Princip of Faith#1-Faith ofGod

As usual,

it's obligatory in our part to remember the word of the Lord. By that I mean that we do not have our own thoughts. We have to discover from the word what God's thoughts are. He has cautioned us that the natural man receiveth not of the things of the Spirit of God. The human mind of itself is not able to comprehend. The word of the Lord. It can apprehend it. It can receive it, memorize it, know it. But it takes a revelation for that word to become living word in the vessel. And unless it becomes living word, revelation of the Holy Ghost. I

wouldn't say receiving the word in vain. I

would say it was something close to that. We want to pray the Lord again tonight to give us revelation concerning the scripture. Because we need to have the word made alive to us by the word being made alive in us. Scripture said we're living epistles, we're in the known of all men. And that means that the word of God then is being wrought out by the spirit in our lives. Seems that we're afraid of the word. The word is very hard on human nature. But according to the word we have partaken of the divine nature. And the divine nature... In ink is the written word, and the divine nature in flesh is the living word. So it seems we need a revelation of the divine nature. It's the same as we need a revelation of the faith tonight. Everything depends upon revelation. I'm convinced of it. I believe that's our one major lack, our one major sore spot. We don't possess revelation. So, in the days to come, we must bind ourselves together. By coming together and seeking God for revelation. I caution you, this revelation is not to be sought by yourself. That is concerning doctrine. Certainly God speaks to individuals at home. I remember years ago in Canada, I left to pastor. I had intended to go back to it. We had a good church, the only church ever pastored. It had 60 % men and 40 % women. You say, why did you leave? Well, if you'd care to examine my head and find out, you'd help yourself. I left, and it was folly to do a thing, to leave a condition that gracious. Imagine, 60 % men. Now, you know, I believe if I went back to Ohio and pastored, I'd have at least 12 heads of families to start with. I said, why don't you do it? If you'd like, you come and examine my heart. I don't think you need to. I said, I'm afraid I might be outside the will of the Lord. He said, well, don't you like us women? Yeah, I sure do, but I like men. I love men because I like to talk to men. I've found so few I can talk to, but I still look around to see with whom I can have good fellowship. We need the reveal to us, as I was saying. Well, I was home that time, and suddenly the Lord impressed on me that after I was gone a while, some of the men took it upon themselves to turn down the building which I had gotten to rent. And it was wonderful, and such a cheap figure. I just knew they had done it. Well, that was a revelation, and that's all right to get the revelation, because that concerned me. But the revelation which Paul spoke of in the book of 1 Corinthians, the 14th chapter, when they all come together, one after this, one after that, one after the revelation, that refers to doctrine where it's all judged. And so if you should receive revelation, it ought to be where people are gathered together. Then perchance you feel you have a revelation from God, apart from the ones. then you must bring it before the people and have it examined. Don't run off and say, I've got something from the Lord. I've got this revelation. Because you might be completely in error. You say, oh, Brother Dale, how do you know? Because by the hardest study I've been able to do, the most consecrated praying and seeking after God by my own desire and truth, help from many spiritual brethren by reading their books and all, I have still been 100 % wrong. So, We just caution you along that line in order to help you. Revelation, especially on his word, in relationship to ourselves, by the walk and by fruit bearing, is so necessary. Even as we mention each day that we need a revelation of the faith of God with which we have a measure. Now let's bow our heads in prayer. Father, we come again into your presence at this time, preparing our hearts, Lord, for the hearing and receiving of the word. Let it be, Lord, as though your servant might hear you speaking to him, and he in turn bringing that very same word to the people, that we together might hear that same voice. May your Spirit graciously do tonight the work which your word has already said he would do. And, Father, if that is true, and we would have no reason to doubt it, we would only doubt ourselves if we are to receive. But God, if we are tonight, then you, Lord, are obligated by that word which you have exalted above your own name and sworn that you stand behind it, that you must reveal to us tonight, dynamically, truthfully, completely spiritually, the word, O God, until it becomes a part of us, even as the food we take becomes a part of us. and we in turn by that are energized to manifest life. Let now the word, Lord, become so thorough, yes, the greater part of us, that we'll be able to manifest it. Give our minds an illumination tonight in our hearts and impetus. O God, that we may know really what is this faith of God and what we have. We know we're not paying amiss tonight because even he, who was God manifest in the flesh, wept over Jerusalem, saying, O Jerusalem, you had only known what belonged to you, to your peace, but now your house is left desolated. Now, Lord, we do not want to be in that condition. We want to know direct from you by the Word, by the Spirit, they being one, exactly what we have and are in Jesus Christ. Therefore, Lord, rebuke every spirit. which would be against truth, would hinder it anyway, even bringing the spirit of man into captivity to the authority of Jesus Christ and causing every thought to bow to those thoughts which are of God tonight. And, Father, we would esteem it such an honor to have this done, such a pleasure, my God, as well as such a tremendous necessity fulfilled. Therefore, Lord, we commit ourselves to you in and through Jesus. And his holy name. Amen. Now we have discovered by reading the word of God. That faith is so

important to utilize. It has been dropped into the heart of every single believer. In a specific measure. Called the measure of faith. For said Paul to the brethren. God hath dealt. Literally dealt out. Measured out. The measure of faith.

