Perseverant

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Thank you. Can we bow our heads now for prayer? Our heavenly Father, we are grateful for this, another most gracious opportunity to present to Chicago the gospel of Jesus Christ, to these elected ones who are waiting for the coming of the righteous Christ. We pray, heavenly Father, that when we leave tonight, that our hearts may be like those who coming from Emmaus said, "Did not our hearts burn within us, when he talked to us along the way?"
We're expecting You to come soon, Lord, to receive us into your great kingdom beyond here, where there is no more sorrow or death; where there'll be no more long prayer meetings, and no more praying through with people. And it'll all be over then, and we'll enter into the joys of the Lord, that we, by the grace of God, we feel that we're partakers of through Jesus Christ. Grant these things, Father.
And if there be any seed that's been in the hearts of the people, and never has come to light yet, may something be done tonight that'll quicken that life, Lord, to a realization of the message of this end-time in which we're living. Bless the ministers here in Chicago. Bless the businessmen, Father, and tomorrow morning's breakfast. O God, give me something to say that'll stir those men, their hearts. Grant it, Father. Help us then tomorrow night, over at the Lane Tech, and Sunday, the double service back here. Grant it, Lord. May souls be saved, people healed, the kingdom of God exalted, Lord. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Be seated.

2 I was glad when ... I was speaking with Brother Vayle here, just a few moments ago. I come in just a little late myself. And I know it's hot, but just imagine, you sitting there, and then moving around up here, see. And ... but we're always happy, no matter what condition it's in, to be here.
Just think of the days of our Lord, down there in Palestine when those ... sun rays hot---and His throat raw, Him standing there, and real weak---and preach on and heal the sick. He's just the same today as He was then---He still feels the same way. His grace is sufficient for all that we have need of.

3 Now, this is the night that ... I try to put these three nights for praying for the sick, and speaking on the sick, prayer for the sick. Now the other times, I'll speak different, on salvation, because I've got a double service each day, see, and I can't ... I can't have it... If I preach hard, I got to eat. And if I eat, I can't have these kind of services, see. And I got to ... and I can't have two services in a day, and make one of them a healing service. It's just ... you're full of food, and your blood's gone to your stomach to digest the food, and then your brain just don't work right in that way. So I'd ... perhaps, maybe then... Thought tonight, we'd give it over for prayer for the sick again tonight. I told Billy ... I think he said that he... Did he give out prayer cards? Does anybody know? Okay then. We'll get to them just as quick as we can.
And now, let's just be reverent, and listen close. And then in the prayer line, let's come with all the respects that we know how, to believe God's here to heal us.

4 Now, we're very grateful for the visions. That's ... my ministry is centered around that until about this time---waiting any minute for something else to come, which is coming.
Now I have ... what kind of weakened me a little, was this. Last week, we come home from Arizona, and we're going right back Monday to Arizona, and then home. I've had people that's been waiting down in that line for three or four years for them personal interviews---from Texas, from Arkansas, and all around over the country---waiting for those personal interviews. There's where you find the real thing. You just got one person and you sitting together. Then the Holy Spirit just keeps moving and revealing.

5 A little strange thing happened the other day. I had around fifteen, I guess ... or twenty in one day. And sitting in my study, early that morning before going there, the great Holy Spirit came in and told me every person that was coming, every question they would ask, every dream, and every interpretation. I wrote it out on paper, and laid each one of them down. Then I would go into the room, and these people (we had never met before), they would come in. And talk to them, and show each question they had asked, and all about it, and routine, and the dream that they had; then reach over and get a piece of paper, and hand it over to them, where it was already told before they ever got there, what would take place.
Now, only God can do that. You know I couldn't do that. Anyone knows that a human being cannot do that. We have no way of doing it. That's another paradox, as we spoke of last night. And then, to see the accuracy of the Holy Spirit---when it tells a certain thing will happen, it's just exactly like that.

6 Now, if any of you hearing about that vision of going up here in the north woods to a place I never knowed, and about that seven-foot silver-tipped grizzly, and that forty-two inch caribou, and where it would be laying---it's laying on my den room floor---just exactly where it was said, the place it was said, how it would happen, and exactly word by word...
How many ever heard the tape "Sirs, What Time Is It?", just before I went out west? The reason the angel of the Lord sent me out there... He told me, said, "Now, coming from the heavens will be seven angels in a constellation. There'll be three on a side, and one in the top. It'll be like a triangle, or something like a pyramid." And I said the one on the right had his wings turned back, and I swept right into the constellation by him, and he was to tell me what to do.

7 And I went west, just as he told me---was up there on the very same day. "And when they started coming from heaven," I said, "there'll be a sound like a great blast, something like a breaker of an airplane, a sound breaker going forth. But," I said, "it'll be so much louder than that. And I'll be just northeast of Tucson, about fifty or a hundred miles, something like that. And Tucson will be sitting this way, and I'll be picking some kind of cockleburs (or goatheads they call them there) off of my trouser leg." And I said, "A blast will go off."
And we were up there at that day, and I was over to myself. There's a man (I think Brother Sothmann is here tonight) that was with me, he and Brother Norman. Are you here, Brother Fred? I thought I heard you say "Amen" the other night. I thought he was here. Maybe I was mistaken. I ... oh, I'm sorry. Oh, yeah. Sorry, Brother Fred, yes. We were up there.

8 And on the day just before it happened, the Holy Spirit came right into the little camp where we were camped at, and said ... began to reveal about our children, what they must do, and how ... what condition ... things that were taking place among them, and telling us what to do, and so forth. I just had to get up and walk away.
And the next morning I found out where the javelina were, and I was trying to tell these two brethren how to get to them. And I went across the mountain, down over a little ... what we'd call a little hog-back, like. And I had Brother Sothmann there to go over to another place, where I'd seen those javelina the day before. I'd already got mine, and so I was trying to get these brethren in position for it, because I... These brethren, many a time I guide for them.

9 And I told Brother Norman to come the other way, and put Brother Fred in the middle, and then I'd go this way. And if I hit the mountain, and they run this way, I would just fire up in the air to run them back that way again, so he could pick out the one he wanted.
And we got out there, and there was no javelina. And I glassed Brother Fred about a mile away, and I could see him. He went back up the mountain when there was no javelina. I went down the mountain, through a great chasm, come up, sat down.

10 It was about eight o'clock at morning. I'd folded my legs, and was, off of my overalls, was picking some of them goatheads.
I said, "You know, looky here, isn't that strange?" I said, "This is exactly ... and I'm perfectly in the position, northeast of Tucson, Flagstaff," see. And I (be east of Flagstaff, northeast of Tucson) and I said, "Here's these goatheads that I said I'd be picking off of my..." I said, "That's strange," and I just throwed it down like that. And I looked up on the side, across a great chasm. There was a whole herd up there. They were almost in shooting distance. So I wouldn't shoot them myself, cause I didn't want them. I said, "If I can just get to Brother Fred and them now, and get them over there." And I run over a little ravine, and along a ledge.
And as I was running along there, all of a sudden it sounded like the whole country come apart, with such a blast. And it scared me till I thought... I was wearing a black hat, big black hat, and that just looks like a javelina anyhow. I thought somebody had shot me. And it just scared me, till I jumped up in the air. Just then I thought, "What is this all about?"

11 I seen the rocks tumbling off the side of the hill, rolling down.
And I looked up. There was that white circle above me there, circling around. Here come seven angels, come moving down out of the air, picked me up, and said, "Go back to your home, to the east, right away, and bring those seven seals where there's seven mysteries; for the complete Word is revealed now in these seven mysteries."
If you've never heard ... if you ever believed I ever said anything in a sermon inspired, you take them tapes of the seven seals. (I'm not a tape salesman. I ... Mr. Sothmann here sells tapes, him and Mr. McGuire. But I don't sell tapes. They tape them.) And if you ever heard anything that's really ... that I can say it's "thus saith the Lord," get those.

