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That Dreadful Day No One Wants to Talk About
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 preacher highlights the current state of the world, emphasizing the vast disparities and suffering that exist. He challenges the notion that God wants believers to be rich and live in luxury, instead urging them to focus on holy conduct and godliness. The preacher emphasizes the need for the church to wake up from its spiritual slumber and conform to the image of Christ. He draws inspiration from the book of Habakkuk, reminding believers that they must live by faith in order to survive and overcome the challenges of the world.
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. I want you to turn with me to 2 Peter, the third chapter, if you will, please. 2 Peter, that dreadful day no one wants to talk about. We're going to be starting at verse 9. Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness to your body. We thank you, Lord, that we're not going into the future blind. Lord, we're not going without a guide. We're not going without your spirit. And you're speaking to our hearts clearly in these days. Lord, there's a cry all over the land and around the world. There's something in the air. There's something stirring. And Lord, we pray that we would not miss the mind of God. I pray, Holy Spirit, you come and be acknowledged in this meeting, in this message. We glorify you. We come not to give just information. We come, Lord, to believe you, to use these messages to touch us and heal us and encourage us and make us aware. And that it would inspire us and it would lead us, Lord, into a deeper walk with you. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Verse 9, this is the third chapter of 2 Peter. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. He is longsuffering to us, word, not willing that any should perish, that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise. Elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting, I mean speeding, to the coming of the Lord our God. Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, this explains why we preach this word. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look or anticipate such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless. Noted television evangelist this past few months gave a shocking warning to the United States. Respected man, and you know him, and he's a friend of mine, and I trust that God speaks to him. And he's warning America that there's coming a catastrophe that's going to cost the lives of multitudes and change the way we live forever. Another noted evangelist, who's a friend of mine, a television evangelist, confirms the same thing. And recently he took, I think, a half-page ad in Washington, D.C., newspapers, making approximately the same warning. And in my mailing list, there are many praying pastors. They are unknown, but they're godly men and godly women who have been prophesying. And I know from the tone of their letters, and it's not just the first time. Many of them write to us numerous times. And it's been the same thing. Something is coming shortly. Something coming soon. And we had better be prepared. And they are warning. See, God takes those without an agenda. He'll take those that are not known. He'll take the poor and the weak of this world. And he'll speak, and he's doing that right now. Many of them write to say, Brother Dave, you have a voice and we don't. But would you please take this message we've heard to the Lord and pray about it and see if you can speak it to others in the wider audience. And we're hearing that all the time now. Repeatedly. And the newscasts that I listen to on radio. And this is well-known. Some of the well-known commentators, news commentators and a host of news programs are saying, in essence, we can't know it. But intuitively, something is telling the whole world that it's on the brink of a catastrophe. On the brink of a catastrophe. These are secular people. This intuitiveness of even the most wicked on the face of the earth, and especially in the United States, there's intuitive something brewing inside where they know something has happened and they dread to talk about it. There's a fear. That same fear is in Israel. They don't want to talk about any Holocaust that could come. They don't want to talk about it. There's a fear. Just leave it alone. Just let it happen. The world powers are now absolutely confused. The United Nations recently has been called mission impossible. Look at Darfur. 300,000 have been killed. Two million now that are straying from country to country. Two million refugees. And the world watches in horror and they can't stop it. You know, it's amazing that we have nothing now left in the world but words. There are no superpowers anymore. The United States is not the superpower. China has boasted now they're starting a Navy. They're starting an air force. And they say they're going to replace the United States as a superpower. And everything seems to be made in China now. Everything seems to be made. Everything is being manufactured. And they've just now put in place a missile program that can knock down our spy satellites. And they are moving now all over South America. Everywhere you travel now on our conferences in South America, you can go all the way to Uruguay. And you go up through Peru. You go up through Latin America. And the Chinese have moved