References:
Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.
E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk
Note to the reader:
If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you simply stating where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that all over the globe, the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God.
Thank you.
Herman Abrahams,
Cape Town, South Africa.
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OVERCOMING FAILURES & DISAPPOINTMENTS
Isa 54:1 “Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
Isa 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. Isa 54:3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Isa 54:4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. Isa 54:6 The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. Isa 54:7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. Isa 54:8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer. Isa 54:9 “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Isa 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
INTRODUCTION
A. WHAT IS DISAPPOINTMENT?
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• DISAPPOINTMENT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EXPECTATION AND REALITY.
TO FAIL TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OR HOPES...
To offer great effort and still not see fruition or realization of the goal.
To be confused and puzzled.
To be let down
• To have done something in vain.
Feelings of discouragement.
To keep one from attaining his desires.
B. LIFE WILL BRING DISAPPOINTMENT TO EVERY PERSON.
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• LIFE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS!
God is still working on us, we are not a finished product.
Some of us want water, but we don’t want to dig the well.
• We live in an age of instant everything and this is what some of us expect in life and ministry; …
• When things don’t work out, we are left disappointed.
1. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
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a) Sometimes we are disappointed because our expectations are not realistic.
Example: expecting your child to speak seven languages fluently by age ten.
This may be an extreme, however many people live in extremes and are therefore subject to a lot of disappointments.
b) As Christians we are frequently unrealistic concerning our ministries also. We expect things to happen overnight.
2. FAILURE NEED NOT BE FATAL & SUCCESS IS NEVER
FINAL.
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a) Where disappointments are concerned, we need to know that failure need not be fatal and success is never final.
There is always something more, as long as the earth remains and we have breath. He is the God of the impossible – he will restore the years that the locusts have eaten:
Isaiah 54:1
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“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
b) We might be temporarily cast down, but we are never forsaken.
One lost battle does not mean that the war is lost.
It means ‘gather up your forces and go forward.’
Remember the hymn …
Onward, Christian Soldiers
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
forward into battle see his banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
c) When we are disappointed we need to find out:
What God wants us to do,
When he wants us to do it.
How He wants us to do it, and then do it.
After that, it is in God’s hands, not ours.
Disappointments are cured by keeping our eyes on the prize, the goal, the vision and moving toward it.
Overcoming failure and disappointments & forgetting the past,are flip sides of the same coin.
Phil 2:13-14
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Phil 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself (Paul an old man – in prison) yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Phil 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
There is something ahead to which I have to press on – THERE’S RICHES … THERE’S GOLD, THERE’S SILVER …THERE’S MORE YET IN GOD!!
IsaIAH 54:2-3
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“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.
Isa 54:3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
BELIEVE YOU CAN FLY …again
3. LEARN TO CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU
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Phil 2:13 “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind.”
Isa 54:4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
Put failures and disappointments behind you so they won’t rob you of your joy and peace.
Illustration
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My Grandson, who is two years old, is now big enough to reach the door handles in my home. He is always closing the door behind him. (I have to watch out for him though, because on a previous occasion my grandaughter locked me into my office when she was big enough to start reaching the door handle).
So too, we need to close the door of failures and disappointments behind us.
SIN / FAILURE: Close the door to nagging guilt – confess your sin to our merciful Lord and accept his forgiveness.
Close the door to failure where perhaps you did’nt try hard enough – learn from it, get up and start all over again – press on!!
’Look not back to yesterday,
So full of failure and regret;
Look ahead and seek God’s way—
Sins confessed you must forget.’
—D. De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Aug 13, 2003)
’Forgive us, Lord, for failures past,
Then help us start anew
With strength and courage to obey
And closely follow You.’
—Sper (Our Daily Bread, Jan 1, 2005)
’To enjoy the future, accept God’s forgiveness for the past.’ (Our Daily Bread, Aug 13, 2003)
CLOSE THE DOOR OF FAILURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT SO THAT GOD CAN OPEN NEW DOORS FOR YOU
4. LOOK BOTH WAYS
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Joshua 1:1-9
In every transition, it’s good to look both ways. When Joshua assumed leadership of Israel, God told him to consider the past and the future, Josh 1:2:
Josh 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
Just when you think that there’s no life ahead of you –that it’s all barreness ... “Moses my servant is dead” – oh, what are we going to do?”
The great Moses …
There was no prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face (Dt 34:10),
Who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land (Dt 34:11).
No one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel (Dt 34:12).
He was the meekest man in all the earth.
He loved God’s people and many times saved them from death by pleading with God to forgive the sins of His people Israel.
Moses was an exceptionally compassionate prophet and pastor of the people.
“Moses my servant is dead” – oh, what are we going to do?” Just when we think there’s no hope …
Then, …
God promises:
Josh 1:5,9
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1:5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
With confidence in God, we can look back and look ahead, then walk boldly into what lies before us.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
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Maybe you suffered disappointment when your loved one passed on;
You were disappointed when your spouse left you;
Disappointed at not making that investment;
Disappointed when you lost your job;
Be encouraged today. Look both ways- remember the miracles God did for you in the past. Look ahead – close that door of disappointment and let God complete his work in your life. He has plans for you, plans to prosper you, plans to give you a hope and a future & not to harm you (Jer 29:11).
New blessings will come your way without you even asking for it?
God has ministered to me through my four grandchildren (sometimes we take things for granted).
- My youngest grandaughter will often say – "Pa, thank you for being my pa.
- I had the privilege of giving my eldest grandchild her middle name. (I’m highly favoured because she’s promised me half of her salary when one day she starts work as an actress).
- I was not involved in naming my first grandson – his parents, of their own accord, gave him my first name as a middle name.
- My youngest grandson was born on my birthday this year.
Also, ...
- This year someone has offered to pay for one of my trips out of the country – I had nothing to do with it; never asked anybody for a penny (it’s always welcome though!!).
Just as He was with the Israelites, so he is with you –Joshua 1:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you."
’The victories of the past give courage for the future.’ (Our Daily Bread, Jan 1, 2005) (As I was with Moses, so I will be with you).
CONCLUSION
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Illustration:
Have you heard about the horse, whose cruel owner wanted to bury it alive? The owner dug a huge pit, with a ramp, he led the horse into the pit, blocked off the ramp and started shoveling dirt on the horse. When each shovel of dirt landed on the horse, it shook the dirt off, and stepped on it. Eventually the horse was back on level ground. We need to be like that horse, when disappointment lands on us, shake it off and use it to step up. Eventually we will be out of the pit and back on level ground. [‘Depression: Cause #1 – Disappointments’, teaching by M. E. Arbaugh -
http://www.peace4u.org/disappoint.htm]
Disappointments are cured by keeping our eyes on the goal, the vision, rising above our challenges and moving towards the prize.
Resources Used:
‘Depression: Cause #1 – Disappointments’, teaching by M. E. Arbaugh – [http://www.peace4u.org/disappoint.htm]
Our Daily Bread, Aug 13, 2003
Our Daily Bread, Jan 1, 2005
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