12 And, you know, not... In that time I didn't know it, but cameras from all over the country was taking the picture of that, as the white cloud settled down. Went on the Associated Press. I think your Chicago paper packed it, all around. Life Magazine packed it. How many seen it in there, that mystery? That was it, right there, just exactly what He said---standing right under it when it come down and formed.
They said it was way beyond ... and hunted the country. There was no airplanes, or nothing in there. And it was too high---twenty-six miles high, where there is no vapor or nothing. They couldn't make vapor anyhow. And thirty miles across it, and here it come, settling down. And watch, on the right-hand side of that constellation, if it isn't... Read the tapes, or listen to the tape "Sirs, What Time Is It?" about three or four months before it happened. There it is.
Even science has to recognize it to be true. They're studying it. They say it's a mystery they can't understand. The scientists down there in Tucson are trying to understand it, what it is. I thought, first, I'd go talk to them. I thought, no, it'd be just like that picture of the angel of the Lord, on the picture. They wouldn't believe it. There's no need to tell them. So ... but you see, in the face of all of it, they have to know that it's truth anyhow---that it's the truth.

13 Brother, sister, I don't know when ... I'll make my last trip to Chicago one day. This may be it. But I'm telling you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, the gospel is true. This is the last days. We're living in the shadows of His coming. Whatever you do, press into the kingdom of God. If there's one little touch strikes your heart, you come quickly while you have the opportunity to come, 'cause the hour's approaching when it'll be too late. And then you'll never want to come no more. There won't be any more call in your heart. And no matter how much you did try, you'd never get in.
When the last member is added to that body for the rapture, there'll never be another one saved. The doors are closed, as it was in the days of Noah. And there will be no more salvation left, though people will think there will be. That's where the trouble's going to come, see.

14 One time Jesus came ... John's disciples came over to Jesus. And they said, "We're sent from John. Do we look for another, or what about it?"
He said, "Just stay and watch what happens and then wait..." They went back across the mountain. Jesus watched them.
He said, "What did you go out to see when you went to see John? A man in soft raiment?" He said, "They're in king's palaces. Did you go see a reed shaken with any wind?" Not John. And He said, "Well, what did you go to see? A prophet?" Said, "I say, and more than a prophet. If you can receive it, this is he who was spoken of, 'I send my messenger before my face.'"---Malachi 3.
Then, speaking of John one time, the disciples said... When He was talking about where He was going---up to Jerusalem, and be offered up---they said, "Well, why is it we're taught in the Scriptures, by the scribes, that Elias must first come and restore all things?"
He said, "Elias has already come, and you didn't know it."

15 Now, look. To those scribes (Can you hear me? Say "Amen."), those scribes, even those apostles, that their very last sign was looking for Elias. Let me repeat it. The very elected---the scribes, and the apostles called of the Lord---were looking for the Messiah to come, but Elias to come and forerun His coming. And he come, and did it in such humility, and ... till they even didn't recognize him.
And may I say this, as my own thought. One of these days... You're looking for a lot to happen that's happening, and you don't know it. You're going to say, "Before the rapture of the church..."
Now, I'm not here preaching doctrine. There's ministers on the platform here that would disagree, probably, with this. Most all ministers believe that the church goes through the tribulation period for purification. I can't see it. The blood of Jesus Christ is our purification, see. I believe that the church, the denominational church and the sleeping virgin does go through the tribulation, but not the bride. There's a difference between the church and the bride. The bride goes in the rapture.
That's where you Church of God of Anderson, and all, got mixed up there, see, is in that.

16 Not saying ... telling you what you did or didn't... I'm not to say that. But this is where ... the way I see it.
The first thing you know, you're going to say, "Why, I thought there was supposed to be a rapture before the tribulation." The tribulation's going to strike, and what... Wouldn't it be awful if you heard Him say, "It's already been, and you didn't know it."? "There'll be one in the field, I'll take one and leave one," just somebody come up missing. There'll just be a very, very few in that rapture that'll be changed. The sleeping bride, the bride that's been taken through the age, she'll come forth first. And then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them---just one here, and one there, and one over here.

17 At least, every day, across the world, there's as many as five hundred people missing. And what if there's a thousand? They'd say, "Oh, well, this woman, she just run off with somebody. This preacher, he took some other man's wife, and gone." He's gone to glory, in the rapture, and they won't know it.
Did not He say he would come as a thief in the night? You say, "Well, if He comes, I'll see Him." No, no. Just those that's going to see Him's going to see Him at that time, see. Just like that light. Like John stood there, and saw that ... that Spirit of God like a light, dove coming down and going upon Him, and a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son." Nobody heard it, or saw it, but John, see.

18 And when that rapture takes place, it'll be a change. And the first thing you know, that change, then we're caught into them and gone away. And the sleeping virgin, it moves right on just the same, and thinking everything's going fine---and they're already gone. It's already happened, and you knew it not.
I don't say it'll be like that, remember. I'm not saying the Lord tells me it'll be that way. But I believe it's so close at hand, it's possible. I don't want to take any chance---I want to be ready. I want everything ready. I don't want to ... every weight laid aside, whether ... how it comes. Probably, the way we got it all drawed out, it'll be different (it always is) than what we have it planned. His first coming was that way, and His second coming will probably be the same thing.
Let's pray now. Let's be sincere.

19 Chicago, you know I'm a Southerner. I'm used to hospitality in the South. You got a big city here, a big, great big city with five million people in it. But I don't know of any big city in the world that's really, from the people over, is as friendly and nice as people in Chicago. That's right. These Chicago people are nice people. Even you get out here on the street, and... We was talking to even winos, and everything else. They respect you, and nice. I really appreciate that.
And let me tell you, with a vision the other morning... I know that some of the bride is waiting here in Chicago for the coming of the Lord. I know there's going to be a bunch out of this city taken, according to a vision, which has never failed. And I know there's ... God's got people in here that's going in that rapture. I believe that, in that day. I think I've said enough, and got far enough, till I have to quit saying now.

20 Lord Jesus, help us now as we go to the Word. May the people clearly understand, Lord. Human beings, we are, together. We know that we get tired, and worn and... But I pray that You'll grant one more time, tonight, to shake this little church, Lord, with your power, with the Word. May there not be a feeble person among us. Lord, we thank Thee, because that we believe that when we ask these things, we receive them. I pray that You'll just do a great thing among us tonight, Father. In Jesus' name, I commit myself, with this text that I'm going to read, and I pray that You'll unfold it to us in a great way, that the people might clearly understand. Amen.

21 I wish for you, if you want to, and would care at this time... And, it's almost... I'm going to try to make it exactly at the time tonight, if I can, of getting out a little earlier than I did last night, anyhow.
But turn with me to the St. Luke's gospel, or, I beg your pardon, let's change that. I got Luke wrote down here, but I'm turned over here also to Matthew. Matthew, the 15th chapter beginning with the 21st verse. St. Mark gives a record of it too.
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
... behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coast, and cried unto him, ... Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and sought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It's not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat ... the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

22 We have here under consideration quite a lengthy scripture reading, and I don't want to spend too much time on it, which you could stay all night, as it was, anyone knows---because all the scripture is given by inspiration. I believe that.
But I want to take one word, to make a text out of it. I'm going to call the word "Perseverant." The word "perseverant" means to be persistent, and persistent in making a goal, or doing something. And every man that, in all ages, that's ever made anything out of themselves, or done anything, would be persistent in the thing they were trying to achieve. And before you can be persistent, you have to have faith in what you are trying to achieve. And if you haven't got faith in what you're trying to do, you'll never be able to do it.

23 Now, that little word "faith" means so much. And yet, we strike it so lightly. I hear so many people say, and come in (it's amazing), say, "Oh, I've got faith." And not disregarding their effort, but you know, sometimes those that claim they have so much faith, I find has less than those that says nothing about it.
They ... they're built up to an emotion, and not a real faith. There's quite a bit difference bet ... a hope, an emotion with hope, than being quiet, and using faith, see. Faith is something ... it's a substance. It's not something that you just jump at, and haphazardly hit at, and hope so. It's something that you know you have it. The thing that you're asking for, there's no human way of ever explaining how you're going to get it, but yet, you know it's there. You have it. It is a substance.

