At Thy Word
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 Good evening, Christian friends. It's a great privilege to be here again tonight to begin a new weeks of service. I guess the brother has told you that we get to keep the place for a week. And we're thankful for that. We want to thank the men here, the cooperating pastors and those who went forward to get it. We want to thank each one of you for giving us the invitation to stay. Above all things, of course, we thank God for the promise. We want to thank the mayor of this city, and the city officials, for letting us have this place. May the Lord grant His rich blessings on them also.
And we'll try by the help of God and the best that we know how to minister to the sick and the needy this week---the needy of salvation and for their bodies also, in the name of our Lord, the best that we know how.
2 It's kind of a new task that we're trying now. I have, for some time, been trying my best to operate the meetings myself and ... I mean, without my manager and them. There's no one here but my little son and I---seventeen-year-old boy. So I have to do the preaching and so forth. And I've always thought that maybe the Lord would help me to do that some time and I'm giving it a try. So you bear with me a little while.
And usually I stay home, don't eat, come into the meeting fasting, praying, just lead me right to the platform and start right off from there, praying for the sick. Of course, it makes a better meeting, I know that, Because you're already under anointing. But now, I like to come read a text, speak on the Word awhile, and then pray for the sick. So, that's usually what the managers do. Now the Lord bless you. We thank you for your fine cooperation everywhere.
3 And last night ... or, yesterday afternoon, rather ... or, it's last night, it was, they taken in the meeting here, a love offering for me. I want to thank you. I'm not worthy that you should give it to me. I didn't think about it until last night when they brought it to me and said, "Here's a love offering for you." Why, I was really happy for that.
And I'll assure you this, Christian friend, that every cent of it that I know what to do with, I'll give it to the glory of God. Anybody's welcome, just as welcome as they can be, to search through what I do with money. Every penny that I don't have to have for my family, and what I have to have for my expense and things, goes right straight to missionary work. And I take the Gospel to the other parts of the world myself, then I know what it is.
4 I never took a offering in my life. I never was able to do it. I remember one time... Some of my folks are sitting here from the church. And I remember here not long ago, I got to a place where they... You ever have a place where you couldn't make ends meet? I preached there at my tabernacle for twelve years without one penny of money. I was a State Game Warden in this county here also, state of Indiana, for a number of years. And I patrolled high lines, so forth, and worked, made my living. I didn't need to... I always thought, if a fellow, while I was young and could work, why not work?" And then I preached on the side.
5 Pretty near every night in the week, walked right along on the high lines with my uniform on. And find somebody got repented and take them down to the creek and baptize them and go on back with wet clothes on. That's right. Farmers and everything out in the field get talking about the Lord, and they get to crying and give their heart to God. I'd take them, pull the straw hat off and we'd go down to the creek and settle it right there. Go on our road rejoicing. I've done it when I had to break the ice. Go right on in, and clothes froze to me and never took a bad cold over it in my life.
So, I remember one time (Now, my wife's sitting present too, so I'll probably hear from this after church.) we got to a place where we couldn't make the ends meet, so I said to her, "I'm going to take up an offering."
She said, "I'm going over to watch you."
So, I went over to the tabernacle, I said, "You think I can't do it?"
6 Now not because they wouldn't; them dear people would be willing to cut their arm off for me. But I just didn't want them to do it. So, I always know that that's one weakness of ministers that usually takes them out of the harness of God, is money. So "Love of money is the root of all evil." So we come here, all the Branhams is vagabonds and as poor as they can be. I want to be like the rest of them.
Here some time ago a fellow was going to give me a Cadillac car, way out in California. His wife had been healed with a cancer and he said, "Well, Brother Branham, we give Avack a Cadillac." Said, "We will just go right over and buy you one."
I said, "Thank you, brother. My old Chevrolet truck's pretty good shape yet."
They'd give me a Pontiac and I just kept swapping it back each time, and so they... He said, "We want you to have a Cadillac."
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
7 I said, "Wouldn't I look good, coming down through Arkansas now, a big Cadillac car and here my people coming to me, and little old women out there, half dead, with back trouble, female trouble, pulling a cotton sack through the field like that; about fifty, or a hundred pounds of cotton pulling behind them; maybe had some fat bacon and corn bread for breakfast, and say, "Oh, there goes Brother Branham in a Cadillac?" That don't look right to me.
