Introduction

Good day to all, I am very pleased to meet everyone online again. I am here to share a topic with you, titled Winning People Like Catching Fish. We face two choices, one is to love the world, and the other is to love God.

We previously discussed Do Not Love the World. If loving God is a better choice, shouldn't we choose the better one? In my ministry, I find that people are foolish, invariably choosing the lesser option. If there is no better choice, then the next best is what we should opt for. Once again, let us make a choice: should we choose to win people or catch fish? Which is more valuable, people or fish? Some argue that fish are more valuable because they can be sold in the market, whereas people cannot. People not only need to be fed but also get hungry if they miss a single meal. This leads to our perspectives often differing from God's.

I can offer you the best advice: our own opinions are not important because they are often low; it is important to align with God's perspective. If you see things from God's vantage point, you will undoubtedly make the best choices, just as God would.

Last night, I received a phone call that particularly excited me. This sister, an employee of mine, has not been working since the beginning of the year, yet she continues to receive her salary. Why? Because she fell ill, specifically with a lung disease. In an era dominated by Covid-19, contracting a lung disease is quite distressing. So, I began ministering to her, leading her in prayer, and dismantling the flawed thinking within her, as she was consumed with catering to the flesh. Did she know how to make choices? I suspect she lacked understanding in her intellect, although she verbally claimed to know, her heart was not receptive.

I do not want you all to have the misconception that seeking medical attention contradicts the Bible. Act according to the extent of your faith, and avoid rigidity. Upon examination at the hospital, the sister's entire lung X-ray revealed a predominantly white image, especially on the right lung.

Over these past six months, I have ministered to her, and I know she feels very insecure. I am not concerned that she helps me in my work. What I want to gain is her as a person. When ministering to her, I told her that she doesn’t have to worry about anything, that she may carefree focus on regaining her health. I also emphasized that she should not feel pressured by not doing any work, and that we can discuss work after her recovery. Her condition has fluctuated over these six months, and whenever her faith waned, her condition worsened. Hence, I had to uplift her faith. I told her not to worry and assured her that I would not mind supporting more such employees. Learning and growth are not as important as rest.

Throughout these past six months, I have continuously nurtured her, removing many of her worries. Why do I do this? According to traditional management systems, is this not clearly disadvantageous? If everyone did this, would it not be the end? No, it will not all end, because I am winning people like catching fish. Yesterday, she called to inform me that the doctor has confirmed that she is no longer contagious, and although the illness persists, it has significantly improved. Not long ago, she was covered in blisters, which looked terrifying but I led her in prayer, and the blisters disappeared.

What is her illness related to? Some might argue that medical technology is highly advanced now. I do not deny the effectiveness of hospital treatments, but I tell you, throughout my ministry, I led her in prayer, and the speed of her recovery surpassed normal expectations. Why would I do this? Because winning people like catching fish is my calling. I am gaining her as a person, not expecting her to work and earn money for me, that would be misguided. For example, if you are a boss hoping your subordinates will work tirelessly, your subordinates will think, Why should I work my life away when I am just an employee, not the owner?

Brothers and sisters, whether you are entrepreneurs or professional managers, you must establish a management system. Even if we are neither entrepreneurs nor professional managers, we must establish a management system within ourselves. Are people willing to follow you, or are they forced to do so? Management can force people to follow you and do the work you assign them, but a leader with leadership skills inspires people to follow willingly and take initiative.

I shared a lot with this sister, reminding her that she should enjoy her work. People’s thoughts have a profound impact on their behaviour. As a man thinks, so he is; the results one achieves in life are the concrete reflections of what’s inside of him. If we are filled with worldly, human logic, we will value fish or matters more than people; if we are filled with God's logic, we will value people more than fish or matters. Those who win people like catching fish are powerful individuals. Are we people winners or fish catchers? Earning money is merely a matter of catching fish, whereas winning people like catching fish is the noble calling that the Lord Jesus gives us.

An entrepreneur, for example, worked with a fish-catching style. Did he catch fish? No, he did not. His management system looked quite frightening; his style and method of leading employees were clearly ineffective to me. Why? Because people's hearts were not with him. How could anything he did succeed? After several years, millions were invested, all of which went down the drain. I told him not to be impatient in his work, but he did not listen. He wanted to launch software today and another thing tomorrow, keeping his employees extremely busy. In reality, the employees were not busy in their hearts; they were merely putting on a show for the boss. As a result, after several years, all the investments were wasted.

