A timid faith fears the unknown. Sometimes it's not the unknown that fearful faith fears, sometimes it fears the well-known. This kind of faith is challenging to get into motion because of past failures. Simon had the sort of weak faith that had experienced failure already. It was difficult to trust after he had already seen defeat. Timid has a telling synonymous word, 'undaring.' Christ had given the express command, "Launch out into the deep." This was something Peter was unforward to do.
To launch means to 'throw forward; to spring forward; to enter energetically...' and after suffering inadequacy, entering a task with enthusiasm can be quite the challenge. Peter's response revealed this 'undaring faith' by telling Christ, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing." (Luke 5:5) This has a familiar phrase that goes along with it. "We've tried that before." But the question really is, "Did you try it with faith?"
Faith isn't something half-cooked. It isn't a mixture that depends solely upon my belief. It isn't something that requires a combination of emotions that convince my mind that if I really believe hard enough, it will work. Faith is complete confidence that if God said it, and I believe it and obey, He will honor it. It was Jesus who said, "Launch out into the deep." It wasn't the word of a mere man but of the Son of God, the Living Word.
Jesus proved His own statement that He made again and again,
20 ...verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Peter responded with a timid, undaring faith, but nonetheless, an obedient faith, "Nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net." Their faith was honored, for "when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake."
This would prove to be a lesson they learned for later in the ministry. After Christ was crucified, buried, and risen again, they would yet be tested on this point. On the sea of Tiberius, Peter and John and some of the other disciples were fishing. Still, they had toiled all night without a catch. A man stood on the shores whom they hadn't yet identified who asked them if they had caught anything. When they confirmed that they hadn't, the man again commanded them, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." They obeyed immediately. There was no second-guessing. "They cast therefore, and now were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes." John tells Peter, "It is the Lord." (See John 21 for the whole story)
What is the Lord calling you to launch out into the deep for? It's going to require daring, audacious, and enthusiastic faith. It's going to need you to be willing to fail if it means you are obeying the Lord. Failure in the eyes of God is the failure to have daring faith.
How does praise work along with this audacious faith? Back in Luke 5, after the great catch of fishes, praise entered the equation. We might miss this point because we don't usually use these particular identifiers when noticing praise. "Simon Peter...fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished..." (See Luke 5:8-9). This was an act of worship. Faith draws out our real condition because it brings us into contact with the Presence of God. What is our actual state? We're sinners. Just like Peter. We recognize that truth and as painful at is it, it praises God because we're able to admit to God our weakness and are then truly able to offer a faith that is unmingled with pride. They were also astonished. This is praise as well. Astonishment stirs the heart to lift up our voices in praise.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
So how do we launch faith by praise? Instead of waiting for the results of what God is going to do in response to faith, we start praising Him for it first. This is actually the Scriptural thing to do.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
See how thanksgiving (which is a form of praise) is included in the very prayers we offer to God regarding our needs or the needs of others? Praise is mixed in with faith. It launches faith. I mentioned earlier that faith is not some mixture of emotions that we build up to believe enough but is based on the word of God. That is true. However, if we have God's word on it, there is nothing wrong with getting our emotions involved with our faith because emotions do help with energy. If I am excited at the possibilities of what God is going to do, then praise will stir up my feelings to move forward with daring faith to trust God. If I am lethargic emotionally, then my faith will move at a snail's pace.
Launching Faith with Praise
A timid faith fears the unknown. Sometimes it's not the unknown that fearful faith fears, sometimes it fears the well-known. This kind of faith is challenging to get into motion because of past failures. Simon had the sort of weak faith that had experienced failure already. It was difficult to trust after he had already seen defeat. Timid has a telling synonymous word, 'undaring.' Christ had given the express command, "Launch out into the deep." This was something Peter was unforward to do.
To launch means to 'throw forward; to spring forward; to enter energetically...' and after suffering inadequacy, entering a task with enthusiasm can be quite the challenge. Peter's response revealed this 'undaring faith' by telling Christ, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing." (Luke 5:5) This has a familiar phrase that goes along with it. "We've tried that before." But the question really is, "Did you try it with faith?"
Faith isn't something half-cooked. It isn't a mixture that depends solely upon my belief. It isn't something that requires a combination of emotions that convince my mind that if I really believe hard enough, it will work. Faith is complete confidence that if God said it, and I believe it and obey, He will honor it. It was Jesus who said, "Launch out into the deep." It wasn't the word of a mere man but of the Son of God, the Living Word.
Jesus proved His own statement that He made again and again,
Matthew 17:20
20 ...verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Peter responded with a timid, undaring faith, but nonetheless, an obedient faith, "Nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net." Their faith was honored, for "when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake."
This would prove to be a lesson they learned for later in the ministry. After Christ was crucified, buried, and risen again, they would yet be tested on this point. On the sea of Tiberius, Peter and John and some of the other disciples were fishing. Still, they had toiled all night without a catch. A man stood on the shores whom they hadn't yet identified who asked them if they had caught anything. When they confirmed that they hadn't, the man again commanded them, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." They obeyed immediately. There was no second-guessing. "They cast therefore, and now were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes." John tells Peter, "It is the Lord." (See John 21 for the whole story)
What is the Lord calling you to launch out into the deep for? It's going to require daring, audacious, and enthusiastic faith. It's going to need you to be willing to fail if it means you are obeying the Lord. Failure in the eyes of God is the failure to have daring faith.
How does praise work along with this audacious faith? Back in Luke 5, after the great catch of fishes, praise entered the equation. We might miss this point because we don't usually use these particular identifiers when noticing praise. "Simon Peter...fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished..." (See Luke 5:8-9). This was an act of worship. Faith draws out our real condition because it brings us into contact with the Presence of God. What is our actual state? We're sinners. Just like Peter. We recognize that truth and as painful at is it, it praises God because we're able to admit to God our weakness and are then truly able to offer a faith that is unmingled with pride. They were also astonished. This is praise as well. Astonishment stirs the heart to lift up our voices in praise.
God's response to faith will always astonish you.
Ephesians 3:20
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
So how do we launch faith by praise? Instead of waiting for the results of what God is going to do in response to faith, we start praising Him for it first. This is actually the Scriptural thing to do.
Philippians 4:6
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
See how thanksgiving (which is a form of praise) is included in the very prayers we offer to God regarding our needs or the needs of others? Praise is mixed in with faith. It launches faith. I mentioned earlier that faith is not some mixture of emotions that we build up to believe enough but is based on the word of God. That is true. However, if we have God's word on it, there is nothing wrong with getting our emotions involved with our faith because emotions do help with energy. If I am excited at the possibilities of what God is going to do, then praise will stir up my feelings to move forward with daring faith to trust God. If I am lethargic emotionally, then my faith will move at a snail's pace.
It's amazing what praising can do
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
It's amazing what praising can do
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I don't worry when things go wrong,
Jesus fills my heart with song!
It's amazing what praising can do
Hallelujah!