PRE-385-384. The Unrelenting Love of God

384. The Unrelenting Love of God

The Unrelenting Love of God

by David Wilkerson

April 7, 2003

[May 19, 1931 '96 April 27, 2011]

I want to talk to you about the word unrelenting. It means undiminished in intensity or effort – unyielding, uncompromising, incapable of being changed or persuaded by arguments. To be unrelenting is to stick to a determined course.

What a marvelous description of the love of God. Our Lord's love is absolutely unrelenting. Nothing can hinder or diminish his loving pursuit of both sinners and saints. David, the psalmist, expressed it this way: "Thou hast beset me behind and before… Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there" (Psa_139:5; Psa_139:7-8).

David is speaking of the great highs and lows we face in life. He's saying, "There are times when I'm so blessed, I feel lifted with joy. At other times, I feel like I'm in a living hell, condemned and unworthy. But no matter where I am, Lord – no matter how blessed I feel, or how low my condition is – you're there. I can't get away from your unrelenting love. And I can't chase it away. You never accept my arguments about how unworthy I am. Even when I'm disobedient – sinning against your truth, taking your grace for granted – you never stop loving me. Your love for me is relentless!"

At one low point, David prayed, "Lord, you seated my soul in a heavenly place. You gave me light to understand your Word. You made it a lamp to guide my feet. But I've fallen so low, I don't see how I can ever recover. I've made my bed in hell. And I deserve wrath, punishment. You're too high and holy to love me in this condition."

David had sinned grievously. This is the same man who enjoyed daily spiritual input from godly counselors. He was mentored by upright men of God. He was ministered to by the Holy Spirit. He was given revelations from God's Word. Yet, in spite of his many blessings and his devoted life, David utterly disobeyed God's law.

I'm sure you know the story of David's sin. He lusted after another man's wife and impregnated her. Then he tried to cover up his sin by getting the husband drunk, hoping the man would sleep with his pregnant wife. When that failed, David murdered the husband. He connived to send the man into a hopeless battle, knowing he would die.

Scripture says, "The thing that David had done displeased the Lord" (2Sa_11:27). God called David's actions "a great evil." And he sent the prophet Nathan to tell him, "Thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme" (12:14).

The Lord then disciplined David, saying he would suffer severe consequences. Nathan prophesied, "The child also that is born unto thee shall surely die" (12:14). David prayed around the clock for his baby's health. But the child died, and David grieved deeply over the terrible things he'd caused.

Yet, in spite of David's sin, God kept pursuing him in love. While the world mocked this fallen man's faith, God gave David a token of his unrelenting love. Bathsheba was now David's wife, and she gave birth to another child. David "called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him" (12:24). Solomon's birth and life were a blessing to David, one totally undeserved. But God's love for David never abated, even in the hour of his greatest shame. He chased after David unrelentingly.

Consider also the testimony of the apostle Paul. As we read of Paul's life, we see a man bent on destroying God's church. Paul was like a madman in his hatred for Christians. He breathed out threats of slaughter against everyone who followed Jesus. He sought the high priest's authorization to hunt down believers, so he could charge into their homes and drag them off to prison.

After he was converted, Paul testified that even during those hate-filled years – while he was full of prejudice, blindly slaughtering Christ's disciples – God loved him. The apostle wrote, "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom_5:8). He said, in essence, "Even though I wasn't conscious of it, God was pursuing me. He kept coming after me in love, until that day when he literally knocked me off my high horse. That was the unrelenting love of God."

Through the years, Paul became increasingly convinced God would love him fervently to the end, through all his highs and lows. He stated, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (8:38-39). He was declaring, "Now that I'm God's, nothing can separate me from his love. No devil, no demon, no principality, no man, no angel – nothing can stop God from loving me."

Most believers have read this passage over and over. They have heard it preached for years. Yet I believe the majority of Christians find Paul's words impossible to believe. Whenever most of us sin and fail God, we lose all sense of the truth of his love for us. Then, when something bad happens to us, we think, "God is whipping me." We end up blaming every trouble, trial, sickness and difficulty on him.

