I have previously noted that the late Reverend David Wilkerson was a prophetic voice for America during his lifetime. While some have criticized some of his dire predictions for America, it seems now that while the timing of his predictions may have been a little off, most are coming or have come to fruition. This excerpt is from his message “The Calm Before the Storm” delivered at the Times Square Church on April 4, 1997. I have extracted a few important paragraphs for their relevance to America today.
Over the years, I have received letters from people saying, “You’ve been prophesying for years about ‘gathering storm clouds’ and a ‘coming crash.’ Yet all you’ve done is scare a lot of Christians who trust your word. The truth is, the opposite has happened. Instead of experiencing a storm, we’ve seen a boom, with record-breaking prosperity. There isn’t one sign on the horizon to suggest a coming crisis.”
The fact is, the apostle Peter warned that many believers would react this way: “…there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3). In other words: “People will say, ‘Where’s the so-called storm? Everything is continuing today as it always has!”
Beloved, God has judged every past society for lesser sins than America’s. Consider: No other nation has killed more babies than the United States has through abortion. Our soil cries out with the blood of these children! We’d rather save the life of a whale than one of our own babies. America has the world’s highest rate of illegitimate pregnancies.
We have begun to glorify homosexuality and lesbianism. Our media applauds the “bravery” of gays who declare their sexual orientation – but we ought to weep over it! At one time, Christians across the country would have been on their faces crying out to God for mercy over such immorality. Radical homosexuals cry out to society, “In your face!” Yet what they’re really saying is, “In your face, God!”
America has brazenly kicked God out of its schools and courts. Now there’s even a movement to remove His name from the Pledge of Allegiance and from all U.S. coins. People no longer want to hear even the mention of His name! Fifty million Americans now smoke pot, and millions more are hooked on heroin, crack and other hard drugs. Our schools have become bastions of blasphemy and agnosticism. Our children have been robbed of all moral standards, denied all access to God – and they’re reacting by becoming more violent and rebellious. Beloved, God destroyed Noah’s generation, as well as Sodom, all for lesser sins than ours. What arrogance to think that while these societies were judged severely, we might be spared!
Very Soon, America Is Going to wake up to a sudden news report of calamity – and the storm will be upon us suddenly!
The psalmist describes how God’s rod of judgment will fall overnight: “In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them…all the horns of the wicked also will I cut off…” (Psalm 75:8, 10).
In Revelation, this cup is called “…the cup of his indignation…” (Revelation 14:10). In other words, it’s full of God’s wrath. Simply put, America’s cup of iniquity is overflowing – and all of our sins are going to turn into his holy wrath!
And, beloved, so it will be suddenly when the storm hits. It will come like a thief in the night, bringing sudden panic and disbelief. Right now you may be thinking, “Let it come! If calamity strikes, I’ll deal with it then. After all, I’m in God’s hands. I’ll be ready – so I’m not going to worry about it. Jesus will see me through.”
Yet, let me ask you: Why does God tell his prophets to shout their warnings from the housetops? He wants to warn his people – to stir us up to seek him! He wants to convict us of all our attempts to cast off Christ’s yoke and cozy up to the world. He wants us to keep our eyes on Jesus – to seek heavenly things – because those are the only things that will stand in the coming storm!
The Only Hope in the Coming Storm!
Just before his death and resurrection, Jesus stared into the face of a horrible coming storm. David gives us a clear picture of Jesus’ attitude in the face of the coming storm. He speaks prophetically of Christ, saying, “…I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved” (Acts 2:25).
The literal meaning here is, “I was always in his presence, beholding his face.” David quoted Jesus as saying, “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope” (verse 26).
Here is the secret: Jesus kept the father always before his face! Jesus continually sought out secret places to be shut in with his father. And it was only after being in God’s presence that Christ came forth to minister, fully persuaded that his father was always with him: “He’s at my right hand – and nothing on this earth can move me!” The Greek word for “moved” here means “agitated or shaken, disturbed.”
Beloved, if we’re going to face the coming storm, then we need to be prepared so nothing disturbs our spirit. And the only way to do that is to spend time in the father’s presence, beholding his face. We have to be shut in with him – on our knees – until we’re thoroughly persuaded he’s at our right hand!
Words of Grace for Strength
Friends, it is past time for true Christians and the true Church in America to take a stand for Jesus Christ and the one true God (John 14:6). The storm David Wilkerson warned of is rapidly approaching.
We are almost daily seeing evidence of the growing persecution of Christians in this country. It is happening in our military, schools, businesses, and government. Radical groups driven by satanic influence and ideologies (religious and cultural), conspire to marginalize Christians and Christian principles at every opportunity.
We, as followers of Christ need to join our voices with those of outspoken Christians like Benjamin Watson, Todd Starnes, and the Reverend Franklin Graham who are unapologetic in their stand for Christians and Christianity.
Most “churches” in America have become institutionalized, seeker friendly, prosperity driven, or denominationally apostate and marked by tolerance, compromise, and inclusiveness. The “mainstream” churches do not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, instead their message is filled with political correctness, Social justice and secular humanism.
Those of us who are a part of the true Church, the bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, must lift our voices before the Lord in rejection of the false teachers and false religiosity of these “mainstream” churches and their false gospels.
The US is in decline and standing in a place of judgment before God. Our national government is corrupt and led by the most godless administration in our history. Our nation, which was founded on Christian principles led by godly men, now caters to Islamists and Islam while growing increasingly more hostile to Christians. It is turning a blind eye on the genocide of Christians in the Middle East, Africa and the Far East, while embracing the radical Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood here and abroad.
This administration has vilified and ostracized our greatest ally and the only Democracy in the Middle East, Israel, while embracing and emboldening the very groups (the PA and Hamas) who which to destroy Israel. This administration negotiates with Iran (the greatest sponsor of terrorism internationally) over its nuclear ambitions while ignoring the spread of its influence throughout the world as a result of its terror network.
We as true Christians, true followers of Christ, we who are Americans, though our “citizenship” is in Heaven, have a responsibility to call America (and the world) to repentance.
The storm is coming, and our only hope is to trust in Jesus as our Savior, Lord, Master, Light, Life, and King. We must keep God the Father ever before us through prayer, Bible Study, and our daily Walk “in Christ.” We, like Christ, must learn to “rest in hope.” We must not fear what the world may do to us, but instead rely on the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ to keep us, strengthen us, instruct us, embolden us, and sustain us as we serve Him. And we must serve Him, we must stand for Him.
While Christ has promised us we will be raptured and not face the wrath of the Tribulation, we still can face a time of storm before that day. We are in a war for the souls of men, we are in a war of eternal significance, and we cannot fail if we do battle in Christ! Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and stand!
Tucker Whitaker
Rafter Cross Ministries