The Other Side Of Failure

Spiritual Encouragement and Instruction: What to do when we have failed.

INTRODUCTORY ILLUSTRATIONS

Most of us know Babe Ruth set a record with 714 home runs in his baseball career. But few remember he struck out 1,330 times on the way to that record.

Most people know Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine, but few realize he had to fail two hundred times before he found the right one.

Nearly everyone who watches professional basketball agrees Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players of all time. But most people don't realize he failed to make the basketball team his sophomore year in high school. He didn't quit playing because of one failure.

Henry Ford went bankrupt five times before he finally succeeded.

Thomas Edison failed over ten thousand times in his attempts to find the correct filament for the light bulb. When an aide urged him to quit after several hundred failures, he replied, "Why quit now? We know of at least a hundred things that won't work."

(Kent Crockett, The 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003, 69)

Mark 14:66-72

I. PETER’S DENIAL AND RESTORATION

A. Peter was warned by Jesus about failure.

B. Peter denied the “idea” that he would fail.

C. Peter failed Jesus.

D. Peter Repented.

E. Peter became one of the leading Apostles of the New Testament Church.

II. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FAILURE THERE IS:

A. Forgiveness - 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

B. Healing & Restoration - Through fasting and prayer

1. Isaiah 58:11-12 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

C. Victory, Peace & Joy - Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

D. The Fulfillment of God’s Plan for Your Life - Read Romans 11:25-36 and expound (Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.)

1. GOD WOULDN’T GIVE UP ON ISRAEL AND GOD’S NOT GONNA GIVE UP ON YOU!

E. The Power of the Cross - 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1. Power to save

2. Power to deliver

3. Power to Heal

4. Power to Restore broken homes, marriages, lives, relationships…

III. OUR JOURNEY BACK…

A. Our Prayer

1. Search me Oh God

2. Create in Me a Clean Heart Oh God…

Psalms 51:10-13

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

B. The Choice is Ours

1. We cave into failure or,

2. We re-embracing God’s plan for our lives.

CLOSING:

CALVARY LOOKED A LOT LIKE FAILURE…

The mocking and scoffing

The Via Dolorosa

The Crown of Thorns

Those Three Rusty Nails

ON THE BACKSIDE OF CALVARY WE FIND:

Redemption for all humanity

Healing for our broken bodies

Peace for Sin-Sick Souls

Satan was wrong about Calvary and he’s wrong about you too…