Sirs, be of a good cheer
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 Shall we bow our heads just a moment. Our kind heavenly Father, we are so happy tonight, because that we have this fellowship together, and Thou has gathered us together. This wonderful singing (It's just thrilled our hearts): " The Mighty Conqueror." We're so happy to know that He is here tonight to rent every veil that stands between us and He. God, I pray that You'll take every veil of darkness away from the eyes of the people tonight, and may it be rent in twain, that they may see the Lord Jesus in His power.
May the sinner come and fall and repent of his sins. May the backslider wind his way back home tonight. May the veil open for him also. And for the poor, sick, and needy, may the veil be rent also for them. And may this be the night of great joy, because we ask this for God's glory, in the name of His only begotten and beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Thank you.
2 It's indeed been a privilege to me tonight. I've come early to listen to this wonderful singing. Usually I don't do this. And enjoyed the ministry of my Brother Bosworth: his preaching, his teaching. He was teaching this Gospel when I was a ... probably before I was born. And it does me good to hear him, how he can still tie Satan up in the Scriptures and...
I heard him in discussions, debates, and I tell you he preaches the Word in such a way, Satan just can't stand around where he's at. And when it comes to the Word---he certainly is not as loud, maybe, as some---but he certainly knows what he's talking about. And I have knowed Brother Bosworth for several years now, and I know that his life... No wonder God hears his prayer; he lives what he talks about.
You know, a living sermon is better than one being preached. Live me a sermon is lots better.
3 Now, tonight we have some handkerchiefs here, that some of the brethren come back and asked me ... that I'd missed them for a few nights. I wish to pray for them at this time ... pray over them. Some people might think that this was just a superstition, but it isn't. It's a Scripture. In Acts the l9th chapter, the sick and the afflicted got ... [Break in tape] many to visit of... Saint Paul could not make the visit, so he just taken handkerchiefs or aprons off of his body.
Now, there's many people who anoint those handkerchiefs and send them out. Well, that's just all right. Anything that our Lord will bless, I'm certainly for it. But in the Scripture, I believe that you find that he just taken from the body of Paul... He didn't anoint them; they just taken from his body.
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
4 How many would like to know where, to my opinion, Paul got that idea? Would you like to know? Do you remember when the Shunammite woman, when her child had died and she went to see the prophet Elisha? And Elisha said, "Take this staff and lay it on the child." Elisha knew that whatever he touched while the blessing of God was on him, that it was blessed. But now, to get the woman to believe that, that was another thing. But he taken the staff---the servant did---and laid it on the baby. But the woman's faith wasn't in the staff; it was in the prophet. And she wouldn't leave him until he went and laid his body on the dead child, and it come to life again.
Now tonight, many years has passed since Saint Paul's ministry of handkerchiefs and aprons, but it's still in existence, because the Lord Jesus who blessed it then is still the same Lord Jesus tonight. And I send out thousands of those every month, all over the world.
2 Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
2 Kings 4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
2 Kings 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
2 Kings 4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2 Kings 4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
5 Recently, I just happened to think of this as it comes to my mind... I sent one to Germany to a woman had been, I believe some fifteen, eighteen years in a wheelchair with arthritis. And they read her instructions on what to do. And she did as the instructions said: and she pinned it on her underneath garment. And she said, "Now, devil, get out of here." She just got up out of the chair and went walking across the floor. That was all of it, so that was just what it takes. That kind of a faith will do it: "Now, devil, you get out of here."
6 So, just that simple little faith is what many theologians doesn't have---men who know... Scholarships has been given to them from the Scriptures, and, yet, with not that much faith as that poor little simple housewife had. That's what it takes to stop God though. Many couldn't stop Him in the day, but blind Bartimaeus at the gate, blind, beggar, poor, sitting at the gateside; his faith stopped the Lord Jesus right on His march to Calvary, and got what he asked for.
Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
Mark 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
Mark 10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
Mark 10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
7 Now tonight, I wish to pray for these handkerchiefs that they'll be blessed of God, not because that I would lay my hands on them, but that because the Lord Jesus has given the commission and that's why we pray. And to all you here, these goes to some old mother and dad somewhere and some little sick child. What if it was yours? Now, let's be sincere and all of us bow our heads, and sincerely, silently, I want you to pray with me.
8 Our kind heavenly Father, as our hearts goes out for the needy, and thinking many of these handkerchiefs here, perhaps, represent maybe an old blind daddy somewhere tonight. There may be one here for a mother, just at the point of death, or maybe some little sick baby, some in a hospital. We don't know where they go, Father, but Thou does know. And seeing the people's faith... And now, we're taught in the Bible that they brought to Saint Paul handkerchiefs or aprons, and he had taken them from his body... And evil spirits went out of the people, and sickness departed from them.
And now, we realize that we're not Saint Paul, but Thou art still Jesus. And we pray, Lord, for this generation of people, who has faith in the same God that Paul preached. God, grant that they'll be healed.
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
9 And, Lord, as these little tokens are laid upon the sick... We're taught that one time God had promised the children of Israel to go to the promised land. And on their road, the Red Sea got in the way. We're told by a writer, that God looked down through that pillar of fire, and the Red Sea got scared and moved back, and Israel passed over towards the promised land.
And may it be so tonight, when these tokens of faith is laid upon the sick, may every sick person, every demon that's possessing them, may God look down through the pillar of fire again with angered eyes, and may Satan move back, and may they pass to the land of promise of good health. Father, that's our prayer, we send to You, in Jesus Christ's name, Amen. (Thank you, brother.)
10 Now, the Lord bless each, tonight. I'm not going to speak. My time's already up. I'm going to read a Scripture, give a little testimony, and go right to the prayer line. Brother Bosworth did the preaching for me and I'm thankful. In the 27th chapter of the Acts, it reads like this:
But after a long absence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this great loss.
But now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: ... lo, God has given thee all them that sail with thee.
Wherefore, sirs, be of a good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Acts 27:21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Acts 27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Acts 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
11 I think of that early church, of the power that they had. Fourteen days and nights with no consolation no where, and all hopes that they'd ever be saved was gone, even to Paul, perhaps down in the galley praying, and come running forth on the deck, and said, "Sirs, be of a good cheer, for there stood by me tonight the Angel of God, and said, 'Don't fear, Paul. You're to be brought before Caesar.' He said there'll be no loss of any man's life." He saw a vision of the ship being wrecked on a shore, and he said, "Wherefore, sirs, be of a good cheer: for I believe God; it'll be just as it was shown unto me."
Acts 27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
12 And now, Christian friends, for this word, think: The same God, the same Angel, the same Holy Spirit is right in this building tonight and does the same thing night after night (see): the evidence of the resurrected Lord Jesus taking the ministry to all parts of the world.
Just a short testimony, and that is concerning my dear Brother Bosworth, who's just fixing to go to Japan. I admire his courage. When I look at him, there's something in my heart quivers. I love him like he was my own daddy.
I was talking to Brother Julius Stadsklev, the chaplain sitting by us. We were all overseas together. (Brother Julius Stadsklev is the author of that book, A Prophet Visits Africa.) And how that our love was even extended to Brother Bosworth, more and more as we associate with him more.
13 And I remember some time ago, he and Brother Julius sailed away to Africa for some services. His heart went to the colored people of Africa when he seen their conditions and so forth. His heart longed to go to them. So he returned. And he was over on the west coast. And he was making kind of a preparation for my coming over there. I had no idea that he'd went over to the east coast of Durban, for there was my center hold, where Brother Bosworth...
Brother Stadsklev was standing present that day when thirty thousand souls were won to Jesus Christ at one time. That's ten times bigger than the day of Pentecost. Think of it. Jesus said, "The things that I do shall you also; even greater..." That's the exceedingly abundantly above all that we could do or think.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
14 I remember the expression on Brother Bosworth's face that day when after the altar call and so many had accepted Christ, taken his glasses from his face and wiping the tears from his eyes. I remember the effects it had on us all. You don't know what a feeling it was for thirty thousand souls to come to Jesus Christ at one time; it was breath-taking. Never nothing like it in the world's history at any time or any place: thirty thousand souls.
