The Second Miraculous Catch of Fish
by Patrick Chambron
In the Word of God there is a second fishing story involving Jesus and Peter. It’s just after Jesus’ death and resurrection but the disciples are finding it hard to believe He is risen. Peter is discouraged. He hasn’t recovered from the fact that he denied Jesus. With his companions he’s returned to his secular job – fishing; guilt, sadness and failure have overwhelmed him. What’s more, they’ve fished all night without catching a thing! Suddenly a man calls to them from the beach (John 21: 4-6). They recognise Jesus and He tells them to cast their nets into the water, which they do, and to their great surprise the net is filled with big fish. The writer of the Gospel of John mentions that although the net was filled with so many fish it didn’t break and I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me something significant here.
It’s surprising to see that on this second occasion of a miraculous catch, the net full of 153 large fish did not break, as it did in the first miracle. As I was meditating on this, the Holy Spirit showed me that the net represents the Church of Jesus Christ. This ‘net’ will be able to catch and hold on to ALL the ‘fish’ (without breaking and without losing any).
Peter needed inner healing in order to enter fully into his destiny. Jesus is cooking fish over a wood fire which would remind Peter of the time a few days earlier when, at another wood fire, he’d betrayed Jesus (Luke 22: 55-56). Jesus prepared everything needed to restore Peter as a person back into ministry: the wood fire, the words of encouragement and the confirmation of his calling.
In the same way Jesus wants His Church to be restored so that it may be fit to receive the new souls who will be coming, burdened with their problems and needing a shepherd to tend them. We must strengthen and mend the ‘nets’ of the Church so they will be able to hold all the fish without breaking.
Prayer: Thank You Lord, that You provide miraculous answers to prayer, in seemingly impossible situations. Help us to believe and trust in You even more, for Your might and power is greater than our comprehension! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Patrick Chambron , with his wife Valerie, leads the work of Ellel Ministries in France.
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