Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. (Proverbs 24:16)

 You may be familiar with the dismal record of failures Abraham Lincoln faced—in business, farming, romance and several attempts at political office— before finally being elected President of the United States of America.

What stands out about Lincoln is his ability to not let any of those failures stop him from trying again. He kept on falling, but always got up one more time than he fell.

Here are two of the distinguishing marks of a champion:

1.    1. They get knocked down.

2.     2. They get up and get going again.

All who follow Jesus are champions, or in the words of the apostle Paul: “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37).

We are also “the righteousness of God”according to 2 Corinthians 5:21. We cannot make ourselves righteous. It is a gift.

Put these two facts together. We are the ones being referred to in Proverbs 24:16, amen?

On the road to our destiny, we will indeed get knocked down from time to time. It could be because of the enemy of our souls attacking us ferociously. It could be because we have a weak spot in our armour that allowed his arrows to penetrate. It could be outright sin. It could be because we took our eyes off Jesus, got distracted and got ambushed. It could be something for which there is no explanation, when we got sucker-punched or sideswiped…and we simply could not see it coming.

Can you relate, dear DWOD friend? Let me be the first one to admit that I’ve been knocked down in every one of the aforementioned ways. Suffice it to say I know many brothers and sisters in the Lord who have also fallen down under these circumstances. Sadly not everyone has gotten up one more time than they were knocked down.

The apostle Paul testifies how he got knocked down so many times: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”(2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

What helped Paul and many other followers of Jesus get up every time is the same thing that will help you get up one more time than you are knocked down. Please keep this in mind all the time:

“You are more than a conqueror. You are the righteousness of God.”And you will be one who gets knocked down seven times and gets up an eighth time. Minimum 🙂