David Wilkerson emphasizes that true repentance is the only hope for the modern church amidst a culture of materialism and idolatry.
In this sermon, the preacher discusses how people often listen to the word of God but fail to put it into practice. He emphasizes the importance of repentance and warns against the idolatry of television and rock music in churches. The preacher also criticizes the prosperity gospel and materialistic mindset of many Christians, stating that they are not willing to make sacrifices or hear about crosses and losses. He encourages preachers to boldly proclaim the Holy Word of God, even if it offends certain groups, and highlights the resistance of an apostate church to the prophetic voice.
Full Transcript
When the Word of God comes forth in its power and unction, it'll do one of two things. It'll either break you or harden you. It'll break you or harden you.
An apostate church wants nothing to do with visions or prophecies of men of righteousness. They don't want anything to do with it. They want to hear messages.
They want nothing that disturbs the status quo. Nothing to upset this successful world in which they move and live. They refuse any kind of correction.
Why is it that people are flocking to prosperity preachers? Why is it when you preach prosperity you can draw a crowd? Simply because it suits the lifestyles of those who gather. They flock to these teachers because they feel comfortable with them because of their world of materialism. They're in no mood to give up anything or to sacrifice or to hear about crosses or losses.
They're into buying and acquiring and enjoying and climbing the social ladder. Folks, if that's all I was going to do, if I wanted to get rich and if I had all these things and I felt condemned, I'd go to a preacher and go set my mind at ease. But when you've got the fire of the Holy Ghost burning in your heart and Jesus Christ as the head, you can't go near it because the fire of the Holy Ghost will burn it out.
Preachers don't know what to preach anymore. If they preach this, they offend this group. If they preach something else, they offend this group.
Brother, forget what the people are saying. Preach the Holy Word of God. An apostate church simply endures the prophetic voice.
They pass it by with a condescending smile. I'm going to read to you. Listen to Ezekiel 33.
Don't turn but just listen to it. They come to you as my people come and they sit before you as my people and they hear your words but they don't do them. For they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth and their heart goes after their own gain and their idols.
And behold, you're to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument. And they hear your words but they do not practice them. When the Spirit of God would come upon me, I began to prophesy against the idolatry of television and rock music of devils in our churches.
And I could feel the wrath of God against it. I'd go in the backyard and prophesy to the trees because I didn't think anyone would listen. I'd just raise my voice and prophesy.
You've been bringing unclean offerings. You've brought bruised and bleeding lambs to my table. And the tables of the Lord are filled with vomit.
And I was prophesying and prospering on the grass and feeling the wrath of God breathing down my neck against it all. And I'd get up and I'd bleed my heart out. And I can quote a hundred scriptures against this kind of idolatry.
And people would come up and pat me on the back and say, Good preaching brother David, I believe it. And go right back that very night and sit and watch filth. And it's kind of an amusing message.
It's kind of a novel thing to hear someone prophesy now. What's it going to be for you brother, sister? Is it going to be that you hear the prophetic word of the Lord come? And then you walk out in such a sweet sensual song. And go right back and do the same very thing.
As if you were never delivered from your idolatry in the first place. I don't understand how anyone who loves God with all their heart. I don't understand anyone who knows that one day soon they're going to stand before the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I don't see how you can sit before your idols anymore. Knowing that you stand before His holy eyes. But they don't do it.
They're still going to go about their lustful desires. They love to hear it, they love to say amen. But it doesn't affect them.
Just a sensual song. According to the prophecy of Isaiah. The apostate church of the last day is not going to accept this message of repentance.
Whether I preach it or any other man of God preaches it. It's not going to be accepted by the masses. It's going to be accepted only by a holy separated view.
Isaiah 30 verse 15. For thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel has said. What? In repentance and rest you shall be saved.
In quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing and you said no. You're not willing.
You said no. Oh brother, sister, listen to me. The message of the Holy Ghost to this last day church is that in repentance and rest is your only hope.
The only hope left for the church. Is to return to Him with all their heart and to get out of Egypt and the world. Try to tell that to the modern, huge, multi-million dollar television ministries today.
That the only hope is repentance. Tell them that. Tell that to the money man crowds.
Tell, tell this sensuous, prosperous, self-induced, self-centered generation of Christians. Tell them that their only hope is in repentance. Tell them that.
See how many listen.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The impact of the Word of God
- The state of the apostate church
- The desire for comfort over conviction
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II
- The allure of prosperity preaching
- The rejection of sacrificial living
- The consequences of ignoring God's voice
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III
- The prophetic call to repentance
- The challenge of idolatry in the church
- The need for genuine change
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IV
- The response of the modern church
- The importance of returning to God
- The urgency of the message of repentance
Key Quotes
“In repentance and rest you shall be saved.” — David Wilkerson
“The message of the Holy Ghost to this last day church is that in repentance and rest is your only hope.” — David Wilkerson
“The only hope left for the church is to return to Him with all their heart.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Reflect on personal idols and make a conscious effort to turn away from them.
- Seek out teachings that challenge and convict rather than comfort.
- Embrace a lifestyle of repentance and trust in God's provision.
