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The Importance of Having the Peace of Christ
David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the importance of maintaining a passionate love for Christ. He expresses concern for those who have drifted away from their initial fervor and invites them to come forward for prayer. The speaker emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in teaching and guiding believers. He also highlights the need to trust in God's faithfulness and to praise Him in times of trouble. The sermon concludes with a reminder to not be afraid, but to have faith and give thanks to the Lord.
Sermon Transcription
This recording is provided by Times Square Church in New York City. You're welcome to make additional copies for free distribution to friends. All other unauthorized duplication or electronic transmission is a violation of copyright and other applicable laws. This recording cannot be posted on any website. However, written permission to link to the Times Square Church homepage may be requested by emailing info at timessquarechurch.org. Other recordings are available by calling 1-800-488-0854 or by writing to Times Square Church Tape Ministry, 1657 Broadway, New York, New York, 10019. Let's go to John 14, the 14th chapter of John, beginning at verse 26. If you don't have a Bible, somebody next to you will have you look over their shoulder. Chapter 14, is that what I said? Chapter 14, let's start at verse 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you, what? All things. And bring all things to your remembrance, whichever I have said unto you. Now this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Folks, I said it yesterday, nothing gives the Holy Ghost more pleasure. Nothing delights Him more than to find somebody who wants the revelation of Christ. And that is His blessed work. This is the joy of the heart of the Holy Spirit, to find a heart that wants to be more like Jesus. That's His work. Verse 27, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go to the Father, for my Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before come to pass, that when it is come to pass, you might believe. Hereafter, I will not talk much with you, for the Prince of the world cometh and hath nothing in me. Jesus says to His disciples, peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. That had to be the most amazing, incredible word they'd ever heard. Because for three years, they had been observing the peace in this man, their Messiah, their Lord and God. They saw that He was never ruffled, He was never bothered by circumstances. There was a calmness, there was a peace in this man that must have caused a lot of discussion among these disciples. How can He sleep in a storm? What kind of peace is that? How is it that a mob can take Him to the brink of a hill, about to cast Him over? And how is it that there's something in Him, such peace, nobody wants to touch Him and He just walks calmly away? What is there in this man that is not disturbed by the mockery? All of the spitting upon Him, all of the mockery, all of the religious society against Him. And He has such peace, He doesn't answer His critics, He doesn't fight back. There's a peace that they can't understand. And that had to be an amazing thing to watch. And to behold, one man in a disturbed world, one man in a world, in a nation that was about within 50 years to be destroyed. Jerusalem was coming down by the army of Titus. In this time of turmoil, to see this amazing peace and then to have Him say, this is what I'm giving you. They had to be looking at each other. He's going to give us this kind of peace. Beloved, that's the kind of peace that He has promised you and He's promised me. He said, my peace, not as the world gives. It's not going to be like that kind of peace that the rich and the famous are trying to purchase with their money and their dollars and their pleasures and their toys. It's not going to be the peace of those who are given over to a lie. It's not going to be the peace of false prophets. It won't be the peace mentioned in Deuteronomy. I will have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart. A false peace given to a lie. No, Jesus said, it's my peace that I'm going to give you none other. Now, the timing of this gift of peace was important, not on the disciples. It's important to us, the timing of this gift, because Christ was soon going to leave them. They're going to be left alone. And there had to be these thoughts. Well, how do we make a living? He supplied everything. We follow him. And he has the bag and he gets money out of the fish's mouth. He provides miracle bread. What if they stone us when he's gone? The priests and the Pharisees, they'll stone us. The thought of Christ leaving, because they had anticipated him setting up a kingdom. And they were going to be sitting on the right hand and on the left. And they're going to be rulers and they're going to reign. And Jesus is going to come and drive the Romans out. And this is going to be a wonderful experience. And now Jesus says, no, that's not the kingdom. He said, I'm going to be placed in the hands of evil men and they're going to they're going to kill me. I'll be raised again. But he said, the Holy Spirit is going to be given unto you. These men didn't know