In reality, we're saying, "God has stopped loving me, because I've failed him. I've displeased him, and he's angry at me." We suddenly stop comprehending God's unrelenting love for us. We forget that he's continually pursuing us at all times, no matter what our condition. Yet, the truth is, we can't face life and all its terrors and sorrows without holding fast to this truth. We have to be convinced of God's love for us.

I know many ministers who talk much of God's love and freely offer it to others. But when the enemy comes roaring like a flood into their own lives, they're carried away. They fall into a pit of despair, unable to trust God's Word. They can't believe God would still accept them, because they're convinced he's given up on them.

Paul addresses this crucial matter for all of us, in a single verse. He had written two letters to the Corinthians. And he chose to end his last one with this prayer: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all" (2Co_13:14).

You may recognize this verse. It's often used in church services as a benediction. It's usually said rote by the pastor, and few hearers grasp its enormous significance. Yet this verse isn't just a benediction. It is Paul's summary of everything he's been teaching the Corinthians about God's love.

This verse deals with three divine issues: the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. Paul was praying that the Corinthians would lay hold of these truths. I believe if we also can comprehend these three issues, we'll never again doubt God's unrelenting love for us:

1. First, Paul considers the grace of Jesus Christ.

Just what is grace? We know this about it: whatever grace is, Paul says it will "(teach) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Tit_2:12).

How do we reach such a place, where we can be taught by grace? And what is the teaching that grace offers? According to Paul, grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and lusts, and to live holy and pure lives. If that's so, then we need the Holy Spirit to shine on our souls the foundation truth of this doctrine.

We find the secret to Paul's statement about grace in 2Co_8:9. He states, "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Paul isn't talking about material riches here, but about spiritual riches. (Numerous passages prove this. Throughout his letters, Paul speaks of the riches of Christ's glory, riches of wisdom, riches of grace, of being rich in mercy, faith and good works. Likewise, the New Testament refers to spiritual riches as opposed to the deceitfulness of worldly wealth.)

Paul is telling us, "Here is everything you need to know about the meaning of grace. It comes to us through the Lord's example. Simply put, Jesus came to bless, edify and build up others at his own expense. That is the grace of Christ. Though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor, that through his poverty we might be rich."

Jesus didn't come to magnify himself or bring himself glory. He gave up every right to capital "I," meaning all emphasis on "I, me, mine." Christ passed up every opportunity to be the greatest among his fellow men. Think about it: he never prayed down blessings on himself so he could be known or accepted by others. He didn't push his divine weight around to gain power or recognition. He didn't exalt himself at the expense of poor, less able men. And he didn't glory in his own power, ability or achievements. No, Jesus came to build up the body. And he proved it by glorying in God's blessings upon others.

When Christ walked on earth, he wasn't in competition with anybody. Surely he heard his disciples glorifying his mighty deeds. Yet in all humility, Jesus answered, "You're going to outdo me. I tell you, you'll perform greater works than all of mine." Later, when reports came back to him that his disciples were performing those very works, casting out demons and healing people, he danced with joy.

How many of us can claim this same kind of grace? In my view, it's sorely lacking in much of the church. Few Christians truly rejoice when they see their brothers or sisters being blessed by God. This is especially true of many pastors. When they see another minister reaping God's blessings, they think only of their own condition. They say, "I've been struggling in prayer for years. But now this young preacher comes to town, and God starts pouring out blessings on him. What about me?"

Here is the unrelenting love of God: to rejoice in seeing others blessed above ourselves. Paul writes, "Let love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy]…Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another" (Rom_12:9-10). Here is a grace that's willing to remain humble, even as it rejoices in others' blessings.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he describes seeing very little of this kind of grace.

Paul found the Corinthian Christians in competition with each other. The church was full of self-exaltation, self-promotion, self-seeking. Men and women gloried in their spiritual gifts, jostling for status and position. They even competed at the communion table. Affluent believers paraded their exotic foods, while the poor had nothing to bring. Others were so proud, they thought nothing of suing each other to settle their disputes.

This was all contrary to the grace Paul preached. These Corinthians were stamped with an immense capital "I." They were all about taking and not giving. Even today the word "Corinthian" connotes their carnality and worldliness.

