"The Fear of Failure"

For the past four years now, I have seen and heard so many stories of Pastors falling, or being caught up in some kind of scandal. I just have to be honest with you, when these kinds of things come out,the fear of failure trys to overtake me. And the enemy would say to me "See if they couldn't do it, then you want be able to do it either". You must understand that these men and women start out pure, loving the Lord and doing ministry not to be served but to serve. But then something happens to them, they become hungry for power. It's no longer about winning souls for the kingdom, now its about how many people they can get to come to there church and follow there ministry. When I see these leaders fall, "I don't rejoice and think I told you so. I start crying and I say Lord please don't let it be me." Sometimes what causes me to shrink back and not step out into my purpose is the fear of failure. (Don't get spiritual on me)... we all have some kind of reservation to stepping out and doing what God has called us to do. Look at Moses... who didn't want to be used by God because he had a talking problem... or look at the prophet Jeremiah. He told God that he was to young. Look at Joshua... There was a reason why God told him to "Be strong and of good courage not once, not twice, but three times. The truth is we all need some courage to help us face our fears, our hurts, and our disappointments. I know people who got offered promotions but turned it down because they were afraid of failing. Thomas Edision failed 10,000 times before he was successful at creating the first light bulb. Never give up on your dream,it doesn't matter how many times you've fallen. Get back up and try again! Did you know that the prophet Jeremiah did not win one person to the Lord while he was in ministry? What was his motivation? I wonder if he felt like a failure. I can't imagine preaching the word to people and no receives it. I would feel like a failure. Jeremiah's motivation was to please the one who called him. He was a young man and he went through so much because he obeyed God. I have only been in ministry for ten years. But most of those years were my young years. So when I look at these men who have been in ministry for 30 years and have been married for 18 years, fall... I have to remind myself that I'm not doing this on my own. That God is my source!! and that He will keep me from falling and will present me faultless before God. It reminds me to keep myself in check, that just because I'm a minister, it doesn't mean that I'm exempt to falling. It's kinda like what Paul has said in 1 Cor 9:27 " But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." The key to keeping yourself from being a cast away... is discipline.

Lord help us not be afraid of failure. We will have good days and we will have bad days. But I thank you Lord that, it doesn't define who we are.... "WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF God IN CHRIST JESUS"... Help us to remember that with you, we can be courageous and overcome anything. In Jesus name.. Amen!!

Be Blessed!!
Min. Chad Owens