Help me Lord! I’ve Fallen Down and Can’t Get Up!

Help me Lord! I’ve Fallen Down and Can’t Get Up!

Text: Proverbs 24:15–16 (KJV 1900)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Introduction:

* During the recession of the 1980’s, as a very young man, just starting out after high school, I had my first life experiences with failure.

* For the first time in life, I began to experience a string of failures.

* Every time I would get a job, it wouldn’t be long before I would be laid off.

* I went off to Bible College at the age of 17 and moved into the college dorms.

* I had sold my motorcycle for enough money to get to Michigan and enroll in college and Dad and I loaded up the car and traveled 600 miles away to college.

* I remember handing when Dad left me there to come back home. We had $80 left I gave Dad $40 to get back home, and I kept $40 for food until I could find a job.

* I lived out of a box at the end of my bed for the next months until I got a job in a grocery store for $90 a week.

* I soon realized that, because I was only 17, that the factories where most of the other students worked would not hire me. This led to some hard times and a series of failures.

* I didn’t have a car for the first semester. I remember walking down the highway one night after working through 3 feet of snow. I was so tired and cold I just wanted to curl up in front of one of the stoops in front of a store front and go to sleep.

* I managed to make it through the first semester of college and returned home with my tail between my legs. I still owned most of my tuition and dorm bill and it took me the rest of the next summer to pay my bill.

* I had experienced so much failure by this time, still only 18 years old, that I determined that I couldn’t afford college.

* Well, I gave up college so I thought I would do something a little easier and got married! Wrong!

* Two weeks before the wedding I was laid off from my job and had to start paining houses to pay my bills.

* Long story short, the failures continued with being laid off jobs and having our first child with no insurance and so on.

* During all this time I tried to remain faithful to God.

* I remember several occasions walking the 12 miles from Jefferson City where I lived to Morristown because I didn’t have gas to drive to church.

* To make a long story short, early in life I began a battle with the fear of failure that has plagued me all my life.

* This fear of failure is not real, but none the less it has been the source of a constant battle with God in my life.

* The fear of failure is spiritually crippling. The fear of failure hill hold you back from living the kind of life God would have you to live this morning.

* I remember the first time as a young man that I signed a to buy a car.

* Do you remember the first time you signed a loan- do you remember the feeling in the pit of your stomach like you were about to get sick? That my friend is a result of the “fear of failure.” It will cripple you.

* I remember I once bought a brand new house for $150 a month, and gave it back because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to pay for it! Again, at the age of 19, I bought a farm for $30,000, but I gave it back because I was afraid I couldn’t pay for it!

* The fear of failure is crippling this morning.

* More importantly, the fear of failure will cripple your faith this moring!

Definition of the Fear of failure

Atychiphobia (from the Greek phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear" and atyches meaning "unfortunate")[1] is the abnormal, unwarranted, and persistent fear of failure.[2] As with many phobias, atychiphobia often leads to a constricted lifestyle,[3] and is particularly devastating for its effects on a person’s willingness to attempt certain activities.

A person afflicted with atychiphobia considers the possibility of failure so intense that they choose not to take the risk. Oftentimes this person will subconsciously undermine their own efforts so that they no longer have to continue to try.[

By definition, the anxiety of any particular phobia is understood to be disproportionate to reality, and the victim is typically aware that the fear is irrational, making the problem a largely subconscious one. For this reason there are no simple treatments for atychiphobia,[3] however there are several options available.

* The fear of failure is not real. Let me give you an example of what the fear of failure is like:

“The fear of failure will beat you down!”

(Beat of by a reflection of my imagination)

* I want you to understand that you don’t have to live under the fear of failure as a Christian.

* We all need desperately to believe the promise of our text this morning that God will hold you up! The Lord has got your back this morning! Things will go bad, but there is nothing to be afraid of!

Text: Proverbs 24:15–16 (KJV 1900)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

I. A Just man may fall into sin but God will pick you up!

* I remember the story of David and how he let his lust lead him in to failure this morning.

* After David had committed adultery with the wife of one of his loyal soldiers, then murder that same soldier, the prophet David one day woke up in the midst of a pit of sin and he felt like there was no way out!

* David cried out to God the title of this sermon this morning “Help me Lord, I have fallen down and I can’t get up!

Psalm 40:1–4 (KJV 1900)

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. 4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust…

* Listen as the prophet David cries out to God in anguish over his sins:

Psalm 51:title–19 (KJV 1900)

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: And my ongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

* I think this morning of the evangelist Mel Trotter and how the touch of Jesus forever changed the life of an old drunkard on the streets of Chicago. Mel Trotter was the son of a barkeeper who became a hopeless alcoholic at a very young age.

