Anybody Can Fall and Everybody Can Get Back Up

Mark 13:2

Do you see all these great buildings? Replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”

When I was in Israel we toured the Temple in Jerusalem. There were huge stones that littered the pavement just outside the temple area. On the way into the Temple lay these massive stones that were once part of the wall. They lay on the very street where Jesus would have walked into the temple on the Sabbath. No one but Jesus could have imagined that these huge stones could have ever been taken down. One of Jesus disciples were commenting on how beautiful these huge walls were and Jesus said all of these stones will be thrown down. In A.D. 70 the Romans destroyed this beautiful Temple leaving a heap of huge stones that Jesus prophesied about 70 years earlier.

When we look at Great Leaders and Kingdoms we see greatness and we are in awe. We can’t imagine that a person who can lead thousands of people, inspire millions to change their lives, rebuild communities, and change society could ever fall. No one walking the streets of New York prior to 9-11-01 would have ever imagined the two Wolrd Trade Center Tours burning to the ground from terrorist attacks.

Great people like Great buildings are still falling due to terrorist attacks. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and to destroy. He comes to attack marriages, ministries, business, character, health, and reputation. The devil is an accuser of the brethren and the sisters. He attacks in hopes that he can make another one fall.

We should be careful gloating over the fall of anyone whether it’s a R&B icon fallen to drugs, a politician in a corrupt scandal, or a preacher fallen from grace. Proverbs 24:17 warns us about gloating over other people falling. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is overthrown, lest the Lord see it and it be evil in his eyes and displease him, and he turns away his wrath from him {to expend it upon you, the worst offender} Wow! The worst offender is us!? We can actually be worse than the people we see fall! The hypocrisy of our hearts will not allow us to see the worst in our selves while we celebrate the weakness in others. Anybody can fall, but here’s how we avoid a fall:

1. Don’t be cocky. Pride comes before the fall. When we get to the point that nobody can tell us anything is a signal that we are about to fall.
2. Don’t flatter yourself or you will flatten yourself. Psalm 36:2
3. Reject what is wrong. Psalm 36:4 the more we allow wrong to accumulate in our lives it makes us heavier and more prone to fall.
4. Watch yourself closely so you do not slip. Deuteronomy 4:9
5. Don’t make any idols. Deuteronomy 4:23
6. If you fall you can get back up. Deuteronomy 4:23
7. Pray for those who’ve fallen even as you pray that you don’t fall.

Dear God,

How the mighty have fallen! There is only a step between me and them. Don’t let me fall prey to what has entangled them. Give them strength to get back up and please keep us all from falling like them. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

In Jesus Name,

Amen