                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                           The Bountiful Servant

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By David Wilkerson
March 21, 1994
__________

          Recently I went to the Lord in prayer very
          heavy-hearted, laden down with many cares. I began to
          plead my case before Him:

          "Oh Lord, I've never been so weary in all my life. I
          can hardly go on! My mind is so tired, I don't think I
          can get another message. You've got to come and help me
          with these heavy burdens You've put on me, in my
          ministry and in my life. I've got to have strength from
          You. Lord, please -- help me!"

          Then I began to weep. I was so exhausted the tears
          literally burst out of me. As I lay crying, I thought,
          "Surely my tears will move the Lord's heart!"

          The Holy Spirit did come and minister to me -- but not
          in the way I thought He would! I wanted sympathy,
          encouragement, understanding. And He did give me all of
          that -- but in a way much different from what I
          expected.

          The Lord gently instructed me to go to 2 Corinthians
          9:6-11. He said everything I needed was contained in
          this passage of Scripture:

          "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap
          also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall
          reap also bountifully. Every man according as he
          purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
          grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful
          giver.

          "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
          that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
          may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He
          hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his
          righteousness remaineth for ever.

          "Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both
          minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed
          sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
          Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness,
          which causeth through us thanksgiving to God." 2
          Corinthians 9:6-11.

          I read this passage and reread it -- but I got nothing
          from it. Finally, I closed my Bible and prayed, "Lord,
          I'm confused. I see nothing here to help or encourage
          me."

          In these verses Paul was talking to the Corinthian
          church about taking an offering for the suffering
          saints in famine-stricken Jerusalem. He was urging them
          to give not grudgingly but generously, like the
          Macedonians who had given an offering out of their
          poverty.

          I asked, "Lord, what does all this have to do with me?
          I'm hurting -- downcast, drained, bankrupt of
          resources. I need help! Besides, I'm a generous giver.
          What are You saying to me in this?"

          Finally, the Spirit spoke forcefully but lovingly to my
          inner man: "David, this has everything to do with what
          you are going through. Lately you have been serving Me
          without a bountiful, cheerful spirit! Where is your joy
          and happiness in your service to Me? My Word isn't
          talking only about giving money to help the poor. It is
          speaking of ministry to Me and to My body!

          "I have called you to New York City to raise up a holy
          remnant in these last days. And I did not send you here
          without help or abundant resources! All that you need
          is available to you -- strength, rest, power, ability,
          joy and cheer. There is no reason for you to labor with
          sadness, to be overburdened. You have access to all
          strength and joy!"

          I'd like to share with you some very important lessons
          the Spirit revealed to me from this:

             * 1. When God Calls Us to Any Specific Work, He Has
               Already Made Provision for Everything We Need to
               Accomplish It -- With Freshness and Cheer!

          "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
          that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
          may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

          This verse is not just a hope -- it is a promise! It
          begins with the words, "God is able!"

          Yet God is not interested in just meeting your need. He
          wants always to give you more than you need. That is
          what "abound" means -- an ever-increasing,
          superabundant supply!

          "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
          above all that we ask or think, according to the power
          that worketh in us..." (Ephesians 3:20).

          Think of what is being promised here: When you are down
          and tired and don't think you can go any farther, God
          is able to so invigorate you that you will have all you
          need -- at all times, in every possible situation!

          This promise includes power to keep you from falling. I
          know many Christians who are utterly afraid of falling
          and missing the mark. They're scared the devil is going
          to entrap them somehow -- and they're going to grieve
          God!

          No matter how powerful your temptation is or how
          discouraged you are about your lack of resistance, God
          says this about His power on your behalf:

          "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,
          and to present you faultless before the presence of his
          glory with exceeding joy..." (Jude 24).

          It is as if the Lord is saying, "Listen, all you
          shepherds! Listen, all you who faithfully attend My
          house and labor in prayer, praise and intercession! I
          want to give you an abundance of strength, hope, joy,
          peace, rest, finances, encouragement, wisdom. In fact,
          I want you to have an overabundance of all you need --
          at all times!"

