Failures for Christ: Stretching Out in Prayer and Love

A few days ago I climbed a very steep trail, a narrow dirt path filled with rocky outcrops and littered with slippery stones. As I reached the summit, I was rewarded with a magnificent panorama of the ocean and the beautifully sunlit California coast. Catching my breath, I reflected on the rugged road I had climbed and the expansive view this gave me. I was reminded of something I had seen so often in God’s Word. That in the world’s eyes, those who believe in God and struggle up life’s rocky paths can be considered miserable failures. Yet in God’s sight, they are spiritual giants who win the ultimate victory and gain the highest vistas of the Father’s goodness and love!

Jesus Christ: The Greatest Failure

From a worldly point of view, Jesus Christ may have been the greatest failure of all time. He had gathered a close-knit group of young leaders who helped him reach thousands with God’s love, light, and true wisdom. He had miraculously healed and ministered to those in Galilee, Samaria, Judea, and other areas. Once acclaimed by the public, he now faced rejection and his greatest challenge. And except for his heavenly Father’s faithful support, he was all alone.

Luke 22:44-48:
And being in an agony [agonia, an intense competition] he prayed more earnestly [ektenesteros, stretching himself out even more]: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow [heaviness],
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

The Greek words used in the New Testament often give greater depth to help us understand what God is communicating to us in His Word. Jesus Christ was in agonia, a Greek word used to describe the intensity of competing in athletic games. As the greatest spiritual competitor of all times, he went to his heavenly Father for support. He prayed “more earnestly,” translated from the Greek word ektenesteros, which comes from the verb meaning to “stretch out” (Matthew 12:13,49). Jesus stretched himself out in prayer to the Father even more than other times.

After being left by his three most trusted disciples to pray alone, he awoke them in time to see another of the chosen twelve approaching to betray him. This great spiritual leader seemed to be failing on every hand. The tide of public opinion, prompted by conniving religious leaders, turned against him. Things grew worse. Later, after nearly forty hours of horrendous torture, he was nailed to the cross.

Luke 23:33-37:
And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

As if the pain and physical suffering was not enough, Jesus’ enemies derided and mocked him as he hung dying before them. The religious “rulers” laughed at this so-called Messiah, who now looked helpless and despised from a worldly viewpoint. They had seen and heard of his many miracles and how he had saved others. Now they threw back in his face the taunt that he was not really the Christ, the Son of God.

The politically supervised military leaders also treated Jesus with contempt. They had heard of this bold and successful leader from Galilee who had inspired vast crowds and who had been recently proclaimed the people’s “king” as he entered Jerusalem. But they had only one king—Tiberius Caesar in Rome. If this local rebel was really a king, they mocked, he could summon his forces and save himself from defeat.

Yet Jesus Christ stretched out himself with prayer and God’s love despite the hateful treatment he received. He even asked God to forgive these people. Jesus knew that they were being influenced by “the rulers of the darkness of this world…spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). From an earthly point of view, Jesus appeared to be a massive failure as he died on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 28, 28 A.D.

Even after God raised him from the dead, he was still considered a failure by some of his followers. Two of them had heard reports of an empty sepulcher, but they were still gloomy and sad as they thought of their master.

Luke 24:13-17:
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad [sullen, gloomy, mournful]?

Stretching Out in Prayer and Love

When Satan attacks our minds and tries to make us feel like failures, we can stretch ourselves out in love and prayer like Jesus Christ, our brother. It may take some time to climb life’s stony paths, but gaining the view of who we are in Christ and what our Father thinks of us is worth the effort. To better understand how to do this, we will look at another form of ektenesteros that occurs twice in the New Testament. Both uses deal with love and prayer.

Acts 12:1-5:
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing [ektenēs, stretching out to the end] of the church unto God for him.

Herod had imprisoned Peter after killing the Apostle James, the son of Zebedee. It looked as if Peter would soon be a total failure at Herod’s hands. But Peter was well loved by the local believers, and they united in prayer for him, stretching themselves out until they received God’s answer. Prayer was made “of (hupo, under the support of) the church, unto (pros, toward) God, for (huper, on behalf of) him.” Each of these Greek prepositions is significant in describing who prayed, to Whom they prayed, and for whom they prayed. It is the same process when we pray today. As the church, the believers who make up the body of Christ, we add our loving support by making requests toward our heavenly Father on behalf of others in need.

Peter got out of prison, and later wrote to believers that they should be sober, sound minded.

I Peter 4:7,8:
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
And above all things have fervent [ektenēs, fully extended] charity [love of God] among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Peter wanted the believers who received his epistle to watch unto prayer. Above all things, they were to fully extend themselves in love. Even in the midst of challenges and mistakes (a multitude of sins), God’s love would cover. As Jesus Christ had done from the cross, they could take the higher road of love and forgiveness.

How Does Love Never “Fail”?

Perhaps the most well-known Bible verses about “charity” are found in I Corinthians 13.

I Corinthians 13:8-10:
Charity never faileth [ekpiptō, falls out]: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail [katargeō, come to nothing]; whether there be tongues, they shall cease [pauō, pause]; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away [katargeō, come to nothing].
For we know in part [ek meros, as a member in particular], and we prophesy in part [ek meros, as a member in particular].
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away [katargeō, come to nothing].

At times, verse 8 is said to mean that charity, God’s love, will not allow a person to fail in life’s endeavors. Then, when immature Christians experience the negative circumstances in the world, they wonder why they have “failed.” They ask themselves, “Wasn’t I loving enough?”  The problem is that they don’t understand what this verse says.

The Greek word for “faileth” means to fall out, or drop away, as when a lifeboat falls from a ship (Acts 27:32) or when flowers fall from plants (James 1:11). God’s love will never “fall out” of use or become unnecessary.

But prophecies that are needful today (I Corinthians 14:4), “shall fail.” This is an entirely different Greek word (katargeō) for “fail.” In the future, prophecies will come to nothing. Speaking in tongues will pause someday. Even the knowledge of this time will no longer be needed. Now we know “in part.” This is the same Greek phrase translated “in particular” in I Corinthians 12:27 where we “are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” As members of Christ’s body today, we only prophecy and know what we need to know as a member in particular. However at full maturity, “when that which is perfect is come,” those things “in part” will no longer be needed.

Seeing Things God’s Way

God’s love will never fail; it will never fall out of use. It will always be needed. When we love God, we will keep a spiritual perspective in life. Although we may even look like failures from a worldly perspective, our heavenly Father knows what is going on. We make the “wise” things of the world foolish, that we may have true spiritual wisdom.

I Corinthians 3:18-23:
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

We don’t want to deceive ourselves by seeing things from a five-senses point of view. We want to see things the way our heavenly Father sees them. Worldly wisdom is “foolishness” with God.

Even in challenging, life-and-death circumstances that may come upon us, we know that we are Christ’s. We are saved, born again of God’s spirit. We belong to our heavenly Father, and He cares for us. Jesus Christ has the full authority given to him by his heavenly Father. Christ is God’s. So despite our so-called “failures,” we claim our victory in Christ!

For further understanding, see:

Failures for Christ: Jesus Learning from the Old Testament

Failures for Christ: New Testament Champions

Failures for Christ: From Failure to Victory!