The Patriarch Abraham

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... the book of Genesis again, the twenty-second chapter, beginning with the fifteenth verse. And we expect now just to speak for a few moments and start the service. Genesis twenty-two, beginning with the fifteenth verse:
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sands which are upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

2 What a promise!---because of obedience. Obedience is what God wants. It was once said, "Obedience is better than sacrifice." To obey the Lord is better than any sacrifice that you could do.
We're facing now a grand text tonight: the patriarch Abraham, which was called the father of the faith, because that God made him the promise to inherit the earth, and his seed. And it's through Abraham, we, being dead in Christ, become Abraham's seed, and are heirs with him according to the promise.

3 Now, Abraham was just an ordinary man---wasn't something special. God never called him, as far as we have any record, until he was seventy-five years old; his wife, which was his half-sister, being sixty-five years old at the time. They'd probably lived together since they were very young, and she was barren and had no children.
God called a complete separation: to separate himself from the rest of the world, and from all of his people, and from all of his kindred. There was a special thing for him to do. And when God expects you to do a special thing, He demands a complete separation from any doubt. You've got to come to full obedience to obey what He says. God demands it. You can't do it no other way. And that ... He always sets an example, and that was his example of a complete separation---from all of his family, all of his kindred, and so forth, to walk a life separated to God.

4 Years passed. Nothing happened; but still Abraham held on. He was not discouraged. He never staggered at the promises of God through unbelief but was strong, giving praise to God. Year by year as it went by, no doubt many critics come by and said, "Abraham, father of nations, how many children do you have now?" That didn't stagger him. No child, and Sarah was past the time of life of bearing children, 'course way beyond menopause. But still Abraham believed God, just the same.
He made preparations for the baby, because he knew, and was fully persuaded, that God could not make a promise that He wasn't big enough to back up. His seed should think the same thing. Regardless of how unreal it seems, how unnatural it seems to the natural mind, yet God cannot make a promise that he's not big enough to take care of. We believe that same thing today. Every true seed of Abraham believes the same thing. No matter what circumstances in how much knowledge we've accumulated, how many things has happened, (how unnatural it is to the natural mind) how foolish it is, rather, to the natural mind, it doesn't make a bit of difference. If God said so, that's it. And the seed of Abraham are settled upon thus saith the Lord. That settles it.

5 We find out twenty-five years later, no children. And still, God was faithful to keep his promise to Abraham for Abraham believed God. The little boy came on the scene---little Isaac.
Then after little Isaac had come on the scene, then we find out that God gave him a double test. He said, "This child [after being now about a hundred and fifteen years old, or twenty, Abraham was]," He said, "Now, I want you to take this, your only son, and take him up to the mountain that I will show you; and there offer him up on this mountain for a sacrifice." In other words, destroy every evidence that he had that the promise would be fulfilled. That's taking away all the natural things.
And Abraham said, "I received him as one from the dead, and I am fully persuaded that He is able to raise him up from the dead."
That's the people now, the seed of Abraham, because He raised us from the dead. We were dead in sin and trespasses, and He who is able to change my mind, change my thought, change my nature, change me all over, He can do as He pleases. Whatever He says, I believe it's the truth, and every seed of Abraham believes the same thing.

6 Abraham, not disobedient to God, taken the little boy and on this morning told the servants, "You wait here with the mules, and the son and I will go yonder to worship, and he and I will return." Oh, how is he going to do it, when he goes on top of the mountain to take his own son's life? Yet he says, "The child [the lad] and I will return." He knowed that something had to happen, and he didn't know just how God was going to do it. That isn't his question. He knowed that God promised it. That's all we care to know---God promised it. How's it going to be? I can't tell you, but God said so.
He'll send Jesus Christ the second time. He will come in a physical form. He will claim his own. There will be one thousand years' millennium reign upon this earth with Him, with the redeemed. That's what He promised, and we are looking for that hour to approach. He promised to heal the sick, to raise to the dead, to cast out devils. He promised to do it. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. How? I don't know. He promised to do it, we believe it. That settles it.
Man believes God, he believes all He said---and that's the way Abraham believed God. Now he's asked to destroy every evidence that his promise would be taken care of, but he was persuaded that God could do it.

