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  THE FORGIVING NATURE OF GOD
  by David Wilkerson
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Summary: David Wilkerson shares how remembering God's forgiving nature
can bring believers up from the depths of despair and give them
confidence in God's love.

Topics: "God's Mercy", "Forgiveness"
Scripture References: Psalm 69:15, Psalm 130:1-2, Psalm 130:4, Isaiah 49:14, Isaiah 54:11

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DESCRIPTION
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David Wilkerson emphasizes the forgiving nature of God, illustrating how
even in deep despair, like that experienced by David, one can find hope
and restoration through God's mercy. He highlights the struggles
believers face when overwhelmed by sin and feelings of unworthiness,
often leading to anger and apathy towards God. Yet, through intense
prayer and remembrance of God's forgiveness, believers can rise from
their depths, knowing that God is always ready to forgive and never
abandons them. Wilkerson encourages the faithful to trust in God's love
and mercy, reinforcing that true fear of the Lord comes from
understanding His willingness to forgive.

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CONTENT
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At times David suffered greatly under the Lord's chastening rod. He was
afraid the Lord had utterly forsaken him because of his sin, a thought
he could not bear, and he pleaded with the Lord, "Let not the floodwater
overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut
its mouth on me" (Psalm 69:15). He was saying, "Lord, please don't let
me go so far down I can't get out!"

In David's despair, his praying became intense. We read on many
occasions where he cried out to God in anguish: "Out of the depths I
have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!" (Psalm 130:1-2).

For many believers, sinking to the bottom means the end. They become so
overwhelmed by their failures, they develop a sense of unworthiness, and
over time they feel trapped beyond any help. Isaiah wrote of such
believers, "O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted"
(Isaiah 54:11).

Some eventually get mad at God because they don't think he is moving
quickly enough. "Lord, where were you when I needed you? I cried out to
you but you didn't answer. I'm tired of waiting without seeing any
change." Many such believers simply give up trying and give themselves
over to their sin. Others fall into a fog of spiritual apathy, convinced
that God doesn't care about them anymore: "The Lord has forsaken me, and
my Lord has forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14).

David was brought up from the depths by remembering the forgiving nature
of God. After all his weeping to the Lord, David ended up testifying,
"There is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared" (Psalm 130:4).
The Holy Spirit began to flood his spirit with memories of God's mercies
and the Father's forgiving, pardoning nature.

Walking in the fear of the Lord makes us able to say, "I know my Father
loves me and will never abandon me. He is always ready to forgive me
whenever I call on him."

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/david-wilkerson/the-forgiving-nature-of-god/
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