The Story of Peter Walking On Water
Peter had a habit of speaking (or acting) before thinking. Sometimes, it got him into trouble. Other timesâlike this oneâit led to something unforgettable.
So there they were, in the middle of a storm, watching Jesus do the impossible. Most of the disciples were probably still gripping the sides of the boat, trying to process what was happening. But Peter saw an opportunity.Â
"Lord, if itâs really you, tell me to come to you on the water!" (Matthew 14:28, NLT).
What kind of request is that? He couldâve just asked for proofââLord, if itâs really you, make the waves stop.â But no. Peter wanted to step into the impossible himself.
Jesus didnât hesitate. Didnât say, "Are you sure?" or "Peter, maybe sit this one out." He just said, âCome.â (Matthew 14:29).
And Peter actually stepped out of the boat.
For a brief, electrifying moment, he was doing it. Walking on water. The storm was still raging, but it didnât matter. He was moving toward Jesus, doing something no human had ever done before.
But then, reality hit.
Peter felt the wind. Saw the size of the waves. And just like that, the confidence drained out of him. The fear crept back in. The logic kicked inâ"Wait a second, I canât actually do this."
And the second he took his eyes off Jesus, he started sinking.
"Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30).
And immediatelyâimmediatelyâJesus saves Peter. He reached out and grabbed him.
"You of little faith,â He said, âwhy did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31).
Peterâs faith wasnât fake. It just wavered. And thatâs where most of us find ourselvesâsomewhere between stepping out in faith and feeling like weâre drowning.
Peter took the risk. He stepped out. And yeah, he sankâbut he also got pulled back up.
Then, something incredible happened.
As soon as Jesus and Peter got back in the boat, the wind stopped. The storm that had been raging was gone. Just like that. The disciples werenât scared of the storm anymore. They were in awe of Jesus.
"Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:33).
Because this wasnât just about Peterâs faith or lack of it. It was about who Jesus was. The One who walks on water. The One who calms the storm. The One who grabs you the second you start to go under.
And thatâs the part we donât talk about enough. The rescue.
The Other Disciples: The Ones Who Stayed in the Boat
We give Peter a lot of grief for sinking, but letâs not forgetâhe was the only one who stepped out. There were twelve guys in that boat. Only one got out.Â
What about the other eleven?Â
They saw the same storm. They saw Jesus walking on water. They heard Him say, âTake courage! Itâs me. Donât be afraid.â But they stayed put.
Why?
Maybe they were waiting for the storm to calm down first. Maybe they were afraid of looking stupid. Maybe they just figured walking on water was Peterâs thing.
But hereâs whatâs important: they didnât get rebuked for doubting, because they never took the risk in the first place.
And thatâs how a lot of us live.
We watch other people step out in faith. We stay in our comfort zones, waiting for the perfect momentâwhen the storm passes, when it feels safer when weâre absolutely sure we wonât fail.
But the boat wasnât the safest place. The storm didnât stop because they stayed inside. The only one who truly experienced Jesus in a new way that night was the one who stepped out.
And thatâs the challenge.
- Are we willing to take the risk?
- Are we okay with looking a little foolish?
- Are we willing to step out, knowing thereâs a chance we might sink (but also knowing Jesus will catch us when we do)?
Because faith isnât just about believing in Jesus. Itâs about getting out of the boat.
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The Real Lesson: Faith Isnât Fearless
People love to turn this story into a simple lesson: âJust have faith, and you wonât sink.â But thatâs not actually what happens here.
Peter had faith. If he didnât, he never wouldâve stepped out of the boat in the first place. The problem wasnât that he lacked faithâit was that he let fear take over.
And honestly, thatâs way more relatable. Faith doesnât mean youâre never afraid. It means you move forward anyway.
Peter walked on water not because he was fearless, but because for a few brief, incredible moments, his focus was locked on Jesus.
But then he saw the wind. He felt the spray of the waves. And suddenly, instead of trusting in what Jesus had called him to do, he started thinking about what was happening around him. And thatâs when he started sinking.
Ever been there?
You take the risk. You step out in faith. And at first, itâs exhilarating. The business idea, the new job, the move to a new city, the bold conversationâyou feel sure itâs what God is leading you to do.
But then the challenges hit. The fear creeps in.
What if this was a mistake?
What if I canât actually do this?
What if I sink?
And suddenly, instead of walking in confidence, youâre going under.
But hereâs the best part: Jesus doesnât let Peter drown. He grabs him. Even though Peter doubted. Even though Peter panicked.
Thatâs the lesson.
Faith isnât about never feeling fear. Itâs about keeping your focus on Jesus, stepping out anywayâand trusting that if you start sinking, Heâll catch you.
Why This Story Still Matters Today
This isnât just some cool miracle from 2,000 years ago. Itâs our story, every single day.
Everyone has a boatâthat place of safety, routine, and control. Maybe for you, itâs a stable job, a predictable life, or a faith that never gets tested too hard. Itâs comfortable.
Everyone has a stormâsomething that shakes your confidence and threatens to pull you under. A diagnosis. A job loss. A relationship falling apart. Anxiety, doubt, fear, failure.
And at some point, everyone has a moment where Jesus says, "Come." And when that moment comes, you have two choices:
- Stay in the boat. Watch from a safe distance. Never take the risk. Never step into something that requires real faith.
- Step out. Do something that makes zero logical sense. Trust God even when everything in you is screaming that youâre going to sink.
The thing is, faith isnât about playing it safe. If Peter had never stepped out, he never wouldâve walked on water. He also never wouldâve had the experience of being caught by Jesus.
Because the real question isnât, âWill you sink?â You probably will at some point. Fear, doubt, distractionâit happens.
The real question is, âDo you know who to call when you start going under?â
Peter messed up. He lost focus. But the second he cried out, Jesus grabbed him. No hesitation. No disappointment. Just rescue.
And thatâs why this story still matters.
Because every time we step out in faith, weâre going to have moments where we sink. But if our first instinct is to reach for JesusâHe will always be there to pull us up.
FAQs About Peter Walking on Water
Where in the Bible did Peter walk on water?
Youâll find the story in Matthew 14:22-33. Itâs the only Gospel that includes Peter stepping out of the boatâMark and John mention Jesus walking on water, but they leave out Peterâs bold (and slightly chaotic) moment.
Why was Jesus pulling Peter out of the water?
Because Peter was sinking. He started off strong, but then he got distracted by the wind and waves, freaked out, and went under. The second he yelled, âLord, save me!â Jesus grabbed him immediatelyâno hesitation, no letting him struggle. This wasnât just about saving Peter from drowningâit was a lesson in trust, focus, and faith.
What is the exact verse from Matthew 14:22-33?
Hereâs the full passage (NIV):
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. âItâs a ghost,â they said, and cried out in fear.
"But Jesus immediately said to them: âTake courage! It is I. Donât be afraid.â
"âLord, if itâs you,â Peter replied, âtell me to come to you on the water.â
"âCome,â he said.
"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, âLord, save me!â
"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. âYou of little faith,â he said, âwhy did you doubt?â
"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, âTruly you are the Son of God.ââ
When did Peter walk on water?
This happened right after the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had just pulled off one of His most famous miracles, but instead of soaking in the crowdâs praise, He went off alone to pray. Meanwhile, the disciples were out in the boat struggling against the wind.
Sometime between 3 AM and 6 AM (a.k.a. the âfourth watch of the nightâ), Jesus came walking toward them on the waterâwhich, understandably, scared them half to death. Thatâs when Peter had his big moment.