WHEN I FAIL
I Promise #6
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, April 24, 2022
(John 21:3–7, NLT) “Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.”
(Joshua 23:14, NLT) “Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!”
FAILURE IS NOT USUALLY ABOUT KNOWLEDGE, STRATEGY, SKILL, OR EXPERIENCE.
1. EVEN THOUGH I DO MY BEST SOMETIMES I WILL FAIL.
James 3:2a (PT) “We all fail in many areas…”
I commit my failure to God’s grace.
Five Primary Reasons People Fail
a. Failure to develop character.
(Proverbs 11:30, NAB) “The fruit of virtue is a tree of life..”
b. Failure to humble ourselves.
(Matthew 23:12, NLT) “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
c. Failure to respect others.
(Romans 12:10, GN) “Be eager to show respect for one another.”
d. Failure to deal with pain.
(Matthew 11:28, Message) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”
e. Failure to know what to do with what I know.
(James 1:5, NLT) “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:20, GNB) “There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake.”
2. GOD DOESN’T WANT ME TO WALLOW IN REMORSE WHEN I FAIL; HE WANTS ME TO REPENT.
My failure is an opportunity to grow in grace.
(John 21:7) “When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he … jumped into the water”
“He who is fretted by his own failings will not correct them; all profitable correction comes from a calm, peaceful mind.” –Francis de Sales
(Jeremiah 8:4, NLT) “This is what the Lord says: “ ‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?”
3. MY FAILURE IS AN EVENT THAT HAPPENED. IT IS NOT ME.
I learn from my failure and I don’t define myself by my failure.
(Judges 16:22, NLT) “But before long, his hair began to grow back.”
4. MY FAILURE WILL PUT ME IN A PLACE WHERE GOD CAN USE ME.
My success comes when I abide in Christ.
(John 15:4, NASB) “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
“Often we assume that God is unable to work in spite of our weakness, mistakes, and sins. We forget that God is a specialist; he is well able to work our failures into his plans.” – Erwin W. Lutzer
(Romans 8:28, NLT) “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
(2 Timothy 1:7, NLT) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”