As believers, we have been called a kingdom of priests. We are all called unto the ministry of reconciliation. not one of us is left out. For those of us in business, career, and professional world out there, a realization of this truth could be just the difference between a huge career success and mediocrity in the market place. As a believer in the market place, God has planted you there for a purpose. Aligning that career/business/profession with that purpose, makes all the difference there could be.

The first encounter which Simon Peter had with Jesus as recorded in Luke 5: 1-11  is a story of how Jesus Christ transformed Simon’s failed business world into a magnificent success that opened him up eventually to his true destiny on the global scene. As career / business apostles in the market place, faithful stewardship to God’s Kingdom is key to releasing heaven’s blessings for continuous advancement in our profession, this is asides the obvious demands for diligence and skill which the bible teaches.

There are salient lessons to derive from the short account in Luke 5: 1 – 11 of Simon’s professional success which we shall treat one after the other. Just in case you are a believer out there in the market place – business, or professional space and yet struggling to keep up and never satisfied with your outcomes in life, these simple lessons from God’s bank of Wisdom may be the beginning of a turn around in your profession.

I’ll try to be simple, but these are deep.

Now go ahead and read the passage, Luke 5:1 – 11.

#1 God is interested in your career/business:

The fishermen were discouraged; they saw themselves as failures that season. In fact they had stepped out of their boats. This meant they had given up. They had reached their wits end. This was when Jesus showed up and they soon got their miracle. However, He didn’t show up like He came through for them. He placed a demand. A demand to seek first the kingdom need. Alas! not to abandon their boats, but to use their very boats for His kingdom purpose.

Many a times, failure in business and career does not necessarily mean God has asked you to abandon your career, it’s most times just a proof of abuse. We are all called into the ministry of reconciliation, it’s the primary purpose for the release of the Holy Spirit upon every believer in this dispensation, as such your career/business in God’s sight is a ministry and hence should have kingdom value and usefulness to attract God’s blessings.

Jesus had need for Peter’s boat, He did not rebuke Peter for being in the boat of fishing.

As a believer, when your career or business seems stale or undergoing a stall, seek out its kingdom value and invest therein.

#2 God validates diligence

God, many a times uses and calls those who think they are unqualified. Those who think they have failed in their own capacity just like Simon Peter felt that night. But why does He do that? Don’t get me wrong, this statement is never an excuse for mediocrity or poor performance. No, God derives no more pleasure in that mediocrity than He derives in laziness, irresponsibility etc. He said you shall be the head and not the tail. That’s taking the lead!

But you see, Simon Peter and his business associates had toiled all night. They had worked hard. They were men of skill, diligence and resilience in their profession; however for some reason, they had done all they knew how to do and yet had no results. That was when Jesus showed up.

Seest thou a man diligent in his work, he shall stand before kings and not mean men.

The problem is when you trust “solely” on skill, competence and hard work. God Himself makes the difference.

#3 Sharpen your sensitivity (Luke 5: 1 -2):

Whenever, you realize you have reached your wits end in your career or business, it is because you have left off sensitivity to God’s voice. The reason why God, many a times uses those who think they are unqualified, those who think they have failed in their own capacity and who seem to have reached their wits end is because, at that point is when they are most broken to hear Him and to trust less in their own abilities and more on His. But we don’t always have to come to this point.

In reality, if only we as believers can learn to always walk diligently in hearing and promptly doing/following God’s lead, we would never ever have to get to the stage of being stranded in any life’s endeavor. Deuteronomy 28: 1 says it all.

One instruction from Jesus changed the entire story for Peter and his associates after a whole night of fruitless hard work. Imagine if they had Jesus all night with them on the boat and they were just hearing and doing as He says.

God loves diligence and hard work then in addition, optimize your hard work by focusing it at hearing and following God’s lead and business/career insights. Yes! He gives business insights for His name’s sake if you are truly His. Hallelujah! That’s what the Holy Spirit can do (2 Corinthians 2:9 – 11)

#4 Make ministry of your boat:

Ministry or Christianity has never been a call to idleness. Except you are called to focus solely on the profession of full time pulpit ministry, as a profession in itself, you are otherwise called to fulfill ministry through your career, business, profession.

