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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
David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound depth of God's love for us, urging believers to fully embrace and experience this love rather than merely understanding it intellectually. He reflects on Jude 20-21, highlighting the necessity of keeping ourselves in God's love through prayer and faith. Wilkerson points out that many Christians struggle to grasp the fullness of God's love, which is essential for overcoming spiritual apathy and resisting Satan's attacks. He reminds us that Jesus prayed for us to experience the same love that the Father has for Him, underscoring the intimate relationship we are invited into. Ultimately, the revelation of God's love is crucial for a vibrant and victorious Christian life.
Scriptures
Loved as Jesus Was Loved
The Holy Spirit stirred my spirit concerning his love and led me to this passage: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ until eternal life” (Jude 20-21). As I read these verses, I heard the Spirit quietly whisper to me, “David, you’ve never yet come into the fullness and joy of my love. You have the theology right, but you haven’t experienced the ecstasy and rest of keeping yourself in my love. There is a whole ocean of my love for you to swim in.” The Bible is filled with the truth of God’s love but at times I allow myself to wonder how the Lord could ever love me. I don’t doubt his love, I just fail to keep myself in the knowledge and assurance of his love for me. The love of God must be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and the revelation comes in part when we are born again. If you were to ask most Christians what they know about God’s love for them, they would answer, “I know God loves me because he gave his son to die for me.” And they would quote John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Yet the secret to understanding the love of God is the secret to an overcoming life. Multitudes grow spiritually cold and lazy because they’re ignorant of the Lord’s love for them. They don’t understand that their greatest weapon against Satan’s attacks is to be fully convinced of God’s love. In Jesus’ prayer to the Father in John 17, he prayed this remarkable prayer, “The glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me … that the world may know that You … have loved them as You have loved Me” (17:22-24).
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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.