7 Now, not only did He give this great promise, He give it to his seed also. And because Abraham was faithful, and kept the Word of God that God promised him, and knowed that God could raise up this child, and he spared not his own child, but God ... was a type of God giving his son, of course, as he packed the wood up the mountain, and so forth, as Christ later packed his own sacrifice block up the hill to where He was crucified.

8 We realize that in this, in doing this, it pleased God so well to see that Abraham loved Him above every thing on earth, even his only son... He loved Him above what anybody could say, anybody could do. He still loved God enough to believe his Word. All Abraham's seed believes God like that. They are believing God.
And we know that it pleased God so well that here's what He said. "Thy seed shall possess the gates of its enemy." Thy seed shall possess the gates of its enemy. Remember, that's thus saith the Lord. Abraham's seed believes that. If you're genuine seed of Abraham, the faith that Abraham had in God is in you. And you believe that what God has said, God keeps his promise.

9 And He said... Now remember, He only made this promise to Abraham after He had give him a test. The seed of Abraham must first be tested to see if they really believe the Word. Remember, the only way that he could keep the promise of God ... because he believed the promise of God, and was tested whether he believed it or not.
We're brought to that test. The seed of Abraham today is brought to that test. Will we take God's Word, or will we take what man said about it? Will we take what some organization has made up as a creed and accept that, or do we take what God said? If God's Word is true, we believe God's Word regardless of what anything else is. We let every man's word be a lie, and God's be the truth---the true seed of Abraham. But before you can become that true seed you've got to go through the test like Abraham did himself. He promised not only to Abraham, but his seed would possess the enemies' gates.
Oh, my!

10 Just think, the patriarch was fully persuaded in that... In his test of the promise of the Word of God was right, regardless of what the circumstances was, he still believed the Word was right. The ... Abraham, the great patriarch, never wavered in faith when he was brought to that testing time. He believed that God was able to raise him up from the dead. He believed it, because God made the promise. And when God made a promise that he would be the father of nations, and he believed that that was going... He didn't know how it would be. When the baby come, after he'd trusted twenty-five years, and asked to destroy the baby, he still knew that God's promise was true, and he gave his son.

11 His seed, the same thing.
The promise of God is a seal to those who are the seed of Abraham. The promise is a seal, a signed witness. And when we believe every promised Word, then the seal is given to us to confirm the promise by.
See, if we, being the seed of Abraham, we go through the test whether we're going to believe the Bible or not. The Bible is the Word of God, because it is God.
And then, after you've went through the test, to believe when some of them says, "The days of miracles is past..." If you accept that, that's contrary to the Word. If you say you do not receive the Holy Ghost today, there's no such a thing, just the twelve apostles received it... The Word says (Peter preaching it on the day of Pentecost), he said, "Repent every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

12 That's just exactly what it means. It's...
Now, if you are ready to take the test, of God's acid test, and follow that prescription, I'm telling you, you'll find out that God keeps his Word if you'll believe it. That's right. But you got to go through that, because that's the seal. When you can receive it, then you will receive the promise. Because it's God's prescription, the way we should do it, and that's the way we've got to follow it ---just what He said.
Now, not just to some, but to "whosoever"---whosoever believeth, whosoever repenteth, whosoever believeth. It's to all generations, to all people, whosoever wants to believe it. And faith in God's Word brings you to this promise.
Then, and then only, can you have power to possess the seal of the promise. And the promise that we receive the seal is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That's right, for that is God in form of Spirit. You being... His Word in you, then He comes in as you receive the Word. The Holy Spirit is the only thing that can make that live. And then you have the promise of possessing the gate of every enemy that tries to attack you. God promised it, and it's so.

13 Now, remember, you can only do it, then and then only, after being tested by the Word.
Abraham was tested by the Word. "Will you believe, Abraham, that you'll have a son?"
"Yes." The son come.
"Now destroy him. Do you still believe it, Abraham?"
"I believe it, yes, for You are able to raise him up from the dead."
And after that, He said, "Now your seed shall possess the gate of its enemy." Amen! After the test come!
Let's check up on some of the seed of Abraham in the natural seed (which, we being today the spiritual seed). But let's find out by the natural seed, of some of them that believed the full promise of God and never questioned [interruption].

