Radical Disciples – A Remnant Revolution

“After much prayer, careful study and reliance on the Holy Spirit, I have concluded this about Christ’s intercession for us. Jesus died on the cross to purchase peace with God for me – and He is in heaven now to maintain that peace, for me and in me.” — David Wilkerson

Today is a sad day for me, for the man who led me to the Lord, died in a car crash yesterday, Rev. David Wilkerson. My heart and prayers go out to the Wilkerson family. If I were to say that I had a true Spiritual Father, it would be David Wilkerson, his writing and sermons shook and molded my life. David Wilkerson was like the John the Baptist and the prophet Jeremiah of this generation.

Of all the godly men that the Lord has used to impact my life, Rev. David Wilkerson impacted mine the most.

Rev, David Wilkerson started his ministry off in the streets of New York, reaching out, ministering the gospel message and love to the drug addicts and gang members. He went on to establish Teen Challenge in 1971 and then Times Square church in 1987, which today has over 8000 members.

His book, the Cross & the Switchblade had a very big impact on my life which was also made into a movie where Pat Boone starred as David Wilkerson and is one of my favorite movies.

His love for people and dedication to being a true watchman of the Bride was matched with a life of honor without compromise in regard to the truth about the Lord, His Word and the Kingdom of God. Like that of Jeremiah, Rev. Wilkerson was faithful in releasing the word that the Lord gave him to release. Making such bold comments as:

“Our nation is being led astray by ungodly judges, mayors and governors, who are given to change, defying the Constitution and substituting their own wicked agendas”.

And when asked about the modern day revivals he was quoted as saying:

‘Do I believe any of the “revivals” represent the last-days outpouring — the last great revival before Jesus comes? No! Not at all. We should rejoice in every work of the Spirit that results in true conversions — but any “revival” that purports itself to be “the great revival” and is promoted and “spread” by its leaders must be immediately discounted. When the last great outpouring comes, it is prophesied to come “upon all flesh.” It will not be isolated in just a few areas. No one will be counting numbers. Hungry seekers will not be falling backwards — but frontwards, on their faces, humbled and broken. The preaching of the cross will be central. There will be no fundraising, no introducing of star visitors. The meetings will be times of wooing by the Holy Spirit, because He never drives people to altars — He woos them. No one will have to defend such an outpouring. All manifestations will focus on Christ, not flesh. Weeping, brokenness, a lifting of holy hands in thankfulness for God’s mercy and grace will produce a true spirit of joy’.

He spoke about the state of affairs in much of the modern day church:

“I believe modern Babylon is present-day America, including its corrupt society and its whorish church system. No other nation on earth fits the description in Revelation 18 but America, the world’s biggest fornicator with the merchants of all nations. Ancient Babylon was long destroyed when John received this vision“.

and…

“Tragically, however, few ministers today have the anointing of God’s Spirit. They may be able to tell a good story or inject humor into their sermons. But they have no fresh word from heaven, because they don’t spend time alone with the Lord. The result is a widespread famine of a true word from God in the land”.

David Wilkerson was one of the few respected modern day prophets who had a track record of following the Word and his prophesies were always based in scripture. Even when it cost him much support in the United States as many of the main stream churches turned their backs on him, calling him such names as false prophet and prophet of doom. Yet the prophetic word’s that he spoke have come true and I am sure that history will prove those to be truthful as well for which he prophesied about the coming days.

Yet his love for the truth of God’s Word was always a motivation to speak in truth especially to those seeking the “perfect church” :

“Then you can go to any church, no matter how dead it may seem. Why? You do it so that you can connect with other Zadok seekers there! He has hungry servants everywhere — and he will supernaturally bring you to those who share your hunger to minister to the Lord”.

At the age of 15 my sister Roxanne took me to one of his crusades held in Bangor, Maine some 2 1/2 to 3 hours from our home and I can still to this day, some 30 years later remember most of his sermon. His words were on fire with the passion of the Lord and they found their mark in my hardened heart, breaking up the hardness until it was cracked to the point of the Lords words entering in and leading me to cry out to Jesus to be my Lord.

In the times when I would stumble, the Lord would in some way bring his messages back into my life and every time, this mans words of truth were used to return me to seeking the Lord. Over the past 10 years as I have walked in ministry, Rev Wilkerson’s sermons were a constant reminder of righteousness as well as holiness and have always been an encouragement to me to seek the Lords Kingdom and His righteousness first in my life. His daily devotionals were always spiritual food for me. There was a season last years when I was not attending a “church building” and I would sit and listen to his and Carter Conlon’s messages on Sunday morning’s and they continued to not only build up my faith, they encouraged me to also live a life of no compromise.

He was never afraid to speak on the subject of sin and hell, even in a day when it appears that many choose to appease the people, tickling their ears and entertaining them rather than remaining faithful to the power of God’s Word. Yet he was always sure to thread into every one of his messages, the grace and mercy of a forgiven God such statements as:

“God’s way is this: accept God’s gift, Jesus Christ. You can’t buy this love. He loves you even with all your sins and offers salvation to you — free. You don’t have to reform yourself. He’ll transform you”.

It is my prayer that when my time comes to go be with the Lord, that people will look back on my life and be able to say, like that of David Wilkerson, that I was faithful with the Word of the Lord in my life, and in the pulpit – not merely in my messages but my life’s actions as well.

In one of his messages he penned the following statement that will always be part of my life:

The messages to the seven churches were directed to “the angel” of the churches, meaning the pastors, leaders or messengers. John is saying,

“What I share with you is what every minister of the church ought to know and preach. This is the heart of God revealed against sin and apostasy – see that you hear the words, heed them, then preach them.”

I am honored to have been one of the thousands that God used David Wilkerson to bring into His Kingdom. My life will never be the same because of him. One day, when I walk the streets of heaven I hope to meet him once again, just to say thank you David, for your faithfulness in love & service to the Lord and His Bride!

IHS,
Russ Welch