Evangelist Joshua Orekhie Ministries

EJOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL:

October 23, 2026

TOPIC: UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF A PROBLEM BEFORE SOLVING IT

OPENING SCRIPTURES

Proverbs 18:13 (KJV)
“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”

James 1:5 (KJV)
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Lamentations 3:40 (KJV)
“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.”

MEMORY VERSE

“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.” — Proverbs 20:5 (KJV)

PRAISE & WORSHIP:

Sing any of your favourite songs

Understand The Cause of a Problem Before Solving It – EJOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL: October 23, 2026

Beloved, one of the greatest mistakes people make in life is trying to solve problems they do not fully understand. Many are quick to react but slow to investigate. They are quick to conclude that they have a certain sickness without going for a medical checkup.

They are quick to start praying against enemies without first finding out the source of the pain, the battle, or the challenge.

And so the problem continues, not because God is not answering, but because we keep addressing what we feel about the problem instead of what is actually causing it.

The Bible says, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” To answer before you understand is folly. To act before you investigate can lead to frustration.

Using the wrong weapon against a problem will never bring the right result, no matter how much energy you put into it.

Think about a tree that keeps producing bad fruit. If you keep plucking off the bad fruit, the tree will simply produce more bad fruits next season. Removing the fruit does not solve the problem.

You must examine the root, the soil, and the condition of the tree itself. Jesus said, “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matthew 7:17). The fruit only reveals what is going on underneath.

Look at the parable of the barren fig tree. For three years the owner came seeking fruit and found none, and he said, “cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?”

But the dresser of the vineyard answered, “Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it” (Luke 13:7 to 8). Notice the wisdom of the dresser.

Before cutting the tree down, he decided to dig around it and examine the soil. He wanted to deal with the condition before passing judgment on the tree.

In the same way, most of the problems we face in life require investigation, knowledge, spiritual discernment, and wisdom. Yet many people keep spending time, money, and energy on problems whose causes they have never taken the time to discover.

A car mechanic who keeps trying to fix a car without first finding out what is actually wrong will only cause more damage. He may change the battery when the problem is the alternator. He may replace the plugs when the problem is the fuel pump.

At the end of the day, the owner has spent a lot of money, the car is in a worse condition, and the original fault is still there. It is still the same with health.

A person may notice certain symptoms and conclude, “I have diabetes,” because he has heard that people with diabetes have those symptoms. But he cannot truly know what is happening in his body until he goes for a test.

Another person has high blood pressure and concludes that it is because he is not sleeping well. He may be partly right, but there may be other things raising his pressure that he will never know about until he goes for a proper medical checkup.

Sadly, some people have died untimely because they took wrong medication for sicknesses that were never diagnosed.

Beloved, going to the hospital is not a lack of faith. God has always used several means to heal us. When King Hezekiah was sick unto death, God heard his prayer, but Isaiah still said, “Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered” (2 Kings 20:7).

Paul told Timothy, “use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23).

Luke, who wrote the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, was called “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14). Pray, yes, but also find out what is wrong. A problem that is wrongly diagnosed will either lead to more problems or give only a temporary solution.

God has given us the ability to think, to investigate, to seek counsel, and to make responsible decisions. We must use these abilities while still depending on Him for direction and guidance.

The Bible says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2). Searching out a matter is not unspiritual. It is the honour of kings.

Solomon also said, “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Proverbs 24:3 to 4).

Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge works together. Prayer does not replace wisdom, and wisdom does not replace prayer. Both must walk together.

Sadly, many people carry a negative mindset that blames everything on spiritual attack. When a business begins to fail, they immediately conclude that somebody is attacking them spiritually, without checking their records, their management, their spending, or their customers.

When a marriage develops problems, they quickly accuse a father, a mother, an in law, or a friend of being behind it. When a person falls sick, they assume an enemy is responsible without seeking medical attention.

Now, beloved, I am a deliverance minister, and I know that the enemy is real. Sometimes these people may be right in their perception. There are spiritual attacks, there are evil altars, and there are wicked people. But it is still important to know the true source of the challenge.

Solomon walked past a farm and said, “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down” (Proverbs 24:30 to 31).

That farm was not destroyed by witchcraft. It was destroyed by laziness. James asks, “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1).

Some marriages are not under attack from the village. They are suffering from pride, selfishness, and unforgiveness inside the home. You cannot consistently solve problems by treating assumptions as facts. Many of the problems we face are not directly from the devil.

