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🔥“When Faith Fails – A Call to Return Before It’s Too Late”
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
All of us in life have done or said things that left us feeling regretful. But there is one thing in life that none of us should ever do or say that that would leave us feeling eternally regretful. This one thing I am speaking of, is allowing our FAITH in GOD fail as we will learn in this study.
Introduction
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith…”
— 2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)
Many believe that once they have come to faith the LORD they are eternally saved no matter how they live their lives afterwards, many will even say my faith in God will never fail, but the Word of God warns us time and again that faith can fail, faith can be shipwrecked, and even the most zealous believers can go astray if they are not vigilant about their faith and walk with the LORD.
This message I am preaching today is a wake-up call for all to examine their faith, rekindle your fire and fist love you had with Jesus when you first came to the LORD and return to the Lord before it’s too late and you find yourself one day in the presence of the Jesus begging for mercy and the LORD says in Matthew 7:23, where Jesus is addressing those who claim to have done mighty works in his name but have not obeyed God’s will or walk in the spirit of truth before God find their selves rejection by God, not for lack of works, or by the things they say, but for a lack of true faith and obedience to God’s will and His word. On judgment day Jesus utters these words — “Depart from me I never knew you”, this will be the most regretful day for many.
Point 1: Even the Strongest Can Be Shaken
Luke 22:31–32
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not…”
Jesus warned Peter—His boldest disciple—that faith can fail. If Peter needed prayer so his faith wouldn’t fail, what about us? Don’t assume you’re immune. Stay humble. Stay prayerful. Stay watchful before the LORD always because without Jesus Christ we can do NOTHING.
John 15:5
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Point 2: Faith Can Be Shipwrecked
1 Timothy 1:19
“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.”
This is not a minor error—this is a total collapse. A shipwrecked faith means someone once sailed in the truth, but now is broken on the rocks of compromise, sin, or false doctrinal teachings of men.
💡 Key Warning: You can’t coast through the Christian life. Faith must be guarded and nourished. We must live our lives in the word of God constantly or we too will become “spiritually shipwrecked”.
Point 3: Some Will Depart from the Faith
1 Timothy 4:1
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.“
The Holy Ghost clearly warns us: some will leave the faith. They once walked with God. They once believed. But deception, darkness, and evil spirits pulled them away from the truth found in the word of God. Unfortunately this verse found in 1 Timothy 4:1 happens to many people because they lack faith in the word of God.
➡️ Don’t be part of the falling away. Be part of the faithful remnant that humbly receives the word of God then trust the Lord to keep you from falling away as you stand guard against false teachings that contradict the word of the LORD. If you hear anything that contradicts the word of God you should question it and refute it meditatively because must line up with all scripture.
Point 4: Unbelief Can Grow in Believers
Hebrews 3:12
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
Notice it says, “take heed brethren”—this is written to Christians. Unbelief can begin to creep in silently through false teachings, trials in life, delays, disappointments, and even pride that refuses to accept the word of truth as it is written in the word of God. If not dealt with, it will causes people to depart from the living God and one day find their selves eternally regretful in hell because tof an “Evil-Heart-of-Unbelief ” as found in the book of Hebrews. God views unbelief as evil.
Hebrews 3:12-13
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Point 5: Drawing Back Is Dangerous
Hebrews 10:38–39
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.“
To draw back means to retreat, to give up, to let the fire go out. God says He has no pleasure in the one who draws back. The end of that path is perdition—destruction.
💡 Encouragement: If you’ve drawn back, return today while you are living because the door is still open while we are living, but once we leave this earth eternity begins and we will either find our eternal destination in heaven with the LORD, or in hell eternally lost and separated from God forever.
Point 6: Erring from the Truth
James 5:19–20
“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.“
Yes, brethren—even believers—can err from the truth. But thank God for those who love enough to bring them back!
🛑 Don’t normalize drifting. Erring from the truth is dangerous and will cost you your soul. Take a bold stand in the truth and abide in Jesus!
Point 7: Worse Than Before
2 Peter 2:20–21
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.“
This is the most sobering part of all: to know Jesus, then walk away, leaves you in a worse condition than before you were saved.
🔥 This is not a light matter. This is life or death. — Eternity.
Point 8: You Can Fall From Grace
Galatians 5:4
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.“
You can’t fall from what you’ve never been in. This shows clearly that people in grace can fall out of it—by turning back to works, sin, or unbelief.
Point 9: Faith Can Be Overthrown
2 Timothy 2:17–18
“And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.“
False doctrines and bad teaching can destroy your faith or the faith of others. This is why we must be rooted in sound doctrine and stay grounded in truth. One of Satan’s biggest tactics is to try to “OVERTHROW” your faith and the devil will even send people to you to try to destroy your faith and the things you’ve learned from the word of God, and the true ministers of the LORD that are sent by God to teach the word as it is written. A true minister sent by the Lord will always point you to Jesus and his word – The Bible! A false minister sent by the devil will distract you from the word of God and try to get you to focus on “their-ministry” rather then on the word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Point 10: Only Those Who Endure Will Be Saved
Matthew 24:12–13
“Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
The last days will be filled with deception, lawlessness, and cold-heartedness. But salvation is for those who endure to the end—not just those who started well.
CLOSING POINT: Faith Comes By Hearing – So Stay in the Word & Go to a Church that teaches and preaches the word so your faith can grow strong in the Lord!
Romans 10:17
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
🕊️ This is why it’s crucial to stay in a Bible-preaching, Spirit-filled church that is teaching the word as it is written so you can maintain a strong faith in the Lord as you are “hearing the Word”.
You can’t fight the good fight if your sword is dull. The word of God is a sword that we can use to cut away all false teachings of men and of demons.
You can’t grow in faith on spiritual starvation, you must feast on the word of the Lord!
🏠 Go to church. Hear the Word. Let faith arise again.
Altar Call
Today, the Lord is calling wandering hearts back home.
He’s calling lukewarm souls to the fire of the Holy Spirit again.
He’s calling the deceived to truth, and the discouraged to hope.
🔔 Don’t wait until your faith is shipwrecked. Come back now to the truth and be restored.
Let your faith rise again!
I hope you have enjoyed this study and faith has risen in your hearts and minds.
God bless you!
Pastor Joel.
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