14 I said, "By the way, what does a Christian girl want to show her underneath skirt for?" I can't understand that. You're borned again of God. You got the beauty of the Holy Ghost to show, that what you are... You are ... you've got virtue that these scandal skirts don't have. That's right. A real woman of God that stands out with virtue, you might be laughed at and called old-fashioned. But you got something that they can't touch---and done lost it, and never can have it again. That's right. You got virtue. That's what God looks for is virtue, see.

15 But the first thing, this is a question in your mind. Don't you do it at all. Don't you come in the prayer line if it's a question in your mind. Don't you come unless you absolutely believe it emphatically, there's not a wave in your mind at all, but what you're going to be healed. Then you'll go off this platform a well person. That's right. Not a question in your mind at all. You must believe God. Not make believe; really believe.
And the seed of Abraham believes it because the Word said so. That's the reason we believe it, not because somebody's criticized, because somebody else said so. Because God said so, that makes it the truth. God says it, that settles all question. He's the last word. He's the ultimate. When God says anything, that settles it. There's nothing else can speak against it. "Every man's word be a lie, and mine be the truth."

16 Now, as we check some of these seeds, let's think. We think of the Hebrew children. I have here, thinking of that on the Hebrew children, after they had been tested against image worship... Now you remember, the king said, "Whosoever will not bow down to this image shall be throwed into the fiery furnace." Now these children believed that God's Word was right, that they should not worship any kind of an image.
But when they come to the showdown, and they were tested whether they would (when all the rest of the children down there received and went to the worship. They went right on in the way the king said. They went with the popular thought of the day that they must do it.), and when they were tested whether they would worship images and break the Word of God, they stayed true to the Word. Regardless of the circumstances, they stayed true to the Word. And when they throwed them into the fiery furnace God's promise was fulfilled. They possessed the gates of their enemy. And there's a fourth man standing in there with a key that unlocked the heat from the fire, and it could not do nothing but set them free.

17 When a man or a woman is ready to take the test, the acid test... You see, they had to go in the fire. And then, when they did, they was in the fire and the only thing that taken place---this fiery test---only unlocked ... took the bands off of their hands. Many times God lets us, when we get all (bounded up) with the world bound up, He lets the fiery test come upon us where we have to make a decision.
And when we do that... The only thing a test can do, when a real seed of Abraham is standing at the crossroads of a decision, and he makes his decision to serve God, He can only cut the bands loose and make us free. Satan might give you a disease. He might give you one thing or another. How do you know it's not God's...? He's got you on the crossroads to see what kind of a decision you'll make.

18 They possessed the gate of the fire. The fire could not burn them. There wasn't even the smell of fire upon them, because they knowed that they were the seed of Abraham, and they stood for God and his Word. They possessed the gate of the enemy, and the fire could not burn them because they possessed the gate.

19 Later there was a man, a prophet down there by the name of Daniel. He was ... had the test whether he would serve one true God or not. When it come to that time whether he would serve one true God or worship a heathen god, he refused to do it, and throwed up the blinds and prayed to his God every day. He was took by that penalty of the federal laws, and was throwed into a lion's den. A hungry bunch of lions roared out after him. What did he do? He possessed the gate of his enemy. The lions could not eat him. God sent out a pillar of fire, and the angel sit between him and the lion. He possessed the gate of the enemy because he was tested to see whether he would worship one true God, or have a dozen heathen gods that he worshipped.
So he stood the test, and he possessed the gate of the enemy. The lion could not even touch him because God was with him. God's promise stayed true, for he was a true seed of Abraham.

20 Moses, oh, another great one---he was tested also to see the promise that God give him. "I'll be with you when you go down there." And when he stood before the impersonators of his gift, Jannes and Jambres tried to stand up and impersonate the very thing that Moses was commanded to do. And God had called him, and he knowed he was the one that was commissioned to do this. And he stood there and performed the miracle as God told him to do it and there stood the impersonators to do the same thing. But it did not bother Moses. He stood true to the Word of God, and he possessed the gates (Amen!) because he stood true to the promise of God, no matter who has tried to impersonate it.

