For though the righteous fall seven times they rise again but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Proverbs 24:16

Sometimes we stumble and sometimes we fall. Life is full of stumbling blocks and occasionally we are going to find ourselves on the ground. The enemy throws stumbling blocks in our way so that he can keep us from our God given destinies.

But even though we get knocked down we need to rise again. The most important part of this is not that we have fallen, but how well we rise.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8

God did not promise us a life where we would never fall, but He does promise us a life where we can rise every time we fall. The secret to rising again lies in our intimate relationship with God. I find myself saying this over and over again, that the key is intimacy with the Lord but it is so powerful and so true. The more time you spend in His presence and hearing from Him, everything else will fall into place.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

When we spend time with God and develop an intimate relationship with Him he speaks to us and fills us with the grace and strength we need to rise again. We can rise and carry on even though we may be hurting or suffering or have unanswered hopes, dreams and prayers.

Spending time in the presence of God is not a one time thing, you need to continually spend time with Him so that you can be filled over and over again. When you are filled with His word and His love it is not that you will never be knocked down, it just becomes easier to rise again.

When we are knocked down it can be easy for us to forget what it is God has called us to. Those stumbling blocks are a distraction from our God given destinies. When we continually spend time in Gods presence He gives us the wisdom, strategies and determination to fulfill that calling.

He has called each one of us to live in his presence and to stop for the one he puts in front of us each day. God wants to use us, but we have to believe and act upon the revelations he gives us in the secret place. Heidi baker

But it is up to us to rise again when we have fallen and draw close to God.  We must believe that God loves us unconditionally and that He wants to use us in powerful ways even though we may feel broken and unworthy. When we hear His voice and feel His love it is up to us to respond. He longs to give us the strategies to rise and to live the life He is calling us to.