How a Job Crisis Can Lead to Spiritual Victory

 

We go into a McDonald’s and teach some guys who are wanting to learn.   One of the guys is almost bored with his job again after three years.  The other guy has been given a promotion, but must do his old job and his new one with no additional money. “Show me the money” is on his mind.

We get calls from people who are fearful of losing their jobs and wondering what is going to happen.  They wonder where did they fail. 

Failure is a push for us to fish deeper.   

The shallow water has people who don’t trust us because they know us so well.  They don’t trust us as a helper and so we cannot help them. 

 Job changes are the ideal place for us to fish deeper.  Jesus called His disciples to work with others who are from their same career field.  Some were fishermen.  Others were doctors, salesmen and women and one a professor of religion and a tent maker.  He worked with other tentmakers.   Our workplace is a place for spiritual growth because every location of crisis is a place of acceleration of spiritual learning. 

Fishing deeper requires overcoming fearfulness.  Conflict is a part of growth. God tells us over and over to not be afraid. We build our lives on the hope that is in Jesus Christ resurrection from the grave.  He is risen. 

 This guides our lives and unbelievers call this non sense.  This cannot be decided court, but believers will at times be taken to court.  Our fearlessness and endurance is our greatest asset.

Obey Jesus when He says “Fish deeper”.

Obedience is critical.

Luke 5

⁴ When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but ^[b]I will do as You say and let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; ⁷ so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ ^[c]feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰ and so also were ^[d]James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Psalm 121

121 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
³ He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
⁷ The Lord will ^[a]protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
⁸ The Lord will ^[b]guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.