The Flip Side of Futility, Part 2

The biggest problem with some of us is we know too much for our own good. We are assured of what we are assured of. We are confident of what we are confident of. And what you got to learn is that when you are called according to God's divine purpose, what you know and what you can do and what you are confident of and what you are assured of has very little to do with God's activity in your life. Let's say you're trying to get from Phoenix to Los Angeles.

Sounds easy, unless you're not really in Phoenix. Hello and thanks for stopping by for this Monday edition of Destined for Victory. Sometimes we are convinced we're in one place when we're actually somewhere else. And that makes it hard, if not impossible, to find our way home. Coming up next, a timely reminder from Pastor Paul Shepherd. Before we can get where we're going, we have to know where we are.

If we don't, we just might end up somewhere we don't want to be. Stay with us here if you can or visit pastorpaul.net to listen anytime on your schedule. That's pastorpaul.net or subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now, here's Pastor Paul with today's Destined for Victory message, the flip side of futility. Luke chapter five, verses one through five. It says this, one day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.

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. I want to continue a message I began in the earlier service entitled the flip side of futility. The flip side of futility. I am convinced that this is a word maybe not for everyone right now.

It's eventually a word for everyone. Whenever a message doesn't strike where you are, tuck it away because sooner or later, you're going to need it. But there are people who right now need this word about the flip side of futility. And in the first part of the message, I took time and explained that we go through seasons of frustration and futility and that God has a word for us in such seasons. I talked about the fact that God actually gets involved in our lives and begins to move us in the direction of his divine purpose when we are going through such times. When you are in a season, in a place of frustration and futility, you need to know that God is somewhere nearby.

And we looked at that. In the life of Peter, I contrasted with the life of Moses that God has divine appointments and he sets up times to begin to speak to us in these seasons of frustration and futility. I want you to know that as Peter is experiencing God in this time because God's purpose of course is to bring him into full discipleship. And so the way he draws him in is he uses this season in his life.

Peter's on the shore washing his net because he's had a night of toiling all night long and hasn't caught anything. And so God is using this. And the first thing that happened was the Lord was nearby teaching the word. It wasn't by accident. There are no accidents in the plan of God. It was a divine appointment. And then not only did he experience a divine appointment, but he experienced a divine apprehension. Jesus got in his boat before he asked him, could he?

Read it when you get a chance. Jesus got in the man's boat. He is on the shore washing his net, looks up. Jesus is in the boat and Jesus said, whose boat is this? Peter says mine. He said, would you push out a little ways?

I need to talk to these folks and I need a better angle. And he got him to participate and cooperate after he's apprehended the boat. So Peter's sitting in the boat wondering, first of all, why have I had a night where I caught nothing?

Now this man is in my boat. He's got me pushing it out from the shore a little way so he can speak what in the world is going on here? And he's about to find out because Jesus speaks up and Jesus says, alright, I want you to launch out into the deep and let down the net because you are going to catch an abundance of fish. Now, I want to focus on in this second part of the message, Peter's response because it is right where some of us are and God is trying to help us see where we are. The only way to get where he wants you to go is to know where you are.

Peter says, we have toiled all night and we have caught nothing. I'm so glad he didn't stop there because you know as well as I do, many of us would have put a period right at that place. We would have explained to God what we think he needs to know. The problem with some of us and the reason why God is sending a word like this into some of our lives is because the biggest problem with some of us is we know too much for our own good. We are assured of what we are assured of. We are confident of what we are confident of. We know what we know. We can do what we can do. And what you got to learn is that when you are called according to God's divine purpose, what you know and what you can do and what you are confident of and what you are assured of has very little to do with God's activity in your life. Master, we have toiled all night.

I'm glad he didn't say, listen, let me explain something to you. I'm a fisherman. That's what I do. I don't just fish on the weekend. I don't just, you know, to knock off, to have something to do from my week of work and I just decide to go out, you know, and throw something over and see if I catch them.

No, no, no. I am a fisherman. That's how I make my living. I fish, you preach. I don't try to tell you how to preach. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't meddle in my, I know this lake. I know the Sea of Galilee. I know when they're biting and when they're not. I've been out all night.

They are not biting. I'm glad he didn't go there because some of us, that is our first inclination and I'm here to tell you, if you want to go to the level God has taken you in your life and in your discipleship, you're going to have to learn to get to become an expert at obedience. The rest of your expertise God may or may not use or he may shape it like we're going to see he does with Peter.

God ended up saying to him, I actually am not going to change your trade. I'm just going to change your focus. I like that you're a fisherman.