21 What a lesson that is to every Christian. When you look around and see a hypocrite, you just remember he's trying to impersonate a genuine article. But that only means there is one who is genuine. Stand true to the Word of God, no matter what comes or goes. Keep his promise.
Yes, Daniel stayed true to the Word of God, no matter how many tried to impersonate Him and everything else. He stayed true. And he come for a purpose---to take Israel out of Egypt and to take them into the promised land. And when it come time for them to go into the promised land out of Egypt, there stood the Dead Sea in the way. And he possessed the gates of the water, and the gate flew open and the water fell back, and Moses took Israel into the wilderness, into the mountain where God commissioned to bring them. He possessed the gates of the enemy.
His father Abraham had had that promise, that his true seed would possess the gate of the enemy. And the gates of the water was closed and he could not get through. And that was the path of duty. He was supposed to bring those children to that mountain. God told him to. And there stood the gate in the way, and he possessed the gate of the enemy.

22 Joshua, a little later when they come to Kadesh-barnea, which was the judgment seat of the world at that time, there Israel met its judgment. We find Joshua with Caleb and twelve others, or ten others---one out of each tribe---were sent over to spy out the land they were ready to receive.
And when they seen those great giants standing there, ten of them felt so bad they said, "We cannot take it, it's too great. Why, look at the opposition we got."
But when they come back to bring the report, they brought a evil report. Why would they bring a evil report, if God told them, "I have give you that land. It's yours." He told him down in Egypt, "I have give you this land. It's a good land. It's flowing with milk and honey."
But when they seen the opposition so great, ten of them come back and said, "We can't do it."
It was Joshua---he stilled the people, and said, "We're more than able to possess it. We're more than able." Because why? He was looking at the promise. He was a true seed of Abraham. Regardless of what the opposition was, "We can possess the gate because God promised the land." And he possessed the gate.

23 Later on, when he brought the children of Israel down to the river, there stood in the month of April the great rivers swelling, the Jordan coming down out the mountains, and she spread across the plains. Looked like the worst time of the year that he could be there. But yet, he was Abraham's seed, he knowed he had a promise, and he was in the line of duty. God give him a vision of how to do it, and he possessed the gate to the river. When the gates flew open, the water backed plumb up into the mountains. And Joshua and Israel possessed the gates of the enemy and crossed into the promised land, because God told him to do it. True seed of Abraham.

24 Brothers and sisters, when he got over there, Jericho was all walled up---high enough that they could run three chariots across the top. How could these Israelites---seeing it was barred, picked up swords and everything, and sticks and stones---how were they to go to go in there? But he was still the seed of Abraham. God give him a vision, told him how to do it. Said, "Sound a trumpet. That's it. Let out a shout. March up towards the wall, the gates will fall before you." He was the royal seed of Abraham. He was God's real believer. "The gates'll drop down before you. Just let out a shout and sound the trumpet. That's all you have to do." And what happened? The gates fell down, and Joshua took the city.

25 A little later on we find out that the enemy was routing and going on, after that, and even he stopped the sun in its tracks. As I spoke the other morning on "The Paradox," he stopped the sun until he possessed the gates of his enemy. Amen!
He knowed if that enemy ever got together again... They were scattered, and the sun was going down. And the Amorites and the Amalekites and so forth was scattered through. If they ever got together again they'd come together. Then he'd have a hard time ever getting them to rout again. And there was only one thing that was holding: that was time. And he stopped time! Amen! Amen! There was one thing keeping them from the promise. That was the sun---nature itself---crossing over. And he stopped nature! Why? He was the seed of Abraham. He believed God's promise. He stopped him and possessed the gates. Yes, sir!
These great men---all of them are great men. But you know, one day, every one of them, when they come to the gate of death, they all die. Every one of them had to die. Because they were great men, they stopped the mouth of lions, and escaped the fire, and the edge of the sword, and so forth as we're told in Hebrews 11. And they possessed the gates of the enemy---all but one enemy, and that was death. Death swallowed every one of them up.

