Ask Big

Let’s take another look at verse twenty-eight.

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”

This, friends, blew my mind. Peter, knowing Jesus well and knowing the miracles He was capable of, asked Jesus to do something big. Right before this took place in the scripture, Jesus fed 5000 people with loaves of bread and fish. Peter had just witnessed another incredible miracle, so when Jesus came walking on water, Peter asked BIG.

“Hey Jesus! If it’s You, why don’t You have me come walk with You?” He knew the crazy, impossible things Jesus was capable of doing. Stepping out of the boat took faith, yes, but I beg to say that Peter had high hopes when He asked Jesus this request.

• Peter’s first step of faith happened when he asked Jesus to do the impossible.

This is where I feel like we get stuck. We pray for faith that will move mountains and confidence to step out of the boat, but we never ask for the miracle. We want God to show up in remarkable and mighty ways, to do the impossible in our lives. Most of us even say we believe He is able. But yet, we never ask Him for the mighty, miraculous, and impossible. We want to see a miracle, but we’re too afraid to ask for one. Instead, we play the “what if?” game. What if I pray for healing and it never comes? What if I ask for a financial miracle and I lose my home? What if I step out of the boat and sink? So rather than asking big, we keep our request to ourselves because we could look like fools if it doesn’t happen the way we hope it will. Better yet, we worry about how God may appear if He doesn’t deliver on our request. So, we sit silently.

Several years ago, I made a big request to God concerning my husband’s job situation. Afterward, I believed with everything in me that God would deliver on my request. Some time later, I was visiting with a friend on the phone and she mentioned my husband’s job. I told her he wouldn’t be there much longer. She said, “Oh, so he got another job?” I laughed and said, “No, but he will have one soon.”

She was confused, and so I shared with her about my prayer. I explained I was choosing to believe and not doubt that God would provide the job. She thought I’d lost my mind and from that point on she didn’t have much to do with me. No joke. But it wasn’t a week or two later when God provided everything we had asked for.

• He performed a miracle.

The point is, we can believe He’s able all day long, but we must have enough faith to make our request known to Him. Peter made a plea, and Jesus said yes. I understand that this will not always be the case. The “no’s” have happened plenty of times in my life. However, when we align our desires with His desires, the answer is always “yes” (Psalm 37:4). If God is saying no to you, it’s not because He doesn’t love you. It’s because He’s God and He sees your life from beginning to end, and just maybe, you’re making the wrong request. Regardless of if the answer is “yes”, “no”, or “not yet,” have faith enough to ASK BIG.

Daily Prayer:

Lord, help me have no fear when praying big. Build my faith little by little until fear is gone and there is nothing left but faith that moves mountains. God, I believe You are big enough and strong enough to do above all I can ask or imagine. I believe that You want to do big and mighty things for me, in me, and through me. Help me, Lord, to not lose sight of the glory that is gained in the process and who it belongs to. In Jesus name. Amen.

Excerpted with permission from Chasing Jesus by Cassie Downs, copyright Cassie Downs.

* * *

Your Turn

Are you praying big? If not, why not? If we don't ask big, we'll never receive it. Think about what you really want that aligns with God's Kingdom and step out in faith and ask for it! Come share with us what you're having faith for. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full