Now, if you got a Cadillac, that's all right, understand, see; but I'm just talking about myself. I remember I went to a convention, one of the Voice of Healing conventions. I pulled up. Here was one fellow sitting there with a great big custom-built Packard. Here set another one with a Lincoln, and I had an old '35-model Chevrolet. If that didn't look like a sore thumb between those big cars. But it got me there, as well as theirs did. I was getting there just the same.
So, I remember taking this offering. I went over and old Brother Wisehart (Bless his soul; he's in Glory tonight.), an old deacon was there, aged man, I said, "I'm going to take up an offering. I want you to ... I got something..."
8 And everybody begin to look at me. And old Brother Wisehart (Many of you here from the tabernacle remember him.)... And so he went... I said, "Get my hat, I want to pass it, this is something..." And everybody, of course, went... There's a little old woman sitting in front there ... years ago, hard times. She got down in one of these little pockets you carry under a little apron, you know, and the pocket's beneath the apron. So she got this little pocketbook out, had a little snap on the top of it. She unsnapped it and begin to pick out some nickels. My, I couldn't take that poor old thing's money. I begin to feel it lay on my heart, getting about that big, I said, "Oh, I was just kidding you, to see what you'd say." My, sitting there like that. I said, "I wasn't meaning that."
9 Brother Ryan, an old man, I think he's sitting over here somewhere. You usually see him sitting over here. He's got long hair and long beard. He come from up around in Michigan. He had rode an old bicycle down there and give it to me. He couldn't get it back, it backslid on him. So I fixed it up a little bit and painted it. I took it off and sold it for five dollars and I didn't have to take up the offering. So, I... The Lord made a way, anyhow, didn't He? So, He'll make a way. Now, I thank you very much, friends, with all sincerity of heart. And with the warmest of Christian love, I thank you. And by God's grace when we meet yonder at the great day, you'll find that I've done the best that I could. May the Lord bless you.
Now, I want to read some Scripture right quick and talk some out of God's Word here. And then we're going to start into the prayer line. Remember the services goes on until Sunday night, if the Lord willing. So we want to take some of the nights just... Maybe some of the nights through the week I would just like maybe to see if we can start the prayer line going, and pray for everybody that's present ... [Gap in the audio.]
10 ... maybe, but just if you're a Christian, the only thing's just lack of faith. You believe it right there. And just because you were told, well then, if you still refuse to make that right, quit your meanness and the thing you're doing, it won't do you any good, see. So, healing's just your faith in Christ, always.
Now, in the 5th chapter of Saint Luke I read these words.
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God (I like that), he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
And saw two ships standing by the lake: ... the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
And he entered into one ... which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down ... taught the people out of the ship.
Now when he left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down for the ... let down the net for the draught,
... Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all ... night, and ... taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their nets break.
Then beckoned they unto their partners, which were with them in the ... ship, that they should come and help them. And when they came, and filled both ... ships, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of ... fishes which they had taken:
And so was also James, and John, the son of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.
Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
Luke 5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Luke 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Luke 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Luke 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
11 Now, we just bow our heads a moment for a word of prayer.
Our Heavenly Father, beginning of a new week, new things ahead. One week's in history; many signs, wonders that Thou did do for us. We're grateful. Pray, Father, now, that You'll help us through this coming week. And may it even be much and many times greater, for the glory of God only. Grant it, Father.
May many sick be healed, backsliders reclaimed, sinners born into the kingdom of God. May there come an old-fashioned revival throughout the country here, Lord, that'll just cause thousands of souls to come: the needy coming to Christ for their soul's salvation, the healing of their sick bodies. For we ask it in the name of Thy Beloved Child, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Now, if I want to take what I'd call a text, for a few moments, would be: At Thy Word. I like to read the Word. It's an inspiration. The Bible said, "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word of God." That's true. When we hear the Word of God, then faith brings forth.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
12 I'd like to look at this tonight as seeing ... taking it ... maybe a Monday. Monday, when everybody had heard a great sermon on Sunday, maybe, and preaching, and He'd went along---He didn't have no allotted places---but He was meeting down by the seashore. Usually He had to stay away from the rich people who had many things of the world, so He got down amongst the fishermen, the peasants, the low type of people that was considered low type; the people who had not much of this world's goods, but was rich in faith. I'd rather be like that.
