                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                     The Persecution of the Righteous

                    (A message on the cost of holiness.)

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By David Wilkerson
April 13, 1987
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          A young Christian wrote these sad words to me recently,
          "For the last few years I have heard evangelists,
          pastors and teachers tell their audiences to give up
          everything for Christ. They set my heart on fire and
          created in me a desire to reject the world and all it
          stands for. I was told to put Christ first in all
          things, to seek His holiness, and to go all the way
          with Him. So I did it! I went all the way - I gave up
          everything - I started giving myself to the Word and to
          diligent prayer. Then the Lord began to reveal Himself
          to me about the backslidden condition in God's house.
          I'm sold out completely for Jesus; He is all I talk
          about; all I want is to be pure and holy. But now these
          same people reject me as a fanatic. Don't they believe
          what they preach? Why do so many preachers and
          Christians get mad at you when you go all the way with
          Jesus?"

          His is not an isolated case. I receive a good number of
          letters from awakened believers whose lives have been
          revolutionized by the Holy Spirit. They have turned to
          the Lord with all their hearts; they have pulverized
          their idols; they have become lovers of the truth,
          giving themselves to prayer and the study of God's
          Word. Consequently, they have been spiritually enlarged
          and have been given precious discernment. It is not
          that they feel they have outgrown the pastor or other
          Christians; it is that now they see through different
          eyes. They recognize hypocrisy and forms of godliness
          without power. They so love truth, they begin to
          despise lightness and superficiality in God's house.
          They become zealous for the honor of the Lord. But
          suddenly - they are rejected by other Christians. They
          are accused of being insubordinate, arrogant and
          divisive.

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                      "They - Will Persecute You..."

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          In His going-away message to the disciples, Jesus
          warned them of the certainty of persecution. He said,
          "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you"
          (John 15:20). Who are they? Who is it who will
          persecute the most intimate followers of Christ?

          It is the religious crowd! Those with outward forms of
          godliness without the power of total heart surrender -
          these will persecute those who glory only in the Cross
          of Christ. The godless, humanistic Romans were not the
          real persecutors of the Master. His greatest abuse was
          at the hands of the most steeped in the Law; the
          hierarchy of the church, and the masses who boasted
          that God was their Father. All their cunning energies
          were set on discrediting Him.

          So it is today - the greatest, most ferocious
          persecution against God's holy remnant comes from
          religious leaders and their followers who reject the
          offence of the Cross of Christ. All persecution of
          God's people centers on the Cross. Paul said, "As many
          as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they
          constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should
          suffer persecution for the cross of Christ..."
          (Galatians 6:12).

          Multitudes of Jewish converts found a way to avoid the
          offense of the Cross. It was by preaching and
          practicing circumcision. They would cut the flesh
          rather that crucify it. Paul said, "If I preach
          circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is
          the offense of the Cross ceased" (Galatians 5:11). In
          other words, you can avoid all the suffering and
          persecution resulting from dying to this world by
          settling for reform in the place of resurrection. You
          can enjoy the fellowship and good will of the entire
          religious system if you will simply conform to all
          their bland, lifeless, middle-of-the road standards.
          The harlot church still preaches about the Cross as an
          historical fact, but its demands on the flesh are
          rejected. And this same backslidden church will thrash
          and persecute those who go on to be personally
          identified with Christ's crucifixion.

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                         Circumcision or the Cross

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          Paul was constantly harassed by the party of the
          circumcision. These were Jewish Christians who followed
          him everywhere, teaching new converts that God still
          demanded their flesh be cut, and that they conform to
          the lifeless traditions and rules of men. They had much
          scripture to prove their doctrine, especially the
          writings of Moses. They refuse to accept the glorious
          truth that the Cross was the end of all flesh in the
          eyes of God. Now, a new resurrected man - one who is
          dead to the world - is the only one God will deal with.

          Why is there such fair show of the flesh in the church
          today? It is because the Cross has been rejected. You
          can present to the Lord the most sincere, dedicated,
          renovated flesh possible - and it will still be a
          stench. That which is tainted by the least amount of
          flesh will not be accepted by a holy God. He has once
          and for all condemned the flesh at the Cross.

