⏱ 7 min read

• One of the things that comes to pass in the life of an anointed person is the pressure from the people.
• Today we’ll look at how Jesus could have easily drowned due to pressure from the people.

“And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”~ Luke 5:1-3

• The anointing of the Holy Spirit causes a true gospel revival and people desire to hear the Word of God more.
• A sign of a revived individual is that you desire more of the Word of God and you press for it. A Spirit-filled individual desires and commits to knowing God’s word.
• After the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 (which led to a revival), the believers committed themselves steadfastly to the Apostle’s teachings… (v42)

On the flip side, God’s anointed servants come under great pressure and they require help for the ministry. Anyone sent by God is dependent on others.

A good leader or problem solver can identify and distinguish between problems that they can solve and problems that others are supposed to help them solve. 

The anointed Jesus was under pressure because the crowds were pressing to hear more of His teachings. This was a big problem – Jesus could have easily been pressed into the water.

• And who knew if Jesus could swim (we’re told in Mark 2 that He was a carpenter, not a fisherman); so He could have drowned.
• And so Jesus realised that He needed help and He spotted a resource that could help the ministry: a boat.
• Not only did He spot the boat, but He also spotted skilled professionals (fishermen) of the resource (boat) who were close by and washing their nets.

What am I driving at? For some of us our resources, professional skills, educational training, etc., are needed to support the work of the Lord.

• The anointed Jesus did not own a boat to use and when He entered into one, He couldn’t thrust Himself out into the water – He needed a professional fisherman to help.
• Jesus needed help in the ministry. I want you to know that many of us have been called into the help ministry (1 Corinthians 12:28).

And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then GIFTS OF healing, OF HELPING, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

• You are the help needed for God’s work. You are a good organiser, God needs it. You are a great accountant; God needs it.
• Your HR skills are top of the world, God needs it. There is nobody in this world who cannot help with something.
• And in our day and age, almost everything is being reduced to a computer or a phone app [Photo, video, sound, technical, administration, social media, etc].

And God needs people who can help with this expertise also. Never think that God’s work is for people who have no skill, talent, or expertise – God always wants the best! (Read Exodus 31:1-11).

Jesus got into Peter’s boat and requested him to “thrust out a little.” To thrust out a little takes skill, expertise and intentionality.

• If the thrust was more than a little, Jesus would be going into the deep and preaching to the fish instead of the crowds.
• If the thrust was less than a little, the crowds would have pressed into the boat and toppled Jesus over into the water (and He would need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation).
• Jesus had to depend on the skills and expertise of the experienced fisherman to position the boat at just the right distance to aid the teaching of God’s word.

You see, God has made us to be interdependent. Inter means it involves two or more people; dependent means you need the help of somebody else. Interdependent means two or more people helping themselves. 

So God did not create man to solve all his problems by himself; we need the help of other people that God brings around us to be able to solve those problems (God brought Aaron to help Moses’ stammering problem – Exodus 4).

Every anointed servant of God is either elevated by or brought low to a certain percentage, depending on the helpers around them. God has made it such that they have to depend on the helpers.

• Unfortunately, many anointed people have little help and/or helpers who are lackadaisical and have no care about what they are doing. It’s a shame.
• Many people and ministries have died in their purpose because they committed themselves to lazy and wicked people who don’t care how they thrust the boat. (May you have good help!)
• And I pray we don’t reap that same lazy and wicked attitude when we also need help.

Pray you don't meet a doctor who could do something to save your life but is unconcerned and has no care about what happens to you; or an artisan who builds a leaking roof for your dream building.

Dear friend, just like Peter, you and I are so important to God’s plan. And hey, God is going to reward you greatly. After Jesus finished teaching, He asked Peter to launch out into the deep for a catch.

Peter said, “Master we have toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word…” (I wish I had time to expand on this, but just ponder on that phrase: Nevertheless, at thy word).

• Peter launched out and got a net-breaking, boat-sinking miracle!
• Every one of us that is going to make available your “boat,” and/or your “expertise” for the Lord is going to be rewarded greatly also.
• God no go shame you! The blessings go loud! It will worry the neighbours! Your great reward is coming to you.

Dear friend, let’s get involved in the Lord’s work. Let’s put our resources and expertise into it and let’s do it to the very best of our ability. There is a net-breaking, boat-sinking blessing coming your way!