in, buying loyalty, buying that, just investing in those countries and putting billions of dollars to become the world's superpower. You see these amazing things happening in the world today. Joel Rosenberg wrote a book I read this past week entitled Epicenter. He writes about the president of Iran, Ahmadinejad. The president of Iran claims to have visited the 12th Iman, the Messiah, the chief Mahdi that's coming, their Messiah. And he's had visitation from him and said, I have been placed in power by the 12th Iman. This is the Messiah they've been looking for. And I've been told that I was placed in power at this time to create chaos in the world because the great 12th Iman can't come until there's total chaos in the world. And he comes to bring peace in that chaos. And he has boasted to his inner circle, and this has been proven, he has boasted in his inner circle that there are only three years at the most before it all ends. Now, he is saying the same things Hitler said, and the world ignored him. And he already sent out, Hitler sent out signals all the time. And now the president of Iran is saying we're going to wipe Israel off the map. And they are already, most believe now that they're already nuclear capable. Amazing things that are happening now in our time before us. I read the report of a nuclear scientist, and he's involved in the security forces of the United States and homeland security. And this is what he said. He said if all they have to do is bring in through Mexico a 10-kiloton nuclear bomb to be brought in a small vehicle, and if they could explode that over in Washington, D.C., 300,000 would die. A simple bomb in New York City, a half a million people would die at the epicenter. This is a leading expert. And he said the resulting fireball would take out the theater district. That's where we're standing now. The New York Times building, Grand Central Station, and all the buildings a third mile around. And the fireball would be so strong that fires would break out in suburbs all over New York City, and up to a million people could die. Now, my warning is about a thousand fires in New York City, and it seemed to be as far-fetched now. When you listen to so-called experts, I thought I probably need to take that back. It seems so far-fetched. But here's a scientist saying it in a different way but warning that very thing can happen. Now, who's listening to all these prophetic warnings, all these warnings coming from secularists and from evangelists and from pastors all over the world and especially the United States? The nation's leaders are not going to hear it. It never does reach them. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and all the Old Testament prophets warned of the fall of Babylon. They prophesied about the destruction of the Chaldeans, the Medes, the Persians, Tyre. But those prophets' messages, with a few exceptions, never reached them. It's like King Jehudi, when Jeremiah sent him a prophecy of coming destruction, took his penknife and tore it up and threw it into fire. The haters of Jesus Christ are not going to accept any prophecy that comes from this or any other pulpit on the face of the earth. They mock preachers who give these dire warnings. They say all things continue as they were from the beginning of time. Nothing's going to stop this prosperity. Those who love the world and the things of the world are not going to listen. They're going to turn it off. They don't want anybody to disturb their good times. And I am shocked most of all by preachers and pulpits who despise those who warn of perilous times ahead. Here you have secular scientists and experts warning and pleading. Yesterday, Capitol, the White House, President Bush was not there at the time, but the White House, the Supreme Court, and all government agencies were under drill, preparing for an attack. Yesterday. The whole city was in a drill. Here in New York City, the police department, the fire department, they've all had their mock drills and they're all prepared, they say, because it's not a matter of if but when. Now, folks, I'm not trying to scare anybody, nor was Pastor Carter trying to frighten anybody this morning. But in this church before 9-11 came, the Holy Spirit manifested himself in ways of quiet warning, very softly of quiet times that just filled this auditorium, sometimes for 10, 15 minutes at a time and more. There were prophetic words that came forth. And once again, it's happening. When you go to many churches today, this is what you hear. You hear motivational pep talks. You hear it. I don't know where this is coming from, but it's a new thing. They say it's all over television now. Down in Texas, these big megachurches, all the United States. Every sermon now started with a joke. I have people calling and writing to me. So I can't go anymore because my pastor is just joking. You see, the handwriting is on the wall. You know and I know. Nobody can deny it anymore. Nobody's trying to deny it. We're heading for the falls. We're heading into the storm of all times. But you don't hear it now. What you hear is God wants you to be rich. He wants you to go first class. Come on, get in on the game. Do you know that there are 6,500,000,000 people on the earth today? 1,200,000 live on 23 cents a day. 2,000,000,000 people have no electricity. 80% of all people on earth now live in substandard housing. 1,000,000,000 people have no safe drinking water. Every 16 seconds, somebody dies of hunger. 