15 replies to this topic

[chipped china]

I read this devotional today and I learned something new so I thought I'd share. The wonderful joyful revelations we receive can be a hindrance to our walk! What do you think about this?

 

HINDRANCES TO THE MANIFESTATION OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN US
by David Wilkerson

[May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011]

If your hindrance is ambition, God may open to you a tremendous door of opportunity. It might be the biggest, most ambitious project of your life and God will allow you to step into it thinking, “This is it! I finally got my big break.”

Then the Lord will allow the whole thing to fall to the ground. You'll end up standing amid the ruins of your dream, crying, “Lord, I thought this project was Your will. I thought it had Your blessing. I prayed to You faithfully about it, and You brought me this far. How could You allow it to fail so miserably?”

The failure of your project is meant to be a death to everything that hinders the Christ-life from being manifested in you.

Your hindrance could be the incredible revelations you receive from God's Word. You may ask, “How can fresh revelation ever be a hindrance to a lover of Jesus?” One day you may be reveling in new truths being opened to you, profound doctrines you have never seen before. Your confidence is growing, because you consistently apply every new revelation to your walk with the Lord.

Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, your soul is stricken with dryness. Soon your joy and assurance give way to a sense of frailty and uselessness. An unexplainable depression fills your soul, and each day becomes a burden to you.

The Scriptures that had come so alive in your heart now seem like a closed book. Instead of receiving revelation, you wonder if you'll ever learn anything again—but the problem isn't your intellect. Your dryness is meant to hasten your death to all confidence in your flesh. It's a death to your tendency to glory in the revelation you are given, rather than getting your joy from Christ.

The fact is, revelation tends to produce pride. This is the very reason God gave Paul a thorn in his flesh. He was restraining Paul from glorying in his many great revelations. God wanted His faithful servant to remain humble in all things.

This whole process of having to endure “death situations” can seem cruel. Without question, it is one of the most painful aspects of our walk with Jesus. But if we allow death to finish its work in us, Christ's own resurrection life will flow freely out of us. If, on the other hand, we resist death's work, we will not ever have Christ's life in us!
 

 

[Big John]

I will first say that I have a lot of respect for Rev Wilkerson.

 

This is abslutely true.  Many, many christians (me included) are so susceptible to spiritual pride and self-righteousness that the whole revelation thing can be a real trap.  And I, too, have seen and experienced this sort of thing.  One thing I would suggest is that it takes a long time to learn to discern between our own will and Gods.  Humans are really terrible judges of Godly (spiritual) things and it takes us so long to learn to try to see things as God does and even if we were to learn to do that, we would still have the innate corrupt perspective.

 

Now, that is not an excuse to not seek understanding from God and to desire to be enlightened but what it does say is that one must check ones own spirit and be prepared for occasional whoopins.  lol  A key scripture to helping us understand learning to mature in God is Hebrews 12:3-11.  Basically it talks about only sons endure chastening.  But its the chastening that matures us.  I believe, but I don't claim to know for sure, that most christians know somewhere between little and nothing of living this way.  One of the reasons that Paul received so much revelation is because he did endure so much chastening and temptation.  And I conjecture that he did it with little or no whining.  Again, we have no biblical evidence to prove or disprove this but I believe it to be true. 

 

Anyway.  A great thot.  And I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

 

Big John

[Kevin Blankenship]

I LOVE David Wilkerson as a brother in the Lord.  That was a great post!!!!!!

[Ysa]

A key scripture to helping us understand learning to mature in God is Hebrews 12:3-11.  Basically it talks about only sons endure chastening.  But its the chastening that matures us.  ...

 

 

Thank you for the reminder. It has helped me today. 

 

 

And thank You, Father. I know now that you care, deeply care. Your thoughts are so much higher, so unbelievably great! I rejoice in your care and give thanks to You not in spite of the circumstances I am in, but for these circumstances. I am amazed, shocked even, at the incredible freedom you give, at how You turn my ideas and thoughts upside down. Thank You for my brother and sister through whom you have lifted me up today. Amen.

