“Christus Victor”

MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2013

David and Goliath, a colour lithograph by Osmar Schindler (c. 1888) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“CHRISTUS VICTOR”
By Gary Wilkerson

“Christus Victor” is the Latin phrase the early church fathers used to
describe Jesus and His atonement. Roughly translated, it means, “Our victory
is not in ourselves, but in Christ.” If we defeat an enemy when the odds are
fifty-fifty, we are tempted to think, “I won the battle.” But when our
enemy is nine feet tall; when we have rebuked him but he comes back stronger;
when we have exhausted all our resources; when we have thrown up our hands and
said, “I can’t do this,” then God says, “I have you right where I want
you.”

Usually Old Testament stories are taught to children not as spiritual truths
but as moral instruction. For example, the lesson of Jonah is usually presented
as, “Don’t disobey God or you’ll get into deep trouble.”

Most of us were taught the story of David and Goliath in Sunday school and the
lesson is, “Be brave and courageous.” The trouble with this interpretation
of David’s story is that we are teaching our children to do something they
are unable to do. There was not a single Israelite soldier who could have
survived a hand-to-hand fight with Goliath. That battle was beyond even the
bravest man.

Likewise, when we are in a spiritual battle, bravery and boldness are not
sufficient. David knew he was no match for Goliath. In fact, he wasn’t even a
soldier yet; he was too young. The only thing David was armed with when he
showed up at the battlefront was bread and cheese for his brothers. Yet the
difference with David was that he knew the battle was not his but God’s. When
he heard Goliath’s taunts, he testified:

“This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down
and cut off your head . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in
Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword
and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our
hand” (1 Samuel 17:46-47).

Spiritual victory is never our own—it comes from our Deliverer. In this story
David is a picture of our Deliverer, Christ. He cuts through all our anguish and
despair with an authority no demon can stand up to. Goliath had no chance that
day, for one reason: The battle was the Lord’s.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22450?src=devo-email

How Temptation Leads To Sin

Bathsheba Goes to King David (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Read | 2 Samuel 11:1-17

Hankering, hungering, longing, thirsting, yearning—all of these terms can be used to describe the word “desire.” Eve yearned for the fruit of the forbidden tree; Sarai longed for the promised child; King David hungered after Bathsheba. (Gen. 3:6; 16:2; 2 Sam. 11:2-4). In each case, their desire became so strong that they took matters into their own hands to get what they wanted. Each of them knew the Lord’s instructions, but when tempted, they found a way to justify their actions to obtain the desired goal. And the consequences were serious.

Throughout life, all of us experience longings. We yearn for circumstances or people to be different and crave things we do not have—or more of what we do have. And then we often find ourselves tempted to fulfill these desires through our own actions. Temptation itself is not sin, but acting on our own against God’s Word is. Stop and remember what happened to Eve, Sarai, and King David.

Our Creator, who designed you in His image, knows what it is you long for, and He has promised to give you what profits you most (Isa. 48:17). Compare your desires with the truth of Scripture, and ask God to help you let go of any that do not meet His standard.

Make Psalm 63:1 your heart’s cry: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” And Jesus, who is the Bread of Life and Living Water, will satisfy you as nothing else ever could.

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A Sense Of Unworthiness

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Suddenly, we are plagued by a sense of unworthiness. We turn inward, thinking,
“I did it again! I haven’t changed at all. I’ll never be Christlike. I still
react like a babe, not a mature Christian. Why haven’t I changed?”

Beloved, the devil wants you to keep worrying over your shortcomings and lack
of growth, thinking the race is impossible, so that you will become discouraged
and drop out.

It is certain that we will stumble at times because the race is going to
continue until our Lord returns. But we must always get on our feet and
continue moving on.

God‘s Word speaks of overcoming: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world” (1 John 5:4). “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will
be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7).

To overcome is to “conquer and get the best of all temptations and obstacles.”
What are our obstacles? They are every new reaction in the flesh, every failure
to be Christlike, every uprising of temper, bitterness or agitation.

David wrote, “My sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3). This man was exposed
before the whole world as an adulterer and a murderer. He also wrote, “For mine
iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for
me. . . . I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day
long” (Psalm 38:4-6).

What if David had worried and fretted over his failures? He repented
wholeheartedly and therefore he could say, “Thou hast turned for me my mourning
into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness”
(Psalm 30:11).

The fastest way to get rid of “a sense of unworthiness” is to trust in Christ‘s
forgiveness. And He is ready to forgive at all times: “For thou, Lord, art good,
and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee”
(Psalm 86:5).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21834?src=devo-email

Signature Judgement

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

I believe God has provided us with a very specific promise for the hard times
that are coming. It was given to Abraham and his seed as an oath.

“The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us,
that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life”
(Luke 1:73-75).

