God Heals on His Terms and Starts at 0.00

What position has the best effect for a miracle? Peter would have said: "When we experienced a dark sea but acted unconditionally against nature on Jesus' command. Only then did we have a great catch."

In other words: Where God has the most say, most honor, thanks, and praise – that is where God's power is most easily attracted. The Holy Spirit's task was to glorify Jesus' name, not our skill and human wisdom. God's power works opposite to human thinking: We accumulate spiritual points and believe that it will impress God. Our experiences, long and faithful service, which great names in the religious world we know, what we have achieved, and how many have been to our meetings. We can easily build ourselves a religious "hierarchy" and become self-centered instead of Christ-centered.

Many believe: When God sees our spiritual zeal, He comes more strongly into our religious arena – and miracles happen. After 52 years in the Lord's service, I would say: WRONG! Ask Paul, Christianity's greatest theologian:

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'"

2 Corinthians 12:7–9

About himself and his own ambitions, Paul said: "I die daily." (1 Corinthians 15:31) In other words: Affliction and opposition ("a messenger of Satan") helped make him spiritually adept, keeping him from believing he was a super-evangelist in his own eyes. You know, many of the great names in Christendom often smell like flesh. The one who is great in God's eyes crucifies the flesh every day and gives God the glory for everything.

This provides the Holy Spirit with many spiritual tools to work with. For His task is always to glorify Jesus.

Conclusion: Miracles start at 0.00 – not at 10, 50, or 100 religious points! It really doesn't matter if we don't always feel "fit for fight." For then the Holy Spirit gets full expression. Peter's miracle ministry started when he had fished all night without catching anything. Disappointed after an unsuccessful fishing trip and a light wallet, he heard something that went against both his reason and his experience as a fisherman. All the fishermen around the Sea of Galilee knew that fish were easiest to catch at night – not in the bright day. For then the fish went deeper toward the bottom. At that time, they did not have nets that they could lower so deep.

Peter had to set aside his ego, for Jesus gave him a contradictory order:

"Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch!"

Luke 5:4

Peter humbled himself and responded: "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing, but at Your word I will let down the nets. And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking!"

Luke 5:5-6

By a miracle, God's power drove the fish from the depth into Peter's fishing nets! "Against nature."

This experience gave Peter a fundamental lesson in true spirituality: Listen to the Master's plan and obey Him. Only then could Jesus give him the call to be an evangelist:

"Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Luke 5:10-11

A miracle led him into the ministry.