Jesus Never Fails + Supernatural Comfort

Here are a couple of recent World Challenge devotions ... both David Wilkerson and his son Gary are gifted at getting to the heart of scripture and these meditations are fine examples for us to engage with and be pointed towards a deeper relationship with Christ.

JESUS NEVER FAILS

Gary Wilkerson
April 15, 2019
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me from the foundation of the world” (John 17:24, my emphasis). Jesus prayed for his disciples — and that includes us. He asked the Father that we may see his glory, meaning that we would know him.   
At certain times in the Old Testament, Jesus revealed himself in human or angelic form, with varying results. For instance, Jacob’s hip was broken when he tried wrestling with the Lord. And when Moses said to God, “Please show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18), the Lord told him, “I have to cover your face and hide you behind a rock, and then you can see only the trailing afterglow of my presence.” In other words, he had to protect Moses from the full revelation of himself.
In the New Testament, when the apostle John heard the Lord’s voice and received the Revelation on the island of Patmos, he fell on his face. The normal response of men and women when they saw Jesus was awe and wonder. I wonder what would happen if we saw him in all his beauty and splendor as Moses or John did.
The truth is, Jesus is beautiful in a sense far deeper than our usual usage of the descriptive word. We remark that someone is lovely or handsome, but Jesus is far more. He is glorious, wonderful, separate, unique, special. He is also tender, kind, precious, full of majesty. He is wondrous, strong, mighty, powerful, wise, outstanding. And he never fails!
Even in his human nature, Jesus remained sovereign, one with God (see Colossians 2:10). Consider some of his beautiful attributes: full of justice (John 8:16); perfectly righteous (John 8:46). And he is love (John 13:34) — a love that is unfathomable.
We are totally undeserving of this love, but that is the beauty of our amazing, incomparable Savior. Give him praise today for his unspeakable sacrifice and gift of salvation.

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SUPERNATURAL COMFORT

David Wilkerson (1931-2011)
April 17, 2019
“Blessed be the … God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). All over the world, people are going through sufferings and trials and the Lord has promised to comfort us in them. Notice that nothing is said here about deliverance from the battle; we are told only that the Holy Spirit gives us comfort to endure and stay steadfast in our trial.
This comfort, provided by the Spirit in the midst of our troubles, is not simply a temporary lifting of the burden. It is not a sigh of relief, a shutting out of troubling thoughts or fears. Rather, it is supernatural. Such comfort is the exclusive ministry of the Holy Spirit, accomplished by faith as we trust in his love for us.
Scripture tells us, “You will comfort those in Zion. You will have a word of healing for those who are in despair and fear” (see Isaiah 61:2-3). In response to our faith, God’s Spirit promises to create something in us that will bring comfort in every conceivable trouble and fearsome circumstance. He will put in us a word that can heal, comfort and encourage others.
The Spirit said through Isaiah, “I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts to him … I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace” (Isaiah 57:18-19). This is one of the most encouraging promises in God’s Word. The Lord says he will drive out from us the spirit of fear and implant in us his supernatural spirit of peace. Isaiah repeats the word “peace” here to emphasize it is a continual peace. Simply put, the Holy Spirit promises, “I will create peace in you.”
As the gathering clouds cause fear in the world, may you walk according to this word from Paul: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). Amen!