Failure isn’t fatal unless you let it become final!

Luke 22:60-62 NLT
But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

Failure isn’t fatal unless you let it become final!

Failure isn’t final if I…

…Recognize that everyone fails

James 3:2 NLT
Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

…Remember God’s love isn’t conditional

Luke 22:31-32 NLT
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

…Refuse to waste it

2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

Proverbs 24:16a NLT
The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

…Return to my purpose

John 21:15-17 NLT
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they lie in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. – Theodore Roosevelt

The story of Christianity is of failed men and women who found new futures in Christ!

Satan will tell us that we are finished, that our future is destroyed, that we are defined by our failure but that is not God’s message to us. We must never use failure as an excuse for not trying again.

My personal opinion is that Peter was on the brink of turning in the towel on being an Apostle. He was ready to just simply be another person in the followers of Jesus, he felt because of his failure he could no longer be a leader, that Jesus had lost faith in him like he had lost faith in himself.

Jesus’ command to Peter was: Do what I called you to do, get back on the horse, start walking the path again

What’s amazing is that Jesus doesn’t deny that Peter screwed up, but he doesn’t dwell on it either. Hope does not cover up what has occurred, but it gives a promise of something better to come.

Peter denied Jesus 3 times and Jesus restored Peter 3 times!

Your failure doesn’t have to be fatal, but you’ve got to:

Recognize that everybody fails sometimes
Remember that God’s love isn’t based on your success
Refuse to waste it
Return to your purpose

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