The Song Of Victory!

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

The children of Israel were in a hopeless predicament!

The Red Sea was before them; the mountains were to the left and right; and
Pharaoh and his iron chariots were closing in from the rear. God‘s people
seemed helplessly trapped—like sitting ducks just waiting to be cut down.
Yet, believe it or not, God purposely had led them into this precarious spot!

It was panic time in the camp of Israel. Men shook with fear, and women and
children wept as they huddled around grandparents and other kin. Suddenly Moses
was mobbed by irate family leaders who cried, “Surely this is the end! Weren’t
there enough graves in Egypt to bury us there? You had to drag us out here to
die? We told you in Egypt to let us alone. It was better to be slaves there
than to die in this miserable wilderness!” (see Exodus 14:10-12).

I wonder if even Moses had a moment of trepidation about their circumstances.
Yet when this man of God wept, the Lord seems to have chided him: “Wherefore
criest thou unto me?” (Exodus 14:15).

No one in Israel could have known what a great deliverance God was about to
bring! Suddenly the winds parted the sea, and the people walked through the
parted waves on dry ground. When Pharaoh and his powerful army tried to follow,
the waters began to rage again, closing in and drowning them all!

What a sight it must have been! The people of God looked back from the other
side and saw their mighty enemy destroyed like tin soldiers. Then a song went
up in the camp as, once again, they realized God had delivered them from
impossible circumstances! Scripture records their reaction—and the song they
sang:

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake,
saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse
and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song,
and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an
habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:1-2).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22838?src=devo-email

Greater Things Are Yet To Come

MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013

By Gary Wilkerson

God wants to do mighty things through us. He wants to express His love to the
world through us. So if we are clinging to one thing that gets in the way of
His accomplishing that—some willfulness, some refusal to trust Him for
everything—He points it out to us.

Sometimes God wants us to add something to our lives before He brings His best.
This may involve something we have not done, so He wants us to ask, “Have I
been slow to respond to something God has asked me to do?”

We find an example of this in Acts, when the disciples added a new member to
replace Judas. While in the Upper Room, they drew lots and chose Matthias. It
seemed like such a small thing. These same men had seen Jesus work wonders,
open blind eyes, cast out demons, even raise a man from the dead. They had seen
God’s kingdom advanced on earth as never before in history. And when Christ
ascended to heaven, He gave them this incredible word: “You will do even
greater works, once I send you My Spirit. He will empower you. Greater things
are yet to come!” (see Acts 1:1-8).

Indeed, these same disciples would go beyond Israel and the Middle East, into
Europe and India and Africa, preaching the good news of Christ to the nations,
all within their generation. What made it so important to add another disciple?
They did it for one simple reason: Peter sensed it was something God wanted them
to do.

“In those days Peter stood up among the brothers . . . and said, ‘Brothers,
the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the
mouth of David concerning Judas . . . For he was numbered among us and was
allotted his share in this ministry’” (Acts 1:15-17). Peter was referring
to Psalm 109:8: “May another take his place of leadership.”

There is a great lesson here for Christ’s church today. That is, never
overlook a nagging issue of the heart, no matter how small. God puts His finger
on these matters for a reason: to reveal our heart’s response to Him. Greater
things are yet to come!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22808?src=devo-email

“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

Don’t Be A Mule

a mule (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will
guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have
not understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they
come near unto thee" (Psalm 32:8-9).

In these two brief verses God gives us a great lesson concerning guidance. We
can build a great faith upon the foundation of knowing that He is willing to
lead and guide us in everything.

Yet the Word of God says a person may be a believer who enjoys all the
spiritual benefits of being a child of God and yet remain a stubborn mule when
it comes to submitting to His ways of guiding and leading. God said of Israel,
"Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people
that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways" (Psalm 95:10).

Think of what God was saying: "After forty long years of receiving My tender
guidance and miraculous deliverances, they still don’t have the slightest
idea of the way I work. They never even try to understand My principles of
guidance. To them, My leadings are just a series of unrelated blessings,
nothing more than open doors and escapes from crises."

Personally, I am tired of being a mule-headed Christian with no understanding
of the principles of God’s leading. I do not want God to say of me, "Yes,
David was forgiven. He prayed and I delivered him from trouble, time after
time. Indeed, I led him in wonderful ways and My hand was upon him. But in his
heart he never had a settled knowledge of My ways."

Beloved, don’t make the Lord be stern with you in His leadings. Don’t be as
the mule, without understanding. God does not want to bark directions at His
children or have to force us to do His bidding. God wants a people who know Him
well enough to move at His slightest urging.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21835?src=devo-email

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Take It To The Cross

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

Under the Old Covenant, absolute obedience was required. God’s law made no
allowances for even the slightest disobedience. Simply put, the soul that
sinned died.