          If the demands of the Cross were truly faced by modern
          Christianity, most of the religious activities would be
          shut down. Even in my own denomination, the Assemblies
          of God, much would be cast aside as worthless in the
          eyes of the Lord. Judged in the light of the demands of
          the Cross, God would have to stamp on most of the
          religious activity - "FRIVOLOUS! MEANINGLESS!" It is
          because flesh has been brought in and leavened the
          whole lump. What was once pure and holy is now mixed
          with the spirit and manners of this world.

          I know that at this very hour there are multitudes of
          praying, God-fearing Christians who weep and grieve
          over the conditions in the church. Not only in the
          church at large, but their home church or body where
          they worship. Either their shepherd is too soft on sin,
          or he whips them, or he puts unbearable burdens upon
          them.

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                           The Sheep Are Hurting

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          Lately the Lord has allowed me to be broken in spirit
          over the pitiful cries of abandoned, bruised and
          bleeding sheep - most of whom have been rejected and
          abused by harsh and uncaring shepherds. Some actually
          have been cast out of their churches and fellowships,
          and they so hunger to be with a true body of believers
          who will share their yearnings for more of Christ.

          One dear brother wrote, "In the past few months I have
          been so burdened about the sad condition of our church,
          I have broken down weeping in the services -
          uncontrollable weeping. I wept because I loved the
          pastor and could not stand to see such foolishness
          coming from the pulpit. I was asked to leave if I
          couldn't shut up. I was embarrassing the pastor and
          upsetting the congregation. I had to leave because my
          burden kept getting stronger."

          A heartbroken woman wrote, "Our Pentecostal church is
          backsliding so fast, I can hardly believe it. Our
          pastor has been having rock concerts to draw the kids.
          Last night, during one of those concerts, one of the
          performers dropped his pants. Half of the people walked
          out with us. The pastor didn't seem to be bothered. I
          just cannot go back there - it is so worldly, so
          sensual - but where do I go?"

          Another sister wrote, "We have just left a church where
          every effort was made to deceive and fleece the flock,
          robbing them of trust as well as their possessions.
          Since we left, we feel we have escaped such bondage.
          But what breaks my heart is all the confused people
          left in such perverted deception. They are forced to be
          under such authoritative subjection to the shepherd.
          Anyone who raises a question is ridiculed, and if you
          leave you are labeled a 'rebel'. You are as well as
          excommunicated from that body. The pastor warned the
          people to stay away from us or they, too, would be cut
          off. We have forgiven him, but what will happen to the
          dear converts when they, too, discover they have been
          deceived?"

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                 "Where Is Your Mercy for Hurting Sheep?"

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          That was an honest (and loving) question put to me in a
          letter recently from a brother who numbers himself
          among the sheep who have "lost all earthly shepherds"
          and who at times feels a sense of despair from all the
          abuses.

          He wrote, "I see judgement and rebuke everywhere I look
          - even from you, dear Mr. Wilkerson, whom I honestly
          love. I hear judgement and rebuke, but not much mercy
          and justice..."

          "What I am saying, brother, is that there has grown a
          nation of brokenhearted, contrite, humble and humbled,
          reeling from abuses, betrayed, manipulated, deceived,
          and confused sheep. Many are dying spiritually. These
          are sheep who are cut off from the flock, often by the
          flock, or the shepherd - going hungry, lamed, diseased,
          alone, and being tracked by wolves..."

          "Where are the godly shepherds? I haven't seen them
          yet. I wait with longing..."

          "In your newsletter, you said these sheep will receive
          reproof. True - but these sheep have already repented,
          often blaming themselves for conditions they were not
          responsible for, for situations wherein they became the
          victims, even while already forgiving those who maimed
          them , blamed them threw them out, and left them for
          dead. How will they know the voice of their Shepherd in
          those shepherds who reprove them?"

          "I believe, Mr. Wilkerson, that they will know a true
          shepherd because they will hear his soft cry for them,
          as he searches them out in the darkness, in the wilds,
          in the snare to which they are victim. They will know
          the tender hand of their loving Father, in a man,
          binding their wounds, setting their lameness right, and
          with love cleaning the filth off their coats. They will
          see the tears brimming in his eyes, his tears mixing
          with theirs - tears born of the broken heart of God
          over lost, wounded sheep..."

          "We do need truth - but we were told we were getting
          all the truth. But it didn't work. It didn't heal. It
          didn't save. What is needed now is truth in love! These
          sheep cannot be beat up again. The true sheep are
          'coming out, so as not to partake of their sins and
          judgements.' Or, more likely, kicked out, driven out,
          sheared of all wool, cold and confused. These are not
          sheep walking in self-pity - these truly want Christ
          alone."

