Committed to Be Seekers
To live a holy life, we must commit to both a separated life and ongoing prayer, seeking God for the power and authority to lead such a life.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the necessity of being committed seekers of God, as demonstrated by Daniel's example of prayer and confession. He explains that living a holy life requires a deep commitment to prayer, which prepares believers to face life's crises with trust in God. Wilkerson warns that faithful prayer does not exempt one from trials; rather, it equips them to endure and remain steadfast. He highlights that even seasoned prayer warriors like Daniel faced significant tests later in life, underscoring that the journey of faith continues until the end. Ultimately, the call to seek God is essential for fulfilling the commitment to live a pure and undefiled life.
Text
"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications.... And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession.... And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel..." (Daniel 9:3, 4 and 20). These were praying men!
You see, the first commitment they had made--to live a separated life--had to be backed up by a second commitment, to be seekers after God. Indeed, it is impossible to live a holy life without spending much time on your knees, seeking God for the power and authority to lead such a life.
Don't be mistaken--faithful praying will not keep you out of a crisis. On the contrary, most likely it will bring you to a fired-up furnace and a lions' den. But prayer will prepare you to face it all with trust--to become a living sacrifice for Jesus' sake!
Daniel's praying led him straight to the lions' den. And this test came years after that of the Hebrew men--when Daniel was in his eighties! This may frighten you, if you wonder how long it will be before you stop having crises. Perhaps you thought you'd learned all your "important" tests after a certain number of years in the Lord. Yet, here God is allowing one of his greatest prayer warriors--a man of a quiet, tender spirit--to face the crisis of his life after decades of faithful intercession!
Beloved, the testing only ends when Jesus comes--or when you die in Christ! This is why prayer is so important. You can make a commitment to live an undefiled life--but that commitment is impossible to fulfill without also having a commitment to seek God.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Seeking God
- Daniel's Example
- The Importance of Ongoing Prayer
- Testing only ends when Jesus comes or when you die in Christ
- Prayer is essential for fulfilling our commitment to live an undefiled life
- Faithful praying will not keep you out of a crisis
Key Quotes
“Indeed, it is impossible to live a holy life without spending much time on your knees, seeking God for the power and authority to lead such a life.” — David Wilkerson
“Prayer will prepare you to face it all with trust--to become a living sacrifice for Jesus' sake!” — David Wilkerson
“Testing only ends when Jesus comes--or when you die in Christ!” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must commit to ongoing prayer to fulfill our commitment to live an undefiled life.
- Faithful praying will prepare us to face the testing that will come in life with trust.
- We must seek God for the power and authority to live a holy life.