Paul told these believers, "I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ… Are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1Co_3:1; 1Co_3:3). Think of what Paul was saying. Babies seek only to have their own needs met. They cry out for pampering. And the Corinthians were childish in just that way. These people were soft on sin, some indulging in fornication and even incest.

When we think of such believers, the word "saintly" doesn't come to mind. Yet, in spite of all their carnality, God directed Paul to write to these people as "the church of God…them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:2-3).

Was this a mistake? Was God winking at the church's compromise? No, never. God knew all about the Corinthians' condition. And he never overlooked their sins. No, Paul's grace-filled address to these people is a picture of God's unrelenting love. Try to imagine the Corinthians' amazement as they heard Paul's letter read in church. Here were self-contented believers looking out for number one. Yet Paul, writing under divine inspiration, addressed them as "saints" and "sanctified in Christ." Why? God was securing his people. Let me explain.

If God judged us according to our condition, we would be saved one minute and condemned the next. We would be converted ten times a day, and we would backslide ten times daily. Every honest Christian has to admit that his own condition, even at best, is one of struggle. We're all still fighting, still having to rely on faith in God's promises of mercy. That's because we still have weaknesses and frailties in our flesh.

Thank the Lord, he doesn't judge us according to our condition. Instead, he judges us by our position. You see, even though we're weak and sinful, we've given our hearts to Jesus, and by faith the Father has seated us with Christ in the heavenlies. That is our position. Therefore, when God looks at us, he sees us not according to our sinful condition, but according to our heavenly position in Christ.

Please don't misunderstand. When I say God secures his people in grace, I'm not talking about a doctrine that allows believers to continue in promiscuous sin. The Bible makes clear it's possible for any believer to turn away from God and reject his love. Such a person can harden his heart so repeatedly and so rigidly, God's love will no longer penetrate the walls he has erected.

Right now, you may be in a Corinthian condition. But God sees your position as being solely in Christ. That's how he dealt with the Corinthians. When God looked on them, he knew they had no resources to change. They didn't have any power in themselves to suddenly become godly. That's why he inspired Paul to address them as sanctified saints. The Lord wanted them to know the security of their position in Christ.

Do you struggle with a weakness? If so, know that God will never be hindered in his love for you. Hear him calling out to you as a "saint," "sanctified," "accepted." And lay hold of the truth that Paul describes: "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1Co_1:30).

2. Paul next addresses the love of God.

In Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, he addresses their need for God's grace. That's because of their failures. But in his second letter, Paul focuses on God's love. He knew that the Lord's unrelenting love was the only power able to change anyone's heart. And Paul's second letter proves that God chooses to use love as his way of showing his power.

1Co_13:4-8 gives us a powerful truth about God's unrelenting love. No doubt, you've heard this passage many times, from church pulpits and at weddings: "Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."

Most of us think, "This is the kind of love God expects of us." That's true, in a sense. But the fact is, no one can live up to this definition of love. No, this passage is all about God's love. Verse 8 proves this: "Charity [love] never faileth." Human love fails. But here is a love that's unconditional, never giving up. It withstands every failure, every disappointment. It doesn't gloat over the sins of God's children; on the contrary, it grieves over them. And it resists every argument that we're too sinful and unworthy to be loved. In short, this kind of love is unrelenting, never stopping in its pursuit of the beloved. That can only describe the love of almighty God.

Consider how this powerful love affected Paul. In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle had every reason to give up on the church. He had many causes to be angry with them. And he could have easily written them off, despairing over their childishness and sinfulness. He might have begun his letter this way: "I wash my hands of you. You are a totally incorrigible people. All this time I've poured out my very life for you. Yet the more I love you, the less you love me. That's it – I'm leaving you to your own devices. Go ahead and fight among yourselves. My work with you is over."

Paul never could have written this. Why? He'd been apprehended by the love of God. In First Corinthians, we read of him turning over a man to Satan, for the destruction of the man's flesh. This sounds so harsh. But what was Paul's purpose? It was that the man's soul might be saved (see 1Co_5:5). We also see Paul sharply reproving, correcting and admonishing. But he did it all in tears, with the gentleness of a nurse.