Some are the result of our own sins and mistakes, for “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Others are trials that God has allowed to test our faith and trust in Him.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

And yes, some of the problems are as a result of attacks of the enemy. The wisdom is in knowing which is which. This hunger to know the cause is why many people go from one prophetic church to another, looking for a prophet who can see into their problem and tell them who is behind it.

The desire to know is right, because the power of knowing is very strong. But beloved, be careful. The Holy Spirit is the Revealer of secrets. “He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him” (Daniel 2:22).

But do not depend only on another person’s vision while neglecting your own place of prayer and self examination. And never allow any prophecy to make you hate your family members or destroy relationships without proof and confirmation from God.

Test every word. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). For example, when your house is flooding, you must know where the water is coming from. If you keep mopping the floor while the pipe is still broken, you will mop forever.

When there is a bad smell of a dead rat in the house, spraying perfume will not help chase the smell but only temporal. You must find the rat and remove it completely.

When there are people around you who do not wish you well, you must know who they are so you can guard your heart and your steps. Having a knowledge of a thing is a victory. Knowledge is protection. Knowledge is direction. Knowledge is power.

One of the most important lessons in solving problems is learning to tell the difference between a symptom and a cause. A symptom is what you notice.

A cause is what produces the situation. Headache may be a symptom, but the cause may be stress, high blood pressure, malaria, or poor eyesight. Lack of money may be a symptom, but the cause may be poor planning, wrong priorities, a debt pattern, a curse, or disobedience to God in giving.

Constant fighting in the home may be a symptom, but the cause may be poor communication, unfaithfulness, anger, bitterness, envy, and lack of understanding or a spiritual attack.

If you fight the symptom, you will win today and lose again tomorrow. But when you understand the cause, it shows you the right way to deal with it. Knowing the source of a problem is the first step towards the solution.

Many people keep praying to break curses without knowing where the curses are coming from or what triggered them. The Bible says, “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come” (Proverbs 26:2).

Every curse has a cause. Sometimes it is a sin that needs repentance. Sometimes it is a covenant that needs renouncing. Sometimes it is an altar that needs to be destroyed.

Sometimes it is a word spoken carelessly that needs to be cancelled. And beloved, sometimes it is not a curse at all, but a consequence of our choices that need to be corrected.

This is where spiritual discernment is highly needed. The Bible speaks of mature believers “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

You cannot effectively pray against a problem when you do not understand its cause or the primary aim of that challenge in your life. Ask God to show you. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Beloved, prayer is powerful. Many people only see prayer as a way of asking God for things, but prayer is also a lamp that exposes what is hidden. When you pray with a sincere heart, God does not only answer your request.

He also opens your eyes to see the cause of the problem you are praying about. God said, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Notice the words, “which thou knowest not.”

There are things about your situation that you do not know, and prayer is the place where God shows them to you. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23 to 24).

That is the prayer of a man who wants to know the truth, even if the truth is about himself. Many people pray, “Lord, destroy my enemies,” but very few pray, “Lord, show me if I am part of the problem.” Yet that second prayer may be the very key to their deliverance.

Sometimes, when you pray, God will not point at your village, your in law, or your neighbour. He will point at you first. He will show you that your attitude, your habit, your words, or your decision is contributing to the problem.

When that happens, beloved, do not argue with God. Do not keep binding demons through prayers when God is asking you to change. So making a quick amends bring the solution.

If God shows you that your harsh words are destroying your marriage, the solution is not to fast for forty days against marriage destroyers. The solution is to repent, apologize, and learn to speak with grace.

If God shows you that poor spending habits are the reason you are always broke, the solution is not to keep breaking curses of poverty. The solution is to change how you manage money.

If God shows you that you offended somebody and that offence is standing between you and your blessing, the solution is to go and make peace.

Jesus said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23 to 24).

Some prayers are waiting at the altar because a reconciliation has not been made. When Zacchaeus met Jesus, he did not just shout hallelujah.

He said, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” And Jesus said, “This day is salvation come to this house” (Luke 19:8 to 9).

Restitution opened the door of salvation to his whole house. The Bible says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Beloved, we must always remember that not every problem has the same cause, and not every problem has the same solution. Some problems needs warfare prayer. Some need repentance and forgiveness.