* One day found Mel Trotter, an old drunk, in Chicago living in a rat infested cellar apartment in the worst part of the city. When Mel related this story, he said he had caused his wife and little child so much pain and suffering he didn’t understand why they stayed with him.

* One day their little girl had become seriously ill. Even though he knew he wouldn’t get paid for the house call, a kind doctor was called to the rat-hole of an apartment where the family lived.

* After diagnosing the case, the doctor reached into his own pocket, took out some money and thrust it into Mel Trotter’s hands, and he shouted to Mel, "Mel, run, don't walk, to the drug store which is two blocks from here - here's the prescription. Come right back. It might even now be too late - so hurry!"

* Mel climbed the stairs and was out on to the pavement. He looked to my left and sure enough he saw a drug store about two blocks away, but then he looked to his right and saw that the saloon was only one half block away. A sudden desire came over Mel - one that drove all thought of my sick child out of his head. Even the fact that the money in his hand did not belong to Mel was erased as he blindly rushed to the bar and shouted, "Let's all drink - it's on me!"

* Soon the doctor's money was gone and then some other fool threw his money on the bar and they continued on and on through the day and into the night. When it was time to close I was so far gone that the saloon keeper just threw Mel into the back room to "sleep it off." When he came back the next day, Mel was still there and it wasn't until the night began to approach that Mel came enough to his senses to decide to go home.

* When Mel arrived back at his apartment, he slowly descended the rickety stairs. He saw that someone was talking very quietly to his wife and they were crying. Mel still did not know why and was still too far gone to have understood. There had been no furniture before, but now there was a little box on a stand. Mel wondered what it could be. As he went over and looked into the box I saw that it was the body of his little child, but looking very different. Someone had put on her clean clothes, new clothes and somehow there was even a pair of brand new little shoes. Still Mel didn't get the message. As he stood there that urge came over him again. He craved another drink. What he wouldn't do for another drink!

* As the urge overwhelmed him, he hurriedly slipped the new sloes from the cold feet of his precious child, rammed them into his pocket - as yet he had not attracted the attention of his wife and the woman with her - Mel slipped out of the apartment and he sold those little shoes for a few pennies and bought another drink. Mel often said later that he had gone down so low that he had to reach up to touch bottom.

* With all of this, Mel was not awakened to reality, until one day, after some debauchery, Mel decided to end it all. With me gone, he reasoned that the world would be a lot better off, especially for his wife. With this in mind, Mel headed for Lake Michigan to drown himself. It had gotten dark and cold and, as he wove down a street that would take him to the lake, he was suddenly given a push by someone who said: "Why don't you go in there Bud? It's nice and warm."

* As he went through the open door, someone set him in a chair. It all happened so quickly that it took his muddled brain a little while to realise that he was in a room filled with men and a man was speaking. The man speaking was talking as if he knew all about Mel and he said: "Perhaps you have come in here tonight and you haven't even planned it - in fact you had decided that you're going to end it all - for you feel that no one understands you, no one cares, and there is no hope. My friend, I'm here to tell you there is someone who understands you, there is someone who cares for you, and I can tell you that there is hope for you. You will find all of your answers when you come to Jesus Christ and receive Him as your personal Saviour. He not only wants to save you from your mess, but wants to go with you the rest of your life, to keep you from getting into any more trouble. "

* The speaker was Harry Monroe and the place was the Pacific Garden Mission. Mel became a different person that night. God saved on old drunk named Mel Trotter. God made me Mel a new man. His wife got a new husband – Mel’s old heart, with its sin and stain, was washed white as snow, and Mel Trotter found a brand new life!

* My friend you may fall deep into the miry pit of sin like Mel Trotter, but the Lord will take you back!

II. A Just man may fall because of rebellion but God take will you back!

* I remember the story of the prodigal son this morning, how that he turned his back on his father. This young man rebelled against a loving father, demanded his inheritance, and then he went out and lived rebelliously against everything that was right and good!

* The Bible says that he went out and spent his Godly father’s hard earned money on wine and liquor and women and partied on what his loving father had provided for him!

* Like the prophet David, this rebellious young man woke up and realized that that had fallen down in a drunken stupor.

* The Bible says that he had sunk so low in rebellion against his father that he now was eating the slop that he was hired to feed the pigs!

* Today listen to the words of this poor you man as he calls out to his father and says, like in the title of this sermon, “Father help me, I have fallen down and I can’t get up!”

