In this sermon, the pastor shares about the burdens and challenges faced by individuals and families. He mentions a man who lost his wife in a car accident and had sons who ended up in jail for selling drugs. The pastor emphasizes the importance of reaching out and supporting those in need, both within and outside the church. He encourages the congregation to trust in God's control and to worship Him with gratitude, reminding them that God is working in ways they may not see. The sermon concludes with a story of a grieving father who was comforted by the ministry's support and prayers.

This recording is provided by World Challenge Incorporated. You're welcome to make additional copies for free distribution to friends. All other unauthorized duplication or electronic transmission is a violation of existing copyright and other applicable laws. This recording cannot be posted on any website. However, written permission to link to the World Challenge and or David Wilkerson homepages may be requested by emailing info at davidwilkerson.org. Other recordings are available by calling 903-963-8626 or by writing to World Challenge Incorporated, Post Office Box 260, Lindale, Texas 75771. I want to preach to you this evening a message the Lord laid on my heart that I preached a few months ago in Times Square Church. And if you're on our mailing list, you may have received this message by mail. It's one of the strongest responses of any letter that we sent to our mailing list. But I would imagine two-thirds of those that are here did not hear it. And before I came, the Lord said, you preach this. Tomorrow night I have a prophetic message from Zachariah. It's called, that evening there shall be light. There's a prophecy given by the prophet Zachariah. He said that before Jesus comes, before the new dawn of a new day, there's going to be an evening just before midnight. He said there's going to break forth a light. And I believe when that light breaks forth and it bursts before the dawn, that's when the remnant of Israel comes home. A supernatural breaking forth of light. It won't be our preaching. All these years it's going to be God. Supernaturally. There shall be light. In the evening. Lord touch me. You said you'd make us strong when we're weak. I ask you for strength. Compassion. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit has to say tonight. In Christ's name. Amen. Paul speaks of being troubled on every side. On the outside I had fighting. And inside me there was fear. Paul is going through the most trying time in his life. If you've ever wondered why godly men and godly women suffer so much, I trust this will shed some light on that. You see I've questioned that for many years in my ministry. The greatest suffering I've ever seen, the greatest pain, physical and spiritual and mental agonies, have been in the lives of the most godly people I've known. God has allowed me to be friends with and to associate with some of the most righteous prophets and godly saints who've ever lived. Just living 54 years in ministry, that'll happen. And often I would say, God, why does it never end? Why this constant struggle, the buffetings of hell, and I have found such great comfort when I think of the suffering my family has gone through. Gwen's had 28 operations. Five for cancer. We buried a granddaughter for cancer. There's been mental anguish. I've seen God bring us all the way from the brink of hell. And he's been faithful. See, Paul is in a struggle for his life. The greatest attack that's ever come upon this man. There was a terrible situation broke out in the church of Corinth. Paul loved this church. It's the New York City of his time. Sinful, wicked city. And Paul loved this city. And he loved this church. There was a man who had committed fornication. Paul the apostle heard about it. And he felt that they had overlooked the sin. So in fear and tears and brokenness, he writes a strong letter to the Corinthian church. In essence, this is what he said. You have not dealt with this sin. You've grown easy on sin. In fact, you should have so dealt with this, you should have turned this man over to Satan, the destruction of flesh, that he may be warned and turn to the Lord. And he's talking about his salvation. How would you like to receive that as a pastor from a father and a prophet saying there's a man in your church, he's not repented, you're overlooking it. Lay your hands on him. Turn him over to Satan. In other words, turn him over to his sin until he comes to the end of himself. And Paul doesn't hear an answer. He doesn't get any reply from Corinth. Now, he's been to Ephesus. And a revival broke out. And in this revival, there was such a turning to Christ. The worshipers of the goddess Diana brought their occult books, piled them in the city square and there was a bonfire. And God used Paul in a mighty way. My grandfather, who was a preacher, he said, be careful after the blessing, after your greatest victories, watch out. The enemy will move in. This is what happens to Paul. He is chased out of the city. He said, I despaired of my life. He's saying, they nearly killed me. But Paul is so burdened and so troubled by the letter he wrote. Later, you read that he said, for a season, I regretted it. Did they misjudge my motive? Have they turned against me? There's no word. So he sends Titus to get a report. In essence, what he said to Titus, please let them know that this was done in love. That's a tear-stained letter. And I loved them and that's why I preached like I did. This man falls under a barrage of lies. He said, Titus, find out what happened. How did they receive my message? If they turned against me, then he was grieved at heart. He said, then I'm going to Troas and I want you to come. He goes to Troas and the problem in the city in