I have my own original management system, primarily inherited from the Lord Jesus. What did the Lord Jesus pass down? He handed down the method of winning people, making people willing to work for you! Whoever comes into our midst will see great unity in this place. Everyone should gradually understand what has brought us to where we are today. It is all God’s marvelous work, following God’s words. It is to edify people, benefiting them, so loving God leads to loving our brothers and sisters.

Every Christian’s responsibility is to win people like catching fish. Do you want to be at the top and not at the bottom? How can you be at the top? If you are a fish catcher, you are above the fish; if you are a people winner, you are above the people. Being above the people means serving everyone. We should be clear about the concept that everything we do is for edifying people, and we hear the words to act accordingly.

Are you someone who wins people like catching fish? When you come before the Lord Jesus in the future, will you bring Him just a few fish? What will you bring as your report card when you come before God in the future? People! Whom have you edified? Whom have you served? Whose blessing have you become? These are critical, or else the Lord Jesus will say, I do not know you. Those who love God will surely obey God's commands, and by obeying God's commands, you will say, This is God's will, and that is God's will.

A few days ago, a sister's child had a high fever, and her small group leader and I ministered together. I fell asleep later because I was too tired, and by the time I woke up, the ministry was almost over. But it's okay, because in that short time, I taught her how to break through in her understanding. So, understanding is very important. Do we have such an understanding, because many people are very selfish? Christians are also very selfish. Why? Because Christians are always seeking grace but do not know that giving is the greatest grace.

Speaking of the Love God Series, we often cite Paul and the Corinthian church. Did Paul eventually win the Corinthians? Yes, he did, because what Paul gave was love! If there is no love in your heart, even stray dogs know that it is fake.

Scripture

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)

Prayer

Lord, may you raise up your people among us, and may we all obey your words. God, may our thoughts and intentions turn back to you, and may we become people who win others like catching fish. God, today use your words to inspire us, so that we may come out of selfishness, come out of narrow-minded concepts, and become people who yearn to serve others. God, deal with the bad habits on us, and may your word be fulfilled in us. God, may your will be done in us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!

Scripture Background

The background of this scripture is shortly after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. Everyone knows that John the Baptist was a very famous prophet in that era, but few people knew Jesus. Jesus came out to the Jordan River to be baptized, was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days, fasted and prayed and finally overcame, and began to minister with power. When He ministered, He had no disciples, only Jesus Himself. A very obvious characteristic of this generation is that everyone heard John the Baptist say that a Messiah was coming, and the Israelites all hoped that the Messiah would come again, hoping that the Messiah would rebuild David's dynasty in this place of Israel.

People's hearts are very interesting. After reading so much of the Bible, they are still thinking about worldly things. The Davidic dynasty was the most prosperous dynasty in the entire history of Israel, and later his son Solomon once again expanded the territory of Israel. David was a skilled and courageous warrior. People hoped that when the Messiah came, He would lead them to gain the country of Israel and rebuild the Davidic dynasty. At that time, Israel was a Roman colony, and the common people were thinking about how to drive away the Romans and become an independent country of Israel. This was what people were thinking and assuming that Jesus could defeat the Romans and become emperor.

After being baptized, Jesus was tempted and overcame, and then began to preach. When He first came out to preach, why would anyone listen? Because Peter, John, and these people were all disciples of John the Baptist, and they all believed in what John the Baptist said. John the Baptist said that Jesus was the Messiah, so they would listen to what Jesus said. Jesus came to the lakeside, and those people were fishing. Jesus sat on the boat, and many people were listening to Jesus on the shore. There is no detailed record of how many people there were.

John, James, and Peter were all fishermen. At that time, Jesus got into Peter's boat, asked him to push it away a little, and Jesus preached to the people on the shore from the boat, and the boat became Jesus' preaching stage. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke have detailed records of what Jesus preached in this sermon. After Jesus finished speaking, He wanted to give everyone a demonstration. They hauled in a net of fish that filled two boats.

At this time, Peter was not very convinced of what Jesus said. He thought that he was a fishing expert. Peter thought that Jesus did not understand the way of fishing.

As a result, Jesus asked him to cast a net, and the fish hauled in filled two boats, weighing the boats down. Peter, who had never seen so many fish, discovered that his expertise was not called expertise. Although Jesus was professional in preaching, He was also professional in how people lived. Fishing is nothing compared to winning people! Not only able to win people, but even when it comes to catching fish, Jesus can surpass everyone!

So everyone should never talk to Jesus about expertise, Jesus is the expertise of all professions! So Peter submitted! After submitting, Jesus called Peter to follow Him, from now on, I want you to win people like catching fish! How much money can a net of fish sell for? How much is a net of people worth? Very valuable! Everyone needs to know that people are very precious and cannot be measured with money.

