The Righteous Will Get Up

Proverbs 24:13-16

All men relish things that are sweet to the palate; but many have no relish for the things that are sweet to the purified soul, and that make us wise unto salvation. #15,16|. The sincere soul falls as a traveller may do, by stumbling at some stone in his path; but gets up, and goes on his way with more care and speed. This is rather to be understood of falls into affliction, than falls into actual sin.

One of the greatest verses in the Book of Proverbs is found in Proverbs 24:16.

I know you have heard the statement, "You can’t keep a good man down." God’s version of that statement is "If a righteous man falls down, and will get up again and again. Our text verse says, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again."

Seven in the Bible is the number of completeness and perfection. You cannot keep a just man down.

He has purpose for his life and the Holy Ghost dwelling on the inside.

Even hell itself cannot totally overcome the one who is an over-comer in Christ! This fact ought to give great comfort to a mother or father who has seen one of their children or grandchildren fall----if he or she is righteous, look for that person to get up again

.

I.                  See A Problem.

OUR PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE PRONE TO FALL. One songwriter wrote, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love."

There is never a time in the life of a believer in this life, that he or she will be absent of a sin nature.

·         The sin nature seeks to run cross-grain to the Holy Spirit of God.

·         The sin nature is not subject to God and never plans to be.

Thank God, the Lord put a new nature in us to counteract the downward pull of the old Adamic nature in us. If you ever think in this life there will be a time you will never be bothered by the sin nature, dream on if you wish.

II.                   See A Person.

The New Testament tells about how SIMON PETER fell. PETER was constantly falling…

·         He took a few steps on water, and he began to sink. (Storm caused him to fall)

·         Another time Peter failed was when he denied the Lord in the court yard after Christ’s arrest. (Society caused him to fall) But Peter went out and wept bitterly, and we find that when Jesus was giving the news of his Resurrection he said, “Go tell my disciples and PETER.”

III.                 See A Pattern.

A lost man tends to keep falling into mischief. The word "mischief" speaks of those who tried to hurt, harm, afflict or do evil to another person.

That is the general pattern of the life of a wicked person, because he does not possess the "new nature."

IV.                See A Promise.

The just person rises up again. Peter did and preached that great message at Pentecost (Acts. 2).

We must understand that we can go back to our Heavenly Father and find help.

V.               See A Power

The just person has the power of prayer on their side. Peter, though he began to sink while walking on water prayed a three word prayer, “Lord Save me.”  The Lord immediately reached down and lifted Peter out of the sea.

Conclusion—It is a sad situation to see a child of God fall by the wayside. We should possess a great burden for that person. We need to have the knowledge to understand that if they really know the Lord in the free pardon of sin, that they will get back up and get on the path to righteousness again.

Seven times fallen, means that they had to get up at least six times in order to fall again. Thank God that he lifts us up when we pray.