I have prayed that your faith fail not. (Lk. 22:32)
Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, but He didn’t pray against that happening. He prayed that in spite of Peter’s failure his faith wouldn’t fail. True failure occurs when you lose your faith.
All of us will fail from time to time. We live in a fallen world and there are times when we don’t live according to the Spirit. If we submit to the flesh, failure occurs. But failure isn’t fatal if our faith stays alive to God’s grace.
Your success existed in the heart of God before your failure occurred.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (future). (Jer. 29:11)
The love of God never fails. Our failure does not change God’s love for us. Our failure does not change our identity in Christ. Our failure does not change our purpose.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (2 Cor. 3:5)
Remaining in defeat, depression and despair means that you thought that your sufficiency was of you. When we try to live from our own strength and ability we limit God in our lives. Let God be your sufficiency. Receive His love and forgiveness. Let Him renew your vision and purpose. He is praying that your faith fail not.
The writer is a Dean of Instructors at Charis Bible College in Colorado. He reserves all rights to this publication.
