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Don't Lose Your Song
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 emphasizes the importance of not losing one's song, referring to the joy and praise that comes from having a strong faith in God. The speaker reads from Revelation 14:1-5, highlighting the lyrics of the song that believers should hold onto. The song declares that God will come to the rescue, proving all enemies to be liars and providing strength and victory in battles and crises. The speaker warns against murmuring, complaining, and becoming bitter or angry at God, as this can lead to a loss of song and testimony. The sermon encourages believers to trust in God's everlasting arms and to learn the lesson of relying on His supernatural grace in every test and trial.
Sermon Transcription
This message is one of the Times Square Church pulpit series. It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in Manhattan, New York City. Other tapes are available by writing World Challenge, PO Box 260, Lindale, Texas 75771 or calling 903-963-8626. You are welcome to make additional cassettes of this message for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission, existing copyright laws apply. My message this morning, don't lose your song. Don't lose your song. I want you to go to Revelation, the 14th chapter. 14th chapter of Revelation, starting at verse 1 to verse 5. I'll wait for just a moment until those in the annex and all those here in the auditorium get to Revelation 14. I hear the rustling of the leaves. Let's get quickly to it, alright? And I looked and lo, a lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his father's name written in their foreheads. I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of a great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. They sung, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders. No man could learn that song, that the hundred and forty and four thousand were redeemed from the earth. These are they, which are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they, which follow the Lamb with us, whoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. In their mouth was found no guile. They are without fault before the throne of God. Heavenly Father, I thank you for the song that you have put in my heart. And I thank you for the song that you put in the heart of your beloved ones. And we thank you, Lord, for the quickening of the Holy Spirit. And I ask, Lord, that you allow me to have this moment with this people, to encourage and lift up spirits that are cast down, those who, Lord, are going through trials. Lord, we see that in times of testing and trial, the utter faithfulness of our God. Every promise is true. Every promise is true. And we honor you this day, and we lift our hearts in praise and adoration, saying, God is faithful, God is good. And we give you praise and honor. Lord, honor your word today. Lord, you've sent people here today who need to hear what I have to say, what you have put in my heart. Lord, this is a divine appointment. And we give you glory, in Jesus' name. Amen. Here in the 14th chapter of Revelation, we're introduced to a great host of redeemed that are standing before the Lamb of God, 144,000. Now, the Jehovah Witnesses claim that they are, or were, the 144,000. That is, until they reached 200,000 members, and they had to do away with this theology in great measure. The 144,000 is the figure of speech. In fact, it's a Hebrew formula of multiples of 12. It's the way Hebrews multiply. It simply means innumerable numbers. Innumerable numbers stood before the throne of God. Mount Zion here is the new Jerusalem in the eternal city of God. This great multitude gathered before the Lamb of virgins. Those who are justified by faith. We are the virgins. If you're under the blood of Jesus Christ, you're a virgin. You're one of His. And I see this clearly as the saints of God before the throne. What a sight, that great redeemed multitude that had been given harps. Now, folks, I've heard a hundred banjos played at one time. And what a sound that was. It's just spine-tingling. But can you imagine, I don't know how it happens, but we're going to be given harps and stringed instruments. Now, evidently, we're going to be given talent to play them. Pastor Carter knows how to play. I have no idea how to play a stringed instrument. And Pastor Neil has no idea how to sing. Believe me, I sit next to him here. But don't worry, folks, I still have the anointing. You listen to the theologies prevalent today. Some believe this gathering in Revelation 14 represents the firstfruits of the redeemed. Others that they're the raptured believers. And others teach that there's a special kind of overcomer. They're the firstfruits of the first resurrection. But the Scripture says this multitude of redeemed. And I see them strictly as those who are the beloved of the Lord, are virgins. They are without fault before the throne of God. It could be nothing more than the redeemed by the blood of Christ. And they're standing before the throne. They're surrounding the throne on a sea of glass. Now, this is