Your Father Keeps His Promises
David Wilkerson teaches that in times of overwhelming trial, we must surrender to God's will and trust in His promises, just as Jesus did in Gethsemane.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the significance of Gethsemane as a place of deep sorrow and prayer, where Jesus faced overwhelming trials yet demonstrated how to gain power over evil through submission to God's will. He contrasts the modern church's tendency to avoid tears and struggles with the reality that there are times when we must bring our anguish before God. Wilkerson encourages believers to embrace their trials and cast their burdens onto the Lord, reminding them of God's promises to be a loving Father who keeps His word.
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Gethsemane was the garden where Jesus went to pray when his trial became crushing and his cup overwhelmed him. It was where he wept out his deepest sorrows before the Father. And it was also where he won the battle over every evil principality and power.
Some Christians today say, "Ours is not a generation of tears. We have been called to celebrate and commanded to take everything by faith. We can speak the Word and every mountain will be moved. We are to simply meditate on God's goodness." Such is the posture of the prosperous modern church.
I agree that our God is a God of love and, yes, we are to celebrate before him. But there comes a time when our trials are so overwhelming that we can do nothing but cry before his throne. It happened to Jesus, yet he did not sin in unbelief when he prayed in Gethsemane. On the contrary, Jesus was demonstrating to his people how to obtain power and authority over all satanic forces.
Consider Jesus' prayers at Gethsemane:
"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Matthew 26:38). His declaration is saying, in essence, "This is beyond understanding and if it goes on, it will kill me."
Jesus continued, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (26:39). Have you ever prayed in such agony that hot tears streaked your face?
Jesus prayed the "ultimate prayer" at Gethsemane, meaning the final prayer that would move mountains and shake hell. It was simply this: "Not as I will, but as You will." You may have wrestled in prayer over a situation. You tell God how you have fasted and interceded, knocked, sought and believed, and yet what you want is not happening. This has created a real conflict in your spirit.
I encourage you to cast everything into his hands and enter into the place of rest he has prepared (Hebrews 4:1). He has promised, "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters" (2 Corinthians 6:18). And your Father keeps his promises!
Sermon Outline
- 'I. The Garden of Gethsemane: A Place of Overwhelming Trial'
- A. Jesus' Agony in Prayer
- B. The Posture of the Modern Church
- C. The Importance of Prayer in Times of Trial
Key Quotes
“Your Father keeps his promises!” — David Wilkerson
“Not as I will, but as You will.” — David Wilkerson
“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- When faced with overwhelming trials, surrender to God's will and trust in His promises.
- Cast everything into God's hands and enter into the place of rest He has prepared.
- Remember that God is a Father who keeps His promises and will work all things for our good.