24 If I could get that so that you'd understand clearly, it would mean so much to the meeting tonight. If ... in this night of this healing service, are ... we are trusting. I say that, healing, because I believe that God's going to do it. I believe that God is going to do what He promised to do. And if I didn't do that, I'd be afraid to stand here in this audience of people, and make these statements that I do make; because if I had the least bit of fear about it, I better never enter that door.
You've got to absolutely believe it. And you have the assurance, and there's nothing can move it. You ... no matter what happens, you still believe it. Even though it seems like it's failed, you still believe it. No matter what happens, you still believe it.

25 Like the little lady sitting here looking at me here the other night. Mrs. Way had been taking care of her.
Her husband was raised the other day from the dead, dying in a heart attack. And I walked off the platform, and ... because, when I seen him, his eyes go back, and die, I didn't know what to do. I went down there to check his heart, and feel him, and see he was gone. Then I had to be to him.
Then, the other night, I was asked the question, "Why didn't you go down to that lady? She turned around." Mrs. Way tried to get her out, and she dropped in the floor, and her face turned white, and just was almost gone. "And why did you not go down there?"
Because that I had no reason to go there. See,

26 faith isn't something that somebody else is trying to get you to do. It's something God commissions you to do, see. I seen the lady was only ... she was very sick, but intoxicated by drug (trying to get well, doctor had give her). And I seen her sitting, laughing, and rejoicing. And what's the use of me going down there after it's already over, see?
And someone say, "But, Mr. Way would ... he would've laid there." But we had to go do this. But when the woman was back outside... Yet, the vision come; and she's sitting here tonight, fine, laughing last night. There, see?
You've got to know. And you cannot know, until you have faith. And faith produces that know-so. Faith is that know. Faith is that thing that says it.

27 Now. Now when we see this perseverance... Any man that's trying to achieve anything, has been perseverant. For instance, George Washington is called the father of this nation. One night he prayed all night in the snow. And when the real, genuine, first-blooded Americans that had taken their stand upon this ground, and the great economy that they had in common was at stake... And there was about seventy percent, or more, of those American soldiers standing out there, didn't even have shoes on their feet. Their feet was froze, and wrapped in rags. But yet, they had a leader that they believed in. And that leader believed in the leader, God. And he prayed until his clothes was wet up to his waist, kneeling in the snow.
And there was the frozen Delaware between him and where the British was taking their picnic at the other side. But the frozen Delaware didn't stand in his way. Neither did his opposition---of his frozen soldiers, and their feet frozen, and the ice in the river. He was perseverant. He had faith that God was going to give him the victory, and he... The Delaware couldn't stay in his way. And he achieved the purpose, although three musket bullets went right through his coat. But it never touched him. He was perseverant. He had heard from God. And he had faith that what God had told him was the truth, and nothing could stop him.

28 If every sick person in here tonight could just have faith in God like George Washington did, your Delaware that stands before you, tonight, would have to melt away. Some way you'd cross it. No matter what your opposition is, you'd still cross it. You'd be persistent---so persistent, till that cancer, tumor, whatever it is, would never be able to stand there, because you'd cross over to the promise that God had give you. Men can only be persistent after they have heard from God. Faith is only based on the Word of God, because faith comes by hearing the word of God.

29 Noah, in the opposition that he preached in, in the days of his time in preparing the ark after he heard God tell him that He was going to destroy the world with water, that sin had heaped up so high that He couldn't stand it no more... He was going to wash the world off with water, and there was not a bit of water in the skies. But yet, Noah was perseverant in the time of critics. No matter how much people told him, "It can't happen," Noah knowed it was going to happen, because...
And being perseverant, he never just said, "Well, I've laid the foundation of the ark, I guess I... That'll be enough then, if the science has already proved I'm on the wrong grounds."

30 That's the way many people does about coming to Christ. They lay the foundation of believing on the Lord Jesus, and accepting Him as personal Saviour, and maybe going on to Christian baptism. But when it comes to following on through to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, somebody explains it away for them. That's the reason that seed fell by the wayside, or it fell on stony grounds.
But the man, woman who has faith that God ... that "Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," that His Word is just as real now, and every promise just as true as it ever was, there is no minister, nobody---nobody---can explain it away from them. They're perseverant. They climb on until they achieve what they purpose to do. There is no way to explain it away from them. They believe it.

31 Moses, he did the same thing. He had forgotten the vision, and the feeling of the people. But when he met God in that burning bush, and he seen that that was God's Word... See, Moses had just come up under good teaching (his mother), and had been taught the way of God. But when he got up there, and met this person that his mother had taught him about... You see what I mean?
Many people take the Bible, and understand it intellectually perfect. But that's not it. That's not what we're talking about. No matter how well you can explain it, you've got to meet the author of it, personally. Then's what brings faith. For the author lives in you after you're born of Him.

32 Moses met the author. "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and of Jacob. And I remember my promises, and I've come to send you. [Amen.] I'm sending you to deliver them." And notice, when he performed his first sign, and it seemed like it failed, because he had a lot of impersonators... The Egyptians could do the same thing that he did. But, you see, Moses... After he had met God in the burning bush and knowed that He was God, it didn't make any difference how many more impersonated it and what kind of a character they was that did it, Moses knew that his was genuine, that it come from God. He just stood still in the face of Pharaoh, and then his snake eat up the rest of them.

33 That's the way people do today. They maybe... If they're not sure, if they're worked up on some emotion, and they see somebody else get off on the deep end of something, and go on, then they think, "Well, maybe mine..." But that man who really meets God and knows that... He knows what happened---it's God. Certainly. No one could explain it away from him.

34 David, a little ruddy fellow, he wasn't big enough to carry firearms (or a sword rather, in that day, his shield); he was too little. He happened to be what we'd call the runt. And his father didn't have nothing for him to do---his brothers were big, strong, strapping men---so he thought he could get David a job, maybe, herding some sheep.
And the little fellow stayed out there, and he met God. And he had a ... he was detailed to take care of those sheep. And David was a prophet, and the word of the Lord came to him in songs. And Jesus said, "Have not you heard in the Psalms...?" how things was predicted of Him, you know. And David was a prophetic songwriter.
And while he was out there, looking up, and hearing the wind pass through the mountains and down through the cedars, he wrote of the shady green pastures and still waters, and so forth, inspirationally. As he wrote it at night watching the stars and the moon, and how nature worked, God visited him. And he knowed there was God.

35 And one day a bear came in, and got one of his sheep. And the sheep meant a lot to him, because he had learned to love that sheep, and he loved them. And so, when the bear came in and got one, David's heart began to burn when he heard that little sheep cry. And God had sent him to watch those sheep. And so, when the bear caught the little lamb, and it started crying, David all at once remembered that the God that made the mountains was his God. So he puts a rock in his little slingshot and went after this big grizzly. And he struck the grizzly, and down he went. Then, when he come back he was happy, because he'd won the victory.

36 And then, a bigger trial come in. A lion, which is far more fierce than the bear with ... he's more game. (And if I had time, I'd like to break those animals down, and show you the great parable in there.) And the lion come in, and grabbed one, and run off. So, if God could give him victory over the bear, He sure could give him victory over the lion.
Oh, if God, who can give me victory over myself (amen) can surely give me victory over the disease that's trying to take me from Him. The God that can save me and make me something that I'm not... When I'm not a Christian, He can make a Christian out of me, by believing His Word.

37 Then, we find that he got the bear. And finally, the great showdown come when there come a great big grizzly bear, bigger than any of them. He was a man, of a giant. And David knew that with God he was more than a match for him. No matter how big the opposition was, with God he's more than a match.
Yet, the littlest man, the most unequipped man... Not a fighter---a kid; and not a armor---just his bare body; not a shield over him---but a piece of sheepskin wrapped around him; and he didn't have a spear or a sword---he had a little slingshot (you know, two little pieces of string, with a leather on the end of it). And he wanted to fight that man, because he was trying to come after God's sheep. And if God could deliver the sheep, how much more His army, His people?