glass as crystal. In other words, they're literally standing out there. It represents the purity. It talked about fire, the purity that came out of fire. These are those that are standing now, not on their own righteousness, not only their own goodness, but they're standing now on the absolute crystal clear holiness of Jesus Christ, our Savior. And it's going to be eternal testimony. There we stand with nothing of our own. We stand only on His righteousness, which is by faith. And equipped with harps. Now, folks, do I believe in a literal praise meeting in glory, with literal bodies, with hands, eyes, and feet, and hair, whatever it may be? I don't know if it's hair, but we're going to have bodies, the Scripture says. And I believe these are actual instruments. And I believe it's going to be one of the most incredible moments. I'm going to be there, and I'm going to be surrounded. Pastor Carter's going to be somewhere in the crowd. All the saints of God. Our choir's going to be there singing with instruments. And this is going to be a praise meeting around the throne of God. We're going to see Him as He is. I tell you, if Peter, James, and John can recognize somehow, maybe spiritually, intuitively, that they recognize Moses, and who is the other with him? Elijah. Moses and Elijah. Surely we're going to recognize. We shall know as we've been known, the Scripture says. We'll know each other. Not just by features, but spiritual intuitiveness. We have an eternity to get the round, make the rounds. Peter, James, and John, and everybody here. Times Square Church. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. What a day that will be. Hallelujah. The Bible says that there's going to be a song that we sing. Now, keep in mind that it's clearly stated, this song before the throne is something that is learned on earth. Chapter 14, verse 3. And they sang, as it were, a new song before the throne and before the beast. And no man could learn that song. But the 144,000. No man could learn it in heaven. The angels can't sing it. This is a song that only we can sing. Only we who are redeemed. And it's called the song of Moses and the Lamb as a testimony. And I'll give you the Scriptures on that in just a few moments. The first part of this song, there are two parts to this song. One is, part of it is that which we sing naturally and exuberantly after prayer has been answered. We see miracles happen. God leads us and guides us. A number of years ago, I preached a message called the right song on the wrong side. That's the song that Israel sang on the deliverance side. Now, that came extemporaneously. It just came exuberantly because they had seen the victory and their enemies are defeated. And it's just something that rises in the heart. A great song of praise. And they danced before the Lord. It was the right song, but it was on the wrong side. And that's not my message today, but I bring that to your attention. Go to Exodus 15 and I'll show you that song that is natural to us. Exodus 15th chapter. Because this is not the song we're going to sing before the throne. Exodus 15th chapter, verses 1 through 6. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. Now, see there, they've just come through. Folks, get this in mind, please. Just the day before, many hours before, they'd been murmuring, they'd been complaining, there was no song. And now that they've seen all of the Egyptians swept away by the waters, they see their enemies destroyed and now they sing. Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto the Lord. That's the song of the Lamb. And Spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse, the rider, he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song. He's become my salvation. He's my God and I will prepare him a habitation. My Father's God and I will exalt him. The Lord's a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host is cast into the sea. His chosen captives also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them. They sank to the bottom of the sea. Thy right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed the enemy to pieces. In thy greatness thou hast overthrown them that rose up against us. Well, just see how exuberant. That's the right song. But certainly it's the wrong time and the wrong side. It's the song they should have been singing by faith on the other side in the time of testing, in the time of trial. This is not the song of the Lamb. This is a song of nature. This is a song of just gratitude after the fact. And anybody can sing that. We sing it all the time. We come to church. God answers prayer. God met your financial need. That's not a testimony. That's not a testimony. Thank God the Lord will accept your gladness of heart. And he said we're to be grateful. We'll be thankful for every deliverance. But the Scripture says they saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. But this is what they were singing on the other side. Here's what was happening when it looked hopeless, when prayers didn't seem to be answered. They were saying because there were no graves in Egypt, you've taken us away to die in this wilderness. Why