I was praying a couple of weeks ago about Grace Chapel and what God wanted to do in us and through us as a church in this season of ministry. I began to hear this word over and over in my heart: "Cast out your nets, again. Cast out your nets, again."
I remember well the story of how, in Luke 5:4-10, Jesus instructed the disciples to do that very thing after a long night of fishing that had left their nets empty. Jesus had been ministering to the people and after he finished, he told his disciples, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch". Peter responded by explaining to Jesus, probably with some frustration and weariness, how they had been fishing all night and had not caught anything.
This is a lot like where I am; I feel like I have already been "fishing," or ministering, for a long time without any great results. And, as I have prayed, I have asked God for new and exciting strategies for reaching more and better disciples. Yet, here He is saying to me, like he did to the disciples, "Cast out your nets, again". Why would we do what we have already been doing and expect any different results?
Peter, though, did have enough sense to submit to Jesus' instruction out of obedience. He ultimately replied, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets". Of course, once they obeyed Jesus and cast out their nets again, their nets were filled beyond capacity!
I now understand God's gentle instruction to me to "cast out our nets, again" as a promise that He will add new power and effectiveness to our weary acts of ministry. Many of us have ministry ideas, experience, and strategies but have become discouraged in doing them. We are disappointed in the lack of results.
Yet, the Holy Spirit is breathing new life into those acts of service and ministry, which will bring new results. His "fresh anointing" will revive the old and proven basic strategies of the church to reach the lost. If you let Him encourage you to renew your willingness to obey Him and do what you already know to do, you will see a new harvest. So, lets all "cast our nets, again".
Pastor Richard
Agreed. I have to be honest and say that I am guilty of saying/thinking... "We've tried that." or "We just did that." I am thinking "... and it didn't work." That leads to a discouragement that feels like NOTHING will work, or that nothing CAN be done. The truth is that WE can't do it. Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." I always find it interesting that he didn't say, "Apart from me you can't do anything.", he says, "... you CAN do NOTHING." It's easy to get worn out doing a lot of nothing.
But, we must always be willing to be obedient and to do anything and everything to reach anyone and everyone. even if we have done it before.