Macedonia, that there were preachers rising up. They were despising the suffering of the Apostle Paul. They're trying to cut off his spiritual authority. And this is adding to the burden on Paul's spirit. He's so anxious to find out whether he has hurt the people. I know what Paul went through. I went through it years ago in Times Square Church. I had preached a strong message. And after the message, something came over me. I said, oh God, did I wound the saints? And I backed away and I was stricken. I was slain in the spirit. And that scripture came to me. It's from Proverbs. Don't abuse the believer. And don't comfort the wicked. I said, Lord, did I abuse your body? I was out for 45 minutes. And some of you may be here that were at that meeting. There was not a sound. Total silence. There was some kind of music that came. People said they heard angels singing. And God was dealing with the pastor. And I repented before God. God never did tell me whether I had abused. But he was teaching a lesson. And it was painful. There's a painful experience for Paul the Apostle. And every man of God, every pastor, every Christian goes through it. When you're trying to counsel with people, you try to speak the mind of God. And then you back away. Was that compassion? Did I do that in the love of Christ? Or did the flesh creep in? And have I wounded one of your children? Quoting Paul, I said, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's Gospel, and a door was opened of the Lord to me, I had no rest in my spirit because I didn't find Titus, my brother. So taking leave of Troas, I went to Macedonia. Now Paul did something he had never done in his ministry. Here's a man who lived to preach. Show him one center, and he's going to preach. Give him a hungry audience, and he'll preach all night until somebody falls out the window asleep. This was a preaching man. Never missed an opportunity. But he's wounded. He said, I went to Troas, and he didn't show up. He said, I didn't meet Titus. He didn't come. Can you imagine the lies now that are being thrown at this man? You've missed God. God is not with you. They've turned against you. You have been rejected. You've made a mistake. Something has happened to you, Paul. And the biggest lie of all comes to every man and woman of God. When the enemy is trying to bring you to your face in despair, God is no longer with you. You are no longer effective. You have missed God. And for the first time, Paul said there was an open door. Can you imagine this man? He said, God opened a door for me. But I had no rest in my spirit because I didn't find my brother Titus. So I took leave, and I went to Macedonia. Have you ever heard the lies of the devil? When you're in trouble, and you're in pain, and you don't understand it, and the devil comes and says you've failed God, something's wrong with your life, you're under judgment, you're under wrath, your prayers are no longer being heard, now, if Paul didn't go through that, if he didn't experience what you and I experience, then he has nothing to say. He can't relate to what we are facing today. I don't take comfort in the fact that he suffered so much. I take comfort in the fact that he was a man of light passion. I believe Paul made mistakes just like I do. But here's what the devil wanted him to think. You've been rejected. You are no longer fruitful. You find this all through the Word of God. In Psalms 140, don't turn, they've been in Psalms 140, in David's most testing time, it's all through Chapter 140 in the Psalms. You can check it later. He said the wicked are continually coming against me. They've made war against me. They've sharpened their tongue like a serpent. They have purpose to overthrow my goings. They've laid a snare for me in a trap. That's the devil. That's our enemy. And here's what he says. They have made a purpose. There has been a plan. Satan has made a plan to destroy my walk. To destroy my ministry. And to make me believe that God is no longer with me. But David cried out, O Lord, You are my salvation. You have covered my head in this time of battle. And that's what God wants to do tonight. For those of you that are here in this service, and you are being attacked by the enemy. It says it over and over in this precious word. This is a spiritual warfare. Saul did not sin. If God could have only opened the curtain. If He could only have shown Paul what was really happening. If He could only have shown him why Titus didn't show up. Titus got there, no doubt. And he was so overwhelmed of what happened as a result of Paul's letter. The guilty man wept and repented. The church repented. The church began to pray for Paul. They told Titus how much they loved their pastor. And the devil is lying at the very moment God is blessing. God is doing something miraculous. Get this please. Understand it in the spirit. If God could only open your eyes. If He could only show you what God is doing outside of your vision. How He is moving. How He is touching lives. How He is touching lives to your ministry. To your testimony. By your servanthood to others. What a horrible lie. There are times that I have faced battles. I have fretted. And I have asked God why. And I have asked God why. I lived in such agony. And then suddenly I discover blessings that were abounding on all sides. And I was blind. Then I have to run to Jesus and say, Oh God, if I had only waited. If I had only believed. If I had only trusted. Because the hardest part of faith is the last half hour. Just before the blessing. Just before the blessing. Paul wanders back to Macedonia. A wounded hurting man. But suddenly at his worst moment Titus appears. And there is where we come to the text that we I don't know, did we read 2 Corinthians 7.5? Let's read my text now. Go to 2 Corinthians 7 Folks, you can believe