Matthew 14.28-33: And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (ESV)
Typically when people refer to Peter walking on the water, emphasis is given to how he sunk and had to be rescued by Jesus. But this needs some perspective. Peter walked on the water. He did it. He climbed out of the boat and walked to Jesus.
Consider the setting of this event. Jesus had instructed His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee and go to the other side. The wind on the sea was in their faces and it was creating waves that were tormenting the boat. And in the dark hours of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the water. The disciples could not see Him very well and they thought it might be a ghost. And even though Jesus spoke to them, there still remained uncertainty as to just who it was on the water.
And herein the enormous courage of Peter is demonstrated. Peter asked Jesus to call him out to Him upon the water. It was dark. The waves were strong, and most of the disciples probably still thought it might be a ghost out there. And in spite of all of this, when Jesus told Peter to come, Peter climbed out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.
But the conditions on the water provoked fear in Peter, even as he was standing on the water right next to Jesus. And Peter began to sink. I think probably he sank slowly. Jesus took Peter by the hand and rescued him out of the water. I believe that since Jesus didn’t get down into the water to save Peter, Jesus raised him up and Peter walked with Jesus back to the boat. So Peter’s courage was restored.
The enemy of Peter was not unbelief, but it was simply doubt, because Jesus asked Peter for the reason of his doubt. So it appears from this event that the enemy of courage is doubt. Even more so than unbelief. If a person has unbelief, he or she will not get out of the boat. And the continued certainty of courage in the presence of obstacles, requires that doubt is given no place in the heart or mind. And this makes room for faith in Jesus to be present and grow.