Praise be to the Glorious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
God is Good and His mercy Endures forever
I am going to title my short exhortation as
‘My Toolbox’
In Hebrew word for tools is Kli – (Klee). It’s a very flexible word in the Hebrew Bible.
vessel, tool, Utensil or instrument. Depending on context, it can mean:
• Tools (for farming, war, work)
• Weapons
• Vessels (bowls, pots, jars)
• Instruments (musical, priestly, temple)
• Clothing/armor (sometimes considered “equipment”).
Introduction:
Every home has a toolbox.
Some are big,
some are small.
Every house has a toolbox, but in some homes it’s nice and organized. In my house? You need a search party just to find a screwdriver!
1. Screwdriver
2. Hammer
3. Wrench
4. Measuring Tape
5. Leveler
6. Marker/Pen
7. Saw
8. Drill
9. Sandpaper
10. Compass
11. Paintbrush
12. Spanner
13. Oil can
14. Flash light
And in every toolbox, there’s always a hammer.
Somehow the hammer becomes the answer to everything ...
loose nail? Hammer.
Wobbly chair? Hammer.
Stubborn TV remote? …well, hammer probably isn’t the right tool for that one!
And have you noticed no matter how many tools you own, the one you really need is always missing?
That’s why we end up using butter knives as screwdrivers and pliers as hammers.
The truth is, our spiritual life can look just like that.
God has given us all the right tools, but often they’re hidden in the bottom of the box… or we’re trying to fix everything with just one tool.
I am going to start off with a rhetorical question.
What’s in your spiritual toolbox?
We all have one.
Some tools we go to every day — prayer, Bible reading, Praise and worship.
Every day when we get up in the morning – instead of turning on to a channel to listen to God’s word or worship songs – 'YOU BECOME THE CHANNEL' and Pray to GOD – Have a conversation with HIM. Ask him what is His will in your life for today.
Bible Reading – It is good to read many chapters a day – but without understanding or read even one verse a day and try to live that verse on that day?
Worship – There are different kinds of worship – Personal worship, Public worship.
Other tools we keep tucked away — Galatians 5:22–23.
• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience (long-suffering) - Hebrew (’erekh appayim) – Long nose. (Slow to anger) - Exodus 34:6 — “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering (erekh appayim), and abundant in goodness and truth.”
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control
1. Peter’s Tool:
Luke 5: —
5 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 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.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
John 21:3 to 6 — (This is the post – resurrection catch)
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
The disciples fished all night and caught nothing until Jesus instructed them to 'cast the nets'. This is their ‘second call’.
After the first call in Mathew 4th chapter, Peter, Andrew, James and John had gone back to finishing. All this while, they had watched Jesus show is authority in the Synagogue, healing the sick, drove the demons but now He is establishing authority over them. He helped them in their work, which made them to leave and cleave to Jesus because he was able to change their work life.
There are three different kinds of Catching.
1. Peter (cast net) – Cast Net - used for big catches (but specific area)
2. Paul (dragnet teaching) - Acts 17, Acts 18, etc. – Paul goes to Athens, Corinth, Thessalonians, meets Aquila and Priscilla – accompanies in ministry and teaches in synagogues, marketplaces, and cities, reaching crowds. - a large net, dragged to gather many fish at once. Some believed, some moked but many accepted.
3. Philip & the Ethiopian (hook/one-on-one) - Acts 8:26–40 – Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26–40. -
• The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship (so he was returning from Jerusalem).
• On his way back home to Ethiopia, he was traveling in his chariot and reading the book of prophet Isaiah.
• That’s when the Spirit of the Lord told Philip to approach the chariot.
• Philip explained the Scriptures (Isaiah 53 – the messianic prophecy) and preached Jesus to him.
• The eunuch believed, asked to be baptized, and Philip baptized him right there.
So, the eunuch was on his way back from Jerusalem when Philip met him.
Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch on the road and explains Scripture to him. Hook ? precise, targeted catches one at a time.
• Catching Fishes in the night time is much easy than catching it in Day when there is a lot of visibility.
• Night time fishing involved shallow waters but day fishing involves deep waters.
• Peter and his team was prepared to fish in the night
• He had tools (Cast net) for fishing in the night
• He wanted to make his job easy.
• He did not have tools to fish in the day.
• Jesus made him move deeper and cast his net.
• The catch was greater
• The catch needed more effort
• It needed stronger tools (dragnet) because the net was breaking.
The Hebrew word for Tool is (Klee) which means tools, vessels, instruments.
Many at times, when you involve or when you link up with GOD in a catch – be ready because you may not have the right tool.
Peter said I toiled the whole night lord, and did not catch even a single fish. Peter’s regular tool did not work this time.
THEN, Peter opened his tool box. His spiritual tool box and he pulled out a tool that said, OBEDIENCE. – the Bible says - nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Peter exercised HIS NEW TOOL FROM HIS TOOLBOX – THE OBEDIENCE. His Obedience brought him a great catch.
Key Points in Context
• Peter’s honesty: He admits he and the other fishermen worked all night with no success. – Peter was probably in his mid 20s.
• Obedience despite doubt: “Nevertheless, at your word…” - he trusts Jesus’ command even though it seems illogical.
• Miracle: When they obey, they caught an overwhelming number of fish.
God did not use fisherman as Blessing but in
Jeremiah 16:16 = Fishermen were sent to capture the Israelites who were going away from God. Fishermen/fishing was used to discipline.
• Sometimes in our spiritual toolbox, the tool we need is obedience.
You know that moment when you’ve tried everything, but nothing works? God may just be asking you to ‘let down the net’ — not in your wisdom, but at His word. That’s when the miracle happens.
Keep casting. Your job is obedience; God’s job is the catch.
Who are you casting your net for?
2. David’s Tool
Weapons — Spiritual Warfare
Story Context: 1 Samuel 17:45
• Situation: David faces Goliath, the Philistine giant.
• David’s “tool”: A sling and five smooth stones.
• Others’ perspective: Saul’s armor and sword were heavy and unfamiliar to David.
• Key point: David didn’t try to use someone else’s tool; he used what he knew.
Spiritual Lesson:
• David’s sling = prayer, trust, and obedience.
• Weapon of choice = your faith in God.
• 1 Samuel 17:45: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts…”
• God equips us with the right weapons for the battle.
Modern Toolbox Application:
Our spiritual weapons are listed in Ephesians 6:10–18:
o Belt of truth
o Breastplate of righteousness
o Shoes of the Gospel of peace
o Shield of faith
o Helmet of salvation
o Sword of the Spirit (Word of God)
Like David’s sling, these tools are powerful in God’s hand, even if they seem small or ordinary.
Reflection Question: The thing that we are going to ask is – are we ready with these weapons or are they gathering dust in our toolbox?
• Like David, you may face giants in your life — but God equips you with tools you know and trust.
David didn’t need Saul’s armor; he needed the sling God had trained him with. Likewise, God doesn’t call you to use someone else’s tool — He equips you with what works for you.
Key verse: 2 Timothy 3:17 – “So that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3. Bezalel – God’s Artisan for the Tabernacle
Reference: Exodus 31:1–6
Background:
After the Israelites came out of Egypt and were wandering in the desert, God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle- a portable sanctuary where His presence would dwell among His people. This was not a simple task; it required skilled craftsmanship to make holy furniture, curtains, garments, and sacred tools. God chose Bezalel, from the tribe of Judah - young, relatively unknown, and not a public leader. Yet God filled him with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and extraordinary skill. Bezalel was able to design and build everything exactly according to God’s command. Though he worked alongside Oholiab and other craftsmen, God uniquely empowered Bezalel with supernatural ability, showing us that when God calls someone, He also equips them for the work.
