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Devotions

HE IS LONGSUFFERING

David Wilkerson

The Apostle Peter tells us there’s a reason Jesus hasn’t returned yet. He writes, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Our Lord is abundant in patience toward the ungodly.

Personally, I am amazed at God’s patience with us in this generation. The moral slide is grievous even to secular observers. Even if you try to keep a clean conscience, your mind is saturated with reports of the evils happening every day. Some things are so vile as to be incomprehensible: murders in schools, child abuse, militant homosexuality, unspeakable atrocities.

Often our hearts cry out, “Lord, when will there be justice? When will You bring evildoers to judgment?” We wonder why God waits so long to deal with the unspeakable wickedness so rampant today. We picture the scene when evildoers finally kneel before the Lord, facing His holiness.

But Peter says Jesus isn’t focusing on judgment right now, even for the worst of sinners. Rather, our Lord is preoccupied with mercy. He is longsuffering toward the worst of evildoers. And He’s waiting to show mercy to every unrepentant sinner, wooing and pursuing them.

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (3:11–14, italics mine).

We can spend our days preoccupied with signs of the times, in the Middle East, or elsewhere. But God says, “Look to your own heart. Be sure you’re diligent to keep My Word.” Paul adds, “Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). He then warns us not to judge others, and to be careful not to become a stumbling block to a brother and cause him to fall.

LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

David Wilkerson

A dear Christian woman in Louisiana wrote to our ministry: “Last Sunday, our pastor asked for testimonies of what God had been doing during the week. His own five-year-old son stood up and said, ‘I had a dream last night. Jesus told me He is coming soon.’” The Holy Spirit used that child to remind God’s people of a glorious truth.

Sadly, the present generation knows less about the return of Christ than any generation in the past. Jesus’ coming is seldom preached in churches anymore. Indeed, multitudes who call themselves Christians don’t want to hear about the subject. Why?

Life is good for most people, including Christians, and the focus is on how to keep the good times rolling. Just as Lot’s wife, many are possessed by what they own. They have become addicted to the things of this world, and in their minds Jesus’ coming would be disruptive.

I have heard churchgoers mock the possibility of Jesus’ “anytime return.” They scoff at the idea He could come back soon. Indeed, there is a doctrine that states our Lord won’t return for thousands of years. The idea is that the Church will be given all that time to evangelize the world and set up a new order before Christ comes back to reign as King.

The Apostle Peter addresses these things, saying, “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3–4).

Peter speaks a pointed word to all such willfully ignorant people: “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

IN THE SECRET PLACE

David Wilkerson

How does the Lord bring us comfort and peace in times of affliction? He leads us to the secret closet of intimacy with Him. Jesus reminds us that it is there that the Father touches us personally: “When you pray, go into your closet and shut the door. Pray to your Father, who sees you in secret and He will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6, my paraphrase).

Recently a dear friend of mine—the bishop over the Pentecostal movement in Hungary—was tragically killed in a freak accident. His cooking grill caught fire and he was badly burned. He was treated and thought to be okay, but a few days later he died suddenly from blood clots that had formed.

Friends around the world are standing with his widow in prayer and support. Yet true comfort for her will come from above. No psychologist can help her through her deepest pain. The Comforter is faithful to meet her in her secret place with Him.

I realize I can’t personally reach the thousands of hurting believers who write to us. We received a letter from a pregnant wife who is married to a pastor. She has just discovered that her husband is a pedophile. She writes, “I don’t know what to do but I believe I have to divorce my husband. I don’t want him molesting our child.”

There is one thing every hurting brother and sister can do: Take it all to Jesus, get shut in with Him and find comfort in His presence. The Lord says, “I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul” (Jeremiah 31:25). How does God do this? He meets each one there in the secret place: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).

Do you see the importance of setting your heart to pray in a secret place? It is not about legalism or bondage, but about love. It is about God’s goodness toward us. He sees what’s ahead and knows we need tremendous resources, daily replenishing. All of that is found in the secret place with Him.