anything about the Holy Spirit. How is it that he is going to give us peace? And how do we maintain that peace if we can't touch him? We can't feel him. He's not right there. We have never experienced. What is this spirit that comes? They had heard about it. He may be talked about it. And Jesus over and over again tried to explain to them, this is necessary because for generations to come until I return, I can't be everywhere. But now my spirit, the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Christ. If you don't know, he's the spirit of Christ. And he said, I'm going to abide in everyone, every temple. There's your body is going to become the temple of the Holy Ghost. These disciples did not comprehend it, even though they may have discussed it. Jesus just told them, I go to prepare a place for you. I'm going to come again and receive you unto myself. And when you read the context of that, you find that this promise of a mansion in glory, you find that the promise of the coming of Jesus did not bring them any rest. They weren't satisfied. I can imagine Peter saying, I don't need a mansion. I need a job. I thank God for this word. I believe him. I believe he's Messiah. He's talking about coming again, but he hadn't left yet. And the confusion and the fear in the hearts of these men because of the future looks so impossible. There's some of you sitting here now thinking your future is impossible. You're going to a situation beyond human endurance. Being tested as you've never been tested in your life. Maybe you're here visiting us at Times Square Church in the annex. Those loans were here in the moratorium. And you're going through a struggle that you could have never conceived would come upon you. Financial distress that has just brought you down to despair. Some of you experience that even now when I speak. And you say, how can I have peace when I've got credit card debt that's mounting out of control? The average college student now has $10,000 on at least 30 credit cards at one time. Many of them have 20, 25, 30. It was in a newspaper the other day. $10,000 debt. Some of them have $40,000 debt on over 30 cards. I was in a restaurant the other day, and there's a young lady, college student, looked like in front of me, and she was putting a $3 sandwich on her credit card. And you say, how can I have peace when I am so in debt I see no end to the dark tunnel? How can you talk about peace, Pastor Dave, because I have family problems that I've prayed and prayed about, and I don't see any evidence of anything changing. How can I have the peace of Christ with the situation that I'm in right now? My job, many that don't have a job. You're sitting here now, and you don't know. You're not living from paycheck to paycheck. You don't have a paycheck. And I'm hearing more and more from all over the United States, many in their 50s and 60s. And you say, how do I have peace? That's just theory. Some would say, you see, the human flesh goes into this kind of mindset. All right, I'll tell you what, I need a miracle, because I believe Jesus has the answer. I believe in the Word. I thank God for the preaching of the Word. I thank God when I come here, I'm going to hear something from the Lord. God's going to speak to my heart. And some of you sitting here right now saying, I'll tell you what, I need a miracle. I need God to do something about my finances. I need God to do something about my marriage. I need God to do something about my home, my children. I don't know what it is for you. And you say, give me a miracle, and I'll show you peace. Get my bills paid, and I'll show you peace. And there are some of you, and this is natural flesh. Some of you come in here now and say, I don't need another sermon. I don't need to hear some more theology of how God supplies all needs. I know that. I've taught it. I've preached it. And I've told others that God supplies all they need. And I believe the Bible. I believe Christ is Jehovah-Jireh. I believe that. But right now, I don't need somebody preaching at me. I need a miracle. I need a miracle. And there are many of you listening to me. I'm speaking your language. I'm speaking what is deepest in your heart of human need. I need a miracle. Jesus knew they needed a kind of peace that would see them through any situation. Because, you see, what we're going through right now, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I tell you on the strength of God's word and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that according to the Scripture, it's only the beginning, because there's going to come a time of sorrows and tribulations such that the world has never known. And what we're going through now is nothing compared to what others are going through. You go down to the favelas in Rio de Janeiro and in South American countries and other places, and you see people that we met. The oldest woman, in fact, she's been in the news recently, 115 years old, living in a little shack, dirt floor, loving Jesus, praying in her mills. You see, she has a peace. My son went in to minister to her and some of our staff, and they were absolutely awed by the presence of Christ in that shack. And what you're going through now is nothing compared to what is coming. And, folks, we're going to have to have a peace. There's got to be something in us that sees us through. And that's what Jesus is saying. Look, I know what you're going through. I know you don't understand the cross. I know you don't understand the hard times that are coming. I know you're confused. I know that you feel like you're going to be abandoned, and you feel sometimes like the Lord has left you. You think that I'm just going to leave you alone and I'm not going to supply your need. He said, I understand that. But before these hard times, before you see it all, I want you to have my peace. You've got to have the peace of God. You can't take what's coming. I looked at my wife last week before she went in for I think this is her 29th operation. And I bowed my head and said, Oh, God, how do we face it? Because I looked at the pain. This was the most painful operation. It was a knee replacement. But this was the most painful thought that she has. I'm going to have a metal knee. And I said, Oh, God, do something for her. Do something for me. And a peace came. And that peace saw her through just a beautiful thing to watch her ministering to people, everybody that came into that room, and to see the peace of God. And folks, some of you are sitting here now in turmoil. You're sitting here in agony. And you say, I can't make it. And the Lord says, I know. I know. That's what he said. He knows that these disciples and folks, the importance of having peace is to face the hard times in our life. And what you need right now more than anything else, and if you don't get it in this hard time, the time you're going through now is the time to allow the Holy Ghost to ask the Holy Spirit. He's the one who imparts the peace. You see, all they had, all they had was a promise. I'm going to give you my peace was just a promise. They wouldn't understand until the Holy Ghost came upon them. They were going to go to an upper room. Those men doubted. Those men were confused. But the Lord said, the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you. And he's the one that's going to enable you to understand this peace. He'll help you understand what you're going through. And he's going to be your friend. He's going to be your guide. You don't have to figure your way out. You don't have to get on the phone and ask your friends. You don't even have to go to your pastor to ask for a secret plan how to get out of this. You don't have to have people lay hands on you and pray for you for this. The Holy Ghost abides in you. You're the temple of the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost is going to come upon you. And he's going to speak a word of faith into your heart. And he's going to give you power over your sins and over your guilt and over your fears. And he says, get it now while things are crazy around you. Get it now. Ask him not for anything but peace. That's the miracle. And the Lord said, this is what I'm going to do for you. Because everybody looks at you like a modern day Job. They know. Your friends know your problem. Those around you know what you're going through. Perhaps maybe only your family, but those. And the Lord says, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I'm going to make you a marvel. I'm going to make you a miracle in itself. I'm going to make you the miracle because I'm going to make you a testimony that you walk in peace no matter what. Your world is coming apart. You have peace, peace. And that's something the world can't understand. Beyond understanding, a peace beyond understanding. Hallelujah. Peace. He said, you're going to be a spectacle to the whole world, a grand spectacle. And everybody look at you and say, how can he do it? How can she do it? They're in debt. They have problems like few others have. And look at them. They're calm. They're not murmuring. They're not complaining. They're still trusting the Lord. And they're saying, live or die. I'm the Lord's. He's mine. There's another reason why we need how important it is for us to have the peace of Christ. Jesus said Satan is coming. The prince of the world is coming. Jesus is looking down into the future. He sees Judas being possessed by the devil himself. He sees the priest. He sees the Pharisees. He sees the whole religious leadership being guided and led by prince of powers and powers of darkness. He envisions an angry mob incensed by the devil. He said, the devil is coming after me. He said, hereafter, I won't be speaking much to you. That's a new text. He said, I'm not going to be speaking to you. And what he's saying, I have to spend time with my father. He said, I've got to have time alone with the father. I won't be speaking much to you. Satan is coming. Here's what the scripture says to you and to me. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows his time is short. Satan is coming, the scripture says. Woe to the inhabitants. Folks, it can't be any clearer than that. Jesus couldn't have made it any clearer. The church of Jesus Christ in the last day is going to come under an attack such as no other church age has ever seen upon Christians such as Christians have never seen or known. And when you set your heart on Jesus Christ, when you say, I want to be like Jesus. And you turn off your television set, you know, even for an hour or two. And you make a commitment, you say, oh, God, I want the Holy Spirit to put his finger on everything in my life that would hinder Christ likeness in me. I want to be like Jesus. Now, folks, the Bible said that's possible. We can never reach perfection. But he said we can press in. We can get so hungry for Christ. We can get so. So my testimony is not just throwing scriptures around. My testimony is not just going out telling everybody you need Jesus. I'm never going to tell somebody I need Jesus at the parking lot over here if I flip them a quarter. So what a cheap Jesus you have. I'm not going to serve that kind of Christ. I want to be like Jesus and have a generous heart. I'm just suggesting it's nice to give him a buck or something. There's a whole bunch of little things. There's so many little things the Holy Ghost been dealing with my heart about because people see. And how could you be like Jesus except in front of people? That's where it counts, because Jesus already knows our hearts. He knows how much we love him. But you see, it's this willing to say, Lord, I want to open up my heart and I want the Holy Spirit who dwells in me. If he's here, he's not silent. If he's here, he wants to do his work. He wants to cleanse us. He wants to remove the guilt. He wants to move every roadblock that would hinder. The fullness. The likeness of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. The second Corinthians to eleven. Paul said Satan seeks an advantage of us, but we're not ignorant of his devices. When you look at the context of this. In second Corinthians two, he said the devil's devising something that would give him an advantage. The word advantage there in Greek was a favorable position in the battle, a favorite position. And he said and the context of it is Paul had heard that in the Church of Corinth there was a Christian. There was a member who had committed incest. And Paul, the apostle, had written a letter to the Church of Corinth. And he said, now you're going to have to deal with this man. And he insisted on discipline until that man repents. You've got to deal severely with him. Word came to Paul that the man had truly repented, but he was overtaken with sorrow. And Paul, the apostle, says, forgive him now and restore him. Lest Satan gets an advantage. And what the devil is doing. And Paul saw it. Paul understood it. It can happen in any church can happen in life. The devil looked at that church zealous for the Lord winning souls. God moving in a wonderful way. The Holy Spirit had fallen upon them. And this was a marvelous church in a wicked city. And Satan was looking to get his foot in the door. So here's a man who's committed incest. Now the devil trying to get an advantage. Here's a man overcome with sorrow. And the devil has come to this man saying there's no hope. And he's going from Christian to Christian and home to home. The devil is traveling around Corinth to try to find somebody that will respond to him with bitterness, either against Paul or against the man and not forgive him. He was trying to implant a spirit of unforgiveness, a spirit of judgment into the church at Corinth, so that he could get an advantage. This is what Paul was the context in which he said, but we we're not ignorant of what he's doing. We're not ignorant what he what the devil is doing here. We're not ignorant of his devices. Folks, the devil is going to do everything to put something of the world in you. He's going to try to put something of of an evil response to what people say to you. He's going to try to get an advantage. He's going to try to find some ground to stand on, something in you. He's going to put temptation before you, incredible temptation to try to get a response. And when you respond, sometimes all he does is use the flesh because he can't read your mind. And Jesus said the devil is going to come after you. Folks, we're in a battle. We are in a struggle. And some of the things that you're coming against you, you can't explain is flesh. You can't explain it is coming from people. Now, the enemy can use people, but Satan is coming. He's looking for an advantage, some kind of unbelief, some kind of dislaw, some kind of saying this is too hard. Many are quitting because they're not depending on the Holy Spirit to show them these areas that need to be dealt with. Jesus said to his disciples, Satan cometh. He's coming after me. And listen to this. And he's got nothing in me. Satan's coming, but he has nothing in me. He said, I'm ready. When he comes, let him come with Judah. Let him come with the mob. Let him come with the whole multitude. They're not going to find anything in me of the world. Jesus learned obedience by the things that he suffered. Jesus was a man like we are. He was human flesh without sin. But he went through every struggle and every kind of battle. And here he stands now, the final onslaught with the devil, face to face with the powers of hell, the principles and powers of darkness. And Jesus says, you can't touch me. You know, there's a promise in the word of God that says very shortly, Satan will be bruised under your foot. I read it, an old 19th century preacher. He said, yes, there are two victories over the devil. One victory was at the cross when Jesus put his heel on the serpent's head. And now we share that victory. We get to stamp on his body and on his tail and destroy all the powers of hell through the Christ that is in