How did the carnal Corinthians react to Paul's message of God's triumphant love? They melted at his words. Paul later said to them, "Ye sorrowed after a godly sort… Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" (2Co_7:11; 2Co_7:9-10). Paul was telling them, "You cleaned yourselves up, you were indignant over your sins, and now you're filled with zeal and godly fear. You've proved yourselves clear and clean."

I tell you, those Corinthians were changed by the power of God's unrelenting love. As we read Paul's second letter to them, we find the big "I" in this church has disappeared. Sin's power was broken, and self was swallowed up by godly sorrow. These people were no longer wrapped up in gifts, signs and wonders. Their emphasis now was on giving rather than getting. They collected offerings to send to believers who'd been hit with a great famine. And the change came by the preaching of God's love.

I am personally convicted by this truth. In my younger years, I preached messages on the evil conditions in the church. I despaired over the deplorable state of so many of God's people. And I set out to correct these things with a sword and a sledgehammer. I struck at compromise and smashed everything in sight. And in the process, I brought people under condemnation that never should have been.

If Paul had preached that way in Corinth, he certainly would have smashed all carnality, brought down fornicators, and stopped all the lawsuits. But that church would have dissolved. There would have been no congregation left for Paul to reprove. Such "in your face" preaching is misguided by human zeal. It's usually the result of a preacher not having his own personal revelation of God's love for him.

3. Finally, Paul focuses on the communion of the Holy Ghost.

The Greek phrase Paul uses translates as "the fellowship of the Holy Ghost." At first, the Corinthians knew nothing of such fellowship. The church body was rampant with individualism. Paul said of them, "Every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ" (1Co_1:12).

This individualism carried over to the people's spiritual gifts. Apparently, the Corinthians were coming to church only to edify themselves. One came with the gift of tongues, another with a prophecy, another with a word of wisdom – yet they were using their gifts to serve themselves. Everyone wanted to leave saying, "I gave a prophecy today," or, "I spoke mightily in the Spirit." And it was causing utter disorder. Paul made an explicit call for order, instructing them, "Learn to hold your peace. Let someone else speak. Seek to edify the body, and not just yourself."

The deepest work of the Holy Spirit deals with more than spiritual gifts. Signs, wonders and miracles are all needed, and they have their place. But the most precious work of God's Spirit is to unify the body of Christ. He seeks to establish fellowship among God's people, by his unifying power. Yet, too often today, when we speak of the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, we still tend to think individually. We think in terms of "me and the Holy Spirit," saying, "The Spirit and I enjoy intimacy in Christ."

Paul ties fellowship and unity to the two issues we've already talked about: the grace of Christ and the love of God. He says, in essence, "To truly understand these two issues, they have to bring you together. That's how you can measure Christ's grace and God's love in your life. It's determined by your willingness to be in full unity and oneness with the whole body of Christ."

What does it mean to have unity and oneness? It means removing all jealousy and competition, and no longer comparing yourself to another. Instead, everyone rejoices when a brother or sister is blessed. And all are eager to give rather than take. Only this kind of fellowship truly reveals Christ's grace and God's love.

This message boils down to one issue: am I willing to be changed?

The question is, "Do I really want to allow the Holy Spirit to show me where I need changing?" You see, there's a purpose behind God's unrelenting love. It is this: There is power in God's love to solve all your problems by changing you.

If you tell me you're a good person – kind, charitable, forgiving, washed clean in Christ's blood – I answer, God's love provides for more than forgiveness. You can be forgiven and a good person, but still be governed and enslaved by your sin nature. We're all born with Adam's nature, the tendency to sin. In fact, it's that nature in us that gets easily provoked, jealous, lustful, angry, unforgiving. This same nature is the one in us that loves money, sows seeds of destruction, and can't rejoice when others are blessed.

If you've been fighting against your sin nature, you're waging a losing battle. That nature can't be changed. It will always be flesh and always resist the Holy Spirit. Our fleshly nature is beyond redemption, and therefore it must be crucified. This means admitting, "I can never please God on my own. I know my flesh can never help me."

We have to be given a new nature, and that nature is the very nature of Christ. This isn't a redoing of our old nature, or a makeover of our flesh. The old has to pass away. What I'm talking about is the birth of a totally new nature. And the New Covenant has made provision for this: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (2Pe_1:4).