26 Then, one day, along come the royal seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Abraham's seed by faith, not through Isaac, the natural seed. They did their part. But here come one who was not natural born. Here come one that never come by sexual desire. Here come one by virgin birth, the Son of God, the seed of Abraham. What a great man this was. Other naturals was all born natural birth; this man was born a virgin birth.
What did He do when He come on earth? He conquered every enemy that Satan had. He conquered everything! What did He do? He set out and He conquered sickness. There could be no sickness around Him. Wherever sickness was, He conquered it.
What did He do after He conquered it? He give us the keys---amen!---saying, "Whatever you bind on earth, I'll bind it in heaven." Amen! That's the royal seed of Abraham as promised, the Holy Ghost in us now, with the keys holding to sickness. He conquered sickness. Sickness cannot stand in his presence, and He said that He gave us the keys to do the same thing---conquer sickness. "Whatever you bind on earth, I'll bind in heaven."
Also temptation. He was tempted in every manner like we was. What did He do? He conquered it. What did He say to us? "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." He conquered sickness for us. He conquered temptation for us. Broke down the gates, took the key away from the tempter, and handed it over to the believer of Abraham's seed; and said, "If he tempts you, resist him, and he'll flee from you." Oh my! Resist him!

27 He conquered both death and hell. He rose up on the third day, saying, "I have overcome, and because I live you live also." Oh, what a promise! That's to the seed of Abraham. He conquered the grave, rose up on the third day for our justification. When He rose up He was our justification. What does that make us?
He conquered sickness, He conquered death, He conquered hell, He conquered the grave, He conquered temptation! Oh, now we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave his life for us, being the royal seed of Abraham with the same Spirit of God in us that was in Him.
We are more than conquerors. Every gate has been conquered for us. The only thing we have to do is possess it. It's already conquered. Sickness is conquered, death is conquered, hell is conquered, the grave is conquered, everything is conquered! We hold the keys by his grace. Are you afraid to stick them in the lock and say, "I come in the name of Jesus Christ? [Ask the Father anything in my name, I'll honor it.]"

28 After two thousand years have passed, two thousand years, He's still... Here He is in our midst, the mighty conqueror that rent the veil in two; that took every sickness, every disease, everything upon Himself and bore our infirmities to the cross, and our sickness and our diseases and triumphed over them; raised up for our justification, and stands alive after two thousand years, to manifest Himself as the living Jesus Christ amongst the royal seed of Abraham who are heirs of all things. Oh, my! Those who, after, goes through the test promise of the Word.
If you can believe the Word, then you are also the seed of Abraham. That's how you come to it.

29 If you can't take that Word test then... If you doubt it, little suspicious of it, you can't hardly believe it, there's something or other you can't believe it, then don't you come in the prayer line. I wouldn't even fool around the altar until you can get enough grace to know that God's Word is true. And you once break through that veil of unbelief, then you got the keys in your hands of death, hell, and the grave, because you've got a conqueror who conquered for you. And you got Hebrews 13:8 that tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
How can we do it?

30 The people today say, "Oh, well, I'll tell you, He's ... in a certain way, He is." He is the same, the Bible says. "Oh, well, He doesn't do today like He did." We find it right now, when we see his Word vindicated. What does it do? It throws it right back into their lap again. Amen! The real seed of Abraham pleased ... that they know it.
And He stands tonight as He met Abraham up there, in the days of Lot, and performed that miracle, as He did with telling Sarah what she said behind Him. Jesus promised the royal seed of Abraham that the church would see that same thing just before his coming. What is it? It's got to happen---God promised it. Jesus Christ confirmed it and said it would be so. And here we are today, after two thousand years, He'd be in our midst still the mighty conqueror.
He conquered death, hell, grave, all superstitions, took the Word and brought it to you.

31 He said, "If ye abide in Me and my words in you, ask what you will and it shall be given to you." What was it? The Word, Christ, that's in your heart. "If ye abide in Me, my words abide in you, then you've conquered everything 'cause I conquered it for you. If ye abide in Me [if you can understand Me], if you can abide in Me [he that believeth Me, that receiveth Me, not just make-belief, but can receive]... He that heareth my words [understandeth my words], and believeth on Him that sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into (temptation, or) condemnation, but has passed from death unto life."
There He is, the mighty conqueror.

32 Here He is today, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Here He is performing before the seed of Abraham that's been called out of Babylon, called out of Sodom, called out of the world and separated, showing his promise just exactly true after two thousand years. Here He stands in the midst of us tonight---that mighty conqueror, the Word of God, who can discern the thoughts that's in the heart and the intents thereof.
What is it? God's seed shall possess the gates of its enemy. What is it? It's the seed of Abraham, the royal seed, believing the Word, and the Word is God.

