On this third Sunday after Easter, we continue in the spirit of the resurrection as we speak to you on the subject “Every willing spirit needs God”

The reason I chose this theme from our gospel text for today, is because every person born of a woman has within him/her an inner desire to do what is right… but, because of our falling nature, that desire is often driven in the wrong direction… (And so when a man is at his worse behavior, there is always hidden inside of him an unmet desire…) and so in his frustration of not knowing what that missing piece is, he attempts an answer to his predicament by choosing a personal solution for a spiritual problem…

EXAMPLES
• We find this in religious movements (Isis and their associates),
• The atheist: who says there is no God but yet is angry at this God who doesn’t exists…
• Skeptic: who doesn’t believe but yet at the same time have found no peace in his unbelief…
• The so called Christian: who finds it very difficult standing for his/her faith in times of adversities…

Before going any further in this message, may I first inform you that this is not new news. (It is not new news that ever since the fall, the spirit of man has been in need of his creator - answer…)

And this is why I chose for a theme today, that “Every willing spirit needs God…
The spirit of man is always willing but the flesh of man is always failing… (There were the exact words of Jesus to the apostle Peter who happens to be the subject of today’s message before he fell into temptation…)
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

This is a fact of life that I have become very familiar with over these years of my Christian journey. There have been many occasions when I have failed the Lord and have seen the flame of love and devotion burn very low within my heart and life. When those times came around, I had to come before the Lord, confessing my sins and failures and seeking forgiveness and the restoration of my spirit soul and body. Each time I have come to Him for cleansing, I have found Him to be a faithful Friend to those who have fallen by the wayside.

Well from the subject of our lesson today, the apostle Peter found himself in similar situation after he had made a public declaration to follow Jesus and even die with him… (Peter had a willing spirit)

May I submit today that there are many peters in this room today; I am one of them…

There are three principles in our gospel text today that we need to consider in dealing with those obstacles that stand in the way of any one with a willing spirits…

God is more closer than we think
John 21:4- Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus
Notice that Peter had already met Jesus 2 times prior to this third encounter after his resurrection – but was still being overtaken by guilt… (Judas betrayed him, I denied him) (A willing spirit had been cast down by the will of the flesh and now, is held hostage by the act…)

The get away solution: never works… Because he’s always more closer…
Adam and Eve
Elijah
Jonah
Early that morning – carries the idea of a new day…

God is more sovereign than we think
John 21:5 He called out to them, "Friends haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
God in his sovereignty, holds all power over all creation – in other words, God can change the course of nature whenever he chooses in order to make a point…
Daniel & the lions – the 3 Hebrew boys – Jonah – Peter & the others
Lesson: running from God, we waste time, resources and energy…
Look at their response to the question – NO!

God is more caring than we think
John 21:6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
The solution to succeeding with a willing spirit starts with knowing how much God cares for us…
When Peter, after toiling all night and finding nothing realized the blessings he got from just obeying one command from the lord, (He got out of the boat…)
He forgot about the blessing and went running after the blesser…
He forgot about his guilt and went running toward the guilt remover…
He got his willing spirit charged up to go and feed his Lord’s sheep…

All it takes my friends is to bring your willing spirit to Jesus – for he is the only guilt remover – don’t run from him, come to him
For he’s closer than we think
More sovereign than we think
More caring then we think…