us. Through the Jesus Christ that is in us, he allows us to share that victory. He said shortly the devil is going to be bruised under your foot. That's faith. That is faith. That's how important it is to say Holy Spirit. And I say this every moment, every day I get up. Holy Spirit, I not only give you the opportunity to convict me and edify me, I give you permission. And not only permission, I beseech you. I plead with you. Show me those things that are unlike Christ in my life. So that the testimony will not be hindered of who Jesus is to a lost world. So how do I obtain this peace of Christ? On whom is it bestowed? Consider the men that Jesus first said this to. He made me think, well, I'm not worthy of living in peace. I'm not worthy of this. There are too many struggles in my life. There are too many things going on. I don't think this is for me. Consider those to whom Jesus made this offer. There's Peter. Zealous, loving Christ passionately. This man is going to deny him. He's going to spew out cursings. There's James and John, two brothers. And they're arguing among themselves. A very competitive spirit. They're asking Jesus, can we sit on the right hand of your throne and on the left? And there's the rest of the disciples, angry and chagrined at this kind of put down, this James and John. Where do they get coming off like this, that they're better than us? Jesus said, what are you talking about? He said, who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom? The competition. We see it in the church today. We see it everywhere. The competition. And Jesus sees these men. They are so full of unbelief. Jesus had to upbraid them. Jesus was flabbergasted at their unbelief, their confusion. After they fed 5,000, they get in a boat and there's a storm and they don't even know anything about his Godhead. They feel lost and forsaken. They said, we're going to die. We're going down. Having just seen a miracle of 5,000. But you see. There's nobody here worth. But Jesus saw something in these disciples. He saw what would happen when the Holy Ghost comes down. He saw their heart. These were men who were called. They were called in his callings or without repentance. And you came to Christ and that was a call. The Holy Spirit called you. You can't come to Christ without the Holy Spirit calling you. Convicting you. And then if you receive Christ, he said, if you're of Christ, the spirit is in you. And when they came to the upper room, there were 120 in that room. And the place was shaken, the Bible says. The place was shaken. Unworthy men. Men who had all kinds of human problems. Just like you and just like me. Unworthy. They were not called because they had talent. They were not called because they had charisma. They were poor fishermen and just day laborers. They weren't the high and mighty. They were the meek and the lowly of the world. And he called them. And you have been called. No matter what you go through. You are a called man. You are a called woman. And nothing can change that. Except your own rebellion. Jesus knew that they were responding in the upper room. The Holy Ghost came down. And the Bible said the house was shaken. Now, I believe that that means literally yes. The literal house was shaken. But, folks, there were 120 houses there. Because your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost. And I believe that when the Holy Ghost came down, he shook 120 houses. And when he did, he came down to shake everything that was unlike Christ. Take out all of that bitterness and all of that competition and all of that desire to be known and accepted. And the fear of man and all these things has got to go. And he shakes and shakes. And that's what the Holy Ghost does when he comes upon you. If your heart is open. And if you're seeking him. He will shake out of you everything that's unlike Jesus Christ. He'll put you in situations that will shake everything in you. Some of you are going through that shaking now. Flawed men. Unworthy men. And Jesus said, when you have the Holy Ghost in you, when the Spirit comes upon you, that's going to be a river. And, folks, that was just a spring. The Bible said he'll be in you a spring of living water springing up, a well of living water springing up. And that's how peace comes. It comes at salvation, yes. It comes as a spring that just burbles up from the earth, so to speak, from the heart. But it's also becomes a river. The more you yearn after Christ. The more you get sick and tired of the things of this world. Folks, if we don't soon come to a place where we see there's nothing in this world for us. And until we quit buying things just because we can buy them. And trying to get comfort out of things that we own and things that we really don't need. Until we come to the place where we say, oh, God, I'm not going to let you go. And I see it as locking into a position. Absolutely locking into it. It says, Lord, I've seen something of you. You've heard so many sermons here about Jesus. About living for Christ and his likeness. Every pastor. And those who have visited us. There's got to come a time when you say, not from a sermon. And you won't get it just from the sermon I preached this morning. All I can do is believe that the Holy Ghost would have said one word to you. One sentence or one paragraph this morning that excites