I Fear Failure...

When sin entered into the equation it shattered the norm.  It changed everything.  Fear was given the green light to enter into the human experience.

And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Gen.  3:10

The moment we disobeyed God fear kicked the door in and he's been tearing the house up ever since.  

The enemy wants you to believe that fear is just a permanent resident that is never going to leave your home.  The devil wants us to be shackled up by what we are afraid of the most.  For most of us I think the fear we struggle with the most is FAILING.  Failing to be a good husband, wife, parent, Christ follower...(fill in the blank).  You have to ask yourself the question, where are those thoughts coming from?  

I want us all to ask a small question of the idea of failing! The idea that you're going to mess up the path or  life of your family member because you think you're too big of a mess up yourself, where would that line of thinking come from?  From someone who loves you?   Or someone who wishes to destroy you?

Look at this verse: 

1 John 4:18

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.

Can I let you all in on a little secret?  We've all messed stuff up.  We've all been a failure on some level!  We've all fallen short.  But that's not where your story has to end. But the devil does not want you to know this ONE truth.  He KNOWS that if he can keep you chained up in fear that he has a better control on your life. This is why we have to live and and surround ourselves with the GOSPEL!   

 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b]boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:1-2

You see the power of the Gospel sets you and I free to live out the life God's called us to live.  When we live in the center of the Gospel that sets the stage for  victory.  Victory over sin, victory over fear, and victory over failure.  Why?  Because we are not standing on our own. We know that we stand in the power of the ONE who has already overcome the enemy and has driven out the fear of failure. How amazing is that?!   In CHRIST you are never a failure!  You have VICTORY!   That should give you a boldness that drives our fear!

I wan to leave you with one last encouragement:  

Isaiah 41:10 

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

#FearNOT!