Are You Ready for a Miracle?
by Pastor James May
Luke 5:1-11, "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, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 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. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 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. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 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. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 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. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."
It had been a long, hard night in the “garden of the prince”, for such was the name of the lake where these men had labored. The “garden of the prince”, better known as the Lake of Gennesaret, or the Sea of Galilee, had always been a rich source of fish. For many years three professional fishermen, Simon Peter and, James and John, the sons of Zebedee had supported their families from their daily catch of fish.
But this night had been disappointing. Though they had cast their nets time and time again, the nets would only be empty when they reeled them in. The darkness of the night added to their gloom and it seemed that this night would never end.
Have you ever heard that saying, “the darkest hour is just before dawn”? Well, these fishermen were in that darkest hour, worn out, discouraged and hungry. They welcomed the twilight of day and as the sun began to rise in the east, they finally brought their empty boats to shore.
Then began the daily task of cleaning their nets. Professional fishermen know that if they don’t clean the nets, the rope or cords used to make it will begin to decay. Nets were expensive and they certainly could not buy another with the catch of fish that they had.
Working through their fatigue to clean their nets, the fishermen didn’t see the crowds that were approaching at first, then the noise grew nearer and they looked up to see a man walking toward them with a throng following him as though they were waiting for him to give them a great gift.
They were accustomed to priests and members of the Sanhedrin Council coming by with a crowd following them. They really didn’t pay much attention, but continued to clean their nets.
Then a strange thing happened. This time the priest just didn’t pass by. As the crowds pressed upon him to receive something of him, the priest stepped into the boat of Simon Peter to get away from the crowd and asked Peter to pull away from the shore just a little distance.
Of course Peter didn’t know who this priest was, but it didn’t matter, he was a teacher in Israel and Peter was just too tired to argue, so he pushed away from the shore and anchored there while the priest spoke to the crowd from his boat.
I don’t know what Jesus spoke about that day. The breeze blowing to shore from the sea and the water at his back was a natural amplifier so that all who stood nearby could hear him easily.
Peter, James and John had finished washing their nets now and they were just waiting for the teacher to finish his speech, then they would finally get a chance to rest from their labors.
They didn’t know who this priest was. They didn’t know that Jesus had stepped into their boat and into their lives, and that from this day on, their lives would be eternally changed. They didn’t know that Jesus had already chosen them to be his disciples. They didn’t know that a miracle had already begun to happen in their lives. The miracle was there; they just hadn’t seen it yet!
Many of you, and probably all of you, here this morning are living a life filled with labor. You have poured your energy into making a living for yourself and your family. Day after day passes, and nothing much really changes. The rut is still there and the rat race of life goes on and on. You feel like a squirrel in a cage, you are constantly running, wearing yourself out, but you never get anywhere.
You know that it takes hard work and a lifetime commitment to earn your living. You know that there are no free lunches. You know that no one is going to step up and pay your bills for you, or feed your family, and so you accept your responsibility and thank God that he gives you a job to work at and good health to do the work that you have to do.
You are true to that little poem that goes like this:
It’s titled “How to Avoid Frustration”
Keep your shoulder to the wheel
Your hand to the helm
Your eye on the ball!
Your nose to the grindstone
Your ear to the ground
And you will not have time to
Put your foot in your mouth.
Day turns into night, night turns into day, and there you are, still casting your net, drawing it back, and getting nothing but disappointment time and again.
Most of us operate in a constant State of Insanity and we don’t even know it. Living in insanity has been defined as “continuing to do the same thing day after day and expecting different results.”
It’s like that in the natural world, and it’s like that in the spiritual world also. We come to church day after day, but nothing seems to really change. We just can’t seem to get the reward of our labor for the Lord. We try to cast out our net and bring in a spiritual harvest but it seems to come back empty every time.
How many times have you prayed for healing and it didn’t come?
How many times have you prayed for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost in your heart and God still seems to be turning a deaf ear?
How many times have you prayed for God to use you in a mighty way to reach the lost, or to build up the congregation of the church, and nothing really great ever happens? How many times have you felt like just giving up and going back to “veg out” in front of the TV and forget that there is a call upon your life?