God's love says to us, "I want to assure your position in Christ. You have to give up trying to change your flesh's nature, and let me give you my Son's nature. There is but one condition for this to take place: simply believe. This change in nature comes by faith alone. You must believe I will be God to you."

Beloved, any believer can become as much like Jesus as he or she desires. If you can just say, "I believe God truly loves me," you're confessing that he has offered you power to be changed.

Scripture says we all have been given a measure of faith. Therefore, we all have the capacity to believe the Lord for this infusion of his nature.

Make this your prayer today: "Holy Spirit, I know I don't have much of the grace Paul is talking about. Show me where I need to change. I believe my Father loves me unrelentingly. And that love has made provision for me to take on his nature. I know I've been given the power to be changed by you. Give me your nature, Jesus."

385. The Ministry of Beholding His Face

The Ministry of Beholding His Face

by David Wilkerson

March 17, 2003

[May 19, 1931 '96 April 27, 2011]

Every Christian is called to ministry. The Bible makes this very clear. Paul writes, "We [all] have this ministry" (2Co_4:1).

Yet most Christians' concept of ministry today isn't very biblical. We often see ministry as something that's done only by ordained preachers or missionaries. We think of ministers as seminary graduates who marry and bury people, build churches, lead worship meetings and teach doctrine. We see them as spiritual doctors who are meant to heal the wounds of the sick and hurting.

God doesn't judge ministry the same way we do. Most of us judge ministry by its magnitude or effectiveness, by the number of good works that are accomplished. But in God's eyes, the issue is not how effective a ministry is, or how large a church becomes, or how many people are reached.

Of course, many leaders in the church have done incredible things through their ministries. Gifted men and women have built mega-churches, raised up institutions and schools, reached multitudes with the gospel. Yet some of these same highly talented people went about their ministries with black hearts. Adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, homosexuals – all have used their gifts and intelligence to achieve many things in the church.

I thank God for every righteous minister who has built and established a ministry through godly works. From cover to cover, the Bible calls us to minister to the hurts and needs of humankind. But the problem is, most Christians picture ministry as something we do, a work to be undertaken – and not as something we are, or are becoming.

Paul speaks of a certain ministry that every Christian is called to. This ministry doesn't require particular gifts or talents. Rather, it's to be undertaken by all who have been born again, both recognized ministers and lay people. In fact, this ministry is every believer's first calling. All other endeavors must flow out of it. No ministry can be pleasing to God unless it's birthed out of this calling.

I'm talking about the ministry of beholding the face of Christ. Paul says, "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord" (2Co_3:18).

What does it mean to behold the Lord's glory? Paul is speaking here of devoted, focused worship. It's time that's given to God simply to behold him. And the apostle quickly adds, "Therefore seeing we have this ministry" (4:1). Paul makes it clear that beholding the face of Christ is a ministry we all must devote ourselves to.

The Greek word for "beholding" in this verse is a very strong expression. It indicates not just taking a look, but "fixing the gaze." It means deciding, "I won't move from this position. Before I do anything else, before I try to accomplish a single thing, I must be in God's presence."

Many Christians misinterpret the phrase "beholding as in a glass" (3:18). They think of a mirror, with Jesus' face being reflected back to them. But that isn't Paul's meaning here. He's speaking of an intensely focused gaze, as if peering at something earnestly through a glass, trying to see it more clearly. We're to "fix our eyes" this way, determined to see God's glory in the face of Christ. We're to shut ourselves in the holy of holies, with but one obsession: to gaze so intently, and to commune with such devotion, that we're changed.

Paul says the person who is shut in with Christ, beholding him, is being transfigured.

What happens as a believer beholds the face of Christ? Paul writes, "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed unto the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2Co_3:18).

The Greek word for "changed" here is "metamorphosed," meaning changed, transformed, transfigured. Everyone who goes often into the holy of holies and fixes his gaze intently on Christ is being metamorphosed. A transfiguration is taking place. That person is continually being changed into the likeness and character of Jesus.

