And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 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 large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. – Luke 5:4-6
How come we don’t seem to see as many miracles today as we see in the New Testament? Could it be that God’s people are not stepping out in faith and obeying what the Holy Spirit is prompting us to do? Could it be that God’s people are not asking God to do them or believing that He will when we do ask? Are we trusting in what we see and know of the natural world or in what Jesus said and in the power that He gives those who are His? Mark 16:16-18 tells us that signs will accompany those that believe. For those that believe, do we not call ourselves believers? So then shouldn’t we be seeing signs as we step out in faith, believing. I love how these verses in Luke demonstrate the faith Peter had in Jesus and how when he stepped out in that faith he saw miracles. Peter had been working all night and caught nothing. He must have been completely exhausted. Fishing was his trade. He likely knew it better than most. He knew where to throw his nets, when to throw them, and what bait to use. And here a carpenter by trade told him to do what he knew in the natural world would not work. Yet he knew in his spirit that he needed to follow Jesus. He pushed past his natural mind, past the temptation to ignore the words of Jesus, past the opinions and thoughts of those around him, and he pushed past his exhaustion. He obeyed and let down his net. He caught more than his nets could even hold. He was blessed beyond his imagination or expectation.
Mark chapter 16 tells us that we should see the sick healed, demons cast out, and speak in new tongues.1 Corinthians chapter 12 lists many gifts God has given His church and many of those gifts involve miracles such as gifts of prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, faith, and healing. These spiritual gifts are given to each of us individually. We all can and should be seeing the miracles of God in our life. We should be seeing them more in our daily lives than when we gather together on a Sunday because we are out in the world a greater portion of the time.
I want to encourage and exhort you brothers and sisters, begin to see and notice the opportunities God sets before you. Ask God to give you opportunities and the faith to believe. I encourage you to push past your comfort zones, past what you know to be true in the natural world, past your exhaustion, and past your fear of man. I can assure you as you set out in God’s will that He will bring you opportunities for you to step into. You will see the miracle working hand of God. It is hard but I also know it is worth it! I have seen God move miraculously over and over again. I have seen demons flee, the sick healed, and the blind made to see. I pray, Lord, that we believe and help us with our unbelief.
Written by Rebecca Murzin
