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How precious is this; “Bring some of your fish and put it with
My fish!” He doesn’t need us but He wants to use us. What
can I bring Jesus? The only thing I can bring Him is what He
puts in the net. He gives it to me so that I can give it back to
Him.
In this miracle after the resurrection, notice that the net did
not break. When Jesus does the fishing, none of the fish are
lost. I remember when I was beginning to know the Lord and I
was fishing the wrong way, I spent most of my time repairing
the nets. The nets kept breaking. This program didn’t work. I
had to try a different program. They weren’t coming to hear
me. I had to set up some kind of a gimmick. Before the
resurrection the nets broke but after the resurrection they did
not break.
These are the three wonderful truths about the Great
Commission; I can’t do it; He can do it; He doesn’t need me
but He wants to use me. The principle of fishing is, “Just live.”
That’s the Great Commission. You be you and let Jesus do the
fishing. I have an idea that if we went around the room we
would have many testimonies. You would say, “I didn’t plan it
but God brought that person into my life and I got to share
Jesus.” That’s Jesus putting the fish into the net. I don’t have
to work at it. I just have to live. I just have to be who I am and
let God be who He is. That’s the first part; fishing.
Let me say a couple of words about the second part;
shepherding. I want to give a principle that I call the key to
shepherding. If I’m going to be used by the Lord in the Great
Commission, I need to be free in my heart. God tells this story
in terms of Peter because Peter was feeling guilty. If I’m going
to be used by the Lord, I can’t be living under condemnation.
That’s why the Lord tells us this story in terms of Peter’s
restoration.

I’m certain that in Peter’s heart he felt disqualified and
said, “I will never be a fisher of men. I’ll still love the Lord and
I know I’m going to heaven but as far as service, I’ve
disqualified myself.” I want you to notice how the Lord Jesus
deals with Peter as he swims to shore. At first, I thought it