[chipped china]

Lord, may we always endure the "whoopins" and glorify You!

[elizabethcog]

I too have learned the hard way,pride indeed does come before the fall,I don't like these lessons yet i need these lessons so i must endure and come out a little refined(by God's hands) till I think I polished myself up and then back i must go in the fire,thank God for His mercy on me(on us all) great post btw

[Kevin Blankenship]

Here is another classic preaching excerpt by David Wilkerson entitled ANOTHER GOSPEL. 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=txoZc6peeAg

[Charles Miles]

We all like the "mountain-top" type experience with the Lord. To be up there basking in His glory and feeling a closeness to God that warms us all over, man, what a feeling it is! Most of us think that if we could just stay there, it would be the answer to all our prayers. It has been my experience that mountain-top experiences pass away and seem to pass before I`m ready. I don`t know about all of you, but my learning seems to take place in the valley, down there in that deep crevasse between those mountain tops. For me, lessons learned when all is going well, just don`t seem to make a lasting impression....but those learned "hard" down there in the deep, deep valley just seem to burn themselves into my soul. Maybe I`m just hard headed< and I`ve been accused of that in the past, but human nature seems to need some kind of circumstance or confrontation to learn a quality lesson that stays with us from then on(and sometimes even that won`t do it). Maybe my problem is that I need to listen much more for the quiet voice of the Lord when he speaks. Just imagine what it would be like to have such a relationship with the Father that you knew his voice so well there was NEVER any doubt about who was speaking and what was said. Would any of us do as Abraham did when the Lord said.."take the lad and go to a mountain that I will show you....and sacrifice him". There was never a question or pause from old Abraham. He just saddled up the donkey, took Issac, and away they went to sacrifice his only son. The one promised by God! Never asked...What? You want me to do what?? Maybe I should wait and see if these instructions are wrong. Or probably what I would say...God would never ask me to do that, so I am not going to do it. The thing Abraham had that most of us don`t is a close relationship with God, so close that there was never, ever and doubt as to who was speaking and what was said. Abraham was God`s friend...now that`s the type relationship I want with the Creator, my Father, Holy God! Abraham was chosen, true...but he did what God told him to do and that was counted as righteousness. So, today I will start to work in earnest on my obedience and my listening. Maybe my hearing will improve if my listening gets better.

May God bless all here,

Charlie

[Kevin Blankenship]

I re-read David Wilkerson's article in the first thread and was "blessed" (to use modern church talk) all over again by it.  Brother David Wilkerson preached the plain truth.......not the FEEL GOOD stuff. He also warned the true Christ's church that the wolves were forcing their way into the church doors and seminary doors and bringing with them ANOTHER GOSPEL. He was a beloved Watchman and the Church on the earth  lost a great friend and brother and watchman when it lost David Wilkerson.  I am also love the preaching of Carter Conlon, Pastor of Times Square church.

[chipped china]

I listened to the David Wilkerson audio you posted Kevin and I haven't heard preaching like that for a long time. I wished I could have understood his words a little better the recording wasn't very good. It was enough to make me perk up my ears and be diligent about searching the scriptures daily to see if their doctrine is so.

And Charlie, it's true, I so love the mountain top I have to remind myself of what Paul said in Phil. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect for what I want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I pray for the power and mercy of God to help us in those times of valleys.

[Kevin Blankenship]

Chipped China, May God bless your awesome heart!!!!  I have provided a link to a David Wilkerson sermon. It is in text form and will be easy to study and to be a Berean concerning the contents of his sermon.  You know, I cannot speak for our dear brother in Christ David Wikerson......but I don't think that he would have it any other way.  He would often admonish his listening congregation to keep their Bibles open and read the scriptures with him and to take plenty of notes that they might go home and see for themselves if his preaching is sound.  His preaching is and always has been absent of the profit motive.  I truly believe, deep down, that David Wilkerson was called to be a watchman for the Church.

