God Is Willing to Save Wicked, Hardened Sinners!
God is willing and able to save anyone, no matter how entrenched in sin they may be, and we must pray and believe in His power to redeem.
David Wilkerson emphasizes God's unwavering willingness and power to save even the most hardened sinners, as seen in the plight of Judah who doubted His ability to redeem them from their deep-seated sins. He challenges the belief that some individuals are beyond hope, reminding us that God's arm is not too short to save anyone, regardless of their circumstances. Wilkerson encourages believers to maintain faith in God's redemptive power, urging them to pray and trust that He can reach even the most difficult hearts. He reassures that God is committed to gathering His people back to Him, one by one, demonstrating His love and mercy. Ultimately, the message is one of hope and the assurance that no one is too far gone for God's grace.
Text
God's people in Judah had a problem. They doubted His willingness and power to redeem a people entrenched in apostasy and idolatry. "They said, 'That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart'" (Jeremiah 18:12).
Judah had given up hope, thinking, "We've gone too far--and now there is no going back. We have left the Lord, mocked Him, cast Him aside, abused Him. We are so deep into our sins, it's hopeless. Not even God can bring us back!"
After all my years in ministry, I still have to fight this kind of thinking. You may feel the same. Your husband may be an atheist, mean and godless. And you have convinced yourself, "All around me, people are getting saved but my husband is different. He is so hard!"
The Lord said to Judah, "Is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?" (Isaiah 50:2).
To shorten means to "chop off." God was saying, "Tell me, has the enemy chopped off My mighty arm? Have I lost My power to save? No! My mighty arm dried up the Red Sea. It clothed the heavens with blackness. It opened blind eyes! You have seen that I will save to the uttermost. Why do you think I have lost My power to redeem you?"
Beloved, when did God lose His power to save the vilest sinner on earth? When did He lose His willingness to deliver drug addicts, drunkards and prostitutes even when nobody was praying for them?
Would God somehow decide not to save your family members, for whom you have fasted and prayed faithfully? Absolutely not! We must cry out to Him in faith, "Oh, Lord, You can save Wall Street. You can deliver the sinner in New York. You can redeem any Muslim in any foreign land and you can save any member of my family. Your arm is not too short. You can save anybody!"
Don't believe that His hand has been chopped off; instead, believe Him for the impossible! Get a vision of His love and mercy--of His mighty outstretched arm, all powerful to save!
We are to pray and be patient and He will gather in our loved ones, one at a time!
"'Return, O backsliding children,' says the Lord; 'for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion'" (Jeremiah 3:14).
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Power to Save
- A. God's mighty arm has not been shortened
- B. God has demonstrated His power to save in the past
- C. God's power is not limited by human circumstances
- II. The Problem of Doubt and Unbelief
- A. Judah doubted God's willingness and power to redeem
- B. We must not doubt God's ability to save
- III. The Call to Faith and Prayer
- A. We must cry out to God in faith
- B. We must believe God for the impossible
- C. We must pray and be patient for God's answer
Key Quotes
“Tell me, has the enemy chopped off My mighty arm? Have I lost My power to save? No! My mighty arm dried up the Red Sea. It clothed the heavens with blackness. It opened blind eyes!” — David Wilkerson
“We must cry out to Him in faith, 'Oh, Lord, You can save Wall Street. You can deliver the sinner in New York. You can redeem any Muslim in any foreign land and you can save any member of my family.'” — David Wilkerson
“Get a vision of His love and mercy--of His mighty outstretched arm, all powerful to save!” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must not doubt God's ability to save, even in hopeless situations.
- We must cry out to God in faith, believing Him for the impossible.
- We must pray and be patient for God's answer, trusting in His love and mercy.