Luke 5:5
“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.”
The disciples had fished all night to no avail. While they were cleaning their nets, Jesus walked by and told them to launch out into the deep and let down their nets, for He was going to give them a “draught” of fish. The word “draught” means, a haul. In other words, Jesus was about ready to reward their labor by giving them more fish than they could handle. Yet, Peter responded by telling Jesus he would not let down the nets, but he would let down a net. Peter didn’t get it. He fished all night under his power and it didn’t work, and now he had an opportunity to really cash in on a miracle of Jesus, but he only let down the net. That lack of faith in God’s power cost him many fish. That lack of obedience to God’s command caused him to miss out on seeing the full power of God. The lack of trust in the power of God caused him to miss God’s power working through him.
Many Christians make the same mistake that Peter made in that they try to patronize God, when God doesn’t need to be patronized. God doesn’t need your “I told you so” obedience. He needs you to trust Him that He can do something mighty through you if you will do it His way. Many Christians really don’t get it when it comes to God. God doesn’t do things according to man’s wisdom and understanding.
He does things the way He chooses. If Jesus had told Peter to bring his boat to land and let down the nets for a draught of fish, he should have obeyed even though it wouldn’t have made any sense because God always follows through on what He says He will do.
Do you find yourself trying to work out your own problems? The disciples had fished all night to no avail. By the way, they were professional fishermen, but they still didn’t catch any fish. Many Christians may have put as much effort into solving their problems as the disciples did to fishing, but they find their efforts produced nothing. You must understand that a work without God’s help will fail.
Moreover, God doesn’t solve your problems according to your understanding. When God tells you to do something, He is not expecting you to understand why He says to do something a certain way, you must trust Him that He can come through as He says.
Furthermore, the key to seeing God’s miraculous power in its fullest is complete obedience. Don’t be guilty of letting down a net when He tells you to let down the nets. Don’t be guilty of patronizing God by letting down a net. That is an insult to God. Whenever God tells you to do something in a certain way, then follow it completely and don’t try to include your own methods.
Whatever the problems are that you face today, God has the answer. That answer will only be found when you completely trust and obey what He tells you to do. When you do it like God tells you to, then that is when you will see God’s power in its fullest.