Training For Kingdom Demonstration
David W Palmer
We are currently observing and learning from Jesus in phase 3 of his apprenticeship program—I watch you. This is when he gives the apprentice leaders supervised training assignments, so he can prepare them more fully and assess their readiness to take over his mission. By watching over them in these tasks, the Master is able to discern and coach them in any areas of deficiency, so he can bring them up to his required level of competence in all areas.
Yesterday, we enjoyed a day in the fishing boat with Jesus. After a lengthy teaching session from the boat, he assigned several tasks to Peter through verbal instructions. This provided slightly more influence than the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was preparing him to follow—as we do. But even though Peter didn't have the challenges we have in being sure he heard from Jesus, he was still reluctant to obey fully and willingly. He did, however, comply with the part of Jesus's instruction that he said he would. As a result, we saw him fill two boats with a huge catch of fish despite it being the wrong time in a fruitless, dark season. Peter repented of his disobedience.
Today, we watch to see what happens next:
(Luke 5:9–11 NKJV) For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; {10} and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." {11} So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
We note the emphasis on partnership. Peter repented, he was astonished, and he was blessed in his business. Now he was more ready than ever to forsake his old life to follow Jesus— "and so also were" his "partners." This again reminds us of the importance of partnering with others in ministry. When we give some of our own provisions to provide for Jesus's called and appointed ministers, we are making our own flesh suffer somewhat by depriving it of what it could have purchased if we hadn't given anything. However, in so doing, we identify with Jesus's own suffering for the sake of his gospel. As a result, we also reap the same rewards as our partners just like Peter's miracle catch filled up both boats equally.
(Colossians 1:24 NKJV) I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.
Peter and all those "who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish" along with "James and John." This was a supernatural divine moment for Peter and his partners. Let's read this from the Amplified Bible:
(Luke 5:9 AMPC) For he was gripped with bewildering amazement [allied to terror], and all who were with him, at the haul of fish which they had made.
Something "gripped" Peter and his partners—a mixture of amazement, awe, fear, and wonder. It held fast to those young men, and radically transformed them—but not just them; through their subsequent ministry, it has been impacting the whole world ever since. That "something" is the supernatural call and grace of God. Grace so changed them in this encounter that they would never be the same again. Has this happened to you?
(Luke 5:10 BLB) Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not; from now on you will be catching men."
God's call had gripped these young men along with fear. But Jesus allayed their fear of serving God with the simple—but so very loving and powerful—statement, "fear not." Then he gave them his call, directive, overall mission, and empowerment: "from now on you will be catching men." This was also their best assessment report yet; they were getting closer to being ready for him to release them to the Holy Spirit to fulfill God's great commission.
From today's passage, we learn another important principle: God's kingdom should be clearly demonstrated as well as explained. In Peter's boat, Jesus not only taught about God's kingdom, he displayed it in operation. The Master showed clearly how—when operated according to his prescribed way—God's kingdom overrides the world, its system, and its natural laws. Jesus taught the word, and then he gave commands as he heard them from his Father by specific revelation; and when obeyed, this produced a result that even a whole night season of toil could not replicate (See: John 5:19–20).
This is very exciting and encouraging for us. First, it shows us how to operate in God's kingdom system so we too can live above the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, the devil and his inferior system. In the Garden of Eden, God wanted Adam and Eve to trust him completely by partaking exclusively from his tree of life—what grows out of him and his kingdom. The devil, on the other hand, tempted them to distrust God and to rely on their own wisdom and intellect. They succumbed. But instead of it being a better way, it led them to having to scrape out their own provision by the sweat of their brow—toiling in a very dark season (See: Gen. 3).
Satan was no help to Adam and Eve after their fall from God's grace and glory. He is a deceiver, not a provider. In essence, his temptation is: "Don't trust God to provide for you; provide for yourself with your own hard work." Ever since Adam and Eve's fall, the whole world has been under the sway of the evil one; and that's why God's kingdom system seems so foreign, unfamiliar, and/or too easy:
(1 John 5:19 NIV) We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
The whole world system is now steeped in Satan's deception: "Don't trust God; toil for wealth so you can provide for yourself." But no matter how hard we work—even in good honest employment—it never seems to be enough to live in the way we know deep inside that we should. However, Jesus came to get us back into God's rich and gracious blessing:
(Proverbs 10:22 NIV) The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
(Galatians 3:13–14 NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law … that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
In Peter's boat, Jesus demonstrated this perfectly; he showed how his system can extricate us from the curse and put us back under God's blessing. It began with lengthy focus on the word, and then exact obedience to specific, illogical instructions. In Jesus's system we are still required to work, but it is not the sweaty toil of torturous physical, mental, and emotional labour. So what is it? When Jesus was asked about the work God requires of us, this is what he said:
(John 6:27–29 NKJV) "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you." … Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" {29} Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Jesus said that the work God requires of us is to "believe"; in other words, expend your work energy on developing your faith. Grow your faith in the word; fill your heart to overflowing with generous portions of well-meditated word of God. Then release it through your mouth, and put it into actions by obeying what the Holy Spirit reveals to you to do. This is exactly what Jesus demonstrated in Peter's boat.
Today, I believe we should rearrange our lives to obtain this one pearl of great price (See: Mat. 13:34–36). Don't wait until you are made captive in a confined boat to receive the word; make sure you prioritize sitting at Jesus's feet daily, listening with an open heart, and with the intention of obeying whatever he reveals to you. Then, when you launch out and let down your nets in simple obedience, get ready for abundance—financial overflow, along with an abundance of men and women caught in Jesus's gospel net, etc.
Remember, it takes a kingdom demonstration. But when we combine preaching/teaching God's word, obedience to his revealed directives, and kingdom demonstration; they produce, not only a supernatural catch and abundant provision, but amazing life transformation as well—just as they did with Peter and his partners.
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