Those commandments were laid out clearly, describing the perfect obedience a
holy God requires. Yet the law made no provision in the flesh for such
obedience and man found himself utterly unable to keep the law’s demands.
Paul called the law “. . . a yoke upon the neck . . . which neither our
fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10).

Yet, Paul also describes the law as a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,
that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The law exposes our
hearts, teaching us we are weak-willed, helpless as babies, in need of a
savior.

At this point, you may be wondering, “Why would God demand perfect obedience
from us, and yet not provide us with power to comply?” The Bible makes it
clear: God had to bring us to a place where we realized we had no power to
escape our sin.

It took Israel four hundred years of affliction to learn they could not provide
their own deliverance. They couldn’t rid themselves of their slave masters in
their own strength. They had to have a deliverer—a God who would reach down
and bring them out of their bondage.

And it took centuries—up to the time of Zechariah—for Israel to recognize
their need for a redeemer. They finally became convinced they needed a savior
who would “be unto [them] a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory
in the midst of [them]” (Zechariah 2:5). God himself would be the fire around
them and the glory within them!

Yet many Christians today still have not learned this lesson. They are living
under the law, striving in their flesh, making promises to God, trying to get
free from their sin. They wake up each day saying, “This is the day, Lord!
I’m going to find the strength and willpower to break these chains. With just
a little more effort, I’ll be free!”

No! It will never happen. It will only end in more guilt. The law is meant to
drive us to the cross to acknowledge our helplessness, our need for a redeemer.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21607?src=devo-email

Hallow The Sabbath

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

When God's Word speaks of rest, it includes physical rest. But the Lord's holy
rest begins in the soul: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of
God" (Hebrews 4:9). What is this rest? It is the laying of all our sin-burdens
on Christ!

Jesus Himself says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He is saying, "By faith, you must enter
into the Father's sabbath rest. You must refuse to carry your burdens to and
from your home any longer, and instead lay them all on Me. I am the Lord of the
sabbath and I am the only one who can bear your burdens."

I ask you: Why do so many Christians refuse Jesus' offer? I believe that if
Jeremiah were living today, he would be dumbfounded by all the Christians who
continue to carry their own burdens of sin and battles with temptation. He
probably would cry out: "Why are you bearing all these burdens on such a
glorious sabbath? Didn't Jesus say to you as I said to Israel, 'Bring no burden
into your house'? Why do you continue to carry such a load around? Don’t carry
a burden on the sabbath, for it is a holy day unto the Lord!"

The point here is that sabbath means we are to cease from our own works—our
striving in human strength—to merit God's salvation: "Neither carry forth a
burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but
hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers" (Jeremiah 17:22).

Here is the secret to how we are to hallow the sabbath: We are to give all our
burdens over to Jesus, and trust His Holy Spirit to give us strength for life.
That's right! We honor the sabbath by laying down all self-effort in trying to
make our way through sin and temptation.

We are to observe this command not just on Sunday but every day!

 



Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21572?src=devo-email

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Discouragement

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2013

DISCOURAGEMENT
By Gary Wilkerson

Discouragement can hinder but it can never halt God’s plan for victory.
Gideon fought against 100,000 enemy soldiers with his band of 300 and won such
a massive victory that only 15,000 of the enemy were left. After the victory
some of his brethren asked him, “‘What is this that you have done to us,
not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?’ And they accused him
fiercely” (Judges 8:1, ESV). 

The people of Gideon’s own nation questioned his leadership, his decisions,
his motives and his actions. Some of our most disheartening, soul-wrenching
struggles often are not out in the battlefield of life but are in the
fellowship of believers. Sometimes our own brothers and sisters hurl
accusations at us and seem to find much to complain about. We expect such
things from our enemies but we can be caught off guard and surprised when one
of our own brethren fiercely accuses us.

Gideon was not discouraged, distracted or diminished in his faith, however,
when he was questioned—He stayed in the battle! I love what he did: “And he
said to them, ‘What have I done in comparison with you?’” (8:2). Gideon
was saying to his accusers, “What are my victories compared to yours?”
Instead of getting upset and into a fight with them, Gideon did what Nehemiah
had done when he was building the wall and his enemies said to him, “Come
down here. We need to discuss what you are doing.” Nehemiah responded to his
enemies, “I don’t have time to discuss what I’m doing; I’m too busy
doing it” (see Nehemiah 6:1-9).

The Bible says that Gideon and his 300 men “. . . came to the Jordan and
crossed over . . . exhausted yet pursuing” (Judges 8:4). Gideon chose to get
back into warfare with the enemy. He crossed over to the other side of the
river and got back into the battle God had called him to fight. When you live
out the mission that God has called you to; when you are not discouraged and
dissuaded by what others say about you; when it is your holy ambition to do
what God has called you to do—that becomes your victory. 