God has sworn to deliver us from every enemy, every fearful thing, so we can
serve Him all the days of our lives without fear. Beloved, hunger is an enemy.
Nakedness and poverty are enemies.

This oath from God must be the foundation of our trust in every crisis,
calamity and fearful time. Memorize it! Let it be your holy argument at the
throne of grace!

In Psalm 121 David has provided us with one of the most powerful Holy Ghost
arguments ever given to man. The entire psalm tells us that all our help comes
from the Lord alone. Psalm 124 is yet another holy argument, your specific
promise to enable you to build special trust.

Right now America is under a “signature judgment” of God. Signature judgments
bear a special mark of God in that they mirror the sins committed against Him.
As these judgments take place before our very eyes, our only answer is to have
Jesus as our shield. Run today to meet Him in the secret closet of prayer. Let
your roots go down deep into Him and know that He will keep you in all
circumstances.

Take hold of the following special promises in readiness for any and all
calamities we may face:

“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. . . . He shall not be
afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart
shall be established, he shall not be afraid” (Psalm 112:4, 7-8).

“And he shall judge the world in righteousness. . . . The Lord also will be a
refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy
name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that
seek thee” (Psalm 9:8-10).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21418?src=devo-email

You Are Being Tested

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Rest assured that if you are trying to walk righteously before the Lord, you
are being tested. In fact, the deeper your walk with Christ, the more intense
your testing will be. Scripture makes this clear:

"The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. . . . Now
when they shall fall, they shall be [helped] with a little help. . . . And some
of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them
white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed"
(Daniel 11:32-35).

A great time of testing is coming upon "those of understanding." Just who are
these who will be tested? They are the righteous, those who do exploits for the
Lord, who walk with God and have the wisdom of Christ.

Right now, you may be asking, "Why am I being tested? Why is this happening to
me?"

Remember your school days? When a test in school was given, it revealed how
much you had actually learned of what you had been taught. Yet Paul spoke of a
different school, one where we are "learning Christ" and are "being taught by
Him, as the truth is in Jesus" (see Ephesians 4:20-21). If you belong to Jesus,
you are in His school. You may have thought you had graduated, but that will not
happen until you are in glory.

When I was in school, I hated "pop quizzes," unannounced tests. Yet the Lord
has told us to be ready to be tested at any time, and these tests will continue
until Jesus returns. All who love the Lord are going to go through fiery trials
and be purged of all that is not like Christ, in preparation for the wedding of
the Lamb.

David often spoke of being tested and tried: "I know also, my God, that thou
triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness" (1 Chronicles 29:17). "Thou
has proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me,
and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress"
(Psalm 17:3).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21373?src=devo-email

Devoted to God

Read | Psalm 62:1-2

Having been saved by faith in Christ, we express our love and gratitude through devotion to Him. Regular Bible studyand prayer will be an integral part of our daily lives. In addition,

Saul and David. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

our commitment to the Lord will be revealed through a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant’s heart.

1. Obedience. David sought to obey God all his life. As a shepherd boy, he faithfully tended the animals in his father’s fields. While king, he set aside his desire to build the temple and let Solomon lead the effort, as God had commanded. Although David lived imperfectly, his desire was to do what the Lord asked. We see from Jesus’ words in John 14:15 that obedience should be our high priority as well: He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
2. Humility. After David killed Goliath, the crowds shouted praise about the young man. However, he did not become prideful. Instead, he remained in King Saul‘s service and waited for God to make him the ruler of Israel. Even as king, he remained humble. He knew that what had been accomplished was because of the Lord’s actions and not his own (2 Sam. 7:18).
3. Service. Whether David was a lowly shepherd or a mighty king, his goal was to obey God and serve Him.

This man after God’s own heart was devoted to his Lord. He sought to know Him and longed to carry out His will. David’s actions reflected His humble attitude of servanthood and his longing to please his heavenly Father. Take steps each day to be sure your life expresses commitment to Jesus.

Dr. Charles stanley

Remember What God Has Done

By David Wilkerson

English: The young Hebrew David hoists the head of the Philistine Goliath (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

We have a tendency to forget every good thing God has done for us. When we face
new challenges we often do not remember our deliverance from old ones.

When David stood before Goliath, he rehearsed his past victories in order to
build up his faith. He recounted, “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept
his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of
the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his
mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him,
and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the
armies of the living God” (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

Moses reminded Israel of all their past deliverances and then he warned them:
“Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the
things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the
days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons” (Deuteronomy
4:9).

The Bible says of Israel: “They kept not the covenant of God . . . and forgot
his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them” (Psalm 78:10-11). Like the
Israelites, we have the same tendency whenever we face a new trial or
affliction. We say, “Oh, God, this time it’s too much for me to face.” But God
answers, “Simply look back and remember Me!”

