Walking in Marvelous Freedom
True rest and peace come from being convinced that our own works cannot make us right in God's eyes, and instead, relying on Jesus' righteousness.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that the core of Christianity is justification by faith, asserting that true peace comes from understanding that our own righteousness cannot earn God's favor. He explains that while good works may provide temporary satisfaction, they ultimately fall short, and only through being 'in Christ' can we be deemed righteous. Wilkerson encourages believers to transform their minds and break free from worldly conformity, highlighting that Jesus' sacrifice allows for a daily, intimate relationship with God. He reassures that through Christ, we are delivered from sin's power and guilt, and we can confidently approach God. The key to experiencing this freedom lies in a deep faith and desire to know God.
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The foundational truth of Christianity is justification by faith. You will never know true rest and peace until you are convinced that your own works of righteousness can never make you right in God's eyes. You may feel good because of the good works you do, and you will probably enjoy a moment of victory whenever you resist temptation. You feel God's favor on you, but the next day you fall back into sin and lose your joy. Why? Because in yourself, you always fall short. And no righteousness of the flesh will ever stand before God. We are accepted by him only as we are in Christ.
"For you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Being "in Christ" means God credits Jesus' righteousness to us. We are accounted righteous in our Father's eyes because of Jesus. All our sins are washed away because of his work, not ours!
Paul writes, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). We are to break from this world completely and be conformed to Christ alone.
Beloved, Jesus didn't die just to take you to paradise; he died so that every day you could live in beautiful, close fellowship with the Father. You can talk to him, listen to him, ask him to lead you, guide you, tell you where you're wrong, convict you of sin -- all because he abides in you by his Spirit!
Yes, Jesus died so that we can enjoy deliverance in and from this present world. This simply means:
He delivered us from the power, guilt and condemnation of sin.
He delivered us from the condemnation of an accusing conscience.
He atoned for every sin and buried them in "a sea of forgetfulness."
He tore the veil in two -- opening up to us the Holy of Holies; a way for us to come in to him and for him to come out to us.
All you need in order to walk in this marvelous freedom is a faith that yearns to know him in whom you have believed and a hunger in your heart for him!
Sermon Outline
- I. Justification by Faith
- A. Our works of righteousness cannot make us right in God's eyes
- B. We are accepted by God only as we are in Christ
- II. Being 'In Christ'
- A. God credits Jesus' righteousness to us
- B. We are accounted righteous in our Father's eyes because of Jesus
- III. Breaking from the World
- A. We are to break from this world completely and be conformed to Christ alone
- IV. Living in Fellowship with God
- A. Jesus died so that we can enjoy beautiful, close fellowship with the Father
- B. We can talk to God, listen to him, and ask for guidance
- V. Enjoying Deliverance
- A. Jesus delivered us from the power, guilt, and condemnation of sin
- B. He atoned for every sin and opened up the Holy of Holies to us
Key Quotes
“You will never know true rest and peace until you are convinced that your own works of righteousness can never make you right in God's eyes.” — David Wilkerson
“Jesus died so that every day you could live in beautiful, close fellowship with the Father.” — David Wilkerson
“All you need in order to walk in this marvelous freedom is a faith that yearns to know him in whom you have believed and a hunger in your heart for him!” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must break from the world and be transformed by the renewing of our mind to be conformed to Christ.
- We can experience deliverance from sin and enjoy beautiful, close fellowship with God through faith in Jesus.
- A yearning faith and a hunger for God are necessary to walk in marvelous freedom.