Overcoming Failure - Pastor Kenneth Woolf

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New Life COTR Sunday September 9, 2007
FALLING FORWARD
“Overcoming Failure”

INTRODUCTION: Today we begin a new series titled “FALLING FORWARD.” From time to time in the ministry I’m reminded of what God has done in my own personal life and marriage. He has brought me from a place of failure to where I’m at today.
Failure is not something we like to talk about or experience. But it does happen from time to time. But the testimony that Jeanie and I have is that YOU CAN OVERCOME FAILURE!
In the Bible we read many stories about people who failed yet God still used them. With God you can OVERCOME FAILURE.
Matthew 26:75- “Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Acts 2:38,41- “Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
WITH GOD YOU CAN OVERCOME FAILURE AND FULFILL THE PLAN OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE AND LIVE OUT YOUR DESTINY!
TRANSITION: Today we’re going to look at the life of a man many of know as King David.
David was a man who was hand-picked by God to be the next King of Israel after King Saul.
Psalm 78:70,71- “He chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.”
The Bible says that David was “a man after God’s own heart.”
Yet in 2Samuel 11&12 the Bible tells us of a failure in the life of King David. (SHARE THE STORY)
Nathan the Prophet holds David accountable for his sins. David acknowledges his sin.
In Psalm 51 we read the prayer of repentance David offered to God after Nathan confronted David.
From this passage we learn seven steps to OVERCOMING FAILURE AND FALLING FORWARD.
Psalm 51- Turn and Read
TRANSITION: If you’re going to overcome failure and fall forward you must (and this first step is the most important. None of the others really work until you get this down.)

I. UNDERSTAND GOD’S LOVE
Psalm 51:1
David appealed to the love of God.
Romans 5:8- “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
If you’re going to overcome failure and fall forward you must understand that God loves you!
1John 3:1- “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God…..”
Romans 8:37-39- “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
To overcome failure you must understand that God love’s you!

II. TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR FAILURE
Psalm 51:2-4
Notice that David never blamed Bathsheba. He took personal responsibility for his failure.
When I know God loves me I can take personal responsibility for my failure.
I can never overcome my failure as long as I blame others for my failure.
This past Wednesday we talked about King Saul and how God removed him from being King. Saul never overcame his failure. NOTICE THE FOLLOWING VERSES.
1Samuel 15:15- “Saul answered, The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
1Samuel 15:24- “Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions, I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.”
OVERCOME FAILURE: Understand God loves you and take personal responsibility for your failure.

III. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS
Psalm 51:7-9
When you know God loves you, you can ask for forgiveness.
When you take personal responsibility for your failure you can ask for forgiveness.
1John 1:9- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Understand the love of God. Take personal responsibility for your failure and ask God for forgiveness.

IV. TURN FROM YOUR SIN
Psalm 51:10
To overcome failure and fall forward you must turn from your sin.
2Chronicles 7:14- “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Isaiah 55:7- “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”
Romans 6:1- “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
When you turn from your sin you can OVERCOME FAILURE!

V. ASK GOD TO RESTORE THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION
If you’re going to overcome failure and fall forward your life needs to be filled with the joy of your salvation. WHY?
When there’s joy in your salvation there’s no guilt and shame or condemnation because of your failure.
It’s as if it never happened.
TRANSITION: With God you can fall forward and overcome your failure.
Understand God loves you. Take personal responsibility for your failure. Ask God to forgive you. Turn from your sin and ask God to restore the joy of your salvation.
One more important step.

VI. GO AND TELL
Psalm 51:13
When you experience God’s love and overcome your failures you can’t help but tell others and help them overcome their failures.
When you really know God’s love you know His love is for the world!
John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

CONCLUSION: David failed big time! But he overcame his failure and remained the King of Israel.
With God you can fall forward!
1. Understand God loves you.
2. Take personal responsibility for your sin
3. Ask God to forgive you
4. Turn from you sin.
5. Ask God to restore the joy of your salvation
6. Go and tell
OVERCOME FAILURE!