Who Told You That You Are Unworthy?
David Wilkerson's sermon challenges the lies of unworthiness propagated by the devil, affirming that Jesus makes us worthy to serve God.
David Wilkerson addresses the lies of the devil that convince believers they are unworthy of God's love and service. He emphasizes that the enemy constantly reminds us of our failures and inadequacies, making us feel unfit to worship or serve in God's house. Wilkerson shares his own struggles with feelings of unworthiness, yet he reassures that it is not our worthiness that qualifies us, but rather Jesus' sacrifice that makes us worthy. He encourages believers to reject the accuser's lies and embrace their identity as children of God, made righteous through Christ.
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Who told you that you are unworthy -- no good, useless to God? Who keeps reminding you that you are weak, helpless, a total failure? That you'll never measure up to God's standard?
We all know this voice comes from the devil himself. He is the one who keeps you convinced God is angry with you. You hear his lies all day long and they come straight from the pit of hell.
Who tells choir members they are not worthy to sing praises in God's house? Who tells musicians they are not worthy to play instruments of worship? Who tells elders, ushers, Sunday school teachers, volunteers, people in ministry, people in their pews they are unworthy? Who reminds them of every sin and failure and accuses them of having unclean hands and an impure heart? Who tells them they have no right to touch the holy things of God?
The hounding voice of the devil -- the accuser of the brethren -- tells you, "God can't use you until you sit down and get this thing figured out. You can't even come into His house until you've made yourself worthy."
The devil has convinced many of you reading this message that you are unworthy ever to be used of God. Perhaps you feel unworthy even to be called a child of the Lord. When you look at your spiritual life all you see is inconsistency. And the enemy keeps lying, constantly reminding you of your failures, always harassing your spirit.
Let me stop here and confess something to you: I have never once, in all my years of ministry, felt worthy of my high calling as a preacher. Throughout my service to the Lord, I have been barraged by accusations that I am unworthy to speak for God -- unworthy to preach, to teach others, to be a leader.
I am not worthy to write this message and you are not worthy to raise your hands in praise to God. Nobody is worthy -- not in our own human strength and power. But Jesus has told us, "I have made you worthy."
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:19).
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to feelings of unworthiness
- Identifying the source of these feelings
- The role of the devil as the accuser
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II
- The impact of these lies on individuals in ministry
- Examples of those affected: choir members, musicians, volunteers
- The spiritual consequences of believing these lies
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III
- Personal testimony of unworthiness in ministry
- The universal nature of feeling unworthy
- Acknowledgment of Jesus' role in making us worthy
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IV
- Scriptural foundation: Romans 5:19
- The importance of recognizing our worth in Christ
- Encouragement to reject the lies of the enemy
Key Quotes
“Who told you that you are unworthy -- no good, useless to God?” — David Wilkerson
“The hounding voice of the devil -- the accuser of the brethren -- tells you, 'God can't use you until you sit down and get this thing figured out.'” — David Wilkerson
“But Jesus has told us, 'I have made you worthy.'” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Recognize and reject the lies of unworthiness that the enemy tries to instill in you.
- Embrace your identity in Christ, knowing that He has made you worthy.
- Encourage others in your community who may feel unworthy to serve and worship.