we are in divine order. I said we are in divine order right now. 2 Corinthians 2 Corinthians 7th chapter 5-7 5-7 In fact, I am glad I held it back. It fits better right now. For when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest. He is speaking of himself. But we were troubled on every side. Without were fighting and inside were fierce. We did read this, didn't we? No? Alright. Nevertheless God that comforted those who were cast down comforted us and the word there is refreshed. Refreshed by us by the coming of Titus. And not by his coming only. But by the consolation or the refreshment wherewith he was refreshed in you. And he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning and here is the key, your fervent mind or desire toward me so that I rejoiced all the more. Because even in the comfort which was warmed in you, he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning and here is the key, your fervent mind or desire toward me so that I rejoiced. I am speaking of the service of comforting others. I have seen pastors and I have seen lay people in deep pits of despair that I cannot understand they can't understand, I can't explain it, I pray about it, I don't get an answer, and I say, God, how long can they suffer? What's the answer? How do you get through? How do you get through to them? Where do you find the comfort? You can preach sermons, and you can do all these things, but when a man is down, a woman of God is down, God doesn't send angels. God uses people to refresh people. I'm not talking about a city-wide or a church-wide revival. I'm talking about the very thing these pastors have been preaching to you've been saying all through these meetings, one-on-one servanthood. And Paul meets Titus. Can you imagine that meeting when he hugs his spiritual father? He says, Paul, you won't believe it, the impact of your letter. That church is on fire. I couldn't leave it. It refreshed me, and I wanted to be refreshed. I wanted to be freshened from heaven so I could come to you with a refreshed spirit. What power there is in a refreshed spirit. He said, and by the way, Paul, they want me to tell you how much they love you. I can picture Paul turning aside for a moment in tears of joy, saying, devil, you're a liar. Why don't you do that? Devil, you're a liar. I'm not going to listen to these lies. I like what happened to David. He had gone to Keilah. He delivered the city, and he moved into Keilah for a season for the protection of his family and his army. But he heard word that Saul was coming. And he went to the Lord and said, Lord, will these people reject me? Will they turn me over to Saul? These are the people he had saved. And the Lord said, they'll turn you over. They're going to reject you. So he flees. And David is at a low point. The same lies of hell. The same lies of the devil. And God moved on Jonathan's heart. His soul partner. The Bible says he goes into the woods. And the Bible said, these, in essence, are the words of his friend. He said, you are going to come to the kingdom. And the Lord is with you. And he refreshed David's spirit. It was somebody that says, I love this man. And he's hurting. Have you ever gone to your pastor and just encouraged him? You say, listen, boy, my pastor preaches with such anointing. He preaches victory. And you know why he preaches victory? Just like Paul said, the reason I suffer. The reason I'm going through these prison imprisonments. The reason you see me suffering so much. It's for your sake. He said, because when I'm in these problems, and I'm not preaching anything new to you, when I go through these things, it's for your sake. So that when I get comfort, and God works me through my problems, and he teaches me how to come out in faith, then I come to you in your despair, and I'm not preaching theology to you now. You have pain, and I know what it is. You have unsaved children. You grieve over it. I have a whole church full of unsaved children. I know that kind of pain and grief. And you hear the lies of the enemy. And the devil tells you, you're never going to make it, and you're a vile sinner. He said, I know I've been the vilest sinner on earth. Paul said, this is all about you. Would you stop and think for just a moment about what you are going through? I know God put this on my heart. And I'm just talking to you like a father. Some of you now, you came into this meeting with pain like you've never known. Emotional, spiritual, maybe physical. You asked God to do something for you while you're here. The first thing you have to do is disarm your soul from the lies of hell. Expose the enemy. He will not rail against you. It's not a matter of sin. It's not a matter of your sin. Because all you have to do is go to him. You go immediately to the blood. We have an advocate with the Father. We have an advocate. And there is cleansing. So that immediately is taken care of. The sin problem is removed. You never, never fear that again. But understand, you prayed, didn't you? You asked God to use you. You asked God to make you a voice. And you cried out. And God said, I hear you. That's the prayer I birthed in you. That's my will for your life. But you're going to be just an empty symbol. You'll just be a sound. Unless I take you down deep. Unless I allow you to go through that which people are going through to whom you're going to minister. I would imagine more than a half or more of you are not in an ordained ministry. I want to talk to you for just a moment before I close. You are called, just as much as I am called or any of these pastors. You are called. You are called to this ministry. You can't understand what just words can do. Just a word of compassion. Let me give you an example. I received a letter from a nun, a Catholic nun. She had turned to Christ and became a preacher