I say this with love, and with respects, and with faith: I believe the trip to India will double that, just now coming out. I'm going by a vision.
15 And after Brother Bosworth returning, one night in my home I was... Our love is so close together. And in my home, I'd been ministering to the people, and I told my wife, "Just tell the rest of them..." It was on a Saturday night. I said, "Tell them to just go to the church for Sunday morning. Honey," I said, "I'm so tired." (She's sitting there in the balcony somewhere now, listening.) I said, "I'm so tired, I can hardly stand up." I said, "Would you just tell them to come Sunday morning." I said, "I'm getting plumb nervous. It's just so many coming and going." And so after we finished up, it was about eight o'clock, and that was all. So we got in the car and took the two little children and went riding.
16 I was going way down below New Albany, riding along, and all at once while I was riding along, the windshield looked like there was a fog came to the windshield. When I see this in daylight at a distance, it looks like kind of a pillar of fog or something, and it struck. And I drove quite a little bit unconscious. And after while... She kept talking to me, and she wondered why I didn't answer her. And when I come to myself, I'd come around some real close cliffs like that, perfectly unconscious, in a vision.
And then when I stopped, I said, "Sweetheart, something's happened to Brother Bosworth." I said, "I seen him get off of a train and look up towards, like that, and just lay down. And they put him on a stretcher and has taken him to a hospital or something. He's in serious condition. The Holy Spirit wants me to stop and pray for him right now."
And I stopped; prayed. Twenty-four hours later I was in my home, and the phone rang, and my wife answering on the phone; she said that the telegram wanted me to answer in Louisville. And I got a hold of the phone, and it said, "Please pray for Brother Bosworth. Stricken down. Serious condition. South Africa, Durban." He'd already run over to Durban.
17 And I said, "Lady, can you tell me when that telegram left Durban?"
She said, "Yes, sir." And she chased it back and told me when it was. And I had a little chart there from the Pan American Airlines. And the love of it was that the ... wanted me to pray for him. Brother Bosworth, loving me and believing me, wanted me to have prayer for him. And he sent the telegram, the fastest way we had of getting here, but the Angel of the Lord beat the telegram twenty-four hours getting there. He had beat the telegram twenty-four hours.
I called his dear wife. (I haven't talked to him enough to know if she's here. And I suppose she is.) And she was frantic, of course, to hear, but the doctor said it was very good on that trouble that he'd had... Satan had struck him with a prostate trouble and said it was such a serious case he'd die if he didn't be operated on. But the Lord Jesus Christ healed him without any operation. And there he sits, normal.
18 "Wherefore, sirs, be of a good cheer: I believe God." What God says, God will do. Shall we pray.
Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee that Thou cannot die. You're God. Angels does not die. And Thou has been our habitation through all generations. And we love You. And we know that tonight that we are the children of God by promise. We're Abraham's seed through Jesus Christ. And Thou has ordained us before the foundation of the world to appear before You, holy and without blame, without a blemish in Jesus Christ. And we're so thankful that Thou was mindful of us when we were yet sinners, to call us to this great joy that we now fellowship around.
Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
19 And I pray that You'll send the Holy Spirit, the immortal angels from the celestial realms of glory, and may they take their positions tonight at every row in this building: in the balcony, on the floor, on the platform. May they speak to the people's hearts as messengers, ministering spirits, sent from the presence of God.
And may the Holy Spirit come and anoint Your servant. And may the power and the resurrection of Jesus Christ be manifested tonight. May the Angel that spoke to Paul that night in the time of trouble, may He speak to every heart here tonight that's in trouble. Grant it, Father. Show us signs and wonders of Thy soon coming, that the people might prepare their hearts for the great judgment that's facing them. We ask this for God's glory, in the name of His beloved Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
[A message in tongues from someone in the audience.]
