When Success Looks Like Failure

Victory Over the Cave

1 Kings 19:1-8

I think one of the most difficult things to obtain in our generation is a true definition of success. We live in a success driven society. But we live in a world where success has been defined as money, things, status, fame, and tangebility.

But the success of life is found within the purpose of life and the execution thereof. Success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

That’s why we can never get caught up on the image of a thing because the image of the thing can be a deception. You are comparing your real life to somebody else virtual life. You had to cope and push and all they did was copy and paste.

So it isnt the image of the thing but it's purpose. We see this in the ministry of Jesus. There are many points in his life that if you had not had the complete bible you would have thought Jesus was a failure. Because of what he had gone through and the suffering he had incurred.

But the Prophet Isaiah said “He was wounded.....” FOR.... Therein is the formula of success. What is this all FOR.... IT IS THE PURPOSE OF A THING THAT IGNITES THE PURPOSE OF THE THING. SO EXTERNALLY ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS AS IF I’M FAILING.....I AM EXECUTING MY PURPOSE, SO I AM ACTUALLY SUCCEEDING!

TODAY IN THIS TEXT YOU AND I ARE NOT LOOKING AT A FAILING PROPHET. WE ARE LOOKING AT A SUCCESSFUL PROPHET....WHO LOOKS LIKE A FAILURE!!!

BUT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THIS TRUTH THAT NO MATTER HOW ANOINTED AND GIFTED AND BLESSED YOU ARE WE WILL ALL HAVE OUR MOMENTS!!!

WE DON’T JUST NEED TO RECUPERATE WHEN YOU LOST BUT WHEN YOU WON! YOU NEED TO RECHARGE FROM THE ENERGY YOU PUT OUT! YES THAT IS WHY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE CONTIMPLATE SUICIDE MORE THAN PEOPLE WHO DON’T APPEAR SUCCESSFUL.

DON’T BE SO DECEIVED BY THE PAIN IN YOUR PRESENT THAT YOU FAIL TO SEE THE SUCCESS OF PURPOSE.

SO IT IS PAIN THAT BRINGS SUCCESS IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. IT'S THE OXYMORON, PARADOXICAL.

BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THAT THE THREE HEBREW BOYS HAD FAILED. BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY DID NOT AVOID THE FURNACE BUT THEY ACTUALLY WENT IN. SO THE PURPOSE IS PUT THEM IN IT BECAUSE NO WEAPON....BUT I NEED THEM TO FIRST GO IN SO THAT THEY CAN GO OUT!

YOU CAN’T COME OUT UNTIL YOU FIRST GO IN!!

BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO IN AND THEN COME OUT YOU COME OUT WHEN A GREATER LEVEL OF POWER AND GREATER TESTIMONY. JOB SAID WHEN HE HAS TRIED ME I SHALL COME FORTH AS PURE GOLD.

TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR DON’T BE DECIEVE BY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS GOING ON IN MY LIFE BECAUSE GOD IS DOING SOMETHING THAT IT DOESN’T YET APPEAR TO LOOK LIKE SUCCESS.

God said to carry this Word to a generation where many of them are winning but are not living like it because it looks like failure! Jesus looks at the cup and the assignment in the cup and says this does not look like success this looks like failure.....BUT NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL...

CAN SOMEBODY DECLARE NEVERTHELESS THIS MORNING....

I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS 2020 BUT NEVERTHELESS, I’VE HAD TO CRY BUT NEVERTHELESS, I’VE BEEN HURTING ALL BY MYSELF, AND SOME OF US HAVE BEEN IN A CROWD BUT LOST IN PAIN IN THE CROWD... BUT NEVERTHELESS

I DON’T KNOW WHEN HE’S GONE BRING ME OUT BUT I TRUST HIM....

I DON’T KNOW HOW HE’S GONE PAY MY BILLS....

I DON’T KNOW HOW HE’S GONE HEAL MY BODY.....

SUCCESS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE DRUMMED UP.....

THAT’S WHY DON’T ALLOW THE IMAGE OF SUCCESS TO FOOL YOU. SOME PEOPLE LOOK SUCCESSFUL BUT THAT’S COPY AND PASTE. EVERYONE HAS NOT REACHED REAL LEVELS OF SUCCESS BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU REACHED REAL LEVEL BY YOUR SCARS!!!!!

SUCCESS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PROVEN....

I DON’T HAVE ANY POINTS TO PROVE TO ANYBODY....I AM WHO I AM,

JESUS SHOWED UP AND TOLD DISCIPLES PUT YOUR HANDS IN MY SCARS.....THAT’S MY PROOF!!!

A PICTURE CAN’T DEPICT WHAT GOD IS GETTING READY TO DO IN MY LIFE!!

CAN SOMEBODY SHOUT WITH ME WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH AND LOST SO MUCH AND CRIED SO MUCH..... UNTIL YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POINTS TO PROVE!!!

JUST SHOW ME THE WAY TO MY PURPOSE, WHAT I NEED TO BE DONIG, EXECUTING, MAKE SENSE OF THIS PAIN I BEEN THROUGH, MAKE SENSE OF THIS LOSS, MAKE SENSE OF THIS CONFUSION, MAKE SENSE OF THE WOUNDS.....

IF YOU WILL JUST HANG ON A FEW MORE DAYS GOD IS ABOUT TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS MESS!!

YOU ARE A SUCCESS STORY,

YOU DON’T HAVE A MANSION,YOU DON’T MAKE 6 FIGURES, SHOULDHAVE BEEN DEAD, CRAZY, SHOULD HAVE LOST MY MIND BUT HE’S WORK A SUCCESS STORY OUT OF ME!!! WE NEED TO BECOME COMFORTABLE IN OUR OWN SKIN

WE NEED TO REDEFINE SUCCESS AND FAILURE

WE NEED TO REALIGN WITH THE PURPOSE GOD HAS CHOSE FOR US

CHAPTER 18 IS WORSHIP BUT NOW 19 COMES. COVID - 19.... BECAUSE MOST OF WHAT WE FACE IN LIFE HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF CHURCH AND WORSHIP. THANK GOD WE SERVE A GOD THAT SHOWS UP NOT ONLY IN CHURCH BUT WHEN YOU NOT AT CHURCH AND IF YOU LIKE ELIJAH DON’T EVEN WANT TO GO TO CHURCH!!

IF GOD COULD HOLD THE MOUNTAIN TOGETHER WHILE HE SHOOK IT FOR HIS PURPOSE THEN GOD COULD HOLD ELIJAH TOGETHER. ANYBODY KNOW TODAY THAT YOU CAN GIVE GOD PRAISE THROUGH IT ALL BECAUSE WITH ALL YOU BEEN THROUGH YOU HAVE FELL APART!!!