38 Chicago, that's the reason we're here. You're more than a sheep. You're God's people. And we don't have an intellectual, or a great denomination behind us, but we know that sickness has caught you, and you're gripped in the cares of the world. And we come in the name of the Lord Jesus. Though the doctor turns you down... We don't care what he done, we've come to take you back to health, in the name of Jesus Christ, with the little slingshot of His Word---two little strings, the New and Old Testament, holding Jesus between them. And we come to take you back to where you belong, if you'll just let us.

39 Notice, little Samson also, as I spoke of last night, he was very persevering himself. As long as he could feel those seven locks hanging down his back, the Philistines meant nothing to him. No matter if he had nothing but a jawbone of a mule in his hand, or whatever he had, the Philistines or the gates of Gaza, they meant nothing to him as long as he could feel those seven locks. That was the covenant.

40 And as long as the Christian can feel that covenant, all things are possible to him that believeth. When you can feel that covenant faith in you---that you are God's child, and an heir of every one of His promised blessings---don't care what comes up, you're more than a match for it. As long as you can feel, and know that you do believe it (Do you follow me?), as long as you can... As Samson felt that, he was all right.
And as long as in your heart (that you're just not worked up, you're just not emotional, but in your heart), you know that you're going to get it, you know that you have confessed your sins, you know that you have passed from death to life, you know that you're a child of God and heir of these things, then there's nothing going to keep you from having it. Then you're perseverant.

41 John the Baptist was so perseverant that he even made this statement. Four thousand years they had looked for a messiah, but John knew that he was going to introduce Him. He knowed that he had a... Jesus said, "He was more than a prophet." He was a prophet, but he was more than a prophet, because he was the messenger of the covenant. And he was so sure of it, that he was going to see that light, that dove, was going to see the Spirit... He was so positive of it, till he said, "There's some standing ... one standing among you now that you don't know. I'm not worthy to loose his shoes. But he'll be the one that will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire."
God had...

42 He was a prophet, and more than a prophet, and he knew his charge. He knew that God had commissioned him. And there was no fear in his heart, though four thousand years, in the midst of a bunch of howling mob of critics making fun of him, and saying he was a wild man trying to drown people. That didn't stop him a bit. Somebody might have said, "John, aren't you afraid that it won't happen?" How could it fail when God said so? God told him, "Upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon, he's the one that's going to baptize with the Holy Ghost."

43 John knew it.
He wasn't afraid of failure. That was his charge, that was his commission, so he could be very perseverant, very persistent. No matter, nothing's going to bother him. There wasn't enough devils out of torment could take him. Hallelujah! He was commissioned to do something.
And heavens and earth will pass away, but that Word'll never fail. He said, "I'll see Him." Now faith had anchored. He'd heard, like Moses, in the wilderness, where prophets are molded. He'd heard God tell him, "You're the voice of one crying in the wilderness. I can point to the scripture, and show you your commission. You're the one that Isaiah said, 712 years ago, there'd be a voice of one crying in the wilderness."
They said, "Are you the Messiah?"
He said, "No, but I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" And he knowed that he was going to do it, because God said so. Faith---and he was persistent.

44 The rabbis, and so forth, come out and said, "You mean there'll come a time that the daily sacrifice will be taken away? A man will take the place?" and so forth.
He said, "There's coming one that will take the place, and he'll take away the daily sacrifice. He will be the Lamb." And as he turned to look, he said, "Behold, there he is. There's the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world," right in the midst of his sermon, because God promised him.

45 No matter what they say: "Why, they'll throw you in jail." "The ministerial association'll kick you out." "You'll not have any fellowship." "There's no cooperation." Didn't make John any difference. He was perseverant. He had a message; somebody must hear it. And out of his entire group, I don't think he got but about twelve, but he got something. When he got the power of God on him, then the Lord began to move on him.
Now, the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When we can see the commission of the Lord, then you can be perseverant.

46 My, this little Greek woman, she had heard of Him. She'd never seen Him, but she'd just heard of Him. She'd heard of His fame.
Why, we hear the same thing. We hear of His fame, we read of His fame, we see His fame---and faith cometh by hearing. Somehow or another, faith finds the source that others don't see. When you are predestinated to a certain thing, you can look right at it because your faith is declaring it, and others know nothing about it. Faith finds that source that you can't see. 'Course others are looking at it from observations, and so forth, and they're coming in there presuming. And the word "presume" is to venture without authority.
Now, Moses never went down into Egypt presuming that God was with him; he went down into Egypt knowing God was with him. You don't accept your healing thinking God will do it; you accept your healing because God's already done it. He promised it. And your faith says it's so, and nothing else can wipe it out.

47 Now, His Word is a sword, the Bible said. In Hebrews 4:12 it said, "The word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword. It discerns the thoughts that's in the heart." That's what the Word does. Now the only thing that can handle this sword is a hand. And the only thing that can handle God's Word is faith. If the Word is a sword, then faith holds it, grips it.
And when people are dueling... Like, if they ... two men meet, and with these knives they're dueling. That's you, and the devil trying to get you to doubt. Now your sword that you got may be ever so good. It's a million times better than his. I'm going to tell you, his is not even a sword---it's a stick. But yours is a sword. But if the hand that holds that sword is weak, the stick can overcome it.
But no matter how little this hand is, if it holds the Word of God with faith, there's nothing going to do it. It can cut anything down. See, he's holding it in his right hand, and you in your right hand. And when your swords lock, when you lock with the devil (Is it so, or not so?)...
Now, he's pressing to you, say, "It's wrong, it's wrong! You mustn't believe it."

48 But if you believe it...
See, these swords come right straight down to the handles. Now, if I can push his back with my handle, the blade like that, where am I at? I'm directed right straight to his heart, 'cause I'm on the right side, at his left. And then, when I'm pressing with faith, with the Word, "Satan, Jesus Christ commissioned me to do this," and we lock; and raise up that hand of faith and say, "An angel of God met me yonder, and said it's so"; the first thing you know ... goes right straight in and he's conquered. "I come to challenge you, and 'Thus saith the Lord.'"
That's the believer, when he has faith to handle the Word. Now, if you're just a little denominational weakling, you'd better keep away from it. You'll go 'round, talk about it, say it can't happen because you don't know nothing about it. But that man who's handled it, and seen it conquer that enemy, he knows what it'll do.

49 This poor little woman, she'd never seen Him, but she'd heard of Him. She had many hindrances, but her faith didn't have any hindrances. Faith don't have any hindrance at all.
You might have a lot of hindrances. You might have the doctor's word, the scientific man who's examined you. It might be that he ... that man told you you're going to die. That's all he knows. He's told you all he's studied. His scientific work shows that you must die. Your whole system's made in that kind of a way, that death has struck it, and there's nothing can keep it from going on. You're going now, that's as much as he knows. No science has no medicine for it. But you've found something. You pick up the sword, see.
Now, of course you got a hindrance. You got something that's going to duel against you---that devil, that disease, that affliction. But when you strike the tip of swords with that devil yonder, and say, "It's 'Thus saith the Lord,' He revealed it to me how I am healed," oh, my! Your faith don't have any hindrances.

50 You know, let's take some of her hindrances, and look at them, just a few minutes before we call our prayer line. They might have said to her, the first place, "You're a Greek; he's a Jew." Well, in otherwise, it might have said, "You know, your denomination is not sponsoring this meeting, your church is not." But, you know, that didn't hinder her. Faith had already struck. She'd heard of somebody else being healed, and she had a need. And something told her it could be done.

51 Now, see, the works of God are foreordained of God. You believe that? Jesus met a blind man one time. Said, "Who sinned, him or his mother [or so forth] or his daddy?"
Said, "Neither one: but that the works of God might be made manifest." See, this is the works of God. And when you feel something pressing to you, hold on to it. That's God speaking to you.
Well, she was still perseverant, even though they said that "You don't belong to his people, and your church is not cooperating in the meeting." She was perseverant anyhow. She's going anyhow.