Deprobates do not have this faith. For the scripture said wicked and unreasonable men have not the faith. So God has given each one of his own, the elect of God, the measure of the faith of Jesus Christ himself. We know it's the faith of Jesus Christ because James describes it saying, Have not the faith of, not in, our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to persons. This does two things, of course. It causes you to cease respecting people. and it causes you to cease fearing people, and so therefore your position is now a most happy one in the Lord, for you are most proficiously enabled now to live a victorious life. And the scripture does, of course, bear that out, because it says that this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. It also says in Galatians 2 and 20, I live by the faith of the Son of God. And that, of course, the Son of God is Jesus Christ. And again, in the book of Acts, the third chapter, Peter, describing the healing of the man and denoting the power from whence the healing came, said that Jesus' name and faith in Jesus' name, yea, the faith which is by or from him, hath given this man this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And then, of course, over in the book of Ephesians, the third chapter, Verse 11 and 12. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness, we have the ability to speak boldly to God. And that is all you can do is speak to God. You cannot touch him. You actually cannot feel him. You actually cannot hear him. It is all one -sided. It is you in faith believing that he's there. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is. And this faith gives you the dynamism of a boldness to talk to God, and you know he's there, and you know he hears you, and that's all there is to it. It is that simple and concrete spiritual substance. So we in whom we have boldness and access with confidence. On what grounds do you have this? Because you are a sweet person? Because you've been a kind, considered person? Because you've been a justified person? Because you've been living correctly? No. It's because of the faith of him. You have the key that unlocks the door to God, giving you access and confidence. Even as John said, this is the confidence we have in him. We ask anything concerning his will, we know that he hears us. And that's what it says. In whom we have boldness, he hears us. He's got to hear us. I've often said to people, are you sure that God heard you when you said what they call holy damning? When you used his name in cursing, you were so sure that every wicked thought was heard and recorded? How come you're not so sure he doesn't hear your prayers now? God can't be all alive to the wicked things and completely deaf to the good things. A

little bit.

It says we have boldness and access with confidence on the grounds of the faith in him. But where is that faith? That faith is in the human vessel because God has dealt to every believer the measure of faith. The scripture says, by grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourself, it is a gift of God. And every gift from God is good and perfect because it cometh from above. Now, remember in this Laodicean age, which parallels in a way the Pergamian age, it says here, I know thy works where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. That was ancient Pergamos. But Satan's seat today is now in Rome. And where Satan merely had a seat, now today he will soon be enthroned in a man. Just the same as God came down and indwelt Christ, putting in him all those attributes which were requisite for the salvation of man, so Satan will put in this man all of those requisites by his own spirit. in a man so he'll be incarnate in the last day. And Jesus said in that day, you have not denied mine, not faith in me, but my faith. And he said concerning the last day when the Son of Man comes, shall he find faith? Yes, he will find faith. He'll find it in the very few elect because they alone have been given the measure of the faith of Jesus Christ. Many other verses in Scripture bear this out. that this faith that we possess, whereby we were born again, whereby we live, whereby we conquer, whereby we have access to God with the boldness and confidence, this faith whereby we see because we walk not by sight but by faith, this perfect faith whereby we, as Paul said, we put it over every single one of the armaments of God to make them effective, this faith whereby we please God, Scripture tells us was predicted that it would be our portion and our lot. In the book of Mark, the 11th chapter. Remember that Jesus was on his way, I believe, to Jerusalem. And as he went by a certain way, there was a fig tree which should have been bearing fruit. At least he said it should have fruit. And when he went there, there was no fruit. And he said, henceforth let no man eat fruit of thee. And a few days later they came back and the fig tree was completely dead from the roots up. The disciples were very amazed and no doubt they said, how was this done? And so Jesus explained what he had done for an object lesson. And he said, here is what it is. I have the faith of God. And because I've got the faith of God, I've got the ability to say what my heart desires. I've got the ability to believe what my heart desires because I've got unfailing faith. And I say it and it comes to pass. And he said to these disciples, have the faith of God. He did not say have faith in God, but have faith, the faith of God. And furthermore, he was not jesting. He was not saying, now, if you can only get a hold of that faith, but of course you can't have it. I alone got it. Now, if you could get a hold of it, you see, you'd be able to curse fig trees. In fact, I'll go further. If you simply have this faith, which of course you don't have and can't have, well, you'd be able to say to a mountain even, be thou plucked up and cast in the sea. And such faith you'd have, your heart would not even doubt. Your mouth would say it, and it would come to that. But, of course, you can't have it. Now, is that what he said? It's what he did not say. That's exactly what he did not say. Because Deuteronomy 29, 29 says, The secret things belong unto the Lord our God. If they're secret, then he hasn't told you about them. They haven't been revealed, so you can't have them. Is that correct? Well, now, come on. That's exactly what it says in the book of Corinthians. Remember what I read to you the other night?

The second chapter, it said, But as it is written, I have not seen nor heard, neither have I entered the heart of man the things which God hath prepared and loved him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. But the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For no man knoweth the things of man, saith the Spirit of Antony. Or what man knoweth the things of man, saith the Spirit of Antony? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. And so Paul tells us right here, the revelation of God are ours. Now the secret things belong unto the Lord our God. But faith is no longer secret. It says the secret things belong unto the Lord our God. But those things which are revealed belong unto us. The faith of God being revealed. And the scripture says that the faith of God is revealed. Oh, we need the revelation tonight. It might become real. This faith of God was predicted. And he said, have the faith of God. You can have the faith of God. You have the ability to receive the faith of God. It is a gift and it's yours if you'll be an elect child of God. And he said, therefore, verily I say unto you. Notice, he connected the faith of God with the apostles. Did you notice that? Have the faith of God and truly I say unto you concerning this faith. That whosoever, not just Jesus, cursing a fig tree, but anybody with this faith of God, can say to the mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, if it will not go to his heart, but shall believe the things that he says, shall come to pass. He's got the power to get them. He

says, Therefore unto you, things you desire when you pray, believe that you have received them. That's the exact translation. Look it up in William's translation, Mrs. Montgomery. Almost anybody's. Vincent Word Study. Believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. Now you will notice that Jesus was enunciating a principle how to move mountains and kill fig trees.

