Freedom 2024
From Failure to Freedom
March 24, 2024
Discussion Point #1: What is it like when you know you have failed something? How does it feel?
Psalm 145:14 (AMP) 14The Lord upholds all those [of His own] who fall And raises up all those who are bowed down.
Discussion Point #2: What things do you go to and who do you lean on when you have failed? What makes you choose these things and/or people?
Definition of Vice: immoral or wicked behavior, a habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious immoral or degrading behavior.
Definition of Pernicious: having harmful effect, especially in gradual or subtle way
There are two ways we can deal with failure: a Vice or the Victor. We can find both it’s up to us what we do. We can find a Vice to cope; but when we find the Victor (Jesus Christ) our situation changes.
Proverbs 24:16 (AMP) 16For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse.
Psalm 37:24 (NIV) 24Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
Galatians 6:9 (NIV) 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Isaiah 40:29-31 29He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
These are his promises that when we fail we can fail forward and what we have to do is keep going.
Discussion Point #3: In your personal life, are you failing at something in your spiritual walk and you continue to say “I am not going to do that anymore, the last time was the last time" or "God, please get me through this one and I won’t do it again”? (You don’t have to answer this question aloud unless you are comfortable to do so.)
Where are we struggling with failure, self doubt, pride, laziness, anger? Whatever the failure is we can fail forward with help.
When we think it’s over it’s not! There is and can be victory!
Isaiah 41:10 10So 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.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 9But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Hebrews 4:12-13 12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
USE THE WORD, THE VICTOR is JESUS and in HIM WE HAVE THE VICTORY!
Challenge for the Week: This week in those moments of feeling like a failure let’s use our words and get victory over it! Whatever the "it" is, "it" has a name and must bow to the name of Jesus!