Some problems needs restitution. Some problem requires a medical doctor to heal. Some people needs counseling in their relationship. Some people need rest. Some simply need the presence of people who cares.

Take the case of a person who is going through depression. That person may not need someone to shout at them or tell them that they have a demon.

What they may need first is somebody around them, somebody to listen, and somebody to stay with them, somebody to show them love. Look at Elijah. After his great victory on Mount Carmel, he ran from Jezebel, sat under a juniper tree, and prayed that he might die.

God did not rebuke him. God sent an angel who touched him and said, “Arise and eat.” He slept, he ate, he rested, and then he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights (1 Kings 19:4 to 8).

Only after that did God speak to him in the still small voice. Paul also said, “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Corinthians 7:6).

Sometimes God’s healing comes through the presence of a person. And where the depression is deep, it is also wise to seek help from a trained counsellor or medical professional, while the church surrounds that person with prayer and love.

This is why it is better to know the cause of a problem than to rush around looking for solutions. Searching for a solution without knowledge will not solve the issue at hand.

You will keep trying one thing after another, spending your money and your strength, and the problem will still be there.

One of the ways God exposes the cause of a problem, even before it happens, is through dreams. The Bible says, “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night…

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit” (Job 33:14 to 18). God uses dreams to keep back our souls from the pit.

Consider a person who dreams of an accident. In the dream, he sees a crash on the road. He wakes up, feels uneasy, but says, “It is just a dream,” and goes about his business.

A few days later, he experiences that same accident in real life. Beloved, the information came before the incident. The solution at that point was prayer. He was supposed to rise up and cancel that dream by the blood of Jesus, and also to be extra careful on the road.

But because he did not understand that the dream was a warning, he did not pray, and what was shown to him came to pass. Look at how the people of God responded to warning dreams.

When the wise men were warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod, “they departed into their own country another way” (Matthew 2:12).

When an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to flee into Egypt, “he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt” (Matthew 2:13 to 14).

Because Joseph obeyed the dream, the life of Jesus was preserved from Herod’s sword. When Pharaoh dreamed of seven fat cows and seven lean cows, Joseph interpreted it, and Egypt prepared for seven years so that famine did not destroy them (Genesis 41).

Knowledge led to preparation, and preparation led to preservation. But look at Pilate. His wife sent to him saying, “Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him” (Matthew 27:19).

Pilate ignored the warning, and his name has been written in history as the man who delivered Jesus to be crucified. Beloved, when God shows you something, respond immediately, and no longer delay it.

At the same time, be balanced. Not every dream is a warning, and not every bad dream is from the enemy. Some dreams come from “the multitude of business” (Ecclesiastes 5:3). Do not live in fear because of every dream attack.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding, and when the dream carries a warning, deal with it in prayer immediately.

Beloved, knowing the cause is the first step, but it is not the last step. Once God reveals the cause, you must act quickly. James says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

If God shows you a sin, repent. If He shows you an offence, reconcile. If He shows you a habit, change it. If He shows you an evil association, separate yourself from it.

The Bible says “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). If He shows you that you are in the wrong place, move, as Abraham left Ur and as Lot was pulled out of Sodom.

If He shows you a sickness, go for treatment and keep praying. If He shows you a spiritual attack, rise up and fight with the full armour of God. Revelation without obedience will not deliver anybody.

Beloved, from today, let your prayer life become a place of revelation and not only a place of request. Ask God to show you the cause of a problem and with solution. When He shows you, receive it with humility, even if it points to you.

WISDOM FOR TODAY

A wise man does not keep mopping the floor while the tap is still running. Close the tap first, and then the floor will stay dry.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

Take one recurring problem in your life today. Write down when it started, what was happening around that time, and every pattern you have noticed. Then spend at least thirty minutes asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the root of the challenges. Whatever God shows you through prayers, act on it promptly.

