Intro: Lost Faith
Have you ever prepared for a trip either going to the beach, fishing or perhaps kayaking and when you get there you realize you forgot something you needed? What about an expectation you had for an outcome that did not turn out at all the way you desired. Our expectations and out comes are driven by faith; hoping that what we really desire will come out the way we expect. The desire for a certain outcome in interactions with family, attaining dreams, goals and during urgent circumstances can be so pressing that we wish appear like a magic trick, the rabbit coming out of a hat. We have all been there but the quest to remain faithful while we wait isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Do we believe that victory will be achieved in the end? What about the vices that hold us back; do we believe they will be destroyed and freedom will eventually take place? The real question is do you have the patience and strength to wait for the dawn that will bring what you are hoping for? Are you willing to endure the ridicule and the nay sayers that doubt what you have faith in? Do you believe there is a God that is working in your favor and not sitting back on a couch in heaven just looking down on you? If you believe then let’s go! Go get your fishing rod and fish out your faith. What do you have to lose?
The Empty Net
There are outcomes that we desire, goals we want to accomplish and success that we want to reach that lost faith can prevent us from obtaining. Faith or lack of it can make you or break you. Depending on where you stand, it can spiral you into an abyss of hopelessness or elevate your belief to soar like an eagle. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV). In other words it’s what you are hoping for and the trust of what you cannot see what is driving your faith. Here is the reality, once hope goes, so does your faith. Once you begin to only trust what you see, there goes your faith.
The story of Peter fishing will provide the key steps to preserve your faith as he displayed the fight for his. Though it may seem just like a simple fishing trip, it will unlock layers of how faith can be won or lost. “Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymusb]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing”(John 21:1-3). All night Peter drew back and forth casting his net just to receive….you guessed it, nothing. Imagine how he must have felt during the process of fishing. He could have thought, “what a waste of time, I even let my friends down.” Perhaps he was frustrated by hearing the doubting friends saying, “let’s go back to shore we will never catch anything.” You may be feeling the same way, the thoughts of discouragement are amplified while your faith diminishes. Maybe you’re saying to yourself, “I will never change, or I will never accomplish what I set out do?” Please don’t lose faith and continue to keep hope alive because the dawn will come.
Wait Until Dawn
In v 4-6 we read, 4 “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.5 He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” Note that Peter kept going. He could have given up earlier in the morning but he waited until dawn. Waiting until dawn is significant because it’s in the light of dawn that you receive the greatest clarity. It’s in the morning that decisions are best made. According to Psalms 4:8, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” When your faith is waning before you, find rest in the Lord to get a good night’s sleep. Allow yourself time to rest, reflect and wait believing God is working it out. It’s easy to make excuses, “it’s dark, I will never find my way.” Acting on impulse only creates frustration and defeat; but trusting in faith that each day God is bringing you closer to your victory and refining you in the process allows you to remain hopeful.
Cast Your Net on the Other Side
Fatih means there is a willingness to wait and trust for the answer. Experience and common sense can trump trust if you let it. Peter was an experienced fisherman yet, he listened to the voice on the shore and followed orders to cast his net on the other side. If what you are doing isn’t working or getting results, be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Maybe it’s time to cast your net on the other side. Faith takes action, according to James 2:17, 17″ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” In other words, you can have all the faith in the world and still miss out on the results because you failed to be sensitive to act on what God needed you to change. Peter could have missed out on the great catch if he would have given up and refused to cast the net on the other side. What is it that you need to change to get the results you need? For example we can trust God and pray that our health will change and that a miracle will take place, but if you don’t make the dietary changes will it make a difference? It’s like having a car fixed by a mechanic and just before leaving, you place sugar in the gas tank. Faith has to be activated on the inside. Faith is trusting in the unknown to happen and to have faith in the known God that will work it out.
Your Net is About to Over Flow
I believe your net is about to overflow to the point that your boat could capsize. The expected outcomes by faith are one change, one new decision, one alternative action away that you have been doubting to make. Recently a close friend of mine ministered to a veteran who has been out of work for 2 years. The vet has amazing skills with computer programming but because of his disability caused by losing his legs, he has doubted that anyone would ever hire him. My friend challenged him to apply for an opening at a nearby bank and stated, “what do you have to lose?” If you are waiting on the sidelines for a job to come by, chances are you will be waiting for a long time. When you speak life into your situation knowing that God knows best, your seed of faith will germinate and begin to grow. Guess what happened? He got the Job! Another example is Gideon who trusted the Lord before battle and believed that God knew best. When God brought down the count of soldiers to fight in that battle from 22,000 to a mere 300 the odds were against Gideon but he understood that if he placed his faith in God, they would be delivered. You might expect that his faith would surge based on the greater numbers of warriors to bring to the fight, yet God said “this is the action I want you to take. Bring your men down to the nearby water and have them take a drink. The men who lap the water up like a dog will be your fighters (judges 7:7).’ Gideon could have gone on to do things his way, however he took action to obey the commands of the Lord. He had the faith to believe that even with the small army, as long as God was with them, they would win. That is exactly what happened with 300 men, they routed the Midianites by breaking glass jars, blowing their trumpets and shouting, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon! (Judges 7:20)” Faith isn’t sitting and waiting for what ever you are believing in will drop into your net; you have to place your net strategically and get ready to receive your blessing. Be prepared to receive above and beyond what you have been waiting for. The outcome will be far greater than what you expected in order for only God to receive all the glory.
Your Miracle Has Already Been Prepared
Faith believes that what you are hoping for is in existence waiting for you. I say existence because even though we cannot see it the author of Hebrews challenges us to have the faith to believe in “the things not seen (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).” He goes on to say, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (Hebrews 11:3 NIV).” Peter could have never imagined that what he was looking for dinner was already being prepared for breakfast. We find Jesus preparing breakfast with a fire set and fish already cooking before Peter comes ashore. “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish (John 21:9-12 NIV).”
What you are waiting for is already cooking and being prepared for you. Just hold on and look forward to the light of dawn. Be willing to trust the voice of the Holy Spirit and test the spirits of those encouraging you to change what you have been doing. If you are willing to wait and put full force and effort on what you are hoping for, I can only imagine what your breakfast will look like on shore. What we most believe is waiting on the other side of what we hope for and will be better than what we could have imagined!
Dive Deep
- What is the miracle you have been fishing for?
- What steps have you taken to help activate the miracle you have been longing for?
- As a wait are you drawing closer to the Lord or impatiently mistrusting? Explain.