20 Tonight I have felt tonight like that we would have a wonderful night in the services. I pray that it will be in a... I see our Sister, Brother Wood and them here, and Brother Beeler.
Those singing that you're... Will... Please, if you will---I can't find you in the daytime---so I'd like some recordings of them singings and so forth, if you would. We'll double them off at the recorders down here.
21 Now, is Billy here? I forgot. What was the prayer cards you give out? "S's?" Well, usually we call up about fifteen of them, and bring them to the platform, and pray for them. We start somewhere along, get somewhere... About a hundred cards out there in the letter "S." Now, in the balcony... Maybe perhaps many strangers here tonight. We want you to know, friends, that we're only trying to serve the Lord Jesus and trying to help someone.
And the peculiar ministry... I don't know that the Lord will visit us tonight. I believe that He would, but I have... How many is here that's seen the Lord work in this manner before? Let's see your hands, all everywhere. Well, that's great. You understand then. The Lord Jesus, He said He done nothing except the Father showed Him. He seen visions of whatever the Lord wanted Him to do. He saw Philip and told him where he'd come from, what he'd been doing. And He talked to the woman at the well awhile, and He told her where her trouble was. And He said, "Now, the things that I do, will you also."
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
22 I want to ask the audience, the sick sufferers everywhere: If Jesus was standing here tonight with this suit that He gave me, wearing this, could He save you tonight? No, sir. He could not. Jesus could not save you tonight; He has already done that. You were saved when Jesus died at Calvary. The sin problem was settled then. It'll never do you any good until you accept it. You can accept it tonight, but you were saved when Jesus died for you. And was He wounded for our transgressions, with His stripes we were healed? Well, He couldn't heal you tonight, could He? He's already healed you. You have to accept it tonight, see.
When anyone says, "I have power to heal you," that's wrong, see. They have power to point you to the Healer, to point you to where the finished work has been done for you, but they can't heal you. No one can. I couldn't. No other man could. It's just them things that we can't do. May the Lord bless.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
23 Well now, if He was here though, and He would stop... Maybe there'd be something in your life that... Or, He'd do something would try to bring faith up, so that you could be healed. Don't you believe that? Now, what is gifts and callings? They are without repentance; is that right? Does the Scripture teach that gifts and callings are without repentance? That's right. You can't make yourself something you're not.
I wanted to be six foot tall and weigh a hundred and ninety pounds, or... It didn't do me any good. He said, "Who taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?" You are what you are by the grace of God. You can't add nothing; you can't take nothing. If God wanted you to be a minister, He ordained you to be a minister before the world ever began. Do you believe that? It's what the Bible teaches.
Matthew 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Luke 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
24 When Jesus Christ ... He was a Son of God all the way from the Garden of Eden: the woman's seed. Is that right?
Moses, when he was born, he couldn't help 'cause... He never made himself Moses. When he was born, he was a proper child. God had raised him up.
And John the Baptist: Seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, the prophet Isaiah saw him and said he's the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He had nothing to do about being the forerunner of Christ. God chose him before the foundation of the world to be the forerunner of Christ.
I believe it was Jeremiah said... God told Jeremiah, said, "Before you was even formed in your mother's womb, I knew you, and sanctified you, and ordained you a prophet to the nations." Is that right? Before he was ever formed in his mother's womb, see. Who taking thought can add cubit to his stature?
Exodus 2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Matthew 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Luke 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
John 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
25 Now, to see vision ... to see vision is something that has to come from God.
Now, to many here... If you just give me a moment's time... How many people in here... Most all of you has dreamed dreams. Many of you here hasn't dreamed any dreams, 'cause there's people that doesn't dream dreams. And we're taught that dreaming is subconscious; is that right? You see how simple it is, and you'll see what God does.
26 Now, God does deal in dreams, doesn't He? He said in the last days, that old people would dream dreams. Well, He dealt with King Nebuchadnezzar. He dealt with many others---Joseph in the Bible---with dreams and so forth.