Luke 15:18–20 (KJV 1900)

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father

* Now look at what I want you to see here this morning- Look at the father’s response to a rebellious son:

Luke 15:20–24 (KJV 1900)

20 And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

* You may be here this morning and you have turned your back on everything you parents have taught you about the Lord.

* You like this rebellious son, have rebelled against your loving heavenly father!

* You may say how so preacher? You have rebelled against you kind and loving father in heaven and went your own way!

* You have thought only about yourself and how you can spend your life making yourself comfortable with the cheap tinsel and glitter of this world’s goods!

*But God has raised up this preacher of the Gospel this morning to declare unto you that your heavenly father sees you afar off and longs for you to come to him! Come home rebellious child come home!

* Your kind and loving heavenly father is waiting to kiss you and put a robe on you, and a ring on your finger, and kill the fatted calf and make much rejoicing over you in heaven this morning.

* Come home the father is at the top of the driveway looking and waiting for his rebellious children to come home!

* A just man may fall because of rebellion this morning, but the father will take you back!

Text: Proverbs 24:15–16 (KJV 1900)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

III. A Just man may fall because weak faith but God will forgive you!

* Many times we have fall down because our faith in God is weak. We fail to trust God with our lives.

* We see just such an occasion in the life of the great Apostle Peter.

* At the table of the very first observance of the “Lord’s Supper” Peter jumped up and said “I will never forsake you Lord! I will die for you!

* Only a few hours later Peter denied Jesus three times! The Bible says that when Peter denied the lord the third time, that Jesus’s eyes met this eyes of Peter. Peter’s heart was immediately crushed, and the Bible says he ran out and wept bitterly!

* I am sure that as Peter wept, his mind went back to the time during the storm on the sea of Galilee, he stepped out of the boat to walk to Jesus, by faith, walking on the water.

* That night during the trial of Jesus Peter began to look at the beating of Jesus, and how all the other disciples had ran away in fear of the soldiers.

* Just like that day on Sea of Galilee, Peter momentarily took his eyes of faith off of Jesus and began to fear the circumstances around him.

* In the midst of the storm Peter had begun to sink, and the waters had begun to smother him.

* I can hear Peter both on the see of Galilee and outside the Judgment hall where he denied Jesus weeping and crying out to the Lord saying “Lord, once again I have fallen down and can’t get up!”

* If your faith has become small and weak, and your circumstances are about to cover your head , I what you to know that the same Jesus that reached down and picked Peter up out of the stormy waters on the see of Galilee will also reach down and help you out of your troubles this morning!

* After Peter denied the Lord that night at the Judgment hall, the next time we see Peter his faith is restored, he is no longer afraid, and he preaches a sermon that causes 3,000 to believe on Jesus!

* If you have fallen down because of weak faith, the Lord will lift you up and strengthen your faith!

Text: Proverbs 24:15–16 (KJV 1900)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

IV. A Just man may fall because of testing but God will see you through the trial!

* I want you to understand that trials, persecutions and testings will come to all God’s people this morning. This is the will of God.

* Speaking to the young preacher Timothy Paul instructed Timothy with these words:

2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

* The Bible tells those of us who serve the Lord to be prepared to face persecutions and trials of faith. Listen to the instructions of the apostle Peter in I Peter 4:10:

- Two things I want you to see here-

1). We are to serve God in ministry to others:

1 Peter 4:10–14 (KJV 1900)

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

2). Because of this ministry, fiery trials will come. We are not to fear these trials, but to embrace them in faith.

* These trials come upon because they are part of God’s will and plan for us:

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

* When the prophet Isaiah and the children of Israel needed encouragement in their trials God sent them the following word:

Isaiah 43:1–3 (KJV 1900)

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the Lord thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:...

* I want you to know this morning that you may find yourself in some great trial of your faith and you will call out to the Lord in anguish to the Lord saying “Lord help me! I’ve fallen down and I can’t get up!”

* But be assured dear brother or sister God will either deliver you out of the trial like the 3 Hebrew Children, or give you the grace to suffer through the trial, but either way it is going to be ok because of what our text verse has taught us this morning:

Text: Proverbs 24:15–16 (KJV 1900)

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Conclusion:

Now here is the conclusion that the Holy Sprit has tried to bring you this morning:

“We as saved people do not need to be afraid of failure because God has promised that every time we fail and fall down, the Lord will be there to lift us up again- Weather it by because:

I. We have fallen into sin.

II. We have rebelled and turned our back on God.

III. We have failed God because our faith is weak.

IV. We have fell under the load of great persecution, trials, and testing.