HOW TO PROSPER IN HARD TIMES
Today I want to share some insights on how to prosper in hard times from Luke 5:1-11.
1. Don’t move away from the land of your blessing even when things are not going well.
Verses 1,2 “While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.”
Simon and his partners toiled for nothing but didn’t leave their place of business. They kept doing what was in their capacity like washing their nets. Your blessings cannot be found everywhere. God has a specific place for your blessings. Deu 28:8b “…and he will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” Know that running away is not always the correct solution. Sometimes the devil discourages you so that you run bankrupt when you move to another location. You better ask God to help you know whether you are the one to run away or the spirit of poverty attacking you. The devil can send a spirit of backwardness and retardation to block your progress in life and business. As a result, you find that though you work hard, you still fail in life.
2. Use whatever you have for the Kingdom of God
Verse 3 “Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”
When Simon was in financial crisis, he heard a call to lend Jesus his boat so He could use it for an evangelistic crusade. Simon lacked fish but had a resource he could use for serving God. You too, need to use resources within your reach for God instead of staying idle waiting for a financial breakthrough. Simon was not asked to give his boat to Jesus but to allow Jesus to use it temporarily. You can lend your car, house, sitting room, mattress, bedsheet, talent, and time for God’s ministry. God never blesses a person who has nothing to give. You must discover the seed you have to open up greater blessings for your life. Matt 13:12 “For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Don’t expect always to receive from others. You also have something to give and bless others. Before you see what you don’t have, see what you have.
3. Accept instructions even if they contradict your experience
Verse 4 “And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
Simon was experienced in fishing and he knew the timing for fishing. Now he is told to go fishing in the deep sea during the daytime. God can give you instructions to do something you have never done before. Don’t argue with God. Simply obey His current instructions because His understanding is unsearchable. Isa 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable.” You struggle and fail in your life because you are reluctant to learn new things. Needs and customers are changing every day so we must be adaptive. We must understand God’s timing and seasons for every blessing.
4. Obey God’s voice even if it sounds ridiculous
Verses 5,6 “And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking.” It seems that Simon was doubting the command to go fishing at that time of the day. That’s why he said MASTER, WE TOILED ALL NIGHT AND TOOK NOTHING! BUT AT YOUR WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS." But nevertheless, he obeyed Jesus' command and was amazed by a great number of fish. Probably they could spend days to get that amount of fish. Sometimes the great enemy of your success is your experience and profession or skill. It is the undeniable truth that skill is helpful in life but a man and woman of faith need to go beyond human capacity and listen to our living God. God knows where your money can be generated and the easiest way to locate it. It is said that doctors and nurses are at higher risk when they are sick because they know the exact organ where pains come from. This is because they know anatomy and physiology and have more in-depth knowledge of the human body. An illiterate person may ignore the pain because he doesn’t know where exactly is the problem. He may think it is a minor stomach pain while a doctor may locate it as a liver disorder or appendicitis. Though this knowledge is helpful in treatment, can stir fear and more psychological problems. Information itself can cause death even if the problem is normal. That’s why voluntary testing clinics for HIV do pre-counseling before testing and post-counseling after testing.
5. Associate and partner with people who do similar work or business
Verse 7 “they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”
When Simon and his partners received an increase and surplus, they waved to their friends from another boat to share the blessing. You have to identify people whom God wants to connect with you. You are not an island. God blesses us to be channels and not dams. In every blessing you get there is a potion for God, the needy, and for you. If you don’t agree with this principle, you will not enjoy life as God intended. I am applying this principle in reaching out to marginalized and vulnerable people. I’m not doing that because I’m fully satisfied but because I know the principles of the Kingdom of God. Even if your blessing comes from God, it can lead you astray like the boats of fish that could sink. You will not live a joyful life simply because your bank accounts are full of money but because someone somewhere is praising God for bringing you into this world. Extend your days by blessing other people. Acts 9:37,39,40 “In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.” Widows canceled the burial of Dorcas because of her great ministry to them. What legacy will you leave behind when you leave this world?
6. Financial prosperity should bring you closer to Jesus
Verses 8,9 “But 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 catch of fish which they had taken.”
This miracle of fish didn’t make Simoni celebrate only but led him to unworthiness before Jesus. When he was commanded to put nets in the deep sea he said MASTER, but this time he was saying LORD. He received a deeper revelation of who Jesus is. God’s blessings bring you closer to God and not diverting you. You get a different perspective compared to ungodly people. I doubt your prosperity as a man or woman of God if it is only for showing off and supporting luxurious parties instead of God’s work. You have to support God’s work more than other things for you to be rewarded in heaven. In heaven there are no tenants. What you give on earth for the Lord is transferred as building materials for your own house in heaven. You will reap what you sow. Gal 6:7 “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
7. Use your experience and skills for the Kingdom of God
Verse 10 “and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men."
After Jesus had known Simon’s skills in fishing and blessed his fishing business, He said to him, ‘Now I want you to utilize the same skills and strategies of fishing in fishing people.’ If fishing skills are well employed, people can be translated from the sea of darkness into the kingdom of God. God wants you also to use your skills effectively for His kingdom. Ask yourself whether God benefits from your skills in agriculture, business, accountancy, teaching, etc. God’s work is not necessarily preaching or singing. Your talent and skill can also reduce the costs of God’s work. In holidays employees can volunteer to do ministry works like church constructions, teaching believers who can’t read the Bible, putting in place financial systems in churches, etc.
8. Acknowledge that Jesus owns everything you need in life
Verse 11 “And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”
After Simon Peter and his partners discovered that Jesus could increase and bless them in a very short time, they made up their minds to follow Him. They abandoned everything and followed Jesus, the source of everything in life. What you have today can get lost; friends/confidants can die or hate you, donors can be bankrupt but JESUS CHRIST CANNOT DIE, CANNOT GET BANKRUPT AND CANNOT CHANGE HIS MIND. He loves you with everlasting love no matter what. He doesn’t expect anything from you in return. Nothing in you can change His mind and will for you. Jer 31:3 “the LORD appeared to him from afar. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”
MY PRAYERS FOR YOU TODAY:
1. I pray that God will help you to know where your blessings can be located so that you search for them in the right place instead of toiling in vain.
2. I pray that God will teach you how to effectively utilize your resources for His kingdom so that when you depart from the world you are rewarded in heaven.
3. I pray that God will deliver you from self-centeredness and selfishness so that you can share your blessing with others. You should not be satisfied to see people suffer need while God could use you as His hand to touch them.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
