Be Steadfast and Unmovable
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in faith and trusting God's greater plan despite feelings of failure and despair.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of being steadfast and unmovable in our faith, reminding us that the Lord is aware of our struggles and has fought our battles before us. He acknowledges the feelings of despair and failure that can arise from unmet expectations but encourages believers not to judge their own effectiveness, as only God knows the true impact of our labor. Wilkerson highlights that God has greater plans for us than we can imagine, urging us to trust in His promises and to continue working diligently for the Lord. He reassures us that our labor is not in vain and that we should rise above the lies of the enemy, resting in the Holy Spirit's work within us. Ultimately, we are called to remain steadfast in our faith and to keep abounding in good works.
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We have learned from Isaiah 49 that the Lord knows your battle. He has fought it before you. And it is no sin to endure thoughts that your labor has been in vain, or to be cast down with a sense of failure over shattered expectations. Jesus himself experienced this and was without sin.
It is very dangerous, however, to allow these hellish lies to fester and enflame your soul. Jesus showed us the way out of such despondency with this statement: "I have labored in vain...yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God" (Isaiah 49:4, italics mine). The Hebrew word for judgment here is "verdict," Christ is saying, in effect, "The final verdict is with my Father. He alone passes judgment on all that I've done and how effective I've been."
God is urging us through this verse: "Stop passing a verdict over your work for me. You have no business judging how effective you've been. And you have no right to call yourself a failure. You don't yet know what kind of influence you've had. You simply don't have the vision to know the blessings that are coming to you." Indeed, we won't know many such things until we stand before him in eternity.
In Isaiah 49, Jesus heard the Father say in so many words: "So, Israel is not yet gathered. Yes, I called you to bring in the tribes, and that has not happened in the way you imagined it. But that calling was only a little thing compared to what is coming for you. It's nothing in comparison to what I have in store. I'm going to make you now a light for the whole world. You're going to bring salvation to the whole earth" (see Isaiah 49:5-6).
While the devil is lying to you, saying that all you've done is in vain, that you'll never see your expectations fulfilled, God in his glory is preparing a greater blessing. He has better things in store, beyond anything you could think or ask.
We're not to listen to the enemy's lies any longer. Instead, we're to rest in the Holy Spirit, believing him to fulfill the work of making us more like Christ. And we are to rise up from our despair and stand on this word: "Be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding God's Awareness of Our Battles
- Recognizing Our Feelings of Failure
- The Danger of Despondency
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II
- Jesus as Our Example in Despair
- The Importance of God's Verdict
- Avoiding Self-Judgment
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III
- God's Promises for Our Future
- The Greater Blessings Ahead
- The Call to Be Steadfast
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IV
- Rejecting the Lies of the Enemy
- Resting in the Holy Spirit
- Abounding in the Work of the Lord
Key Quotes
“I have labored in vain...yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.” — David Wilkerson
“Stop passing a verdict over your work for me.” — David Wilkerson
“Be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Trust in God's ultimate plan for your life, even when you feel your efforts are in vain.
- Reject negative thoughts and lies from the enemy by standing firm in your faith.
- Commit to abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is meaningful in His eyes.