have you dealt so with us? Bring us forth out of Egypt. It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in this wilderness. The next day they're singing victory. The next day they're saying what a mighty God we serve. The next day they're dancing. But three days later they lost their song. Three days later they're back again. They went three days the Scripture said to the waters of Marah and the people again murmured against Moses. Three days. Some of us don't last three days. God answers a prayer. God does something miraculous. God leads supernaturally. And we come to church and we can dance and we can clap our hands and we can be the loudest in the house. And we can testify to everybody what a mighty God I serve. God has been faithful. God has been good to me. And then the trial hits again. Something more severe. Perhaps another crisis. You get a telephone call. Something goes wrong. And back to murmuring and back to complaining. So many sing this victory song that only if there's no difficulty in their life. That's not the song that we're going to sing before the throne of God. A lot of people don't know how to sing in the rain. They like to sing in the sunshine but they don't know how to sing in the rain. When things get tight, death, sorrow, trouble, pain, financial difficulties, family problems, marriage problems, whatever it may be. And I couldn't describe the kinds of problems that are gathered here together in the annex and overflow rooms and here to the thousands hearing me this morning. Those that will hear this message on tape perhaps. What kind of song do you have? What kind of testimony do you have of the faithfulness and the goodness of God? You see, when the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, the Scripture says they hung up their harps and they lost their soul. And by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and we wept when we remembered Zion. We remembered how good it was when the sun was shining. We remembered when there were no problems and everything was wonderful. We wept when we remembered all of that. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For they that carried us away captive required of us a song. They that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing to us one of the songs of Zion. We answered, How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? You see, I believe that these Babylonian soldiers that were herding these people into captivity had heard about their song. They'd heard of the dancing and they'd heard of... If you go to Israel today, you see, especially the Orthodox and the Christians, they're still in circles and dancing and stringed instruments. And these are hard-bitten soldiers who have worshipped false gods that left them empty and dry. And everywhere they turned, there was nothing but pain and no hope, nothing to give them strength. I believe it was a plea, it was not a command, it was, Please, please, sing us some of your songs. That you sang in Jerusalem before all these things happened to you. That song we've heard about. And I believe it was a plea. Please, tell us that there's a God somewhere that hears you and answers you in trouble. You're in trouble. Please, sing us a song. Let us hear a dance. Let us hear something from you. No matter how you feel. No matter what you're going through. Is yours just a good time, God? Are you just like the rest of us, heathen? Would you give us a song? Take down your hearts for a moment and sing. Show your heavy heart. You talk about a God that you serve who is mighty. You talk about His glorious deliverance. How He delivered you from the Red Sea. You talk about all these great deliverances. Well, where's your song? They wanted to hear. They wanted to know. Just like everybody on your job and everybody in this city. They want to hear somebody. They want to hear a Christian somewhere that they know is in trouble and going through hard times. That can still sing a song. And not really. Here they are weeping and crying. You say, well, is God that hard that He demands a song when you're hurting and you're weeping and you're crying? No, it's no sin to weep. We've got a patient, loving God. I've cried a river of tears. But you see, that song, it's not a song you sing verbally often. But there's evidence that song is sung inside the heart of the faithfulness of God. Lord, you know what you're doing. You know where you're going. My part is just to lay back in the arms of Jesus and rest. And let His song rise. And let my countenance show it. Weep in quiet. Weep in private. Get all your crying out because that's part of nature. For healing process. That's fine. But when you stand before the world, take out your heart. You stand before the world saying, I have a song in my heart. And I want you to know the gospel I preach is real. So you're going through a hard time. You've been buffeted and pushed around and unappreciated, taken for granted perhaps. Maybe you sit here this morning numbed by some anguish. But how the world is longing for a song. I saw it in the hospital this past week when Debbie went around with a quiet little smile on her face. Embracing mothers. Weeping with them. Talking about the hope we have in Christ. The doctors amazed. One doctor said, I've never seen anything like this in this hospital. Because there was a song in the room. There was a peace of God that passes all understanding. Now consider the other part of the song. The part that has to be learned. This is the part that John the Revelator song, the redeemed singing. The Bible says they sang the song of Moses and the Lamb before the throne as a testimony. The song has to be learned, not by angels. They've never been tested. They've not been tried. Deuteronomy 31, 14, the Lord said to Moses, today's approach that you must die. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, the pillar of a cloud, and stood over the door of the tabernacle. Does God give his holy servants intimations of impending death? Absolutely. Moses, it's time to go. Moses, I'm taking you home. You'll find that all through the scripture. You'll find prophets. You'll find those who walk with God, have that intimation. The apostles had it. I know what this experience is about. God spoke, though, just before he gave him this word. I want you to go to Deuteronomy 31. And what a tragic word in the flesh, looking at it from the flesh, from the human side. It's almost crushing. It's mind-boggling what God told this man just prior to telling him he was going to go home. Deuteronomy 31, start verse 16. 31, verse 16. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. In other words, I'm taking you home. And this people will rise up. Now, how would you like to be a pastor to these millions of people? For 38 years, he's buried over a million. I don't know how many a day that would be. But it's mind-boggling. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. And this people will rise up and go whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whether they go to be among them, will forsake me, break my covenant which I have made with them. My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them. They shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they have wrought, and that they have turned unto other gods. Now, therefore, write ye this song for you, and teach it to the children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swear unto their fathers, with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves with wax fat, then will they turn unto other gods and serve them and provoke me and break my covenants. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles shall befall them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouth of their seed. Look at that, it shall not be forgotten out of the mouth of their seed. We are the seed. It shall never be forgotten. He said there has to be someone with this testimony. There has to be a body, there has to be a people that maintain and know this song and practice it. Now, he wrote out the words and he gave the music. He gave out the music, so now we don't know the tune, but we do know the words of this song. Many evils and troubles are befalling them. This song shall testify against them. It shall never be forgotten. And listen to Moses himself speaking in verses 27 and 29. I know you're rebellion in your stiff neck. When I'm yet alive with you this day, you've been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death? I know that after my death you utterly corrupt yourselves. You're going to turn aside. Evil shall betake you in the latter days because you do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. Yet, here it stands, the word of Moses. And this was the song of Moses and the Lord of the Lamb. He said this song shall be a witness. This song shall be a testimony. And folks, you can talk about testifying for Jesus. You can talk about going out and passing out tracts and witnessing. But let me tell you where the real testimony is. It is right here, the very thing that I'm talking about now. When you in your deepest trial and in your crisis, when everything looks black and there's nothing but rain and thunder, you're going through the time and crisis of your life the testimony is that you maintain, you have learned and practiced the song. And you have learned it in small incidences at first. And every time that your trial, it could have been finances, and you trusted God in your finances and you learned of the faithfulness of God. You go to the next step, another trial, and you didn't murmur and you didn't complain. And you're learning, learning this song. The Bible says on that day, only those who have learned the song. And how can it be learned except through trial? They've learned this song of the faithfulness of Almighty God. The utter faithfulness of God in times of trial and testing. This song shall be a testimony as a witness. Oh, folks, be careful how you react in your time. The sorrow, anguish, crisis. Be very, very careful how you speak. Now, there may be a natural utterance that just comes out, Oh, God, I don't understand. You don't understand. Go now to that which you've learned. Go back and lean on all the miracles God has performed in the past and all the deliverance. He said, remember, remember