Blessings of Goodness and Kindness
God wants to shower us with his loving kindness and bless us ahead of schedule, but many Christians lack joy due to a lack of trust in Him.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that the Holy Spirit dispels fear and instills joy in believers, allowing them to rejoice in God's assurance of victory. Many Christians, however, live in a state of mourning, perceiving God as a harsh taskmaster rather than a loving Father. The core issue is not sin, but a lack of trust in God's grace and kindness, as Jesus has already dealt with sin at Calvary. Wilkerson encourages believers to focus on God's desire to bless and reward them, rather than their failures. Ultimately, God longs for us to understand His loving nature and the forgiveness available through Christ.
Text
The Holy Spirit drives out all fear from us -- fear of falling, of being cut off from God, of losing the presence of the Holy Spirit -- by implanting in us his joy. We are to go forth rejoicing, as David did, because God has assured us we will prevail.
Yet so few Christians have this joy and exceeding gladness. Multitudes never know rest of soul or the peace of Christ's presence. They walk around as if in mourning, picturing themselves under the thumb of God's wrath rather than under his protective wings. They see him as a harsh taskmaster, always ready to bring a whip down on their backs. And so they live unhappily, with no hope, more dead than alive.
But in God's eyes, our problem isn't sin; it is trust. Jesus settled our sin problem once and for all at Calvary. He doesn't constantly harp on us, "This time you've crossed the line." No, never! His attitude toward us is just the opposite. His Spirit is constantly wooing us, reminding us of the Father's loving kindness even in the midst of our failures.
When we become focused on our sin, we lose all sight of what God wants most: "Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). This verse says it all. Our God is a rewarder, and he's so anxious to shower us with his loving kindness that he blesses us way ahead of schedule.
This is the concept our heavenly Father longs for us to have of him. He knows when we'll repent over our failures and sins. He knows when our contriteness is coming. But he can't wait for the due date. So he jumps in, saying, "I want to assure my child he won't be judged, because I've already forgiven him through my Son's cleansing blood."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Holy Spirit's Role in Removing Fear
- A. Implanting joy in believers
- B. Removing fear of falling, being cut off from God, and losing the presence of the Holy Spirit
- II. The Problem of Christians Lacking Joy
- A. Many Christians walk around in mourning, picturing themselves under God's wrath
- B. They see God as a harsh taskmaster
- III. The Solution: Trust in God
- A. Jesus settled the sin problem at Calvary
- B. God's Spirit is constantly wooing believers, reminding them of the Father's loving kindness
- IV. The Importance of Faith
- A. Without faith, it's impossible to please God
- B. God is a rewarder and wants to shower believers with loving kindness
Key Quotes
“We are to go forth rejoicing, as David did, because God has assured us we will prevail.” — David Wilkerson
“Our God is a rewarder, and he's so anxious to shower us with his loving kindness that he blesses us way ahead of schedule.” — David Wilkerson
“He knows when we'll repent over our failures and sins. He knows when our contriteness is coming. But he can't wait for the due date.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should focus on trusting God rather than dwelling on our sin.
- God wants to bless us ahead of schedule, but we must have faith to receive it.
- We should see God as a loving Father rather than a harsh taskmaster.