Virtually all twelve disciples which Jesus Christ would eventually call were fully engaged in one business venture or the other before Jesus met them physically.

The bible says:

Whatsoever thy hand findest to do, do it with all diligence”.

God does not endorse idle hands, else Jesus would have called such men. He rather employed sinners who were diligent and converted them for the kingdom.

And Jesus showed us how when He used Peter’s boat for ministry. So, even if Peter was not going to be called into the pulpit ministry, his boat was a ministry ground to promote the kingdom of God.

For many of us, our talents, our skills, our education are many a times, our ministry grounds and ministry tools. But we keep thinking only the Pastor, the Prophet, the Teacher, the Evangelist and the Apostle are called for ministry. Are we all Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, Pastors or Apostles? No, yet we are all called into ministry.

Peter was already hanging around the field of his purpose (calling) diligently doing his bit out there in the market place, so when his boat was needed for ministry, it was easy for Peter to render his service as ministry to win souls to God’ kingdom.

If you are a believer and in the right boat – career, business, profession as God has designed for you, then your boat has kingdom value and it’s your call to search it out and invest in that line.

#5 The kingdom demand – Jackpot of life:

Jesus made a demand on Peter, a kingdom demand. It was after Peter had rendered this kingdom valued service that the blessing opened up upon his career/business. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is a sure way to attract God’s blessings. My Pastor calls it the “Jackpot of life”.

If you approach your business with that perspective, it prospers. If you approach your job with that perspective, it prospers, if you approach your family life with that perspective it prospers, whatever tool you render as a kingdom servicing tool or platform always releases the blessings in that area of life. Whenever God places a demand on you for the kingdom, it’s time for promotion. Never see God’s kingdom work as a help you are rendering to God. Many miss their blessings that way. You cannot help God!

It is using your career boat to execute God’s kingdom demand that makes a ministry out of your career, business or profession. Until Peter heard Jesus’ request for his boat and yielded his boat, an instrument for God’s kingdom assignment, he was simply exploring his talent, he was nothing close to ministry.

Take note that,

a. God’s kingdom demand on our boat would sometimes not make meaning to your supposed current business needs. Peter needed fish, he needed a financial breakthrough. Some of us may be seeking promotion or divine ideas. Now, Jesus’ demand on Peter’s and his boat looked irrelevant and insignificant to his business needs at the moment. He probably thought he needed a consultant but after he obliged, he soon was swimming in loads of abundance and testimonies.

b. When God places a ministry demand on our boat, it is for your promotion. We really are not just helping God.

c. God releases business insights to Kingdom promoters. The same way he speaks to you in kingdom promotion and ministry matters is the same way He speaks in return to promote your business, profession or career. This is where so many of us miss it. We are not quick to realize that God can equally instruct with business ideas, revelational insights for growth. The first instruction Jesus gave was for the kingdom assignment, the next one was for Peter’s promotion. The same way God reveals His purpose and calling for us in the market place is the same way releases the blessings – via revelation.

Kingdom promoters are covenant men and women, and by the terms of God’s covenant, they are entitled to divine insights that only God can give. They must hence develop the habit of listening for God’s direction and lead even in career and business endeavours.

When you serve God’s kingdom work, via tithes, seed sown, our skill, our talents, our profession, God releases His blessings mostly via divine insight and revelations amongst other things. But many people however underestimate it. They don’t know how to cook these raw insights into finished products that guarantee success.

They think God is too religious to give business and career guidance! However in Luke 5, just after Jesus demanded Peter’s boat for ministry, the same Jesus gave Peter insights for the biggest business breakthrough he had ever seen till date. This is what God often does with kingdom promoters. What others are dying for, they (by putting the kingdom first) automatically flow in it. Hallelujah!