I want you to know that Jesus has stepped into your life, and into your boat this morning. He is already with you, and in you! It’s not because of a lack of power or the lack of the presence of the Lord or a lack of his direction that we get so frustrated with our own spirituality. Jesus hasn’t left us. He hasn’t changed. His power is just as real today as it was 2000 years ago. So what is the problem? Why don’t we see the miracles?
Most of the time we just fail to realize who we are in Christ and what Jesus would have us to do and we miss out on the miracles just because we are tired of the fight.
Peter, James and John didn’t know what to make of this situation. This priest spoke for a long while and I wonder if Peter had trouble even staying awake through the sermon? Somehow I just can’t picture Peter sleeping while Jesus was teaching. The words that were coming from Jesus’ lips carried a power in them and he spoke with such authority that the words seemed to just reach right down into your inner most being and squeeze your heart and stimulate your mind. Jesus had a captivating power in his words for those same lips had spoken the world into existence.
At the end of the sermon, Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Launch out into the deep”. Peter it’s time to go fishing again.
Can you imagine what went through the mind of Peter? Now look here Mr. Priest, whoever you are, you might be a great teacher and a wonderful leader, but I’m the fisherman here! I have fished all night for nothing. I’ve been waiting here for you to finish so I could go home to rest. I’m tired, I’m hungry and besides that I’ve just finished cleaning my nets, and now you want to go fishing again. I don’t think so. Just talk to the hand because the face isn’t listening to this!
Have you ever felt like Peter? There have been times when I felt that I couldn’t make another step. I had done all that was in my power to do. My strength had taken me as far as I could go. I was like a Thanksgiving turkey. Just still a fork in me, I’m done!
Then I would feel the Holy Ghost saying to me, “you need to pray”, or “you need to study”, or “you need to go visit one of your church members”, or “you need to call them and check on them”, or “you need to go out witnessing”.
But Lord, I have been working hard all day. I’ve tried to witness on the job. I’ve listened to the Word of God being preached several times as I drove down the highways. I’ve read the Bible several times today during lunch and break times. I’ve prayed as I traveled along and I’ve tried to meditate upon your Word and sought your will for my life all during the day.
Now Lord, I’m tired, and you want me to go a step further! I just don’t know if I can do it! But, if that’s what you want, then I’ll do it, but I can’t see where it’s going to accomplish much. Surely my spirit is willing, but this old flesh is just so weak!
I can sympathize with Peter, how about you?
Then something within began to inspire Peter. When the word of the Lord begins to take hold of your heart, something wonderful is going to happen. When you begin to obey his commands and to do the will of God, then strength will come. Only after you have begun to obey will the commitment begin to happen.
You don’t get committed, then go to work on the calling of God in your life – first you hear the call, and then you go to work in obedience, and then comes the commitment! That’s the way it always works. Too many people won’t do anything in the church because they are afraid of commitment. Don’t worry about the commitment; just worry about obeying the voice of the Lord.
When God begins to perform the miracles in your life then you won’t have a problem with the commitment.
Peter was tired, worn out, sleepy, hungry and ready to quit for the day, but when he obeyed God and cast out the net, and began to draw in more fish than he had ever seen, he was suddenly committed and excited. He forgot about being tired. He forgot that he had already washed his nets. He forgot that he was hungry. He forgot that he wanted to go home and rest. The work before him, and the dream that was coming true before his very eyes, and the excitement of seeing the miracles come true gave him the energy to get the work done.
I’ve heard it said that people aren’t really lazy; they are just uninspired and unmotivated! Well, the problem is that too many would rather remain uninspired and unmotivated because they don’t want to quit being a couch potato. It’s hard to make yourself get up and get moving.
Proverbs 6:6-11 says of such a person, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man."
Are you ready for a miracle in your life? If you are then you will never get it by being a couch potato. You will never get a miracle by being uncommitted, uninvolved, and uninspired! You will never get a miracle by living in disobedience to God’s call to your life, or by doing nothing.
Miracles only come when we are living in obedience to God’s Word and doing what he has called us to do!
Let me give you some examples:
How many of you want a financial blessing or need a financial miracle? Since most of life is governed in some manner by our financial condition, this area of life seems to be one of our greatest concerns.
Let me tell you how to get a miracle in your finances! Are you ready for this? Do you really want to know? Do you really want God to open the windows of Heaven and pour out financial miracles upon you? Well get ready – here comes your miracle – if you will do what I’m about to tell you!
