Defending David Wilkerson

by Andrew Strom

Wilkerson is gone now, and it is easy to forget. But the fact is, there were often many in the modern Charismatic movement who basically opposed all that David Wilkerson stood for. They described him as a "Doom and Gloom" merchant - always warning of what was coming and calling the nation and the church to REPENTANCE.

I received an email from some U.S friends awhile ago who had just gone back to a Pentecostal church after some years. They told me, "If I bring up David Wilkerson, they all get a hateful, angry look on their face." Isn't that terribly sad. 

Even though David Wilkerson was the one man who consistently warned America of cataclysms just like the ones we have seen, he was still denigrated. Even though he was proved right, still they detested him! I think it is because his major message was "REPENT". And he didn't pussy-foot around like a lot of these other so-called "prophets".

When the "God Wants You Rich" prosperity message began to spread, David was one of the few leaders who publicly refuted it and called the people to repent from the "love of money". Many hated him for that. Especially because he is so direct and up-front.

And when the 'Toronto Blessing' came along, with churches full of the most weird and often ugly behaviour - he called it like it was. He was one of the few (if any) Pentecostal leaders who actually stood up publicly and refuted this new 'spirit' that was invading the church. You can imagine how despised he was for that.

There is a 'Prophetic' movement in the world today that is in my opinion very far removed from the word 'Prophet'. It sells truckloads of books and holds untold conferences, but at the end of the day it is a mealy-mouthed travesty of the word 'Prophetic'. It retains its popularity because it is almost always "positive" and up-lifting. The voice of an Amos or Jeremiah is rarely (if ever) heard in its ranks - let alone a "John the Baptist". It is almost never blunt or confrontational - especially about sin.

A lot of this movement has a chronic obsession with the 'religious spirit'. Everywhere these people look all they can see are religious spirits of legalism, pharisaism, etc. Thus they are always talking about "grace, grace, grace". The words "Sin, Righteousness and Judgement" are almost a horror to them, because they are so fearful of being 'religious'. And thus when they come across a prophet who actually preaches on Sin, Righteousness and Judgement (-which are the very things Jesus said His Spirit would CONVICT of), they reject him. Every true prophet that I know of down through history has been a 'Sin, Righteousness and Judgement' preacher. So has every true Revivalist. (Finney, Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards, etc). It is part of the job description!

We have invented a new meaning for the term 'Prophetic' in our day that is far below the standard of the Bible. And far below the standard that must be in place to see a true Revival. 

I think it was God's spokesman Ezekiel who coined the term "pillow prophets". That is the last thing that America needs in her hour of crisis. What is needed are voices who truly tell it like it is - who WARN the people, no matter what the cost. -A 'clear trumpet sound'.

David Wilkerson was just such a voice. And he was almost a 'lone' voice - though thank God he was widely heard. I believe God placed him in New York deliberately - the city that combines world political power with world financial power and world media power. David was "God's man" in that city - I truly believe this. And if he said that God's message to America through these events was "REPENT" then personally I would believe him rather than any mealy-mouthed 'prophet' who said otherwise. 

David hated sin and deception so much, and loved God and the people so much, that he could not stand to be silent when God's heart-truths were being trampled underfoot. That is the mark of a true prophet. He will be sorely missed.


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