So I tell you, those who serve God lack nothing! Our attitude in our hearts should not be rigid, and we must never regard our expertise as expertise. Our expertise is just like Peter fishing, without catching even one fish all day, but as a result, according to what Jesus said, the efficiency was very high! We must be a person who is wins others! If we just stay behind and push employees to write code and the final code submitted becomes garbage or we are a person who catches fish then the fish caught will probably also be of bad quality.

In ancient times, there was a person named Zhang Fei, who waved his serpent spear and was very powerful. One roar at Changban Bridge scared away a million soldiers. He was really amazing! Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang, beheaded six generals in five passes in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and conquered the world with a broadsword, which was really frightening. But they are not people who win others because no one liked them.

Today, if you are Zhang Fei or Guan Yu, no matter how powerful you are, you are just the kind of person whose head is chopped off by his own men, which means that people must know what they are doing. Some people will also say that Jesus was also betrayed by Judas, but Jesus was willing to go to the cross, to offer himself to fulfill God's will, which was not something Judas could decide. Peter, John, and James followed Jesus, and from then on, they won people like catching fish. Everyone must know that it is easy to get a thousand troops, but difficult to find a general. If you are a general with talent and can command thousands of troops, then the people below will be willing to follow you in battle.

We Are Called to Win People Like Catching Fish!

The name of Christian is not as simple as you might think! We are called to win people like catching fish! Jesus said to Peter, come and follow me! Do not be afraid! This is a very interesting sentence, what is Peter afraid of? Afraid of following Jesus without money to spend! Following Jesus cannot be eaten! This is a very low thought!

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” (Luke 5:10)

Professional fishermen are simply that—fishermen or farmers. They spend their days catching fish to sell at the market, then catching more, their lives reeking of fish. Make no mistake: we are called to catch men like fish, and catching men is a far greater thing!

I once knew a pastor who later went from catching fish to catching men. I happened to be seated next to him on a flight, and we were both surprised to see each other. God's arrangements are always interesting; it was as if God was nudging me, reminding me not to forget the calling of Jesus Christ, that from now on I am to catch men like fish!

I chatted with him, asking about his recent activities. He breathed a sigh of relief, saying he had finally let go of a miserable job. I asked what job that was, and he said it was church work. He was no longer a pastor but a businessman; he had ordered a batch of furniture and was going to inspect it before bringing it back to sell. I found this quite interesting: he had abandoned Jesus and boarded a fishing boat. How wonderful is the work of catching men, of edifying people! Now he was making chairs and tables. People often live in confusion, not knowing that our calling is to catch men like fish.

On another occasion, I attended a gathering where a Christian leader spoke interestingly, but not quite in line with the Bible. Yet, many people were willing to follow him. I wondered what he was gaining, and I wanted to understand more. There was also a married couple who used to be pastors. At the meeting, they told the leader that they had been dismissed by their church. The leader’s comforting words surprised me—he said their calling was not to be pastors, but to be designers!

He had previously worked as a designer, and whether he was good at it or not, he entered the church as a full-time worker. Things didn't work out, and he returned to the job market. Is being a designer God's calling? Is it man's Mingding Destiny? Don't be misled by this kind of thinking. We have only one Mingding Destiny: the destiny of Abraham, to be a blessing to many. We have only one calling: to be disciples of Jesus Christ, to catch men like fish!

These are things I have personally witnessed, seeing many people who like to say things that Jesus never said. My brothers and sisters, we must be careful. If someone preaches a different gospel, beware; if someone speaks a different doctrine, beware. It’s not that you are not good enough, therefore it’s not your calling; it’s because you haven't done it well enough. If you can’t do anything well, you’re just someone who can’t do things well.

I give you a challenge: can you desire to be an excellent person? To excel in everything you do, not failing at one thing and switching to another. Not failing in the workplace and becoming a pastor, then failing as a pastor and returning to the workplace. How can one's life withstand such tossing about? From twenty to sixty years old is forty years; three to five years wasted here, three to five years wasted there, and nothing is accomplished. If you are over thirty-five and still have no achievements, it is somewhat of a tragedy.

I say this not because of anything else, but because a person is relying entirely on himself! Today, we are called by God to be His children, relying on His power to become vessels that manifest His glory. How is it possible not to become an excellent person? If you trust in God, you will cast your net and surely catch many fish.

