Have you failed before? How did it happen? I have, let’s learn from all that.
I love to read about impetuous Peter. He was self-confident and compulsive at times and it cost him, but God turned it around for Peter.
Who else in the Bible might have been naïve? Samson’s incredible physical strength was given to him as a gift from God. He could have been one of the greatest leaders in the history of Israel, but instead his life became an example of how not to live. Samson’s life was characterized by squandered resources and wasted potential and ability. He threw it all away as a result of making some subtle but serious mistakes. And though his life stands before us as a warning, it is also a story of second chances. So how can I wisely apply the word and take good actions?
Compulsive spiritual breakdowns invariably can be traced to little things that turned into big things. Small compromises turn into real big sins. Ask yourself, what spiritual compromises have I been making in my life? It is time to run to God and come clean telling on yourself saying, “God, I know You are speaking to me today. I repent and want to get right with You.”
The impetuous Apostle Peter was compulsive. Who had to deal with this tough stuff? Josiah was naïve.
“But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, ‘What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!’ Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo. There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded!” 2 Chronicles 35:21–23
Pete also had to deal with these challenges. Impetuous Peter was self-confident and compulsive at times, but not so much naïve that I can see. He had a zealous heart but grew in wisdom. And God used him in a big way. Religious egotistical king Saul was also compulsive — he was hatefully competitive, jealous and or envious of David’s popularity. His pride and rebellion took him down.
Who in God’s Book would appear to have bene naïve or compulsive? Eve in the garden of Eden seems to have been naïve — she indeed was deceived, but Adam was disobedient and not deceived. She was overly trusting before her enemy who was casting doubt on God’s word and goodness. Perhaps not really understanding clearly the character of who she was being tempted by. My wife Liney believes that women in general are more easily deceived (I don’t yet agree on that cuz I know many duped men..) and that’s why the Bible teaches that a elder / pastor is to be a born again spiritually mature growing man.
Did you hear about Mr. Marius Els, a South African farmer who had a hippo as his pet. It was his baby, he adopted the hippo as a 5-month-old calf and named him Humphrey. He said, “Humphrey’s like a son to me, he’s just like a human.. [People] think you can only have a relationship with dogs, cats and domestic animals. But I have a relationship with the most dangerous animal in Africa.” Go check out the stat son how many people die in Africa from hippo attacks.
It didn’t long go well for naïve Marius. Didn’t end well at all for him. Not sure if Humphrey the hippo had angst in his animal teen years, but he somehow caught a bad hippo attitude and then turned on his owner killing him.
Seems like gullibility and naiveté have to deal with giving our trust away too early. Not sure how this pet gained Marius’ trust. Do you think Humphrey even tried? Maybe Marius had seen some super sweet fake news animal documentaries?
Sometimes we treat a pet-sin in our lives the same way but God never wants us to be naïve like that. Don’t put your trust in any seemingly nice sin. There aren’t any, never were.
We may think that all the adequate training needed in this area is already there. We may believe that we have control over a beloved pet-sin, and that it’ll never will overtake us. Then one day it does. The decision takes us down and any face-time with the ground doesn’t feel so good.
Sin hurts God’s heart first.
Stupid choices and often acts hurt. I can sure attest to this.. they hurt someone.
If you mess up by sinning and then choose to learn from your negative blunder, that’s an excellent positive choice. For believers that’s called failing forward, growin’, maturing. That’s kind of rare when too many people are failing backwards.
God can make even our lame choices that didn’t glorify Him.. end up working for the good.
"And we know with great confidence that God who is deeply concerned about us causes all things to work together as a plan for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. For those whom He foreknew and loved and chose beforehand, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers." Romans 8:28-29 amp
Not realizing that one thing would lead to another (way back in the day), one thing actually led to another for an impulsive type of guy who fell. He never realized this would happen, but he fell away from God. This man was a full-fledged disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ – surely you’ve heard of Simon Peter.
Do you recall when Jesus gave Simon a new name, Peter, which means “rock” as in solid as a rock.. or Rocky. But wait, wasn’t Pete impetuous, a bit naïve, or kind of a vacillating type of guy?
Jesus knew that Simon Peter would grow into his new name with some time, with some trial and error in spiritually walking by faith. The Lord knows what you can grow into as well. He sees your full potential and will encourage you with His word.
Do we see the spiritual or ministry potential in our own lives, or in the lives of our friend and family members? We each need God’s perspective huh.