I'm just going to teach you how to catch men and I won't need your expertise to do it. I'll need your obedience. And I'm here to tell somebody that your biggest challenge is getting yourself out of God's way to get yourself. See, some of us are people who know how to get things done. We know how to get things done.

Some of us are movers, shakers, and if God is speaking his word to you, you're one of those folks, I can feel you because I'm in that category. Some of us are make things happen people. See, there are three kinds of people. There are people who make things happen. There are people who watch things happen and there are people who ask what happened.

Isn't that right? Some folk are great at watching things. They are the observing people. They are the spectators. They check everything out and you need them. They have certain expertise and certain value in any setting. If you have a group of people, you need some folk who focus on the details and look at the minute things and wait a minute, I saw that.

Wait, did you notice that? Wait, wait, wait, wait. You need that. Thank God for the watch things happen people, but they also need to be joined with the visionaries. It's kind of like you got to have some visionaries and then you got to have some facilitators. If you got nothing but visionaries, everybody's got a vision and a dream. All right, now how are we going to do it?

I don't know. So you need the facilitators to come along and say, okay, if that's the vision, then here's the first step and then second step and here's how we have to organize. We need a group to do this. And you need both. God blesses us to be different on purpose. Quit fighting different people in your life. You need somebody who's not like you. If everybody's like you, then there's a whole set of things that won't get done.

So thank God. There are some people who watch things happen. They notice they are checking it out. They're the kind of folk when you look over there looking at you.

They're just very observant. You're listening to Destin for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor of Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. He'll be right back with the second half of today's message. But first, an important reminder. If you haven't already, be sure to download our free mobile app so that you can listen to Destin for Victory right in the palm of your hand. The app allows you to take notes on the day's message, order books and CDs. You can even make a safe and secure donation to the ministry.

Search Destin for Victory in the app store and download it today absolutely free. Are you the kind of person who gets things done? Do you get frustrated with people who don't know what to do or what they want? Pastor Paul has a word for you and the rest of today's message, the flip side of futility. And then bless their hearts, there's a group of folk who are a little bit clueless, but they'll catch on, but they just need to, you know, they'll just stick their head in the huddle and say, well, what's happening? What y'all talking about?

I missed it. What, what, what was bless their hearts. God loves them.

God's got a plan for your life. But you know, in some ways the clueless people and the watch things happen people have a little bit of an advantage because they tend not to be so self-confident. Oh, but we make things happen people. We need a word every now and then to come and shake us up because there are some folk who just get things done. We know what we want. We know how to do it and let's get moving.

What y'all waiting for? And you know, people who make things happen don't have a whole lot of patience for the other crew. Have you noticed that?

Just don't, they get in your way. What, why are we? And it's true. Some people who watch things happen or in the clueless, sometimes they don't pull the trigger on something because they get into what I call the paralysis of analysis.

Some folks just are paralyzed by analyzing and it's hard to get them to pull the trigger. You say, okay, we're going to do this. Okay, let's go. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait for what?

We just looked at, at the challenge and here's the solution. We all agree. What are we waiting for?

I don't know. Let's just wait. Hold on. Paralysis of analysis and you can, you can analyze a thing to death. And so that's one of the lessons that some people have to learn. And some of you, God's trying to move you and you are scared and afraid to jump. And the Lord says to people like that, it's time for you to step out and you got to get out of the paralysis of analysis. But then there's another lesson for another set of folk who are so confident and so assured every now and then God's got to send you out, let you do your thing all night and have no results because you know how to get things happen and you are genuinely bewildered. What is going on here?

I know how to fish and I've caught nothing. And so God has a word because you tend to get real frustrated with folk who are moving. So you don't know how to get things done. You can't even relate to the folk who are indecisive. The kind of people who, they frustrate you when they're in the line in front of you, you have to just pop in somewhere, one of these fast food places and grab something and they, they're in front of you and they're standing there going, walking from one side to the other, looking at the whole menu.

Sometimes the menu on the right, same one as the one on the left, but they say, let me see. Wait a minute, if y'all have, Oh no, the make thing happen people, you are driving them crazy. They came in there knowing what they want. What in the world are you doing? Stand in here trying to figure out what you want to see. Why don't you move over to the side? And I know what I want.

I know what I came in here for. You stand there. Then asking the people questions. Do y'all have, you see the menu is right up there.

Ask them what they have. Look, read the thing. Make things happen.

Folk who just like to get it done. And you know what, in order to get to a level, God has different levels and, and so he'll tend to push out of the comfortable nest of people who act too slowly, but he'll frustrate the people who act too quickly and he'll frustrate you and just let you go through that season where you have done your thing. And sometimes God won't even begin a certain work in your life until you are finished doing everything you know to do. And when you get through and you finally are saying, I don't get it, God says good.

