The Sorrow of a Heart That Wavers
The sermon emphasizes the importance of surrendering to God wholly, overcoming fear, and declaring a loud and clear position in Christ.
David Wilkerson addresses the struggle of wavering faith, emphasizing that unanswered prayers can lead to a loss of confidence in God, causing believers to hesitate in fully committing their hearts to Him. He highlights the importance of unwavering faith, as described in James 1:6, and warns against putting God on trial with conditional commitments. Wilkerson encourages believers to recognize that true faith triumphs over worldly troubles and to boldly declare their position in Christ, rejecting fear and doubt. He reminds us that God desires complete surrender and will not be bribed by half-hearted commitments.
Text
You may have had a situation you were praying about but you didn't seem to get an answer. You may say, "I prayed in faith, believing God, but he didn't hear me. I waited and waited, but he never answered. How can I surrender my life to God if he doesn't answer my prayers?"
You may not be angry with God but you have certainly lost confidence, which keeps you from committing your heart to him fully. Therefore, you have stopped prayer and you don't enjoy the fullness of his blessings anymore.
James addresses this situation very clearly: "He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6). The King James Version uses the word "waver," which means to be undecided. In their hearts, when the people made their requests, they put God on trial. In their hearts, they said, "Lord, if you answer me, I'll serve you. I'll give you everything! But if you don't answer, I'll live my life my way."
God will not be bribed. He knows our hearts and he knows when we are undecided in our commitment to his Son. He reserves the power that is in Christ for those who have surrendered to him wholly.
True faith considers all the problems and pain of God's people worldwide, all hopeless situations, and puts these sorrowful things on a scale on one side. Faith then puts Christ on the other side of the scale and rejoices when Christ overwhelms all the sins and afflictions of the world.
God never intended for us to let the devil overtake our hearts and homes. Rather, he intends for us to make a declaration that is loud and clear. We are to take our position in Christ and cry, "In the name of Jesus Christ!"
It is time for every believer to stand up and declare, "I've lived with fear long enough and in the name of Jesus Christ, I will no longer fear death, man or the devil."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Problem of a Wavering Heart
- A. Doubt and uncertainty in prayer
- B. Lack of confidence in God's answers
- C. Stopping prayer and missing blessings
- II. The Consequences of a Wavering Heart
- A. Being driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6)
- B. Putting God on trial in our hearts
- C. Reserving God's power for those who surrender wholly
- III. The Power of True Faith
- A. Considering all problems and pain worldwide
- B. Putting Christ on the scale and rejoicing
- C. Overwhelming sins and afflictions with Christ
- IV. Taking a Stand in Christ
- A. Declaring a loud and clear position in Christ
- B. Crying out in the name of Jesus Christ
- C. Overcoming fear in the name of Jesus Christ
Key Quotes
“He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6).” — David Wilkerson
“God will not be bribed. He knows our hearts and he knows when we are undecided in our commitment to his Son.” — David Wilkerson
“It is time for every believer to stand up and declare, 'I've lived with fear long enough and in the name of Jesus Christ, I will no longer fear death, man or the devil.'” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Surrender your life to God wholly, considering all problems and pain worldwide, and putting Christ on the scale.
- Declare a loud and clear position in Christ, crying out in his name and overcoming fear.
- Regain your confidence in God by surrendering your life to him and standing up in Christ.