March 16, 2008 Summit AM
Winners Aren’t
Defeated By Failure
Introduction
A. Mk.14:66-72
B. Understanding Peter’s failure
1. Tediously
serious
a. Mt.10:33 – deny Me before men = disown him before My Father
b. Mt.26:33 – Peter swore even if all forsake you – I never will
c. Awesome evidence of the power Satan has to influence us
1) Was sifting Peter like wheat
2) Also demonstrates the extent of God’s graciousness
2. Everybody
faces failure in his or her life
a. Regardless how spiritual we may think we are
b. Fact that we fail not important – how react to it does
c. Victorious people are not defeated by failure
C. Pray
A. Prov.24:16 – though a righteous man fall down 7X – he gets back up
1. Many biblical examples
a. Moses; Israel; Samson; David; John Mark etc
b. Yet failure is not fatal for believers
c. God is able to use it to build us spiritually
2. Positive side of failure
a. Enables us to accurately
assess ourselves
1) Easy become proud & think we are invincible
2) Failure brings us back to reality – are human
b. Helps us see our weaknesses
1) Places where we are vulnerable
2) Peter never knew how vulnerable he was – slave girl
c. Failure takes the wind out of our boasting
d. Failure provokes us to find answers – solve things
e. Failure shows us how dependent we are on others & God
f. Failure frees us to genuinely & honestly love others
B. Peter’s
path to denying Jesus
1. His boastfulness &
confidence in himself
a. Though all others deny you – I won’t
b. He was above such failure – knew he never do this – die 1st
2. His defiant attitude toward
Jesus’ warnings
a. Not take warning about Satan seriously (us?)
b. Even after told would deny 3X tonight – refused to believe
3. He failed to prepare himself spiritually – prayerlessness
a. Slept instead of watching & praying
b. Fleshly desires won
4. His impulsiveness
a. Was with the crowd - those who hated Jesus
b. Peter’s impulsive charge against High Priests servant – guilt
c. Confused – Jesus had always taken care other situation
A. Immediately
turn to God
1. Peter is heart broken - weeping
a. See Peter leave yet unable to approach God
b. See Jesus make the 1st move – specifically mentions Peter
2. God was ready to forgive Peter before he failed
a. Jesus already interceding – praying
b. Forgiveness is available – reaching out before asked to
3. 1 Pet.5:7 – cast all cares on Him = He cares
a. Israel & Ai – defeated because of sin in camp
b. God reveals sin & immediately confessing – serious
c. Our failure doesn’t surprise God – already made provision for it
d. Even provides wisdom so not do it
again – James 1:5-8
B. Seek to restore relationships quickly
1. Realize that our failures don’t happen in a vacuum
a. David’s sin affected many innocent people
1) Soldiers with Bath Sheba’s husband died too
2) Own family hurt – children died
b. Our sins & failures also
affect those around us
2. Need take specific steps to heal relationships
a. Seek forgiveness – Mt.5:23 – leave gift at altar
b. Make restitution when appropriate
1) Ex.22:5 – when stock wander into another’s field
2) Lk.19:8 – Zachaeus willing to pay back 4X
3) Prayerfully ask God what you should do
C. Seek
wise counsel
1. Prov.12:15 – wise man listens to advise
2. We rob ourselves of healing when we fail to seek counsel
D. Learn
to make changes in lifestyle – character
1. Assess what led to your
failure
a. Like Peter – proud; impulsive – with wrong crowd
b. Discern areas of weakness & build strongholds
c. Become accountable spiritually
2. Ask yourself questions
a. Am I allowing something in my life that is defeating me?
b. Am I making excuses for my lifestyle?
E. Learn to forgive – both others & yourself
1. Failure doesn’t have to be permanent
a. Don’t make it a catastrophe – there is life after failure
b. You behaved poorly – you are not a terrible person
2. Failure doesn’t make you worthless
a. God is ready to forgive – approach Him – 1 Jn.1:8-10
b. Accept responsibility but some things are beyond your control