I've been waiting now several months for you to not get it. For you to admit that you don't know what's going on. You don't know what's missing. You don't have the solution. You don't have the answer so that God can begin to do his work.

And I'm so glad Peter did not throw his resume at Jesus. He said, I've toiled all night and caught nothing good. That's the point of frustration and futility.

But he did what we've got to learn to do. He said, nevertheless, because you say so. It doesn't make sense to me.

It doesn't make sense to me that I would go back out. I just came in from out there and God says, yes, I know. And that's why I'm speaking to you now because God can get our attention when we are washing our nets in futility. I'm preaching this message because God wants to talk to somebody because you are washing your nets. You are trying to make some things happen in your life and you have given it your best shot and all you have to show for it is a dirty, seaweedy, muddy net.

No fish, nowhere. Just a net that needs to be cleaned. I'm here to tell you that God is loving watching you wash your net because he'd been trying to speak to you. You've been so busy trying to fish that you didn't hear him. So now that you know you haven't caught anything and you're washing your net, maybe now you'll hear what he's been saying.

Somebody is washing your net. You're trying to make things happen that God has ordained to keep you in frustration so you will channel your attention and put your focus on him. Some of you are frustrated with the people in your life because you can't make them do what you want to do. And I'm here to tell you God has an ordained that you run and control and manipulate other people. I'm here to tell you that with all of your, I know you've been reading books how to influence people and all that kind of stuff. And when you get through with all of that, you got to learn you are not the change agent in somebody's life.

You are not responsible for what they do and what they don't do. And some of us are frustrated right now because the people in your life aren't doing what you want them to do and you are washing your net. You keep trying to make it happen your way. Some of you wives are trying to change your husband. I got a word from God for you. You can't do it.

Can't do it. Trying to manipulate him with your attitude. I get mad. I just shut down on him.

He'll get that. Oh, I'll nag him to death if I keep on talking about it. Listen, can I help you? Men have an internal switch.

They will listen to so much and at a certain point they flip a switch inside of themselves. You don't know it. You think this is still a conversation. And you don't understand the conversation ended minutes ago.

He is looking in your direction but there is nothing more coming in. He has hit the off switch. It's over. Exhale all you want after that. Talk all you want after that.

It is done. You have toiled all night and you've not changed him. Husband, some of you trying to make your wife what you want her to be and you trying to throw your weight around and you think if your voice gets loud and you get a certain base in your voice that she'll get nervous and do what you want. I got a word for you. Sister girl is not scared of you. I got a word for you. She out there working with folk who are far scarier every day of her life.

When she come home to you and you try to act all big and bad she's like oh please. Please, I know you better go somewhere. My feet are hurting.

The shoes I had on today weren't that comfortable. I'm trying to get calm now. You need to get out of my face. That's what you need to do.

She's not scared of you. Some of you parents trying to force your children in a certain direction. You are to guide.

You are to train. You are to draw boundaries and limits but you can't change anyone's heart or mind. That is the work of God.

And some of you are washing your nets. Is there someone in your life you've been trying to change? Have you grown frustrated by the futility of it all? If so God has you right where he wants you in total reliance on him the only one who can change a person's heart. If you're struggling today in your marriage or in a relationship with a loved one a parent a child a close friend the Destined for Victory ministry team would be happy to pray for you. Stop by pastorpaul.net and use the contact feature to share your request with us. That's pastorpaul.net and when you contact us for prayer be sure to ask for your free copy of Pastor Paul's monthly letter and when you do you'll receive encouragement from Pastor Paul delivered right to your inbox.

Well our mission here at Destined for Victory is a simple one. We want to take as many people to heaven with us as we can and because we know so many of you share that desire Pastor Paul invites you to help by sending a special gift today and when you send a generous gift be sure to request this month's special offer Pastor Paul's booklet Traits of a Virtuous Woman. Based on Proverbs 31 the booklet was written to honor mothers in particular and godly women in general. It's a penetrating look at some of the most important traits all women should embody and a great companion guide to the messages you heard earlier this month. That's Traits of a Virtuous Woman our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift to Destined for Victory. Call 855-339-5500 to give over the phone or mail your gift to Destined for Victory Post Office Box 1767 Fremont California 94538. You can also make a safe and secure donation from our website pastorpaul.net.

Thanks in advance for helping keep Destined for Victory on the air. Do you know you can get to a place in God where it doesn't matter who's not cooperating who's not acting right who's not helping you who's not standing with you but it's not causing your leaf to wither because you tapped into a root and God is steadily supplying you with everything you need. That's tomorrow when Pastor Paul Shepherd shares his message the flip side of futility. Until then remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ you are Destined for Victory.