33 Now, when we see this we should scream out with them, like the poet of old,
Living, He loved me; dying He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
Some day He's coming---oh, glorious day!
Someone said, "You're getting old, boy." I can't help that. I've lived since I was a little boy, and my only achievement I've ever had is to see Jesus Christ coming. I gave my life for that purpose. I still in the pulpit, as an old man, I believe the same story. And the greatest thing I can think of is to see Jesus Christ coming from the heavens to receive his own. God's... Oh, my! No wonder we can sing
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

34 Why? He is the mighty conqueror. If you're in Him, you're in the Word. He said, "If ye abide in Me, ask what you will." What you will, for every gate has already been conquered.
Then we can say,
For every promise in the Book is mine,
Every chapter, every verse is mine.
I'm trusting in his Word divine,
For every promise in the Book is mine."
Friends, do you realize what that means? Every promise that God made Abraham, every promise that was spoke by the prophet, every promise that Jesus Christ promised for this day, He's here to confirm it, and to show that He lives forevermore. Thy seed shall possess the enemies' gates

35 when it comes down to the hour of death. You say, "What about that?" You still have that possession.
As Paul said, "Oh grave, where is thy victory? Oh death, where is thy sting? But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through that mighty conqueror, Jesus Christ." Oh, let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all. Tonight, after two thousand years, we stand to see Him, yet the mighty conqueror, who rent the veil that separated us from any promise of God. And we are more than conquerors through Him. Let us pray.

36 Heavenly Father, as we stand here tonight, in the presence of the Holy Ghost, that great person of Jesus Christ in spirit form, who was promised to come upon the seed of Abraham (the royal seed), we pray, O God, if there's a man or woman, boy or girl, in here that doesn't know You---they got doubt and frustrations in their mind about the Word of God, whether it is the truth or not---O great God, who made the promise, come tonight.
There's one great promise you made, Lord. You can keep that promise. You said, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he also. Greater than this will he do, for I go to the Father." Father God, we pray that You'll confirm your Word.

37 There's many of the children of Abraham here tonight that's sick. Oh, the devil has gated them up. They've put them on the inside and they've turned the keys and said, "Now you must die. You have heart trouble, you've got this, that, or the other, and you must die." O God, may the jubilee trumpet sound tonight of the gospel, that every slave can go free.
Jesus Christ has conquered those gates. We hold the keys in our hands. Oh, "In my name they shall cast out devils. If you ask the Father anything in my name, I'll do it. He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he also. The Word of God is sharper and more powerful than a two-edged sword, cutting to the asunder the marrow, and even a discerner of the thoughts that's in the heart.
"And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man. For they were eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage. [Great building programs---and we watch the world; there will be signs, spherical sights in the heaven above. There's the flying saucers.]
"Earthquakes in divers places, the sea roaring [tidal waves], men's heart failing for fear, distress between nations, perplexity of time. And as it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." O God, come tonight and perform thy Word. Come tonight and honor the faith of the children of Abraham. Through Jesus Christ's name we ask it. Amen.

38 The Lord bless you richly. I'm not going to make the altar call just at this time. I'm going to leave it up to you. I think that many times altar calls... I believe in them, but "as many as received was baptized." That's as many as received Him.
Going to pray for the sick. I could speak here all night. You're a lovely audience. But what I say is just a man. But if I say his words then it isn't my word---it's his Word. If I say something and it ... God doesn't back it up, then that was my word. If I say his Word and He backs it up, who is that sinful man or woman, boy or girl, that will walk away and say it isn't so?

39 Jesus said... When He did these things they said, "This man's a fortuneteller. He's a devil, a fortuneteller." Anybody knows that fortunetelling's of the devil. They said, "He's a fortuneteller." Did you ever see a fortuneteller preaching the gospel? Did you ever see a fortuneteller casting out devils? No indeedy, they don't do it.
He said, "Now I, the Son of man, will forgive you for this, but when the Holy Ghost is come, to speak against it will never be forgiven in this world or the world to come,"---because it's calling the work of God an unclean spirit.
God be merciful to us tonight. I pray that God will come down and confirm this Word before you.

