Guarding the Heritage and Culture of Teen Challenge Lessons of The Cross & The Switchblade

compiled by Karissa McCarter

Paragraphs are quotes from the book and summarization points are placed right after.

Lesson 3: Begun by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, Victorious by the Spirit

We came into the outskirts of New York…Once again logic was raising difficulties. What was I going to do once I got to the other side of the bridge? I didn’t know. – p. 22 (first paragraph of Ch. 2)

The rest of this chapter tells of a Spirit-led adventure that defies logic – but without these events, history could have been very different. Even when things don’t make sense we have to trust that the Holy Spirit really is ordering our steps.

Crossing the bridge, I prayed, Lord, I don’t have the least idea why You let things happen as they did last week or why I am coming back into this mess. I do not ask to be shown Your purpose, only that You direct my steps… suddenly I had the most incredible feeling that I should get out of the car… I felt the little shiver I always experience in the presence of God’s perfect planning. –p. 35-37(middle of Ch. 3)

Teen Challenge was not forged out of logical steps – as David Wilkerson trusted the Lord to direct his steps, many coincidences or strong urges, which David Wilkerson was obedient to, were significant keys in the formation of Teen Challenge.

We didn’t have the faintest idea of what to do next… I bowed my head. “Lord,” I prayed, “if we are here on Your errand, You must guide us. We have reached the limit of our own humble ideas. Lead where we must go, for we do not know”… suddenly, I had that same incomprehensible urge to get out of the car… We had asked God to guide us, and He had set us down on Luis Alvarez’ doorstep. -p. 42-43 (2nd page of Ch. 4)

As an Old Testament prayer goes, Lord, we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Utter dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, realizing our ideas pale in comparison to His, risking playing the fool in following His lead is the only way to truly accomplish the God-sized vision.

But if the Holy Spirit was still closing that door to me, He was opening others… We have been praying for you, and now you are here… And as quietly as that, a new ministry was born. Like most things born of the Spirit… none of us that night knew what had begun. -p. 83-84 (2nd page of Ch. 8)

Just keep asking the Holy Spirit for direction – what He might use to initiate something might not be the main thing – and never despise small beginnings. Also, it’s a concert of the prayers of many that accomplishes and confirms the purposes of God.

I spoke to Nicky, who had been taking goofballs and smoking marijuana. I asked him when it was that he felt he had victory over his old way of life. Something tremendous had happened to him, he said, at the time of his conversion on the street corner. He had been introduced at the time to the love of God. But it wasn’t until later that he knew he had complete victory. “And when was that, Nicky?” “At the time of my baptism in the Holy Spirit.” I called in David and asked him the same thing. When did he feel he had power over himself? “Oh, I can answer that,” said David. “When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Again and again I got the same report. I cannot describe how excited I was. A pattern seemed to be emerging. I felt that I was on the verge of something tremendous. -p. 200-201 (end of Ch. 20)

Victory over addiction is the work of the Spirit, we’re facilitators, but the work of Teen Challenge is the work of the Spirit.

We will look at the following 4 of the 5 keys in the next e-newsletters.