Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat (Luke 5:3)
FAITH FOR A MIRACLE IS ACQUIRED BY HEARING GOD’S WORD
The multitude was pressing Jesus and therefore Jesus had to get into a place where everybody could hear the preaching of the word loud and clear.
Jesus knew the word of God is powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword and therefore He wanted to get to a place where everybody could see Him and hear His word.
Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Rom.10:17)
The Bible says He entered into Simon Peter’s boat and requested him to move his boat a little out from the land so that everybody could see him, so Simon Peter did according to instruction.
Here are some principles we need to pick up.
No.1 Simon Peter was willing to accommodate the presence of Jesus in his boat.
No 2, I believe he was listening to the word of God.
You know what? When you accommodate the presence of God in your life. When you accommodate the word of God in you. Your faith is stretched beyond a level that is your environment, and the atmosphere gets altered for a supernatural breakthrough.
And when the power of God is present, the anointing to break yokes starts to flow! How many of you know this? When God speaks, you bet, dead things will be resurrected to life.
The Bible says: And when he had finished preaching Jesus instructed Simon Peter; “put down your net for a catch.”
EVERY MIRACLE COMES WITH AN INSTRUCTION AND OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S VOICE DURING THIS PARTICULAR TIME WILL DETERMINE YOUR BREAKTHROUGH.
THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU FOLLOW WILL PRODUCE A MIRACLE IN YOUR SITUATION
But unfortunately Simon Peter was unable to connect to the spiritual temperature that was present for a miracle. Peter had no clue of what is happening here because of a fixed religious mentality. How many of us have missed out on the most significant move of God in our lives because we are tuned on to the wrong channel when the anointing is flowing in our presence?
WE HAVE OFTEN LIMITED THE POWER OF GOD
Have you been in a situation like that where you were unable to see beyond the natural for God to move in your life? When we don’t have a spiritual ear to hear and a spiritual eye to see God, you will miss out on some miracles that God wants to do in your life.
You know what was the problem there? Simon Peter was operating on human wisdom and knowledge, human clever idea, carnal thinking and by doing so he limited God.
Paul says in 1 Cor.2:14
“But the natural man does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually blind.”
Therefore Simon answered in LUKE 5: 5, and said, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.”
You see Simon Peter was initially reluctant to do what Jesus was instructing him to do. Let’s tell the truth!
Simon Peter was ignorant of the supernatural power of God. I believe he had a faith that was only religious. I believe he had a faith based on his own strength. He had a fixed mindset about God.
He did not realise that he was talking to the supernatural God of miracles in his midst. He did not realise that there was a God out there who has promised nothing is impossible if you believe. He did not realize that there was a God out there who created the world from nothing.
I believe he was confined to his canal thinking. I believe he must have been thinking: I have been fishing all through my life and with all my experience and skill I can tell you just by looking at the water that there is absolutely no fish. You see Simon Peter was trying to display his human smartness to Jesus in a very subtle manner.
But you know what? Simon Peter missed the whole point. He was unfortunately unaware that he was dealing with a God who says My ways are different from your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
How many of you know that a human clever idea is not necessarily a God idea?
YOUR GODLESS THINKING IN A CERTAIN CRUCIAL SITUATION CAN PREVENT YOU FROM RECEIVING GOD’S BEST FOR YOU IN YOUR LIFE.
Although Peter agreed to please what the master told him to do finally but nevertheless grudgingly he made his displeasure known by telling the Lord we have tried all night and we have caught nothing. What does that convey to you?
If I have understood the underlining attitude of Simon Peter’s thoughts, I can boldly say, Simon Peter was subtly pushing home the point to Jesus. Peter was thinking we know the best time to fish is during the night, now you are asking us to catch fish during the day which does not make any sense as a professional fishermen to me!
You know what?
SOMETIMES WHAT GOD INSTRUCTS US TO DO MAY SOUND RIDICULOUS TO THE HUMAN MIND.
However, I believe because of an ingredient of respect for his master he submitted to throwing his net for a catch.
Verse 6, says,
And when they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking.
Verse 7:
And they beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
HE IS A GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH
Verse 6: This was a mind blowing catch! This was an absolutely abnormal catch. This was a supernatural catch. Can you imagine the catch was so huge that they couldn’t handle it? They had to ask their colleagues from the other boat to come over to help them. The scripture says the nets were breaking. Their boat was sinking because the load of fish was too heavy.
This encounter moved Peter from the natural man and transformed him into believing in a supernatural God. I believe he came to point that all things are possible with God if only you can believe that he is a miracle-working God. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be fishing for people.”
Note: Rev Dr Jai Kumar is an ordained & licensed minister of Covenant Ministries International N.J. USA. He is a mission minded pastor who carries an apostolic anointing who preaches and teaches an uncompromising gospel with boldness. A member of ECCM (Malaysia) Spiritual Adviser & overseer to various ministries and churches. An itinerant speaker. He is also the author of a book entitled, ‘God’s Time Clock.’ Currently he worships at C3 Subang.
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Rev Dr Jai Kumar
Amen!