When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” Luke 5:4-5 NLT
How do go about stepping out in faith when God’s word to you is uncommon? Like he did with Hosea marrying a prostitute or Noah, in building an ark for 90 years or Moses parting the red sea or even Peter in our text.
All these stories have one thing in common and that is stepping out in faith. Sometimes God prompts us to make decisions in the direction that seems unexpected and unique. Even when we have to run this instruction by His written word, we find that there is nothing written in light of the seemingly insurmountable task God has asked us to do.
What does stepping out in faith mean?
As the phrase simply explains, taking a step of faith means taking corresponding action in response to God’s instruction, our beliefs and expectations.
Maybe as you are reading this God has promised you marriage, or a child in old age, or that you will move to a new state, start a global business, and become a billionaire, but none of it resonates with your desires or plan for your life. At this word you may be thinking, but Lord it’s been years in this cycle of depression, loneliness, financial turmoil, stagnation and nothing seems to be happening. Don’t we sometimes remind God of our challenges, limitations, failures like He doesn’t know it? We see how Simon Peter told Jesus how they had failed all night
In our devotional today, God is saying his plans and ways are higher, meaning whatever instruction He gives us is for our good. Although Peter wasn’t all in, he had some faith and acted on it. He obeyed the word that Jesus gave and he was rewarded for it. God rewards faith in action!
Another illustration I find very relatable was the miracle of feeding the five thousand. The disciples must have thought how can Jesus ask us to feed these people when He clearly knows we do not have money. Remember they had left everything to follow Him, a man whose identity they questioned after miraculously calming the storm.
What is even more surprising is that the same disciples who had left their families and everything to follow Jesus, had received authority to do exactly what he was doing, in this moment questioned where they could buy food to feed 5000 men. But Jesus said, “You feed them.” The disciples in in response went on to ask “With what?” “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!” Mark 6:37 NLT. Right there and then Jesus was asking them to feed five thousand man with food that cost least 200 denarii (equivalent to two hundred days of work). Imagine that, that’s over half your annual salary.
What happened after couldn’t be short of being remarkable! Twelve(12) baskets were left over. One would think after Jesus had fed the 5000 men then the 4000 men and their families, the disciples wouldn’t question His authority anymore. However, they still did, several times after that, the bible tells us.
Aren’t we too guilty of this? Having been saved from a near death experience, or being provided for whilst out of a job, etc. You’d think the second time we would be trusting in difficult seasons, and rely more on God. However, many of us fall prey to the temptation of trying to figure things out on our own even when the path is clearly set out.
God is calling you out of mediocrity and wants you to step out in faith in fulfillment of His purpose for your life. Your part is to obey. But how do you know if you are making the right decision?
Knowing if your decision is the right one
Like when Peter was asked to cast a little deeper and reason out the instruction, we too can sometimes can hear God point us toward a certain direction that we are not used to. We curse the devil when God asks us to say leave our place of comfort, or give a certain amount of money. Here I want to share with you two things that have helped me in making decisions whilst stepping out in faith:
- God gives an instruction, which differentiates a foolish decision and a faith decision.
- If whatever I decide is done in revere of the Lord, it is bound yield some reward.
There are also three sure ways to check against before making a faith move. These are righteousness, peace and joy. These are reflective of the character and nature of God. So when you are stepping out in faith check to see if your decision aligns with God’s Word, whether it brings peace and joy with it!
Today’s text drums down one very important lesson, stepping out in faith in obedience of God’s voice for yourself. Our society is full of people who ‘know what you should be doing and what is right for you’ even when God says otherwise. When we fall prey to the allure of what looks like ‘wisdom’ we are likely to stifle God’s calling for our lives. God is saying to you and me today to trust His Rhema word about your life and what He has in store for you, for if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the fruit of the land.
Know God for yourself and understand how God speaks to you intimately.
I’d love to hear from you. What has God asked you to do before that seemed out of character but turned out to be the best decision you have ever made after stepping out in faith?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the courage to step out in faith in response to your word, an instruction that you have given me knowing that you have my back. Thank you Lord that every decision I make aligns with your timing for my purpose, your word for me, bringing peace and joy. Thank you Father for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who orders my steps and leads me into all truth in Jesus’ Name, Amen