40 Brother, sister, this is my soul. I've got to meet God. I'm responsible for what I say to you. God'll hold me responsible for it. That is right. What good would it do me to stand here and say these things if I knowed I was condemning my soul to hell? "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death."
God needs no interpreter, as I have said. He interprets his own Word. The seed of Abraham shall possess the gate of the enemy. Do you believe it?

41 If I could heal you I would do it. Christ has already healed you. The only thing, you have the key in your hand. That key is your faith to take ahold of it. Unlock it tonight, won't you, while He comes into our midst, that mighty conqueror that conquered every disease? And He come here and showed you that He done it. For He still is the Word, and the Word is the discerner of the thoughts that's in the heart.

42 [Brother Branham speaks to someone on platform.] Let's start from 50. Who has prayer card B50? Raise up your hands. Prayer card B. We started from 1 the other night. Now we're going to start from 50. Who has B50? Hold up your hand. Prayer card B50. You mean it's not here? Do you have it? All right. B50, B51. Who has that? B51? All right. B52, who has B52? All right. You have it? B53, 54. Come right over here. 54, 55.
A boy comes down here right before I come in and makes up a bunch of cards and ... see how they are---one here and one there? They don't know. You might come down here, this row, and get one; the next one get ten; next one get twenty-five. We don't know where it's at, but wherever they are...
Now, how many did we call? Five? Four? B50, wasn't it? B50 to B55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. Now let's see. One, two, count them, Billy, will you? 60, 70. Let them stand up first, if you will. B50 to 70, 75. Count it, Brother Roy, if you will, while I'm talking to the audience.

43 How many out there now, as you look this way, you haven't got a prayer card? Remember, Jesus said, "The works that I do shall you do also." Is that true? That's true. Do you believe it? The seed of Abraham said so. The Bible says that He is a high priest---Hebrews the fourth chapter---He's the high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Do you believe it? If He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, how would He do it?
There was a little woman in the Bible, as you notice what I'm saying, a little woman in the Bible. Maybe she didn't have a prayer card, but she said in her heart, "If I could touch that man... I believe Him." She spent all she had with the doctors. They couldn't help her---her case was too great. They could not help her, but she believed that God would help her. And she touched his border of his garment.
And He said, "I perceive that virtue's gone from Me." Is that right? Do you believe He's the same tonight? Do you believe He's here? How many believe He raised from the dead?
Now, how can you prove He raised from the dead?

44 Not long ago a famous Baptist man come to me, and he said, "Brother Branham, I was defeated one time by a Mohammedan who said that. He said that if He's raised, He promised that He would do the same thing. Let's see Him do it." See, they believe that He didn't do it, but we do believe that He does it. We believe that He's raised from the dead. There's not another religion in the world that can prove that their founder is living but Christianity, and the only way God can confirm it is through those who believe it. For that's the only way that God does perform his Word, is those who believe it.

45 Now, while they're lining up this little prayer line here---don't know how many we'll get---I want each one of you to hold your position. Hold your seats. Don't move around. Look this way and pray. Say, "Lord Jesus, I believe."
Remember, You told me if you get the people to believe you and then be sincere when you pray. That's been across this nation back and forth for fifteen years. Not one time did it fail. It can't fail. God ... one thing God can't do---that's fail. He's got to keep his Word. I believe that. I believe that just as well as I, more than I believe I'm standing here, more than I believe I'm in this building. This could be a mirage. It could be a dream. In my soul I know Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lives. You, being the seed of Abraham, you being dead in Christ, you're Abraham's seed.

46 Now we got some handkerchiefs here. Great success is done by this---people who believe. Now let us bow our heads, while they're getting ready, to pray for these. Heavenly Father, we're taught in the Bible... And there's people here who believe every word that You said is the truth. Lord, sometimes they stagger and punch the key hole with the key, missing it and scraping, but they believe it's there. Just let them keep punching. They'll find it, for it's there, and that key is the right key. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible," as the song is being (sang now, or) played.
In the Bible it says that Paul taken from his body handkerchiefs and aprons and sent them to the sick and afflicted, and unclean spirits left the people. They were healed. Now, Lord, we know St. Paul is with You---but it wasn't him; it was You, Lord, Christ in him. "Not me that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me," he said. And now to this generation, You're still Christ today as You was yesterday. As I pray over these handkerchiefs, touch them, I pray that You'll defeat every enemy. Give them faith to let them know that the enemy is defeated.
One time the Red Sea, as we just spoke of, had Israel cut off from the promise. They was in the line of duty. One writer said that God looked down with angry eyes through that pillar of fire, and the sea got scared and opened up its gates, and they went across. Look down tonight through the blood of Jesus Christ. May, when these handkerchiefs is laid upon the sick, may the enemy see our faith tonight as we pray this prayer of faith for them. And may each one be delivered in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

