KEEPING THE FAITH by David Wilkerson

sermonindex Mar 31, 2015

The Lord desires a people who will keep faith even if they suffer the loss of all things.

"But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions . . . and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance” (Hebrews 10:32, 34).

This is speaking of God’s people who had been greatly afflicted "after they were illuminated.” They had seen the light! Their goods were lost, but faith made them joyful because their eyes were on a more "enduring substance.”

If you lost all your earthly possessions, would you cast away your confidence?

Paul kept the faith in good times and bad times. In his final days he could boast, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). He could say, "Satan sent messengers to fight me in Jerusalem, Damascus, Asia, Ephesus, Antioch, and Corinth. But I kept the faith! Five times the Jews beat me with thirty-nine stripes. I’ve been cast into prison so many times, beaten with rods three times, stoned, robbed, even by my own countrymen””but I kept the faith!

"I’ve been so weary at times, full of pain, hungry, thirsty, cold and naked, loaded down with cares of all kinds, yet I kept the faith. I’ve been troubled, perplexed, distressed, persecuted, but never cast down, never destroyed, never shaken in my faith.”

These words will sustain us in the days ahead: "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:7).

"The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Psalm 121:7-8).

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5).

"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15).

ET101 Apr 1, 2015

In my walk with God, there are usually seasons; for battling, for resting, for learning . . .

One characteristic of God I have noticed is that in a given season, God also prepares me for the season to follow. It may be a direct word about what is to come; it may be an important sermon-lesson on suffering which several months later I encounter just as I had learned in the lesson.

In this spirit, what I notice now is a recurrence of messages along the line of 'abide and remain,' remain through afflictions, stay close, walk only by the Spirit in the ways in which I will lead you (and I will surely lead you).

Take heed saints. These messages are preparing us all.

dolfan Apr 1, 2015

Halting post for me, there, ET.

Last week, a lady that my wife met through her work, met for lunch at our house. It was an arranged meeting where the lady, a sister in the Lord, was to come and pray and fellowship as sisters with my wife.

She came and said, "I'm not here to eat. I'm here to pray and to deliver a word to you."

She stayed for about 3 hours and handed my wife a typed message that she says was given to her by the Lord. My wife is not the first person whom she has given this message to. The sister claims that God works through her with a prophetic gifting.

I arrived home before she left. I read the note. The lady studied me over like a specimen. My wife says, "So, what do you think?" I paused and said, "First, I want to thank you. If the Lord spoke to you these words and to share them with us, I thank you for obeying Him." I'd never laid eyes on her in my life. I told my wife, "I'm not sure what I think. I'll need time."

This past Sunday AM and Sunday night, we visited a local AG church. The lady goes to church there. The pastor specifically asks anyone if they have a word from God to share with the congregation (I've never seen a pastor do that in my life; he apparently does it regularly, and that was encouraging). No one did this day, but I am informed that the church itself affirms that God does work prophetically in this woman. Important detail, there.

So, I read this sheet. Nothing specific, as you might imagine. But, for someone who didn't know us, it sure felt specific. It felt --- directed. Now, I know better than to trust my feelings. So, I look at the content and say, "Does this make sense in light of Scripture?" And, it did, in these ways. God is faithful. God brings about in us that which He starts, He moves us from one place in life to another as it pleases Him. He is present and a help in trouble. He transforms us. He walks with us through dry, dark places and along the way He is glorified. He brings His children to a point of spiritual fruitfulness and -- you hope -- the blessing of usefulness to Himself and to others for His sake. The sheet was a series of statements, largely quotes from Scripture, of assurance that this fruitfulness and blessing following such a long time of transformation was to happen right away.

It is a hopeful thing, and I am trusting the Lord that, if He indeed is speaking through this word to us, He will bring it to pass. And, I'm thanking Him as if He is, because honestly, I'm grateful and would be grateful if that occurs. I want to express that to Him in love.

Never had this happen in my life. We'll see what He does. He is the Lord of His own words, and He'll do what He pleases. If it wasn't Him, my faith still lies with Him and not the sheet of paper anyway.