“We see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful vase. We see a blank canvas. God sees the finished painting. We see a piece of coal. God sees a refined diamond. We see problems. God sees solutions. We see failure. God sees potential. We see an end. God sees a new beginning.” ~ Greg Laurie
May I help to unpack the four steps of Peter downwards? On the night Judas Iscariot betrayed Him, Jesus told the disciples, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there” (Mark 14:27–28 nlt).
But self-confident Peter responded, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will” (see verse 29 nlt).
Then Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me” (verse 30 nlt). Jesus knew that self-confident Peter was going to have a fall and need to learn to put his confidence in the Lord instead. Jesus even told him he was going to fall.
Don’t get me wrong, having confidence ain’t bad, but it’s what or who you put it in. God wants you to be confident in the living word with every step of faith you take.
What does the Bible say about confidence?
What does the Bible say about courage?
How can I learn to trust that God is in control?
What does the Bible say about doubt?
How should a Christian view Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
What does it mean to come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16)?
What are some Bible verses about boldness?
What does the Bible say about compulsive?
What does the Bible say about assertiveness?
Can the elect be naïve, gullible or easily deceived (Matthew 24:24)?
Have you been gullible, deceived, easily duped or cheated before?
Impetuous Peter had spoken self-confidently and this came back to bite him. Was he also a bit naïve as to what could really happen? He had a zealous heart and he did end up growing in wisdom, but it was after some hard lessons, and learning where he allow it to humble him. Then came the grace and God used him in a big way.
You remember how religious egotistical king Saul was also compulsive but didn’t truly repent. He was hatefully competitive, jealous and or envious of David's popularity. Humble David was blessed, but Saul’s pride and rebellion took him down.
In the Bible was Eve naïve or without understanding? In the Garden of Eden Eve was living in a state of innocence, without any sin at first. God met her and Adam’s every needs. God freely gave them the fruit of every tree in the garden to eat from, except for one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Do not partake of that tree, God said, “for when you eat from it you will certainly die” and God really Really REALLY didn’t want his loved couple in the garden to die (See Genesis 2:17).
Human’s dying in any way was not a part of God’s original plan for us. And now He REALLY DOESN’T WANT ANY OF US HUMANS TO DIE the second death.
Many people say we humans sin because of our messed up environment on earth, but Adam and Eve’s environment wasn’t messed up at all. They still chose to blow it.
Many people reason in their brains that Eve’s punishment for her disobedience was too
much, was way overly harsh, because, “before
she and Adam ate of that forbidden fruit, they could not have had knowledge of good and evil; not having that knowledge, they couldn’t really differentiate
between right from wrong.” Wrong, the just Judge of the universe is
totally fair – He puts all our judges to shame.
The Bible never says that Adam and Eve did not
know right from wrong. In fact, Genesis 3:2–3 makes it clear that they could differentiate and they did understand the difference between right and
wrong;
Eve knew God had instructed her and Adam NOT TO EAT of that forbidden fruit (cf. Genesis 2:16–17) from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9), and to take it to mean that Adam and Eve had no understanding of good and evil is a misunderstanding.
In the Bible, the word knowledge often means “experience.” It is true that,
prior to the fall, Adam and Eve had no experience of evil. They were innocent, but they understood the concept of good and evil perfectly well, or they
would not have known what obedience to God’s Authority and His instructions
meant. The point is that Adam and Eve had not yet sinned until they ate the fruit from the tree (it doesn’t say
it was an apple), and their sin was the entry
point to firsthand experiential knowledge of
the difference between good and evil.
Eve totally knew
the dif between right and wrong, because she and Adam were created with
this understanding; it’s just that they hadn’t experienced it personally until they each made the choice to sin. Their lack of
experience doesn’t excuse their actions. God gave a simple, straightforward
instruction to both. Yes, Eve and her husband both had the understanding and
the ability to obey God, but decided not to.
Have you ever clearly known and disobeyed anyway? I have.
The Bible does give us all the information there
is on what happened in history. There is no such explanation recorded in
Scripture, but we should not assume that one was never given. The Bible gives
us all we need to know. It very well could be that God gave Adam and Eve an
explanation of why they weren’t to eat from the tree, other than “you
will certainly die.”
Of course, even if God never fully explained why eating from the tree was wrong, Adam and Eve could still know that it was wrong. The extra information was not necessary for them to make a moral decision. We can know with great confidence that murder is wrong, without necessarily being able to explain why it is always wrong. Of course what’s happened in every just war is not at all the same as murder. And even if we can’t explain why murder is wrong, everyone should still be held accountable for an act of murder they commit. Adam and Eve’s not knowing all the info God has regarding the exact reason they were forbidden to eat the tree’s fruit (if by chance they didn’t know all) wasn’t needed by them.
