Although John Mark failed the first time and although a contention arose between the two apostles because of him, resulting in their parting, God did not give up on John Mark. He had purposed from the foundations of the world that Mark would minister as a helper to an apostle. That God, whose purpose cannot be thwarted, worked in spite of the failure of John Mark! He enabled Barnabas, whose name means, “son of encouragement”, to look at Mark with the eyes of faith and see beyond his initial failure. Barnabas took him along with him, encouraged him and allowed the Lord to deal with Mark’s defects. Barnabas was patient with him and the fruit of that patience is manifested in the words of the apostle Paul who said, “Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me.” (11 Timothy 4:11)
The purpose of Mark’s life was to serve the apostle. He accomplished that purpose wonderfully well. He did not only serve. He was not only useful in service. He was very useful in service and in high demand by the apostle Paul. So Mark actually made it. He did not just manage through but he fulfilled God’s call on his life and was rated by the most critical and most demanding of apostles as being in very high demand and being very useful. Praise the Lord.
One Greater Than Barnabas is Here To Help You.
From the human point of view, Mark’s whole future depended on Barnabas. He had faith in him and believed in him, fully assured that although he had failed the first time, God was not finished with him. He saw beyond the present failure. He saw with the eyes of God and he believed God would win in John Mark’s life. The church needs some Barnabases. The church will be a richer place if more Barn- abases were to be raised. O Lord, raise more people with Barnabas’ type of faith, love and vision. O Lord, make me into one such man.
Although we thank God for people with the character and gifts of Barnabas, no one should be discouraged if no one like that is around, for right inside you and right besides you is a greater than Barnabas. He is the Holy Spirit. He is the Counsellor.
He is the Comforter. He is the one sent to stand and to walk along side with you. He is in you right where you are in failure, defeat or discouragement. Maybe you have already abandoned fishing men and gone back to fishing fish. Maybe you have given up all the great things that God put into your heart to do for His glory.
Maybe your failure was due to the fault of someone else or it was because of your own making. The Holy Spirit does not condemn you. Your conscience may be condemning you, but the Holy Spirit never does that. He never condemns those in whom He dwells. He is there to comfort you and to show you God’s way out of the difficult situation into which you have put yourself.
Listen, He is the Spirit of Encouragement. He is the Spirit of Assurance.
Listen, He says to you “Forget your failure. I am here to begin a new day with you. I will stand by you. I will work in you and what you could not do because you were weak I will do in you. God is at work in you (in the person of the Holy Spirit) both to will and to do His good pleasure. The Holy Spirit knows what God’s original purpose for you was. He has set Himself at work to bring that purpose to pass and He will succeed.
You may have no confidence in yourself. Have confidence in Him. You might have failed in the past and therefore have reasons to doubt yourself. He has never failed, so you should trust Him. Your strength may fail you. His never fails.
You may want to go back. He is always going forward.
Rest in Him and begin again in Him and with Him.
Today, the day of your failing has ended.
Today, He has brought your failing to an end.
Today, a new day of success has begun for you in Him.
Take your place in Him, and forgetting that which is past, press forward for the
mark of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus and victory is guaranteed.
Amen.
Excerpt from: No Failure Needs To Be Final
