Broken Nets Don’t Hold Fish

My friend Patrick, who leads the work of Ellel Ministries in France, has written a small book outlining some of the journey on which God has taken him, and the church in St Laurent du Pont, in exploring and participating in the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus. Among the key scriptures that God showed him along that journey were the stories of Peter fishing.

In fact, God very clearly reminded Patrick, some years ago, that Jesus had instructed Peter how to catch a spectacular harvest of fish on two occasions, once at Peter’s calling by Jesus, described above, and once again after the resurrection of Jesus, a fishing story detailed in John chapter 21. The particular point that the Lord seemed to want to show Patrick was that, during the first time that Peter went fishing, the nets were at breaking point, whereas on the second occasion the Bible specifically records that the nets did not break (John 21:11).

Patrick had not taken notice of this difference before, but it became clear to him that the Lord was telling him that, in this picture, the nets represent evangelistic activity of the Body of Christ, but the broken and unhealed lives of all of us can result in a loss of God’s harvest of souls into His Kingdom.

It is essential, therefore, that some within the church are both trained and available to repair the nets. This mending of nets is in fact the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus, which is so necessary for all believers. Patrick realised that Ellel Ministries was established by the Lord to be an important part of such training and repair. What a privilege to be menders of Kingdom nets!

Prayer: Father, Some of Your people will fish but some must mend the nets. Show us Lord, within the Body of Christ, all the different tasks that need to be done, and equip each of us to do our work well. Amen.