And a dream is not too accurate, unless there be an interpreter of the dream. And so then, sometimes it's God speaking, but that's in the subconscious.
27 Now, if you notice, the subconscious is where you live. That's where you yourself live. That's the reason people ... it's hard for them to have faith. Up here, first, they say, "Yes, I got faith"; but down in here something says, "But it's not for you."
It's like a ship going across the sea. The man up here in the deck, you look at him, and say he's running the ship. No, he isn't running the ship. The man down in the bowels of the ship is running the ship: the engineer. Now, what if he'd ring a sign down through and say, "So many knots forward"; and the man down there would ring and go backwards? What if he'd say, "Go to the right," and he'd turn to the left? He couldn't steer it. The man down in the inside is the one that sends the ship.
Well, if this fellow up here says, "I believe God heals, and I believe He's the same yesterday, today and forever." And your subconscious down there says, "But it's not for you." Then you see...
28 Now, if you get that man up there to say, "Forward," this man down here say, "Forward," you'll go forward. If you can get God to say, "I'm the Lord that healeth thee," this first conscious said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee," and the subconscious said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee," you're going forward. But when God says, "I'm the Lord that healeth thee," and the subconscious said ... or, this conscious said, "I believe it's so," and the subconscious said, "Are you quite sure?" Then you're not going anywhere. You're just running around in circles, see. You've got to get all working together, here, here, and there, all in harmony. Then you can move forward; there's nothing can stand in your way then; you're moving forward.
Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Psalm 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
29 Now in this subconscious, when this outer conscious becomes inactive, this conscious becomes active to a dreamer. Now, let's give just a little illustration. Here's the first conscious. Here's a normal man, his subconscious. When this one is active ... inactive at nighttime when he's asleep, then this one's active.
Many of you people that dreamed dreams years ago, you still remember it, don't you? Well, there was some part of you somewhere, because after you're awake, you remember what you dreamed of. Is that right? And sometime when you're dreaming, you dream of things that you did when you was in this conscious. Is that right?
But now, the man that doesn't dream a dream, his subconscious is way back. Even an anesthetic wouldn't throw him back, 'cause he sleeps real sound. Now, a dreamer doesn't sleep sound. He's not altogether asleep.
30 Now, but a seer, or prophet... Now, I'll admit there's gift of prophecy that goes in a church, but that's not a prophet. A prophet's born, see. Now, he must be from childhood up and every word right, see.
Now, the seer, his subconscious is not back by the wall, neither is it here. It's right here: they're both right together. He doesn't go to sleep; he just breaks from one to another, see. It's just like a dream, yet you're conscious, you're standing here, yet it's just like you was dreaming something, and yet you're conscious enough that you can talk about it. And you know your voice is coming back in the in the building, yet you're somewhere else, maybe thirty, forty years, back, or forward, or whatever it would be.
Try that once, and you wouldn't write me any letters and asking me why I get so weak and have to be packed from the platform, see, see. It's something that you... It's a dual condition. It's the other dimension. It's not, perhaps, the fourth or fifth dimension, if you want to speak of it scientifically. It's out where God lives.
31 Many times people who does that are considered neurotics. Did you ever think of the great poet that gave America some of its best folk songs, Stephen Foster? I stood by the place and the desk he wrote, "Old Kentucky Home." The man would go under inspiration; he'd write those songs. When he would come out, he'd be lost; he wouldn't know what to do. He'd drink. And finally he called a servant, and took a razor, and committed suicide.
Brother Moore and I stood by the grave of this famous William Cowper---Caper, or Capper---what...? Cowper, who wrote this famous song (Brother Berg, there, would know it.), " There is a Fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Emmanuel's veins; Sinners plunged..." (You remember that?) And when the man come out from under inspiration of writing that song, he tried to find a river to commit suicide. You don't know where he's ... he didn't know where he was at.
32 Look at Jonah, the prophet. After receiving inspiration to keep him alive in the whale's belly, and preach with such inspiration to a city, size of St. Louis, that didn't know right from left hand, repented. And then went, and after the Spirit left him, he sat under a little gourd tree and prayed: God let him die.