So, there's where he found Him, where people believed Him. And there's where you'll find Him tonight. That's where people believe Him. That's where He will be. He's always where He's... And you are too, usually, where you're welcome.
Now, then we think of Him as He was gathered down there; I can see Him coming along with some men following Him. And He stopped at the side of the shore. I got a picture right where He preached this sermon, way it is in modern days. There's still little harbor of ships there, where they pull the boats in. And I hope to hold a healing service there in the next few weeks, the Lord willing.
13 Now, He begin to talk, and I can see the women from up along the hillside, and the men out in the field with their ox plowing, so forth; they heard that that famous preacher that had just come into light of the world, was down there at the sea preaching. I can see them leaving their washing go, and stopping the ox and tying them up, going down to hear the Word of God. Oh, I'd sure like to heard Him preach, wouldn't you? Anything I like is to hear good preaching, hear a man preaching. I believe, though, of all the preaching I ever heard in my life, I'd just love to've heard Him when He stood there and said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and heavy laden; I will give you rest." Wouldn't you love to have heard that? I guess we'll never hear that. But here's one thing we'll hear if we're faithful: "Enter into the joys of the Lord, thou blessed, that's been prepared for you from the foundation of the world." You've been faithful over a few things, God will make us ruler over many.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
14 What a wonderful time to think, that night, when all the battles are over and we're sitting around that great wedding supper, won't it be wonderful? I look across the table and happen to see, sitting across there, Brother Willets. Looking at the different ones here: "Well, they was at the Connersville meeting." You know, I kind of believe that we just have to cry just a little bit, don't you think so? When I reach across the table and see it, all down through there, the old battle-scarred veterans bowed across the table, holding one another's hands, weeping for joy. Won't that be wonderful? And I can hear announcement of silver blast of trumpets, and out comes the King in His beauty, His majestic robes around Him. Walk down along the table, will take His own hands and wipe the tears out of our eyes and say, "Don't cry now; it's all over." Amen. That's the day that I'm living for. That's why I press and beg and plead for lost souls and do all that I know to get them to the Lord Jesus. Then I want to sit down at His feet and hear Him like these people did.
He begin to preach. And the people begin to believe, and multitudes begin to come down across the hills. This new Fellow that was performing miracles, doing signs and wonders, who seemed to know things before they taken place. What a phenomenon! All of them come down to hear Him, begin to press towards Him, get close to Him.
15 Now, let's change the camera just a moment, in our mind. Look sitting up there on a stump, or an old chunk along the side of the seashore, I see Peter sitting up there. And James, John---the sons of Zebedee---sitting up there, had fished all night long, discouraged. Any of you fishermen know what it is to fish all night and don't catch nothing. That's really discouraging.
So, they'd washed out their nets and hanged them up to dry, and there they was, sitting on a stump. And some of them said, "Well, here comes that guy, that preacher, let's see what He's going to say."
I can see the old apostle get the chunk and sit down. After awhile he begin to listen; said, "There's something a little different about that fellow." Moves his chunk just a little bit closer. After awhile he's standing right up against Him. There's something about Him that drawed men to Him. He's still got the same power. "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me."
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
16 No matter how simple the Gospel is, if Christ is in it, it'll draw people. He's the greatest magnet, as we talked of this afternoon, the world has ever known. "...draw all men unto Me."
Then when the crowd got great, I see Him look around. I believe He knew that ship was there. So He stepped into the boat and He said, "Peter, thrust out just a little bit. I want to preach a while." And while He stood there and begin to preach to the people, well, then after He got through (He'd borrowed Simon's boat, and He never borrows nothing less He pays for it.), He said, "Now, Simon, I want you to thrust out into the deep, launch out."
Oh, if I ... like to speak on that for awhile: Launch Out. That's what's the trouble with people's faith tonight: You're afraid to turn it lose. There's many of you's got faith, but you're afraid to let it lose. Your faith without works is dead. Just as the body without the spirit is dead, see. If you've got faith, show me you faith by your works.
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
17 Now! See, now, Paul was justifying Abraham by faith. James justified him by works. Paul said Abraham was justified (Romans 4) by faith. And so, James comes over and says that he was justified by works. Now, both of them, one confirmed the other. Now, Paul was speaking what God saw: his faith. James is speaking what man saw: his works. And if you say, "I got faith in God," and afraid to put your faith to works, then it won't do you no good. You've got to launch out.