          God never intended for us to be spiritual paupers, poor
          in the things of the Lord. On the contrary, the
          bountiful servant is the one who enjoys a revelation of
          all the great provisions God has prepared for him! And
          he goes after this revelation by faith!

          "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
          heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
          things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
          But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for
          the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things
          of God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

          Paul is saying, "Our forefathers could not begin to
          comprehend all the great provisions God had prepared!
          It never entered into their vision, hearing or
          imagination. But there is no reason for us to be blind
          about these things, to go about not knowing what is
          ours. Our eyes must see, our ears must hear, it must
          enter into our hearts and minds -- because we're the
          people for whom God has prepared it all! The Holy
          Spirit has revealed it to us!"

          Indeed, the Bible says we are to seek Him for this
          revelation. Paul wrote, "Now we have received...the
          spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
          that are freely given to us of God...which things...the
          Holy Ghost teacheth...[and] are spiritually discerned"
          (verses 12-14).

          I believe most Christians have not honestly faced the
          power of these promises of God! We've read them many
          times, but they remain as dead- letters to us. We
          haven't laid hold of them and said, "Lord, reveal to me
          what You have prepared! Open my mind and my spirit to
          Your resources. Your Word says I must know all these
          things that are freely given to me, so I can claim them
          for Your glory!"

                      -------------------------------

                         Why Are So Many Christians
                         Easily Discouraged, Tired,
                           Weary in Well-Doing?

                      -------------------------------

          Why do so many believers experience weakness, feelings
          of despair and emptiness, as if they can't go on? It is
          because they do not have this revelation that the
          Spirit gave Paul and the New Testament saints -- a
          revelation of all the provisions God has made possible
          for those who would claim them by faith!

          Do you fit Paul's description of a bountiful servant --
          one who has all he needs and more, at all times, in
          every crisis? Have you proven this by drawing on the
          bank of heaven? *Not many can claim it!*

          For several years I worked with Kathryn Kuhlman. I
          preached my heart out at her meetings in the morning,
          afternoon and evening, and usually by the end of the
          day I was wiped out. One night Kathryn said to Gwen and
          me, "Let's go out and get something to eat." I told
          her, "I'm sorry -- I'm too tired. I've got to go to the
          motel and get some sleep."

          She looked at me quizzically and asked, "David, did you
          preach under the Spirit's unction tonight?" I answered,
          "You know I was anointed. The altars were filled!"

          Kathryn said quietly, "Then you're missing something.
          If you're ministering under the power of the Holy
          Ghost, you should be stronger at the end of the service
          than when you started -- because He is a quickening
          Spirit! You can rise above your flesh, because by the
          Spirit you can claim that freedom."

          "...that ye, always having all sufficiency in all
          things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians
          9:8). To "abound" here literally means,
          "ever-increasing; to have more at the end than at the
          beginning." In other words, as the battle gets hotter,
          God's grace increases! As weakness comes upon you, His
          strength comes on even greater! And when your burdens
          become heavier, His power and strength increase in
          proportion to your burdens!

          Yet God gives this strength only to those who want it,
          need it and appropriate it! Often I have prayed, "Oh
          God, You've laid an awfully heavy burden on me. It
          seems more than I can handle!" Yet He has answered each
          time, "I have provided greater strength for you than
          you know! I never put a burden on any of My children
          without also making provision for more than is needed
          to bear it. You have My promise of joy and rest in your
          worst crisis!"

          Beloved, this means we should never lack! We ought to
          abound in our ministry, labors and life. The harder our
          situation, the more difficult our path, the more heavy
          our burdens -- the more cheer, rest and hope we can
          have! God is saying, "You have more than an abundance
          of resources promised to you! You shouldn't be worn
          out, drained, cast down. You should be increasing your
          efforts rather than pulling back!"