52 She might have went down the road, and met another group of Greeks. And they'd tell her, "Wait a minute. The days of miracles is past. That's just a lot of hocus-pocus. That's just a bunch of men, some so-called prophet down there, doing all these kind of things. You know, that's just nonsense. Why, there's nothing like that today." But still, she was perseverant. She still believed it was going to happen. Now, that's when you've got it. That's when something happens.
She might have went on down to the next corner. She met her husband, and her husband said, "If you go down and associate yourself in that group, I'm going to leave you."
"Well, he can leave me if he wants to." But she's still persistent. She's perseverant. She's got a need, and faith's already anchored. She knows it's going to happen.

53 On down at the next corner, she met a bunch of people, and said, "You know what? You'll be the laugh of the town if you go down there to ask mercy for your daughter. And you'll find out it's no more than some others that's asked, and didn't get it."
Don't make any difference what the others did, and whether the others was laughed at, she was still persistent. She knew what was going to happen. She believed it. She'd heard of Him. And she knowed if she could ever get there, what was going to happen.
Now, we might've went down to the corner, met the pastor, and he said, "You'll be put out of your church if you go."
Look at the hindrances that poor little thing had. And remember, she's a Greek, now, not a Pentecostal. And here she goes down. And they said, "You'll be put out of your church," and still she was persistent. She was perseverant. Didn't make any difference whether she lost her husband, she lost her friends, she was the laughing stock of the town, and whatever was taking place, or even was put out of her church, or whatmore. Faith had caught hold. She was perseverant. I like that.

54 Now, a lot of people think that's all they have to have. Just long as they get to Jesus, and come where He's in the meeting, well, that's all that's necessary.
It used to be that the churches... When I first started on the field they would sit, and wait, and almost cry until the Lord come on the scene. And then, oh, my!
Down here in Illinois, a little place called... Oh, I forget where it's at now---one of my meetings down here years ago, where the Chicago Tribune here packed an article that there was twenty-seven ambulances set around the little hotel. One night, walking to the platform, laying about a thirty minutes' foundation, and asking the people, and challenging them to believe it... And with one prayer from the platform, after the Lord had revealed Himself that He was, there wasn't a person in a wheelchair or cot, deaf, dumb or blind nowhere. Every one of them was healed in a moment.

55 Durban, South Africa, we seen 25,000 blanket natives healed at one time, when seven van loads of crutches, and sticks, and boards that they had packed them on come down the street---those people walking behind, and singing "Only Believe."
Faith. Get away from your thoughts. Think His thoughts, see. Think what He thinks. You say, "Brother Branham, I think..." You ain't got no thought coming. Let the mind that was in Christ be in you, then you'll recognize the Word.
Notice,

56 when those people sat and waited, when the Lord moved in, and done something... Oh, my! They just got up, and walked away. But, you know, it seems like today, they've seen so much of it. And now, the Lord comes ... well, shows Himself among us, we say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord. He sure can do it. Brother Branham, I'm going over to Oral Roberts next week, and have him pray for me, and So-and-so. If this don't work tonight, I'll have..." That's just about the attitude.
See, the people are not perseverant. If the Holy Spirit ... if Jesus Christ proves that He's here among us, then press till you get to Him. Like the little woman with the blood issue, all of the different things that taken place, and all the adversaries in her way, she just pressed right on through till she touched Him.
If this church, tonight, would do the same thing, would press through every scale of unbelief, would lock swords with the devil and his unbelief, and press through to know that you're a child of God and a heir of these things, and Jesus Christ standing present to show you that He's with you to keep His Word... Be perseverant. Don't you let nothing stand in your way.
I'm just wondering. If faith really anchors, could anything stand in your way? You don't get it. If you really got it, that would settle it. That's all.

57 See, this woman here, our little Greek friend tonight, that we have here before us as a text, when she arrived at Jesus (like, Jesus would arrive here with us tonight. We arrive, and He comes here, and proves here He is among us.), well, she thought that settled it. That don't settle it. No, sir. That's when you just begin to fight. That's when you just start your real battle. When she arrived at Jesus...
Then Jesus said He was not sent to her race. Oh, my! And another thing, He turned around and called her race of people nothing but a bunch of dogs. "I'm sent only to the lost sheep of the children of Israel." That didn't stop her. She was still perseverant. He said, "Besides, it's not meet for me to take the children's bread and give it to you dogs." Still she was perseverant. Oh, oh, I like that! Still she held on. Amen! I like that. Hold on to it. She was perseverant.
She was not a hotbed plant, had to be babied. No, sir. She was not a hybrid article, like big part of the crop today. You didn't have to beg her, say, "Now, sister, I tell you, I would encourage you to go on because..."
No, sir. There wasn't nobody there to encourage her. But even Jesus, Himself, tried to discourage her. Whew! Glory! Now I feel like a holy roller sure enough. Even Christ, Himself, stood in there trying to discourage her; but she held on. Amen. Perseverant. She had arrived at something. She knew it.

58 What if He'd call you a dog, and your race a bunch of dogs? You bunch of Chicagoans, and you bunch of Methodists, you Presbyterians: "I wasn't even sent to you. You're nothing but a bunch of hypocrites anyhow." Whew! My, you'd stick your nose up, and turn out that door, see. Why? You've never had faith to begin with. You're hybrid, a hotbed plant that has to be sprayed all the time.
Not her. No, something happened! Faith had anchored. She's not going to be defeated. Amen! There you are. No matter what the rest done, what the rest said, she's not going to be defeated. No, sir. Even Jesus, Himself, couldn't discourage her. Amen.

59 Said, "I'm not sent to your race. Go on. Beat it on down the street. I'm not sent to you people, and you're nothing but a bunch of dogs anyhow. It's not right for me to take the children's bread, and give it to you bunch of dogs [alley dogs, street rats, and so forth]. It's not meet for me to do that."
Watch. She admitted He was right. Amen! Oh, my! Faith will always admit the Word right. Whether your pastor says so or not, whether anybody else says so or not, your faith says it's right. Glory! Your faith says it's right.
So what she was called, even by Jesus Christ, the one she come to and He rebuked her... And look at His disciples, the men was with Him in His campaign, said, "Oh, beat it. Get out of here. You're annoying us. Don't bother our Master."
That didn't stop her. No, sir. Nothing's going to stop her, 'cause she's got faith. It's going to happen anyhow. She admitted He was right. "I'm nothing but a dog. I don't deserve anything. But Lord, let me bring something to your memory. I'm not after the bread; I just want a few crumbs."

60 The trouble of it tonight, we don't have people humble themselves to get some crumbs. "I didn't get in the line."
That don't make any difference. "I just come to see if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. I'm after some crumbs." Oh, how different she was from now.
Remember, she had never seen a miracle. She was a Greek. She had never seen a miracle. Yet she was persistent, because something inside of her told her she was going to see one.
She was like Rahab the harlot. Rahab the harlot ... she didn't say, "Now bring Joshua up, you spies, and let me see how he wears his clothes, and what kind of a manners he's got. And let me see whether he's handsome, or not, or how he combs his hair, if he's a well-groomed man and everything." Remember, that was kind of her line of work. You know she was hunting handsome men. She was a street harlot.
And so she said, "I have heard that the Lord God is with you, and I'm asking for mercy. [Oh, my! There you are. Faith cometh by hearing.] I heard that you took Agag, and what you did down there. And I heard what God did for you at the Red Sea, and I believe it. And I know that you're his servant. I just ask mercy." Amen. She was granted mercy.

