The Holy Spirit gave me Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief
Word: Why are you cast down? Will I not lift you up? Has faith left your heart? For I have not changed. Though a man stumbles will I not lift him up? Will I not lift you up? Determine in your heart to stand and you will not fall. Avoid the occasion to fall. Let wisdom reign in your heart. I know how to restore the joy of salvation. I know how to heal the broken heart. My love for My own is great. My joy in their determination to succeed is a delight (to the Father and Jesus). Many wallow in unbelief but those who are made clean are clean. Those who I have cleansed need only to have their feet washed for their heart is toward Me. Blessed is the man to whom I do not impute iniquity!
Do I not know the season of man? Have I forgotten you? I could never forget My own; you are in Me and I in you. Though you are tried seven times you are refined. I prepare those who I favor (chose), those who are My delight. Though sin abounds and will abound, so will My grace toward those who are covered in Truth; the robe of My Covenant. You will sing in My presence, you will know the joy of your Lord and Father. Look to the Rest of Promise; live in faith.
Will I not lead you out of the city of destruction? Will I not keep you in a world of turmoil and troubles? Did I not pray the Father to keep you in the world? Has the Father not heard? Has He grown weary of you and I? Be at peace My brother and sister, hear Me this day; though troubles be on every side I am with you! Though many will seek your life; I am your shield. Though they hate you, they hated Me first. They are powerless to you and I. Fear them not! Worship Me, I am the whirlwind of deliverance. I am the whirlwind of destruction. Who do I fear? The fearful will die seven deaths but the believing shall see Me.
Vision: A whirlwind (like a tornado) of fire around God’s servant. As Elijah was caught in a whirlwind only suspended above the ground/earth but not taken to heaven. It is an impenetrable force of power and glory.
Word: Do not regard fear; it is the seed of unbelief.
The Holy Spirit then had me read this for communion: Proverbs 24 (paraphrased and edited for understanding):1 Do not be envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2For their hearts study destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. 3Through wisdom is a house built; and by understanding it is established: 4by knowledge shall the rooms be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong; yes, a man of knowledge increases strength. 6For by wise counsel you shall make war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety. 7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he does not open his mouth among wise people. 8He that devises to do evil shall be called a mischievous (meaning: they take evil lightly) person. 9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner (one who mocks truth and judgment) is an abomination to men.
10If you (that’s us, today) faint in the day of adversity (trials or tribulation), your strength is small (Rev 3:8 “little strength” gives us an open door, keeping God’s word and not denying His name qualifies us to be found worthy). 11If you hold back to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12if you say, “What”, we didn’t know it; doesn’t He (the Holy Spirit) that searches the heart consider it? And, He (the Father in Heaven) that keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? And, won’t He render to every man according to his works? (Let the weak say they are strong.)
13My son, eat the honey (wisdom, truth, every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God), because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to your taste: 14 so shall the knowledge of wisdom (Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.) be unto your soul: when you have found it, then there shall be a reward, and your expectation shall not be cut off (when you receive it in faith).
15 Do not lay in wait, you wicked man, at the home of the righteous; do not plunder his resting place: 16For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into sin. 17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart be glad when he stumbles: 18because if the LORD sees your gladness, and it displease Him, He may turn away his wrath from the wicked. 19 Don’t worry about evil men and don’t be envious at the wicked: 20 there will be no reward to the evil man; the life of the wicked will be put out. 21My son, fear the LORD and the king: and have nothing to do with those that are given to change: 22 their calamity will rise suddenly; and who knows the ruin of them both? 23These things belong to the wise (those who have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying). It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24He that says to the wicked, “You are righteous”; him will the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 but to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Word continues: Truth is sweet in your mouth (as communion) but bitter in your stomach when you see the Judgment of Truth.
Revelation 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth. 9And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make your belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 10And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11And he said unto me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Understanding: Eat wisdom! Eat Truth! Eat every word that God gives. We are known by our words. It is what comes out of man that defiles, separates or gives life; bitter or sweet waters, not both.
L,J,P&HG
Dave
AMEN!
Praise God! Tough times to be sure but God is good and faithful. He is our Father. Sometimes, in our flesh, we tend to think He is out there somewhere. Some distant Ruler who judges harshly. God is our (those who choose to walk after Him in Truth and after the Holy Spirit) FATHER. His mercy towards us is and has been incredible.
I was stirred yesterday in the fact that, though we do fall and have fallen many times, it is part of the cross we bear. In this we learn the weakness of ourselves, our flesh. We learn to cast our troubles on God because we know we cannot bear them. And in the end we learn wisdom. If we don’t get back up, we fear falling again. The Lord said “Do not regard fear; it is the seed of unbelief”. Fear will keep you on the ground (when you fall). How many things would you have never done again if you didn’t try again after failure? Personally, I would not be driving a car, have a job, or be walking with the Lord. Where would I be? How many children quit trying to walk when they fall? How many adults do you know that don’t walk because they quit trying when they were children? I thank God for examples like that.
How many parents don’t pick their children up when they fall?
Even when we mess up big time, God knows our hearts. God is greater than our hearts and the condemnation it brings. My heart has decieved me many times into thinking the worst of the worst after disobediance. But God be praised for the mercy He has brought to me, my heart sings to Him because of His Love towards us.
Alex
True Alex! While it may seem a moot point there is somewhat a difference between sin and iniquity. Sin is transgression, iniquity is the weakness of the flesh (though in the end it will be counted as sin); what we are tempted in. Jesus died for our sins and was bruised for our iniquities. Mercy and grace cover sin and iniquity; this was and is the plan of God; just as living in the flesh; sinful flesh, is the plan of God.
Understanding lines, and precepts as Paul laid out in Romans 7&8 can only be by the Holy Spirit as we understand (as it applies) in our own lives.
Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8:20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
It is out of desire for peace and rest; the love of God (it’s all part of the gift of God) that we cleanse ourselves from sin and iniquities; our sins keep us from God. Every time we are tried, or tempted, we realize our weakness, our frailty. We hate the weakness of the flesh. But, every time we are tried we recognize the wisdom of drawing nearer to God earlier rather than later. Moving on toward perfection; Ephesians 1:4 According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Romans 6 all day, every day!
In the end we all will fall upon God or under Him. Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
BTW: If a just man falls and he doesn’t get up is he the wicked?
L,J,P&HG
Dave