EVANGELISM CHALLENGE

Many unbelievers around you are treating the symptoms of a deeper problem. They are trying to fix their lives with money, pleasure, and human wisdom, but the actual root may be sin and separation from God. Share with one person today that Jesus came not just to treat the symptoms but to deal with the root. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

FURTHER STUDY

📖 2 Samuel 21:1-14; Joshua 7:1-26; Proverbs 26:2; Mark 9:14-29; Matthew 17:14-21; 2 Kings 2:19-22; Jonah 1:1-17; Haggai 1:2-11; John 9:1-7; Hosea 4:6; Psalm 11:3; Psalm 139:23-24; Lamentations 3:40; Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 3:10; Matthew 15:13; Daniel 2:22; James 1:5

PRAYER ASSIGNMENT (MORNING)

1. Father, I thank You because You are the Revealer of secrets, in Jesus name.

2. Thank You, Lord, because nothing in my life is hidden from Your eyes, in Jesus name.

3. Father, forgive me for every time I fought blindly without seeking Your face, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, forgive me for every hidden sin that has given the enemy legal ground in my life, in Jesus name.

5. Search me, O God, and know my heart; reveal every wicked way in me, in Jesus name.

6 . Holy Spirit, open my eyes to the root of every recurring problem in my life, in Jesus name.

7. Spirit of revelation, rest upon me today, in Jesus name.

8. Every hidden cause of affliction in my life, be exposed by fire, in Jesus name.

9. Every Achan in my camp, be brought out and destroyed, in Jesus name.

10. Every accursed thing hidden in my tent, be revealed and removed, in Jesus name.

11. Every Babylonish garment in my life causing defeat, catch fire, in Jesus name.

12. Every covenant broken in my foundation that is speaking against me, be settled by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

13. Every famine in my life that has lasted year after year, break by the power of revelation, in Jesus name.

14. Every Gibeonite case in my family line, receive divine resolution, in Jesus name.

15. Every evil agreement made by my ancestors, I renounce you and break you by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

16. Every curse with a cause in my life, I remove the cause and command the curse to break, in Jesus name.

17. Every problem that has started in my childhood, be uprooted, in Jesus name.

18. Every battle that entered my life through a dream, be cancelled, in Jesus name.

19. Every affliction that entered through a wrong relationship, be terminated, in Jesus name.

20. Every problem that entered through a wrong transaction, lose your hold over me, in Jesus name.

21. Every evil that entered my life through a place I visited, go back to your source, in Jesus name.

22. O Lord, as Elisha went to the spring of the waters, take me to the source of my battles, in Jesus name.

23.  Every bitter water in my foundation, be healed, in Jesus name.

24. There shall be no more death or barren land in my life, in Jesus name.

25. Every barrenness in my career, marriage, finances, and ministry, be healed from the root, in Jesus name.

26. Axe of God, be laid to the root of every evil tree in my life, in Jesus name.

27. Every plant my heavenly Father has not planted in my life, be rooted up, in Jesus name.

28. Every evil tree bearing the fruit of sickness in my body, be cut down from the root, in Jesus name.

29. Every evil tree bearing the fruit of poverty in my life, wither from the root, in Jesus name.

30. Every evil tree bearing the fruit of delay and stagnation, be uprooted, in Jesus name.

31. Every root of marital trouble in my home, be exposed and destroyed, in Jesus name.

32. Every root of rebellion in my children, be removed, in Jesus name.

33. Every root of bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart, be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

34. Every “this kind” of problem in my life, I bind you by prayer and fasting, in Jesus name.

35. Every spirit of unbelief hindering my deliverance, be cast out, in Jesus name.

36. Lord, give me the grace to consider my ways, in Jesus name.

37. Every bag with holes in my finances, be sealed by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

38. Father, deliver me from wrong priorities that have caused my labour to be wasted, in Jesus name.

39. Every disobedience in my life that has brought a storm, Lord, show me and help me to correct it, in Jesus name.

40. Every Jonah in my ship causing tempest, be revealed, in Jesus name.

41. Every storm raging in my life because of a hidden cause, be still, in Jesus name.

42. Lord, where my situation is for Your glory, let Your works be made manifest in me, in Jesus name.

43. Father, deliver me from fighting the wrong enemy, in Jesus name.

44. Lord, give me the wisdom to apply the right solution to every problem, in Jesus name.

PRAYER ASSIGNMENT (NIGHT)

1. Father, I thank You for revelation and victory today, in Jesus name.

2. I cover myself, my family, and everything that belongs to me with the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

3. Lord, speak to me tonight in dreams and visions concerning the root of my battles, in Jesus name.

4. Every power hiding the cause of my problems from me, be exposed, in Jesus name.

5. Every veil of darkness covering my understanding, be torn, in Jesus name.

6. Every evil hand planting evil seeds in my life at night, wither, in Jesus name.

7. Every tare sown into my field while I slept, be uprooted by fire, in Jesus name.

8. Every night caterer feeding me with sickness and affliction, be destroyed, in Jesus name.

9. Every evil altar in my father’s house sponsoring recurring problems, be overthrown, in Jesus name.

10. Every evil altar in my mother’s house sponsoring delay, catch fire, in Jesus name.

11. Every strongman guarding the root of my affliction, be bound and cast out, in Jesus name.

12. Every evil covenant renewed against me at night, be broken, in Jesus name.

13. Every ancestral spirit demanding payment for an old transgression, the blood of Jesus has paid it, be silenced, in Jesus name.

