The Scriptures abound with verses that mention our feet or steps slipping, our being sifted as wheat by the devil himself, and our falling down.

     However, at the same time, it also mentions that, through the worst of trials and tribulation, "we are held up, supported, and delivered out of them all."

     Perhaps today you are facing grievous trials of your Faith. You just don't know how much more you can take. You are not sure if you are going to make it through the "fire" and the "floods," so to speak.

     Let our Heavenly Father uplift you with His Word. You can know of a surety that you are coming out of each of your troubles. Even though you may have fallen down, you will rise again. Just reach out to the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ which is reaching out to you.

Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD...Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down..."

     In Psalm 37:23-24, David mentions the "good man" whose steps are ordered by God. But, all of a sudden, he stumbles and falls to the earth. Whatever happened? He met with disappointment, reverses, calamities, troubles, misfortunes, and difficulties. He fell under the power of the enemy for a time.

     We see from this example that God does not always promise a smooth walk for His people. They will be tested and tried.

Psalm 73:2 "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped."

     Asaph was having a "real problem" with the wicked prospering all around him. He became troubled and agitated in his soul. He began to doubt the Providence and Wisdom of God. The devil really tried to trip him up here.

     His "feet were almost gone" - He almost lost all of his confidence and trust in God. He was like a man endeavoring to stand uprightly in a slippery place.

     His "steps had well nigh slipped" - He no longer had any more strength or firmness to his Faith. His steps were like water being poured out. His Faith was being sorely tested and tried. He was ready to "throw in the towel," so to speak and give up completely.

Psalm 94:18 "When I said, My foot slippeth..."

     Here the Psalmist cries out for his strength is gone, and it seems as though he can no longer stand. He feels so weak amidst an enemy that seems so very strong. He imagines that he is like something that once was propped up but no longer has anything to hold him up. Hence, he is sinking fast.

Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times..."

     In this particular verse, we see that the righteous man oftentimes encounters calamities along the narrow way - whether it be temptations and evil suggestions that attack his mind, afflictions that affect his body, or troubles that spoil his dwelling place.

Micah 7:8 "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise..."

     Israel had sinned against the Lord. But in her sin, through repentance, she was being drawn back once again into covenant with her God. She received her due punishment from His hand, but resolved to once again be restored as a people in right relationship with Him.

     She fell because of her idolatry and apparent unfaithfulness in her covenant with the Lord. Consequently, He raised up enemies - "Babylon" - to take her into captivity.

     Even though we may fall down, we do not have to stay there. The Scriptures offer us hope that assures us that we can get back up or be restored!

     Remember what was said above in Proverbs? "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..." And in Micah, Israel knew that they had sinned and fallen spiritually. However, due to God's mercy and grace, they were able to confess - "...when I fall, I shall arise..."

     From whence does this bold confidence come? Who or what is the foundation for this trust that declares - "No matter what happens, we will rise again in Victory over the enemy of our souls"?

     The confidence of God's people was "God Himself". Through His Mighty Right Hand, Mercy, Intercession, Almighty Power to Save and Deliver, and the Light of His Presence and Word.

     God "rescues" His people who are being sorely tested and tried by the enemy of their souls. He always causes them to "triumph" in whatever circumstances they faced. At times we may not immediately see the "triumph", but with God that "triumph" is always there! Consider the following:

1. A Mighty Hand

   Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD...Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."

        The righteous man will not be utterly thrown down to the extent where he can never get back up again. In all of his afflictions and distresses, there is the invisible "hand of God" sustaining him through it all.

   
   

2. Mercy

   Psalm 94:18 "When I said, My foot slippeth; Thy mercy, O LORD, held me up."

        Just when the Psalmist felt as though he was going to sink, God, "in His mercy", intervened and propped him up.

   
   

3. Intercession

   Luke 22:31-32 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not..."

        Satan desired to draw Peter into Sin. He wanted to shake his faith in Christ like one would shake the grain in a fan or sieve. He was hoping that his faith would amount to nothing more than the chaff which the wind swiftly carries away.

        Satan did not take into consideration that the Lord Jesus, as Peter's Great High Priest, Who is "able to save to the uttermost," would stand in the gap for his soul at this time.

        The writer of Hebrews assured us that in and through all times, places, and circumstances, we have an Eternal Priest Who lives to make intercession for us:

   Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

        No matter what we face - no matter what the devil throws against us - we can be comforted today knowing that the "Lord Jesus is pleading our cause before the Father" - all based on the merits of His sacrificial death on Calvary's Cross.

   
   

4. Almighty Power To Save And Deliver

   Job 5:19 "He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee."

        As already mentioned, the Lord Jesus is "able to save to the uttermost." The Book of Job guarantees that "He shall deliver" us. How many times?

        The Scripture says - "in six troubles: yea, in seven..." A certain method of speech was used here to denote an indefinite number of calamities and troubles. One number was selected, and then another was added to it to emphasize its extremity.

   
   

5. Light Of His Presence & Word

   Micah 7:8 "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me."

        The "darkness" of sorrow, adversity, and even death for some would cover Israel in their years of captivity. They would sit alone and helpless as widows who have no helper.

        Yet, as they acknowledged their sin and wrongdoing before the Lord God, and turned to Him Who afflicted them, He would in turn flood them with His marvellous "Light" - "symbolic of joy, gladness, liberty, and the knowledge of His ways."

     Perhaps you are reading this message today and are facing some of the most horrendous spiritual storms that you have ever encountered in your walk with the Lord.

     You may feel as though you are at your wit's end - you cannot take another step - you are slipping, falling, or sinking quickly. Your confidence in the Lord and His Word has been sorely tested. You feel as though Satan is sifting you as wheat, or you are being shaken in the fan or sieve.

     Whether you realize it or not, the Lord Jesus is upholding you. His wonderful lovingkindnesses and tender mercies are also sustaining you at this hour. He is praying for you that your faith will not fail.

     Don't give up. Don't cast away your confidence in the Lord. Trust Him completely. He is able to save you in and through all times, places, and circumstances. He's got the Power to see your through to Victory.

     You may feel as though you are all alone and sitting in darkness with no end of the tunnel in sight. Jesus is your Light in the midst of the darkness that you are encountering. He will come and His Presence will once again flood your soul and bring you everlasting joy and gladness.

Here are two more verses of hope for you:

Psalm 107:29 "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still."

Hebrews 6:18-19 "...in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast..."

---

Basic Training Systematic Theology Statement of Faith Our Mission Link To Us Heaven?

---

Send E-mail to Russ:
webslave for Christ
( russ@jesuswept.com )
with questions or comments about this web site and it's content.
Last modified: 12/04/2002