Fallen Slumber

Anguish

This message was preached by David Wilkerson on September 15th, 2002.

Anguish - Deep pain, deep sorrow, and agony of God’s heart.

How often do we cry out with with sobering and tears when we pray

How often do our hearts burst with the pain of a dying world?

Whatever happened to brokenness?

Whatever happened to anguish?

Whatever happened to holy jealousy?

“The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the blindness of the Church, grieved at the corruption in the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil.” And he is grieved because we have misrepresented the Lord.” - Leonard Ravenhill

In his book, Revival or we die, Dr. Michael Brown said.”

I had the privilege of praying with Leonard Raven-hill many times, and his prayers were on an entirely different level than anything I had ever heard or experienced. There was such depth and devotion and passion and precision. To pray with him was to go into the holiest place of all. But we not only prayed together when I would stay at his house for a few days each year (I did this for the last five years of his life). He also had set times each day when he would get alone, and so, in the afternoon, no matter what company he had at his house, he would excuse himself to meet with the Lord. It was an appointment he would not break. Virtually every time I stayed with him, the pattern would repeat itself. Brother Len would break away for his afternoon prayer time and then, an hour or two later, he would come out of his room completely undone. “Mike,” he would say to me, with tears in his eyes and anguish in his voice, “the Bride is naked and she doesn’t even know it. I’m so ashamed.” He was so in love with Jesus that it shattered him to think His Bride was in such poor condition, in particular in America. And this moved him to unceasing prayer for revival, because a revived Church would be a glorious Church, a beautiful Church, a Church worthy of her Savior, a Bride suitable for her Groom. A revived Church would bring honor, not reproach, to the name of her Lord. - Dr. Michael Brown

Apologize to the Church

Tell them How You Deviated from the Gospel and focused too much on Deliverance.

Tell them How You Feared Man

Expose Yourself

Tell Your Story

My Encounter with God at 15.

Tell them the first messages that I ever preached.

Tell them the stories of your dreams where people were sleeping.

The Resurrection of the Dead

Many people in the ancient Greco-Roman world believed that death extinguished life completely or led to a permanent but shadowy and insubstantial existence in the underworld. The concept of a physical, embodied existence after death was known mainly from popular fables and was thought laughable by the educated.

Paul deals with the Corinthians’ denial of (v. 12) and confusion about (v. 35) the future, bodily resurrection of Christians. These issues were probably raised in their letter to him (7:1).

1 Corinthians 15:12–34 ESV

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Souls Are Dying and Going to Hell

God save us from living in comfort while sinners are sinking into hell! - C.H. Spurgeon

Revelation 21:8 (ESV) - But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Matthew 10:28 (ESV) - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

John Knox prayed, “Give me Scotland or I die!”

George Whitefield prayed, “Give me souls, or take my soul!”

In 1944, Rev. Peter Marshall declared, “Surely the time has come, because the hour is late, when we must decide. And the choice before us is plain—Yahweh or Baal. Christ or chaos. Conviction or compromise. Discipline or disintegration.”

Don’t Fall Asleep

Luke 21:36 (ESV) - But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (ESV) - So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

Matthew 24:42 (ESV) - Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

It’s Time to Wake Up

Ephesians 5:14 ESV

14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Conclusion:

Revelation 16:15 (ESV) - (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)

Win the Lost At Any Cost!!!