of the gospel, an ordained preacher of the gospel. She wrote me a very tragic letter. She developed a fatal disease and deep depression set in. This is just a few weeks ago. She's 59 years old. And in her despair, she wrote her own obituary. And this is what she wrote. No one's wife, no one's mother, estranged from her family because of Christ, accomplished nothing of importance with her life, lived in poverty. A real loser has died. But that wasn't the end of the letter. She said, Pastor Dave, I have to tell you. I believe it was another Christian priest, an ordained priest, handed me one of your newsletters. It was entitled, I've labored in vain. She said, I was so refreshed and I was renewed in my spirit. Now she's fighting. Just words. Just words. We got a letter last week from a distraught father, a picture of his son who had just been killed in Iraq. He was inconsolable. You couldn't console him. That's what he had said in his letter. He closed the newspaper clipping of his son. We got him on the phone. Gwen got him on the phone. He couldn't believe that a ministry would take the time to deal with one individual. That man wept. He cried. Gwen had the joy of telling him there's a church that's praying for them. Folks, we've talked about national things. We've talked about the church, and these are vital things. But you know when you boil it down, when you come down to the real issue, it has to be as an individual, not as someone who reaches masses, but a heart that looks for those who are troubled. You don't just come to church and sit. You see, if you can pray for protection, if you can pray for healing, and we focus so much on our own pains, in fact, I'm sick of that in my life. I pray for my family, and I'm going to close in just a moment. But more and more, as I get closer and closer to the day I see him face to face, I'm getting joy in this ministry I'm talking about. Reading letters of hurting people. A father of five children, a daughter and four sons. The girl went to our Bible school. She was killed in a head-on collision. Four sons, one of them who wanted to enroll in the Bible school, Mount Zion. They got bitter against God. Now this is a pastor. He said, how do I bear this burden, Brother Dave? In his letter, I have four sons in jail now for selling drugs. You see, you can come and preach. We can have a conference. But if I don't reach out to that man, if I'm not available, and if I can't just say, Brother, I want to refresh you, I want to pray for you. And I want your email address. And I'm going to give you an office number. And you can talk to my secretary. She'll let me know you're in need. And we'll get back to you. If we can pray about the others, why can't we pray that God would give us this ministry and lead us to people? This Titus ministry. This is so simple. Now, before I close, I want to focus on those in the audience. God wants to refresh you. Those around you want to refresh you. And the Holy Spirit wants you to receive the Word. Whatever comes, He said, it'll pass. This too shall pass. And God's going to bring you through. But right now, He wants you to allow the Holy Spirit just enter your heart and give you the peace we heard about this afternoon. And those who know your battle, and those who know really what you've gone through, nothing could be more refreshing than a word from you, that I know that I can say, God brought me through. Will you stand? Holy Spirit, lead us now. You would not deliver this simple word unless you had a purpose in healing. Lord, I'm asking for a movement of the Spirit, of healing, of mental anguish, fear, depression, and physical pain. Lord, even cancer, or whatever it may be. Now, if you're here, we're going to make this very, very simple. If this message is meant for you, not to generalize and everybody could raise your hand, but I'm talking specific about those who came here. And you're going through the battle of your life. You have never been through this kind of battle. You have never been so tested as you're being tested right now. I don't see any purpose to this conference unless God comes and moves and touches every life. He wants to touch me again. He wants to touch you. If we allow the Holy Spirit, He will cause us to leave this place totally refreshed. If that's you, raise your hand and leave it raised for a moment. Please, raise your hand. All of you. Up in the balcony, just raise your hand. That's it. Keep it there. I want everybody around you just to lay hands, not on the head, please, just on the shoulder. Gentlemen, please, if you're a sister, you don't touch the sister. Please, just men go with men and sisters with sisters, if you will, please. And let us pray one for another. If God has brought you through a victory and you're so enjoying a blessing now, would you pray with us right now, and everybody in this building, that God would bring a spirit of refreshment and healing of spirit, mind, and body. Father, I'm asking now that everyone join us. Lord, come now and refresh your people. Refresh those who are here in Israel. Lord, the mental anguish and the fear, take away that fear tonight. Lift their spirits, O God. Open their eyes to see that angels have come. Angels are around the city. They've camped around about His people. Oh, Jesus, raise up a wall of fire. Break the chain of lies. Break the spirit of fear. Break the spirit of despair. Holy Spirit, we can't make it happen. Just come now. Let's just raise our hands, and as you worship the Lord, would you withstand every lie of the devil and make a declaration, God has everything under control. God has something for me. God is with me. Lord, you're with your church. You're with your people. You're with Israel. You're with your people, and we give you thanks. Now, let's just worship Him and give Him thanks.