Say Yes to the Next Step

“Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’”

Luke 5:5 (NIV)

Peter had been fishing all night and caught nothing.

Understand what that means. This was not a hobby. Peter was a professional fisherman on his own lake, using the methods he had learned from men who had fished it before him. Night was the right time to fish. He had done everything correctly, and the nets were empty. He was tired, he was cleaning up, and the working day was over.

Then a carpenter from Nazareth, who had just finished using Peter’s boat as a pulpit, tells him to go out into deep water and let down the nets.

By every measure of professional experience, the instruction made no sense. Wrong time of day. Wrong depth. Already tried and failed. And offered by someone whose trade was wood, not fish.

Peter’s reply is one of the most important sentences a Christian can learn: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Notice he does not pretend to understand. He states the problem plainly. He does not manufacture false enthusiasm. He simply gives Christ’s word more weight than his own experience.

Because You say so.

That phrase is the hinge of the whole Christian life. And notice how he addresses Jesus: “Master.” He is recognising authority. Obedience always follows from a settled view of who Jesus is.

What follows is well known. The catch is so large the nets begin to break, they have to signal to the other boat, and both boats begin to sink under the weight. Peter falls at Jesus’ knees and says, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” The abundance did not make him proud. It made him aware of who he was standing next to. And Jesus responds by calling him to something far bigger than fish.

But here is what I want you to see. The miracle came after the obedience, not before it. Peter did not receive proof and then obey. He obeyed on the strength of a word, and the proof followed.

That is almost always the order.

Now, God’s instructions to us are usually far less dramatic than a boat full of fish. Sometimes He asks you to make a phone call. To forgive someone who has not apologised. To apply again after being turned down. To begin the thing you have been talking about for two years. To serve somewhere that nobody notices and nobody thanks you for. To say no to something that everyone else is saying yes to.

We would prefer the whole plan in advance. We want the outcome guaranteed before we commit. But God generally gives one instruction at a time, and the next one usually arrives only after the first has been obeyed. Guidance unfolds as you walk; it is rarely handed over as a completed itinerary.

Now let me say something carefully, because it needs saying.

Sometimes we call it discernment when it is really delay.

We say, “I’m still praying about it.” Sometimes that is genuine and wise, and there are decisions that should not be rushed. But sometimes God has already made the next step perfectly clear, and continued praying has become a respectable way of avoiding obedience. We are not seeking guidance; we are hoping for different guidance.

Here is a useful test. Is the thing unclear, or is it simply uncomfortable? Those are very different problems and they need different responses. Genuine uncertainty needs counsel, Scripture and time. Discomfort needs courage.

And let me guard the other side too, because this teaching can be abused. “Because You say so” applies to what God has actually said. It is not a licence for recklessness dressed up as faith, and it is not a reason to abandon wisdom, counsel or responsibility. Proverbs 15:22 says plans succeed with many advisers. God does not contradict His own Word, so any “leading” that requires you to disobey Scripture, break a commitment, or act deceitfully is not from Him. Test it. Take counsel from mature believers. Then act.

Notice too what obedience cost Peter. He was tired, and the nets he had just finished washing would have to be washed all over again. Obedience is often inconvenient before it is fruitful. Faith frequently looks, in the moment, like extra work for no obvious reason.

And notice what Peter did not have to supply: the fish. His job was the net. God’s job was the catch.

That division of labour will save you a great deal of anxiety. You are responsible for obedience. The outcome belongs to God. If you obey and the result is not what you hoped, you have still succeeded, because faithfulness was the assignment. Abraham obeyed and lived in tents his whole life. The prophets obeyed and were largely ignored. Jesus obeyed and went to a cross. Outcomes are God’s territory.

So what is your net today? What has He already made clear that you have been circling for weeks?

You do not need to know how it will turn out. You need to know who is speaking.

When God has made the next step clear, say yes. Because He has spoken, let down the net, and leave the result in His hands.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are Master, and Your word carries more weight than my experience. Forgive me for the times I have used prayer as a way of postponing obedience. Show me clearly what my next step is, and give me courage to take it even when it is inconvenient and even when I cannot see how it will work. I will handle the net. The catch belongs to You. Because You say so, I will go. In Your name, amen.

Declaration

Because He has spoken, I will let down the net. Obedience is my responsibility; the outcome is His.

Pastor Ras

All Nations Community Church

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