That's what's the matter with the people today of this world: Many of them have faith, but they're afraid to launch out with it. You're just afraid to venture a little bit. Just to say, "Well, I can. I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me." Amen.
Look at Him! Said, "Launch out into the deep, and let down for the draught."
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
18 In other words, I can hear Peter say, "Well, Lord, why, we're fishermen. Why, we was born and raised on this sea here. Why, we know when the moon's right, and when all the signs are right. There's not even a fish in that water. Well, we've toiled it all night long. And we know when the signs are right, and we never even took one fish. We took nothing. And then You come around and tell me to go back in the same waters where I've been seining, and let down and get a whole boat full of them? Why, it couldn't be." If he had said that, then he wouldn't have got them.
But he said, "Lord, I've toiled all night, and have taken nothing: but nevertheless at Thy Word I'm going to let down the net." There you are. There's the secret. Taking God at His Word!
If there was no fish there, God's able to put fish there. He did do it. That same net that went through that water all night long and caught nothing: but look when God said, "Put it down there."
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
19 Well, maybe tonight you might have seined through every doctor's office in the country. Maybe you've been to healing meetings and been anointed a many times. But tonight: "At Thy Word, Lord, here I come." That's the way it is. "At Thy Word, Lord, I'm going to let down the net, because You told me if I'd ask anything in Your name, You'd do it. And I believe that's the truth, and I'm letting down the net right now at Your command."
Don't be afraid, ask a whole lot. You have not because you ask not. You ask not because you believe not. That's right. "Ask, and you shall receive; seek, ye shall find; knock, it'll be opened." That's God's Word.
Now we'll let down for the draught. I can see that old apostle running that big seine out there in the water, getting ready. And when he begin to pull on the net, made a couple pulls, there wasn't nothing. After a while something begin to tug, begin to take a hold. Just let down one time and try it. The first little effort you might not feel much. The second little effort you might not. May go several little efforts. But after awhile you feel a tugging. Something caught a hold. Something's on the other end of the line.
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
20 Like the little boy caught the electricity in the bottle. He said, "I got it, I got it." He didn't know what he had, but he had something. Believe God, take Him at His Word. "At Thy Word, Lord, I will let down the net." And that's what he did, and caught the multitude of fishes.
Unbelief, the first thing you know, would have caught that when He said, "Let down the net and take up the draught," where they'd been fishing through. How foolish to the carnal mind.
"Well," they said, "there's no fish there."
But God had put fish there for His Word, because He'd already spoke, "Let down the net for the draught." And if there's nothing there to work on, God will put something there to work on, if He said so. If you believe Him, take Him at His Word.
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
21 And now, another thing: They had seined within themselves all night and had got nothing. But one time taking God's Word for it, they got all the fish, and even begin to sink their boats. Men's extremity is God's opportunity. When you've gone as far as you can, when the doctors done all he can do for you, that's the time that God can go to talking to you. But when you got something you can lean upon besides God, you'll do it. And when it comes to the last bit, then you can talk to a person about his soul.
I know a man here not long ago: I couldn't speak to him at all. I'd say... He'd make fun of the meeting. He said, "Oh, Billy's cracked in the head." Went on and said all kinds of things. And he was a doctor too, an intern at the hospital.
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
22 And the other night, about a few weeks ago, I was out there on an emergency call. He called me down to the room, he said, "Brother Branham," (little bit different then), he said, "they're going to take my arm off." Said, "I got five children." Said, "What will I do?"
"Well," I said, "I don't know."
He said, "Brother Branham, I know one of our nurses here; we doctored her for about three years with foot trouble." And said, "Now, she went up there one time, was prayed for and she's normally and well."
Said, "I know her, Margie Morgan."
Said, "Brother Branham, you think God will help me?"
I said, "If you'll change your attitude and believe Him."
23 And a few days before I come up here, they told me that the doctor said, "There's not even a need for an operation on that man's arm." God had healed him. God's able, and will keep His Word when God's took at His Word. The secret is: Take Him at His Word, if you believe it. Every man that's ever amounted to anything, is been people who has took God at His Word. Do you believe that?