That's the secret. Then

he says, I stare for I say to you, whatsoever things you desire, when you get that faith, you will have the ability. To put into practice the faith of God exactly as Abraham did. Do you follow me? Am I losing you tonight or can you see this? To me this is as simple as ABC.

Because it's got to be. You see the lesson. He killed a fig tree. How was it done? Let's say this microphone is a box that I dropped nickels and dimes in to get the music on. You don't know. Pretty soon these loudspeakers begin to blare up here. You say, wow, I like that music.

Stop it in here. Because anybody that drops a dime in here have music.

Gotta die. So you're not going to play the music box.

Have the faith of God. I'm revealing to you the possibility of having what made that tree die. But there's something bigger than just killing fir trees and pine trees and fig trees. You can have mountains removed with this faith. And he says this faith of God is not human faith because that fails. You see, you could say all you want with human faith. God commands. something to happen. I demand that it happen. It won't happen because you haven't got what it takes to make it happen. But now, there's no longer any room for doubt because you've got something that works. It

comes to pass because the dime works in the Nickelodeon. When

you put the dime in, do you?

Oswald said, if you must doubt, doubt your doubts. They're unreliable. But never doubt your faith. Why? Because it's gone good. Now, not only is this so, but this Faith of God, which we talked about here, which was predicted by Jesus Christ, I said last night, if we could go to Scripture and find in Scripture a single solitary person, or maybe persons, who understood this faith, this measure of faith, and used it, we could by study find ourselves in a position whereby we too could successfully use this faith. by understanding it and employing it. And there is such a man, and his name is called Abraham, and the scripture tells you and me to walk in the steps of faithful Abraham. So let's study about Abraham. The fourth chapter of the book of Romans, beginning at verse 16. Well, let's read verse 13 to get it. For the promise, we're talking about promise, promise to be heir, promise anything, doesn't matter long as it's a promise. For the promise that he should be heir of the world was not made to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

There's that faith again. They

which are of the law be heirs. Faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect, because the law worketh wrong. For where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, the promise, that it might be by grace. To the end the promise might be sure to all the sea. Did you get it? If promises of God are sure to all the sea, why? Because they've got the faith of God. Strange sounding, isn't it? But thank you for the amen, because that's what the Bible says. Not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Right back to faith again. Now, this describes faith, and Abraham and God puts them all together. As it is written, God said, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickened the dead, and called up those things which be not as though they were. Who, when hope was gone, was gone in faith. That's Martha's translation. I like it there in King James. Who, when hope was gone. Remember I told you last night about that thing called death? No use hoping, but you hope anyway. Because you can't stop hoping. That's

what the

faith of God's like. Abraham couldn't stop hoping when there wasn't any use hoping.

that what God had promised, God was able and going to perform, and it was counted to him for righteousness. God said, you've got it, son, it's all yours. Now, faith

of God, the

particular manner of raising the dead, calling things which are not as though they were. Raising the dead signifies the moving of mountains, and things which are not as though they were, rise the things spoken. Believe that you have received it, it shall be yours. It's the very faith that Jesus talked about in Mark 11. Now, as I said last night, I can't have faith to use my handkerchief as a microphone because, you see, the qualities of this handkerchief are not the qualities necessary for me to repose my faith in them in order to be magnified or act like a microphone. The object of my faith must have the qualities which will give me what I have need of. Now, this is a microphone, and it does have the qualities resident in it, so therefore my faith is justified. Now, God then, who is the object of our faith, must have certain qualities which justify the use of our faith. Now, just like I can go to this microphone and say, you're a microphone, I know that you work, let's get working. I can do just the same with God. God, I know that you're God, I know about you. You're going to do exactly what I need done in the realm of faith, so here we go. I put them at faith here, and we're going to get some results. What is there about God? The Scripture says that God raises the dead and calleth things which are not as though they were. Now, as I said the other night, that man can blow us all to pieces. He can sort of uncreate everything created, but he can't bring back from the dead. Nobody can do it. But it says God, in showing his power, illustrating it, so that men may perceive that God raises the dead. In other words, there are no limits to God. He's got the ability. He's omnipotent. But what would be the use of having an omnipotent God or like a microphone here that works today but won't work tomorrow? If this microphone will always do the work, then it must have immutable qualities as well as enabling qualities. That's the way God is. He's not only omnipotent, he's immutable. He said, I, the Lord, I change. There is neither variableness nor shadow of turning in God. You see? Now, what does he say? He says, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. The

immutability of God lies in his word. You

see? That's exactly what Joel said. In the second chapter in verse 11, it said, the Lord shall utter his voice before his army, for his camp is very great. Why can he do this? For he is strong that executed his word. Built

in his word. His word is immutable. Now watch this because word and faith go together. They don't become separated. They're

one. The ability and his immutable word causes him to back up that word. Or to bring all things to pass or bring out his omnipotence. Now, the definition of Abraham in dealing with his faith. As he looked toward God, he said, God can raise the dead. What did that mean? Well, we found it in 2 Corinthians, the first chapter. It

interprets the Bible. You can tell what symbols are.

