Focus: Wired to Succeed

Text: Jh.21:3-11

"That NIGHT they caught nothing. But when the MORNING was now come, Jesus stood on the shore… And he said unto them, Cast the net on the RIGHT SIDE of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes… the net… full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken."

By the sea of Tiberias Jesus appears to His disciples. They struggled all through the night without success. Remember that they are experts in the fishing industry, but on that night every effort of theirs proved abortive. It was a night of business failure - a night of total failure, for they caught absolutely nothing. No visible or tangible effect for their effort. But just as they are getting ready to pack up and head home, the resurrected master Jesus comes to their rescue.

He tells them what to do with utter audacity. "Cast the net on the right side, and ye shall find." He made the sea and owns the fish, and knows where they can be found. The disciples comply with His orders without argument or hesitation. And guess what! They enclose a large number of fish - the very big ones. In just a moment, they move from failure to success. Just like that! Failure at night and success in the morning.

The lesson to learn is that with Jesus failure is never final. Jesus knows what to do to turn failure into success. God is good everywhere and brings His goodness to bear in every facet of life.

There is no failure in God. The story of your life will never be complete until you succeed. God is turning your night of NOTHING to a morning of MULTITUDE of fish.

For a Christian, it takes more than labor to succeed; divine favor is paramount. Let me say it again in a slightly different way, success is the effect of divine favor, not the product of human efforts. Favor and labor partner for success to be achieved. Success is first God-given before it is man-gotten. He gives it before you get it.

The success of the great catch was nothing short of a miracle. Your story will not end in failure, for God has wired and powered you for success. I say to you, in closing, that your miracle of success will happen in the area of your occupation, and I pray you succeed and excel in what you do. You shall not struggle for nothing. You will strive and thrive, and labor with favor. Regardless of how many times you seem to have failed in life, be reassured that you are wired to succeed. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter