David Wilkerson - Don't Judge Your Spiritual Condition by Your Feelings | Sermon - Must Watch

but I want to speak to you this morning about my subject this morning don't judge your spiritual condition by your feelings don't judge your spiritual condition by feelings now folks if you get a hold of this this morning a devil can't lie to you any more about your position in Christ if we can only learn who we are in Christ our position not our condition but our position if we can understand that the devil can't sway you by feelings anymore go to 1st Thessalonians please 1st Thessalonians the fourth chapter 4th chapter verse 1 then read just one verse first Thessalonians 4th chapter verse a chapter 4 verse 1 furthermore then we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that is you've received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so we so he would abound more and more and read it again furthermore then we beseech you brethren exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so you would abound more and more now father take this word and multiply it increase it and cause us Lord to lay hold by the help of the Holy Ghost this morning the truths that will deliver us from this everlasting terror of our feelings being up and down hot and cold oh god we want to understand by the word of the Lord of power the Holy Spirit the steadfastness that you want us to have in Christ and in the word so that in the days ahead when the world is spinning out of control and everything is out of kilter we will be steadfast immovable and we will not be listening to the lies the devil will not be swayed and tossed by winds and waves of doctrine but we'll be steadfast immovable and ever increasing in the grace of God anointed me to preach this word I pray a man nopal in this verse is saying to the Thessalonians you can't say you haven't been well taught he said I and others have taught you well we've shown you how to walk and how to please God and therefore we're asking that you abound in that now the word abound means to increase Paul saying if you then and I would say this to everyone in this congregation if you've been sitting under pure gospel if you've been hearing the word being taught from consecrated vessels and the word is strong it's pure it's life-changing you should be increasing in faith in the knowledge of God you should have been increasing in the love of the truth in love of the brother in the knowledge of God and the love of God you should be increasing there's had been about it he said you've been well taught so we're saying you need to abound you need to increase in the knowledge you have a foundation we taught you another should be increase in you Paul spoke of abounding or increasing in utterance and knowledge in love for the ministry in prayer and the ministry to the Saints and in giving he said you should have you should be giving more of yourself of your of your money of your time your talents there should be changes happening in you you should be growing in grace and in the knowledge of God now Christians who have been fed the Word of God are according to scripture expected to grow would you turn with me to Ephesians turn left please to Ephesians the fourth chapter he fish in the fourth chapter and begin with me in verse 11 and wait till the rustling of the leaves stop by the way if if you're new in Times Square Church you notice that everybody brings their Bible I noticed that ministers conferences there were very few Bibles that said you need to come two times for a church and learn to bring your Bible bring your Bible if you're just starting here time for a church so you will be able to follow Smurfs 11 beginning to read he gave some apostles some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ in other words do you understand what he's saying all of these preachers and pastors and prophets evangelists and teachers all of this word that you've been receiving it's that you come in to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to be a mature person measuring up to the stature of the fullness of Christ not a baby anymore but growing verse 14 that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth and love you may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ that you may grow up in Christ in all of your ways Jesus said didn't he I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly in other words an increase a constant increase in your life of all these things we're talking about Jesus commended the Church of time Ty remember he said you're increasing and here's how he stated it I know thy works and thy charity and the last to be more than the first he said you you are more intense now you are growing more than when you first started God Jesus himself commends them he compliments he said I see something in you you have more of love of God you have more of the things of God in you you were more intense more and fire for God than you weren't the first how are you growing what is happening in your own life that is my question proverbs 4:18 says the path of the just is as a shining light that shine it more and more until that perfect day it's shining more and more is the word opening to you more and more do you have the love of God growing in you the knowledge of God is there an ever-increasing walk with God of faith of giving and serving we see there's no place in the scripture allowed for sloth for laziness for stunted growth job said the righteous shall hold on to his way and he that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger he that is clean before the Lord will grow stronger and stronger now I ask this question again of the congregation all of you hearing me are you growing in the Lord art do you have you as your growth been stunted till that there has been no growth this past year or this past month now my question again is how do you know how do you measure your growth how do you know that you're further along the road than you were last year how do you compare now to the time when you first came to Christ tragically many many Christians judge their spiritual growth by how they feel they judge it completely on feelings and this is where Satan can totally deceive and seduce you this is one this has been a life-changing word that God's been speaking to my heart for a number of months but there's now laying hold of and I want you to see it and I pray God helped me to show it to you this morning most of us claim we walk by faith and not by feelings but in all practical truth when it comes down to the real issues we do live primarily and judge our spirituality of our feelings and not by faith we say we walk by faith but we get down and discouraged because we are judging who we are what we are in God and we're judging our growth in Christ by how we feel in our feelings I'm talking about Christians who doubt that they are growing spiritually people who read the word they pray they go to church and deep in their heart they love the Lord but as one told me recently said I just don't see much progress in myself I should be so much stronger in the Lord I should be more heartbroken I used to weep and pray but I don't retain much of what I hear from the pulpit and what I'm talk and I really feel I'm stunted in my spiritual growth a lot of us feel that way we we judge ourselves and we hear so many sermons we hear so much of the word and we retain we feel like we retain so little of it that it is not cause of the growth that it we believe that should have created in us or caused let me give you a few insights on this matter of spiritual growth and how to judge it properly I'm not gonna yell at you I'm not gonna scream at you I'm gonna be a teacher this morning hopefully if you believe that then I'm not going to yell or get excited you've never been here before first of all I believe you can be growing and grace and not know it and not being able to discern it for example don't turn up in classes 219 Paul speaks of the body being the body of Christ being nourished in every joint and fiber of the being from the head the nourishment now once you know the head is Christ and he never sleeps and I want you to know right now that he is life he is emanating life crisis always emanating the life that is in him if it's not giving if it's not nursing it's not life life produces life Jesus Christ if you're abiding in Christ you have a life flow in you I'm going to tell you something right now if you have Christ in you you're abiding in Christ and you're trusting in him and you love him with all your heart you're growing even when you're sleeping you may wake up in the morning and I don't care how you feel I don't care how blue you feel or green or yellow or any other color it doesn't matter because there is a life force in you but when you are picked up out of the kingdom of darkness you are planted in Christ the Bible said you're translated and you're planted like a tree and you take roots but the roots do they draw they suck life out of that good so you've been planted in good soil you've been planted and rooted in Christ it's impossible to be rooted in Christ without drawing life because he's the one who puts the life in you he's the one who in other words infuses you with that life power he is an emanating life always giving always flowing and he said he shall be in you through the Holy Spirit what a river of living water springing up you don't pump it up it springs up it comes because you're in Christ it's a natural life float Christ is also mana the Bible says why didn't Israel suffer all of the plagues of Egypt why is it that in the wilderness they went for forty years and all around the people dying of plagues the Canaanites illness things are dying diseases that they knew nothing about why is it that they weren't dying left and right God said I'll not put on you the diseases of Egypt why because manna was Angel's food meat had every nutrient to build up their new system they had nutrients natural nutrients flowing now they may have gotten tired of manna burgers and manna for breakfast and and all kinds of what a cookbook that would have been the manna cookbook trying to spice it up but I would tell you they didn't know it but there was that one nutrients in there and they you can't see it you can't feed it there are no signs of those nutrients at work I take barley green in the morning I take ten or twelve different kinds of nutrients every day and that's why I look so good and it's why I feel so good [Music] Gwen's gonna lecture me at lunchtime I know I don't see those nutrients that work in me but they're there something is happening in my body and my immune system thank God I give God the glory I haven't had a cold and since I've been doing that no I am joined good health and strengthened the Lord but but the Lord told me to take these nutrients and that's what happened in the in when you're planted in Christ you can't see it but you're growing in this special way that you God is building up your immune system against sin he's building up your moon system against the disease of sin and all these things and you don't see it but then but I'll tell you what why is it that right now you're not thinking of x-rated movies why is it nothing when you're out walking the streets here in New York you're not thinking like anybody else is thinking why is it that they're thinking it's Thursday another thing in tomorrow night party time and you're walking there tomorrow night prayer meeting Saturday night they're thinking about all of the vile things they're talking about getting drunk there they call that a good time they vomit half the night after and then go to work and say I got a headache and that was a good time and you're walking the streets Saturday said three services [Applause] [Music] why because she's been while you've been sleeping while you've been getting these messages he's been building up your nud system and you don't think like the world you don't talk you're growing you may not feel like it you may get up and say I feel backslidden I feel backslidden half the time I don't believe a word of it but the get will try to tell me you're not preaching like you used to preach you know you're not as fiery used to be you know cry like you used to cry but I believe better than I've ever believed I don't have to go around worrying anymore but whether I'm retaining anything because you see he's a constant flow there's life there's something fresh and new every day I may have forgotten but pastor Carter preached two weeks ago but I know he's going to be here this afternoon I'm going to get another fresh word another revelation I'll have to worry about what I'm retaining because when you're walking in Jesus you start from the ankles and the knees then you finally swimming don't worry about it folks you're going to be swimming one of these days you don't have to worry and let the devil tell you well why don't I retain everything I hear Tony you didn't retain everything you heard in school either you didn't return you didn't retain hardly any of what you learned in school why is it that you grieve over sin now why is it so difficult why is it that when you even sin it when you fail you are grieved as you've never been grieved before because you don't know it but you're growing you don't sense it but you're growing hallelujah look up when you go out at night now you can't do it in New York with all these lights but you can't see the moon you can see the Sun occasionally here in New York you see Stars not the walking kind on the streets I'm talking about the ones up there but you ever notice you look up they look like they're fixed they're not moving there's no sign of movement but I want you to know they are racing hundreds and hundreds of miles an hour racing through the heavens they're set in their orbits and they are moving constantly and so it is with those that are planted in Jesus Christ those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God now that's a covenant promise when you are in Christ and you're simply believing his word and you say he's my lord and he's my god he has made you a promise that you are going to flourish if that worthless means bloom like a bud bursting with life you shall flourish you're gonna bloom you're gonna burst that with life and you shall be bearing fruit even in your old age some of you were there so to say man to that whether you see it or not what you feel it or not God has made a covenant promise everyone that's in Christ Jesus you are rooted there is life flowing in you whether you feel it or not whether you sense it or not when you desert it or not there is life flowing you you are changing and he said you will flourish in the house of the Lord you will have life bursting out and you don't know until whether your children or one of your friends are in trouble and suddenly they call upon you and you go to their house and when you thought you had not learned anything and you thought you were spiritually dry out close a river of comfort then compassion thinks if you have learned when you need it it's there come on down right or wrong I notice the Granton Indianapolis the other night The ministers conference I called all the ladies forward pastors one felt such grief among many many needed healing and and when hadn't been feeling too good to that that day and she I know she wouldn't feel very spiritual because the way she was talking to me number two strike number two [Applause] but I'm saying what she went the service I'm sure she was not feeling physically I knew she wasn't feeling well but I noticed I looked down and she was ministering to a pastor's wife the pastor's wife was just weeping and broken she was ministering life was flowing out of her no matter how she felt it was there there has been nourishment over the weeks and the months here on in this congregation and walking with God and when you know if you to ask her how do you feel I don't feel very shaved I don't feel like I'm growing but folks there was life flowing out and that woman's life was transformed it was their glories of God and secondly we falsely judged our spiritual growth because of the repetition and sense of boredom that's common to all men the the repetition of life the things that we do over and over again that sometimes become boring to us it's common to all men we get this feeling let me say it like this I must not be growing or increasing in grace because I'm I'm doing the same thing I've always done I've been praying that I've been doing that before nothing has changed I read my Bible I go to church I sing in the choir or I my posture but every Sunday I get up I do the same thing and and I hear the word in every service I searched my heart but I've always done that I filled my capacity I do what I'm supposed to do in the church but I don't feel like I'm doing anything special for the Lord I don't feel like I'm I'm accomplishing anything special for the Lord there's no variety that's the life of the devil that is it this can get you into more condemnation and it can rob you of the grace of God and this this is something you've got to understand when you when you go to the job for example you get up and it's kind of boring and repetitious you usually get up the same hour you eat the same kind of food every day you know there are thousands of restaurants in New York I end up right down here where I've been I eat there every day I know I went I don't even have the menu I am so stuck I'm so monotonous about eating I eat the same thing chicken pollo Castelli in Spanish and veal marsala I walk in and soon as I walk into the restaurant I know I don't even have to order I'm bored I am stuck is repetition you're the same way you take the subway the same way so you see the same people you stop at Starbucks you drink the same kind of coffee and you go over and over and it gets repetitious nothing it same thing every day you sit in the same place in the choir most of you sit in the same place here [Applause] same boring thing no husband no wife I'm not trying to be facetious but folks most of our lives most people live have jobs in life is rather boring it's repetitious I dare you that tomorrow and try to do everything different don't shower do everything different and that's not going to change anything you're going to go back the next day the same way you were before now let me talk to you about what it means to grow in grace along these lines it's not in doing other things or greater things or more spectacular things it's not in doing a great variety of things true growth and grace is doing the same thing over and over again and doing it better each time with more heart assurance and more love for Jesus now when I when I was in first grade learning to write all I did for the first two months with draw circles and lines come on I'm someone you don't remember when you were learning now this is English I don't know about the hundred other languages that are represented here but in English you do big circles and you'd you'd lines like this and then you did capital letters great big a took the whole page Hey another page B you see and then it took a long time to put sentences words together and then sentences together in folks that's that's soon even though you're using the same letters and you're doing the same thing you're writing now you compact it in and it becomes easier the words become smaller you make sentences it's doing the same thing it's same repetition but you're learning and you're something is being accomplished eventually some of you might write a book or a novel but you're learning grace is learning to please God and grow where you're planted and not allow the devil to put a spirit of boredom on you or saying I'm not doing anything special for God to every officer to every teacher to everybody listening to me the most important thing in the sight of God is that when you are planted in a place and you're taking root that you do it is unto the Lord no matter how sick you are no matter how where you are in the devil tells you you're not accomplishing anything folks I came home from a conference preaching to hundreds and hundreds of preachers and I'm way home I'm not doing anything for God the feeling of I'm still not reaching out and copper-zinc what I really want to accomplish that's it all of us folks set all of your accomplishments and all your desires to do something for God focus and focus in on learning to love Jesus from your heart more than ever before that's what he's looking for I do this because I love him I'm planted here I don't judge my spiritual growth by any feelings of repetition or boredom I don't do that you understand that glory be to God you can be growing in grace yet feel that you're not increasing because you think you've lost your fire and intensity because you feel you've lost something that you had when you were first saved when I was first saved someone says I was a soul on fire for the Lord I had such freedom such great joy I wept I was so tender I was easily moved my heart was always broken when I prayed back then I seem to be so intense and on fire and so strong I testified everybody I felt so alive but now I feel my heart lukewarm or cold it's there's a deadness compared to my early years it's it's harder to move me now I don't weep much anymore I don't believe I have that simple tenderness I once had I'm going to tell you now and I want you to listen closely for all of those weary hearted people who think that way and and judge their spiritual condition by comparison to the time you were first saved you when you got first saved that that's a sudden spectacular thing it's a wonderful experience that there is brokenness there is weeping this now God must love tears because he bottles them that's a good sign that's a wonderful thing to have but it's not an ability it's not something that you can conjure it's something of the work of the Holy Spirit but that usually comes these exciting emotional experiences are compared to a child learning to walk now I've gone through this with four children and 11 grandchildren it's a wonderful experience to see the baby take its first steps and especially to walk across the room there is such excitement in that room and that little baby's the center of attention come on baby you can do it and so you pick him up and stand and he wobbles and you hold Janna I've done this over and over again get out of money come on come on come on you can do it and so he takes two or three steps and everybody claps and he falls so you go pick him up here we go again he takes four steps everybody's clapping everybody's cheering all the other kids are in there saying good boy good girl finally here that little child comes right across the room smile and a giggling laughing because he made it and wonderful emotional and then mom gets on the phone calls mom dad grandma grandpa hey Bonnie just took your first walk across the room she's walking now all through the house two days later that little girl is in the kitchen tearing every pot and pan out of every place there's no excitement anymore she's not the center of attention it's not an emotional experience now it's time for discipline [Applause] you see Bible said you not to stay a child there's one thing of learning to walk rightly before the Lord you've got to be taught that that little child has to be taught you don't bother history and just walk across the street you don't walk into a fire and you see a lot of people judge themselves well I had such there was such excitement every time yeah every the Lord had to give you special attention because you were baby you didn't know how to walk and every time you feel you to pick you up now three days later get up you and you pick yourself up and you walk because you're walking by faith now mm-hmm you look it around for somebody pick you up there's nobody there and pick you up you've got to stand on the word now you've got to stand and walk my faith you're not a baby anymore yes it is possible to lose first love the Bible said to grow lukewarm slothful careless and there are many Christians in that awful state but Satan has done a lot of damage to Christians by making them believe that they're not as good they're not as faithful they're not as righteous as they once were before that they have lost something in the Lord but you see all of these scriptures in the Bible that warned against lukewarmness and sloth and carelessness and losing first love all of those scriptures have nothing to do with those who are fully planted in Christ and walking by faith those scriptures don't apply to you because the very fact that you're concerned about it is proof that you're growing you wouldn't be you wouldn't be thinking that you would be sitting in Pride and thinking everything is all right but you see you you you are concerned about it you're thinking about it you're praying about it you said oh god I don't want to lose that first love you're concerned about that but that very concern is evidence of growth is anybody understanding what I'm saying here the very fact that you are concerned about falling back is and that you you examine your heart about growing in grace is evidence but it's a terrible sin to doubt God's love for you and get down on yourself because your feelings tell you that you're not what you used to be I hope you're not what you used to be Paul the Apostle said forgetting those things which are behind me reaching forth unto those things which are before forget what you once were I'm going to tell you something and get this and get it good please your position in Christ has nothing to do with tears with morning it has nothing to do with something you did in your past life of of works because you're not saved by your works you're not saved by feeling intense you're not you're not saved by by zeal ambition none of those things save you you are saved by faith in the Covenant promises of the Lord Jesus Christ it is not by works lest any man should boast and you can look back among the past good things you've done and say I felt so good when I was doing that I had a preacher today I know of a minister who said he was so have you said I've gotten back to where I was when I was a young man man I used to preach to a fire and I prayed and and I am I'm back into the word and getting red-hot messages from the Lord and and he's tell me all these things he was doing didn't last very long because you see a lot of people live one unruhe Newell's they think they'll go for 30 days redhot new touch from God a new anointing and of God there are renewals there are fresh anointing but folks that's what you live on you live on a constant faith in the Covenant promises of God I'm shaking we'll know how no matter how you feel no matter how many lies the devil tells you or anything else you know that God's going to keep his word to you he said I'll keep you from falling and present you faultless before his glory with exceeding great joy and you lay hold of all of these promises I will cause you to walk in my ways you lay hold of those promises of God it doesn't matter how you feel or what you have done in the past because right now you are walk in faith and standing on the Word of God forgetting those things that are behind me boy I'm so glad I can forget some of those things that are behind me you said I forget to pass and I move on now don't let your past hold you don't let your feelings of what you once were try don't judge your present condition by what you once were and try to measure if you are as red hot or as tearful as powerful as you once once were you look on to what God has promised to make you if you'll stand on his promises whereby we are given or given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might partakers of divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world now there there did you hear what I just said how do you we how do we get His divine nature in us by appropriating the Covenant promises we're by given unto us exceeding great and precious promises whereby we become partakers of the divine nature and learning how to escape the corruption that's in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit hallelujah now I've got to move on quickly over mine there there are many evidence of spiritual growth but I'm going to give just a few please how could you tell if you're growing evidence number one when you find yourself in a crisis or temptation you quickly run to the Lord for answers and comfort the surest sign one of the sure signs that you're growing is that when you get in trouble and difficulties come or crisis you don't get on the telephone you don't call somebody you don't sit around talking about it you run to Jesus you go immediately to the Lord you have learned that you have a place to go those that are growing in the Lord tell it all to Jesus first before you tell it to anybody else you know there are some people that are professional complainers in the church they are pros they wouldn't have anything else to live for if they didn't have a trouble to talk about now folks there are a lot of people that are really truly suffering we received yesterday in the mail lady from this church sir I mean a daughter with the lump on her breast another son-in-law had just died a child with AIDS and the husband just diagnosed with bone cancer a whole letter full of these and there is a lot of grief there's a lot of pain and then this sister said but we have found God's grace sufficient she was just asking for prayer that's a different story but there are some people you meet every time you meet him there's another problem they live I mean it just gets incredible everything every time you know just as soon have you heard I don't know what I'm going to do I can't take it anymore so help me if anything else happens in it's just over my head just when I thought is it in every you want to say where's your God you don't have a God you hear every time you they just pour out one crisis afternoon and they're really not big crises and you know that haven't been to the Lord that's why they're coming to you you know and you just want to scream lovingly you have no resource you don't know where to go have you been to your knees have you been to the secret closet that is the sign of growth you take everything to God your family your children your grandchildren your job your career everything you take it to Jesus [Applause] [Music] and if you don't have any of that place to go it's because you you have not really focused on where you should be run to Jesus immediately hallelujah here's another sign you're growing spiritually when you depend less and less on outward signs physical evidence and inner voices this is a sign of maturity in Christ when you no longer challenge the Lord to produce or prove himself to you with with visible evidence or some kind of a sweet still voice no God does speak he said my sheep know my voice then they they hear when I call yes I do believe that he speaks but he speaks to us the Bible said these last days through his son the scripture says God who at other times at various times and in different ways spoke in time past unto the father's by prophets now he has in these last days spoken to us by his son now those words are recorded here in this book and then the Bible says and promises the Holy Ghost will come and he the Holy Ghost shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance whatsoever I've said unto you he said he's already spoken here it is is the spoken word of God and when you depend on inner voices or you have to have God give you signs they'll see that's all right under the Old Testament you can ask for a fleece in the Old Testament you know like Gideon did but see we're in the New Testament we don't need the fleece now we have the son of God who is speaking clearly and we have the Holy Ghost abiding in us bringing that word to life now we open ourselves to incredible seduction when we listen to those little voices without having gone first to Jesus having searched this word and loud the Holy Ghost to speak to us through his word now Illustrated I just came back and I'm not gonna preach too much longer I just came back from minister to two ministers conferences the Detroit and Indianapolis and I told when all the way up I said I I don't know whether God wants me to preach the preachers or not I said I love preaching at Time Square Church and that's enough I don't like to travel and if God wants me to do that he won't have to give me a sign he's going to have to get me evidence so clear and I don't know what I was looking for but I challenged the Lord I said you have to do too you've got to prove to me Lord if I see evidence that your blessing when I preach then I'll go anywhere in the world I'll even fly in airplanes how else do you get to Europe I mean but I went to Detroit and and God did bless the word was preached on prayer and I saw preachers come and fling themselves on the floor and cry out to God no wasn't enough so I went to Indianapolis and all afternoon that in fact I I sent went out with an associate a couple to shop while I pray and in the afternoon I poured my heart I said I said Lord I'm telling you I challenge the Lord so help me and I was weeping I was crying and praying and walked in the room I said Lord you have to give me evidence tonight or I'm not going to do this this gonna be my last I am NOT going to go out preaching unless I know I'm being effective unless I know the word is piercing and getting into hearts and indeed yes No who do you think heard that / beside the Lord it because you think the devil wants any preacher to preach the preachers and stir them up and get them on fire for God so the sweetest voice I've ever heard tonight David you're going to see the greatest evidence you've ever seen in your whole lifetime it'll be so clear and be so overwhelming that you'll know it you don't have to do anything you just stand there and I'm going to just sweep over that house and give you evidence on every side my call be to God wonderful that's what I've been praying for and I went with that voice now folks God was there the Lord anointed me to preach there was a true anointing I felt the prayers of a lot of people and God was there and God was moving but when I was done I just closed my Bible and I what I did I Bob hisses now Lord it's your turn do it now boys stand here did you do it nothing happened people wonder what's gonna I said folks please I'm just waiting on the Holy Ghost I don't know whether I expected fire or whether I wanted to see everybody laying on the floor Oh Holy Ghost has come and sweep everybody I don't know what I was looking for but I had this sweet voice I said I'm going to show you something and nothing happens so I thought well I'm going to have to do something so I didn't know what to do but I said that's just everybody raise our hands and love Jesus and I just praise the Lord they begin to praise the Lord wonderful spirit quiet gentle Spirit of the Lord and then I saw some pastor's wife and I just said I want letter I think I said I want all the pastor's right to get out and come and just stand here and I want to pray for you and I want you to take hands and pray for one another a sweet spirit people were God was healing and touching a sweet gentle spirit was there and it lasted quite a long time but there was no lightning there was no thunder there was no evidence and the supernatural right for everybody so quiet this unordinary beautiful work of the Holy Spirit and before I asked them to raise their hands I got peeved - god I'm really inside that I was peeved I said Lord this is a big thing with me if you I don't plan I'm staying here as a pastor but occasionally I'm going to be going up perhaps appreciate the preachers know folk I just have to tell this because this is way a lot of you where many of us are and how dangerous and how seductive it is to listen to still small voices and I went home and I went back to the apartment and I was I was downcast the next morning and the elevator no woman's there and she's just glowing her life had been changed pastor's wife and then the testimonies have to help lives were being changed and I begin to see what the enemy is trying to do because you see the enemy was trying to stop me then he was trying to say that's it God spoke to you he didn't meet your requirements he didn't give you the evidence take that as a sign you don't go out anymore that's it and folks that's why I'm preaching this message this morning God dealt with me all week ever since he said no you opened yourself because you're challenging me I already told you go into all the world and preach the gospel I open the door for you and I gave you the message all you had to do is deliver it and leave everything in the hands of just leave it don't look for evidence don't look for signs you just obey me you do what you're commanded to do from the Word of God and that's it are you waiting for a voice are you waiting for a sign are you going to get on the bus or train to go to a meeting where you can see signs that you challenge God and you want some probably hands on you and speak a word into your heart and you're not going to pray and seek the Lord get into his word and get it right here folks you are mature when you don't have to challenge God anymore you don't have to get blood prove anything to you anymore you don't have to have a still small voice in you anymore you believe that he's going to see you through no matter what because you're in his hands folks there's what I wanted to say but I did I want to close in and just for a moment here I have to mention