Try to imagine what this will be like.

First, you will be presented before God’s glorious presence… blameless. The word translated “blameless” is the same word that was used to describe a sacrificial animal in the Old Testament that was acceptable to God. It had to be blameless, without defect or fault.

Can you imagine yourself faultless? Every one of the effects of sin will be healed. Now you are like a burned stick pulled from the fire. Sin has done damage to us all, but when you are presented to God, you will be healed from every scar, every wound, every effect of sin.

Your mind will be faultless. You will know God even as you are known. Confusion, uncertainty, and doubts will be gone forever. You will be faultless in your soul. Fears will be gone. You will love God with all your mind and strength. Your desires will be undivided.

Your body will be faultless—no more pain, disease, or medication. You will live at the height of your redeemed and perfected physical powers. And you will be able to offer yourself fully to God. You will reflect the perfect Lamb of God who loved you and gave Himself for you. You will be in a position to offer your whole self to God, who will embrace and welcome you.

Second, you will be presented by God the Son to God the Father with great joy! Imagine what the joy of God is like. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Heb. 12:2). He saw the joy of the last day, and it was so great that He counted it worth the agony of the cross. When He looked at the cross and He looked at the joy, He said, “It’s worth it!” If His suffering was so great, what must this joy be like?

God “will exult over you with loud singing” (Zeph. 3:17). Try and imagine this.

God is able to give you victory over the power of temptation. Do you believe this?

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor. 10:13)

What temptation do you think Jesus is not able to deliver you from? This really goes to the heart of whether we believe the gospel. Some of us simply do not believe that Christ can break the power of cancelled sin and set the prisoner free.

Think about a boxing title fight. There is always a great deal of “trash talk,” and nobody was better at this than Muhammad Ali, who said about himself, “I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Imagine his challenger saying, “He is much bigger and faster than me. He punches harder. And, besides, he’s the champ. I don’t really have a chance.”

This is how some of us talk when it comes to sin. It’s the language of unbelief. You need to make up your mind if you believe in the God who is able to keep you from falling. Many people believe that Jesus can forgive their sins, but they’re not convinced that He can give them victory over temptation.

We sometimes say, “You can talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk.” That’s true, but here is a new spin on that phrase: “If you want to walk the walk, you have to talk the talk.” Don’t talk defeat before you even get in the ring. Sin shall no longer be your master. The Spirit of God lives in you. God has put you in a position to fight, so use the power He’s given you. Fight!.

*Are you fighting your sin? Or are you trying to walk the walk without talking the talk?*

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.

Have you failed big-time? Will you get back on the rock face today and follow Jesus?