          I have quoted at length from this particular letter
          because it so clearly details what I am hearing from
          literally thousands who write to us. Also, it confirmed
          what God seemed to be saying to me in recent weeks -
          "Encourage the holy remnant. Comfort those who are
          being persecuted and maligned for wholly following the
          Lord."

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                             A "Samson Social"

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          An Assembly of God sister wrote to me, with great
          sorrow and grief, about a Samson Social sponsored by
          her church. Couples came dressed as characters from
          that Bible story - the women clad mostly as prostitutes
          and Delilah. The young couples drank; they were more
          interested in partying than seeking God. Holiness and
          separation are ridiculed outright as legalism. The dear
          sister remembers the days when that same church had
          altar calls and prayer meetings where believers
          interceded for their unsaved families. She remembers
          pastors who preached with fire and holy unction, crying
          out against sin and compromise. Now all she gets from
          the pulpit is a "gospel of fun", with no conviction, no
          brokenness - but jokes and even vulgar references to
          Dolly Parton's anatomy.

          My office now receives numerous letters from elderly
          saints of God who tell me, in so many words, "I can't
          believe how backslidden, how worldly, our church has
          become. I can't believe what's happening. The Holy
          Spirit is no longer working in our midst - the pastor
          is always pushing some new project. The youth leader is
          so into rock, so into skating parties - I can't even
          understand what's going on."

          A young minister, whom I know to be very godly, called
          me about an Assembly of God ministers' meeting he had
          just attended. The subject discussed was, "why holiness
          preaching produces kooks!" Holiness preachers were
          ridiculed for putting guilt trips on Christians. The
          young minister was heartbroken. He sent me a transcript
          of the meeting, and I could hardly believe that
          Pentecostal preachers could be so blind.

          I am not condemning the Assembly of God movement. It is
          because I am at present ordained with them that I speak
          out about what is happening in this denomination. It is
          the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, but
          it is at the crossroads. Unless there is a quick return
          to holiness - unless the heartbroken, concerned,
          grieved pastors and evangelists rise up and cry for
          revival and repentance - God will depart its ranks and
          write ICHABOD over its doors. Most of the leaders are
          now on their faces before God - and I believe they are
          godly men who want to see a true shaking and purging by
          the Holy Ghost. But unless both pastors and the
          congregation now return to the altar and weep, mourn,
          and call on God with repentance - the Holy Spirit will
          move on and find a new people who will walk in the old
          paths.

          The same is true of all Pentecostal denominations, as
          well as Charismatic fellowships and ministries. I have
          been prophesying for the past few years that God is
          going to bring down ministries that are of the flesh.
          Soon - very soon - the stock market will go into a free
          fall; there will be economic panic on all sides.
          Churches and ministries that have gone deeply into debt
          will go bankrupt. The recent exposures of famous
          ministers is not what will bring them down - it will be
          an economic disaster!

          I wonder sometimes if anybody is listening! Do we not
          want to hear - are we shutting out all the warnings
          because we are sick of all the bad news? But like it or
          not - the warnings of judgment will continue. God is
          not laughing! God will not be mocked. Some of these
          ministries now divine judgment have mocked the warnings
          of God's holy prophets and watchmen!

          Millions of sheep have been left bruised, confused, and
          stunned - by hero shepherds - hero evangelists - men
          who have squandered millions of precious dollars on
          selfish dreams and ego-stroking empires. Oh, saints of
          God - hear me! These builders of empires were clearly
          warned. They received calls, letters, prophecies -
          delivered in love - warning them of the very month they
          would be judged unless they stopped building and
          squandering and proclaiming a show-business gospel.
          They were implored, with tears, to repent and get back
          to the simple preaching of the Cross.

          I weep for these men! I cry daily, "Oh, God - bring
          down all their empires but save Your servants. Deliver
          them from these monsters they have created. Have mercy
          on them and their 'families.'" I know I truly love them
          - but how can any of us who love the name of Jesus sit
          idly by now and permit all this foolishness to go on?

          Those of us who have been warning of coming judgments
          have been ridiculed, mocked, scoffed, and called
          "unloving and divisive." The Spirit of God has awakened
          literally thousands of sheep who have all heard the
          same trumpet sound - they have discerned the lateness
          of the hour - they know God is already judging the
          church - they tried, with broken hearts, to warn
          congregations - but they were repudiated. They are even
          now looked upon as fanatics and crack pots -
          unbalanced, morose, sad, hung up on judgment and
          holiness. But that is all about to change.

