Handling Failure

 

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail,” Jesus told Peter (Luke 22:32a).

 

Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, but He didn’t pray it wouldn’t happen. Instead, Jesus prayed that despite Peter’s failure, his faith wouldn’t fail. Some might say that Jesus’ prayer didn’t work, but from God’s point of view, Peter’s faith didn’t fail. Losing a battle doesn’t mean you have lost the war. God doesn’t see us as failures. He sees us as learners. God can redeem the worst “failure” and work it for good (Romans 8:28). Failure occurs when you lose faith.

 

All of us will fail at some time. We live in a fallen world and don’t always live according to the Spirit. If we yield to our flesh, failure occurs. But failure isn’t fatal if our faith stays alive to God’s grace.

 

Your victory lived in the heart of God long before your failure happened. 

 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

 

God’s love never fails. Your failure does not change His love for you. Your failure does not change your identity in Christ. Your failure does not change your purpose.  

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:32).

 

The idea of conversion is mentioned in the Bible at least fourteen times (Psalms 19:7, 51:13; Isaiah 1:27, 6:10, 60:5; Matthew 13:15, 18:3; Mark 4:12; John 12:40; Acts 3:19, 15:3, 28:27; and James 5:19-20). The basic meaning of conversion is a turning or returning to God. When someone is converted, there is a turning away from sin and a turning to God. Repentance and putting faith in God are corresponding factors in conversion. The Scriptural basis for conversion is in the truth of the atonement. Although men fail, the truth of the atonement remains. When people turn to God in repentance and faith, reconciliation and forgiveness result. 

 

Paul described conversion in this way: turning “to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). And in witnessing to King Agrippa, Paul shared his conversion with the words Jesus spoke to him, “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18).

 

In Luke chapter 22, Peter’s faith was shaken. He denied the Lord, but he didn’t lose his faith. Peter didn’t reject Jesus. What did Jesus tell Peter? His instruction to Peter was that when he “returned” to Him, he was to “strengthen the brethren.” Jesus told Peter to serve Him again after repenting his denial.

 

If Jesus had not given Peter this command, others might have doubted Peter’s ministry. Indeed, Peter himself must have doubted whether or not he was fit to serve because, after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus instructed Peter three times to serve Him by feeding His sheep (John 21:15-17). 

 

Even though you may have failed and received God’s forgiveness, do you allow your failure to keep you from serving the Lord?

 

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

 

When you think your sufficiency is in you, you live in defeat and despair. When you try to live from your own strength and ability, you limit God in your life. Allow God to be your sufficiency. Receive His love and forgiveness. Just as He restored Peter's purpose, let Him renew your vision and purpose. 

 

Jesus is praying that your faith will not fail.

 

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