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Mistakes Don’t Count Service
Welcome to our today’s Sunday service. May it bring great joy and happiness to you and your loved ones.(Psalm 37:24(GNT)
Our today’s Sunday service is captioned Never be defined by your mistakes (Psalm 37:24)- If they fall, they will not stay down, because the LORD will help them up.).
Brethren, Have you ever tried everything you know but still failed and as a result people blamed you for that. It’s easy to be defined by this one moment in life. A bad business that didn’t make it, strangling children, a failed relationship. Remember the Devil is accuser of brethren’s (Revelation 12:10) and would love to convince you to let that one mistake that one season to cause you to loss focus about your dreams.
But that mistake or set of mistakes didn’t stop God’s plan. You may have failed but you are not a failure. this was just a moment in your life, and It doesn’t determine your future or define who you are. If you go around wearing negative labels divorced addicted failed to compromise it will keep you from the fullness of what God has in store.
When you make a mistake or a or set of mistakes or fail at something people forget all the good you did case in point is Jesus went about doing good( Acts 10:38)but they still crucified him, So despite all the good things you did people don’t remember any of them. All they remembered is that one bad mistake you did. People will try to define you by your mistakes. They’ll try to call you names.
Remind yourself of all the times you’ve failed. Sadly, some people will choose to remember your failures or mistakes more than your victories just like with Pharisees despite of all the good the good things Jesus did they still questioned him. But when you make one mistake when you go through one bad season don’t be surprised if people don’t try to convince you to live condemned. God’s not going to bless you. So, just sit on the sidelines no don’t let people call you names, they don’t determine your destiny they cannot stop what God has ordained for your life.
The only one that can stop you is you if you let your mistakes define you. If you believe the lies from the accuser that will keep you from your destiny. And when someone keeps bringing up your past mistakes trying to get you to live condemned they may not realize it but they’re working for the accuser. The enemy uses people you can’t stop them from putting labels on you but you can take them right off. I am not defined by my mistakes. I’m defined by what God says about me.
I’m forgiven. I’m redeemed. My past is over my mistakes are behind me my failures are in my yesterday and you know what I’m not bringing them into today. God’s mercy is new every morning(Lamentations 3:22-23) s, receive that mercy and move forward. What about the failure. It’s in the past. What about the mistake. It’s covered by mercy.The times have blown it. That’s over and done.
After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead he appeared to some of the disciples as they were meeting in a room. Thomas wasn’t there that day. So,when the other told him Thomas wasn’t buying it. He said unless I see him with my own eyes and feel the nail prints in his hands I’m not going to believe. Eight days later all the disciples were in a room. Jesus came walking through the door. He went right up to Thomas held out his hand and said See that nail prints feel the scars in my sight(John 20:25).
Thomas fell on his knees and said Lord I believe. What’s interesting is Thomas doubted that one time. But he’s become known as Doubting Thomas. People have stuck their labels on him. You would think that he had doubted his whole life that he was always questioning his faith. But this was just eight days of his life. It’s easy to judge people by one mistake. It’s easy to let one failure define who you are. If Thomas would have worn that label doubter and failure he would have missed his purpose.
All we hear a lot is about doubting Thomas. What we don’t hear much about is Thomas is the one that took the gospel to India. It’s believed that he took the message of Christ further than any disciple. If you visit India you will notice that It seems like every other believer is named Thomas. He made a great impact with his life. We call him doubting Thomas.
You know what God calls him believing Thomas forgiving Thomas anointed Thomas favored Thomas in the same way. God is not judging you by one mistake.
Because of one mistake or even a set of mistakes., why are you beating yourself up. Why are you wearing labels that people have stuck on you. Why have you settled where you are. There is an incredible future awaiting you. You have made too many mistakes. You haven’t missed your chance if you will remove the labels that are telling you everything you’re not. Do yourself a favor. Did you know that sometimes we make mistakes with good intentions.
You may have done your best but the relationship didn’t make it. You gave it your all but the business didn’t succeed. Like Thomas your heart is right you love God but you didn’t handle the situation the proper way and now it’s set you back. This is what happened to Moses as a young man. God gave him the dream that he would deliver the Israelites out of slavery.
He knew he was supposed to do it but he got in a hurry and did it out of God’s timing. He saw Hebrew slave being mistreated by an Egyptian supervisor. He didn’t think anyone was watching and he killed the supervisor. Moses wasn’t trying to make a mistake. He wasn’t being defiant. He just made a bad choice. He had to flee for his life. He spent 40 years on the backside of the desert in hiding. It looked like that one mistake stopped his destiny that that one bad choice disqualified him. I’m sure in the desert people told him Moses you a failure. What were you thinking.
Why are you so impatient. He thought that mistake or set of mistakes would define him. The good news is God doesn’t judge us by one mistake. Or about two mistakes or for some of us but ten thousand mistakes. God’s calling on your life is irrevocable. He doesn’t change his mind. Moses had given up. He had accepted that he would never accomplish his dream but God doesn’t give up(1 Peter 4:8). You may have counted yourself out. God is already counted you in. He chose you before you could choose him(Jeremiah 1:5).
That mistake is not who you are. 40 years later when Moses was 80 years old God came to him and said Now Moses it’s time go deliver my people(Exodus 7:7). I can imagine Moses asking God are you sure. You mean after I fail and was impatient you’re still going to use me. Here’s the thing. God doesn’t define us by our mistakes. He refines us by our mistakes. He will take those failures or mistakes and those wrong turns and use it to do a work in us.Out in the desert.