We would not, brethren, this is verse 8, chapter 1, 1 Corinthians 2. We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, Asia Minor, that we were pressed out of measure, of strength, insomuch that we despair even of life.

there was one step between them and death. One more step and it was all gone. Is this the time to run? Is this the time to quit? Is this the time to stop believing? Notice what Paul said. But we have the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves. Notice it. We came to the place, he said, where the circumstances were so overpowering and unbearable it was death as far as we were concerned because we were finished.

What does

this literally mean? It means that you and faith come

to the place of

catastrophes and the pressures of life. Like

Paul, you don't have to fear it. I

prayed three times, and every time I prayed, the darkness got deeper and deeper. The Lord spoke to me and then spoke through me to her. And I said, Sister, the doctor said you're going blind. She said, That's right. And God told me to tell her this, sister, when you believe God, that you are going to be healed as thoroughly as you have believed the doctor that you will be blind, you will be healed. You see, she said in her heart, I am going blind. And then it's all over. But God heals blind.

You get pushed and you do quit.

Don't you know one of the commands of the word of the Lord was to raise the dead? Be

in the direst and the severest. with death -facing destruction, and

still come right through. The

vessel's a mess. Get

the vessel under control. When

Abraham was called by God to give up his son in death, he was not only going to kill him, slaughter him for sacrifice, he was going to burn him to ashes and bones. Then

stand back and say, now God raised him up, and he believed he'd bring him right back. That's the kind of faith you and I have tonight. But we've got to come to the place where we'll lay Isaac on the altar and not only cut his throat, but burn him. We've

got the faith that does it. We will not allow ourselves to be placed in a position for the outworking of that faith. My brother, my sister, God calls it off. And if you don't believe it, all you've got to do is examine the exodus of Israel from Egypt. God gave a promise to Moses, sent him down, I'm going to deliver Israel. But he said, before I do it, I caution you. I'm going to harden Pharaoh's heart, and he won't let you go until I make him let you go. It's going to get rougher and tougher and rougher and tougher. And Moses, like you and me, went pitter -patter -tatter, putting down the weak of Pharaoh. We are going to lead him out, bless God. And Moses, Pharaoh turned on Moses and made it rough. And Moses said, oh, my God, my God. It hasn't got better, Scott. I said, shut up. That's just what I said. Go

ahead, Pharaoh.

But he took Israel out alive.

Because he said, without the blood, there's going to be death. No

man could live by it. You think I'd go around demonstrating how big I was? This little one -half -pound book. See, look at what I can do. What did they say, Dave? You cotton -picking nut. Pick something big. Anything

short of letting him raise the dead in our lives? The faith of God. Trouble

ahead because it's coming. It's

exactly what it says. You've got to come to the place where it's got to take God or brother, sister. It's all over. And then even then, when it's all over, you can still crawl out waving the flag of victory.

If you want me to tell you a story, I'll tell you a story. I'm going to read the story of Polycarp, where Polycarp wrote in a little epistle. You'll find that the early church fathers were so anxious to believe God and did believe God, like I'm talking about, they even accepted the myth of the phoenix bird. The phoenix bird is supposed to be a bird. It's a mythological bird that I believe is born or hatched in Egypt. It goes up to Asia Minor. This is mythology now. It gets so old it's time to die. It flies back to Egypt and gets in a nest and it dies. And a worm inside the bird eats the bird. And then it grows feathers and wings and flies back to Asia Minor. He

said that's the type of the resurrection. Those men believe in

the power of God and miracles. Use

this gift. We've got to write it out as possible.

Isn't it afraid to write a check for 25 cents as we go broke in the rain? It

says the mountains shall be removed and the hills shall depart. But it says the peace of God's coming. And why are people going to pieces all the time? Because of a bit of pressure. And

50 bucks if you had 5 ,000, unless you're sick. Now, if you're sick, don't answer the question. You

say, certainly not, because you see, I can do it. That's the faith of God, too. Without repeating anymore, we'll repeat it last night. We want to give ourselves time to go ahead. The second part of this definition is, is

described as things which are not... as though they were. That's the immutability of God, exalting his word above his name. For heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word, my given promise, shall not pass away.

It's immutable. God's

immutable. There is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. God doesn't get smaller. God doesn't get bigger. God doesn't change his mind. If God is the word, then there is neither variableness nor shadow of turning in the word of God. It's the word and you better believe it. He didn't believe it. I didn't believe it. Every

heartache, you

name it, in this world today. The

word will reverse all of that and put you in the paradise of God and the bride of Jesus Christ. Because the bride is the word bride. Turn back to Genesis, the story of this man Abraham. In Genesis, the 17th chapter, in verses 5 and 6, it says, Neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham. Thy name shall be Abraham. For a father of many nations have I made thee. I will make nations of thee. And kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thy seed after thee. In their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a godly blessing. The only seed that God recognized of Abraham was Isaac. Abraham had two sons. One by Hagar called Ishmael. and one by Abraham. Yet when the time came to test Abraham, God said, Take now thy son, thy only son. And in Hebrews 11 it says, Abraham took his only begotten son, and the covenant of God, which is immutable, is to the seed. And

then he said, I will

multiply you.