57,000,000 people died in 2006. 10,500,000,000 of these were children less than 5 years old. 14,000,000 children orphaned in the last 10 years of HIV AIDS. 2,000,000 children have died as a direct result of conflict in the past 10 years. And then we have those that stand in the pulpit and say God wants you to be rich. And I heard a man tell me just today from Israel, editor of a magazine in Israel, Israel Today. And he said, I don't understand what I see on your television here. Jesus is all in gilded gold. While the world is starving, Christianity, Evangelical Christianity is depicted as gilded in gold. What does that say in Darfur? What does that say in Africa? What does that say in front of 10,000,000 babies that have been orphaned? What does it say to the billions of people living on 23 cents a day or less? God wants you to be rich. God is speaking, but who's listening? I'm going to tell you, folks, God always has a faithful people who hear. But only those in love with Jesus are going to get it and understand it. God warns of sudden disasters so that we are not swept away by panic as the rest of the world will be. And we will know that this is not just a random act of terrorism when it comes. But God knew God allowed God spoke to his body. God spoke to his people. Apostle Peter tells us that the day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night. Suddenly, he's not speaking right there necessarily only of the coming of the Lord. He said there's coming a time when the elements are going to melt with a fervent heat. One respected theology, a theologian said that sounds like a nuclear holocaust to me. But who is Peter addressing here in the text I've just given you? He's speaking in the first verse to the beloved. Beloved, now I write unto you to stir up your minds by way of a reminder. He said, I'm about to give you a prophecy about a dreaded day coming that nobody's going to want to hear. They're going to say the world continues. It wasn't the foundation of the earth. They're not going to hear. But he said, I'm giving you a message. Nobody else wants to hear. In essence, that's what he's saying. And he said, but I want this to be on your mind to be a reminder. And he said, I'm giving it to you for a purpose. Beloved, I write on you to stir up your minds by way of reminder. This is a prophecy that nobody wants to hear. The scoffers will come, he said, scoffing at prophecies of the Old Testament and the New. This is what he is about to tell them. This present world, this present heavens and earth by the same word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment, destruction of all of ungodly men. You see, it's the same word that judged the flood, judged Noah's day. And there was a word that came to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. And Peter says, by that same word, by that same God who speaks but a word and is there, it comes and it comes suddenly by the same word. He's given us he's given us something to really think about. There is a reserved fire. There is a raging fire in reserve. God's hand holds it back. A reserve in reserve, a great dissolving fire for this present day. Now, in my text, in the text, Peter is referring to the last great judgment when God is going to consume everything and bring forth a new heaven, a new earth. But this Bible is also full of accounts in the New Testament and through the prophets. But ever increasing calamities before that great fire comes. Now, I was reading recently of a speaking of God holding back the reserve of fire. The judgment is coming. It's not going to be by water. God said he would never destroy the world again. It's not going to be by flood, but by fire. That is being held back now. That all-consuming fire of Almighty God is being held back by the hand of God. Because God is not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. It's the patience of God that has held back our judgment. If we got what we truly deserved here in the United States, Israel is just as bad. Other nations, Europe is dead in trespasses and sin. Europe has become an agnostic force all over Europe. Apostatism, absolute, incredible spiritual chaos. But you see, there's much in the Bible that talks about that restraining hand of God. I was reading a story of a Air Force official in Saddam's Air Force. He happened to be a Christian. But because he was able to tell people the truth, they not only admired him, but they advanced him. And he was one of Saddam's advisors. And he wrote a book about this. And he's still there. He survived it. And Saddam signed a – he already signed off on an attack on Israel. Ninety-eight planes, all loaded with chemical warfare bombs. They were going to bomb Haifa and Tel Aviv. They weren't going to do Jerusalem, evidently, because of the Rock of the Dome and the mosque. Saddam told Hussein, you're never going to get any planes through. He said, out of 98, we'll send two ways, one over Syria and one over Jordan. And Saddam signed off on it, even against Seder's warning. And as a Christian, he grieved over it. And, folks, that was the very week that American bombers went and bombed all of Saddam's Air Force. All 98 planes gone. I've often wondered why the president ever went into Iraq. Folks, I pray that that war end. It's gone on long enough, and we should pray for those in authority. But all along, I've wondered that the only thing I could see was that God was trying to save