JESUS WANTS TO STEP INTO THE SCENE TODAY.

• Application
• Lessons to learn from this story.
• Before Jesus can heal your disappointment, He will ask you to go back to the place that broke you.
• Your breakthrough will come as you serve with what you can.
• Obedience is the prerequisite to your breakthrough.
  • The Widow’s Olive Oil
• Jesus’ plan is always redemption.
• Conclusion.

Do you have an area that you are experiencing lack and limitation? Have you tried everything you know to do and have experienced no breakthrough? Jesus wants to step into the scene today. Jesus wants you to know that He wants to step into that place of your greatest disappointment because He wants to bring healing. It’s often in the place of your greatest disappointment that God’s glory is revealed. Because it is when you are weak that you experience His strength. God can redeem our place of disappointment. But you have to let Him in in order for Him to work it all out for your good.

Remember, the word says that God works everything out for your good. The Bible does not say that only good things will work out for your good. He says that all things will work out for your good. And this is especially comforting when you have areas where you have experienced pain, disappointment, and loss. So to help you understand it, let us look at a Biblical example.

Let’s look at the story of someone who experienced a breakthrough in their greatest disappointment to see what we can learn from that.

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. 

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him.

Application

Peter had fished all night and caught nothing. He was not only exhausted and frustrated, but he must have been hungry, too. Maybe he felt inadequate. He must have wondered if he had lost the edge he had. He, however, did not know that it was in the place of his disappointment that he would have an encounter with Jesus.

Have you ever failed at something that you were good at in the past? Maybe it is an exam for a course you are supposedly good at. Or maybe you keep hitting a dead end of something that came easy to you in the past.

Imagine Peter, whose career was fishing, caught nothing. He had toiled all night to no avail. Where do you start when all you know seems to fail you? Maybe you studied for a specific field at the university, but no jobs are forthcoming and you don’t know what to do next. Can you relate to what Peter must have felt?

Now picture what he must have felt when a total stranger came into the scene and asked him if he could borrow his boat to preach. Wait a minute! Here comes Jesus asking him to put out his boat a little off the shore. Jesus asked him to go back to the place of his greatest disappointment. Surely, Peter must have wanted to go back home and maybe sulk over his failure.

Or maybe he wanted to run away from that place of disappointment because he could not deal with it. What do you do when Jesus takes you back to the place of your greatest disappointment? And where do you even start from when He asks you to serve at the very place you experienced the most hurt? Notice that Peter was not going back to the sea to catch fish, but it was to provide a platform for Jesus to reach the multitude.

Lessons to learn from this story.

What lessons can you learn from the story of Peter? And how does Peter’s story apply to you?

Before Jesus can heal your disappointment, He will ask you to go back to the place that broke you.

Jesus had to ask Peter to go back to the sea. He did not do this to humiliate him, but it was to allow him to confront the situation. Has Jesus been asking you to try again the thing that has failed many times? Maybe despite the prayers, God has not changed that situation you want Him to. Have you tried something repeatedly but have yet to experience a breakthrough? God wants to encounter you in that place of disappointment. He wants you to experience a fresh perspective. Peter felt inadequate after Jesus helped him catch fish.

Take heart! Jesus is not trying to punish you. He wants you to confront so that He can redeem you. Before redemption, there is always some form of pain. Resolve in your mind that you will try again and allow Him to bring His healing power.

Your breakthrough will come as you serve with what you can.

Has your breakthrough not been forthcoming? Maybe you have tried time and time again to see things work out for you, to no avail. Today I want to encourage you to use the very thing you have to serve others. As you do, your breakthrough will come. Although Peter had caught no fish, he willingly gave his boat to Jesus as an avenue for Him to preach to the multitude. Notice that at the time, he did not know that he would receive his breakthrough. But because of his sacrifice, Jesus redeemed him. Will you serve with what you have today?

Remember, you are not running on empty even when you feel empty. There is always something you can give even when it does not look like it. Use your gift to serve others. You never know, you could receive your breakthrough at your place of service. Remember, God rewards good deeds and you can never out-give God.

Obedience is the prerequisite to your breakthrough.

Peter received his breakthrough after he obeyed Jesus’ request. What is Jesus asking you to do today? Could that be the thing holding you back from your greatest breakthrough? Sometimes the instructions could be as simple as helping that person, making that call, or applying for that job again. Who knows, maybe this time you will get a yes. Either way, don’t grow weary of doing what Jesus is asking you to do. It is in your obedience that the breakthrough comes.

And to give you an example that shows you the power of obedience, let us look at the prophet’s widow

The Widow’s Olive Oil

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” ² Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

³ Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. ⁴ Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” ⁵ She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. ⁶ When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. ⁷ She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

If the widow had not obeyed and borrowed the Jerricans, she would not have received her breakthrough. Better yet, if she had just borrowed 2 or 3 the miracle would not have been able to pay the loan and sustain her. When God gives you an instruction, I want you to follow it fully. And this boils down to trust. Do you believe God wants to bring you a breakthrough? Do you trust Him? You know your obedience proves your level of trust in God. The more you trust Him, the faster it will be to obey Him.

If you have a hard time trusting God, tell Him to help ignite your faith in Him. And repent. The good news is that He promises to forgive you when you repent. That is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. He wants to help you. So ask the Holy Spirit for help in igniting your faith in God. Another thing is, to read the Bible. You can only trust God when you spend time in His word. After all, the Bible reminds us that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. If you want to activate your faith and trust in God, spend time in His word.

Jesus’ plan is always redemption.

Jesus knew Peter was disappointed because he had caught no fish. And He wanted to redeem that area of Peter’s life. That’s why after He was done speaking to the multitude, He asked Peter to cast his net again. And when Peter did that, he experienced overflow, so much so that the surrounding people received a share. When Jesus steps into the scene, He will bless you and through you, those around you will experience blessings as well. Let this encourage you to hold on even when you don’t feel like it. Because you will reap a harvest if you do not faint.

Jesus redeemed the woman at the well. He also redeemed Peter. And He wants to redeem you too. Allow Him into your heart and give Him full access to every area of your life and watch how He transforms you. When Jesus steps into the scene, He will not leave you as you are. Remember the woman with the issue of blood and how Jesus transformed her life? Not only was she healed, but Jesus also gave her a new identity by calling her daughter. Why would you think Jesus will leave you as you are? Remember the invalid man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5? Jesus stepped into the scene and put an end to his misery. Jesus will do the same for you too when He steps into the scene.

After He redeems you, He will give you a new purpose and your transformation will bring your ultimate fulfillment.

Conclusion.

Jesus already knows your predicament. He wants you to give Him a chance to change your situation. But before He can do that, you need to let Him in. Give Jesus access to the very area of your greatest pain and disappointment. Jesus is a gentleman. He will never force Himself on you. If you want to experience healing, you will have to give Him a chance.

Don’t be afraid of going back to the place that broke you. Jesus will ask you to go back because He wants to heal that area and restore it. Because Jesus is redemption, He never leaves you the way He found you. He makes everything better because He loves you and has only the best intention for you. That is why He came to the earth and became human, just like you and me. He did this because of His unconditional love and because He wanted to restore your identity. Through you confronting your fears, He will make you better than you were and your greatest disappointment will become your greatest breakthrough. Jesus is redemption. Follow the instruction that Jesus is giving you and watch Him transform you and give you a new purpose.

Jesus has a plan and purpose for you that is beyond your wildest imagination. It is time for you to allow Jesus into your boat. He’s got you in the palm of His hand and He cares for you.

Radiantly Resurging