   He was schooled and ordained in an Assembly of God school.  But the church that God tasked him to begin in Times Square, in the heart of every form of sin and avarice, is non- denominational.   Here is the link to a similar sermon that you listened to.....but in text form. http://enrichmentjou...commodation.cfm

[chipped china]

That was a powerful sermon and told some serious truth. And the first part of it that talked about using a business model for making mega churches actually startled me. I've been blessed with desiring to seriously read the bible and not allegorize except for that which is meant to be read that way. The church has become so un-confrontational that you have to have died with Christ (daily) and given Him all to be able stand in the Lord. We can lose loved ones over speaking boldly or accept responsibility.  I find it incredibly hard to tell someone who thinks they are a pretty decent human being that they fall short and there is only One Way. They will say " look Lord at the good things I did for you", when they really did those things for themselves not God. And we all know how being judged by our works turns out. Until people see the Light they have no idea how they worship themselves.

 

I'm still pretty overwhelmed with all pastor Wilkerson said but I do know I'm getting closer to feeling like a soldier who has counted herself already dead and ready to be His empty vessel. Jesus through us is the overcomer and the power. I can't believe how long it's taken me to understand that concept.

[Candice]

Love David Wilkerson, Times Square Church, Carter Conlin. Carter and their church need prayer as this is a ministry which is under attack!

 

Go to http://www.tscnyc.org/ to get sermons. They still have a special tab for David Wilkerson's sermons.

 

Love, Candice

[Candice]

 

 

I'm still pretty overwhelmed with all pastor Wilkerson said but I do know I'm getting closer to feeling like a soldier who has counted herself already dead and ready to be His empty vessel. Jesus through us is the overcomer and the power. I can't believe how long it's taken me to understand that concept.

 

Hi Betsy,

 

I really believer there are so many silent believers ready to be poured out.  But, so much of this, as I sense it anyway, is really underground so to speak.  It's just like there's no fame to it.  It's all beneath the surface (or Above it) in the spiritual realm that so many seem to have abandoned.  I include my own departures many days.  Possibly because it is the end of days that people are prepared to be empty vessels.  I believe I'm ready too and moving that way. But, so much still must die.  I think I'd like to die (physically), then I get strong impressions from His Spirit that I am in no way ready to go.  But, being poured out is the plan as God wills it.  It is taking me a long time to learn that my own despair, depression and all is just a thorn in the flesh to be kept close in able to be poured out.

 

Thank you for sharing this beautiful post!!

 

Love, Candice

[chipped china]

Your welcome Candice but to Him to the glory! It is nice to have encouragement especially when I've been so down with my knee replacements. This has been the hardest thing I've gone through physically and showed me also how much further I have to go. I think sometimes if I had truly died with Christ I wouldn't be in so much fear and anxiety at times. It's something I'm still coming to terms with. I can't be afraid if I trust Him to get me through anything. But then again I still have the old nature so dying has to be a daily thing.

 

I've been listening to a Nancy Missler tape and I'm amazed how she taught from John 2 about Jesus wanting us to refuse the world, reject the flesh, and rebuke Satan. It was a step by step lesson on overcoming and being set free. It's right there on the pages of the living Word. It made me sad that little children and adults are not taught these things even when they go to church.

 

I thought it was interesting that you said you believe there many silent believers ready to be poured out because I feel the same way. People do know something is up. I usually have my "sniffer" out looking for Christ in people I met and when I mention Jesus they react like they know what I'm talking about. I'm actually surprised at how often this happens. Maybe it's because I live in a small town and life is slower here. I don't know. This country is drowning in humanism and so called tolerance but the Spirit of God is still here at work in people's hearts and the tougher things get the more it's going to shake us up. I pray for a revival of sound doctrine with true love and tolerance where people are set free by proclaiming His majesty and power while they see their own inability to create it themselves. It's not so much the sin it's self as the unrepentant heart that keeps us from laying it on the cross to be covered by the blood of Christ.

[E.J.]

Glory be to God for this man. Pastor Wilkerson is my favorite preacher; an incredible anointing upon his life; you can hear the brokenness of the Spirit upon His voice calling His people back to him. Well recieved in glory, thank you Father for your champion in faith.