Moses back there one time... How could he ever go down and make an invasion in Egypt? There he was standing out on the desert. He said, "Lord, I'm a man of slow speech." He had an impediment. He said, "I can't speak." He begin to make all kind of excuses. But when God got through talking to him and showing him His glory, at God's Word, he took off to Egypt.
Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
24 Could you imagine...? Wasn't that a funny-looking sight that day? A man taking God at His Word, an old man, eighty years old... Now here's something for your skeptic. That man was eighty years old, white beard hanging way down, long white hair hanging down his back. Little old skinny body, a man eighty years old. And here he come down across the desert with a crooked stick in his hand and a wife sitting straddle of a little old mule with a kid on each hip.
"Where you going, Moses?"
"Down to Egypt to take over."
A one-man invasion, going down. Why? He was taking God at His Word. That's right. "How do you know, Moses, you're going to take over?"
"God's done told me so, and I'm going down to take over."
25 Why, that mechanized units that they had down there in Egypt: It was the greatest city in the world at that time ... or, the greatest nation. Had the world whipped down ... chariots and horsemen. And here went an old man leading a mule with his wife and two kiddies, and with a long white beard and stick in his hand, going down to take the whole thing over. And he did it! Amen!
If God says anything, He means it! "How do you know you're going to do it, Moses?"
"God said so, that settles it." Amen! I like that. A man who will take God's Word.
26 One time there's a little boy, had a sandwich in his hand, few little bunches of fish. There was a whole ... about five thousand people sitting around. Jesus sitting on a rock had been talking to the people. Maybe the little boy had played hooky, all I know. (We call it in Indiana "hooky," "truant," ever-what you want to call it.) He went out fishing maybe, and he seen that Man, there's something about Him, he liked to hear Him talk. Little bitty fellow. He comes up with this little lunch under his arm. Why, the people was so hungry they was about to faint. Said, "You got anything to eat?"
Said, "There's a little lad here with five little sandwiches."
Said, "Bring him here."
Matthew 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
Matthew 14:18 He said, Bring them hither to me.
Matthew 15:34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
Mark 6:38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
Luke 9:13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
27 My, I can imagine seeing that, just in a drama way I can draw it in my mind. I can see the little fellow... Now, as long as the little boy had... What he had wasn't very much; he could hardly feed himself with that. But once... What he had he gave to Jesus, Jesus fed five thousand.
You may not have very much, but turn it loose once; let Him have what you got. If you got that much faith, put it in Him! Turn it loose and see what it'll do. As long as it's in his hand it wasn't much, but when it got in Jesus' hand, it meant something. It would only feed him here, it'd hardly do that. But it fed five thousand, taken up baskets full afterwards. Hallelujah! My, when I think of that, my soul shakes and trembles. God at His Word.
He said, "Cause them all to sit down."
I can see Him look down at the little boy, said, "You believe I can do it?"
He said, "Yes, Jesus, I'm standing right by You. I believe You can do it."
Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Matthew 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
Matthew 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
Mark 6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
Mark 6:41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Mark 6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Mark 6:43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
Mark 6:44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
Luke 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
Luke 9:15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
Luke 9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
Luke 9:17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
John 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
28 That's what He's trying to find tonight! Somebody with childlike faith who'll stand by and say, "Jesus, I believe You can do it!" He can get somebody to do that, He'll do it. But if you back off and say, "I don't know. I'm just afraid. I know I believe You, but I ... I don't..." Oh, He can't use you. If anything is helpless, is a spineless person who claims to be a Christian and afraid to stand on their conviction. God don't want cowards like that; He can't use them.
Like old Buddy Roberson, I used to like ... was reading his book. He was quite a man. He said, "Lord, give me the backbone the size of a saw log and give me plenty of knowledge in the gable end of my soul, and let me fight the devil as long as I got a tooth in my mouth, then gum him till I die."
That's the kind of faith and determination we need! Somebody who will do something! "At Thy Word, Lord." Yes, sir. "At Thy Word." He said, "At Thy Word, Lord." "Whatsoever things you ask in My name, that will I do." Then, "At Thy Word, Lord, here I come."
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
29 Then I can notice one day, (as we was talking yesterday), there was a man who was dead. He was rotting in the grave---Lazarus, been dead four days. I can see Martha and Mary stand there ... or, Martha, said, "My brother's dead, he's even stinking at this time. But at Thy Word, Lord, You just ask it, You say it, and it will be so."