14. Every evil pattern repeating itself in my family line, be terminated with me, in Jesus name.

15. Every legal ground the enemy is using against me, be withdrawn by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

16. Every accusation of the enemy against my life, be overruled by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

17. Every hidden arrow buried in my foundation, come out and go back to the sender, in Jesus name.

18. Every satanic deposit in my body, be flushed out by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

19. Every evil spring feeding my life with bitterness, dry up, in Jesus name.

20. Every evil stream flowing from my foundation into my destiny, be diverted, in Jesus name.

21. Every problem planted in my life through an evil dream, be uprooted tonight, in Jesus name.

22. Every power that attacked me from my childhood, release me now, in Jesus name.

23. Every evil cycle of three years, seven years, or any period in my life, break by fire, in Jesus name.

24. Every evil famine in my life, give way to divine abundance, in Jesus name.

25. Every evil storm in my home, be calmed by the voice of Jesus, in Jesus name.

26. Every power using my past mistakes to torment me, be silenced, in Jesus name.

27. Lord, I repent of every known and unknown sin that opened doors to the enemy, in Jesus name.

28. Every open door to affliction in my life, be shut by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.

29. Every evil that has followed me from my place of birth, return to sender, in Jesus name.

30. Every unseen enemy studying my life to attack me, be scattered, in Jesus name.

31. Lord, let Your angels guard me and my household through this night, in Jesus name.

32. Every evil plan for my tomorrow, be cancelled tonight, in Jesus name.

33. O Lord, give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, in Jesus name.

34. Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my understanding to see what is truly happening in my life, in Jesus name.

35. Lord, deliver me from the folly of answering a matter before I hear it, in Jesus name.

36. Father, sharpen my spiritual senses to discern between good and evil, in Jesus name.

37. Lord, give me the grace to tell the difference between a symptom and a cause, in Jesus name.

38. Holy Spirit, teach me to fight every battle with accuracy and not blindly, in Jesus name.

39. Every spirit of confusion clouding my judgment, be scattered by fire, in Jesus name.

40. Every veil of darkness covering the truth about my situation, be torn apart, in Jesus name.

41. Lord, as You revealed the cause of the famine to David, reveal the cause of every famine in my life, in Jesus name.

42. Father, as You exposed Achan to Joshua, expose every accursed thing hidden in my camp, in Jesus name.

43. Every hidden root behind the bad fruits in my life, be exposed by fire, in Jesus name.

44. Axe of God, be laid to the root of every evil tree in my life, in Jesus name.

45. Every plant my heavenly Father has not planted in my life, be rooted up, in Jesus name.

46. Lord, dig around my life and deal with every bad soil in my foundation, in Jesus name.

47. Every bitter spring feeding affliction into my life, receive the salt of God and be healed, in Jesus name.

48. Every evil covenant in my foundation sponsoring recurring battles, break by fire, in Jesus name.

49. Every evil altar in my father’s house and mother’s house speaking against my destiny, be overthrown, in Jesus name.

50. Every problem that started in my childhood, be uprooted from its source, in Jesus name.

51. Every affliction that entered my life through a wrong relationship, wrong transaction, or wrong place, be terminated, in Jesus name.

52. Every recurring battle in my life, lose your power from the root, in Jesus name.

53. Affliction shall not rise up the second time in my life, in Jesus name.

AFRICAN PROVERB

“Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.”

Meaning: When a man falls, his first instinct is to look at the spot where he landed. But the real problem is not where he fell; it is the place where his foot first slipped. If he does not go back and find that slippery place, he will fall there again tomorrow. So it is in the spirit.

The place where you are suffering is not always where the problem began. Trace it back to where you slipped, deal with it there, and you will walk forward without falling again.