You may think you don’t know how to pray but you can begin by simply praising Him. What matters is that you are there by faith, by obedient love, and your Father will see you there. He will reveal His love to you in secret, and He will reward you openly with the fruit of His kingdom. The Holy Spirit will pray through you and give you expression.

A HOUSE OF PRAYER

David Wilkerson

According to the prophet Zechariah, there are three places where prayer is to be made: (1) God’s house (the church); (2) every home; and (3) the secret closet. The Lord told Zechariah: “I will pour upon the house of David . . . the spirit of grace and of supplications. . . . And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart [signifying the church] . . . the family of the house of Levi apart [the family or home], and their wives apart [individuals]” (Zechariah 12:10, 12–13, my italics).

As Zechariah spoke this, Israel was surrounded by enemies bent on destroying them. There was great trembling and fear, but in the midst of it came this wonderful word: “God is coming to deal with those evil powers who are against you. So, start earnestly praying in the sanctuary. Start praying in your home. And pray in your secret closet. The Holy Spirit is coming, and He will supply you with the spirit of supplication and grace, enabling you to pray.”

Do you see God’s message to us in this passage? He is telling His Church in every age, “In times of terror and trembling, I want to pour out My Spirit upon you. But I must have a praying people upon whom to pour it.”

All the Old Testament prophets called God’s people to corporate prayer. Jesus Himself declared, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). The fact is, world history has been shaped by the prayers of Christ’s Church.

Think of it: The Holy Spirit was first given in God’s house, at the Upper Room. There the disciples had “continued with one accord in prayer” (Acts 1:14). We’re told that Peter was released from prison by an angel, while “many were gathered together praying” (12:12). Corporate prayer had been made continually for Peter’s release.

Clearly, God releases much power because of the prayers of His Church. Thus, the call to such prayer cannot be underestimated. We know the church has been commissioned to win souls, to do charity, to serve as the gathering place for God’s Word to be preached. But first and foremost, the church is to be a house of prayer. This is its primary calling, since all these other aspects of church life are birthed in prayer.

PREVAILING PEACE

Gary Wilkerson

It is no sin to say, “Lord, this time in my life is overwhelming and uncomfortable. I need Your strength and courage.” He invites that kind of confession and prayer. But God does have a problem with Christians who say, “I moved out in faith but when I began to feel a lack of peace, I knew it wasn’t from the Lord. So I stopped.”

Here is the problem with that line of thinking. If we stopped walking in faith every time we had a lack of peace, we would never do anything in obedience to the Lord.

Yes, we should have a prevailing peace that undergirds all we do. Such peace comes from God’s immovable Word. But we have to know that if we are about our Father’s business, our peace will be rocked from time to time. Even a man of faith like Joshua could be shaken. That’s why God told him, “Be of good courage; don't fear” (see Joshua 1:6, 7 and 9).

I know my father, David Wilkerson, never would have gone to New York City to work with gang members if he had thought every lack of peace was God telling him to stop. There are times we have to hear God’s voice in the midst of being rocked. His desire for us in chaotic times is not to quit but to discern the Spirit’s voice. That’s how we find peace when our world is being shaken.

A century ago in China, many faithful missionaries spent decade after decade toiling with very little to show for their efforts. Some had only one or two converts; others had none. They suffered under decades of harsh, repressive conditions and many died or were kicked out. There was no reason to believe their efforts amounted to anything more than one massive failure.

Today, tens of millions of Chinese Christians worship God in the underground church alone. Sociologists say that by 2050 the church in China will outnumber all believers in the rest of the world.

Were those missionaries’ efforts a failure? Not at all. Those servants faithfully planted seeds, not knowing what would result. And most of those missionaries died never knowing the results. I urge you, take their example to heart. Whenever we face negative circumstances, it is our call to obey Him. The results are up to Him.