Cathy and I have a confession to make—one that very few preachers would announce publicly. For those of you who haven’t heard, the rumors are true: We’re Trekkies! We travel the world preaching the gospel, but whenever the opportunity arises at late night, we crawl into bed and watch Star Trek.
Don’t get the idea that I dream of piloting a spaceship just because I like Star Trek. It’s a good show, but I don’t even fly my own airplane. I do want to experience the “warp” factor in my Christian life. I want the Holy Spirit to beam me up to higher places in prayer. I never want to be satisfied with landmarks I’ve already passed.
I want to boldly go where no man has ever gone before. Look at Luke 5:1-4:
“And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets.”
Look at this. Jesus said, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets. I want you to notice that Jesus never said, “Let down your net.” He told them to let down their nets. Let me tell you something. When you go fishing with God, He’ll fill your boat! Why?
Because He’s the God of too much. If you don’t put enough nets in the water, you won’t receive the abundance He has prepared for you. If every Christian had hearing ears to hear what Jesus is saying to the Church, I believe they would hear Him echoing the same words He spoke to Simon that day, Launch out into the deep.
The truth is that I just decided to believe God and take Him at His Word. If you’re ever going to launch out, you have to have a conviction about living and a conviction about life. In other words, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never know when you get there.
Let me tell you something. When you’re in water over your head, there’s no use in turning back. If you can’t touch the ground, just keep swimming. Backstroke, baby, but keep moving. If you’ve gone that far, go where no man has gone before.
Some people are content to live in the shallows of life, but that’s where all the dirt is. All the trash floats in the shallow water. Don’t paddle on the beach, set your sail for the horizon. Get out of the boat of religion and walk with Jesus!
Have you ever wondered why Jesus is always urging us to get out of the boat and walk on water? Because if you do something you can’t do, you can’t get the glory for it. If you do the impossible through Him, He’ll get the glory.
The world is suffering today because it’s been left in the hands of amateur Christians-half consecrated and half doubtful. Being double-minded won’t get you anything from God, and you sure can’t help anyone else.
If you’re going to grow up in God, you’ve not only got to proclaim what God has done, but also fulfill all the dreams and visions He has given you along the way. You’ve got to go beyond just what you need to get by and believe God for the maturity to help other people.
In other words, you need a revelation of Jesus Christ. At least, that’s where Paul got what he preached—and Paul wasn’t an amateur. In Galatians 1:11-12, he said, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Jesus still gives revelation to those who are addicted to Him and to serving the saints.
Another way to boldly go where no man has gone before is to sail past old landmarks. Let me tell you what Cathy and I do. Every New Year’s Day, we get up and go into our dining room, which is the finest room in our home. There, among the candles and flowers, we take Holy Communion and tell the Lord, “We will sail past the landmarks that marked the past year.”
We mark every new year by committing to God for the impossible. You see, a whole new world opens up for you when you sail on past your old landmarks, when you go beyond where you’ve gone before. There’s a human trait that yearns to sail into the comfort of a known landmark. But if you only sail in known territory, you’ll never explore new depths of God’s goodness. It takes extra faith to sail right on past to unexplored territory. That’s the only way to launch into the deep.
For some of you, a known landmark is giving a certain amount per year. Every time you near that point of giving, you think, “That’s enough!” But have you ever thought of passing that landmark? Have you wanted to do something that seems impossible? You’ve got to remember that Satan isn’t a faith devil, so he isn’t going out into the deep.
If you really want to get rid of the devil, go where he can’t go. Faith is the substance that will beam you up to higher places in Christ. That means your faith has got to keep growing. You see, conviction about faith is more than guarding the deposit, it’s multiplying it. The good news is that if God started something in you, He’ll finish it! But it won’t be finished in shallow water. He’ll take you past all your known landmarks and on to where no man has ever gone.
The main reason so many Christians never launch out into the deep is because they’re all at the foot of the cross. “Brother Jesse,” you might ask, “isn’t the cross where we’re supposed to be?” Yes, the foot of the cross is where you got saved. That’s where the blood of Jesus dropped off His brow and washed your sins away. But Jesus didn’t stay there. Why should you?
“What should we do, Brother Jesse?” Climb the cross. Go high enough to see what Jesus sees—and you’ll sail past all those old landmarks. Why? Because you’re looking through His eyes. You’re the people who God wants to launch out into the deep.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”