Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes. Luke 12:34 says ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ Where my heart is my finances are also. Jesus said there is an essential relationship between our treasures and our hearts. If I am having financial problems, I first need to look at my heart, not my income. I could have a heart problem, not a financial problem blocking my miracle.
EXPECTING THE MIRACULOUS
By Pastor Delbert Young
Expecting a Financial Miracle
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Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Scriptures: Luke 12:34, Exodus 12:35-36, Joshua 22:8, Matthew 17:27, Luke 5:4, Luke 5:6-7, Luke 5:4, Luke 5:8-11
We are in a series called EXPECTING THE MIRACULOUS. Do you believe that God wants you to experience the supernatural and miraculous in your financial area of life? How many believe that God has a plan to make you very wealthy? I do. How many believe they have increased financially since they came into the kingdom of God and even more specifically, since you have been coming to Life Gate Church? That’s how it should be. God has us on a plan to prosper us – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, children of Israel, David, Solomon, etc.
Every time God delivers you from something, every time you overcome, every time you do what is right, you are moving closer and closer to God’s plan to give you great wealth. God cares about your money matters. I know this because the Bible speaks extensively about money.
In his book, Generous People, Eugene Grimm says,
“If we were to strike the comments of Jesus about money, we would reduce his teachings by more than one-third. Sixteen of Jesus’ approximately 38 parables dealt with money. One of every seven verses in the first three Gospels in some way deals with money. In fact, Jesus spoke about money more than about any other single subject, except the kingdom of God itself.”
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Is God concerned about money? Randy Alcorn says in The Treasure Principle,
“Throughout the entire Bible there are roughly 2,350 verses concerning money. This is roughly twice as many as faith and prayer combined. Fifteen percent of everything Jesus said related to money and possessions. He spoke about money and possessions more than heaven and hell combined. The only subject Jesus spoke of more often is the Kingdom of God. Why? Because the Scriptures make clear there is a fundamental connection between a person’s spiritual life and his attitudes and actions concerning money and possessions. Often we divorce the two — Christ sees them as essentially related to one another.”
I don’t talk about money nearly enough. I will try and do better. Of all the teachings of Jesus, only the kingdom was mentioned more than money. The reason for this is no matter if we admit it or not, there is an essential relationship between our spiritual lives and our financial lives.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Where my heart is my finances are also. Jesus said that there is an essential relationship between our treasures (thesaurus means wealth) and our hearts (lives, motives, attitudes). If I am having financial problems, I first need to look at my heart, not my income. I could have a bad heart. Jesus wants us to realize this because it will block financial miracles.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Interestingly, many of the miracles in the Bible include or relate to finances. Did you realize that all the miracles that were done through Moses to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt led to the miracle of financial prosperity? The Lord miraculously brought all the plagues upon Egypt and then told Moses to tell the people to get money and possessions from the Egyptians.
Exodus 12:35 And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold.
Exodus 12:36 The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So, like a victorious army, they plundered the Egyptians!
It’s interesting that we are taught that God will save us from the world as he saved the children of Israel from Egypt, but we are never taught that God will do a financial miracle for us as he did for them. I want to tell you that everything God is doing to deliver you is leading you to the place of a financial miracle.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Many of the miracles that happened as the people of God possessed the Promised Land led to their obtaining great wealth. At the end of Joshua, we read,
Joshua 22:8 saying, “Return to your homes with YOUR GREAT WEALTH – with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing – and divide with your brothers the plunder from your enemies.”
Again, every victory you have is taking you to a place of enjoying GREAT WEALTH. God has a plan for your great wealth just as he did for the children of Israel.
Remember the miracle of Peter going fishing and catching a fish with a coin in its mouth to pay taxes?
Matthew 17:27 “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
When we do what is right and honorable it’s another step toward God’s plan to bring us to prosperity. God wants us to pay our taxes and bills. He will give you a financial miracle to do it as he takes you to your great wealth. God has a plan to take you to great wealth.
