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“Stand Firm in the Faith”The Watchtower—2015 | September 15
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1. (a) What experience did Peter have during a windstorm on the Sea of Galilee? (See opening image.) (b) Why did Peter start to sink?
THE apostle Peter and some other disciples are struggling to row their boat across the Sea of Galilee during a nighttime windstorm. Suddenly, they see Jesus walking on the sea. Peter calls out to Jesus, asking if he could walk across the water to his Master. When Jesus tells him to come, Peter gets out of the boat and miraculously walks toward Jesus on the choppy surface. Moments later, though, Peter starts to sink. Why? He looked at the windstorm and became afraid. Peter cries out to Jesus, who quickly catches hold of him and says: “You with little faith, why did you give way to doubt?”—Matt. 14:24-32.
2. What will we now consider?
2 Let us consider three aspects of Peter’s experience related to faith: (1) how Peter first showed faith in God’s support, (2) why Peter began to lose faith, and (3) what helped Peter to regain his faith. Examining these points can help us to see how we can “stand firm in the faith.”—1 Cor. 16:13.
FAITH IN GOD’S SUPPORT
3. Why did Peter climb out of the boat, and how have we done something similar?
3 When Peter climbed out of the boat to walk on the water, he did so in faith. Jesus had called him, and Peter trusted that God’s power would support him just as it was supporting Jesus. Similarly, when we dedicated ourselves to Jehovah and got baptized, we did so because of our faith. Jesus called us to be his followers, to walk in his footsteps. We had to exercise faith in both Jesus and God, trusting that they would support us in various ways.—John 14:1; read 1 Peter 2:21.
4, 5. Why is faith a precious possession?
4 Faith is truly a precious possession. Just as Peter’s faith enabled him to walk on water, our faith enables us to do things that from a human standpoint may seem impossible. (Matt. 21:21, 22) For instance, many of us have changed our attitudes and practices so drastically that we are almost unrecognizable to those who knew us before. Jehovah supported our efforts because we took these steps based on our faith in him. (Read Colossians 3:5-10.) Once our faith moved us to dedicate ourselves to Jehovah, we became his friends, something we could never have done in our own power.—Eph. 2:8.
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“Stand Firm in the Faith”The Watchtower—2015 | September 15
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LOSS OF FOCUS CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF FAITH
6, 7. (a) To what might we compare the storm and waves that surrounded Peter? (b) Why should we take seriously the possibility that our faith could diminish?
6 The wind and waves surrounding Peter as he walked on the water might be compared to the trials and temptations we face in our life of dedication to God. Even when these are severe, we can stand firm with Jehovah’s support. Recall that Peter did not sink because of a gust of wind or a big wave. Think back on the sequence of events: “Looking at the windstorm, he became afraid.” (Matt. 14:30) Peter lost his focus on Jesus, and then his faith wavered. We could begin to sink if we were to begin “looking at the windstorm,” focusing on its power and doubting that Jehovah will support us.
7 We should take seriously the possibility that our faith could diminish, for the Bible refers to a weakening of faith or loss of faith as “the sin that easily entangles us.” (Heb. 12:1) As Peter’s experience shows, our faith can quickly weaken if we focus on the wrong things.
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