61 This woman, she was granted mercy. She said, "True, Lord: but the dogs eat the crumbs that's under the masters' table." For this saying ... that did it. Finally, being persistent, perseverant, letting nothing stand in her way, even in the face of Jesus trying to rebuke her, she said... But she stood and admitted that He was right, the Word was right and everything. "But yet, Lord, the dogs eat the crumbs. And it's just a crumb from You is all I ask. Just one little ... one little speck is all I want, Lord. Just your touch, that's all I want. Just your touch, that's all."
Oh, if we could just have that tonight. "Lord, I'm sitting here, I'm sick. But if I ... if something would just tell me that I can get well, that's all I want to know. Then that settles it. I'm going home, and believe it," see. "Nothing's going to stand in my way any longer. Just your crumbs, Lord, is all I want.

62 Jesus said, "Old woman ..." or, "Oh, woman, great is your faith. Go your way. For what you've been persistent about, what you have believed, you're going to find it that way." She'd finally overcome. She had the right approach to God's gift. She was a Gentile. Faith always admits the Word's right, humbly, and reverently; not get out and blow up about something. Same way now.
Quickly now, before we call the prayer line.

63 Martha, in the presence of the Lord Jesus, when everybody had made fun of her... Said, "Look, this guy that heals the sick, when you had need of him... Yeah, you took your living, you fed him, you had him a room. When he come to the city, he stayed with you. He was a good friend of Lazarus. But when really sickness come in, he got away from you," see.
But when she heard He had come, she was perseverant. She started down the street. Some of them said, "Now, I guess you're going out to see him." She just closed her ears, and eyes. She just kept pressing on. She was perseverant. When Jesus spoke to her, she said, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, whatever you ask God, God'll give it to you." She was perseverant.
Notice, like the Shunammite woman, in the presence of Elisha, God's representative on the earth. Martha knew, if God was in Elisha, surely He was in Jesus.

64 The Shunammite woman, when she went up there, and he said... Elisha come out of his cave, and looked out there and said, "Here comes that Shunammite, and her heart is troubled. God's kept it from me. I don't know what she wants." Said, "Is all well with thee? with thy husband? with the child?"
She said, "All's well."
Watch her when she told her servant, "Saddle this mule, and go straight forward, and don't stop [persevering]. Just keep going."
Some of them say, "Hey, stop a minute. I want to talk to you."
That ain't... "Nothing doing. I've got to get over there, that's all there is to it. I got to get over there. I've got to find out about this."
And then, when the... He said, "I'll tell you, I'll send you an anointed cloth. I'll send you this stick, and you go have it laid upon the child."
"That's very good, prophet of God. I think that's very fine. But, as your soul lives, I'll not leave you." I'm going to stay right here till I find out. Perseverant. Sure, she was perseverant.
Elisha thought, "Well, to get rid of her I might as well gird up my loins." Here he went. Perseverant. Their faith had hold of the Word.

65 How little Micaiah, that little uneducated woodsman back there, could stand before those four hundred prophets, and speak there contrary to them! Why? He was perseverant. They said, "Why, look. That great big head bishop stood up there with these horns, and said, 'The Lord God spoke to me.'" Oh, my!
The head of the association said, "The Lord God spoke to me, and witnessed by four hundred of these men here, that thus saith the Lord..." And the man was sincere.
Now ... but Micaiah stood. He said, "But I saw Israel scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."
So he walked up, and took his hands, and smacked his mouth as hard as he could, said, "Which way went the Spirit of God when it went out of me? if you know all about this thing."
Said, "You'll understand one day."
Ahab said, "Well, now, that's what the association said." Notice now, He'd never get in a man under such circumstances as that.
But he knowed his vision was right. He had faith, because his faith said exactly what the Word said. So he was perseverant.

66 Now look up to the national authority. There stood Ahab, said, "Put him in the inner prison, and feed him bread and water of sorrow. And when I return in peace," he said, "I'll take care of this fellow."
Look at him, perseverant yet. "Oh, great Ahab, maybe I was wrong. Oh, bishop, maybe I was wrong." But no, no, not him. He had anchored. He saw a vision, and his vision was with the Word. He said, "If you come back at all, I'm a false prophet." Amen. He was perseverant. Certainly he was.

67 The blind man, that I spoke of awhile ago, he could not argue theology with them. He knowed nothing about it. They could say, "Why, So-and-so said so-and-so, and so-and-so."
He said, "I don't know about your theology, but this one thing I know. Where I was blind, I can now see."
His father and mother never had that kind of faith. They said, "Oh, they'll put us out of the synagogue. So, you ask him; he's of age."
Brother, there wasn't nothing wrong with him! He said, "It's a strange..." Said, "I'm no theologian. I cannot argue your scriptures that you're talking about. But you said that you knowed God heals. But this man, you know not whence He come from. Now, it's a strange thing, that a man can come here and can open my blinded eyes, and you, the leaders of religion, and don't know from whence He come."
Brother, he was a theologian in my book. He had an argument the rest of them couldn't settle. That's all. "How that you say you don't have no record of his coming ... you don't have no record on your book of his schooling, where his education come from, or nothing. You don't know from whence he come; and yet, ... the man that give me my sight." Pretty good argument, wasn't it? Yes, sir!

68 Philip, when he stood there, and seen Jesus of Nazareth tell Simon what his name was, and his father's name, he was very persistent. He had a self-starched friend that he wanted to tell about... And he went, and found Nathanael. When Nathanael, standing there before the members of his church, and the high priests, and the Sanhedrins, and all of them standing around when Jesus looked at him and said, "Behold an Israelite, in whom there's no guile,"...
"Oh, I better shut up now, be careful. There stands the bishop. There stands the general overseer. There stands the pastor. There stands all of my relation. I'd better keep still, just act like I don't know nothing about it," see.
No, no.

69 Something had happened. Philip had showed him a scene. He said, "Rabbi!"
They was standing there, saying, "This man is Beelzebub. Don't listen to that. He's a fortuneteller, he's a devil, don't listen to him."
But Philip quickly, or Nathanael, recognized Him as a rabbi, a teacher. Said, "Rabbi, when did you ever see me?"
He said, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree."
"Now what am I going to do? Here's the Scripture says that that's the sign of the Messiah." He run to Him, and fell down. And he said, "Rabbi, you're the Son of God. You're the King of Israel. I don't care what the rest of them has got to say about it. You are the Son of God, the King of Israel."

70 The little woman at the well, when she was told of what was wrong with her... Now, you know, if you happen to know the East... Is there missionaries here ever been in the East? Well, you understand that a women like that has got no authority at all to speak to men anywhere. That's right. It's still that way. She does not, cannot speak to men, by no means---especially on religious arguments and discussions. But, oh, man! Could you keep her quiet? It was like a dry house on fire in a high wind. You couldn't stop her.
She said, "Come, see a man. He told me the things I've done: isn't this the very Messiah?"
Now, I'm closing now. I've just got to quit.

71 About four or five years ago, I saw a vision that sent me down in Mexico. You take the Businessmen's Voice, that... See, before you can print anything, you have to be able to back that up. Now you can say it; but don't you print it, unless you can back it up, because it's printed matter.
I was ... had ... I'd come down on ropes in the back of the arena, the pen where we was at; was having about ten thousand a night conversions to Christ.
And then, as I looked, Billy come up to me, and he said, "Daddy, you see all that going on over yonder on the other side, about 150 yards?" Said, "That's one little woman." He said, "She's not as big as a bar of soap, hardly---little bitty thing." Said, "She's got a dead baby under her arm," and said...

72 I call the man "Mañana" (tomorrow---he was so slow) that come and got me. He was supposed to get me at seven o'clock, and he got me at nine, me walking up and down the floors. And he'd done give out all the prayer cards, and they didn't have no more. I'd only give him about fifteen or twenty a night, because that's all I could get to, because... If you give them a card, they don't understand like you---you can't talk to them. So they was ... I give them about ten, or fifteen, whatever. That's all I'd give out. Well, they didn't have any more prayer cards.
And said, "She didn't get in with that baby, and didn't get no prayer card." And said, "Why, we got about hundred and fifty, two hundred ushers, or maybe more, standing down there, and they can't hold that little woman. She runs under their legs, up over top of their back, and everything else. She's got this dead baby. She seen that blind man, the night before, receive his sight. So she said she wanted to get in."

