This past Sunday, using John 21 and Acts 2 I identified a formula we could follow in order to become overcomers when we fail. Using the life of Peter we saw that:
1. Overcomers run to the right Person.
2. Overcomers recover their purpose.
3. Overcomes receive the Holy Spirit’s power.
Peter had a lot of ups and downs as a disciple. He failed to understand and do the right thing on many occasions, but his biggest failure, denying he even knew Christ, knocked the spiritual wind out of him. He went back to fishing. After all, how could he be a follower after such an incredible failure? But Jesus came looking for him. When Peter recognized it was Jesus standing on the seashore, he jumped out of his fishing boat and began running through the water to get to Jesus.
We can struggle to reconnect with someone we have failed or disappointed in some way. We are good at avoidance tactics. When we avoid dealing with what we have done, we let failure have the final say. People who let failure have the final say won’t get God’s perspective on their situation. Without God’s perspective and help, we can’t move from failure into our God-given future. Perhaps people are afraid of what God will say when we come to Him after a failure. I’ll tell you what He will say. “Welcome. I am so glad you are here! I love you and will help you.”
After Peter came to Jesus, Jesus spoke with him not about his failure, but his future. He told him to get back to the business of fishing for men, back to the Kingdom business, back to feeding God’s sheep. Jesus pointed Peter forward, helping him see that “his destiny was greater than his disaster.” As I said on Sunday, a setback is your opportunity for a comeback! Failure doesn’t qualify us from serving the Lord through our life’s purpose as long as we run to Him, repent, and choose to reconnect in love for Him. In John 21:19 Jesus said two powerful words to Peter: “Follow me.” In following Jesus, especially after we have failed, we become transformed into the people who can know, love, and serve God.
Finally, Peter was the recipient of great power on the Day of Pentecost when he was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. He went on to preach his very first sermon to thousands of people and 3,000 of them came to Christ that day! He had been called by Jesus to become a fisher of men, and that is what he became. His purpose was realized on the heels of his biggest failure. What could be next for you and me on the heels of any failure we are dealing with?
Peter only went on to become like Jesus and do the things Jesus did because he responded to Jesus when Jesus came looking for him. Peter was humble with Jesus. Peter didn’t blame anyone else for his failure, though he could have pointed a finger at the rest of the disciples who also disserted Jesus. He listened intently to what Jesus had to say about what loving Him would really mean. I think it took running to Jesus, recovering his purpose and receiving the Holy Spirit’s power for Peter to look back and finally say, “I am an overcomer.” Will you let God and not Satan have the final say about your future?
Teays Valley Church of God
6979 Teays Valley Rd, Scott Depot, WV 25560
Melissa@tvcog.org
304-757-9222
www.tvcog.org
