YOU CAN RISE AGAIN. Pt.1

The story of Jim Baker is a lesson for everyone who thinks God can no longer use him/her after messing up. This man was high up there in ministry with global recognition and impact. However, due to carelessness, he fell from a lofty height that seemed to mark the end of his life and ministry. He was incarcerated for years spending time with inmates. At that period of his life, it was as though his sun has set without hope of rising again. American press didn't help either. Blessed be God, Jim Baker is restored and back in ministry to deal a deadly blow on satan and his cohorts. In his book titled "I Was Wrong", one of the lessons I was able to draw from it was that no matter how bad your experience is especially when it seems you have failed God and messed things up, you can still rise and move on to the things God has for you.

We are often bitter against those we once knew as giants and strong in the faith but fell. In these days of social media, fellow believers will run such people down on social media, adding to their pain and misery. I've been a church boy from my boyhood and I've seen this thing happen over and over. Often, I try to see into the mind of those who fell or messed up. So many are always discouraged and trying hard to do what they once did. More so, the problem of acceptance is there. Some even prefer to remain in their sins because the devil sold a free lie to them that they can't do anything about their weakness. That's why I'm an advocate of sound pastoral care, It helps. The purpose of discipline is not punitive but corrective and restorative. Once discipline falls short of the latter, it loses value. We all must have the heart of that shepherd who sought for one lost sheep while securing the remaining 99.

Today, I have a message for that fallen and backslidden minister and child of God. You can rise again and move on in destiny. That fall is not the end of your life, ministry or marriage. Even when the brethren doesn't give you a chance, God is a God of another chance. The book of Isaiah says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past", Isaiah43:18. Dwelling on your past errors will keep you on the ground. When God is saying, "rise up and move on", the devil will want to point you to the past and make you feel unforgiven. At this point, you need to show him God's word which says, "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more”, Hebrew 8:12. Hallelujah! You don't need to battle with guilt and condemnation from your past any more. The vision God gave you can be achieved despite all that has happened. One of the things we often do not emphasize in the story of Samson's fall is that he killed more Philistines ( enemy of Israel) in death than when he was alive: "he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime",Judges16:30. He fulfilled his assignment, albeit it cost him his life. As long as you're still alive and breathing, God is presenting another opportunity to you for repentance and rising.