I'm sure it's no secret this is the first post I've added to the site in over 2 weeks. Talk about a public slip, trip and fall for me! Like many of us, I decided running away was the best reaction. So I sat there feeling sorry for myself, disappointed--you name it. However God wasn't caught up in my mistakes like I was. Instead after I repented and spoke with God about it, He simply told me to start again.
This is what God wants us to do. Strength doesn't come from staying up 24/7. True strength is shown when you get back up despite the hits, and despite satan whispering in your ear trying to convince you that you can never undo your mistakes. Jesus died so we can have the opportunity to get back up, so why stay down and feel sorry for yourself? Let's just say you abandoned your responsibilities as a homeowner for a whole year. You didn't pay your mortgage and you didn't put in the time needed to keep your house together. After all, work has been bananas during this particular year and your personal life hasn't been any better. For these reasons, you just let go. Once you realize you were falling behind and your house is falling apart, you panic and try to fix things yourself. You try to get credit cards with no success, try gambling with no luck, and even try talking to the bank. But the rule is set in stone--if you don't pay, you lose it all. Period. Just when you were about to give up all hope and you packed your boxes preparing to get put out any day now, you get a visitor. A man named Jesus is at your door. He looks like a real loner, so immediately you want to turn away. But He says to you, "I've paid your debt. Accept it and follow me." Talk about perfect timing! Yet you slam the door in His face. Instead you say you would rather get the money on your own, and you sit alone dwelling on your mistakes and ways to fix it.
This sounds crazy, and many of us would be the first to say we would never do such a thing. Yet this is what we do every time we run from God rather than run to Him when we make mistakes. Through His death on the cross, Jesus paid for our debts. He suffered the punishment we were supposed to experience because of our sins. So why suffer from your mistakes when Jesus already did for you? His death was His gift to us. This was God's ultimate display of love for you. Through the cross God's love endures forever. For some of you, this may sound like a "duh" moment--until you slip and fall. Satan's lies often sound louder than God's truth when we are wallowing in self-pity and guilt. Peter is a true example of this.
Peter's Denial and Restoration
Peter, one of the original disciples, had a slip moment as many of us do everyday. It is important to see how Jesus dealt with Peter. This is our guide to handle our slip moments.
During the last supper with His disciples, Jesus warned Peter,
Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
Let's think about the act of sifting wheat.
This involves separation and isolation of parts of the wheat. After his down moment, Peter went on to describe satan:
1 Peter 5:8 the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
The way lions will often hunt big pray is by getting the flock the scatter and aiming for that one isolated one. Separation and isolation. Sounds a lot like sifting, right?
After warning Peter, Jesus went on and said,
Luke 22:31 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus saw this stumbling block and prayed for Peter's protection. This statement was a prelude to the cross. Ever since the first sin in the garden of Eden satan wished to sift us as wheat through the keys of death. God saw this stumbling block and came in the flesh as Jesus Christ the son of God to free us. Jesus prayed for Peter and through that Peter was given a second chance. His faith didn't fail even though he fell.
Then Jesus warned Peter again,
Matthew 26:31-35 “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
If we were in Peter's shoes we would feel pretty angry at ourselves. Peter probably played that incident over and over in his mind thinking of what he should have done differently. He probably felt his sin forfeited the deal with his relationship with Christ. Sometimes we tend to think when we mess up the party between you and God is over and God and His angels leave the room for good. We like to think God is fed up with us. One of my favorite worship singers Misty Edwards once asked God for forgiveness in a song for changing His name. She was repenting for the thoughts that came into her mind convincing her that God was unforgiving instead of merciful, hateful instead of loving, and distant instead of always present. Yet these are the thoughts we deal with when we fall. Satan knows there's nothing he can do or say that will convince God to abandoned us. NOTHING. Even if he recorded every sin we committed publicly and behind closed doors and played it at the throne of God, He would still stay by our side if we repent and accept His son Jesus Christ as the only way. So back to Peter. Peter sat there weeping and feeling sorry for himself. However here's how Jesus looked at Peter's situation.
Jesus willingly gave His life on the cross thinking about His people who He loves. This includes us and it includes Peter. In the same sentence when Jesus warned Peter satan wanted to sift him, he told of his victory over satan by telling him he will turn back and help his brothers. With every fall we gain strength and a story under our belt that will be used to reach out to unsaved souls. Peter focused so much on his fall that he didn't even focus on the change. After his slip, Peter went back to his old identity before Christ came into his life. Oh how many times have we done this! We think God is done with us so we return to our old ways only to find out it isn't the same. We don't enjoy it as we once did. Peter wasn't happy as a fisherman again. He was filled with a Godly sorrow. This is a great sign. This showed the impact he allowed Jesus to have in his life. That's what matters more than the fall and it's the very thing that brings forth elevation. God's mercy is always there as long as we are living, but it's not an excuse to do what we want to do. Being a man or woman of God requires submission and obedience. This means saying no to our desires and instead asking God of His desires. This remains true no matter how many false teachers try to convince you God is suddenly okay with the things the Bible list are sins. God's mercy is for those who fall but constantly want to do better. If you are beating yourself up about your sin, God is looking at you with love and He is proud of you because even in the filth of your sin you still want better for your life--you want Jesus. Jesus knew Peter's fall before it happened and He also knew of his elevation that came from it.
After Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day, He had with Him the keys of death and sin. He made sure He went to Peter to restore him and free him from the torment of sin.
John 21:15-19 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Notice Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. This was a way of restoring Peter from the three times he had disowned Him. With every restoration came an assignment. Jesus then ended in verse 15 asking Peter to follow Him as He did when He first encountered Peter. This was His way of confirming to Him that he is still a disciple of Christ, and his mission is still the same. All Peter needed to do was accept Jesus and try again.
Jesus is waiting to free you. Come to Him with a true heart of repentance and receive the freedom Jesus died to give you. It doesn't matter how many times you failed and how many people you disappointed. God still looks at you in the same way He did before your fall, and that's with love and mercy. God's cherishes you, you are His treasure! Don't let satan convince you that you are a failure. Jesus died for the hopeless, He died for the repeated sinner. He died so that you can be free of the sin that is gripping you. Peter went on and did what Jesus did while He was on earth. Many souls were saved through Peter's deliverance. You are an important weapon in God's kingdom, and your past sins will be your bullets against satan. Your sins will be used to draw people into God's kingdom. You will be able to say, "I know, I've been through it as well. But Jesus freed me, and He wants to free you as well." You will be able to give God the glory and be vessels to set people free as you were set free. You are kings and queens in God's eyes. Satan may have brought you down for a moment, but he can't dictate your future if you run to Christ and cling onto Him. So you've been off your game for a little bit. Lift your head up, for you are still highly favored and cherished in God's eyes. Repent and have faith, for through the stripes of Jesus Christ you are healed. Take that gift and hold onto it for it is your freedom. Embrace it, get up, and try again!
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