In the past tense.

I'll just do what some of you want to do. Dig around and we'll get you up. We'll get you running around. You know

something?

in that kind of Tommy Rock for years, not for years because I quit a long, long time ago. Well, you ought to have been, if you're in most of you, you ought to have been running around this building about now just what you heard tonight. I

never played chorus and got you wonked up. It's the truth, not the chorus that sets you free, honey. Not the emotions that set you free. It's the truth that sets you free. You weren't even saying amen, you know why? You didn't have a chance, you had to listen. And that's just the way I like it. Keep listening.

Abraham, I'm

right here. You're a holy ghost, Pentecostals, not by doctrine, but by... Because do you know that God told a big, fat lie? He called Abraham.

Don't say that because I'd be a liar. I'm

healed 2 ,000 years ago, and I'm not healed because, you see, I won't be a liar. Well, I got news for you, honey. The Bible said every man be a liar. But let God be true. And God said, Abraham, I have made you a father of nations. And he wasn't a father of anything. God

said he was, he became. It's

in Christian science. Whoa, I don't care what you call it, honey.

I can read in my Bible this man called God, this spirit individual, that's supposed to never change and be all the things he said he was. He looked down at the poor old boy that hungered for a son, had a barren wife and couldn't do anything about it and getting old now. He said, I'll make you a father of nations. And he said, Hallelujah! He said,

see, that's a revelation. Because

poor old Abraham, look, he said, don't see a thing. You're

a father of many nations. What

matter does it make where God puts it? He's not the great was or the great will be. He's the great I am. If you were a pastor with God, it's all present anyway. But he speaks this way to you and to me to get us to understand that God's immutable and his word's immutable, that he's omnipotent, his word's omnipotent, God and his word are one. And if he said it, that's it. God

knows what, but that's still it.

Seminally dead. I said he was seminally dead. But God raises the dead. You're

just getting wise now. You're just getting it. I'm not praying for the sick. We may be before the week's over. When you can come and say, Brother David, I've got it. You'll be healed right then. But I'm not going to waste my time on yours otherwise because we don't hurt you. There

are just things to learn about faith. And yet it's within our power to do this very thing with this faith even as God caused Abraham to follow in that the principle of faith. And that is to learn to put things in the past tense. To recognize them done. in spite of the fact that it's not yet manifestly done. Like you receiving a letter from your lawyer saying, I have placed in the bank in trust the deed to some property. It's over in Australia and it's worth a lot of money. And you're so happy because you know that deed is placed in your name. That's yours. You haven't seen the property, but just the same, that doesn't bother you because you know it's yours. You've got the deed. This word is great as any type of deed any man can give anybody because God gave it. Now, if you think I'm giving you a story which isn't true, I want you to turn to the book of Luke, the 13th chapter. The book of Luke, the 13th chapter, where we get verses 12 to 13, and I want to see you where Jesus, who was God, very God, manifest in the flesh, did a very, very, very terrible thing. Read

in verse 10 down, 13 Luke. And Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise live. yourself up. It was all over. She was tired. It was finished. So don't even bother praying. It's too late. Is that so? Listen to the rest of it. Jesus saw her. That's the difference. Then

unto her woman thou, I

guess woman you.

This fellow, he says he's Jesus, the son of God. Can't get up. I'm off. I'm over. Understand? Off

to 20th century. Assembly of God, oneness and what have you. Teaching and reaction.

Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Nazarene, Brethren, Church of Christ. Now you can forget about them because they don't even believe it. Church without Christ may be more like it. So just mark them off. What

he said to Abraham, he said to his daughter. And

then he laid his hand on her and she was made whole. You

desire when you believe that you have them, you shall have them. Learn

to talk like God. What do you think I'm driving at? He

taught you? He said when you say this, Mom, be thou removed? He said, and maybe just one teaspoon of that mountain starts to go. And

maybe a little later on it's a cup full gone. Just

a scoop shovel gone. As time goes on, it's just a chunk that the bulldozers are out. But the day comes and that mountain's gone. Because

don't you see we have the equipment? You see now why I keep saying we've got to come for revelation and sing this day? Because I'm giving you the truth tonight. I'm quoting you the word. I'm not telling you one single solitary life that is going to take God's Spirit. make this thing dynamic in your life and mine. If we do nothing else but come together for the next six weeks and pray three hours a night, it would be more than worth our time to do that. Just say, God, give me the revelation of what I have in you and from you.

Got to be alive. It was alive to Abraham when God said, see, I have made you a father. He said, that's it. That's it. That's it. I am a father. And then he changed his name. He's happy to change his name because God said he was a father. And this woman, Father Abraham responded in the very same way when he said thou hast been loosed. On Calvary you were healed. Christ

laid hands on her and she was healed. Every child of God is a true seed because remember it's the seed that has not the rest. It's just the seed. If you've got that measure of faith that brings the Holy Ghost right into your life. You're baptized with the Holy Ghost. Baptized into his body. And that word redeemed used to bypass. You were pre -existent and him were brought back. And now if he was the one member now. manifestation of God together if we're blessed. Manifestation and seeing we've got that faith will respond the same as Jesus did. As this woman did as Abraham did. You

may say, I can't feel it. How many can feel it? I'm going to sit in my hands. I can feel it. I'll

pray for you.

