Many believers can look back over their lives and see a trail of battles, heartbreaks, disappointments and impossible circumstances that somehow did not destroy them. The question is: Why?
In a powerful sermon titled “Preserved for a Purpose,” David Wilkerson challenged believers to see God’s hand not only in their victories but also in their trials.
Drawing from Psalm 121, Wilkerson explained that God’s preservation is more than protection—it is divine preparation.
“When he said preserve me,” Wilkerson said, “that word in Hebrew is a very meaningful word. Means, ‘Oh Lord, put your hedge around me, a hedge of thorns. Guard me. Watch over me all my comings and all my goings.'”
Throughout Scripture, Wilkerson noted, God repeatedly preserved His people through danger, persecution and hardship. Yet He argued that God’s purpose was never merely survival.
“There has to be a reason,” he said. “God brought us out that he might bring us in to give us the land which he swore to our fathers.”
Using the example of Israel’s journey through the wilderness, Wilkerson reminded listeners that God did not deliver His people from Egypt merely so they could spend the rest of their lives recounting past miracles. Rather, He preserved them because He had an assignment for them to fulfill.
The centerpiece of the message focused on Joseph, who endured betrayal, slavery, false accusations and imprisonment before eventually becoming Egypt’s ruler during a devastating famine.
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When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, he understood the purpose behind every painful season.
Wilkerson quoted Joseph’s words: “God did send me before you to preserve life.”
Wilkerson emphasized that Joseph’s suffering was not meaningless. Instead, God was positioning him to become a deliverer for others.
“God was preparing me to save you,” Wilkerson said while recounting Joseph’s testimony. “I had to go through this.”
The message then became deeply personal as Wilkerson reflected on his own life.
“I look over the suffering and the pain and the terror… and I look back now… and I see God’s hand in it. I can look back as Joseph did and say God was in it.”
Perhaps the most powerful moment came when Wilkerson connected this truth to believers living in uncertain times.
“God put his hand on me, and he took me through all kinds of fire and through floods for a reason because you would need me,” he declared. “To preserve you. God has preserved me.”
According to Wilkerson, God raises up what he called a “Joseph company”—ordinary believers who have been refined through years of testing so they can bring hope, faith and stability to others during seasons of fear and crisis.
Rather than seeking a platform or public recognition, Wilkerson urged believers to simply obey God in the places where He has already planted them.
“He’s looking for those hidden individuals,” Wilkerson said, “this Joseph company that he has been working on for years and years and years for times just like this.”
For anyone wondering why God allowed them to endure difficult seasons, Wilkerson’s answer was clear: Your preservation was never just about you. God kept you because someone else will one day need the testimony, wisdom and faith that He forged in your life.
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 newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