Spiritual Lessons:
1. God equips ordinary people for extraordinary purposes.
2. Skill and wisdom are gifts from God — tools in His hands.
3. Obedience (Like Peter) + Faith in God (Like David) + God’s empowerment in Bezelel’s Life = effective service for His kingdom.
• Peter’s Obedience – Even when it didn’t make sense (“Nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net” – Luke 5:5), Peter obeyed, and the result was an overflowing catch.
• David’s Faith – Facing Goliath, David trusted not in armor or sword, but in God’s strength. His faith turned an impossible battle into victory.
• Bezalel’s Empowerment – He wasn’t a preacher or warrior, but God filled him with skill, wisdom, and creativity to build the Tabernacle. His hands became holy tools.
Lesson: When obedience, faith, and God’s empowerment come together, ordinary people become powerful vessels for God’s kingdom.
"Bezalel was just a young artisan, unknown to most, but God’s Spirit filled him with the exact skills needed for a holy task. Like him, you may feel ordinary, but God can make you a vessel for His glory."
Don’t diminish your skills if they are not like Moses and Aaron.
Every one of us has a spiritual toolbox. The question is: are you using the tools God has already given you?
Closing verse: Zechariah 4:6 – “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”
Your TOOLBOX is designed by your Life stage.
Toolbox by Life Stage
1. Youth / Early Years
Tools: Curiosity, learning, obedience, boldness, energy
Biblical Example: Bezalel — a young artisan filled by God with wisdom and skill for a specific task
Lesson: God equips young people with energy, creativity, and a teachable spirit to begin building their spiritual life and discovering their calling.
2. Young Adult / Early Ministry
Tools: Faith, prayer, personal evangelism, discernment
Biblical Examples: Peter (mid-20s, married) — learning obedience through the cast net
Philip — one-on-one evangelism using the “hook”
Lesson: God trains young adults to step out in faith, use different tools, and actively serve—sometimes in crowds, sometimes one person at a time.
3. Mature Adult / Established Ministry
Tools: Teaching, leadership, wisdom, mentoring, dragnet-style outreach
Biblical Example: Paul — city-wide teaching, church planting, and mass impact
Lesson: God equips mature believers with wisdom and influence to reach communities and disciple many.
4. Later Life / Experienced Years
Tools: Patience, restoration, counseling, guidance for the next generation
Biblical Example: Peter (second call) — restored after failure, mentoring and leading the early church
Lesson: God uses seasoned believers to restore others, offer counsel, and guide the next generation with wisdom and grace.
Sermon Illustration:
Just like a toolbox has different tools for different jobs, God equips us differently for each stage of life. Youth get courage and curiosity, adults get influence and teaching skills, and the mature get wisdom and mentoring tools.
You will be the Klee in God’s hand.
Closing - Zechariah 4:6 – “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”
Finally, the Toolbox itself is the Holy Spirit within you. He will guide you to use the right tools when it is needed.
We become the tools in HIS hands. Like arrows in a hands of a Warrior and like a pot on the potter’s wheels. We are shaped for HIS kingdom purpose.
When you go back home today, and you see your toolbox (or even just a hammer, screwdriver, or kitchen utensil), remember this:
• Ask yourself: What’s in my spiritual toolbox?
• Am I using the tools God has already given me, or are they gathering dust?
• Do I need to pick up a new tool — like prayer, fasting, or obedience?
• Do I need to sharpen an old tool — like my faith or patience?
When you open your actual toolbox at home and search for a screwdriver, let that remind you: “Am I ready with the right spiritual tool for God’s work in my life today?”
• Don’t leave your toolbox closed.
• Don’t keep your best tools hidden.
• Let the Holy Spirit guide your hand to the right tool at the right time.
Every house has a toolbox, but not every toolbox is used. Will yours just gather dust, or will you let God use it for His kingdom?"
