FAILURE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
I. The Christian Life should Never be a Failure.
That many fail in living the truly Christian life is a painful fact, although God has made no provision for failure. Why should it be a failure? When-
1. The Life is Divine. Quickened by the Spirit, born from above, partakers of the divine nature, everlasting life.
2. The Guide is Infallible. The unerring Word applied by the unerring Spirit (Joh_16:13). "The wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err" (Isa_35:8).
3. The Provision is Sufficient (2Co_9:8). Why should there be poverty when abundance is freely offered? "My God shall supply all your need" (Php_4:19).
4. Succour is Offered (Heb_2:18). Temptations will come to us as they came to Christ, but like Him we may overcome by the Word of God (Luk_4:4).
5. Power is Promised (Jud_1:24). He is able to keep us from falling, and to fill us with a power sufficient to resist the devil, and to enable us to live a life that will be a witness to His mighty saving power.
6. Victory is Expected (1Co_15:57-58). God has made provision that every child of His should be more than conquerors. "They overcame by the blood of the Lamb."
II. How the Christian Life becomes a Failure.
Through-
1. Forsaking God. Broken cisterns are poor substitutes for the "Fountain of Living Waters." Preferring our own works to the grace of God.
2. Stubbornness (Psa_81:11). Preferring our own wisdom to the wisdom that cometh from above. Beware of having your own way.
3. Fear of Man (1Sa_15:24). "The fear of man bringeth a snare." Have the courage of Peter and John (Act_4:19).
4. Worldliness. The love of the world leads to mingling with it, and the choking of the Word of God. To choke the Word is to choke our spiritual life (Mat_13:22).
5. Disobedience (Psa_106:34). Consulting our own feelings and comfort, and forgetting God’s command, is the way of the disobedient. "We walk by faith; not by sight" (2Co_5:7).
6. Misplaced Confidence (2Ch_16:7). To rely upon the promise of man instead of God is to dishonour God and to ensure disappointment.
7. Pride (Jos_9:14). Joshua thought himself quite capable of discerning the Gibeonites, but he failed. Lean not upon thine own understanding. Seeking honour one of another is a fruitful cause of failure.
8. Restraining Prayer (Job_15:4). Self-confidence leads to this. Restraining prayer restrains blessing.
9. Self-sufficiency. The Laodicean Church is a solemn example of this (Rev_3:17).
10. Neglect of Little Things (S. of S. Mar_2:15). Little sins unconfessed. Remember "little foxes" grow.
II. Unbelief (Psa_78:19-41). They said, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" God is sufficient for every circumstance in life.
III. What Failure in the Christian Life Implies. It implies-
1. Disappointment (Jer_2:13). The satisfying portion can be found nowhere else but in God Himself. Thou art my portion.
2. Discouragement (Deu_1:28). The failure of one may discourage and hinder the prayers of many.
3. A Selfish Life (Hos_10:1). The conceited ego within seeks all the honour; miserable self. The self-confident can never enter into the fullness of the blessing.
4. Unfruitfulness (Mat_13:22). Out of fellowship with Christ brings barrenness of life, because the Holy Spirit is hindered (Joh_15:4).
5. Lukewarmness (Rev_2:4; Rev_3:16). This is a condition that is sickening to the heart of God. What a change from love to loathing!
6. Defeat (Jos_7:13). There can be no victory when the great Captain of the host is ignored (Jos_5:13-14).
7. Dishonour. Every failure dishonours God, who would give us the "victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Co_15:57).
IV. The Remedy for Failure in the Christian Life. A-
1. Confession of Sin (1Jn_1:7). If we have failed, then we have sinned. "If we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive" (1Jn_1:9).
2. Surrendering of the Will (Hos_14:1-4). Return and yield. Commit thyself to Him. "Not My will, but Thine be done" (Luk_22:42).
3. Consecrating of the Life (Rom_12:1-2). Consenting that Christ should live in us, and work out the purpose of His will through us. "To me to live is Christ" (Php_1:21).
4. Laying Aside of Every Weight (Heb_12:1). What may not be a sin on our conscience may be a weight on our life.
5. Receiving of God’s Promises (2Pe_1:4-8). By these we are made partakers of the divine nature and enabled to add to faith, virtue, etc., that we be neither barren nor unfruitful.
6. Steady Abiding in Himself (Joh_16:1-5). This we may do by a continual and implicit trust.
7. Walking humbly before Him (Mal_2:6). The purpose of the golden candlestick was to shine before the Lord. Is this the purpose of your life?
Autor: James Smith