Stay focused on your battle, stay focused on your calling, and God will give
you the victory!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21289?src=devo-email

Standing Before A Holy God

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012

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

“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for
the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7).

The Israelites in this passage were asking a good question: “How can any human
approach a holy God? How can we ever please Him and be accepted by Him? What
kind of sacrifice does He want from us? Our blood, our bodies, our children?”

God’s answer appears throughout the Scriptures: “I do not want your sacrifices,
your good works, your promises, your moral deeds. Not one of these fleshly
things is acceptable in My sight. Nothing can please or delight Me except My
Son and all who are gathered in Him.”

Think of the most moral, upright person you know. Even he or she is not
accepted in God’s presence outside of Christ. All of that person’s good works,
kind nature and generosity are filthy rags in God’s sight.

So, how are we accepted by God? Paul writes, “He hath made us accepted in the
beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Our good works come as a result of being in Him.

If you have given your heart fully to Jesus, you have probably voiced the same
questions Israel asked: “Oh, God, how can I please You? How can I be a delight
to You? I’ve made promises and tried my best, but every time I think I’m making
progress, I take two steps back. Should I read more of the Bible? Should I spend
more time in prayer? Should I do more witnessing? Lord, what do You want from
me?”

God answers us as He did Israel: “I don’t want any of your sacrifices or good
works. I recognize only the work of My Son, who delights and pleases Me. I
chose you from before the foundation of the world to be wed to My Son. I wooed
you, convicted you and through my Spirit I brought you into Him. I cannot hate
My own flesh!”

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20960?src=devo-email

 

Egypt In Their Heart

By

Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gary Wilkerson

Nehemiah was a shepherd to Israel—a king, a pastor, a leader and a restorer
who had taken Israel back to Jerusalem where they began rebuilding the walls
that had been destroyed. Nehemiah left Jerusalem to visit the king of Persia
and when he returned, he said, “In those days I saw . . .” (Nehemiah
13:15).

When Nehemiah got back to the city, he saw the children of Israel doing the
exact same things their fathers had done that had caused them to be put into
exile and bondage in the first place. They had been set free and were
rebuilding their home city, but once again they were practicing the things that
had caused the walls to be torn down. Does that make sense to you? While they
were rebuilding, they were practicing the identical sins that had caused the
walls to fall.

With one hand they were rebuilding the city and with the other hand they were
destroying the city. With one hand they were building up their lives and with
the other hand they were destroying their lives.

And so it is with many of us today! With one hand we come to the altar and cry
out to Jesus and with the other hand we practice the same old sins. On one hand
we pray, read Scripture and go to church; on the other hand, we still go to bars
and clubs, we still watch pornography on the computer, we still compromise. With
one hand we glorify God and on the other hand we live out the practices of the
world.

The Israelites were returning to their old patterns. They were building
something new but something old was still in them. It has been said that the
children of Israel, under Moses, got out of Egypt but some of Egypt was still
in them (see Acts 7:39). Some of us are getting set free from the things of the
world but some of the world is still in us.

God wants us to come to a place of humility and repentance. He wants us to have
a constant walk of victory—a walk of conquering the enemy—always!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21110?src=devo-email

Standing Before A Holy God

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

“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for
the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7).

The Israelites in this passage were asking a good question: “How can any human
approach a holy God? How can we ever please Him and be accepted by Him? What
kind of sacrifice does He want from us? Our blood, our bodies, our children?”

God’s answer appears throughout the Scriptures: “I do not want your sacrifices,
your good works, your promises, your moral deeds. Not one of these fleshly
things is acceptable in My sight. Nothing can please or delight Me except My
Son and all who are gathered in Him.”

Think of the most moral, upright person you know. Even he or she is not
accepted in God’s presence outside of Christ. All of that person’s good works,
kind nature and generosity are filthy rags in God’s sight.

So, how are we accepted by God? Paul writes, “He hath made us accepted in the
beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Our good works come as a result of being in Him.

If you have given your heart fully to Jesus, you have probably voiced the same
questions Israel asked: “Oh, God, how can I please You? How can I be a delight
to You? I’ve made promises and tried my best, but every time I think I’m making
progress, I take two steps back. Should I read more of the Bible? Should I spend
more time in prayer? Should I do more witnessing? Lord, what do You want from
me?”

God answers us as He did Israel: “I don’t want any of your sacrifices or good
works. I recognize only the work of My Son, who delights and pleases Me. I
chose you from before the foundation of the world to be wed to My Son. I wooed
you, convicted you and through my Spirit I brought you into Him. I cannot hate
My own flesh!”
 

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20960?src=devo-email