If need be, keep a journal to remind yourself of God’s great deliverances in
your life. Jot down a few notes at night before going to bed. Do whatever it
takes to remind yourself of all the things He has done for you, all the
heartaches you have been through and the deliverance He brought. Then, when
your next affliction arises, open your notebook and say to the devil, “You’re
not going to deceive me this time. My God brought me out before, and He will do
it again.”

God Remains Faithful

David and Saul. Stained glass, Paris, 15th century (some 13th century elements used again). From the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris, opening B (Kings). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

The only thing that can abort God’s wonderful purpose for you is the sin of
stubborn pride. We see this in the life of King Saul.

Scripture tells us that God’s Spirit was on this man from the day the prophet
Samuel saw him coming down the road. God had called Saul and He was using him,
but something in Saul was emerging quickly — an arrogant pride. Saul would
not confess or admit his sin. Instead, he blamed others to justify his actions.
He was more concerned with keeping up appearances than with what God thought of
him.

Beloved, the difference between David and Saul was pride. Think about it. David
sinned as grievously as Saul did — Saul never killed another woman’s husband
— but David quickly repented of his sin. When Nathan pointed out his grievous
act, David didn’t justify it. Rather, he immediately cried out, “God, don’t take
Your Holy Spirit from me! All I want is to please You. I know I have failed You
but please forgive me. Cleanse my heart.” (See 2 Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51.)

When Saul was caught in sin, however, he grabbed hold of Samuel’s skirt and
cried, “Don’t take my kingdom from me. Please stand with me so I won’t look
bad in front of my people.” (Read 1 Samuel 15:22-35.) Saul was more
interested in what the people thought about him than in having grieved the Holy
Spirit.

Beloved, it is pride — a haughty, immovable spirit — that brings men down.
A broken heart, a contrite spirit, captures the heart of the Lord. It does not
matter what you have been through or how you have failed God. If you run to Him
and weep it all out after you have failed, He will stand with you. He always
stands with those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

We all fail the Lord; no one in His church is perfect. Yet every time we are
unfaithful to Him, He remains faithful to us.

The Blessings of Abraham

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Paul writes: “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham“
(Galatians 3:9). What is this blessing of Abraham?

James tells us, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness” (James 2:23). Abraham believed that he was in right standing
with God, even though he was still being sanctified.

Beloved, the blessing of Abraham is the knowledge that we are justified by
faith. “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”
(Galatians 3:14).

This blessing spoken of is the knowledge that Jesus paid with His blood to blot
out all our sins. The Father credits Jesus’ own righteousness to us, and we are
made right in His eyes. We do not have to try to work to earn God’s favor.
Instead, we are to trust and believe in the finished work of Jesus on the
cross. Even though we still struggle, we have right standing with Him as we
continue in faith and repentance.

David understood this and was able to enjoy the blessing of Abraham: “Even as
David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputed
righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will
not impute sin” (Romans 4:6-8).

As we are blessed by God with the blessing of Abraham, our faith begins to
expand. Soon we see and believe that the same Christ who justifies us gives us
power to overcome sin. God says to us, “We are going to work on your holiness
and sanctification, but you must understand that in the meantime, you are
secure in Me. You are My child and I will keep you from falling!”

Has the blessing of Abraham fallen upon you yet? If you fully accept Christ’s
righteousness by faith, then you are blessed with faithful Abraham and David.
Indeed, you are one of the most blessed people on earth.

The Church of Zion!

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

The driving force behind David’s church was total dependence on the Holy
Spirit. Here is what distinguished David:

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his
brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1
Samuel 16:13).

When David was on his deathbed, he said to his son Solomon: “I want to tell you
why God has blessed me. I want you to know the secret of my ministry.” Listen to
David’s last words to his son: “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His
word was on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2).
David was saying, “I didn’t trust in my knowledge and wisdom. I didn’t trust
in any part of my flesh. I was a weak man—but I depended on the Holy Spirit!
Every word I spoke was under His unction and anointing. His words filled my
mouth!”

When we opened the ministry doors at Teen Challenge here in New York City, our
motto was, “The Holy Ghost is in charge here!” It wasn’t “how to cope”
preaching that saved gang members. They didn’t fall on their knees because we
preached concise, pithy sermons. They weren’t convicted by pointed
illustrations and nature stories. No! These former drug addicts testified to
their friends, “I once was on the street, like you. But look at me now! The
Spirit of God changed me!”

Solomon spoke of trees, hyssop, beasts, fish, creeping things. But David spoke
of intimacy with the Lord, of brokenness and contriteness. David was convicted
and changed by his own preaching. He so valued the presence of the Holy Spirit
in his life, he asked the Lord never to take His Spirit from him. David knew he
was nothing without the Holy Spirit!

Paul said, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of
human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith
should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians
2:4-5).

“We also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy
Spirit teaches . . . But the natural man does not receive the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.