The late David Wilkerson didn’t hold back when he spoke about the Great Deception that would be coming for the church.
In a previous message, Wilkerson gave a dire warning from 1 Timothy 4, which he said had been “burning” in his spirit: the last days will be marked by a relentless, spiritual pull away from Christ.
Reading from Scripture, Wilkerson declared, “Now the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter time shall some depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). Then he explained what “expressly” means: “outspoken clarity…leaving no doubt that in the last days, the days in which we live right now, there is going to be a departing from the faith. There’s going to be a great seduction taking place.”
Wilkerson believed this end-time seduction wouldn’t just be seen in blatant wickedness, but in an “overwhelming satanic seduction” designed to creep into the church—slowly, subtly—until hearts are cold and consciences numb. He pointed to Jesus’ warning about deception so intense it could “deceive the very elect.”
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“Just look around you,” he said, describing how modern technology can become a pipeline for temptation. “You don’t have to go to a house of harlotry…But right there in your home is that pornography and that evil right there. A wicked wonder.”
But Wilkerson insisted the devil can’t simply barge into a believer’s life without an opening. “Satan cannot seduce you until he sees you peeking over the wall,” he warned.
In his message, he painted a vivid picture of God’s protection as a spiritual boundary: “He shall be to her…a wall of fire roundabout in the glory therein.” The safest place, Wilkerson said, is not flirting with that boundary, but living near the center—close to Jesus.
And what causes believers to drift toward the wall? Wilkerson was blunt: “The seduction begins with a spiritual laziness, becoming careless about reading the Word of God and neglecting His Word and prayer, neglecting going to the house of God.” He testified that when people finally tell the truth about their backsliding, it almost always comes down to that neglect.
Then he delivered what may be the message’s most memorable line: “This is the best defense against satanic seduction. Because when you are satisfied with Jesus, the word spreads all through hell. Don’t go near him. Don’t go near her. That person’s satisfied.”
Yet Wilkerson warned that once someone toys with sin, the enemy often supplies “a doctrine” to justify it—spiritual-sounding excuses that shift blame and promise an easy return. “If you’ve got that hook in you now,” he cautioned, “I’m telling you that is the biggest lie you have ever bought.” Why? “Every time you sin, your heart gets harder and harder…until finally you won’t come back.”
Still, he ended with hope and urgency. “Don’t wait another day,” Wilkerson pleaded. “Lay it down and run to Jesus tonight.” He prayed for God to “break the power of seduction” and to restore what sin tries to steal—“the music of peace and rest and joy…and bring the light of the gospel back.”
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
