Bible Reading: Joshua 16-18; Luke 5:1-16
“And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy world I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” Luke 5:5-6(KJV)
Most times the word of God runs contrary to humanly proven ideas and believes. It is believed in the fishing circle that fishes move more in the night and so the night is the best time for fishermen to operate and catch a lot of fish. Peter and his companions were professional fisherman who understood this tested and proven behaviour of fish in their movement. When Jesus asked them to launch into the deep, Simon and his companion knew that was not in tandem with their professional knowledge. This was the reason Peter was reminding Christ that they toiled all night, a period for fishing but they caught nothing. They knew that the instruction of Christ contradicts the principles of fishing. However, having witnessed the teaching of Christ, Peter acted in believe and trust on His word.
The whole idea of faith is believe, trust, action and result. Peter’s word demonstrates absolute confidence and trust. The word, “nevertheless” can be properly interpreted to mean ‘even at that’. The statement made by Peter and that made by the three Hebrew children in Daniel are similar, “ ……We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:16b-18(KJV). The two statement are declaration of believe and trust. Peter said nevertheless or ‘even at that’, at thy word I will let down the net. The Hebrew children said, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. The two statement had action. Peter let down the net, the three Hebrew children refused to worship the image and were thrown into the furnace. The results were they enclosed great multitude of fishes and divine deliverance of the three Hebrew children unhurt from the fiery furnace.
Putting confidence and trust in God’s word releases your faith to believe what it says. When that happens the prophetic declaration of God’s word begin to produce physical manifestation. That is why faith is aptly defined in Hebrews 11:1(KJV), “Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The result is evidence of things not previously seen but declared. It is our believe, trust and acting on God’s word that will see us operating in the realm of divinity according to the scriptures in 2 Peter 1:4(KJV), “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…..” Promises are meant to be believed for it to materialize. The promises of God are to us and our children.
My dear reader, it is my prayer that the grace to believe, trust and act on God’s word be released on you.
Prayer: Father give me grace to live by your word as a lifestyle.
Pastor Joel Ezeugo