Obey God in the giving of your tithes and offerings!
What! That’s what it takes to get a miracle from God? We have to give it to him in order to get it back? Yes, that’s the answer folks. You don’t believe me? Then look with me at the following verses and see what it takes to get a miracle!
Malachi 3:8-11, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts."
Some of you are determining right now that you are not going to do what Malachi says to do and you are never going to see God’s blessings financially, nor are you ever going to see financial miracles happen in your life. God will have mercy on you, and you might squeak by somehow through his grace, but you are never going to be debt free, you’re never going to get your head above water, and you are always going to feel like you are drowning in financial problems. If we live in direct disobedience to the Word of God how can we expect a miracle? Are your ready for a miracle? Then obey God!
How many of you want a miracle of healing? How bad do you want a miracle of healing?
Well here’s how to get your healing!
Malachi 4:2, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall."
One requirement for a miracle of healing is that you must allow the Son of Righteousness to arise in your heart. Jesus is your only source of healing, not the doctors, not the medications, and not the psychiatrist, just Jesus! You have to have a close, personal, one on one, intimate relationship with Jesus. Some people who want miracles of healing know their doctor more than they know Jesus and they talk to the doctor more than they talk to Jesus and they swallow medicine more than they digest the Word of God. Then they wonder why they are still sick. You have to know the Healer before you can get the miracles of healing in operation in your life.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."
Another requirement for receiving your healing is that you must live for the Lord, not just in your heart, but in your body as well. God gave us this body as a temporary home to do his will. But how many people abuse this temple of the Holy Ghost by overeating, drinking, smoking, committing act of immorality and defiling it by what they read, what they hear and what they think about all the time?
It’s no wonder that so many are sick when they violate every law of the Word of God when it comes to treating their bodies like the temple of the Holy Ghost.
None of us would consider coming into the church, throwing paper and dirt everywhere, overturning the pews, knocking the pictures off the wall, marking up the wall with pens, or just destroying the sound equipment. But that’s what we do to our body, the very temple where Jesus lives in us, and then we wonder why we can’t get a miracle of healing!
Are you ready for a miracle? Are you ready for your healing? Then start treating your body like it is truly the temple of the Holy Ghost and in God’s time, your healing will come!
What about a miracle of salvation for your soul? What about the miracle of cleansing the sin from your heart and life? What about the miracle of receiving the Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues? What about the miracle of eternal life?
Are you ready for those miracles as well?
Most people don’t even think of those things as real miracles but these are the greatest miracles of all and we take them for granted.
People will seek after the miracles of finance, the miracles of healing, and the miracles that are visible, tangible and that affect our flesh, but many won’t seek after or desire the spiritual miracles that God offers.
Peter began to haul those fish in. There were so many that the boat began to sink so he had to call for help to hold all the blessings that he received for his simple act of obedience.
That’s the kind of miracles that I want this morning! I want God to pour out his miracles upon my life in such a manner that I will have to give most of it away because it’s just too much for me to hold. I want those windows of Heaven to open and for God to pour out his anointing, his power, his glory, his presence in such a manifestation that it not only supplies all that I need, but that it fills you to overflowing and then flows on out to touch everyone around us.
I’m ready for a miracle right now – How about you? Are you ready for Jesus to pour out his blessing upon you? Are you ready to receive those blessings that God has for you?
Then obey God this morning! Give your heart and life to him without reservation! Give your soul to him! Give all that you are to him! Give your obedience to him! Give it all away and watch him begin to give it back to you.
Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Peter fell down at Jesus’ feet and worshipped him, and then he received the call to walk with the Lord as his disciple and become a fisher of men.
If you really want to see God’s miracles in your life, fall down and worship him. Recognize that Jesus is God and that he is your source and nothing else.
If you really want God’s miracle working power to be made real in your life then you have to learn to obey his Word first.
If you really want God’s miracle working power in your life, then give your life to him in service!
If you really want God’s miracles of healing in your life, then give him your body as the temple of the Holy Ghost!
If you are ready for a miracle – then surrender your will to his will and let Jesus reign as the Lord of your life and the Savior of your soul!
I’m ready for a miracle – How about you?