          For years in my ministry I spent much time and effort
          raising money to support various outreaches, and over
          time I grew tired of it. We had a Bible school to
          support. We held crusades all over the world. We
          supported missions. Each of these works required a lot
          of money to keep going. We had to raise hundreds of
          thousands of dollars, and eventually it burdened me
          down.

          Years later, when God called me back to New York City,
          I said, "Lord, I'll go -- but I've got some conditions.
          I'm not going to raise any money! I won't go into debt.
          I don't want to have to write appeal letters. And I
          don't want to spend all my time praying and weeping
          over money. You've got a bank in heaven with more money
          than I could ever need. I want You to open the windows
          of heaven and pour it out for us! I need a flow of
          finances."

          The Lord promised me: "If you go to New York, you'll
          never again lack a single dollar to do My work. I'll
          send in everything you need. You won't have to pressure
          anybody -- you won't even have to talk about money.
          I'll supply it all!" And He has kept His word!

          I had "made a deal" with the Lord: "I'm going to
          believe what You said! I don't want a dollar more than
          we need -- just Your sufficiency." His answer was:
          "You'll have superabundant sufficiency -- in all
          things, at all times!"

             * 2. Since God Has Promised Superabundant Supply, He
               Expects Us to Give Him All We Have -- With Our
               Heart in It!

          God does not accept grudging service from anyone. "And
          whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and
          not unto man" (Colossians 3:23). "Heartily" means,
          "with all your heart -- all your strength, all that is
          within you."

          Paul writes, "Every man according as he purposeth in
          his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of
          necessity [unwillingly]..." (2 Corinthians 9:7). The
          apostle makes a dual application of this matter of
          giving: It has to do with our financial offerings --
          and the giving of our very lives to God's work!

          Paul wrote that the church in Macedonia literally
          begged him to let them take up a collection for the
          poor, suffering saints in Jerusalem. These Macedonians
          were so wholly given to the Lord, they gave out of
          their poverty! At the time, they were suffering worse
          than Jerusalem was, because of war. Their economy was
          smashed, a depression had hit, everything was out of
          control. Yet out of all that anarchy and chaos, they
          gave all they had -- above their ability --
          bountifully!

          Paul says the Macedonians gave much more than money.
          They told him, "Here is our offering. Now what do you
          want us to do? We volunteer our services to the work of
          God!" "...but first gave their own selves to the Lord,
          and unto us by the will of God" (8:5). They spared
          nothing in serving the Lord and their brethren!
          "...beyond their power they were willing of themselves"
          (8:3). They gave beyond their human ability -- with
          much prayer!

          Paul didn't have to browbeat these people into giving;
          he didn't hold them to the law, or beseech them to give
          10 percent. They were so excited about Jesus, so
          trusting in His faithfulness, they gave willingly,
          eagerly, bountifully!

          I must warn you: If you focus on percentages with God,
          you might as well keep your money. God does not honor
          any gift that is not given in joy -- willingly, out of
          a heart overflowing with love!

          If you give only because you believe it is commanded --
          or if you're always wondering, "Is tithing a New
          Testament concept, or just Old Testament?" -- your
          heart-attitude is all wrong! If you give 10 percent
          because the pastor asks it of you, that is wrong also.
          None of this gets to the issue -- to the heart of what
          it means to give!

          One man told me, "After I give my 10 percent, I can do
          whatever I please with the rest. And I expect God to
          bless me as He promised -- because I gave my tithe!"

          No! Many are able to give more than a tithe. And God
          wants us to give as we are able -- with generosity!
          There is no place for stinginess among God's people.
          Show me a Christian who gives only what he thinks is
          required of him, and I'll show you a Christian who is
          stingy with his time, energy and work for God. (He's
          probably also stingy with his family, squeezing every
          dollar!)

          If you're stingy with God, God will be stingy with you.
          If you go to church grudgingly -- once a week, out of
          obligation -- God will deal with you in the same way,
          giving you hardly any blessing at all!

