Excuses for not going? I hear them all the time in my role as Director of Mobilization for Crossworld. In spite of valid fears, the unreached people of the world are too important to let anything keep you from going to them. Let’s look at four of these common fears and how to overcome them.

Fear #4: Fear of Failure

“I am afraid I’d fail” seems to come up more times than I can count. I’ve been there too. I was a mere 20-something when I left for the Philippines. I remember very well as I walked down that jet ramp to board the plane, leaving family and loved ones behind and thinking to myself again, “Lord, what if I fail?”

Looking back some 32 years (you do the math), I realize now that my fear of failure was nothing more than pride.

If we’re not careful, this fear can paralyze us, keeping us from moving forward or convincing us to turn back. But it shouldn’t! The fear of failure shouldn’t stand in the way of anyone using their profession to make disciples among the least-reached. Why? Here are three simple reasons.

The fear of failure…

• …is overcome by acknowledging it for what it is: pride.
  The apostle Paul himself warns us against putting confidence in our own strength (2 Corinthians 12:9), our abilities (2 Corinthians 11:30) and our self-sufficiency (2 Corinthians 10:12-17).
• …is erased by an understanding of God’s grace.
  God’s approval of us has nothing to do with our performance — it’s His grace that sustains us in both our successes and in failures. Peter’s denial of Christ and God’s grace to restore him in John 21 should serve to continuously remind us of this truth.
• …is rendered powerless by understanding God’s empowering Spirit.
  It is by God’s authority that we go and it’s His power that produces fruit.
  • Acts 1:8 | “You shall receive power…”
  • John 20:21 | “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”
  • Matthew 28:19-20 | “All authority has been given to Me … go.”
  • John 15:15 | “Without Me you can do nothing.”
  • 2 Timothy 1:7 | “He has not given us the spirit of fear.”
  • Psalm 145:14 | “The Lord sustains all who fall.”

The fear of failure should never keep a follower of Christ from going to the nations! No more should the words, “I’m afraid I’d fail” come out of your mouth. It’s time to conquer this fear and see His glory shine among the nations!

Read the series
Part 1: The Fear of Funding
Part 2: The Fear of Fear
Part 3: The Fear of Family
Part 4: The Fear of Failure

Mark Silvers served with Crossworld in the Philippines for 10 years and joined the home office staff as Director of Mobilization in 2009. Mark’s driving passion is the goal of reaching the the 2.9 billion people in the world today with no access to the gospel. Reply to Mark.