The Bible tells the story of a day when Jesus gave Peter, James, and John a financial miracle. Jesus was teaching by the seaside. People were all around and the Bible says they pressed upon him to hear the word of God. I love it when people press in to hear the word of the Lord. Have you ever done that? Have you ever pressed in on someone because they knew something about God that you wanted to know? I love it when people press me and Jesus loved it when they pressed him.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Jesus saw two commercial fishing boats beached close by and the fishermen were cleaning and repairing their nets.
Jesus asked one of the fishermen, Simon Peter, if he could get into his boat and if he would thrust out a little from the land. Peter agreed, but Peter had no idea what was about to happen to him. His whole life was about to change. Isn’t that the way it always is? We have no idea either, but I promise you that it will be good.
Jesus taught the people about the kingdom of God from the boat.
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Notice that he told Peter they would get A DRAUGHT.
As a side note, I like it that Jesus wore the same clothes when he preached as when he went fishing. Sometimes we make too big a deal of what we wear to church. It’s okay to wear to Life Gate what you wear fishing.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Peter said, Master (teacher) we have toiled all night and we have caught nothing.
Allow me to tell you about their fishing process because it is big. We were in Panama City Beach on a youth retreat several years ago and I saw a similar process done. A large long net of several hundred feet was put on the first boat. The other boat would lift its sail and begin pulling the net from the first boat until one boat had one end of the net and the other boat had the other end. The net was designed so that one side was weighted to cause it to sink and the other side had floats attached to keep it on top of the water.
The boats would then lift their sails and the wind would move them through the water in the same direction pulling the net in an attempt to net fish between the two boats. What I want us to see is this is no small undertaking. Jesus wasn’t telling Peter to go out and throw a 10′ cast net. We are talking about several hundred feet of net. My point is that maybe the Lord isn’t asking you to do something small either. It may be a major undertaking.
Peter said they had toiled all night, nevertheless at thy word I will.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a GREAT MULTITUDE OF FISHES: and their net brake.
We have got to get the picture. This was a very heavy net several hundred feet long and it was breaking because of a GREAT MULTITUDE OF FISHES. How many fish is a GREAT MULTITUDE?
Luke 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and FILLED BOTH THE SHIPS, SO THAT THEY BEGAN TO SINK.
The boats were overloaded and began to sink. How many fish are we talking about here? It was tons of fish and in Peter, James, and John’s case, tons of money. Peter was a commercial fisherman. He wasn’t fishing for supper. The fish went to the market. Peter, James, and John prospered enough from that one catch that they were able to follow Jesus for 3 ½ years. I think we are programmed to think that Jesus supported all the disciples and I am sure he did some, but it could well be that they supported Jesus.
Let’s go through this miracle and draw a few important points about a financial miracle.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
ALLOW JESUS INTO YOUR BOAT.
Jesus wants to get into your boat. He wants to use your resources – boat and net – car, truck, house, money, business, etc. When we give Jesus access to our resources a miracle will happen. There is a miracle in allowing Jesus to use your life.
USE WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
We have seen this principle over and over in our series. Your miracles will begin with something already available to you. This is an amazing principle. There were miracles in the widow’s little oil(2Ki 4:2), the five loaves and two fish (Mat 14:17), the rod in Moses’ hand (Exo 4:2), the six stone water jars (Joh 2:6), in the mud that Jesus made with spit, and on and on. Now it is Peter’s boat and net that have a miracle in them.
We could say Peter’s business had a miracle in it. How many of you want a miracle in your business, or in a business that you want to own? Let Jesus in your boat and use what you already have. It could be a talent, a gift, something you know, something old, something new, something borrowed, or something blue, but in something already available to you there is a miracle.
DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU.
