From now on… there is a new normal. We’ve heard these words since early on in the COVID crisis. Our normal lives have been interrupted in 2020. What we normally do—the way we shop, travel, dine out, work out, even the way we worshipped together for a season—results in the cry of our day: We just want to be normal.

There is a new normal that should be – things that from now on should be different in our lives and in our church family. Whenever God is about to do something big on the earth, He often starts with interrupting our normal. Let’s look at this example when Simon Peter was fishing. From that moment on, life would not be the same:

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. ² He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³ Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” ⁵ “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” ⁶ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! ⁷ A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. ⁸ When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” ⁹ For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. ¹⁰ His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.  – Luke 5:1-11

Catch what Jesus said in verse 10: “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” He was saying to Peter: From now on your life will never be the same. From now on you won’t be catching fish to make them dead, you’ll be catching people and making them come alive. You are more than you thought you were… you thought you were a fisherman… but you are a fisher of man. My plans for you are bigger than what you thought!

How would you like a miracle in your life? How would you like to discover, like Peter did, that you are more than you thought you were?

The Lord has a “From Now On” moment for you, and you have a part to play. Here are some steps to take that will lead you to His new normal for you. FROM NOW ON:

Simply obey in the little things.

Jesus interrupted what Peter normally did. He fished at night and washed and mended the nets in the daytime. But that day, God stepped into his boat and asked him to push it out further. The Lord was looking to do more than change his location; He was looking to change the heart of Peter so that FROM NOW ON… HE WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. It all started with simple obedience—push the boat out into the water.

When Jesus stepped into Peter’s boat, He stepped into Peter’s frustration, emptiness, and fatigue. I don’t think Peter understood that when he gave Jesus his yes, one day people would walk through his shadow and be healed. Jesus wants to step into what has not been working for you. Your future is bigger than what you think it is—you just have to say yes to Jesus. He is in your boat waiting for you to push it out.

Give me insight so I can do what you tell me—my whole life one long, obedient response. – Psalms 119:133 MSG

Obedience in the little things will open up the door to miracles. Think of the Lord saying this to you: If you dare to obey me, from now on the rest of your life will be the best of your life. If you dare to obey me, from now on your life will be set on a new trajectory. If you dare to obey me, I’ll take what you thought was empty and a failure and I’ll make you full. If you dare to obey me in the little things, FROM NOW ON, I will take you on an adventure that will exceed your wildest expectations.

Get out and get risky.

The risky action God is calling you to requires faith, not sense. It didn’t make sense for the Lord to tell Simon Peter to go out a little deeper and let the nets down after they had fished all night and caught nothing. Faith isn’t necessary until you face a situation where your experience tells you differently. Peter decided to trust the words of Jesus in spite of his experience—that was his moment of faith—the moment that all believers must come to.

Your faith will prompt you to do something that doesn’t make sense, but can make a miracle. The Lord is calling you into the deep end of obedience. He may ask you to risk your reputation, finances, business… your whole life.

May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. – 2 Thessalonians 1:11 NLT

After that moment, I imagine that Peter would say: From now on I’ll be willing to take a risk. From now on I will respond to your directions without argument. I’m not playing it safe; I refuse to go by only what I can figure out. From now on I’ll go after what looks impossible and live out in the deep where miracles are made. No wonder Peter walked on water when Jesus called to him!

Know that Jesus is Lord.

Peter’s journey started when Jesus saw him. Peter saw past the miracle to the Lord behind it. It wasn’t the amount of fish that brought Peter to his knees; it was the amount of love and power he saw in Jesus. We see Peter expressing yet another “From now on” moment—recognizing Jesus as Lord—giving all his allegiance to the Lord’s heart, desires, and Kingdom. He fully submitted everything.

To that end, we should say the same to Jesus: Everything I do on this earth is in submission to you—everything. 

As Christ’s ambassadors on the earth, we commit to representing Him. When it comes to voting, we vote not as a Democrat or Republican, but as ambassadors of the Kingdom. As the voice of Heaven on the earth, we represent the King of King’s interests and values, not our own.

When Peter felt like he needed to pull away from the Lord, notice how Jesus did not pull away from Peter! Your sin doesn’t repel God; He came when you were a sinner. Now He waits for you to just acknowledge and turn from the sin He died for.

The same grace that saves you calls you to this mission:

Catch people, or else people will go to hell.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. – Luke 5:10-11

“From now on” means that Simon’s “now” was forever changed. He was permanently adjusting how he was spending the rest of his life!

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. – 2 Peter 3:9

Jesus began Peter’s journey of discipleship not by calling him away from his profession, but by challenging him to a bolder practice of it! So it is for you. God may not be calling you to leave your business; rather He may be calling you to a bolder practice of it—calling you to be a missionary where you work and pastor the people there. For others, God is calling to you leave where you work because He wants to send you to pastor a community, to make disciples from around the world.

“Fishing for people” is a vivid picture which accurately describes the nature of the Christian faith. We do not merely wait for recruits to volunteer; we go looking for them! Nobody goes fishing and just waits for the fish to jump in the boat… no, you go looking for them! Time is short. We all need to be catching people. We are all called to participate in a massive harvest of people in the last days!

From Now On: We are fishers of people… this is who we are. We are people who walk away from our lives, our plans, our “normal,” and throw ourselves into catching people. There is a great harvest of souls to be gathered in… and He knows where the harvest is. Will you step into His new normal for you today?

Dive In Deeper

• What are some simple areas in which God is asking me to obey Him?
• Where is the Lord calling me to fish for people?
• What are the names of some people He wants to add to my net?
• What risk will I take this week that will require bold faith?