Out of the cold darkness he came. John Stephen Akhwari, of Tanzania, entered at the far end of the stadium, pains hobbling his every step, his leg bloody and bandaged. The winner of the Olympic marathon had been declared over an hour earlier. Only a few spectators remained.
But the lone runner pressed on. As he crossed the finish line, the small crowd roared its appreciation. Afterward, a reporter asked the runner why he had not retired from the race since he had no chance of winning. He seemed confused by the question.
Finally, he answered, “My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish”. When we come to faith in Christ, we begin the Christian life. We have not only been called by God to begin with Christ but also to finish with Him.
(Act 20:24) But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
God can take the results of our human weakness and, If we let Him, make them work together for our good and His glory. We see this illustrated in the life of the Israelites in the book of Joshua. God took the results of Israel’s sin and used it to give them victory at the city of AI.
Here Our Four Steps We Can Take To Turn Our Defeats Into Victory!
Step 1:
Restore your perspective. When we have failed God we often think that we are useless to God. Yet God always stands ready to forgive and restore us in the kingdom. Guilt can be a hindrance to a proper perspective. If God has forgiven you stand up and get busy for Him. Fear can be another hindrance to proper perspective. But God has not given us a spirit of fear. 2nd Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Step 2:
Renew your vision. God has a plan for your life. God has a unique purpose for your life that only you can fulfill. Within this plan and purpose God will show you a path that He wants you to take. Therefore, renew your vision that He has put into your heart. We all fail along the journey but we don’t have to give up.
Step 3:
Reclaim your victory. Christ has already won the battle. He has already done the work. We work from victory, not to victory. God has already promised what He wants for us. So let us claim what He has given us.
Step 4:
Resume your venture. Don’t give up! Move on for Jesus Christ. Failure plus failure plus failure equals success. Determination accomplishes more for God than talent. We have to keep trying for the advancement of the gospel. Have you made some serious mistakes in your life? Somehow you can’t forgive yourself. Are you having difficulty seeing how God can take this negative experience and turn it into a positive lesson in your life?
Remember: God will never forsake His children, no matter how much they have forsaken Him. He is ready to restore and launch you into a new direction through His grace.