73 I said, "Billy, I can't help it." I was talking. I said, "Brother Jack Moore," I said, "go over there. She don't know who I am." They could never see me, way back out like that. And I said, "Go over there, and go down, pray for the baby. And she'll think it's just me, and that's all."
He said, "All right, Brother Branham."
He started over that way, and I turned around. I said, "Now, as I was saying, faith is the..." And I looked out there in front of me, and there was a little Mexican baby, sitting right out in the middle of the air there, just laughing, no teeth, little nursing-baby like. I looked again.
Brother Espinoza (many of you know Brother Espinoza) said, "What's the matter?"
I said, "I see a vision." I said, "Wait a minute, Brother Moore." (All of you know Jack Moore, I'm sure, a businessman.) I said, "Wait a minute, Brother Moore, just a minute. Billy, go bring the woman here."
Said, "Daddy, she ain't got a prayer card."
I said, "It don't make any difference. Bring her here."

74 And she ... they let her through. Here come ... real pretty little woman, and her... The rain, it was raining, been raining all afternoon---them people standing there, and their pretty hair hanging down their sides, and their face was all wet. And she was crying, and with tears running down her cheeks.
And she come running up there---soaking wet, and a little blue-looking blanket wrapped around a little form. And she was holding it out, like this. And she fell down on her knees, and began to cry out something, "Padre, Padre!"
I took her ... I said, "Stand up." Brother Espinoza told her. And she had the little baby like that, holding it out just like I'd hold that handkerchief, only it was laying across her arms like this.
And I said, "Heavenly Father, I don't know whether this is the baby or not. I just saw a little baby. And thinking maybe this was it, being this happened the way it has, I lay my hands upon it, and ask for life to return in the name of the Lord Jesus." And the little baby let out a kick, and began to scream as hard as it could.

75 I said, "Brother Espinoza, don't you say anything about that now. Don't give that to the Businessmen, or any of them, until you get a signed statement from her doctor." And the doctor signed a statement, that the baby died with pneumonia in his office, that morning at nine o'clock. And this was pretty near eleven o'clock at night, been dead all that time.
Why? She was persistent. She believed that if God could give a blind man his sight ... if God could give a blind man his sight, God could give life to the baby, because the same God that gives sight to the blind, give life to the baby. Why? She was perseverant. Three hundred ushers, nothing could stop her. She was determined, because something anchored.

76 She'd never seen any of these things that you all see. The only thing, somebody told her that day that a blind man that lived down the street from where she was had received his sight---had been blind for about ten years, with glaucoma in his eyes. And that day he was walking down the street, crying, waving his hands. And she saw him.
When her baby died she picked up the baby from the doctor's office, and took out; stood in that rain all day long waiting for the opportunity. And when she didn't get a prayer card she still was persistent. She didn't know nothing. She was a Roman Catholic. The only thing she knowed, that she had to get to some man.
Now, you know better than that. It's not the man you get to; it's the Christ that you get to. It's the Lord Jesus Christ that you get to. All her faith was in her priest, because he was a god to her. But tonight, no man is your God but Jesus Christ, and He's here, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hallelujah! Let's be persistent, as we bow our heads.

77 Lord Jesus, I'm praying that You help us now. Just a word or two from You, Lord, ought to just do something for these people. I pray Thee, Lord, as You promised in the last days, that You would do these things---the works that You did when You were here on earth, that would be repeated again, and give the illustrations of it through the Scriptures, like, for instance, Sodom and different places.
And we see over in the book of the Revelation, in the Laodicean age, and... Oh, how that You made the promise, and said You were the same yesterday, today, and forever. And we see it by pictures, when the mechanical eye of the camera will catch mysteries in this last days that man cannot explain.
God, may men and women tonight who are suffering and sick here, may they be persistent, and get to the Lord Jesus in this hour, go home rejoicing, healed. We ask it, in His name, for His glory. Amen.

78 Now, I still am late. Think of this. This may be the last meeting we have together. I may never see you again. You may never see me again until we cross the river. And we all may cross before morning. Remember, this nation is weighed in the balance. We'll get to that when I go to preaching, see. Notice, we don't know when it'll be.
So, Paul preached all night one night, this same gospel. The Lord honored His word when a little fellow fell dead, like Brother Way did the other morning. (He's sitting right here before me now.) Paul laid his body over this boy, and his life come back to him. It's the same thing I did to Brother Way. Shows it's the same God, by the same Word, by the same Spirit, does the same thing. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Then, if He's here... Now look, there's no man can heal you, 'cause you're already healed. Something has to happen in you to tell you that it's for you---and then be persistent.

79 Let's see, what was them cards we give out? Was A's? A's. Oh, you just finished giving out the rest of the A's. All right. Where did we start? Ones, wasn't it? We started, had 15. I believe it was 1 to 15, 1 to 15. Let's start somewhere else along. Let's start from 75, 80, 90. Let's go to 90, 75 to 90. Pick out a little group in there, and start from there, and then get as we go on from there. Just start from there. See if we can get as many as we can prayed for.
Let prayer cards 75 to 90 stand first. That'll give us 15 to start with. We'll see what the Holy Spirit leads. Bring them over here to the right if you will, 15 to 90.

80 Or wait, beg your pardon. What did I say? 75 to 90. There'll be 16. Yeah, 75 to 90, that'd be 16 people. All right, you help me, Brother Vayle. Now if ... if they can't get up, why, you see that they get help down there. All right, Brother Vayle, if you will.
Now I want... How many in here that hasn't got prayer cards, and you know that Jesus Christ can heal you? Raise up your hand. Say, "I want to accept it. I believe it." Ah, we won't have to wait for His Spirit. I done seen Him touch somebody right there in the audience. Amen.
Four cards are missing between 75 and 90. All right, how many out there...? How many way back in the back believe, way back towards the back, way up in the balconies around? Just say, "I believe." Raise up your hand, say, "I believe." All right, that's it. That's good.
Now, if Jesus Christ...

81 While I'm thinking here, I'm waiting to see whether it's really going to take effect on this person or not. Somebody was touched just then. I seen it happen. I've never seen the person in my life, but I looked right at them. I seen it happen. I seen the person get touched by the Holy Spirit. I could have that person stand right up now, and prove that it's the truth (amen) before the line ever starts. She's still praying. She put her handkerchief up to her mouth, sitting right back there. She's got spinal trouble. That's right. Sitting right ... yeah. That's her husband raised his hand.
Listen, I'm stranger to you all, is that right? Do you believe me to be His prophet? Your spinal trouble's going to leave you. And listen, by the way, the man's got his hand up---being as the Holy Spirit struck you... When I talked to your wife, the Holy Spirit struck you. And you got something wrong with you---the growth on the arm. Believe, and it'll leave you. Glory to God! Ask those people if I ever seen them in my life as I know of. They're strangers. But what faith! moving the power of the Holy Ghost. Do you believe? Amen.

82 Do you speak Spanish? Turn around and tell that little girl... She can't speak (Spanish) ... can't speak English, back there. She's got something wrong with her chest. Turn around and tell her, "Jesus Christ heals you, sister." She couldn't even speak English. I seen her talking Spanish.
Now it's got another lady sitting in front of her real excited. And she can't speak English---she's Spanish. And she's got something wrong with her stomach. Sitting in front, you believe with all your heart? Your stomach trouble leaves you, and you can go home and be well. God is the healer. See it strike her? They had to tell her in Spanish before she realized. She can't understand English.
Looky there, people that can't even speak English, but just what they see, they can presume and feel the Spirit, even when they can't even hear. Shame on you! Glory to God! I never seen that done yet. Amen! Ask them people. Why, I can't even speak their language. But you see, it proves you don't have to be in this prayer line. Is that right?
Do you believe?