The point I want to emphasize is that our calling is to catch men like fish! Some might think of themselves as insignificant, incapable of catching men like fish. Such a mindset is unbelief. Others like to talk nonsense, full of loser habits, unable to accomplish anything, not pursuing excellence, seeking only to get by, barely living, and yet wanting to be respected. Why should others respect them? There is nothing to respect! A bottle half full rattles loudly. How can such people not be miserable? The reason for their misery is simple: they lack the image of God!

I remind you again of the definition of salvation: God wants us to obtain this salvation so that we can live out His glorious image while we are alive. We must not be lousy Christians but Christians who possess the likeness of Jesus. We are called by God to be His children; we are destined to be princes, and our God is the King of Kings. If you are to be a king, you must be above all the peoples of the earth. We are called to catch men like fish. If you place things before people and value things more than people, you will be very troubled.

Once, I sent an employee for training, and this employee had previously suffered from depression. When they trained this employee, they brought out his depression again. Why did the depression return? I know very well what these people did; they valued things more than people. Yet, people are the most important!

I value my employees very much, whether they are brothers and sisters or my colleagues, they are the most precious in my eyes! Why? Because I am called to catch men, not the fish in your hands. I hope that our brothers and sisters can inherit my system, those who follow Jesus must be people who catch men like fish!

Is it better to catch men or to catch fish?

I tell you, catching men is better! Once, I was on a train and a sister sitting opposite me gave me a difficult question. She asked me who I liked most in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I said I liked Liu Bei the most! Why? I think Liu Bei was truly capable. As for whether Liu Bei's stories are true or not, that's how Romance of the Three Kingdoms portrays it, and we listen to it that way. I continued: Was what Liu Bei did real or fake? She originally wanted to ask me if it was real or fake, but I passed the question back to her, and she had to answer my question. As a result, she didn't dare to say. I told her: What Liu Bei did was real. But she believed Liu Bei was faking it.

Cao Cao's million-strong army sent generals to chase and kill Liu Bei in Xu Zhou. Liu Bei led the elders of Xu Zhou forward, followed by the people of Xu Zhou. Looking at the families of Xu Zhou, he couldn't leave them behind, but how could he fight while leading these people? But Liu Bei still decided to take them with him. Liu Bei understood the hearts of the people very well, otherwise how would he have become a dominant figure in the Three Kingdoms later? You must know whether it's better to win people or to win fish; of course, winning people is better! Liu Bei fought with the people, and later he survived. Not only this, but Liu Bei was serious about winning people's hearts. You can’t win people's hearts by buying them off, you must be serious. If you want to win people's hearts, you must be serious.

If you train a person to go from earning 2,000 a month to 4,000, then from 4,000 to 8,000, then to 10,000, will they be willing to follow you? They will definitely be willing to follow you. The day before yesterday, a sister called me, saying that the place where the sisters she pastors live is experiencing drought, and the crops have a very poor harvest. After the harvest, they found that other people's land yielded 200 pounds per acre, but her land yielded 400 pounds per acre. They don't know how, but is her land different from others? It is not different either.

This sister said: I want to testify that I used to not believe that Isaac's land in the Bible had a hundredfold harvest, but this time, I am also experiencing what Isaac experienced, and my land also had double the harvest. She will definitely thank God for letting her experience such a wonderful thing. Who blessed her? It is us who serve her that blessed her. If she can also become someone who catches men like fish in the future, that would be even better!

Brothers and sisters, I lack nothing, I just want to give! A sister runs a business and needs a professional IT system. Because I do this, I said I would help her build it. This sister was hesitant: Should I pay or not? I said: I don't charge, I just give it to you for free. What I want to get is not the money, but people. Later, another sister who manages a school lacked a system, and I also helped this sister make a system for free. I just give it away for free, even if there is one out of 100, that is good, because winning people is better than winning fish.

Some pastors are thinking about other people's offerings. Why do their churches need people? Not to serve them, edify them, let them grow, and make them more valuable, but to let them give offerings. Their eyes are only on money! Don't say God knows, the devil knows, even the dogs on the road know. Why are some pastors very poor, the dogs on the road know, how can the brothers and sisters in the church not know?

Catching Men Like Fish Means Being Above, Not Below

God's promises are too many! Today, your land has double the harvest, which is just the fish from one cast of your net. Compared to being above and not below, being above all the peoples of the earth is far behind. You must clearly know that catching men like fish means being above and not below. How can you be above all the peoples of the earth? You have to win people! If you don't win people, how can you be above? Do you want to exploit the working masses? No, you have to be a blessing to the working masses, you have to pass on the blessings from God! Today we edify and bless people. This is our Mingding Destiny. Even if you have just believed in the Lord, you have to know where the goal is? Where to go?