Israel. It could have been done probably by just doing some of these things, but they're unaware. But you see, God, those firebombs that could have fallen and all of that germ warfare, God and his grace held it back. And if you really know the history of the past 50 to 100 years, you'd be surprised how many times the world was on the verge of absolute chaos, and God held it back. And he held it back because he's just waiting for those still to reach because of his utter, utter patience. Folks, aren't you amazed at the patience of Almighty God? Aren't you glad that neither you or me or any of us are on the throne? Because we would have done, we would have released those fires long ago. But they're being held in reserve until his time. Jesus warns men's hearts will fail them for fear of those things that are coming on the earth. It would be a time of great distress. Israel now is being abandoned. This breaks the heart of any true Christian. And it should. In evangelical Christianity now, there are more and more even evangelicals turning against Israel. It looks like only the United States and one or two other countries still have a heart for Israel. And they're standing very lonely, surrounded by those who are swearing to wipe them off the map. Living in Israel now is really a difficult time. And now they're talking about one option left. If Iran gets, and it's proven that they have the nuclear capabilities, this man, this madman will use it just as sure as Hitler invaded all of Europe and tried to invade Europe, England. And there's an option they call the Samson option. Samson said, let me die with the Philistines. He knew he was going to die, but he said, let me take it down. And now in Israel, there's talk about a Samson option. That that option is when Israel sees that Iran is nuclearized and then all of those. And they know through their intelligence that I know God has his plan. But to think that this is even mentally conceived. We're going down, but we're going to take Tehran. We're going to take Iran. We're going to take down Damascus. We're going to take it. And if Moscow is involved, they'll feel our wrath in Moscow. If we're going down, they go with us. A Samson option. Folks, these are things people have the idea. The coming of the Lord, these things. Oh, that's 100 years, 200 years ago out in the distance. But folks, this is a different age. Our forefathers, there were no Hitler didn't have atomic bombs. He didn't have nuclear weapons that could wipe cities and nations off the map. This is another day. I'm not going to leave you in this dark room. Something rises up in us and says, this is too much to hear. There's such bad news today and so much stress. So many tragedies. And we cringe. I cringe. They say, well, why remind us? Why don't you just let it happen? Peter gives us a reason. This message has to be heard. Seeing then that all these things will be dissolved. In other words, you are getting the understanding. This has to be preached. You're giving you an understanding and knowledge. What kind of persons ought you to be now in all holy conducting godliness? He said, the spirit will warn us. He will talk to us so that he can wake up a sleeping church, that he can wake up the sleeping virgins. That he can get his church away from lukewarmness. Go hot, go cold. But he said, I'm going to take out all middle ground. I'm taking out every excuse because this is the time for conforming. You're going to conform to Christ, Peter says. And Paul says the same thing. He said, seeing these things are going to happen, being reminded of it. He said, put this in your mind. And that's not the message. The message is about being conformed to the image of Christ. The message here, he said, seeing all these things, what kind of persons? You should measure your heart. And what kind of person are you becoming in light of these things? If you take it lightly. Now, we're not to panic. In fact, he said, we ought to enter these times with peace of heart. The very peace of Christ that passes all understanding. But what kind of persons ought you to be? Be diligent that you'll be found in him in peace without spot and blameless. Paul and Peter ministered in times just like these. Even Christ walked about the streets of Jerusalem warning of a Holocaust. He said, the temple is coming down. Not one stone will be upon another. He wept over the city and he grieved over it. And he said, your day of visitation came. He warned and warned of what is coming. And it would be only 70 years later when Cyrus comes in. And over a million people die in Jerusalem. And the whole city is brought to ruin. So what kind of message do you preach in times like these? Now, in Paul's time, there was a lot of Jesus bashing more probably than we see today. There was a doctrine of devil sweeping through the church. False prophets in Pentecostal churches. Ungodly preachers came pretending to be angels of light. There was rampant homosexuality and sensuality all through the Roman Empire. There was pride, focus on self, flesh worship. Paul said of the times, these are those who suppress God's word. They fornicate. They're given over to reprobate minds, envious, greedy, full of strife and covetousness, gossipers, insolent, arrogant, inventors of evil things, unloving, unmerciful. The temple had become a den of thieves. It sounds like he's talking about our times, these present times. And all through that, Jesus is walking the streets