Maybe you come often in the Lord's presence. Yet you may not feel yourself changing as you spend time shut in with him. I tell you, you can know a metamorphosis is taking place. Something is surely happening, because no one can continually behold the glory of Christ without being transformed.

Note the last phrase in Paul's statement: "We all…are changed unto the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (3:18, italics mine). The Holy Spirit does the work of transfiguring us. Now note the verse preceding this one: "The Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (3:17).

Do you see what Paul is saying here? He's telling us, "When you're beholding the face of Christ, there is freedom to be changed." By being in his presence, we give the Spirit liberty to govern our lives, to do with us as he would. It's an act of submission that says, "Lord, my will is yours. Whatever it takes, transform me into the image of Jesus."

The first thing we see when we're beholding the Lord is how un-Christlike we are. It doesn't matter how righteous we think we may be. The Spirit shows us how far short of God's glory we fall, how self-reliant we are, how much striving we do in our flesh.

Yet, as we sit gazing at Christ, a spontaneous work begins. We see that he has accomplished all righteousness for us. And we don't ever have to strive or sweat or plead to be holy. Indeed, we're being changed – not by anything we do, but by the work of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost has begun in us the glorious process of transfiguration.

Now everything is accomplished "by the covenant, by his Spirit." Our part is simply to go often to his presence, fix our gaze on him and remain in his presence. And we're to put our trust in him as the author and finisher of our faith. Through his Spirit, he will continually change us into the very likeness of Christ.

Many Christians profess to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But I believe there's a test that proves whether the Holy Ghost is governing your life. The test is this: there will be a progressive increase of the character of Christ in you.

If the Spirit is in full control, this increase won't come in spurts. You won't have setbacks or withdraw from his presence. Instead, you'll see a continual increase of change. And the increase won't come just from crises or testings. It will go on all the time, because the changes wrought by God's Spirit are continual. There is no such thing as stagnant growth in the work of the Spirit.

Yet, transfiguration does come primarily through our trials and sufferings. Paul says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2Co_4:7). You may wonder: how can our fragile vessels contain and increasingly manifest the glory of the character of Christ? Especially when we're under fire?

We can't know how the Spirit will change us. We don't know what methods he'll choose to use in our lives. But we can know this: every hardship and suffering is meant to bring about change.

When Gwen and I first learned of our granddaughter Tiffany's terminal brain cancer, we thought our daughter Debbie would be a fragile vessel of clay. We wondered, "How will she ever endure this? She's so tender." But Debbie was a rock through it all. Everyone in our family saw the power of God manifested in her.

Where did Debbie find her strength? For months, she had been beholding the face of Jesus, through the godly writings of Madame Guyon and Amy Carmichael. Debbie had told me when she started reading them, "Dad, I just want to get to know Jesus more."

She had spent those months shut in with the Lord, beholding him. And the Holy Spirit had brought about change that outshone to the world. He had transfigured her. We all saw this same strength in Debbie's husband, Roger. Their faith, trust and rest in Jesus was a powerful ministry during their worst trial.

I want to make a bold statement: All suffering, pain and trials in the life of a righteous child of God are a call to ministry.

No one on earth can place you in ministry. You may be given a diploma by a seminary, ordained by a bishop, or commissioned by a denomination. But Paul reveals the only source of any true call to ministry: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" (1Ti_1:12).

What does Paul mean here, when he says Jesus enabled him and counted him faithful? Think back to the apostle's conversion. Three days after that event, Christ placed Paul in the ministry – specifically, the ministry of suffering: "For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake" (Act_9:16).

This is the very ministry Paul refers to when he says, "Therefore seeing we have this ministry…" (2Co_4:1). He continues, adding, "…as we have received mercy, we faint not." He's talking about the ministry of suffering. And he makes clear it's a ministry we all have.

Paul is telling us Jesus gave him a promise for this ministry. Christ pledged to remain faithful to him and enable him through all his trials. The Greek word for "enabled" means a continual supply of strength. Paul declares, "Jesus promised to give me more than sufficient strength for the journey. He enables me to remain faithful in this ministry. Because of him, I won't faint or give in. I'll emerge with a testimony."

