Dharius Daniels - 3 Things You'll Miss if You Quit BEFORE God Says Quit

Because you don’t know how much more is in you until somebody outside of you puts a demand on you. In this season, God says, «I know you feel like washing your nets, but in this season of seeking, you’re not just seeking more from Me; I’m seeking more for you.» None of this would have happened if Peter had finished when he thought he was done. Did you hear me? None of this would have happened if he had quit when he thought he was finished. Because he didn’t make God submit to his timetable and because he submitted to God’s timetable, his resilience was rewarded. See, he had this incredible harvest of fish, and this harvest can represent three things he would have missed if he had quit before God told him to stop.

Number one, the fish represent favor. Do you think that was the only boat Jesus could have used? Out of all the boats on the lake, was Peter’s boat the only one? He could have used any boat. The Bible tells us He walks on water; He doesn’t even need a boat. He got in the boat for Peter, not for Himself. But favor, watch this, felt like responsibility before it turned into a reward. Because when He asked Peter to use the boat, He didn’t even promise anything in return. And because Peter let Him use it, He filled it.

Are you asking God to fill what you won’t let Him use? I’m not going to elaborate on this, but it’s the principle of first. He gave the boat first; it was a firstfruit—no promise, no gimmicks, no games. Some people will only give a boat if someone promises to fill it. For Peter, this felt like responsibility; he was likely thinking, «Why, out of all the other boats?» Listen, when Jesus decided to use Peter’s boat, now Peter can’t leave when He’s done; he has to wait until Jesus is finished. So it could feel like an inconvenience—“I’ve got other stuff to do; hurry up and finish your little Sunday school lesson.»

It represents favor, but he would have missed favor if he let frustration cause him to stop when he wasn’t finished. It represents fulfillment—that’s what the fish signify. There is very little that is more emotionally challenging than to fish all night for something and catch nothing. Am I making sense here? The Bible says in Isaiah 48:11, «The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.» Quitting before God says stop doesn’t ease frustration; it compounds frustration. Are you here?

The fish can also represent finances. Deuteronomy 8:18 states, «But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.» They couldn’t eat all those fish. They weren’t in the fishing business just to eat; they got the fish and exchanged it for currency. This represents tangible blessings that they could have missed if they had quit. When I say I’m looking for more, normally, in this series, it’s what we are looking for from God.

But here it is today—the question is, what is God looking for from you? Maybe you think you don’t have any more to give; you’re washing your nets. And God’s like, «I’m looking for more because I know there’s more on the inside of you. I know you’ve experienced more than what you realize. Your frustration has probably led to some fatigue, so now you’re not only mad but tired. Change is coming—change in Atlanta, change in Jersey, change in Global Vision.»

God gave me a vision for His church while sitting in systematic theology at Princeton Seminary over 20 years ago. I still don’t see it fully realized yet, but when I look at what God has done so far, I wonder, what would I have missed if I had put away my nets all those times they came up empty? What are you going to miss? I’m like, «Man, this isn’t working, ” but God’s like, „I’m looking for more.“ Come on, are y’all hearing what I’m saying? You know, sometimes I’m working out, and my trainer and I don’t count the same. What kind of math is that? He’ll say, „30 seconds, ” and I’m counting in my head, „We’re at 45.“ You don’t know how much more is in you until someone outside of you puts a demand on you. And in this season, God is saying, „I know you feel like washing your nets, but in this season of seeking, you’re not just seeking more from Me; I’m seeking more for you because I know there’s more in you. How much more can I take? More! He will never make a demand where He has not made a deposit.“