Look at Elijah, the prophet, after calling fire down out of the heaven, calling rain out the heaven: the same day the Spirit left him ---and run in the wilderness for forty years---and was lost, and had pulled back in a cave, and God found him back in a cave.
So, if you see those things, you won't wonder why a little weakness strikes a person, see. It's something that's hard.
1 Kings 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1 Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah 4:8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
33 Now, the Holy Spirit is here. He just now come, or at least to the anointing. You might not believe that, but if I'm telling the truth, God will testify of the truth. Someday at the judgment you'll see that I have told the truth. The Lord bless you now. (And get some... Is this the...?)
34 How do you do, lady. Now, this lady here... As far as I know the lady... I have never seen her in... Are we strangers? We are perfect strangers. I do not know you; never seen you, know nothing of you. We're just... You just come up here; that's all. But God knows you, doesn't He? You're conscious that something's going on. It's the Holy Spirit. It's kind of...
Now, I want to ask you... If you're a stranger, we've never met in our life, but kind of a feeling of awe, like you were ... there was something else besides a human being standing here. Isn't that right, lady? See, because as soon as I catch her conscious, her spirit, I realize that she's come for something. She's a believer; this woman is. Before I say one word... She's just a woman standing there looking, just a woman's all I know. But she is a Christian. Now, that's true; there's no hiding that.
35 Now, if I ... was anything that I could do to help her, I'd do it. She's perhaps standing here sick. She may be in need of something, wanting to come ask me to pray for her. I do not know. He does, but God can reveal it to me. And it would be just the same as He revealed it to His Son, the Lord Jesus, when He stood, talked to the woman at the well. It could be the same thing. But now, talking to her, may He reveal to me what ... or, something for you, or would reveal anything that would be secret to me, that you know of, would you accept then, Him? You would? 'Course He is your Saviour; you are a Christian, 'cause...
36 You wonder how I feel that? Just as soon as that anointing come down on you, I felt a real welcome feeling. I know that you're a Christian. And I tell you, it's around you. You're having nervous spells, getting nervous. You're extremely nervous, aren't you? And then, another thing, you're bothered with a bowel condition, kind of a constipation like, in bowel. That's because of nervousness. And you are hungering and thirsting. You're wanting a spiritual lift in your life to bring you up to... And you're a minister yourself; you're a woman preacher. That's right. And you're from a city like Marion in Indiana, Marion City, something on that order, Indiana. Is that right? Yeah. God bless you. Come here.
37 Dear heavenly Father, I pray that You'd bless our sister, and may she go and be healed, as I ask in Jesus Christ's name. Grant it, Lord, Amen.
Now, sister, just a word to you. I believe these ... if you was a minister or something like that... All right. I wanted to see what He would say more. I tell you what your trouble mainly... It's just this time of life that's causing you to be this way. Everything is seemingly to be wrong, but you're going to be all right. Just a little longer; it's a shadow you're going through. You know what I mean. And you're going through that. And you'll come out and be all right. So don't worry; you go on your road, happy, rejoicing; and as you go home, just praise God and thank Him and watch how everything opens up. And you'll be all right. God bless you.
38 Praise the Lord. All right, you're... [Brother Branham speaks aside.] Oh... Oh, I... What was I... Sixty. All right, who's got L-70 then, prayer card L-70? Would you raise up your hand, L-70? Coming? All right.
Prayer card L-70. Or, S-70, I meant to say. Excuse me. S-70, who has S, prayer card S-70? If the person will raise their hand for next for prayer... Here comes the lady now. Be reverent just for a few moments, if you please. All right.
While they're bringing her up, who has S-75? S-75, all right. Who has S-85? We'll just scatter along, get them everywhere. S-85. Is it in the building? 85? All right. Who has S-100, 100? Would you raise your hand, S-100? All right. Now, let's bring the lady while they're coming.
