We have toiled all night and have taken nothing
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net (Luke 5:5 KJV)
After using Peter’s fishing boat for the ministry, Jesus instructed him to let down his fishing nets for a catch. Obeying this instruction meant acting against his fishing experience for Peter. However, when Peter obeyed, the result was two fishing boats sinking with fish to the astonishing of the fishermen.
Peter’s fishing team toiled all night and caught nothing— nighttime being the best time to fish. The unsuccessful fishing expedition ended a bad fishing day, crushing their expectations. Still, it does not imply Peter was not a failure in fishing; it was one bad fishing day. The scripture calls these days “the evil day” in our Christian lives (Ephesians 6:13): that day when challenges come at us. Life’s challenges come on particular days rather than daily. Although the evil day was a bad fishing day for Peter, it could come as a challenge in different areas in our lives today: family, home, ministry, job, or business.
Jesus spoke to Peter, and he responded appropriately, changing the outcome of the day. Please note Peter was in the boat with Jesus, sat through the entire sermon, and listen to everything Jesus said. Jesus’s teaching most likely had a profound impact on Peter’s perception of Him. When Jesus instructed him to cast his fishing nets, despite the initial hesitation, he trusted Jesus’s words and obeyed.
Peter’s turned his lousy day into a victorious one by responding to the Word of God. Therefore respond to the Word in the evil day and turn challenges into miracles.
There were so many, yet was not the net broken.
What was Peter probably thinking as he sat in the boat listening to Jesus teach?
Peter did two important things: he sat in the atmosphere of the Word and then responded when Jesus instructed him to act. Be spiritually prepared always, so when challenges come, you can react appropriately to obtain victory.
Ask the Spirit to help you respond to the Word as Peter did.
Read more
Toiling without Success.
Looking unto Jesus and away from other things.
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