God Is Able to Keep You from Falling (When You Have Failed)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling...

Jude 24

This doesn’t mean that when you become a Christian you will never fail. We all fail in many ways. But God is able to keep you from falling.

When Jesus was going to the cross, He said to Peter, “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). Peter did fail. He denied the Lord three times. He called down curses upon himself. But the prayers of Jesus were answered. Peter's failure was not final.

If you have fallen into serious sin, you need to know that this is not the end. Imagine two climbers scaling a sheer cliff face. They are roped together. As they are climbing, one of them slips and falls. If he was climbing alone, he would have fallen to his death. But he is roped to his friend, and his friend is in a secure position.

Being a Christian means that you are roped to Jesus Christ. If you have fallen you need to know what kind of Saviour you have. If you fall, He is able to hold you. Your fall will not overwhelm Him. He will not cut the rope. He will not let you go.

Maybe you can picture yourself dangling. Get back on the rock face, and start climbing from where you are. Failure is never final in the Christian life. The Saviour looks down and He says, “Get back on the wall and follow me.” That’s what Peter did after his big failure, and God used him in wonderful ways. God is able to keep you from falling when you have failed.

Are you focused on some failure of yours right now? Will you get back on the rock face today and follow Jesus?