                      -------------------------------

                          When You Give Your heart
                        and Life Fully to the Lord,
                         All Your Giving Comes Out
                           of Your Love For Him!

                      -------------------------------

          If you have given yourself to the Lord wholeheartedly,
          your first thought shouldn't be, "How close to 10
          percent can I give?" but, "How much of myself -- my
          money, time and energy -- can I give?" Our joy ought to
          be in how much we can give -- and how much our heart is
          in it! Anything else is extortion!

          If you drop your offering into the basket and think,
          "That could have paid my gas bill -- but I have to give
          it" -- then you should have kept it! God does not
          acknowledge it! "... not grudgingly, or of
          necessity..." (2 Corinthians 9:7).

          "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and
          there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
          tendeth to poverty" (Proverbs 11:24). This verse says,
          "One person gives freely, yet gains even more -- and
          another withholds more than necessary, yet becomes
          poverty-stricken!"

          The fact is, the more strength and energy you spend for
          God, the more He will pour back into you. The more you
          exert yourself for His concerns -- the more you
          sacrifice of your time, resources and strength -- the
          more He has promised to undergird you. The end result
          for you is an overabundance!

          You may say, "Brother Dave, I really love the Lord, and
          I'm doing my very best to give Him my all. I don't
          slack off -- I'm not lazy. My heart really is in the
          work I do for Him. But my flesh is weak, weary, worn
          out! I'm tired -- my spirit is cast down. I just can't
          help it!"

          There is not a single emotion, a single kind of despair
          or weariness, that Paul did not himself experience.
          Listen to his testimony:

          "...troubled on every
          side...perplexed...persecuted...cast down...without
          were fightings, within were fears...in weariness and
          painfulness...in hunger and thirst...in cold and
          nakedness" (2 Corinthians 4:8-10; 7:5; 11:24-27).

          Yet through all of this, Paul had a revelation of the
          resources available to him. And when he was
          overwhelmed, his faith laid hold of all he needed to
          bring him through every trial -- with victory and
          overcoming power! Paul always jumped right back into
          the battle because he was drawing on the resources of
          his heavenly Father! We see him rebound again and
          again, with new faith and new strength to go on:

          "...we faint not...not distressed...not in
          despair...not forsaken...not destroyed...chastened, and
          not killed...always rejoicing..." (2 Corinthians 4:1,
          8-10; 6:9-10).

          He said, "I've been through it all -- fiery trials,
          buffetings, burdens, sorrows, pain and suffering..."
          "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast
          down, comforted us..." (7:6). Every time Paul was
          downcast, he turned to the Lord. He knew the God of
          comfort -- and he began drawing on heaven's bank!

          If you're thinking about giving up -- if you want to
          take it just a bit easier, or even quit outright --
          you'll be making the biggest mistake of your life. Stay
          in the battle -- for it is in the heat of warfare that
          God makes you stronger! That is when He comes to you
          generously, showering you with His resources and inner
          strength. Only those who are involved in the battle
          receive His great provisions!

             * 3. Finally, God Expects Only Cheerful Service --
               Without Murmuring and Whining!

          If you're going to give yourself wholly to the Lord and
          His service, you must do it cheerfully!

          "...for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians
          9:7).

          I am sorely convicted by this verse -- because often I
          go about my life and ministry without the joy of the
          Lord. I hear so many Christians say, "I'm so weary, I
          don't know how I'm going to make it. Oh God, You've got
          to come and give me strength!" That is murmuring --
          whining!

          The word for "cheerful" in Greek here means "hilarious,
          merry, glad" - - having a light heart, willingness,
          gladness; being full of hilarity. God is saying,
          "Whatever you do in your labors for Me -- whether it's
          interceding, worshiping Me in My house, or seeking Me
          in your secret closet -- do it cheerfully! Be joyful
          and generous with everything -- your money, your
          service, your time, your life!"