Even when Peter was called by Jesus Christ to follow Him and received a command: to catch men like fish. As a result, Peter gained nothing for three years. Later, after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, but before He ascended to heaven, Peter went fishing again, forgetting to win people. Jesus watched them busy in the sea and caught nothing. As a result, He said to them, boys, cast to the other side. As a result, 153 fish were caught. Jesus talked to Peter, do you love me? If you love me, go and shepherd my sheep.

People just don’t know that catching men like fish means being above and not below. A sister said to me: I have a lot of money, but I am embarrassed to tell others, because others will think I am Versailles. I said: What's going on? She said: I don't know what's going on, I just make money in everything I do. A few years ago, in a company, others raised funds together, and she also invested 50,000 yuan. Today, others told her that the 50,000 yuan she invested that year has now become 500,000 yuan, and others want to buy back the shares. You say, where can you reason with this? Some people smash 500,000 yuan and turn it into 50,000 yuan, or even into a minus 500,000 yuan, but this sister loves God very much, and she really works hard to serve God. I tell everyone that catching men like fish means being above and not below. It is easy to be below, but it is not easy to be above.

The top 20% of the pyramid own 80% of the world's resources, and the bottom 80% of the pyramid own only 20% of the world's resources. Everyone must understand this principle. Whoever has it, God will give him more, and whoever does not have it, even what he has will be taken away. I know a mathematician who can prove the Matthew effect with mathematics. The law of the pyramid is the law of God. Who let you be at the bottom? It is very hard at the bottom, you must run to the top. Catching men like fish is definitely on top, that is the promise God gave us, we must be above all the peoples of the earth, we must bless many people.

The Great Serves the Small, the Above Serves the Below

The logic system of the world is that the people above are domineering and blessed, and the people below are exploited and oppressed. The logic system of God is that the great serves the small, and the above serves the below. It is obvious which is greater and which is smaller between serving and being served. To be a person who catches men like fish, you must be a serving person, and you must be a blessing to others. The big serves the small, the above serves the below, and serves with the power of God.

Brothers and sisters must know that don't think that your ability is not good, whether it is fishing or shepherding, what can you do with your own ability? Fishermen, farmers, and shepherds rely on God for food. Today, what is not relying on God for food? Today we obey God's guidance and work with God, we will definitely gain the ability to shepherd, the ability to serve, and the blessing to be above all the peoples of the earth. Jesus said: Follow me! Following Jesus is emulating Jesus' service and will be full of miracles.

I am a very good person at living, I enjoy myself very much, and I live an enjoyable life every day. Many people hear it and think that I eat and drink spicy food every day. What do you think I am? I am a rice bucket? The most important thing is I am someone who is constantly in God’s work. I am someone that is constantly creating, constantly serving, and making people edified.

I am a person who catches men like fish. I am very happy every time I get someone, and happy again when I get another person, not because I get him to work for me, but I get a person. I am a person who catches men like fish. I make someone who is only worth 2,000 yuan worth 4,000 yuan, and 4,000 is worth 8,000. Brothers and sisters, will I still be poor? If you are a person who catches men like fish, you will prosper in everything you do, because God will be with you, what are you afraid of?

Peter followed Jesus, and Jesus told Peter to catch men like fish. Peter believed that fishing could be sold for money in the market. Is there a reason to catch men? Yes! This bowl of rice is better than any other bowl of rice! Therefore, brothers and sisters, today we must become a blessing to others, become a person who catches men like fish, and become a person who is above all the peoples of the earth. I am not domineering above, I want to be a blessing to the people below, this is my life, this is my Mingding Destiny! Don't be afraid, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid of not having food to eat, afraid of not having clothes to wear? What are you afraid of? A person who catches men like fish must be a prosperous person.

This is a Noble Calling

Today, let all people come out of selfishness. You are not just living to make yourself and to edify yourself, but you are living to be someone who edifies others. You must be a blessing to others, come out of the logical system of the world, become a person who gets people, no longer live in your own profession, but live in God's profession. What kind of people does our God work with? With people who catch men like fish.

This is a moment of choice, you can choose to love fish, love the smell of fish; you can also choose to love God and shepherd God's flock. Say that you are not able to, that does not matter, hit the bottle when you grow the strength to do so, growing constantly at different stages in your spiritual life, constantly longing and growing like a baby, drink spiritual milk, We always make full use of the measure of Jesus Christ, this is an extremely sublime call.

Our God is worthy of praise, our God takes care of us, takes care of the people of the world, and hopes that they will receive blessings, come out of the logical system of the world, no longer live in the oppression of the devil, but live in the blessings of God!

May God bless everyone!