Let me ask you: what did Paul see as his primary calling in ministry? Was it his persuasive preaching? His deep teaching? No. By his own admission, Paul wasn't an eloquent speaker. He said he preached through weakness, in trembling and fear. Even Peter said Paul spoke things that were hard to understand (see 2Pe_3:15-16).

Yet, by this time, Paul had already cast aside all his worldly training and earthly wisdom. He knew his ministry wasn't in preaching, or healing the sick, or his own human brilliance. Paul's ministry was the outshining of Christ, which was produced in him through great sufferings. The great apostle impacted his age incredibly, and still impacts even our generation, by the way he responded to his trials.

Paul spoke often of "Christ in me." By this he meant, "You see a human being standing before you. But God has led me through great trials, and those sufferings have produced in me the character of Christ. That's what you see outshining from me. Only the faithful enabler can produce this in anyone's life. Only he can give his servants a song and a testimony in the midst of every trial."

Here is how Paul sums up his ministry: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body" (2Co_4:8-10).

Paul wasn't superhuman. He knew firsthand the meaning of despair. He faced troubled times that he never thought he would survive. He testifies: "We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (2Co_1:8-10).

Do you understand what Paul is saying? He's telling us, "We were pressed down, beyond all human strength. And we were utterly at a loss to understand it. We came to the point where we thought it was all over."

This was Paul's most trying time. He was staring death in the face. Yet at that very moment, Paul remembered his ministry and calling. He reminded himself, "The whole world is watching me. I've preached many sermons on God's power to keep his servants. Now everyone is looking to see if I believe that."

Paul rose up once again to lay down his life. He cried out, "Live or die, I am the Lord's! I trust in God, who raises the dead."

Afterward, Paul tells the Corinthian church, "It was your prayers that helped us. You enabled us to come through it all with a song of victory." He writes, "Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf" (2Co_1:11).

I can't say this strongly enough: we can never take lightly the matter of praying for our brothers and sisters in need. Paul says the Corinthians' prayers were a gift to him. They were more precious than money, or words of comfort, or even good deeds of love.

Our family knows such gratitude for others' prayers. For thirty days, our granddaughter Tiffany lay dying in our home. It was the most trying time of our lives. We knew the meaning of Paul's testimony: sudden trouble had come upon us, and we were pressed out of measure, facing a trial we could never humanly understand.

In the last hour, as Tiffany took her last breaths, we gathered around the bed, holding hands and singing, "God Is So Good." In those moments, we felt the power of the prayers of God's saints. It was as tangible to us as each other's hands we clutched.

Our family can boldly testify that we were undergirded by the prayers of those who lifted us up. And like Paul, we can say to all who prayed: "You helped so much by your prayers for us. You gave us the gift that helped us glorify God in our most trying hour. We weren't crushed by our trial. We came through it."

The time may have come when the only message that will impact an insane world is the ministry I'm speaking of.

I'm convinced Paul described our day when he wrote to Timothy: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ…preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" (2Ti_4:1-5).

Paul was telling Timothy, "Men will be so given over to their lusts, they won't endure sound doctrine. But keep preaching the Word. Reproof is needed. So, rebuke the disobedient, and exhort everyone to do good."

We must continue with powerful preaching, sound doctrine and godly reproof. But soon the world won't want to hear any of it. Humankind will become so obsessed with pleasures and lusts, they'll totally ignore the church. Preaching and doctrine will have no impact at all on a narcotized society.

In fact, I believe we've already come to this point worldwide. The nominal church has been rendered totally irrelevant. It no longer impacts any nation, or even individuals, in many cases. I ask you, what ministry will reach a world that's gone insane?

Thank God, there is still a ministry that speaks to atheists, Muslims, unbelievers of all kinds. It is the outshining of Christ through deep, hard suffering in the lives of believers. For centuries this has been the most powerful witness of God's people. Believers have been shaken and twisted by disease, persecution, suffering of all kinds. And through it all, it was the outshining of Christ's character that touched those around them.

Look closely at Paul's exhortations in this passage:

'95 "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions" (2Ti_4:5). He's saying, "A world of unbelievers is watching you. So be careful how you react in your times of affliction. Don't allow your trials to crush you into a whimpering, faithless complainer. You'll discredit every word you've ever said about God's faithfulness."