and maintain that song. God is faithful. God knows what He's doing. God has everything under control. My part is to trust that, to trust His Word. We're going to be judged by our words. In the night, His song shall be with me. Psalm 42, 8. In Psalm 71, David said, Thou which hast shown me great and sore troubles. Now, think of that, great and sore, awful troubles. Shall quicken me again and bring me up from the depths. Oh, my God, unto Thee will I sing with a harp. Lord, You're going to bring me out of this. I have a season. Yes, He'll allow you a time. I've met people on the street from this church, grocery stores, restaurants. There's a sister here this morning who came with a cane. She was in an accident. She didn't know a day without pain. Incredible pain. She has to take pain medication or she couldn't survive. The pain medication just destroys her. There's just terrible side effects. But right in the middle of the grocery store, she had a smile on her face and she said, Brother Dave, I trust the Lord. God's good. That's the testimony. That's the song of Moses and of the Lamb. She was maintained in her hard times. Which has shown me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again and bring me up from the depths. Oh, my God, unto Thee will I sing with a harp. Hallelujah. See, Moses is now on his way to Mount Nebo. He has to go through the plain of Moab. It's quite a trip. Now, folks, he could have gone on this last trip. He knows he's going to meet the Lord. And yet, there's something in him. He so wanted to see the Promised Land. He wanted to set his foot on the Promised Land. And all of this weighed on him. After all these years of meekly teaching these people, of fasting and praying 40 days at a time, and coming down onto the mountain, they've seen glory on my face. And all the things that God had done, the miracles of deliverance. And yet, he knows that not one of those he brought out of Egypt, not one of those men, not one of their wives will enter the Promised Land, except Joshua and Caleb. And only their children are going to go in. And he knows God's told him that even the children are going to wax fat and prosperous and forget God. I would think, Lord, I've been a total failure. I have nothing to show for my ministry all these years. I have nothing to show. But you see, this man is not going to go out disillusioned. He's not going to go out downcast because he's got us all. He has known the faithfulness of God and he learned it. He learned it in the wilderness for 40 years and then leading Israel for 40 more years. He had learned to trust God in his faithfulness. This song that he's singing now is not some nonchalant little ditty, a meaningless ditty. No, it's more than that. This man knows that he's been faithful to God and he's going to stand before God and answer for one thing. I've been faithful to trust you, God, through it all. I trusted you when everything looked impossible. I trusted you when everything that I hear, everything that I see is contrary to bringing me comfort. I've trusted you, O God. He goes to Mount Nebo and he's learned a song, Deuteronomy 33. There are a couple of verses I want you to see. Chapter 33 of Deuteronomy, verses 26 to 29. Beginning in verse 26, There is none like unto the God of Jeshua. Let's look at it for just a minute. Do you understand what this man in the flesh seemingly would go through with this knowledge? That even to the latter days, as far as you can see in history, there would be failure among God's people because they had no song. Because they would murmur and complain. All the way, as far as you can see into eternity, there will be a mass of people, supposedly God's people, called by His name. And these people are going to have no song. They're going to lose their song. They'll sing this natural song. They'll sing it when their little victories happen. But there will not be the testimony. And yet this man maintains his testimony right up to the last hour. And this is the testimony. There's none like unto the God of Jeshua, who rides upon the heaven in thy help, in His excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. This man says, I don't understand this, but I've got everlasting arms under me. There is no God like the God I serve. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He shall thrust up the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone. The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land that corn and wine also as heaven shall drop down due. Happier thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord. The shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellence. Thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee. Thou shalt tread upon their high places. Now that is the song of Moses and the Lamb. Listen to it. How glorious it is. God rides upon the heavens to your rescue, is what he's saying. God is still in heaven. He's riding to your rescue. Mounted on a great white horse, further in Revelation. Already mounted. On his way to rescue you from the power of the enemy. And he comes with everything that he's promised. Strength and hope. Peace. And