Hope In The Midst of Failure

Pastor Don Carpenter

Anchored to Hope in a Stormy World / Backsliding / 2 Peter 2:7; Philippians 1:6

Even though we deserve to lose everything, Salvation cannot be lost because it was never merited in the first place.

Has there ever been a time in your life where you were closer to God than you are now? If so,my dear friend, then you are backslidden! Perhaps you have tried to confess, to forsake your sins, to start doing right, only to fall short once again. You have trusted Jesus to save you once upon a time, but it seems as though God is done with you. You have reaped the bitter consequences of your mistakes and it seems as though you have been put on the shelf by God, consigned to a life of misery and defeat. THERE IS HOPE! The very same Jesus that pulled you up out of the miry clay, saved you, and set your feet upon The Rock, is the Same One that holds you firmly in His nail – scarred hand! You have God’s word in that! Drop your anchor!

This morning’s message is for the poor tired soul who has trusted Jesus, but has drifted far from the Savior. As we continue our series “Anchored to Hope in a Stormy World”, let us linger on this truth.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The word translated “confident,” speaks of the fact that Paul had come to a settled persuasion concerning the fact that the God who had begun in the Philippians the good work of giving to missions, would bring it to a successful conclusion right up to the day of Christ Jesus. The word translated “until,” assumes the nearness of the Rapture in Paul’s mind and outlook.

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English reader (Php 1:6). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Based on God’s immutable, unchangeable word we can drop an anchor of hope in the midst of failure.

Jesus Christ Began The Work In You When You Got Saved.

You did not start the work of Salvation

Ephesians 2:1–3 KJV

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Romans 3:23 KJV

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Galatians 2:21 KJV

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Ephesians 2:8–10 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Since Jesus Started the Work, He Has Promised to Finish the Work

Romans 8:28–30 KJV

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Galatians 3:1–3 KJV

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Jesus Continues The Work Through Correction.

This Demonstrated His Relationship to You As Adopted Father.

John 8:44 KJV

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Romans 8:15 KJV

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Hebrews 12:5 KJV

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:7–8 KJV

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

He Demonstrated His Love Through Correction.

Hebrews 12:6 KJV

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

This is Correction not Justice… that was cared for on the Cross

Romans 6:23 KJV

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Correction Leads to Change for our Good.

Hebrews 12:11–12 KJV

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Jesus’ Love Leads to Second Chances

For Samson

Judges 16:22 KJV

Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

For David

Psalm 51:1–5 KJV

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 

For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. 

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. 

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalm 51:10–12 KJV

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. 

Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. 

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalm 40:1–3 KJV

I waited patiently for the LORD; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

For Peter

Luke 22:31–32 KJV

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Acts 2:4 KJV

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 Acts 2:13–14 (KJV)

 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 

 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice…

Acts 2:40–41 KJV

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Jesus Holds His Own in His Nail Pierced Hands!

John 10:27–30 KJV

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 

I and my Father are one.

C. H. Spurgeon is quoted as saying that he was so sure of his salvation that he could grab on to a cornstalk and swing out over the fires of hell, look into the face of the devil, and sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

When the storms of life, the winds of trouble, and the sea of discomfort and emotional agony seem to overwhelm, we have to say with the songwriter, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.… We dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.1

1 Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 312). Baker Books.

Jesus Christ Began the work and He has promised He will finish the work in you! There is Hope in the Midst of Failure! Drop your anchor!

Hymn # 296 Lord, I’m Coming Home

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:35 PM March 31, 2022.