He learned to be patient and to trust God in a new way. If you’ll keep the right attitude God will use your failures to get you prepared for where he’s taking you. Like Moses you may feel like you’re out in the desert convinced that you’ve seen your best days. Brethren, get ready. Your time is coming. God is about to do a new thing that relationship that didn’t work out. That’s not how your story ends. God has someone else coming. It is not your destiny that is a season not a lifetime. Don’t let it become permanent. Take off that label that says addicted. Put on some new labels. Saying Free. Whole. Restored.
You might have good intentions but sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way you thought. That’s when the enemy goes to work overtime trying to convince you to let that mistake define who you are. You may have made mistakes but you have to learn to forgive yourself. Quit beating yourself up over what didn’t work out. Sometimes we can forgive others easier than we can forgive ourselves.
Remember you can’t change what’s behind you or the mistakes that you have already done but you can do something about what’s in front of you. God’s mercy is bigger than any mistake that you’ve made. He can still get you to where you’re supposed to be but you have to do something important. Forgive yourself. Quit dwelling on everything you’ve done wrong. God forgave you. Not only that he doesn’t remember your mistake why don’t you quit remembering what God has forgotten (Hebrews 8:12).
When Jesus was about to be crucified he told Peter that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed that night Peter said. Not me Lord I’m your main disciple. I’ll never let you down. Later that evening Peter did exactly what Jesus said. What’s interesting is Jesus already knew that Peter was going to fail. But he chose him as his disciple. Anyway.
You would think God would choose people more disciplined more faithful more committed. But God knows we’re not perfect. He knows we’re going to make mistakes and Peter was so down on himself so ashamed. The Scripture says he went out and wept bitter tears wasn’t long after that that Jesus was crucified. Peter never had the chance to tell him that he was sorry. Two ladies went to the tomb to check on Jesus body. An angel appeared and said Don’t be afraid. Jesus has risen.
Now go tell his disciples and Peter that he is alive(Mark 16:7). Of all the people God could have mentioned at that critical time. The only one he specifically pointed out was Peter. God was showing us. I don’t define you by your mistakes. I don’t cancel your destiny because you failed. 50 days later the church was about to be birthed.
They needed someone to give the inaugural address someone to speak at this historic event. I can imagine the disciples talking Matthew you should do it. You’re a great speaker. You would be good. John you should do it. You’re very powerful. Then All the disciples said Peter. It’s supposed to be you. I remember Jesus said you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church(Matthew 16:18).
Peter maybe said there’s no way 50 days ago I denied him. I’ve failed. I’m ashamed. It was my worst moment. He was wearing all these labels telling him that he had missed his destiny just as he’s about to walk away condemned guilty. He must have said wait a minute I’m not defined by my mistakes. One bad night doesn’t cancel what God has ordained for me. He stood up and spoke to the crowd. 3000 people came to know the Lord. You’re still going to have a happy family. You’re still going to meet the right person. Now do your part. Take all the negative labels. Quit dwelling on what you don’t deserve.
God is saying start dreaming again. If Peter can stand up 50 days after he denied Christ and start the church then you too can still become all you were created to be. Sometimes what we think is a mistake is really the hand of God. There will be times God takes you into things you don’t understand. Feels like a failure. The door closed the person walked away. The contract didn’t go through. You should be down on yourself thanking God.
Oh that wasn’t the spirit leading you out there. Some doors are supposed to close. Some people are supposed to walk away. Some opportunities are not supposed to last.On the way to our destiny. Like with Jesus. God will lead us into something that doesn’t make sense. And if we let what seems like a failure define us then we will miss what God really had in mind. What looked like a failure. What looked like he was off course was really leading him to a new level of his destiny. Quit being discouraged over what didn’t work out.
He had to close that door to get you to the fullness of what he has in store every Silent Season is not the enemy. Every desert experience is not a bad deal. You don’t know what God is up to. When we go through what seems like a failure. Nothing’s working out. Now stay in faith. You’re on the verge of a new level. God is about to take you where you’ve never been. Now keep passing these tests.
Other people may judge you about where you are. Look down on you. Think you’re finished man you’re in the desert. You’re way off course. Don’t pay any attention. God has the final say.Brethren people may discount to now but your time is coming. They will see you promoted. Honored in a position of greater favor.
Maybe what you think is a failure is really just a desert experience. It’s all a part of God’s plan to get you to where you’ve never dreamed. You think you’ve missed it. Why did this door closed. How did these people walk away. What did I do wrong. Nothing. It’s God leading you on the other side of that silent season is a new level. Don’t judge your future about where you are in the desert.
You can’t let what you don’t understand what doesn’t make sense cause you to get better. So don’t give up on your dreams. No keep doing the right thing. Keep being good to people. Keep honoring God . You’re going to come into something more than you’ve imagined. When you look back you will realize it wasn’t the enemy stopping you. It was the spirit leading me.
Brehtren Don’t let what you’ve been through. Taint the rest of your life. God wouldn’t have allowed it if it was going to keep you from your purpose. Whether you brought the trouble on yourself or whether the Spirit led you into the desert. One thing I can assure you God is not finished with you. Your mistakes did not cancel your destiny. You wouldn’t be alive if there wasn’t something awesome in your future. Now why don’t you take off all the negative labels and put on some new labels forgiven redeemed child of the most high God.
If you’ll do this I’ll believe despite your mistakes and failures your are still going to leave your mark and become who you were created to be right now Promotion is coming. Breakthroughs are coming. Healing is coming. Before we close this broadcast I’d like to give you an opportunity to meet Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me. To say Lord Jesus. I’ll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I’ll make you my lord and savior.If prayed that simple prayer we believe you got born again.
Pastor Nathaniel