83 What'd you say "Amen" for, sitting right there? Do you believe that sinus trouble's going to leave you? You do? Stand upon your feet. It leaves you. See, she can hear me, what I'm saying; these couldn't. Now tell me it ain't God. Amen, and amen!
Why can't you be persistent, if those people who can't understand one word of English presses into it? They was of another nation. But God did that, I believe, because I preached that a few minutes ago---a Greek, another nation. She was persistent. Watch them, see what happens.

84 Is this the lady? How do you do? We're strangers to one another. You believe Jesus Christ is present to heal you? I could not. I have no power to heal. I have authority when I receive it from God, to pronounce something that God has done, see. And like Samson, as long as he could feel those locks hanging around, was all right. When I see Him moving among us like this, I know He's here. Don't you?
I see you vomiting, and having vomiting spells. You're worried about your overweight. Then, you've got a growth on your body under your ribs. That's right. Had quite a time getting up here, didn't you? Why did I say getting up here? Because you come from the southwest from here. You come from Missouri. Go back, Jesus Christ makes you well. Have faith.

85 Another woman, colored woman. Don't know her, never seen her. But she's just someone coming here, another race, coming one to another, white and colored race. We're all of one blood. Do you believe the Son of God raised from the dead? and He commissioned His church to do the same thing that He did? Do you believe that? That church cannot die. "Upon this rock I'll build my church; the gates of hell cannot prevail." What was it? Spiritual revelation. If God can reveal to me by His Spirit, you're standing here ... what's wrong with you, just the same as He told that woman at the well, that makes Him the same, because you're ... we're both human beings. Is that right?
Now you're very nervous about something---you're worried. Your mind's all tore up. You've been told something that's got you alarmed. That was that you got a tumor, and the tumor is in your head. That is right. And you're up for an operation, but they're a little scared about it, because you've got a weakness in your heart ... that they're afraid to take the operation because of the weakness of your heart. Jesus Christ strengthens your heart. Do you believe Him? He can heal your tumor. Do you believe Him? Then be persistent. Go on, believe with all your heart.

86 How do you do? Another man---I don't know him. I seen him awhile ago when I come on the platform. I believe he was sitting up here. First time I ever seen you in my life, as far as I know of. All right. Now you're here for some reason. If I, and this Spirit that's upon me (that pillar of fire and light, and so forth, that's been took), if that's of Jesus Christ it'll bear record of the Word. If it doesn't, then it's not of Christ. But you're convinced that it is. You are. And you're suffering with a nervous condition, hemorrhoids that's bothering you. And you're trying to get to see me on something special. It's a spiritual condition. You're a minister, and it's about your church.
Now, I heard that come from you. Quit, you thinking that. "You said it was a minister because they was sitting on this platform."
You know I don't know you, don't you? Do you believe me to be His prophet? Then Rev. Donaldson, you can go back to your home, and believe, and you get well, and everything be all right for you. God bless you.
"If thou canst believe, all things are possible."

87 Do you believe? Do you believe me to be His servant? You know that I cannot do these things? But do you believe that He is doing it, it's Him that's doing it? Do you believe it? That's right. If you'll just... Now, just for this one time, please, be persistent. Let nothing stand in your way. Press right in.
Don't you see, it's Him? Don't you know that's Him? See, He wouldn't identify Himself with some great theologian. That He wasn't. He wouldn't introduce Himself as a church politician. He wasn't. He was God made flesh. God is the Word. And the Word is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Can't you see it's Him? How could a poor, ignorant person like me, with a grammar school education...? No matter if I had ever so much education, you still couldn't do that. It's a paradox. What is it? It's the power of God. Can't you see it, friends? Can't you break that crust away from you?

88 Here's a woman. Look here. I never seen that woman. Here's the Bible laying before me. I never seen that woman in my life, as far as I know of. But her life ... she couldn't hide it. Right. Amen. Not because she's saying "Hallelujah!" Hypocrites can say that. But the woman's a Christian. She's a believer. And if I will tell you, by God's grace, feeling the seven locks of Samson, what your trouble is, you believe me? Will the audience believe? Will every one of you? She'll know whether it's right or not.
First thing, you're suffering with a high blood pressure. You also have diabetes. You have a nervous condition. And you have something wrong with the head. It's an examination. You've got a tumor. It's exactly ... in the head. And you know it's death unless God touches you, or something. Is that right? May the God of heaven, who's standing present now... Come here, let me lay my hands on her. I condemn this devil in the name of Jesus Christ. May it leave you. Amen. God bless you. Go on your road rejoicing.

89 Do you believe? Say, "You was looking her right in the face." You don't have to look her in the face. Look here, I ain't looking this woman in the face. Now you say "She's heavy." That's right. It's thyroid. That's right. But that's not it. That's not what she wants prayer for. She's got a female trouble, a discharge that she wants prayed for. Is that right, lady? It's left you now. Go on your road rejoicing, saying, "Thank You, Lord Jesus." Just believe.
Anemia. You believe that God can heal you? Say, "Thank You, dear Jesus." Go right on your road saying, "Praise God," and believe it.
...look good and strong. You believe God can heal the stomach trouble, and make you well? Go eat... Jesus Christ. Be healed.
If Christ doesn't touch you, you must die, and you know that. That's right. But God can take every devil of cancer, and He can kill the thing and make you well. Do you believe it? Go believe it. In the name of Jesus Christ, may you go and be made well.

90 You don't walk like it just at this time, but you have arthritis. You also have a touch of heart trouble, a little smothering around the heart. Jesus Christ makes you well, if you believe it. Do you? Rejoice then, and say "Thank You, Lord." ... you be made well.
You believe God can heal your back, and make you well? All right, go right on saying, "Thank You, Lord Jesus." That's right.
You believe God can take that ... give you a blood transfusion, and take that sugar out, and make you a real new person? You believe it? Bless you. Go on your road rejoicing, saying, "Thank you, Lord."
Do you believe God can take that tumor and make you well? Go right on rejoicing.
... God can heal your arthritis, straighten your back up, make you well? You believe it? Go on your road rejoicing.
Do you believe me to be His prophet? I don't know you. God does know you. You're sick yourself, but your big interest is in somebody else. Two sick people, real sick---cancer, dying. Believe with all your heart. Take them ... lay it on them. Believe, and don't doubt, and they'll get well. Have faith.

91 All right, sir. I believe you're one of the ministers that sat on the platform here. As far as knowing you, I don't. Jesus Christ knows your heart. He knows what's in man. Do you believe that? If God will tell me what your trouble is, then are you ready? You are. You ministers know this man, I believe? All right, you know him. All right. The thing of it is, that you're really ... the trouble is you're suffering from a nervous breakdown. You're having some kind of a mental scruples in your mind. It's oppression from Satan. This has been going on for some time. It's caused your body to get weak. Your heart's weak. You're in a very bad shape. By this, your whole family is just about into a breakdown. Sir, you've been waiting for a word, haven't you? Do you accept my word? Then in the name of Jesus Christ, I send you home to be well. That devil's been lying to you.
Are you believing? Do you believe?

92 Now put your hands over on one another. Now I want you to pray with me. Lord Jesus, your great divine presence... There's no one could doubt. Everyone knows that You're here. They know that it's You now. Let them be persistent. Let these, Lord, who these miracles ... a whole line full of them, sixteen here in the line, and a group out there in the audience. Above anything that any man on earth could do himself, no earthly man here could do these things except God be there. We know it. How perfect. How exact. I pray Thee, Father, to let the people see this, and let them be perseverant now. They have their hands on one another. And in their hearts is beating high the royal blood of Jesus Christ, by faith flowing from one to another.
And now, Lord, hear the prayer of your servant. As your servant, I condemn every sickness, every disease that's in the divine presence of the resurrected Christ. May the devil lose his hold. May each soldier now, with his sword locked against Satan's doubt, with a persistent faith, rise, pressing that sword, until it strikes the innermost part of that devil, and drives him completely away. In the name of Jesus Christ, if you'll believe it and be persistent, you're all healed, in the name of Jesus Christ.