warning, judgment is at the door. What's the message of the apostles on the brink of this dreadful day when Jerusalem will be brought to ruin? Peter said, knowing these things beforehand, knowing these things beforehand, be on your guard lest you get carried away by the air of the wicked and you fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul stood up in these times, knowing, seeing what was coming, and he cries out, and this is the message, walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. You see, it's not going to be long until Jerusalem is in ruins. But see, they've given the warning and now they pass on. My prayer for you is that you pursue intimacy, that you grow in spiritual understanding, and that you walk worthy of the Lord. What does it mean? And folks, that is the heart of what I'm preaching, and what was preached this morning by Pastor Carter. In these times, we're called to walk worthy of the Lord. Habakkuk, the third chapter of Habakkuk, he has shown dreadful times that were coming to Israel. He was so shocked, he was on the tower looking out. And he was so shocked, and he says, Oh God, what can you say to the church? What do you say to my heart in this time of reproof and judgment? And remember what God said? The just shall live by faith. That was the message. Folks, we're coming to a time where we're going to survive by faith. We're going to be able to defeat the devil only by faith. And that's not faith, choose and pick faith, for one crisis and another, but in all things, in looking at the future, in looking at what is coming. I don't care how dreadful it sounds. I don't care how gloomy it may sound. The word is, these things should not move you. They should motivate you into this walk. All the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. God help us if we ever lose that kind of godly fear. We believe what God says in his word. And he said, you're going to live by faith. It's not going to be any middle ground. And I plead with those of you that are here. I plead with you. I've been feeling this all week. If you have a grudge against somebody, if you can't look your brother or sister, if you can't look somebody in the eye, and knowing that there's nothing there, there's nothing of gossip, there's nothing of ill will. You see, we are to be conformed now. This is the time. You can be going the wrong way at judgment. Which way are you headed? That's the question. Are you willing now to look at this in light of the world and situation and all that's coming? It could happen tonight. And I honestly believe, and this has been deep, deep in my soul, that something could happen very soon that tests the faith of every Christian, even the elect will try your faith. Something could happen. And I feel it in my spiritual bones that could shake all of our prophetic theologies. It could shake. Jesus said, when I come will I find faith. That's more than just coming at salvation and coming at various times. He's really saying, when I return, am I going to find faith? What he's talking about is this faith in all things. Faith for everything. Having not even one area in your life that you would disbelieve. Because you see, you can't conform to the image of Christ except by faith. You can't do it by saying, I want to live that kind of life. Here's the standard. Put on, therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another. Folks, these things fly against everything that's being taught in our country and the world today. Forgiving one another. Whoever has a complaint against, you have a complaint against somebody, if you stood against leadership, just as the Lord forgave you, so should you also forgive. In light of what's coming, Paul said, are you becoming more like Christ? Are you patient now or more quick tempered? Are you tender or are you going hard? I'm going to wrap this up. Paul, I believe, is saying, and Brother Peter also, he's saying, these things have brought your attention. Put it in a reminder. Just remind me. Remind yourself every day when you get up, I'm not living for this world. These things are all going to pass away. Everything's going to be dissolved. And one of these days, very soon, you and I are not going to be worrying about it anymore. We're going to be walking the streets of the New Jerusalem. Now, you see, to the unbeliever, this looks like a very bad deal. A sinner sitting here today would say, no, wait a minute. Many afflictions for the righteous, you say. Dying to self every day. Enduring a lifetime of difficulties and trials. Turning the cheek to those who hurt you. Giving to other people when you're in need yourself. And then you suffer like sinners do. You too get cancer. You get diabetes, heart attacks, accidents, blindness and trials. On top of that, your preachers warn you that there's judgment coming. Folks, they don't know the rest of the story. They don't know the loving kindness of our Christ. They have never experienced the assurance and the blessedness of the Holy Spirit as He comes to minister in these times of affliction and times of testing and trial. And God is purifying His church. Folks, He's going to blow His wind through the church. He's going to blow all of this filth out. This will not be standing when the fires come. Or if they are, the fires will consume them and they'll go up in smoke overnight. I'm closing with this thought in the book called The Clash of Civilizations. The writer says that Christianity