We We Fall and Fail
When We Fall and Fail
Have you ever disappointed someone you love? Recently, a colleague came to work crying because she had disappointed the son. Her son had lost a tooth and had put it under his pillow and went to bed. Come morning, mom did not come true as the tooth ferry. The boy cried and mom felt that she has not been a good mother to be there when her son needed her. It may sound silly to you and me but this is a true story. My colleague expressed guilt and sorrow and the rest of her day was a bad one. We all have disappointed someone and have been disappointed by someone especially by those we love and who love us. Most often we tell people we will be there and it turns out we are not and we often have a reason but it is still a disappointment to someone.
On his way to the cross and at the most crucial time (when the rubber hit the road); the apostles abandoned Jesus and scattered. The classic case of the denial and feeling of disappointment was that of Peter, the macho, tough talking disciple. Let’s read the account.
Luke 22: 31-34; 54-62.
31 And the Lord said,[c] “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him,[f] saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster[g] crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows,[h] you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Everything in the life of believer in Christ is “Father Filtered”. Satan has no ultimate power over our lives as we see in this passage. It says that “Satan has asked for you” Peter. Do you recall another time this was the case? Our great friend Job. Satan equally went to God asking permission to sift Job just as he did Peter. It is interesting the word translated “sift” as wheat. You sift to separate the fine from the coarse particles (the chaff). Satan wanted to destroy Peter’s faith but Jesus permitted the sifting so that Peter’s true faith can come forth.
2. Jesus prayed for Peter and He is still praying for us (see John 17:9, 11 and 15). He prayed that Peter’s faith in God will not fail. Notice that Peter’s faith in himself failed him. We must always look unto Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. It does not matter how may times we fail in faith of ourselves but we must have faith in God who will always restore us. If you fall, don’t keeping lying down; rather get up and walk again by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. When the rubber hits the road, there is often tendency to lie and get out of the jam. Lying is not a life style for a believer in Christ. The Scripture instructs us to put away lying to one another (Colossians 3:9). If you are prone to lying, ask God to deliver you from a lying tongue and He will.
4. Fear will intimidate us and we say and do funny things. Peter called a “servant girl”, “woman”. She has become big in his eyes. Satan will magnify our trails and the unreal dangers that face us. Remember, the devil is a liar and we must know who is speaking to us.
5. There must be restoration. The look from Jesus when the cock crowed was to restore not to say, “I told you so”. Neither should we go around “robbing it in” on someone who has failed. Let’s us err in extending abundant grace to the other. We will need it returned to us some other time. We must also seek restoration when we fail and disappoint others. Do you need restoration at this time? Our Father’s hand is always extended to us for restoration. Ask for it. Amen. You are not are failure. You only become one when you refuse to repent and be fully restored by Jesus Himself.
6. “Strengthen your brethren” Jesus instructed Peter. Our failures are to be harnessed and used to encourage others. Do not waste the lessons from your trial. Pass them on. Apostle Peter devoted a whole chapter of his epistle to trials and suffering because he has learned (1 Peter 4). Peter encouraged us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8,9). Peter became the leader of the Church and you should see him talking boldly under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
Do you believe in “Father Filtered”? I do. Otherwise, I will not be here after countless trials and failings. Remember, failing does not make us “failures”; it means we can start over again in full grace of God. Have you failed someone or the Lord? Weep and repent. Listen to Peter, “May the God of all grace who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10). Amen.
Have you ever disappointed someone you love? Recently, a colleague came to work crying because she had disappointed the son. Her son had lost a tooth and had put it under his pillow and went to bed. Come morning, mom did not come true as the tooth ferry. The boy cried and mom felt that she has not been a good mother to be there when her son needed her. It may sound silly to you and me but this is a true story. My colleague expressed guilt and sorrow and the rest of her day was a bad one. We all have disappointed someone and have been disappointed by someone especially by those we love and who love us. Most often we tell people we will be there and it turns out we are not and we often have a reason but it is still a disappointment to someone.
On his way to the cross and at the most crucial time (when the rubber hit the road); the apostles abandoned Jesus and scattered. The classic case of the denial and feeling of disappointment was that of Peter, the macho, tough talking disciple. Let’s read the account.
Luke 22: 31-34; 54-62.
31 And the Lord said,[c] “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him,[f] saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster[g] crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows,[h] you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Everything in the life of believer in Christ is “Father Filtered”. Satan has no ultimate power over our lives as we see in this passage. It says that “Satan has asked for you” Peter. Do you recall another time this was the case? Our great friend Job. Satan equally went to God asking permission to sift Job just as he did Peter. It is interesting the word translated “sift” as wheat. You sift to separate the fine from the coarse particles (the chaff). Satan wanted to destroy Peter’s faith but Jesus permitted the sifting so that Peter’s true faith can come forth.
2. Jesus prayed for Peter and He is still praying for us (see John 17:9, 11 and 15). He prayed that Peter’s faith in God will not fail. Notice that Peter’s faith in himself failed him. We must always look unto Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. It does not matter how may times we fail in faith of ourselves but we must have faith in God who will always restore us. If you fall, don’t keeping lying down; rather get up and walk again by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. When the rubber hits the road, there is often tendency to lie and get out of the jam. Lying is not a life style for a believer in Christ. The Scripture instructs us to put away lying to one another (Colossians 3:9). If you are prone to lying, ask God to deliver you from a lying tongue and He will.
4. Fear will intimidate us and we say and do funny things. Peter called a “servant girl”, “woman”. She has become big in his eyes. Satan will magnify our trails and the unreal dangers that face us. Remember, the devil is a liar and we must know who is speaking to us.
5. There must be restoration. The look from Jesus when the cock crowed was to restore not to say, “I told you so”. Neither should we go around “robbing it in” on someone who has failed. Let’s us err in extending abundant grace to the other. We will need it returned to us some other time. We must also seek restoration when we fail and disappoint others. Do you need restoration at this time? Our Father’s hand is always extended to us for restoration. Ask for it. Amen. You are not are failure. You only become one when you refuse to repent and be fully restored by Jesus Himself.
6. “Strengthen your brethren” Jesus instructed Peter. Our failures are to be harnessed and used to encourage others. Do not waste the lessons from your trial. Pass them on. Apostle Peter devoted a whole chapter of his epistle to trials and suffering because he has learned (1 Peter 4). Peter encouraged us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8,9). Peter became the leader of the Church and you should see him talking boldly under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
Do you believe in “Father Filtered”? I do. Otherwise, I will not be here after countless trials and failings. Remember, failing does not make us “failures”; it means we can start over again in full grace of God. Have you failed someone or the Lord? Weep and repent. Listen to Peter, “May the God of all grace who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10). Amen.
Comments