The Power of the Spirit to Deliver
The Holy Spirit delivers us from hopeless situations through an ever-increasing knowledge of His power and provision.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in delivering believers from hopeless situations, as illustrated by Paul's assurance of ongoing deliverance in 2 Corinthians 1:10. He explains that true reception of the Holy Spirit is not merely emotional but comes through an increasing knowledge of His delivering power and provision. Wilkerson uses the example of Lot's family in Sodom to illustrate the necessity of fully receiving the Spirit by relinquishing control and trusting in God's plan for deliverance. He warns that unbelief can hinder the Spirit's work, urging believers to let go of their own plans to experience God's guidance and care. Ultimately, the message is about surrendering to the Holy Spirit for true deliverance.
Text
"Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1:10). What an incredible statement! Paul is saying, "The Spirit delivered me out of a hopeless situation. He's delivering me even now. And he will continue to deliver me, in all my afflictions."
Receiving the Holy Spirit isn't evidenced by some emotional manifestation. (Yet I do believe there are manifestations of the Spirit.) What I'm talking about is receiving the Spirit through an ever-increasing knowledge. Receiving him means having an ever-increasing light about his delivering power, his burden bearing, his provision.
I repeat Peter's words: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3). According to Peter, the divine power of the Spirit doesn't come as a manifestation. He comes first "through the knowledge of him that hath called us."
"And of his fullness have all we received" (John 1:16). Moreover, the Holy Spirit is not fully received until he is fully in charge. We simply haven't received him if we haven't given him complete control. We have to cast ourselves totally into his care.
Let me give a final example, to illustrate this. In Genesis 19, we find Lot and his family in a terrible crisis. Judgment was about to fall on their city, Sodom, and so God had sent his angels to deliver them. Lot opened his door to theses messengers of the Lord, and they entered the house. They had the power of heaven to deliver that whole family. But the angels weren't received.
In the end, the angels had to force their will on Lot and his family, dragging them out of Sodom. God's plan all along was to deliver them in the process of fleeing. He was going to feed and clothe and take care of them. But, as we all know, Lot's wife looked back and died.
The angel's message was clear: "If you want God to be in control, then you have to give up the reins. If you look to him for deliverance, you've got to let go of your plans and be willing to go his way." In short, the Holy Spirit doesn't use his power to deliver doubters. Unbelief aborts his work. We have to be willing to let him make changes in our lives, if that is God's chosen way of delivering us.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Power of the Spirit to Deliver
- A. The Spirit delivers us from hopeless situations
- B. He continues to deliver us in all our afflictions
- II. Receiving the Holy Spirit
- A. It's not evidenced by emotional manifestations
- B. It's through an ever-increasing knowledge of His delivering power
- III. The Divine Power of the Spirit
- A. Comes through the knowledge of Him
- B. Not through manifestations
- IV. Receiving the Fullness of the Spirit
- A. Requires giving Him complete control
- B. We must cast ourselves totally into His care
Key Quotes
“The Spirit delivered me out of a hopeless situation. He's delivering me even now. And he will continue to deliver me, in all my afflictions.” — David Wilkerson
“According to Peter, the divine power of the Spirit doesn't come as a manifestation. He comes first 'through the knowledge of him that hath called us'.” — David Wilkerson
“We have to cast ourselves totally into his care.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must be willing to let the Holy Spirit make changes in our lives if that is God's chosen way of delivering us.
- Receiving the Holy Spirit requires giving Him complete control and trusting in His delivering power.
- Spiritual growth and maturity come through an ever-increasing knowledge of God and His power.