“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse” (PV 24:16, AMP)

I had a dream that I was a marathon runner. The race was hard. The heat and the effort was much. I was a village girl who trained in the bushes. I came to the city just because of this race. Among the spectators I had nobody to cheer me up for my village people were too poor to come. My competitors were very strong and professionally prepared. But I wanted that crown. I wanted to win not only for myself but for my children and for the honor of my village. I ran and ran without looking back or left or right. I was leading but I did not know. Just before the finishing line somebody from among the spectators threw a rock at me. I stumbled and fell. But I fell after the finishing line. My leg was broken but I was still the champion! The wicked person who threw the rock was arrested by the police. The crowning ceremony had to be postponed until I could stand. I climbed the podium limping but I was the champion. This time my children and all my village people came and cheered me on. The devil attacked but it was too late. The crown was mine and nobody could take it away! All the glory went to God who always helps the lonely humble faithful fighter!

It is said that success is defined not by how bad you have fallen or by how many times you go down, but by the capacity to rise up again after each fall. This is the promise of God: the true born again believer in Christ may fall but he will always rise up again! A child of God will not die in the devil’s ‘gutter’! The testimony of his sure salvation must be proven to the last breath! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will quickened your mortal body and you shall rise from the ashes of mistakes, failure and regret!

The unbeliever, the wicked evil man shall stumble and fall also. For life is hard and there are many wicked enemies (like him) who take delight in another’s fall. But the wicked does not partake from this grace of rising. He falls and remains glued to the ground. The power of resurrection is not his portion. His fears of failure and total disgrace shall be fulfilled. There is no security, hope, joy or peace for the wicked. Their evil makes them too ‘heavy’ and no one will be there to help them rise again.

As you can see, there is no middle ground! It is 17 days since I fell and broke my ankle. It is not easy to lie in bed for so long but even now I give thanks to God! One of the things that excite me is the expectation of my rising from this infirmity… I dream about going back to my kitchen and do wifely things, going back to do ministry in the church… It will come… In Jesus name!

‘My enemies, do not rejoice for soon I shall rise again! You who throw rocks at the children of God so that they can fall, you shall regret your actions! You shall see the power of God and you shall know that my Jesus is the Lord! I don’t know how God shall manifest that future ‘rising’ but one thing I know: it will be glorious! I shall rise again! The ashes are behind me! The beauty of holiness is calling me forth! My children ( natural and spiritual) shall be encouraged to run as champions too! I have no doubt about it! In my falling and in my rising, I shall give Glory to God! In Jesus name, amen!’