This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godspeak.org)

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                       You Are Not a Failure

Child, when you experience a setback that makes you feel small, run to Me
and not away from Me. Yes, I know your heart is breaking and yes, I know
you feel shame at your apparent failure. Child, many times the blame does
not lay solely with you, even when you would own it as your own. Remember
that I see all things and I am aware of all that is involved in the situation.
Child, I am not looking to blame you or to condemn you, I am looking to work
My glory in your life.

I want you to know something important--even if all of the blame was to lay
squarely and solely on your shoulders, I would not reject you or condemn you.
I am your redeemer and I am able to bring My glory into your failures and
turn them into My successes. I am your Father God and I have a great heart
of compassion for you. So come to Me and let Me comfort you. If you feel
inadequate, then come to Me and receive My adequacy. If you feel small, then
come to Me and allow Me to enlarge you. If you feel dirty then come to Me
and allow Me to cleanse you. Child, I am not about to disqualify you for
your apparent failure and I am not going to throw you away. Don't you know
that you are much more important to Me than the task at which you failed?

Child, My specialty is turning human failures into divine successes. Look at
Jacob, who was a schemer and a manipulator. I looked past his insufficiency
and made him a father of a nation that I called by My own name. Look at
Joseph who, through the arrogance of youth alienated his family and caused
his brothers to plot against him. Was I not with him in all he went through?
Did I not meet him in all that time that he viewed himself as a failure? Did
I not bring him to a place of honor and power and put him in a position to
care for two nations in a time of famine? Look at Moses, who was a murderer
and exile. Look at all the glorious things I did with him!

Child, I am not looking for your skill and your ability, I am looking for a
humble and yielded heart. Remember, I do not judge as man judges, I am the
One who looks upon the heart and not upon outward appearance. I am also the
master crafter, the One who can work in your life to change you to be a
vessel of My glory. That is a big part of why My Holy Spirit resides within
you--to change you from within and help you better conform to what I want
you to be like. He will empower you to do all the things that I ask you to
do. He will not allow you to fail as you trust in Him and follow His
leading.

Do not be afraid of failure--of failure in the eyes of man. That is not the
criteria upon which I will evaluate you. Do not allow your perceived failure
to keep you from coming to Me, from pressing into Me and drawing near to
Me. If you allow it to separate you from Me, then you are in danger of moving
into true failure--for true failure is in pulling away from Me and delivering
yourself to the tormentors.

Child, don't do that. Don't pull away from Me and don't give the enemy a place
in your life. Instead run to Me and receive My embrace. For in My embrace
is comfort and restoration. In My embrace is the directions for how to proceed
in the midst of your situation. In My embrace is the anointing and empowerment
to enable you to do all that I have required of you. Child, run to Me and
present yourself to Me. I say to you, that if you do this, you cannot be
a failure in My eyes.

Yes, I know your pain and your shame. Yes, I know your frustration and I am
aware of the sense of hopelessness that is trying to engulf you. Those things
are not My will for you. Allow Me to comfort, transform and restore. Allow
My hope and My vision to once again flow through you. Know that I am good
and place your trust in Me. Do not try to clean yourself up or to make
yourself more "presentable." Come to Me as you are and allow Me to be the
One to transform you to the place of My victory. Child, you are not a failure
and I have not disqualified you.