GO AND FISH

MEMORY VERSE: You do not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you, John 15:16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 9, Ps 45, Sng 7, Heb 7

BIBLE STUDIES: Mathew 17:24-27

There are very few instances in the bible where you will find Jesus in need of something. He always has more than enough. One of the very few instances where Jesus was in need is recorded in Matthew 17:24-27. Jesus and His disciples went to the temple to pray, some men approached him and requested for temple tax. Since He had no money on Him, He told Peter to go to the sea, cast his hook and take the first fish that comes up. He told him to open the mouth of the fish, take the money there and use it to pay for the temple tax. There are a lot to learn from this story but I want us to focus on what Jesus did when the need for temple tax arose. He told Peter to go and fish. Spiritually fishing means soul winning. In Luke 5:1-10, Jesus told Peter that He would make him a fisher of men. Fisher of men to mean a fellow who brings souls to Christ.

In the mouth of every fish you catch for Jesus, there is gold there for you. For every soul you bring to Christ, there is a big reward. People who do not witness or are too shy to witness about Christ are robbing themselves of good things. One thing common with people who witness about Christ regularly is that they always have testimonies to share. Also one of the conditions that you must satisfy before going to God over any matter is that you must ensure that you are bearing fruit i.e. bringing people to Christ and your fruit must remain which simply means you must do follow up. John 15:16 says you do not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 

A particular sister who had been looking for a life partner for a long time heard a message like this and made up her mind to start witnessing for Christ. The first brother she brought to the Lord became her husband. She is happily married with children now. An illiterate driver heard a message like this and decided to start fishing for Christ. One day he witnessed to his educated boss and that one gave his life to Christ. When this boss was promoted and transferred abroad, instead of terminating his contract and sending him away he took his beloved driver with me. Today that driver that used to be an illiterate is now a well to do man courtesy of the doors of opportunity that opened to him in the foreign land. That gold or opportunity you are looking for could be lying in the mouth of a fish (unsaved soul). When I first joined my current church, a sister took it upon herself to do follow up with me. Every time she didn't see me at church she would check on me to see if all is well and encourage me to come the next Sunday. With time my attendance improved and I didn’t need any follow up again. One day during one of our evening services, the Lord instructed me to bless her financially and I obeyed. When she opened the envelope I gave to her, she burst into tears .It was then I knew that she had been struggling financially for a while and the Lord had visited her. It is not a coincidence that the Lord used the brother she was doing follow up on to meet her her needs.She found gold in the mouth of the fish she caught for Christ. If she had not done the follow up, who would the Lord have used? Maybe no one. 

KEY WORD: Evangelism is for your own good.

Gold in the mouth of fish

Proverbs 13:2 – A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.

In Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus was asked to pay temple tax so He told Peter to go the sea, cast in a hook, and take the first the fish that comes up . There are several lessons from this passage. Firstly, through Jesus our needs are met. Ephesians 3:20 says He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Secondly, With Him nothing is impossible. Luke 1:37 says for with God noting will be impossible. Jeremiah 32:27 says I am the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for me? Thirdly God is all-knowing. He knows the location of our breakthrough; He knows what you need to do to breakthrough in your endeavor. Hebrews 4:13 says nothing is hidden before God but all things are naked and open to His sight. Deuteronomy 26:6 says before Him, Death is naked and destruction has no coverings. Jesus has the key to every information in the world. Fourthly, God’s word is settled. Once God speaks nothing on earth can change it. Psalms 33:9 says He spoke and it was done, He commanded, and it stood fast. If there is anything He has promised you, I can assure you that He will bring it to pass. He told Peter inside the first fish is money and so it was when Peter caught the first fish.

Lastly, present in every fish are resources to meet our needs. By fish, we mean soul meaning according to Luke 5:10. For every soul we win for Jesus, heaven releases resources to meet our needs. Proverbs 13:2 says a man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth. You want God to take you to the top, you want Him meet your needs, you want hunger to be a strange word to you? Use your mouth effectively for Him. Use it to win souls. Proverbs 11:30 says He that wins soul is wise. Proverbs 3:35 says the wise shall inherit glory or honor. When we combine both scriptures it means He that wins soul will inherit glory.

ACTION POINT: Use everything within your power to win souls for Jesus.