So how in the world did Peter blow it.. cuz I don’t want to!
Four Things to Learn From Simon Peter’s Fall:
1.) Peter’s first step downward was self-confidence. He was placing unfounded confidence in himself, directly contradicting what Jesus said, and almost boasting at the expense of others: “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” It’s never a good idea to boast about how much you love God. Rather, boast about how much He loves you. Our love is fickle, but God’s love for us is consistent.
2.) Pete’s second step downward was in the area of distraction or neglect of a priority a.k.a. prayerlessness. Peter was sleeping when he should have been AWAKE AND PRAYING. It was a critical time too. In the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus had been praying as well as asking Peter, James, and John to keep watch and pray. Then Jesus went away by Himself and prayed, only to return and find them sleeping.
There in the garden as Jesus contemplated the horrors of the cross, all He asked for was a little companionship from Peter, James, and John, but they fell asleep. Jesus was getting them ready. He knew that a storm was brewing, that hard times were ahead, and they needed to be praying.
It’s a reminder to us that prayerlessness can be as much of a sin as breaking a commandment. And if we were honest, most of us would admit that we need to pray more.
3.) Peter’s third step downward was trusting in human effort instead of in God with His power. When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter drew a sword, took a swing, and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
So Jesus reached down, picked up the man’s ear and reattached it. I find it amazing that Jesus’s last miracle before He died on the cross was healing a man who had come to arrest Him. Not only that, but Jesus also was covering a disciple’s blunder.
This is a reminder that we’re in a spiritual battle, and we need to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons.
4.) Peter’s fourth step downward was opting to go warm himself at the enemy’s fire. Yep at the fire of the Lord’s enemies. Need some comfort and encouragement? Look to God, instead of to those of this world or to what they have going on. As a follower of Christ my choices should be helping get to get me more and more on fire, but this choice didn’t do that for Peter. After Jesus’ arrest, they brought him to the high priest. Peter followed at a distance into the courtyard, where he began warming himself by the fire.
Have you ever tried to go undercover as a Christian, you know a secret agent saint, to sort of hide your faith? Peter didn’t think that anyone would recognize him. But one of the servants of the high priest did. And ultimately, Peter denied Jesus three different times while he was there.
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| Photo by Cailin Grant-Jansen |
What Gospel account shows us more detail on this? Matthews does: “But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end” (26:58 nkjv).
What in the world was Peter thinkin’—my dreams have been thrashed, I feel lower than ground-level, this is the end, it’s done, it’s totally over and there’s no more hope for us here. Everything had gone down the drain it seemed. Wasn’t this good person Jesus supposed to deal with all the problems here, establish His eternal Kingdom ...and drive all those super creepy and cruel Romans out? But Jesus had been betrayed for mere coins, and now He was headed up the hill to die on a lonely Roman cross. Where is God the Father when we need Him most?
Man, no doubt Peter was musing over the great loss of his dear Leader and been thinking, “I guess I’ll just stay here awhile and see the end of it, and then pick myself up and perhaps return to all that non-exciting labor of fishing?” (God knows what his thoughts were like at the time).
But Pete, it wouldn’t be the end; it would be a brand new beginning for Pete and the team!
Please know in your knower that.. Temptation can be resisted and ditched. And every temptation is basically an opportunity to run.. not stroll over to God. The Bible even promises a blessing to the one who resists the enemy’s temptation: “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12 nlt).
Lord, help us to ditch all naivete, all gullibility, all compulsiveness, all presumption, pride and sin.
Perhaps you have been naïve or self-confident before and and really blown it. Perhaps you have fallen away spiritually? Is your strength small? Good, look to the Lord to empower you to live as you should.
“If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!.” So rely on His strength!
To the the church in Philadelphia Jesus said, “7 These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key to the house of David, He who opens and no one will be able to shut, and He who shuts and no one opens: 8 ‘I know your deeds. See, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut, for you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not renounced or denied My name. 9 Take note, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet and make them know [without any doubt] that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My endurance, My command to persevere, I will keep you safe from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole inhabited world, to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown by leading you to renounce the faith. 12 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God..” Revelation 3:7-13 #emph.mine
That hour of testing is the great tribulation, and Jesus said I will keep you from it, not keep you through it (as He does right now when we have trails or some trib), believer. So don’t be naïve or gullible and sidetracked. Don’t allow anyone to dupe you.. leading you to renounce the Christian faith.
The past cannot be changed, but our response to those past decisions can indeed be (see Rom. 8:28). God can take our horrible ending when we feel like we’re toast, and turn it into a great beginning.. of new life and hope!