this before I close because of the Mideast crisis I don't like to preach more than 45 minutes might have to go over a few minutes today still with me all right here's what we're going to be tested and here's where only mature Christians are going to be able to survive what and to grow as God wants us to grow this this has to be that we never allow the headlines to enflame our passions or prejudices only on the tour Christian only one who's growing can listen to the head to see the headlines and listen news reports when you see Palestinians dropping stones from the top of the Wailing Wall on on Jews that are praying at the Wailing Wall and when you see Israelis shooting and killing two thousand Palestinians and all the passes here's the Serbs moving into Kosovo and killing hundreds and even thousands and now Kosovo retaliating doing the same thing and all over the world you see these racial ethnic uprisings and and now we have it here in New York the Palestinian been marching this Raiders have been marching and and folks there been threats now all over the all over Asia the the Muslims are threatening Christians and Jews viewed if you look at New York Times today it's incredible what is happening the the Time magazine today it's today in fact this week's issue the Jews it says are convinced that the 35 acres where the mosque is located belongs to Israel and that God has prophesied this is an October 16th issue entitled of bloody Mountain the bloody mount referring to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem the Palestinians call it the noble sanctuary it's holy ground to the Jews and to the Arabs and there is the golden dome of the rock that golden dome of the mosque Jesus called it the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not standing where the Temple of Solomon was built the Deducer convinced now and I'm reading the Old Testament prophesized a third temple will be rebuilt on the very spot that the mosque now stands Time magazine reports that the young mullahs and rabbis say God told them it's going to be retaken only by blood grab I am Richmond two researchers have recreated all the priestly garments the tools that will be needed for the third temple they've also produced a silver miss rack to collect the blood from sacrificial animals they have produced a million-dollar menorah golden candlestick the rabbi Richmond points to the Dome of the rock and says the temple will be built right here and nowhere else in another account the final plans already in place for the building of the third temple fears of militant Orthodox Jews digging through underground tunnels that Solomon had built to blow up the mosque folks one of these days don't be surprised you turn on the radio you hear the news there's been a great explosion in Jerusalem because the the Palestinians are about to announce gruesome is their capital there may be a temporary peace there may be a truce but Bible predicts there's going to be a war in Israel this clears anything in the bible the bible does talk about the rebuilding of a temple and if going very build is going to be rebuilt right there and if there's a war if you notice the palestinians we're here with rocks and and the israelis were there with helicopters and machine guns and so forth and there's no question that israel would win the war but what what do i do is it christian what is our position now you're going we're going to have we're going to have racial tension here in New York City and in the United States between blacks and whites Arabs and Jews and all the ethnic groups Bible said that this is going to be this is going to happen what is the attitude Jesus said love your enemies pray for those who misuse you he said if your enemy hunger see him oh we are you and I are going to be able to to keep our prejudice from being inflamed by the headlines and the news reports are you going to be able to say oh god keep that out of my heart would you be willing if you're a Jew and you're Christian but would you be willing to go into a Palestinian camp where they set up an army field hospital and minister and nurse soldiers who were shooting pellis Israelis if you were in the medical profession could you do that could you go there and pray Lord save him minister to him could you have that kind of spirit that it was in Christ that he said even to those who crucified Him Father forgive them for they know not what they do we have got to look at the world everyone black white no matter what color what race they are lost and without Christ and Jesus died for the whole world and you can know whether you're growing in grace you can know if you're becoming mature in Christ when you can look at all of this and hear all of these things then you can rise up against every passive the tries to rise up every bit of prejudice and saying Jesus name I reject this I take Christ's authority over this I will love all mankind I will preach against I'll preach against adultery but I'll love the adulterer I'll preach against homosexuality I love even the militant homosexuals and even murderers and rapists because you understand in prisons all over the American around the world now those who are murdered and maimed and raped have been saved and baptized of the Holy Ghost and are serving Jesus because somebody loved them in spite of their sin and God help us I am NOT a mature preacher if I allow anything to come in I'm not a mature Christian if I allow any racial prejudice in my heart or anger I'd have to keep it up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the same thing goes for Republicans and Democrats I'm not joking about it you can get so riled up about Hillary or Lazio or whoever you can't do it you keep that out of your mind if you go to vote when you go into the voting booth you you you you you you say Lord why why don't you just buy your head and pray for both of them both presidential candidates why don't you pray just pray that's what I did I the only way I'm keeping prejudice out is to pray for people pray for those if you can love those that others hate you're growing you're becoming mature mature and Jesus Christ will you stand please Heavenly Father we don't want to live by our feelings we don't want to judge ourselves by our feelings our spiritual