underneath me are the eternal arms of the everlasting God. Underneath. I may not see them, but they come. Folks, I have seen and felt and experienced the incredible supernatural grace of God. I see it all through my family. He only gives it to you when you need it. You don't have to say, will I be able to face death and look it in the face? If anyone in my family, although so many have fear, you don't need it now. You don't have to ask, but you need to be practicing right now in every test that you're going through now. Learn the lesson. Learn the song. And when you have that song, no matter what happens, no matter what comes to you or anyone around you, you'll have the song. And you'll sing it right through until you get to the throne. And there you'll sing it in its glory and all of its fullness. Glory be to God. He will deal with your enemies, he said. He'll chase away every demonic harasser. Your enemies will be exposed as liars. All of those lies the devil's been telling you. All the lies. You're going to fall. You're going to fail. You're not going to make it. Those are lies. God said he's going to expose all of that. You maintain your song as a testimony. The part of the song can't be learned in heaven. You've got to have it now. You have to sing it now. No man could learn that song but those which were redeemed from the earth. Can I give you those five verses? Just five simple verses of the song. He rides to my rescue. His arms, everlasting arms are under me. He will prove all my enemies to be liars. He will be my strength and my life in all my battles and crises. That's the song. And you have to believe that and rest upon it. I'm going to close with this thought. It may sound negative but it has to be said. Do you think for one moment that you can be here on earth as one of his children, murmur and complain, get bitter and angry at God. Oh, how many bitter, angry people I've seen. Angry at God. New York Times has been running a series on how people react to tragedy. Every one of them has been angry at God, shaking a fist at God. How can you conceive, how can we conceive in our mind that we could live here on earth without confidence in Him, without resting in Him, without learning His faithfulness and without asking the Holy Ghost for the power, the strength to sing the song in the hard times. Do you think for a moment that you're going to have it when you get there? You haven't learned it. He said the only ones that can sing it are those who learned it on earth. What are you going to sing when you get before God? Are you going to sing about His faithfulness? Are you going to be there as a testimony, as a witness to others? What will you sing? That's how important I feel it is. I woke up a day or so ago in the morning and I just bellowed out of my heart, God, when does this nightmare end? God and His love said be very careful now how you respond. Be careful what you say. I love you and I know you're hurt and I know you're pained, but I'm God. Years ago I told you that when Bonnie was in a room for herself, cancer, cobalt treatments, I went out on a country road and for two hours I screamed at God. I went mad at Him. I said I want some answers. First Gwen, then Debbie, then Bonnie. I was just asking God if He was mad at me. For two hours after all the tears of God and everything, I told you this, I repeated, door closed. When I was all cried out, God in His love spoke so clear. Way out on the country road almost in Mexico, El Paso. Holy Spirit said David, Bonnie has two fathers, you and me. Which one loves us the most? I said you do. David, Bonnie has two fathers, you and me. Which one will do what is right for her and for you? I said you. There's two fathers David, which one of us holds her in the palm of the hand? You or me? Do you want to hold her? Now if you want to take it in your hand, you can do it. It will bring you nothing but despair. You'll never have joy. And I want you to turn Gwen, Debbie, Bonnie, all your children, all your grandchildren, and just put them in my hand. And I want you to trust me no matter what. And I want you to know that if they're in my hands, whatever I do, I have a purpose. I have a plan. And just as Jesus said to Peter, what I do now you know not, but hereafter you shall know. He said one day you'll know it, when you know it you'll rejoice. But you'll rejoice even more because you know that you trusted me though you didn't understand. And I have not taken any of my children or my grandchildren out of his hands. I've not taken Tiffany out of his hands. I put Tiffany in God's hands. And my soul is at peace and rest. I have to withstand people who literally, one lady came in to the hospital in Virginia and said, Debbie, I want to know what sin is in your life that this could happen. Debbie said, I'd appreciate it if you'd just get out the door. I said, honey, you'd be glad I wasn't there. How sad that people can't trust God in their time of sorrow. God's faithful. Folks, I want to tell you, God's faithful. Whatever comes to your life, he's going to give you everything you need in the way of strength and rest and peace and confidence in him. Don't lose your