The Art Of Surviving Failure Series

You see many of us can’t take risks because we would get caught up into the material things. Oh we’ll thank god for it. We’ll probably even tithe also. But God often calls us from a level of obedience to one of faith. (Tell somebody you got to have faith.) Faith is the final solution to failure. When Peter was following the instructions of Jesus, he was doing it out of obedience. But Now Jesus gave him a promise – “For now on you will be fishers of men.” Peter at that instance got a look at his destiny. Jesus was telling him that he thought catching a multitude of was successful, follow me and I’ll give you real success. Church we have been obedient over a lot of things – but now God is calling to be faithful over many things. Every goal set before us, it was met. Every challenge place in front of us was achieved. But now in this year Jesus wants to make us fishers of men. He is saying to us, “if you think putting in a air-condition system was successful follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men. If you think raising 8,000 for missions was a success, follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men.”

Peter step out of is comfort zone as an ordinary fisherman, forsook all, and follow Jesus. That’s why he was so concern when Jesus told them that it was harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a camel to get through the eye of a needle. Peter said to Jesus, “We have left all we had to follow you.” Jesus reassured him that there was no man that hath left house, or parent, or brethren, or wife or children for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and the in the world to come. And good news is that because Peter outplayed the enemy with faith when the day of Pentecost had fully come and they were all with one accord in one place, there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. For the first time in his life Peter began to speak to the masses with boldness like an expert fisher of men attempting to cast out of net for a great bounty of fish. And just as he was able to bring in an overflowing net of fish when he first meant Jesus, Peter ushers into the church some three thousand souls. And like Peter who gave up everything, so did these new souls who sold their possession and goods and gave them to all who had need. And because of their faith the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. When you learn to outwit, out last, and outplay the enemy, the issues of failure and taking risk are no longer a concern. Your only concern is following Jesus. Your only issue is trusting in him. And God rewards that trust with prosperity. My question to you this morning is:

”Are you rather to trust him? Are you ready to put what you have on the line for him, saints? Are you ready to outwit, outlast, and outplay the enemy of failure?