This is another principle that we have seen concerning miracles. Mary told those serving at the wedding before Jesus turned water into wine to DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU and a miracle happened. First Jesus told Peter to thrust out a little. Then Jesus told Peter to Launch out into the deep, and then he told Peter, let down your nets. There is a financial miracle in doing whatever Jesus tells you to do. Do you tithe to help the kingdom? Has he told you to? Do you give to the poor? Has he told you to? Do you witness? Has he told you to? Do you have a ministry? Has he told you to? You will find that people who DO WHATEVER HE TELLS them to do live supernatural and abundant lives. There is a miracle in doing what Jesus tells you.
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP, AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS.
This is the new principle that I want us to see today about EXPECTING THE MIRACULOUS. Jesus took Peter through THREE LEVELS to take Peter to his financial miracle. Everything he is doing in our lives is to take us to a place of a financial miracle.
At first, Peter was standing ONSHORE preoccupied with his nets and with other people.
At best Peter was casually listening to a preacher named Jesus teach about a new kingdom. In the ‘onshore’ place, we are preoccupied with things, business, people, etc. The miracle is not on ONSHORE. Many people are ON SHORE. You will need to move.
Next, Jesus told Peter to THRUST OUT A LITTLE FROM THE LAND.
Move just a little from the ‘onshore’ place. Jesus sat in Peter’s boat and taught, but now Peter was in a different place of giving his attention and was far less preoccupied. However, there were still distractions. I believe this is where many at Life Gate are today. You are doing alright, but Jesus wants you to have more, much more.
Then Jesus said to LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP, AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP, AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A DRAUGHT.
The financial miracle was not ONSHORE casually listening to what Jesus said. Nor was it in the LITTLE shallow water. The financial miracle came by LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP. I believe that the Lord has wanted many of you to LAUNCH OUT into your dreams, LAUNCH OUT to go back to school, and LAUNCH OUT into your business.
Peter was an excellent fisherman. He was a commercial fisherman. He had experienced a catch of fish before, but I don’t think he had ever caught a draught. The Greek word translated draught is agra (Strong’s #61) and means a haul (of fish). The haul of fish was in the deep water, not on the bank or in the shallows. A lot of us have experienced a “financial catch,” but have you experienced a draught? How many want a haul? Well, that is what Jesus wants to give you.
We all know that we could just wait until Peter brings his draught onto shore and get a few of Peter’s fish, but how many are tired of just getting a part of someone else’s draught in life?
What Jesus really wants to do is take you to the deep and help you LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A DRAUGHT! God has a draught for you. He has a plan to take you to your great wealth.
ALLOW THE MIRACLE TO CHANGE YOU.
Financial miracles are not intended to leave us the same or only give us money. They are intended to change our lives.
Luke 5:8, 10-11
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; FROM HENCEFORTH THOU SHALT CATCH MEN.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Jesus said here is what the miracle was really about. It’s to catch people. A financial miracle is good, but if all it does is give us money, then honestly not much has happened for the kingdom. The miracle caused Peter’s life to change forever, as did the lives of James and John. They became fishers of men. The Lord wants to bless you financially. Take that blessing and use it to catch people for the kingdom. If you will make certain that you have a heart to catch people for the kingdom, as was Peter’s then there is a financial miracle waiting for you.
I want to encourage you today to EXPECT THE MIRACULOUS in your finances. God is interested in your finances because there is an essential link between your finances and your heart. If you have a financial problem, it could be that you also have a heart problem. Everything that God is doing in your life is leading you to a place of a financial miracle. Allow Jesus to get into your boat. Don’t casually listen to his teachings. He will ask you to thrust out a little, to begin with. You will hear more and have fewer distractions, but if you want the draught – the haul – you will need to launch out into the deep. Use whatever is available. Let him use your resources. Do whatsoever he tells you. EXPECT A MIRACLE IN YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
How many are going to launch out into the deep and EXPECT THE MIRACULOUS? Give the Lord a shout and a handclap. Amen!
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
Expecting a Financial Miracle – sermon video audio notes
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What Do You Have In Your House?
Miracle of Forgiveness
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Expect A Miracle In Your Sickness(Opens in a new browser tab)
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