That's what it is, take God at His Word. Whatever God says, God's able to perform. God down through the ages. I can see the Hebrew children that night when they come down to the fiery furnace. They were down in Babylon. What a condition, what a time! Way down in Babylon. Them boys had determined that they wasn't going to be defeated. They were going to take God's Word for it. We need some more of them tonight---Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
John 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
John 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
30 The king made a proclamation, declaration, and he said, "Ever-who won't bow to this image will be throwed in the fiery furnace."
They said, "Our God is able to deliver us from this fiery furnace, but nevertheless, if He don't, we will not bow down to you." I like that, that determination!
The king said, "I'll burn some of that holy-roller religion out of them then."
So they got the old furnace hot, seven times hotter than it ever was. I see them tie their hands behind them. They had a prayer meeting all that night. The next day the death march come, a long plank walked up [unclear word]--- a road, whatever it was, stone road ---to the furnace, and they dropped off into the furnace. I can see the great strong men the king sent up and say, "Now we'll see how good this religion is. How much ... whether they'll take His Word or not."
Daniel 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Daniel 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
31 But they had an issue from God: not to bow down to images. Take God at His Word. I can see them start the death march, the old skies are roaring red with the fire. Said, "You want to take it back?"
They said, "No, sir, our God is able to deliver us from this, but we'll not bow down to your image."
So up the road they went. As they got closer... Don't you worry, you take God at His Word and the devil will turn the heat on you. Don't you think he won't.
Up the road they went. As they got farther, hotter, hotter, hotter it begin to get, I can hear Shadrach say to Meshach, "Are you sure you prayed through?"
"Yeah, everything's all right."
"Let's go then."
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
32 On, right on up. Begin to stagger from the intense heat coming off of there, getting close. One more step and they're going into there. Looks like a black picture for a believer, doesn't it?
Let's turn our camera. All the time there's something going on down here, there's something going on up there too. Let's look up there and see what's going on. I can see Him sitting in His great priestly robes hanging around Him, watching there across. I can see this great archangel Gabriel come up, pull his sword, unsheathe his sword and stand and say, "Master, have You looked down in Babylon? Why, there's men down there, three people, that's took Your Word, and they're standing on it! And they're fixing to burn them up this morning."
I can hear Him say, "Yes, Gabriel, I'm watching them."
I can hear him say, "Look, I stood by Your side. Let me go down there, I'll change the scene this morning." I believe he could have done it.
I can hear Him say, "Gabriel, you've been a good angel. You done just what I've told you ever since I created you. But stick that sword back in there."
33 Stuck it back there, Gabriel took his place at His side. Here comes another Angel, flashing up real quick. His name's Wormwood; he had the controls of the water. I can hear him say, "Master, look down in Babylon! Have You considered Babylon? Why," he said, "let me go down there. In the antediluvian destruction You give me the power over the waters, I broke up the springs and brought the atmospheres down, I washed the whole earth over. Let me go down there this morning. I'll wash Babylon off the face of the earth." I believe he could have done it. That's right. Said, "Have you considered them?"
Said, "Yes, I've watched them all night long." Amen!
34 His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Sing because I'm happy. He watches every hour. He knows everything you're doing. That's right, He said, "I've watched them all night long. And you angels are great men, and you've done what I've told you to do, but I can't let you go this morning because I'm going Myself, it's a man-size job." Amen! He said, "Look, they just got one more step! They're going right on in."
Sometime God sits still and lets it get to the last minute. You're the only one's in a hurry, not God. He knows what He's going to do. You just believe Him; He's on the answering side.
35 I can see Him come walking down. I can see Him get up off of His throne, His priestly garments drop around Him like that, great King of Majesty, like everything obeys Him. I can see a great big thunderhead hanging back there in the north. I can hear him say, "East wind, south wind, north and west, come here!" Everything minds Him; all but man. Man knows more about it then He does, or thinks he does.
I can hear Him say, "Get over on that thunderhead and bring it here right quick. I got a mission for you." The winds and the waves obey Him. Everything else obeys Him. I can see that big thunderhead roll over there, steps up on it like a chariot. My! Reached up and got a hold of a zigzag lightning, crashed it through the skies to let them know He's on the hearing side. Hallelujah! "I'm watching you. I know where you are." Cracking that lightning.
