“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”
Luke 5:4-7 NKJV
Peter was fine when Jesus was doing His preaching and teaching thing from his boat, but now He wants to enter his profession and tell him how to do his job. You see, once Jesus gets in your space He has some things to say about how things are done in there. And I urge you not to resist His lead. For when the love of Christ is the Why for your life, then He’ll lead you to get in alignment with His purpose for your life by…
GRANTING YOU OVERWHELMING SUCCESS IF YOUR WILLING TO FOLLOW HIS LEAD.
This is why people hire a life coach, career coach or executive coach, because they promise success or results if you’re willing to follow their lead.
Maybe you’ve succumb to the Greek philosophy of a compartmentalized life, where it’s ok for Jesus to do His thing in your church life, but your work life is a separate space you don’t really want Him to enter and lead in how you do things there. Well, no. Jesus is your Savior and Lord. As King He intends for His will, His purposes and reign to enter all of your life! The way He’s set this thing up is that, full of the Holy Spirit, whatever space you enter, there the Kingdom of God has arrived and Satan must fall!
So why did Peter eventually surrender to Jesus’ lead? I believe another, very similar scene with Jesus and Peter, two years later by the Sea of Galilea, gives us the answer. In John 21, Jesus repeats the same fish miracle and restores Peter before the other disciples. And then we learn from Jesus that the basis for Peter following Him and His instructions to feed His sheep was based on his love for Jesus! And Peter loved Jesus because he knew in his heart that Jesus loved him first! This is the same thought captured by Ellen’s inspired pen in the Desire of Ages, where she says, “After toiling all night without success, it seemed hopeless to cast the net by day; but Jesus had given the command, and love for their Master moved the disciples to obey.” DA 246.1 They loved Jesus, so they were willing to follow His lead even though it didn’t make sense to them. And thus they became overwhelmingly successful!
Let’s just be honest. Some of you have been trying to do life in your spaces your way and it’s not working! Or it’s just not bearing much fruit. Your tired and your frustrated. Yet if you surrender your will to His will and purpose for your life, then you’ll find the fulfillment and success you’ve been looking for. God actually knows how He’s wired you and what’s best for your life and flourishing. And your success is not about you!
After this miracle you would’ve thought Peter would have taken off jumping and leaping for joy down the beach, yet in his astonishment something else happens, as we’ll now see in verse 8…
STAY TUNED FOR PART 4!
CJ Cousins
CJ is a follower of Jesus, husband, father, speaker/author and Lead Pastor for Stone Mountain SDA Church, near Atlanta, GA.