your soul and says, I want before I die, I want now to know that I know him. That I truly know him. Jesus said the Holy Ghost is in you and you know him. How can you know him until you spend time in his presence? I'm not asking you to get alone and beg and scream and cry and pray. Some people have that vision where they're just broken like Old Testament prophets. And great men of God who were, the Holy Ghost came upon them and became those who stood between heaven and understanding and the gap. I'm asking you to pray all day. Without ceasing. I'm asking you to get up in the morning and say, this is the day that God has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Getting up this morning and saying, Holy Spirit, show me, give me words. And when I face a situation, let me stop right now and on the spot and breathe the prayer. Holy Spirit, lead me in this decision. Holy Spirit, guide me. It's called walking in the spirit. And as you walk in the spirit, he makes Christ known until he becomes your whole life. And then you say with Paul, I live. Yes, you see me. I walk. I work. That is Christ in me who's living, directing constant flow of his forgiveness. See, that Holy Spirit has to be a river and finally a sea and finally an ocean to swim in. And folks, that is the measure of peace. He wants to give you not just the spring. He wants you to come to the sea and to the river where you can float, where you can swim in overcoming peace of God that passes all understanding. One last thing I want to say to you this morning, the measure of your peace. In other words, not just a little bit of peace. Not just fleeting peace. Not just a seesaw in and out peace. But that peace that passes all understanding, that is rooted and grounded in our spiritual being until anything that comes will not move you. But instead, you'll be as the Old Testament men who wrote this Bible in New Testament, moved upon by the Holy Ghost, where he moves you closer and closer to the heart of Jesus. More than anything else, more than anything else in the world, I want to know him. I don't want to be like Jesus, just between me and Christ. And say, Lord, you understand. I don't have to want people to come up to me and say, hey, there's something different about you. That doesn't mean anything anymore. It's just something the Holy Spirit begins to show you. The Holy Spirit becomes comfortable with you. The Holy Spirit finds it easy to talk to you. And finally, you wake up and say, Lord, Holy Ghost, I know your voice. I hear you. Until his voice becomes so familiar. You don't listen to the voices of men. Paul said when he touched me, I didn't confer with flesh and blood. I went to Arabia. That may be my next message. Go to Arabia. Just getting alone. He said, what I want, Peter can't give me. What I want, James can't give me. What I want, all of those dear disciples, they have their experience. I want mine. Pastor Dave may have his experience. Pastor Carter, Pastor Neil, Pastor Patrick and all the elders, they may have their experience with Jesus. I want my own. You can't get it just sit and listen to sermons. And sometimes I said, Lord, how many times and ways can I preach Jesus before we all get it? Till I get it. There comes a time you say, I'm going to set my heart. You can do that in the seat you're sitting right now. And you know the changes that have to be made. If you have a temper, you know it. Your wife knows it. Your husband knows it and the workers around you. You've got a quick tongue. You've got things that are just going to hinder the peace of God and rob you. Or hinder you from getting the peace of God. How do you expect the peace of God if you're going to keep on gossiping? And you listen to garbage. How do you expect the peace of God? He said, I'm going to give you this. But you have, it's a river. You have to remove the roadblocks. And you can't do that yourself. But you can ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to get it done. Hallelujah. There's a scripture I read last night that touched my heart. David said, when I wake, I see his face and I'm satisfied with his likeness. To wake up each morning. He wasn't just talking about when he awakes in paradise. That's part of it. Yes, when I wake out of death, I'm going to see his face. I'm going to be satisfied. But folks, if I can't be satisfied now in Jesus, the cross is in vain. I can look you in the eye and say, I'm satisfied. There's nothing I want in this world. Jesus satisfied. We say that. Are you sitting here this morning satisfied? I know you are. If you're truly satisfied with Jesus. He said, I wake up when I wake, I see his face and I'm satisfied with his likeness. Will you stand? May I have your attention for just a moment. There are some of you that listen to me this morning. You say, Pastor Dave, I don't have that close relationship with Christ. I don't have fully the peace of Christ, but I need it and I want that peace. And I want everything removed from my life that would hinder that. There's some of you that knew Christ in a very intimate way. But the things of this world, the cares of the life and deceitfulness of riches have become thorns. And they have choked your relationship with Christ. They've choked it. I have acquaintances and friends have known for years. Sometimes I grieve over what I see. The