39 How do you do, lady. Do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God? You believe me to be His servant? Of course, we're strangers to one another. I don't know you, but God does know you, doesn't He? And do you believe that He will grant to you the blessings that you're asking for? You believe it. And now, if God will reveal by His supernatural power to me what your trouble is, will you accept Jesus as your Healer? You are suffering with something wrong in your limbs. It's varicose veins. Isn't that right? And another thing: You have a husband, and that husband is suffering with arthritis; isn't that right? You go lay your hands on him as I lay on you, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, may you both be healed. Amen. Go on your road, rejoicing and being happy. Let's say, "Thanks be to God."
40 You want to get over that spinal trouble, sitting there, lady? You believe that God has healed you? Yes, you... Uh-huh. It just left you then---your spinal trouble. You were praying to be healed, and God heard your prayer. So, you're healed now of the spinal trouble.
41 Would you come, lady? Suppose we're strangers to each other? [The lady answers, "No," and explains to Brother Branham.] Oh, my, she said that I prayed for her for a tumor one time, and she's got it in alcohol now. Let's say, "Praise the Lord."
I want you to look this way just a moment, lady. You come tonight then as a believer, a real believer. And that's what you're desiring now, is a... (You can hand me your handkerchief while I'm talking to you.) This goes to a mother. And that mother is in Alabama. And she has high blood pressure; had a stroke. Now, lay it on her in the name of Jesus Christ. Send it to her. May God bring her out of it and make her well.
Be reverent. Just believe God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. God will grant His blessings unto you.
42 All right. If you will come... Bring the lady.
Now, be reverent as you can. Have faith.
You think that sinus has left you, sister, you ... sitting there on the end of the row? You believe that God made you well? All right, stand up and say, "I accept my healing." God bless you now. You can go home and be over it. Your faith saved you. God bless you.
Do you believe, sister, with all your heart? You believe me to be God's servant? And you're just a woman that's been called in from out there in the audience. God alone knows you. I don't. God does. But you're from away from here. You come here from another city. And you have a... You've had an accident. It's been a fall that's caused you to have pain. It injured you. Like a neuritis pains, you've tried to call it, but it isn't; it's from the fall. And then, you got a bladder trouble. Now, come here. I'm going to send you back to Toledo to be well. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bless this woman and send her home in Jesus' name, healed and well, Amen. God bless you. Go on your road now, rejoicing and be made well.
43 How do you do. Are you two coming together? Would you come near, just a moment? Do you believe me to be God's servant? We are strangers to each other? We have never seen before as I know of; we're strangers to each other. Do you believe that you're in His august presence? You're husband and wife. And you've come from a distance. I see you've come by ship. You've come overseas of water. And you've come from a land that's great high mountains: Switzerland. And you are suffering with heart trouble. And you have had a vision from the Lord, and you're a minister. And in the vision... The Lord told you in the vision to come here to see me, and me to lay my hands on you, and your ministry would be increased. Come forward for your blessing.
44 Almighty God, Jehovah, who made the heavens and earth and appeared in the way. And over the seas has come these people. Let Thy presence, Lord, be great upon these people and may they receive now of Thy blessings, as Thy humble servant lays hands in obedience to the commandments of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I send them to their homelands with the desire of their heart. Amen. You shall have what you have asked for. God bless you as you go. God bless you.
45 All right, next. Let's call a group of them. What was that... L? S's. Let's call from 85 to 100, S-85 to -100, take the last part there. Just line up over here on this side, if you will, and get the people just coming a little... If they will have faith, have love, have compassion, pray one for the other, that the Lord Jesus may bless you and give you an exceedingly abundantly of His love and of His power, is my sincere prayer.
And up in the balconies, to you, my sick friends up there, have faith in God. He's here to heal you and to make every one of you well. There is nothing impossible with Him and He will bless you greatly if you'll just let Him do it. Do you believe this with all your heart? All right.
46 Now, His presence is here with us, so let's be reverent. God is in His holy temple. Let the world, let the earth be silent and let His blessings be upon you all. Be constantly in prayer, saying, "God have mercy on me and save me from this awful, onward generation that we're living in, and this terrible destruction that's soon coming. There's coming a time soon, when even there won't be even a leaf left on a tree. There won't be even a high place left in America. There won't be one building left but what'll be swept to the ground.
