Holding Forth the Word of Life
David Wilkerson encourages listeners to trust in God's purposes and promises, even in the midst of suffering and uncertainty, so that they can rejoice in the day of Christ.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of holding forth the Word of life as Paul describes in Philippians 2:16, reflecting on the day when believers will stand in Christ's presence and witness the unveiling of redemption's secrets. He paints a vivid picture of the glory and power of God that will be revealed, assuring us that we were never in danger and that God's angels were always with us. Wilkerson urges us to trust in God's faithfulness and to let go of our past worries, focusing instead on the promises of the future. He encourages believers to live in a way that they can rejoice on that glorious day, having fully trusted in God's purposes. Ultimately, he reminds us that to embrace our future in Christ, we must first release our past.
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Paul writes, "Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain" (Philippians 2:16). Paul was picturing the day when he would stand in Christ's presence and the secrets of redemption would be unveiled.
Scripture says that on that day our eyes will be opened, and we'll behold the Lord's glory without rebuke from him. Our hearts will be set on fire as he opens all the mysteries of the universe and shows us his power behind it. Suddenly, we'll see the reality of all that had been available to us in our earthly trials: the power and resources of heaven, the protective angels, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.
As we behold the awesomeness of these things, the Lord will say to us, "All along, my warriors were camped about you, an entire army of powerful messengers assigned to you. You were never in any danger from Satan. You never had any reason to fear your tomorrows."
Then Christ will show us the Father, and what an overwhelming moment that will be. As we behold the majesty of our heavenly Father, we'll fully realize his love and care for us, and suddenly the truth will come to us in full force: "This was, and is, and forever will be our Father, truly the great 'I AM.'"
Here is why Paul "held forth" his word about God's faithfulness. On that glorious day, he didn't want to stand in the Lord's presence thinking, "How could I have been so blind? Why didn't I fully trust my Lord's purposes? All my worries and questions were in vain."
Paul is exhorting us: "I want to rejoice on that day, when my eyes are fully opened. I want to be able to enjoy every revelation knowing I trusted in his promises, that I didn't go about my labors full of doubt. I want to know that I held forth the Word of life in all my reactions to my sufferings, that I fought a good fight, that I proved my Lord faithful."
Paul then sums it up with the word: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before" (Philippians 3:13). In short, he thought it was impossible to place his future into the Lord's hands without first laying down his past.
Sermon Outline
- I. Holding Forth the Word of Life
- A. Paul's desire to rejoice in the day of Christ
- B. The importance of trusting in God's purposes
- C. The need to lay down our past and reach for the future
- II. The Day of Christ
- A. Our eyes will be opened to behold the Lord's glory
- B. We'll see the reality of God's power and resources in our earthly trials
- III. The Lord's Presence
- A. He'll reveal the secrets of redemption
- B. We'll see the protective angels and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit
- IV. The Father's Love
- A. We'll behold the majesty of our heavenly Father
- B. We'll fully realize his love and care for us
Key Quotes
“Suddenly, we'll see the reality of all that had been available to us in our earthly trials: the power and resources of heaven, the protective angels, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.” — David Wilkerson
“This was, and is, and forever will be our Father, truly the great 'I AM.'” — David Wilkerson
“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should strive to trust in God's purposes and promises, even in the midst of suffering and uncertainty.
- We should lay down our past and reach for the future, placing our trust in God's goodness and faithfulness.
- We should seek to behold the majesty of our heavenly Father and fully realize his love and care for us.