coldness, the lukewarmness, the drifting away. Good people, lovely people. But they don't have that passion for Christ like they once had. And if you have been slipping away from that passionate love for Christ, I invite you to step out of your seat. Up in the balcony, go to stairs either side. You're in the main altar and step. And in the annex and the overflow rooms, just go forward and stand between the screens so you won't block the view. And I'll pray with you there. And I'll pray with those that are here. And we'll believe the Lord that before you walk out of here this morning, the peace that will will be opened up. And everything that's blocking will be removed. So there will be a flow of the peace of God. And you can sing that song. Peace, peace, wonderful peace coming down from the Father above. Slip out of your seat and come. No one will beg you to come because the spirit draws you. And we'll pray with you. Forever I pray in that blessed mellows of love. Peace, peace, wonderful peace coming down from the Father. Swim over my spirit. Forever I pray in that blessed mellows of love. Everybody sing it. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. I want to pray first for all of those that are here and in the auditorium and in the annex and overflow rooms. I want to pray that God will give you that, first of all, the miracle of peace, and then that miracle you need of deliverance, that God will give you the wisdom to know how to get out of debt. He'll give you the wisdom to know how to spend and what to do. He has ways that are beyond our understanding. And for those in marriage problems, those that came this morning burdened down with cares, I'm going to ask the Lord to give you. The Bible said, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives generously all men. And he said, but ask without wavering, for if any man wavers, don't think that person receive anything from God. So with unwavering faith, will you believe with me right now that as a result of this service this morning, you will release faith to the Lord and unwavering confidence say, Lord, I'm going to trust you. Heavenly Father, we pray now for all of those within the sound of my voice that are in debt. Lord, coming to the service this morning, you spoke to my heart that you have seen the pain and know the pain. Your touch with the feelings are infirmities. You spoke to my heart that there are many, many that would be in this service that are overwhelmed with debt. Mostly, for many, it's credit cards. Lord Jesus, there has to be a wisdom now. Let us ask of you wisdom to know what to do. Wisdom to control our desires. Wisdom, Lord, to work in our marriage. Wisdom to know how to respond to things that are against us. To respond to enemies with a soft voice that turns away wrath. How we react with people, Lord, in the quiet, loving nature of Christ. Lord Jesus, make Times Square Church a loving church. Don't let the devil get an advantage in any area. Don't let him get a foot into this church or any of its people. And those that are here this morning need miracles. Lord, we believe in miracles in this church. We believe our God is a God of miracles. So I'm asking you right now to speak confidence, speak faith to everyone going through trials that have to see a miracle or because humanly it's impossible. There's no human way out. Only God can do it. Do it, Lord, and give us that faith. And for you that have come forward right now, I'm going to ask you to pray this prayer with me. Pray it right out loud. Lord Jesus, I give my heart and my confidence and my faith into your hands. You made me a promise that you would give me peace. And I'm asking that you help me, Holy Spirit, to yield to you and to give you the reign of my heart. Lock me in to trust and confidence that you are in me and with me and you're going to guide me, cleanse me. Let me pray for you now. Father, I'm asking you for these that came sincerely to you, many with cares and burdens that they cannot humanly bear. Oh, Holy Spirit, this is not in vain. What we preach does not fall to the ground. Lord, take your word now. Send your word and heal. Send your word and work miracles. Your word is a healing power. Now, God, we trust you. Breathe, Holy Ghost, on these that are here. Breathe on them right now. Bring the peace of Christ beyond anything they've ever known or experienced. And I want you to lift at least one hand, maybe two hands. The Bible says, I would, men and women, lift hands, holy hands. If you're here first time you saw people do that in this service, raising hands. Now, would you just thank Jesus for his word and his faithfulness. He's going to be faithful to you. I give you thanks, Lord, for your faithfulness. Thank you, Lord, that you hear and answer my prayer. Glory be to God. May I give you the words Jesus gave to his own disciples every time they faced a hard time. He said. Don't be afraid, fear not, don't be afraid, I'm with you. And then he said, also, in a time of trouble, praise, praise the Lord, praise him in the hard times, praise him, just give him praise and give him thanks. Lord, we praise you. We give you thanks. This is the conclusion of the message.
The Importance of Having the Peace of Christ
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David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.