36 As He went through I hear Shadrach say, "It'll all right. Don't worry."
Right then I can see Him pass down by the Sea of Life and pick a palm out of the Sea of Life. About the time Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped into the fiery furnace, there was One standing by their side fanning away the fire. Hour after hour of pleasure in there. King said, "Open up the doors and see if they're there." He said, "I thought you put in three. I see four, and one looks like the Son of God."
Why? Somebody took God at His Word!
On the day of Pentecost, a hundred and twenty people entered into an upper room, taking God at His Word. "Well, how's it going to be? What is the Holy Spirit? What do you mean, the promise of the Father?"
"I don't know how it's coming, I don't what it's going to do when it comes, but I'm taking God at His Word." Amen.
Daniel 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Daniel 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
37 Pull them away from Jerusalem, you couldn't do it. They had a commission to stay there till the Holy Ghost come. Hallelujah! They took God at His Word. "How's it going to be?" That ain't the question. It's "Go, stay till it comes." Amen! "How long?" "Until it comes, stay right there."
And when the Holy Ghost come like a rushing mighty wind, God's Word was confirmed, and away they went into the streets, everywhere. It's time for God's people to take God's Word. Mark 16 said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." Take God at His Word. "Lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." God bless you, you believe it? Bow our heads.
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
38 Lord Jesus, I'm thinking of men and women who has took You at Your Word. Oh, You never leave or forsake; You're always just at time. Come tonight, Lord Jesus, manifest Thyself here tonight and maybe many sick people here who's tried, and the doctors have tried their very best to help them; they can't do it. Maybe there's something laying back there in their life, and that snake bite can't be cured until it's made right.
But may tonight, may they just lay everything aside and say, "God, at Your Word, here I come. I'm taking You at Your Word. I've seen people healed, I've heard of it, I've watched others, I've seen them in my neighborhood that were paralyzed and now walking, blind now seeing. Cancer-ridden, doctors give them up, and now they're living and well and healthy. And now, Lord, at Thy Word, I'm coming tonight, too." Grant it, Lord. And may Your Spirit be here to answer back. In Jesus Christ's name we ask it. Amen.
All right, if you will [break in tape.] About thirty minutes longer, I could get warmed up and talk about the Lord. All right. [Break in tape] ... for an unbeliever to sit among people who is believers, when demons... We talked on it this afternoon. They actually are beings that get loose among people.
Here, sometime ago at Calgary, Canada, they become visible. Many times I see them. They look, sometime, like a big spider; like a big black shadow. Sometime... I seen one, one time, from an epileptic, looked like a tortoise, with long legs. It come down, and whirled up, like that---floating around.
There at Calgary, Canada, there was twenty-some-odd-thousand people there, and every one of them watched that. And you could've dropped a pin anywhere and heard it, how that big black shadow moved right over the people. And everybody looking like that. It went around---went out the building.
We're not playing church now, friends, so you be reverent.
Here, sometime ago, a bunch of boys wanted to play a trick on me. You've heard of these hypnotizers---goes to these army camps, and make somebody bark like a dog, and so forth. One of them sat in the meeting. So, just acting smart. Several thousand people there; and I kept feeling that funny spirit. I watched around till I caught the man who it was. I said, "Why has the devil put in your heart to do that?" I said, "God'll reward you."
He said, "Nothing wrong with me."
I said, "You're a hypnotizer." And he begin to look like... I said, "Yes, you are. And God'll reward you." And they packed him out of there, and he's paralyzed tonight.
Don't do that. Be reverent, or don't stay. Now, that's up to you.
All right. [Break in tape] ... accept it out there. That... What is that then? That's God testifying that the truth has been told. I want you to believe it with all your heart. And God will heal...
How many people have been healed here in this meeting, since the meetings been going on? Let's see your hands up, everywhere, that's been healed. Looky there. [Break in tape] ... looked at it in the Bible, examined it, judged it to be the truth, set their affections on God---God healed them. Is that right, ever who was healed? Is that right the way you did it? You took God at His Word, and He did it. That's the only way you can do it, is take God at His Word.
Now, I think we got about twenty in this prayer line, tonight, I think. We want to see if maybe some of them that don't have their cards, maybe is deaf, or something. Have you got about all, Billy? You think they're all there. Everything? All right.
Is this your first patient, son? All right, come lady.