'95 "Do the work of an evangelist" (4:5). When I was a young minister, I didn't understand why I couldn't simply walk the corridors of a hospital, pray in faith, and see miracles of healing take place. I thought, "What a testimony that would be. Any doubter would be convinced if he saw patients get up out of their beds."

I've since learned that this probably wouldn't be the most effective kind of evangelism. Think about it. Who has the greater impact on those around them: the smiling, healthy Christian who walks into an unbeliever's room and preaches, reproves, and presents sound doctrine? Or the humble Christian across the hall who's recuperating from a double mastectomy? This woman is never without pain. Yet she has no fear. She smiles at the nurses, lighting up the room with her inner peace. Even the most cynical, unbelieving doctor is curious about this peaceful woman. He sees her suffering, yet he's drawn to her, because he wants to know the source of her peace.

I'm not putting down hospital ministry. It is a high calling, and a vital work that every body of believers must undertake. But I can tell you firsthand what had the most impact in our home during Tiffany's final days. A workman was coming and going in our house during that time. He knew our granddaughter was dying. After three weeks, he told his wife, "There's something about those people. I see them crying at times, but I can't understand the peace they have. I've got to know about it." Nobody had witnessed to this man. He simply saw the Spirit of Christ outshining from our suffering family.

'95 "Make full proof of thy ministry" (2Ti_4:5). The Greek word for proof here means completely assured, fully prepared. Paul is saying, in essence, "Be prepared before your trial comes suddenly upon you. Make sure you're well equipped, full of spiritual resources, so you don't run out of oil."

I see many Christians today falling apart during their trials. Hard suffering sends them into a tailspin. As you listen to their pitiful questions and protests, you would think they've never known God. The fact is, they've known Jesus only as the author of their faith, not as the faithful finisher. These people haven't been transfigured by their sufferings. Instead, they've become disfigured, in spirit and character.

We are all changing, undergoing metamorphosis.

A transfiguration is taking place in all our lives. The truth is, we're being changed by what obsesses us. We're becoming like the things that occupy our minds. Our character is being influenced and impacted by whatever has hold of our hearts.

Consider the gay life. I've seen a steady degeneration of character in many homosexuals I've known, as they pursue their lifestyle. There are dramatic changes in their countenance, their voice, their mannerisms. And there's a constant increase in their boldness to sin.

Two years ago, several hundred homosexuals in New York City swore they would never march in the Gay Pride Parade down Fifth Avenue. They claimed, "We don't agree with being exhibitionists about our sexuality. We could never do that." Yet this past year, a large group of those very same men led the parade, half-naked.

Consider the changes that result from pornography. Some men start with pictures of nude women and end up spiraling into child porn. Married men can't get enough of their lust through porn, so they take up affairs. They swore they would die for their children, but now they're willing to walk out on their families with no shame or regret. How quickly their character disintegrates. They have metamorphosed into different men.

I thank God for everyone who feeds his mind and soul with spiritual things. Such servants have fixed their eyes on what is pure and holy. They keep their gaze fixed on Christ, spending quality time worshipping him and building themselves up in faith. The Holy Spirit is at work in these saints, continually changing their character into Christ's.

Only these believers will be ready for the hard, explosive sufferings to come upon the earth. Slothful, lazy, prayerless Christians will suffer heart failure or breakdowns. They'll be crushed by their fears, because they don't have the Holy Spirit at work in them, transfiguring them. When hard times come, they simply won't make it.

If you're going through a fiery trial right now, you can know you've been placed "into the ministry" by the Lord himself. So, be careful not to give offense to your calling by turning into a complaining, sniveling coward. Here is Paul's final word on the matter:

"Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments…as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich" (2Co_6:3-5; 2Co_6:10).

How do we "make many rich"? By outshining the hope of Christ from the midst of our sufferings. We offer true riches when we cause others to ask, "What's his secret? How can he endure this trial? Where does he find such peace?"

Begin by preparing your heart right now. Fill your storehouse with resources, by getting alone with Jesus and fixing your gaze on him. Then you'll be ready for anything. That is our ministry in these last days.

By: David Wilkerson