You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down

You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down

Text: (Proverbs 24:16)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Illustration: “This is the time of new year’s resolutions”

1) New year’s resolutions usually end in failure 2) Failure leads to discouragement

3) Discouragement leads to quitting

4) It is more likely that you will fail in more endeavors this year than Succeed.

Illustration: “ The story of Jonah”

1) Jonah failed to obey God.

2) Jonah was chastised by God.

3) God didn’t leave him in the belly of the whale, neither will he leave you trapped in the prison of your own human failures.

(Psalms 103:8-14)

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

I. The Christian life will be marked with failures.

1) One minute Israel is being blessed by God, the next punished. 2) One minute Elijah is calling fire from God, the next running from a woman. 3) One minute David- a man after God’s heart, the next a murderer/adulterer 4) One minute Peter is on the mountain with Christ, next he denied Christ

II. God knew of your failures before he saved you.

(Jeremiah 1:4-5)

4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations

III. God is willing to deliver us from our failures/sins. (Isaiah 1:16-20)

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The key word is REPENT:

A. Stop what you are doing wrong.

B. Start doing what is right.

C. Come now- get down this isle and do business with God now.

D. If you are willing and obedient God will bless you.

E. If you continue to rebel, you will be devoured.

(Luke 17:3-4)

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

IV. God is able to deliver us from our failures.

(Jeremiah 18:1-6)

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

V. Quit whining about your failures and move on.

(Hebrew 12:3-13)

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 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: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 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. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Get back in the race and get you eye back on the goal.

A. Forget the failures of the past.

(Philippians 3:13-14)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

B. Say not ye- Stop with the excuses.

1). What will people think?- Jesus endured the shame.

2). I don’t want to fail.- That’s what the man with one talent said.

3). I am just so tired of...- Jesus said come … weary and heavy laden

4). As soon as I get…- Jesus said let the dead bury the dead.

5). But it’s hard…- Jesus said my burden is light, my yoke is easy.

(John 4:34-38)

34 Jesus saith unto them, *My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 *And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 *I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours

C. Get your eyes back on the goal.- The fields are white unto harvest.

Conclusion:

I. The Christian life will be marked with failures.

II. God knew of your failures before he saved you. III. God is willing to deliver us from our failures/sins. IV. God is able to deliver us from our failures. V. Quit whining about your failures and move on.

A. Forget the failures of the past. B. Stop with the excuses. C. Get back out into the father’s harvest.

Do it now.