Luke 1:80
So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
The powerful prophecies concerning John the Baptist were summarized by three interesting points.
First, “the child grew and became strong in spirit”. There is a natural and a spiritual growth that should coincide. John the Baptist grew in physical stature and in spiritual stature. Too often we over emphasize our physical attributes and the spiritual gets lost in the flesh. Notice how many children today are raised in Godly homes but then they begin to mature and the spiritual seems to just fade away. This is a time that I believe that our sons and daughters are going to not only become physically mature but spiritually mature. We need the parenting skills to bring our children not only to physical but spiritual maturity. Instead of wanting to get big enough to do what the rest of their piers are doing they will be excited about doing the Heavenly Fathers business.
Second, “was in the deserts”. Desert or wilderness living is in the DNA of every prophet. John may have been forced into wilderness living because his parents were so old at his birth that they may have died when he was very young. Many believe that he dwelled among a sect called the Essenes. The Essenes were distinguished by their desire for purity. Self-denial was at the heart of their beliefs along with temperance and labor (especially agriculture). Purity and divine communion were their main objectives. Today’s prophets will be driven into the wilderness because of the same desires. These goals cannot be achieved in the self-serving churches of our day. This will force the prophets into a desert place to commune with God.
Third, “till the day of his manifestation to Israel”. There is an appointed time that God will raise up His messengers. John was preaching in the wilderness and the whole region heard him. One of the outstanding features of the Day of Pentecost was that it began with a sudden sound from heaven. I believe that we need the miraculous amplification of the prophets in this hour. We need God’s messengers to thunder His message and bring even the hardest of hearts to fear God! We need national prophets that will be enquired of by the political leaders. Not political preachers jockeying for notoriety. Today’s television preachers have had the spotlight for thirty years and no one fears them because they are false prophets. We are anxiously awaiting the prophets old and new that God has been preparing in the wilderness.
I say to the prophets, don’t be discouraged. God is preparing you for a time. Your lack of popularity is an asset not a liability. Stay true to the Word.
I say to the churches, pray that God would send the sound from heaven that would manifest the prophets in new and powerful way. That God would by-pass the television medium and cause His messengers to be heard. Finally, pray that the people will obey the prophets.
Best-selling author, Teen Challenge founder, sees ‘earth-shattering calamity about to happen’
Posted: March 08, 2009
3:15 am Eastern
WorldNetDaily
David Wilkerson
http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/
A respected pastor, best-selling author and founder of a major ministry to teens predicts an imminent “earth-shattering calamity” centered in New York City that will spread to major urban areas across the country and around the world – part of what he sees as a judgment from God.
David Wilkerson, author of “The Cross and the Switchblade,” a book about his ministry to troubled New York street kids that was later made into a movie starring Pat Boone, tells readers of his blog this weekend that he is “compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message” about his prediction.
“An earth-shattering calamity is about to happen,” he writes. “It is going to be so frightening, we are all going to tremble – even the godliest among us.”
Wilkerson’s vision is of fires raging through New York City.
“It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires – such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago,” he explains. “There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting – including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Wilkerson is the founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, where he launched a ministry to gang members and drug addicts in 1958. He is a highly regarded mentor to other pastors in evangelical circles and travels the world holding conferences for other Christian ministers.
His work in New York in the 1950s and 1960s led to the formation of Teen Challenge – a nationwide ministry to reach out to people with life-controlling habits. Teen Challenge has grown to include 173 residential programs and numerous evangelism outreach centers in the United States, and 241 centers in 77 other countries. The program claims a recovery rate of 86 percent.
The story of Wilkerson’s first five years of ministry in New York is told in “The Cross and the Switchblade,” a book he co-authored in 1963. The book became a best-selling phenomenon and more than 15 million copies have been distributed in over 30 languages.
“God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations,” claims Wilkerson. “He is destroying the secular foundations.” Wilkerson urges everyone to stockpile a 30-day supply of food and other necessities to deal with the catastrophe he foresees.
“I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off,” Wilkerson concluded in his message. “I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.”
A past vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention is hoping believers pay attention to Wilkerson’s message.
“I have known David Wilkerson for more than 25 years as well as many of his friends and associates,” said Pastor Wiley Drake. “He is a godly man and I believe he is listening to God. I encourage each Christian to read and heed what God is saying through our brother.”