Power of God

I have nearly finished reading “The Cross and the Switchblade” by Teen Challenge founder David Wilkerson. If you have not read this book, I encourage you to do so. It is a great testimony to the power of God and prayer. David Wilkerson’s story is filled with unmistakable miracle after miracle. When he was initially trying to establish Teen Challenge he was up against tremendous odds. He was broke and often would sleep in his car which was quite the dangerous thing to do in the gang infested slums of NYC where he was led by God to begin this important ministry.

But God looked over him and in spite of dealing with some of the most dangerous people on earth he was never harmed. One particularly vicious gang leader once told him that if he got any closer to him that he would kill him, but David courageously told him that “even if you cut me in a thousand pieces and leave them in the street, every one of them will continue to love you”. Wilkerson went on to lead this vicious gang leader to salvation and today he is in the ministry too. His name is Nicky Cruz and he has a book of his own out that you might want to read.

My life has been filled with miracle after miracle and I have recorded many of them in my book. One thing that used to happen to me was that when one occurred it was sometimes difficult to accept as a miracle from God even though it was as plain as the nose on my face. I think human nature is such that we innately want to attribute such things to happenstance or coincidence.

One tremendous blessing from this book was to read about all of the various miracles that occurred in David Wilkerson’s life as he worked to establish this tremendous organization that has grown from one center in the slums of NYC to a nationwide organization with centers all over the US and some 90 countries worldwide. Like me he sometimes would shake his head in wonderment; however just as I have come to learn, David found that God was unmistakably behind his success and the very nature of the miracles eliminated doubt that God had to be answering his prayers. As time went on God performed so many direct miracles that were prayed for and then promptly received in the exact manner in which it was asked for, that there can be no doubt from any objective person that God had directly blessed his efforts and answered that prayer.

If you read the book you will come away with your faith enhanced in the power of prayer and God working in your personal life to accomplish His will for your life. One thing I must note, these were not little prayers whispered quickly on the way to work. David Wilkerson prayed for hours at a time as did those involved with his ministry. He even sold one of his few possessions, his black and white television set, in order to spend the time that he would spend watching television to pray. He would pray for untold hours and hours at a time. His prayers were answered and he has touched hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives through the past fifty one years with more coming to the Lord daily.

Imagine how David Wilkerson feels as he looks back on his life’s work and how rewarding that must be to him. Today could be “your” day to start working on building something worthwhile for the Lord. One of David’s favorite verses is listed below. Think about what you can do to lead others to Christ More workers are needed. Reap the harvest of lost souls for the Lord while there is yet time.


John 4:34-38
“My food,” said Jesus “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”