He had his troubles too, but he shut the heavens for three and a half years. He called and he called out fire too. But

I sure admire he could do it. The

face falls, the vessels fall. You're

the funniest looking ducks I've seen. Nobody with any hair. And

that'd be kind of cute, wouldn't it? Does anybody feel your stockings? Nope, nobody got socks. Shame on you. Aren't your feet dope? Well,

that's the way it is with faith. You don't feel it. In fact, many times you have to go against your feelings. What do

you want to do with your feelings? Why? Because your feelings aren't God. God,

it's a gift of God. It's literally the actual attribute of Christ himself when he said, have faith in God. To the men that couldn't understand why the child wasn't healed of his epilepsy and all. When

things are possible, then there is no limitation or any place where we may be placed. but what we are able to more than overcome, as the scripture says, we are more than conquerors. We're killed all the day long, accounted for as sheep for the slaughter, but in all these things we are coming out more than victorious. You

may doubt it, refuse to use it, but you still have it if you see it, and you are responsible to use it, or you'll never please God. ...of

faith. Love

to see about the man that believed God. It makes you weak to read about a Hudson Taylor who deliberately would not ask his, even his... boss for his salary because he knew when he hit the mission field there'd be no one to ask but God and God would have to do it. And there he was penniless and hungry with no money to buy anything or pay his rent. He was literally locked out and he just sat waiting and the boss suddenly came in and literally in tears he said, why didn't you ask? I'm

going to make either God make you do it or somebody else do it. I

think it's tremendous to look at these pictures where you see little kids in Acapulco places maybe dive 150 feet. Sure, that's nice. But I'll tell you, there's nothing thrills me like seeing the story of a man who can stand up and believe God.

Everything pales into insignificance in the face of a hero of faith marching against Prince of Pelican power and defying the coming of victory when all around was death and decay. Every single one tonight that's a seed of God has got to measure the faith of Jesus Christ, not one lacking. The

trouble is we are not recognizing the presence of our faith and admitting it. And working God out as we ought to. Now it may come as a shock to us tonight. To think of possessing this measure of faith with so little result. That shock may be so great we'll wonder if he's even got it. But listen to me. If you and I are children of God. Then tonight we have something even greater than faith. Which is the life of God himself. And how much of that are we showing tonight? Faith

and you're on your way to hell. Because that's exactly scripture. Tonight Jesus Christ you're on your way to hell. Would you deny the night Jesus Christ at the chance of your eternal life, would you? But yet, how much fruit can anybody here dare to stand to his feet and say, I truly manifest the living God as I am a son?

You wouldn't dare any more than I would. Yet you cannot help but confess that he is in your life. You are joined to him. Or you're reprobating. You're on your way to hell.

And if you've got Jesus Christ, then you've got his faith. Is that correct? We're

gaining ground. Let

me show you why I speak this way. Over here in the book of Isaiah,

And I guess I could quote it, maybe a little stumbling around, but it's easier to find it. I'm going to try to quote it. Isaiah 55 and 8, it says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord, higher than the earth. So are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Is that correct? You couldn't even begin to think in your wildest moments the thoughts of God. Is that right? Turn now to the book of Romans, the adapter, to

get the same thing. 11 and 33, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, searchable are his, what? Judgment. It

takes revelation. Now

we're going to talk about something that should thrill you and make you scared. Romans,

the first chapter, verse 16, 17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it, the gospel, is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein. What therein? For in the gospel is the righteousness of God revealed. Faith to faith. As it is written, the judgment by faith. What is revealed in the gospel? Tell me somebody. You

missed it. Not that one. The

righteousness of God. Whose righteousness? Does the gospel reveal your righteousness? Tell me.

Verse 25. It says. Whom God has set forth to be the propitiation through faith in his blood. To declare. Verse

26. To declare at this time his righteousness. To declare at this time whose. That God may be just. Or

justify. The one who declares righteous. In

Jesus. 1

Corinthians. 1

and 3. Jesus.

Rejected.

Righteousness. 1

Corinthians the 5th chapter. Just

to be. sin for us. This Jesus who knew no sin. This

is the every man since Adam even without sin. All in one human approach unto God the

judgment of God. He wouldn't dare approach. Your

grace or perish is either Christ or death. And if you are not the righteousness of God not on your own because the gospel does not declare your righteousness but it declares a man to whom the Lord imputes sin God will not impute sin to you. He never has any

If you can get it. Take away your heartache. The headache will take away your heartache if you can get it. Impute

sin to the bride. He could have

propitiated. Propitiate means to turn away the wrath of the offended one. And that's what Jesus did. Turn away the wrath by his death. And God could not impute sin to her. Why? Because she always has been of his members. She was in him. He

became a single member being in Christ. Now the bride. Single born again member since the time of Jesus' resurrection. has become a part of the many -membered body of Jesus Christ. And you can't impute sin to God because evil

things work together for good. He couldn't impute sin himself, but then he died for the members.

And tonight you are as absolutely as righteous as God because you have become his righteousness on the grounds of your union with him. Now that's difficult, but it's true. I told you the truth. Do you accept that tonight? And if you accept that, you must accept you have a measure of his faith. That's all there is to it.

will tell you about this righteousness. This is the very thing that Dr. Kenyon discovered in his studies. When you come to the place of a revelation of God's righteousness, then you can lick the devil, but not before. Because every single time the devil is going to point his finger at you and he's going to say you haven't got the power because you are a failure. Dr.

