A Friend of Sinners - Part 2 — David Wilkerson

Mercy Received and Mercy Shown

Yourself, lest you also be tempted. I know what God has delivered me from. I know the mercy that I needed. I know how in all these years he's covered me. All my mistakes and all my failures. And God has shown me such mercy.

And now, the rest of my days, I want to show that mercy and that kindness. Please pray for me and my travels. And while I'm here in your pulpit, that I can help these gentlemen that God has called to minister the word of God.

I love these pastors. I love this church. And my role is to come as a father occasionally to you and just share what is on my heart. And with gratitude and thanks for your hearing me out this morning.

Lord, I thank you. I've just been standing here looking over the years, been so reminded of what you've done. Lord, the audience today on this film saw works, good works, but couldn't see behind the scenes and the struggles and the pain.

But oh God, through it all, now I can say, Jesus, lead me on. Take me deeper into that spirit you gave me when I first came here over 40 years ago with one focus for the lost and the hurting. Lord, I want to refocus.

Refocusing the Church on Evangelism and Restoration

Help us to focus now. You've given Pastor Carter and the team here a vision for establishing churches, a vision, a new vision for evangelism. Lord, what I'm saying now simply is a confirmation of the vision that you have birthed in the heart of the leadership of this church.

Lord, give us that heart. Help us to be able to get behind that vision and get our eyes focused now on restoration and healing and forgiveness of the lost. Amen. Will you stand? If you're here this morning and you are not walking with Christ in the balcony or in the overflow rooms, you are not walking with Christ or you have strayed away from Christ, I'm giving you a bold invitation to step out of your seat and just walk down this aisle, an invitation to come and let me pray with you and stand with you, that you could come into this grace and this forgiveness that we're preaching about this morning.

The Invitation to Return to Christ

Just step out of your seat and come here. And I will add this, and I'm not asking for just a big rush, asking honestly for those who say, Pastor David, I too, my heart, I need a spirit. I need my spirit renewed.

I need an enlargement of my heart. I've been too narrow, I've been too exclusive, and I have not opened my heart to the needs of others like I should, and I want to. Your prayer would be when you come, Lord, enlarge my heart.

Up in the balcony here at the sanatorium. In the annex, you can just go between the screens so you don't block the screen, and we'll pray. I'll pray with you in just a moment, please, as they sing. To those of you that come to renew your life with Christ, would you just pray this prayer simply?

Humility, Repentance, and Renewal

Lord Jesus, I come to you now to humble myself. Forgive me for not walking the way you've called me to walk. Forgive me, Jesus. I believe you now. I believe that Holy Spirit has come to woo my heart. Lord, I accept your forgiveness, and I give you a repentant heart.

Faith That Receives Forgiveness and Healing

Now, let me pray for you right now. Lord Jesus, it doesn't take a long prayer. It doesn't take a lot of doctrine. It just takes an open heart, a spirit that cries out, Lord, forgive. Lord, you forgave that woman, said, your faith has made you whole.

That's the same message today, rings as clear as it did then. Your faith has made you whole. Lord, let us lay hold of that faith right now and believe that a simple prayer can get through to the heart of God.

Lord Jesus, thank you. And for those, Lord, that have come forward that need an enlargement of heart. Lord, I thank you that you are enlarging my heart, expanding my vision for the lost. Lord Jesus, let this be the greatest time of harvest.

Spiritual Darkness and the Call to Forgive

We're coming into the most perilous times, times of such incredible darkness, gross darkness that will cover the earth. But Lord, you're going to have a people that are there ready, ready to heal, ready to restore and ready to forgive and bring people into the gospel of forgiveness and that spirit that is of Jesus Christ, that gentle spirit ministering to the lost in their hurt and in their pain.

Lord, let there be forgiveness flow where forgiveness is needed all through the congregation in the annex overflow, wherever it may be. Lord Jesus, let forgiveness flow. Let us forgive others as we remember how we have been forgiven.

Evangelism, Harvest, and a Renewed Focus

Let that grace flow like a river. Lord, asking this next year for at least a thousand new souls to be one to this church through individuals, individuals who through their love and compassion have sought and prayed to be led to somebody.

Lord, in their apartment house or on the street or wherever it may be on the subway. Lord, as they pray and the Holy Spirit prompts them, go to that person or talk to that person. Lord, bring us back to that.

Lord, that's how I started on this street. Lord, that's how I want to finish my work. Lord Jesus, winning souls, winning souls. Lord, let this be the issue. Let this be the focus now in Jesus name. Amen.