WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FALL
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness for all who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5
Do you remember the old commercial by a medical alert company, LifeCall, that had the tagline, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up”? LifeCall was promoting a small communications device that older people or disabled people could wear as a necklace. This device would provide instant assistance for them in case of a fall. The product gave the wearers confidence, even if they lived alone. As long as they could hit the button, they could get help—and get back on their feet.
HAVE YOU FALLEN?
Lots of Christians I know have fallen into sin, and they are having trouble getting back up. You see, when you and I fall, the devil is quick to move in and say, “Look at you! And you have the audacity to call yourself a Christian? What a hypocrite you are! What a liar you are! You’ll never get back up! My advice to you is to stay down and just accept the facts: you are a failure, a fraud, and a perennial loser.”
Have you ever heard some phrases like that filter through your head? That is the voice of the devil—diabolos in Greek, meaning slanderer, false accuser. Interestingly, when the devil speaks to us, he makes his voice sound like ours. He tries to make us think his damning, hellish counsel is coming from our own “correct” understanding of the circumstances. But remember, the devil is a liar and the father of lies. He will do anything to keep you down.
Now when the devil says, “Give up,” God says, “Get up!” Proverbs 24:16 reminds us, “For a righteous man falls seven times, and RISES AGAIN.” No righteous man or woman is immune to falls. Godly saints still struggle with sin. But when they fall, they don’t stay down.
God gives every Christian a LifeCall necklace. And He wants us to use it! When you and I fall into sin—whether that fall is an unplanned slip (I slipped into this sin that knocked me off my feet), a careless trip (I let my guard down and the devil pounced on me with temptation), or a blatant dive (I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway)—there is a way back up. You must quickly hit the LifeCall button and cry out to God in repentance and confession.
HE IS READY
One of the features of LifeCall was 24-hour coverage, 7 days a week. The same is true with God. At this very moment, He is ready, willing, and able to forgive you and cover you with His mercy and grace. Jesus didn’t come to condemn us, He came to save us.
Are you holding on to sin in your life? Are you clinging to sexual sin or bitterness or pride or selfishness? Sin is like cancer. Unless you and I get the cancer of sin out of our lives through repentance and confession, we will stay down and diseased. (Remember how the prodigal son LEFT the pigsty and went to his father and confessed his sin BEFORE he was restored?) But the moment we let go of our rotten sin and cry out to Him, He comes and gently, lovingly cleanses our heart and raises us up.
As you read this today, honestly search your heart. Have you fallen? Are you ashamed and guilt-ridden? Do you feel as if you can’t ever get up again? Hit your LifeCall button! Cry out to Jesus. He loves you and is so ready to forgive you and restore you IF IF IF you are ready to leave your pigsty and come to Him.
The ball is in your court. What is your answer to Him?
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
