The Shift
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Luke 4:4 – 5 NIV
Nothing is more frustrating than exerting huge amounts of energy, effort and time to do all the right things and to still continue to come up fruitless, empty and unsuccessful. When this continues to happen on a regular basis it is very easy to become discouraged. One of the worse things that can happen to someone is for them to get to the point where they no longer care and they give up.
Peter had almost gotten to that point. Past failures have many at the same place as Peter. Think about this for a moment. Peter went fishing the night before because that was how he made a living and kept his family fed. That is a good thing and is in order. So with that in mind, it is reasonably safe to say that all of what took place the night before was the result of the career decision Peter had made.
Like many of us today we are doing our thing in what we believe to be what we should be doing. Then, for one reason or another, all of a sudden we find ourselves coming up empty. When we are doing everything we are suppose to do and still nothing is working; it is time to look at what is taking place from a different perspective.
Just because we are good at it, we may be recognized and respected by our peers for what we have accomplished and we may have made a lot of money with it in the past, but it does not mean it is what the Lord intends for us to do the rest of our lives. Peter was being frustrated by failure in something that he was good at but was not ordained to do.
Every thing has its season and time. What Peter did not realize was that his life was about to take a drastic shift. His career in the seafood industry was about to come to an abrupt end. When things start shutting down around us; be still and be attentive to listen for the voice and instruction of the Lord. One day a fisher and then suddenly the next day a fisher of men.
Just because the Lord brings us to a place and we have done well there does not mean we are to stay there a life time. Just because some one comes into our life and blesses us does not mean they are suppose to be there forever. Just because we have a degree in a certain discipline that has opened many doors for us does not mean our purpose and destiny is directly tied to it.
The Lord instructed Peter to put out into the deep and let down his nets “for a catch” and not “try to catch.” Peter obeyed the Lord after a making the Lord aware of his failures from the night before. Please get this message; yesterday, who we were, what we did and our past failures are not what matters most to the Lord; it is our obedience to the word of the Lord spoken to us now in this season that will bring us success and overflow.
Just as it was with Peter the same now holds true for us. We are at the place of a great sudden shift. This shift will position us for our true purpose and destiny. Don’t think it strange or become frustrated that what use to work for us in the past is no longer working now. That season has come to a close. That which we had and the things we have done up until now were made to bring us to this point and no further.
The raven has ceased to bring bread and flesh and the brook has dried up. It’s all apart of Gods plan that one thing ends before the start of the next. Don’t look back. Look straight ahead. Do not allow distractions to sway either to the left or to the right. Simple obedience will unlock the door. Ask Peter. Amen!
Apostle S. Louis Johnson
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Luke 4:4 – 5 NIV
Nothing is more frustrating than exerting huge amounts of energy, effort and time to do all the right things and to still continue to come up fruitless, empty and unsuccessful. When this continues to happen on a regular basis it is very easy to become discouraged. One of the worse things that can happen to someone is for them to get to the point where they no longer care and they give up.
Peter had almost gotten to that point. Past failures have many at the same place as Peter. Think about this for a moment. Peter went fishing the night before because that was how he made a living and kept his family fed. That is a good thing and is in order. So with that in mind, it is reasonably safe to say that all of what took place the night before was the result of the career decision Peter had made.
Like many of us today we are doing our thing in what we believe to be what we should be doing. Then, for one reason or another, all of a sudden we find ourselves coming up empty. When we are doing everything we are suppose to do and still nothing is working; it is time to look at what is taking place from a different perspective.
Just because we are good at it, we may be recognized and respected by our peers for what we have accomplished and we may have made a lot of money with it in the past, but it does not mean it is what the Lord intends for us to do the rest of our lives. Peter was being frustrated by failure in something that he was good at but was not ordained to do.
Every thing has its season and time. What Peter did not realize was that his life was about to take a drastic shift. His career in the seafood industry was about to come to an abrupt end. When things start shutting down around us; be still and be attentive to listen for the voice and instruction of the Lord. One day a fisher and then suddenly the next day a fisher of men.
Just because the Lord brings us to a place and we have done well there does not mean we are to stay there a life time. Just because some one comes into our life and blesses us does not mean they are suppose to be there forever. Just because we have a degree in a certain discipline that has opened many doors for us does not mean our purpose and destiny is directly tied to it.
The Lord instructed Peter to put out into the deep and let down his nets “for a catch” and not “try to catch.” Peter obeyed the Lord after a making the Lord aware of his failures from the night before. Please get this message; yesterday, who we were, what we did and our past failures are not what matters most to the Lord; it is our obedience to the word of the Lord spoken to us now in this season that will bring us success and overflow.
Just as it was with Peter the same now holds true for us. We are at the place of a great sudden shift. This shift will position us for our true purpose and destiny. Don’t think it strange or become frustrated that what use to work for us in the past is no longer working now. That season has come to a close. That which we had and the things we have done up until now were made to bring us to this point and no further.
The raven has ceased to bring bread and flesh and the brook has dried up. It’s all apart of Gods plan that one thing ends before the start of the next. Don’t look back. Look straight ahead. Do not allow distractions to sway either to the left or to the right. Simple obedience will unlock the door. Ask Peter. Amen!
Apostle S. Louis Johnson
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