          The next thing on God's calendar of judgment is Wall
          Street - the whole economy! Prosperity preachers - get
          ready! I love every one of them in the Lord - but very
          soon there will be panic in their camps as God shuts
          off the money supply. God is going to care for His own
          - but a time of great suffering and hardship is ahead
          for us all.

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                              Den of Thieves

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

          Jesus strode into the temple one day, with whip in
          hand, and drove out all the merchandises. He thundered,
          "It is written, My house shall be called the house of
          prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew
          21:13).

          What would Jesus say today if He were here in the
          flesh, beholding all that is being done in His name?
          How long do you think He would permit His Father's name
          to be corrupted? How long would He endure the waste,
          the mixture, the shallowness, the perversion of His
          truth. How long would He withhold judgment upon
          millions of Christians who send hundreds of thousand of
          dollars to build entertainment complexes, told gilded
          towers - while more than half the world starves.

          Jesus would tell it like it is! No protecting men's
          reputations. No false unity screens! The truth is -
          these dreams, these projects, did not originate in
          God's mind - they are the schemes of lying spirits!
          Some have said. "God told me" when it was not God at
          all. It was a lying spirit sent to deceive. We have
          been duped, manipulated. Adultery? That can be
          forgiven! Restoration of fallen shepherds? Absolutely!
          But taking gambler's money to do what is called God's
          work - never! To go on squandering God's money on
          entertainment and recreation, when so many walk our
          streets homeless. No! Rescue the dying dreams of TV
          evangelists, when mission fields cry for help? Never!

          God has just begun the final shaking! He is going to
          let the whole world know that He is not in the
          entertainment business. He does not permit evangelists
          to portray Him before the world as a hard taskmaster
          who kills His bondservants over lack of cash. It's all
          over! It's all coming down! What survives the exposures
          will fall in the economic crunch.

          We have evangelists today who would have charged into
          the temple to rebuke Jesus for carrying a whip and for
          calling money-mad religious leaders thieves. They would
          rally their forces in the name of unity and say to our
          Lord "Don't judge! Mercy! Compassion!" How horrifying
          to them to hear those harsh words - "You have turned my
          house into a den of thieves!"

          God give us mercy! Give us compassion - help us restore
          every fallen brother or sister who truly repents. But
          why - oh why - do we not have as much concern about the
          honor of Christ as we do for the reputations of our
          preachers? Why are so many trying to screen "brothers"
          from the righteous rod of the Lord, when that very rod
          is their only salvation.

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                   The Final Persecution of the Remnant

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

          Satan is going to move right into the carnal church -
          to promote a unity movement consisting of ministers,
          ministries and religious organizations who refuse the
          demands of the Cross of Christ. What a compromising
          crowd it will be! The features of this diabolic
          movement will be religious theater, arts, drama, and
          social and political involvement. They will boast of a
          new-found moral freedom, a gospel of no reproof, no
          judgment, no guilt!

          Divorce will no longer be considered a moral issue -
          but simply a social mistake. Sensuality will rampage
          their ranks. Drinking, pornography and fornication will
          not be condemned. It will simply be ignored and the
          preachers among them will seek to keep their guilt
          massaged.

          This is the source of the final persecution of a holy
          remnant. Not the Communists, or the humanists, or the
          liberals, or the secular press! Satan will use a
          backslidden, lust-riddled, man-centered, religious
          union to persecute those who deny themselves, take up
          their cross, and follow Christ in absolute submission
          to His will.

          I ask you - are you discerning these times? Are you
          sitting back grieving over the sins of the famous, or
          are you judging you own sins before His holiness? Are
          you willing to judge righteous judgment and take a bold
          stand in defense of the honor of His name? Are you
          prepared to walk alone if necessary to bear the
          reproach of a separated walk of holiness> Do you still
          send money to ministries and man-made empires which are
          coming under God's holy judgment? Oh, how we need
          discernment!

          The bride of Christ will come forth out of great
          persecution - victorious, without spot or wrinkle! Is
          this not the time to weep between the porch and the
          altar - to mourn for sin - to humble ourselves and seek
          the true Word of God?

          I say again - GOD HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771 USA.

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