Stepping Into the River of Faith

Faith is easy to cheer for from the sidelines. But when God calls us to truly trust Him—to get into the wheelbarrow, so to speak—it becomes personal. The question is no longer, Do I believe He can? but rather, Am I willing to step in?

Charles Blondin’s daring tightrope walk across Niagara Falls in 1860 illustrates this perfectly. Crowds believed he could carry a person across in his wheelbarrow, but no one volunteered to climb in. Many Christians live the same way: believing God in theory, but hesitant to go “all in.”

Ezekiel’s Vision of the River

In Ezekiel 47, the prophet records a vision where water flows from the temple of God. At first it is ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, until it becomes a river no one can cross, deep enough to swim in. Wherever the river flows, life flourishes. Salt water becomes fresh, fish multiply, and fruit trees grow in abundance.

The vision is a powerful picture of the life God invites us into—a life immersed in His presence, continually moving deeper, continually transformed. Each stage of the river represents a new level of faith, trust, and surrender.

Ankle-Deep Faith: The First Step

The first step into the river is ankle-deep water. This is where faith begins. It means stepping off the safety of the shore and into the flow of God’s Spirit. For many, this is the moment of salvation—choosing to believe in Jesus and invite Him into one’s life.

Ankle-deep faith is important, but it is not the destination. Too often, Christians and even entire churches remain here—content to wade in the shallows, secure in the basics but unwilling to go further. The vision reminds us: He led me through. We are not meant to stay ankle-deep, but to be led deeper.

Knee-Deep Faith: Prayer and Surrender

From ankle to knee, the water rises, and faith requires more reliance on God. Knee-deep faith is symbolic of prayer and surrender. It is here that believers learn to bend the knee—seeking God not as a last resort but as a first response.

This stage also brings the challenge of forgiveness: forgiving ourselves, forgiving others, and sometimes releasing our disappointment toward God. It is a deeper surrender, a recognition that freedom comes when we trust Him with wounds and burdens we cannot carry.

Waist-Deep Faith: Power and Prompting

As the river rises to the waist, the current grows stronger. Here, we begin to feel the pull of God’s Spirit in a new way. Waist-deep faith is not striving but yielding—allowing God’s power to direct and carry us.

It is here that courage takes shape. Decisions are made not out of convenience but conviction. When circumstances do not make sense, waist-deep faith acts on God’s prompting, choosing obedience even without all the answers.

All-In Faith: The River Too Deep to Cross

Finally, Ezekiel describes water so deep that it could only be swum in. This is the place of total trust, where the ground is no longer under our feet and we are carried fully by the river of God. It is a place of peace and power, of being led by His Spirit rather than our own plans.

This is the life Jesus calls us to—one where we release control, where His current carries us into purpose, fruitfulness, and abundance. It is a risky place, but it is also the most secure, because we are fully in His hands.

Faith is a journey from the shore to the deep. Some remain at ankle-deep faith, others at the knees, some at the waist. But God continually invites us to more. The question is not whether He is trustworthy, but whether we will step in.

The challenge is simple yet profound: don’t just cheer from the sidelines. Step into the river. Let Him lead you deeper, until His Spirit carries you into life that overflows with abundance.