baby steps are better than no steps. Little by little.
“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.””
John 11:43-44 NIV
📝 LAZARUS STEPS are greater than no steps.
📝 • It takes greater VISION to get to the greater what if.
“But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, FOR THE WIND WAS CONTRARY.”
Matthew 14:24 NKJV
📝 CONTRARY winds have come to CONTRADICT your faith.
📝 Your VISION has to be greater than the WIND.
Don’t allow the contrary winds cause you to contradict what you saw. Don’t allow the contrary winds cause you to contradict what you heard. Respectfully, this is where Peter messed up. Matthew 14:30 NIV…
“BUT WHEN HE SAW THE WIND, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!””
Matthew 14:30 NIV
Here’s one thing that I know about life…
THE WIND IS ALWAYS BLOWING.
📝It doesn’t take much WIND to cause you to lose your MUSTARD SEED of faith.
📝 You will WIN, when you overcome the WIND.
📝 “LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
Looking unto the one who never moves, leaves, nor forsakes. Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Because He lives I can face my what If’s. Because He lives I can face my mountains, valleys, waves, wind! But what about you???
WHICH “WHAT IF” WILL YOU LISTEN TO?
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