Six Slippery Steps of Failure
Once you start to slip and slide, it is hard to stop.
Sometimes in your Christian life, it can seem like you just keep sliding in a direction that you do not want to go.
That is what happened to Peter in:
John 13:38 AV
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Peter’s Failures
Failed to walk on water
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Matthew 14:28-31
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Failed to hold his temper
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
John 18:10-11
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Failed to confirm his relationship to Jesus
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.
John 18:17
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
John 18:25
27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
John 18:27
That last failure was his biggest one of them all and that is the one that we will look at today in detail.
Six Slippery Steps
We will unpackage the six slippery steps that lead to his and our biggest failures and we will see what can be done about it.
1. Overconfidence
29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
Mark 14:29-31
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
Attempting to fight the good fight in your own strength will lead to failure, we are commanded to stand in the power of his might, not our own
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Ephesians 6:10
Our victory is in the Lord, not in our ability
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57-58
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
2. Prayerlessness
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Mark 14:37-41
38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Attempting to be an ambassador for Christ without prayer will lead to failure. You need help that only comes with prayer
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26-27
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
3. Avoidance
47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Mark 14:47
49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
Luke 22:49-51
50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
Avoidance of the word of God and not listening to the Lord will lead to failure.
In the Luke passage you can clearly see that Peter did not wait to hear what the Lord had to say. He just jumped in with both feet and did what he thought was best, without consulting with the Lord as the others had done.
Do not refuse to listen to the word of God:
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Proverbs 8:1-6
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
4. Associates
54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
Mark 14:54
Hanging with the wrong crowd will keep you far from the Lord and will lead to failure
Your associates (friends) have an effect on from where you take council
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psalm 1:1-2
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
5. Habits
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
Mark 14:71
Reverting to old habits is a slippery slope that begins with hanging with the wrong crowd and will end with you reverting to your old ways.
6. Defiance
66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:
Mark 14:66-72
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Peter openly resisted being associated with the Lord. If you continue down these slippery steps they will lead to denial of Jesus in your daily walk.
The Cure
So now that you know what the slippery steps are, what do you do now?
If you have been slipping down some of these steps, how can you stop the slide?
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
John 13:38-14:1
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In the midst of your biggest failures, remember that your failure does not surprise the Lord and he wants you to know that you should not remain troubled about them.
Do not stay discouraged
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:3
Peter was discouraged and disappointed in himself and almost quit.
But he did not quit, he got back in the fight
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
John 21:15-17
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Do not stay discouraged, get things right with the Lord
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
The Lord is not finished with you yet, admit where you have failed, confess your sin and get back into the fight.