The time's coming when nations will be no more. The Rock that was hewed out of the mountain without hands shall break all kingdoms into powder, and the winds of time shall blow them away like chaff on a summer threshing floor. Lord Jesus, be merciful to the needy, is my prayer.
47 Our heavenly Father, seeing the condition in the people tonight, feeling Your power as it's moving in the way of great needy people are coming, getting saved, healed, may this great lovely nation of ours be spared a little longer, and send us that which we have longed for: the old-fashioned revival again. Hear my prayer, my Father; I pray Thee through Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.
May His almighty blessings rest on each and every one. As you pray anywhere in the audience, just pray and believe with all your heart, and God will grant it to you. Whatever your desire is, God will grant it.
48 I'd see the heads upon the people ... hands up as it... Little lady sitting there suffering with headaches. She has them continually. You just got healed then, sister, so you can stand up now. And by the way, the lady sitting next to you, I see her in a vision. She's crippled with ... it's arthritis; she can't get out of bed. Raise up; you're healed, sister. Stand up. The arthritis is gone now. You can go home and be well. Lord Jesus, bless them, I pray. Amen.
It's your faith that does it, Christians. It isn't me; it's your faith that's pulling it. You remember the woman that touched the hem of His garment, and He turned around, looked over the audience till He found her; said, "Thy faith has saved Thee." Sure, He looked over His audience, perceiving their thoughts and on...
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
49 Would you come, lady. I want to ask you a question, as a Christian believer: The very moment that I said something to that lady, a strange feeling struck you, didn't it, because you have arthritis too. You were both healed at the same time. It left you. You can go off the platform, now; just go on off like there's nothing with you. Let's say, "Praise the Lord."
Do you believe the Lord Jesus has healed you? Come here that I might pray.
Father, I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, it to leave the woman and may she be well, Amen. Now, go happy and rejoicing and being blessed.
50 Would you believe with all your heart? You're nervous, upset. You got a stomach trouble that bothers you, and now, that's a little ulcer in your stomach, but it's gone now. You can go. You're healed. Your faith has saved you, sister. God bless you. Go in...
Sister dear, do you believe me to be His servant? You do? Then you believe you're in His presence? You have things that a lady your age would have, but the main thing's bothering is the arthritis (you see) that's making you in that condition. But it's gone from you now. You can go off the platform. You're healed. Your faith has did it, sister, and made you well.
51 Your trouble's in your back, isn't it? You believe that Christ heals you now? In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, grant this, Father. Amen. Go, sister; your faith has made you whole.
How simple it is to see people healed. You believe now, out there? Now, be reverent, real reverent, friends. Sometimes in moving... The Holy Spirit is very timid, very timid. The Bible said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." Be reverent. Now, faith is moving all through the building.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
52 Now, lady, would you come here, just a moment? I want to talk to you just a moment. Do you believe me to be God's servant? You see, more you talk to people when you contact their life, more you know of them. And if I would talk long, the first things... You are here to see me, from another country. You have come about ... long ways, two thousand miles or more. And you're suffering with a tumor, and you're...
That lady there with her hand up... You all... Yes, that's the same was in the car. You are with her. You have a... It's some kind of a trouble in your throat. It's a thyroid trouble and that's a... The man sitting next to you... You all come from Canada. And you've got a gall bladder trouble. You've been operated on twice. That's your wife. No, it ain't; that's your sister standing next to you. Put your hand over on her.
53 Almighty God, in the name of Jesus, the Son of God, we condemn these demons that binds these people and may they go and be healed in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Every person here stand to your feet right quick. Just a minute. The Holy Spirit's moving right over the audience right... Accept it right now. Believe me, right now. Everybody in a wheel chair get up. Everybody, blind, cripple, whatever it is, receive Jesus Christ. Lord God, grant this great power of demonstration just now [unclear words].