Kenyon said when I realized that I had become the very righteousness of God by my union with God, no more, no less, but by an absolute union with God. So I have become a new creation. God broke down that middle wall of partition. He was that missing link between God and man. And God and man met in Jesus Christ. And now God meets in you, making you the same God -man. Remember, it's the body. The church has the fullness of God. One member wants to have it, but now all together we've got it. And he said, when I knew that I was the righteousness of God, then every devil trembled and every cancer fled from that time on. My ministry was victorious. People

try to lie and say that Dr. Kenyon died of sick disillusion. Poor old decrepit man, that's a lie. And every one of these mealy -mouthed, foul, Christ -word -hating detractors will do it. Whether they're Nazarene, Baptist, Pentecostal, Mormon, or just plain heathen without a title. Like the heathen with the titles, it sounds great. Or they try to besmirch his character and say he died. I heard them. But I happen to know the howsies who were products of his ministry. They're still living in their 70s in Seattle, having a great time glorifying God. And they knew because they were there that one night their old brother Kenyon, ripe in years but healthy, strong, simply went to bed, slept on this side and got up on that side right away. Just like the Bible said, God just took his breath.

God kept trying to show Brother Branham. When everyone knew of him in Topeka, Kansas, the word came that a young man building a church, the entire wall fell on him. He had split his spleen and ruptured his liver, caved his chest in. And the news came, Brother Grant was having breakfast. And he said, now, he said, isn't this something? He said, here I am, just a man. If Jesus were here and the word came saying this young man that loved you is almost dead, what would he do? He said, why, he'd just go and heal him. But he said, of course, I'm not Jesus. And he thought within himself, well, he said, I can't very well go and pray too much for prayer and faith, although they expect me to. Because he said, you see, these hands aren't too clean. I'm not the kind of man like God. Jesus could do it because he was perfect. But I can't do those things. And he thought, yes, but every now and then I get a

gift of vision. I can lay on hands because that never fails. I lay on hands with a vision. And I'll arise, the man will arise. God said, aren't they the same hands with or without the vision? And he said, I'll go and pray. And he went down there and the face of that wife just snarling, sneering. Because God does, you see, Pentecost too. God doesn't do those things, you know. Brother Brandon prayed that prayer of faith and that man was out of that hospital.

When you realize those hands are as righteous as the hands of God. Don't look at the flesh now. That profits nothing. I'm not saying to let them get messed up. I'm just saying you look at those hands. They're as righteous as God's hands. Because there is where righteousness is. His righteousness declared. Not yours. And not even your righteousness that comes out of his righteousness is declared. It's his righteousness is declared. And that's where it leaves it. But you get it. by being united with him. You can say tonight, I am as righteous as God. You can also say, I have that measure of the faith of God.

You have too. I may be ashamed to say it, but I've got it. If I simply put it away in an action, put it in the ground, I've still got it. Repeat after me. I have the faith of God. Say it. Say

this. I have God's own faith. Own faith. I have within me now mountain moving faith. Mountain

moving faith. do have it right now, the very faith of Jesus. The

very faith of Jesus. I have the ability to call things which are not as though they were. The ability to call things which are not as though they were. There is nothing impossible to me. There is nothing impossible to me. The measure of faith brings all the promises of God. The measure of faith brings all the promises of God. Now you know why I had you confess it? Because it says over here in 2 Corinthians 4 and 13. We have the same spirit of faith according as it is written. I have believed and therefore have I spoken. We also believe and therefore speak. You see why you confessed it? Because you've got the faith of God. Everyone tonight is a child of God as a measure of that mountain moving faith. Now our time is gone. At least I'm going to quit at this particular spot here. We may review a little bit tomorrow night, but you can see each night I cut down. And the reason I review is because it gets a hold of you. In other words, it becomes a part of you for repetition. Even the Apostle Paul repeated. He wasn't against repeating because it says over here, and I can't quote it for you, but I can find it. In the book of Philippians, I think it is in the third chapter, he says, Find me, my brethren, rejoicing in the Lord, to write the same things to you. To me, indeed, is not grievous, and for you it's safe. He said, I don't mind doing it, and I know it's good for you. And I like repeating it, and I know it'll help you too. So that's why we do it. It's absolutely scriptural. In fact, I know that there isn't anybody here that's in the genius class. You know, even when we were little kids and heard the little verse, Humpty Dumpty sat in the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again. Now, the first time you heard it, you couldn't say it. You might have tried, but you missed it. But after somebody kept saying it over and over and over, it got hold of you. And that's what I do, because the secret of memory depends upon retention. And retention depends upon impress. And if the first impress is enough, if I can get some method either to make you laugh or see yourself looking silly, and you get it, that's good. But the way the first, the rule of successful pedagogy or teaching is over and over. And we're going over it. You've got to measure the faith of Jesus Christ. There's no doubt about it. You never would be born again without it. It's a measure of the faith of God himself. It's the faith that he predicted. It's the faith that Abraham had. It's the kind of faith that knows all about the kind of God there is. He called up those things which are not as though they were. Put them in the past tense because it can't help but be that way. He's the God that raised us in. Nothing shall be impossible to you. See that? Just takes a revelation of it. But keep saying it. Keep saying it. And keep saying it. It's just like eating olives. Your first time you eat olives, you didn't like them. Some people never do learn to like them. But you eat enough olives, you learn to like them.