condition anymore that this word take root but the word take root in the hearts of the people that are gathered in this house today we love you Jesus we've been planted in good soil and that life is flowing help us Lord to get our eyes off our feelings help us three gypped our feelings and simply rest in what God has said he will do and that is doing because we are rooted in him we are planted in him the Bible says that we shall take on wings as Eagles will run and not be weary will walk and not faint that's your promise and I stand on that God no matter how I feel you said I'm gonna mount up its wings as Eagles I'm gonna run and not be weary walk and not faint thank you Jesus that's one promise that'll take us right to glory we thank you for it in Jesus name hallelujah hallelujah there's a wonderful spirit here all day at all this morning and we have serves a three o'clock at 6 o'clock but now we're going to open the altars will you come you are going to have I'm going to have a no invitation invitation [Music] God's speaking to you through this message you want me to pray for you this come if you're an annex Dix go and stand between the screens if the Holy Spirit speaking to you I don't know what it's about maybe you're not right with God maybe you are one of those grown cold' for a different but it's no invitation invitation in other words I'm not gonna describe your condition you know what it is all he goes to dealing with you come especially if you've allowed anything in your spirit that's unlike Christ we're gonna pray for a miracle and in the annex just move forward to stand between the screens please don't block the screen but stand between the screen up and about think come down this side it's inside there's an exit you come down any island as we sing if the spirits will be upon us come and I'll pray for you believe God for America can walk out here set free if you don't know the Lord if you're not walking with Christ you want to receive the Lord this step into the aisles in the annex just go forward brave you and there's a wonderful spirit here and the Lord wants to touch you and change your life you step up all of these are coming up to the buck even while I'm talking you can still step out and move you that are here right now look this way for for just a moment I'm not gonna prolong this but I don't want you to leave without this simple word from the Lord hallelujah are you hearing me first of all be convinced right now the Lord truly loves you you've got to have his arms around you you can't fight the enemy you can't do anything on your own you have to just acknowledge I am helpless if you can can if you will believe that Jesus loves you in your present condition no matter what it is even in your present failure or your lack of obedience whatever it may be the fact that you've just taken a step toward him there's such a love he loved you when you were at your worst he loves you now as you move toward him and also acknowledge how helpless you are I can't do this on my own the Holy Spirit unless you come and quicken me unless you come and infuse your life now will you believe what you've heard this morning will you believe that you're planted in Jesus and that and please don't worry or talk about your growth or anything else the increase will come just trust him they said well I believe you you're gonna see me through you're not gonna drop me you're gonna keep loving me right to the end will you pray this prayer with please Lord Jesus I've been troubled sometimes worried wondering if I was doing right fearing you didn't love me living under judgment fear and condemnation and I know now Jesus that's not the way you want me to live you want me to have your peace you want me to be at peace with you so Lord Jesus I give my heart everything I am entrust to you cleanse me forgive me purify my heart I do love you Jesus and I accept your love now I know you love me and I know how helpless I am and my own strength so I cast all my cares on you I am by faith rooted in Christ and his life is being to flow through me I rested that now let me pray for you have any Father in the Annex and here in main auditorium you heard this prayer we don't have to scream at you or beg you or plead with you you said you're more willing to give than we are to receive - Lord out of the abundance of the heart the mouth is spoken I pray Lord you plant this seed root it deep in their hearts water it with your spirit and bring forth fruit bring forth fruit Lord that fruit being confidence in your faithfulness trust in the covenant promises of God that the Lord will not fail me the Lord will not fail me he is life and he is giving me his life his power is flowing in me I believe it I receive it I accept it I will trust God all through the day with it day by day week by week and year by year in Jesus name a man hallelujah just tell God thanks Lord I give you thanks I give you three like thank you Jesus all right thank you note remain where you at for just a moment if you will please to all the others I'll remind you in the adnexa go to room 402 and here and in the balcony you come down the stairs and through exit eight nine upstairs into ancillary building we have a free sermon tape of free book and some refreshments and some New Yorkers will answer questions as they're able but the church or New York City before you walk out of here going to ask you to shake hands at least ten twelve people and smile and say god bless you or just leave a blessing to somebody three o'clock and six o'clock our other services today god bless you

Channel: Ahava Jerusalem

Views: 117,891

Rating: 4.912497 out of 5

Keywords: amazing, born again, eternity, freedom, God, google, Holy Spirit, hope, humble, israel, Jesus, love, Music, news, peace, revelation, video, word, Youtube, truth, christian, bible, Christ, grace, believe, youtube, facebook, free, heart, future, heaven, internet, life, overcome, holiness, joy, music, prayer, time, sin, glory, power, destiny, cross, temptation, devil, idolatry, faith, david wilkerson, new york, time square, church, spiritual, amazon, sermon, fire, baal, false, anger, terror, fear, chaos, virus, coronavirus, condition, judge, fyp, viral

Id: BHS6aqT4omQ

Length: 65min 22sec (3922 seconds)

Published: Sun May 17 2020