soul. That's your testimony. Will you stand? Hallelujah. If the Holy Spirit's speaking to you this morning, I would appeal to those who have been living in such doubt and fear. You're just swamped with it. Folks, it's so debilitating. Take away the joy of living, the joy of your salvation. If you're not saved, if you're not walking with Jesus, and the Holy Ghost has just touched your heart this morning. Maybe somewhere along the service, the singing and the preaching, somebody said your heart was tugged. You feel the tug or pull of your heart. Maybe you're here for the first time and you need Jesus. Just up in the balcony, go up the stairs on either side and hear the Mount of Thrones come. And those that are in the annex, just go forward, stand between the screens, and I'll pray for you in just a moment. We'll believe the Lord for a miracle in your life. And those of you who just say, Pastor Dave, I have got to have the Holy Spirit do something for me today. I don't want to lose my song. I'm asking those who feel, I really feel I've lost my song. I don't have that confidence and there's fear in my heart. I want God to take that fear out of me. And if God's moved you today, for some reason you need prayer, you can follow these that are coming. Those in the annex, those here, look at me for just a moment please. Not only is He good, but He's not mad at you. He's not mad at you. If you could please get that out of your heart and your mind. God is not angry at you. He's not mad at you. He's come as a Savior. He's come as a loving shepherd to lead you out of your wilderness of pain and suffering. See what He does. The suffering doesn't go away, sometimes for a long season. But He lifts you above the suffering. Pastor Carter has just lost his father and his mother is quite ill. And yet this song has been maintained, a wonderful song, because God did a miraculous thing in bringing His Father to Christ before He departed. That's the faithfulness of God. Look at me now. God's not going to be faithful to me and to the pastors and not be faithful to you as part of the congregation. God's not like that. And you have to be convinced in your heart right now that He is certainly not mad at you. And you come to Him now and ask Him for strength. Ask Him for courage. And say, Jesus, I want to tell the whole world that You're good to me. No matter what I'm going through, God, You know what You're doing. I don't have to ask You why anymore. I just say, Jesus, You know what You're doing. Can you believe with me now that He has His arms under you right now? That's what He said, didn't He? He's riding to your rescue and He's got His arms under you. You can't see it. Sometimes you can't feel it. But you have to believe it. If you believe it, then the grace will come, marvelous grace. Would you just pray this prayer with me right now? Make the whole congregation pray. Lord Jesus, I come to You in my need. I don't want to fail in giving You praise and thanksgiving when things are hard. Lord Jesus, teach me this song. Help me to practice it in everything that I face. Just one day at a time. Just say, Lord, You're going to bring me through this day. And at the end of each day, give You praise. No matter how bad it's been. No matter how dark it seems. I will come home and I'll look up and say, God, You're faithful. God, I'm going to trust You. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. If you have not yet given your heart to Jesus, would you just say it right now? Just bow your head and say, Jesus, I open up my heart to You right now. He said, if you just confess your sins and believe in your heart, you'll be saved. You don't have to sign a book. You don't have to sign a paper. You don't have to make any promises. Just say, God, I'm sorry for my sins. I'm going to trust You now. That's what salvation is, trust. But that same faith that saves you, keeps you. It keeps you until the judgment day. It takes you right through to the throne where you can sing this song. Hallelujah. Do you believe God has a stringed instrument for you and that you'll be with us in glory? Raise your hand and thank God for it right now, Lord. I thank You. I praise You. We're going to be one in Christ. Blessed be the name. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Father, I ask that every person hear the sound of my voice in the Annex Overflow and here in the main auditorium, every one, Lord, that's facing a time of cancer, hospitalization, a family member that's terminal or very ill, Lord, I pray that there not be one in this building that would cast any angry remarks at You, that they would not question You, but just rest in Your absolute faithfulness and love. Take out of the heart, pluck out, Lord, any discouragement and any murmuring or any complaining. Because, Lord, You said You do hear it. You said that that's a very angering thing to the Heavenly Father. For those that are taught and should know better, oh God, to just rest in You. Bring that rest now to this body, we pray in Jesus' name.
Don't Lose Your Song
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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.