Just like shrimp. See, I don't like shrimp. You keep eating shrimp, you'll like it. Another thing, you get hungry enough, you'll like it. So either you keep on eating the words concerning your faith, or you get hungry enough. If you keep on, you'll come to a place where you'll get it. You'll get hold of it. Where you'll get so hungry, you'll begin reading, looking in the map. So there it is. You've got a measure of the faith of God. It makes every promise sure. But remember, don't forget that this faith puts you in the place where Paul was, pressed out of measure.

What are we afraid of? Aren't we afraid of being pressed out of measure? That's it. You don't need me anymore because you've got what it takes.

You don't need to worry about debts when you've got a million dollars in the bank. Say, who cares? Let them roll in as fund -writing checks. You know something? You couldn't spend a million dollars, could you? Neither could I. You can never exhaust your faith either. There are no limits to it. You know what Paul said about faith? He said, though I have all faith to move mountains, but Jesus said, though I have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, I can move mountains. So big faith and little faith. Aren't big and little things at all? It's the same thing that can either do big things or little things. Big

things are simply you taking a measure of faith and doing big things like moving mountains. After you just have a little wart removed and you can't believe the God that took care of the wart will take care of the cancer, you'll never do any of your cancer. But you see, the God that took care of the wart by the measure of faith is the same God with the same measure of faith that takes care of the cancer. You know that? That's all. I'm not lying to you. That's the absolute truth. I've proved it to you because Jesus said, A greater mustard seed faith moves the mountain. Paul said all faith moves the mountain. So therefore, putting them all together means what? It simply means the same faith will do anything, either big or small. It's up to you. Think big. My

brother Brandon was so unique. He's the only man I know in the 20th century who was bigger on the inside than he was on the outside. On

the inside and pretty small on the inside. On the outside and pretty small on the inside. But that man was bigger on the inside than he was on the outside. That's why he could have a prayer line. And by his faith, and before he died even, he admitted that if God would allow him, every person in the building would grow healed because he had that power.

God said, get them to believe.

You want to get help tonight? I'm here to help you only one way I know how. That's get your faith. Get you to see you have the faith of God. And that measure is sufficient. If it weren't enough, he'd have given you more. But it's enough. That's right, son. More again? We'll get right back to study. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you again tonight for your presence. We thank you, Lord God, that thou art here in the midst of the people, because thou art in them. Because you're in them, we believe you're going to work through them, but it's going to be according to your word. Because even when you were upon earth, you said, What I hear my Father say, that I say. What I see my Father do, that I do. And the will of that man, that God -man, was in perfect subjection to the Spirit. Lord, tonight we are in a position here, as the many -membered body of Christ, if indeed we are, and we believe we are, Lord, part of that body. to see the Lord of glory, that Father Spirit, work in and through us according to the word. There is none of us that do not have the sufficiency, the sufficiency of thy grace, O God, the sufficiency of thy faith, of thy spirit, of thy love, of all thy attributes, Lord. We have not been walking, but we're surplus Christians. We are more than conquerors. Yea, though we even counted the sheep for the slaughter, killed all that ate off, we're more than conquerors. Not life, and that scares some of us. And not death. That also finds us. Creation. Things to come. Things past. Oh, we live in a shadow. We're afraid to face the sun. No, none of those things, Lord. Nothing. Nothing scares us. Because we're surplus Christians. Hallelujah. Let it be dark. God makes it light. Let it be light. God makes it light. What it is, we're more than conquerors. Surplus. Because of the faith. We don't need to worry about our condition. We don't have to fuss about ourselves because we know we have become the righteousness of God. It's simply letting faith. Cover that breastplate of righteousness. Advancing in faith that we are what he said he is. We are. And we become manifestly so. Those Christians who walk like Jesus Christ. Lord, when they told you to deny that you're the son of God, he said, if I do, I'm a liar just like you. If you'd have denied it, that minute I know is that even as that God man. They'd see that man there walking. He'd walked into sin. Lord, I know you'd have walked right into sin. But as long as you confess that truth. You could say to people, which of you can find even one word wrong with me? And nobody could do it. Because you confessed what was true. Lord, tonight it is true that we have become your righteousness by our union. It scares us. But thank God we took a step by saying it. And go on, Lord, till the revelation becomes ours. Now, Father, we're going away again for a little while. Coming in tomorrow night, if you so please, to do things together. Father, don't let one word be lost. Your own word once more told us, and we're relying on it. That's why we're talking this way. Was given to bring all things to our remembrance. I don't know anything more important, Lord, than

what you have become to us. It would be so dishonoring that you came and became and made us and we knew it not. Tragic, ungrateful, rebellious. We wouldn't even have a right to look at Satan and challenge him that he was certainly a wrongly constituted person to do what he did. If we tonight, with all the attributes of God accorded us, imputed us, imparted us, we stand back and deny what we have become through our union with Christ. Father, forgive us because we have been just that naughty. Lord, we need a fresh bath in the blood, as it were, another cleansing through the Spirit of God. Lord, please tonight then, illuminate our minds until

the torch flames once more, we being those flaming torches. the burning, living, the sword of God, manifest living epistles, read and known of all men. Father, I believe that's the kind of prayer you wanted to hear from our lips tonight, because it's in your word. Grant it, therefore, that the King eternal, involved, invisible, the only wise God, be all power and honor and glory through Jesus Christ, indwelling these lives, because we want to give him glory. Amen. God bless you. See you tomorrow night.