Why does this teaching matter?
Wilkerson's teaching stands in direct opposition to the prosperity gospel's claim that faith guarantees comfort and escape from difficulty. Scripture teaches that trials produce perseverance, character, and hope — and that God's purpose in suffering is transformation of the heart, not removal of the circumstance.
What did David Wilkerson teach?
"Faith is not to get you out of a hard place but to change your heart in the hard place."
Speaker: David Wilkerson
Source: Times Square Church sermon
What does Scripture confirm?
James 1:2-4
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
— NKJV
James commands believers to rejoice IN trials — not to use faith as an escape FROM them. The purpose of testing is perfection and completeness, which only comes through endurance.
Romans 5:3-5
"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
— NKJV
Paul describes a chain: tribulation → perseverance → character → hope. Remove the tribulation and you lose the entire chain of spiritual growth. Faith in the hard place IS the mechanism of transformation.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
— NKJV
God's answer to Paul's suffering was not removal but sufficiency. His power is displayed IN weakness — which is exactly Wilkerson's point: faith changes the heart, not the circumstance.