is going to be overtaken by Muslims. The day of Christianity is finished. CNN just recently said Muslim, Islamic religion is now the world's fastest growing religion. And in The Clash of the Civilizations, he totaled everything up and in the end he said, Mohammed wins. Well, folks, I've got news. Listen, there is no game. The battle's over. It's already been won at Calvary. It was won at the resurrection. There's no competition, period. It's finished. It's all done. Jesus won. And then He rose from the dead. We don't say Jesus is going to win. We say He already won. Will you stand? Oh, my beloved. He said the day of the Lord is hastening toward us. There should be a joy. If you're secure in Christ, you ought to be able to raise your hands. Yes, thank God that Christ has won the victory for you in your heart and in your family. We are not defeated. We don't go down in defeat and despair. Lord, thank you for the resurrection. No other man. Lord, one day soon, every false prophet is going to come and kneel before our Christ. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall confess. Every knee of every prophet of all false religion shall bow at the name and the mention of your name shall bow before your throne on that day. Oh, blessed be the name of our God eternal. Blessed be the Christ of Calvary. Lord, we know in whom we have believed and we will not be shaken in these last days. This is what I feel the Lord say to me in just the closing moments of the service. I don't know where your faith is, how you would evaluate your faith. But some of you have been shaken in your faith. You've been tested by certain things that are in your life right now and issues has tested your faith. God wants to do something for you today. There's a wonderful wooing of the Holy Spirit here today. This morning and this afternoon, the Holy Spirit's wooing. God never tries to whip us into the kingdom or scare us into the kingdom. He does it by his grace and love. But he's a father who cares and he cares about you because you see, if you don't prepare now and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. In your faith. And there has to be an investment that is to answer the call or the admonition of the scripture to call on the Holy Spirit, call on him and believe him to furnish you with what is needed. You can't do it in your own strength and power, but you're going to need faith. You're going to need his faith. And if you're staggered in your faith, that's what the Bible calls your staggered. The enemies come at you and hit you and you're just staggering, you're reeling from that attack. You can step out of your seat and come here and ask. We'll pray with you that the Lord will. Begin to fan your faith. Holy Spirit, breathe on your faith with the fire. Hallelujah. If you don't know Christ or if you slipped away from his love. And you're walking according to your own mind rather than walking in the spirit. Invite you up and stairs and the annex. I think there'd be room for you to go to the lobby on your floor and the ushers will direct you here in the auditorium. You come here. If you have slipped away from the Lord, you've been cold or you don't know the Lord. He's not. You can't say honestly. He's your Lord and Savior. We don't want to miss an opportunity for you to come. Slip out of the seat. And if you're here now and you said, Pastor Dave, you're talking to me now. This is about a faith issue. I had, I believe, was a an unwavering or strengthened faith that I've been shattered. I'm asking God to renew my love for him. And as we renew that love for him, the Holy Spirit has wonderful ways encouraging us and bringing forth faith into our spirit. Lord, let that happen now. Surely, Lord, you love this body. Surely you love this people. You love everyone. Some some walked in here today for the first time. They heard about the church or they walked in off the street here. And here they are. Now we've come to this climatic point in the service. And you're speaking by your great. You're speaking Holy Spirit to the heart, saying, I brought you here for this time. I want you to give everything to me. Jesus says, I want you to give me your heart and your confidence. I want you to believe that I'm going to see you through. He's here. The Holy Spirit has been here in such a tender, loving way today. Just whispering to our hearts and wooing us to himself and to our Christ. Would you just lift up your hands right now? Lord Jesus, we lift up our hands right now to say we thank you for grace. We thank you for forgiveness. We thank you for the strength of the Holy Spirit that is available to us. Come, Holy Spirit. We ask. We sang it. Now, Lord, we ask it. We cried out. Would you say it right now? Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me. Come, Holy Spirit. Strengthen me. Come, Holy Spirit. I invite you to take control of my life. To lead me. And to guide me. Oh, Jesus, cleanse my heart. And put faith in my heart. To trust you through everything in my life. Everything that I go through. Lead me. Forgive my unbelief. My sins. And I will trust in you, Jesus. Because you are Lord. And you are God. Now, just thank him in your own words. Give him thanks. Thank you, Jesus. Lord, we give you thanks. We give you praise. This is the conclusion of the message.
That Dreadful Day No One Wants to Talk About
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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.