          I ask you: Has serving the Lord become a bore, a drag
          to you? Is it just a burden, leaving you mostly sad and
          weary?

          Deuteronomy 28 describes a terrible curse God
          pronounced on those who would not listen to His Word,
          but instead wallowed in fear and turned to idolatry.
          This curse included oppression, unfulfillment, loss of
          all joy, confusion of face, lack of all things. Why
          such a horrible curse on God's people?

          "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with
          joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the
          abundance of all things" (Deuteronomy 28:47).

          God told Israel, "I made all provision for you -- I
          gave you such abundance -- but you refused to
          appropriate it! You neglected Me, and you went about
          sad, with no joy, no cheer. Now you are cursed with
          confusion and the loss of all your joy -- because you
          never served Me with gladness in your heart!"

          God has promised us all these provisions as well --
          everything we need at all times, for all godliness, to
          be more than conquerors. And yet we go about
          complaining of heavy burdens, hardships, lack of
          strength! We murmur and complain -- and we run to God
          like poor, dejected, forsaken paupers!

          It is a serious matter to complain to the Lord about
          how heavy your burden is. Jesus said, "For my yoke is
          easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30). If your
          burden is heavy, you're not carrying His, but your own
          -- and you make Him out to be a liar!

          In just one day 23,000 children of Israel were stricken
          to death in the wilderness -- because they murmured!
          Paul called their sin "tempting Christ." He warned,
          "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also
          tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur
          ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed
          of the destroyer" (1 Corinthians 10:8-10).

          God doesn't want you complaining about your burden --
          He wants you to chase those things out of your life by
          laying hold of His Word!

          Your checkbook to His resources is faith! He is saying,
          "I have already made provision for you. What need in
          your life is so great that I cannot supply more than is
          required? What kind of weariness or burden is so heavy
          that I cannot give you super-strength to endure? All
          you lack is faith!"

          Are you at the end of your rope? Weary, cast down,
          about to give up? I challenge you to answer the
          following questions with a simple yes or no:

             * Does the Word of God promise to supply all your
               needs?

               Did Jesus say He would never leave you, but would
               be with you to the end? Did He say His ear is open
               to your prayers, and that he will give you the
               desire of your heart? Did He say you will be more
               than a conqueror? Yes or no?

             * Did He say He would keep you from falling and
               present you faultless before the Father's throne?

               Did He say He would supply you with all you need
               at all times? Did He promise you all the seed you
               need to spread the gospel?

             * Is He more willing to give than you are to
               receive?

               Is He greater in you than he that is in the world?
               Will He do exceeding abundantly above all you ask
               or think?

             * Are His thoughts toward you good thoughts?

               Is He a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?
               Is He acquainted with all your ways? Is His eye
               upon you night and day? Is He interceding for you
               right now?

             * Is He preparing a place for you in glory?

               Is He coming in the clouds to gather His people
               home? Are you going with Him when he comes?

             * Your answer to all of these should be,
               "Absolutely, yes!"

                          ----------------------------

                         Finally, can anyone or anything
                         in heaven or on earth separate
                          you from the love of God that
                              is in Christ Jesus?

                          ----------------------------

               No! Never!

               I call this a bountiful Savior! We have become
               spiritually rich through all His resources toward
               us!

               "Being enriched in every thing to all
               bountifulness, which causeth through us
               thanksgiving to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11).

               Dear saint, confess any murmuring and complaining
               you may be guilty of, any heart-attitude of
               despair. Forsake it all before the Lord right now!
               And pray with me:

               "Lord, You've made me rich today. I'm rich in
               strength because You told me You have everything I
               need at all times. From now on when I'm tired,
               rather than complain to You about it, I'm going to
               draw a check! Pour forth Your strength into my
               heart -- make me stronger today in You than I've
               ever been. Hallelujah!"

                   This sermon was converted to HTML by Robert
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