47 Now I want your undivided attention. Ever who's on the mike up here might step it up, because if the Holy Spirit should do this... I don't say that He will. I... Anyone comes here and tells you that they have power to heal the sick, don't you believe it. The power is all in Christ. He is the conqueror---not you and I. We just accept what He's done. No man has power to save or to heal. Every man in the world, the price has already been paid. The requirement has been paid. How was it? He was wounded for our transgressions, with his stripes we were healed.
Your healing's paid for. Your salvation's paid for. Have you got the faith to come accept it? You're Abraham's seed if you have. God promised to do something in you that says it's there, and it is.

48 Now, what is the gift? Is the gift to go out and heal people? No. A gift is to get yourself out of the way so God can use you.
Now, He promised that the last sign, according to Jesus Christ ... as it was in the days of Sodom just before it burned. Not before other things taken place. The gospel was preached by Lot, and so forth. Not that. But just before it was burned, God came down in the form of a man and sat with the elected church, Abraham and his group, who had the promise.
Now remember, just Abraham's seed receives it. "A little while and the world seeth me no more," Jesus said. "You shall see me, for I'll be with you, in you, to the end of the world." But He promised just before that He'd return again as it was in Sodom... Look what Sodom's getting; look what the elect church is getting. Said, "So shall it be at the coming of the Son of man---God manifested in a form of a man that, with his back turned to the tent, told what Sarah did on the inside of the tent. Everybody knows that's the truth, raise your hand. That's exactly. Now He promised it. We're at the end time.
Now remember, that was the last thing to happen, and the Gentile world was burnt up---Sodom---and the promised son came on the scene. We're looking for a promised son, the Son of God.

49 Here we are. May God open your eyes. I know nothing else to say---may He open your eyes.
Now heavenly Father, I'm as helpless ... I'm a bunch of clay that You molded together, set out here. O God, may I tonight have your grace and presence, that it might be You might use these little lumps of clay that You've got in here; that those, Lord, who You've called to eternal life and maybe haven't accepted it as yet, may they see these promises. They might have been taught that was for another day, but here it is in the Bible. Confirm it, Lord. That's your own interpretation. It needs no more than that. If You'll just make it so, then they'll see that the Word is true. Grant it, Father. We commit ourselves to You. Let every person in here, Lord, use their faith tonight. May every member of the tribe of Abraham through Jesus Christ have faith tonight and accept your presence. We'll give You the praise. Amen.

50 Now, just to let... Now, this is a strange... I want you to help me---pray for me. Sit real quiet. Don't move around. Sit still. Pray. Now it's just changing from evangelism over to relax yourself in such a way that the Spirit of God can take you completely into another dimension.
Now here stands... Come over here, that's right, so I don't want to get away from this mike, see. I don't know what happens, you see, we ... sometimes we ... now, only way I know it is from the mike. There's no way of trying to catch it out there, and I just don't know what...

51 Now we're strangers to one another. I don't know you. I never seen you in my life, but you're a lot younger than I. We was probably born miles apart and years apart. This is our first time meeting. Is that right? If it is, raise up your hand so the audience can see that.
She's just a woman standing here. Look, take it back to the Scripture. Let's take St. John 4. Each one of you read it when you go home. Not that this woman is that type of a woman---I don't know. And you know that I'm not Jesus Christ. But He's here. It's Him. Now his Spirit anointing us can reveal her trouble, as He did to the woman at the well---same thing. And by that, where the priests and the leaders of that day said, "This man is a fortuneteller, a devil, Beelzebub"; this woman said, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. We know that the Messiah is coming and that will be his sign."
How many know that's true? Well, if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, wouldn't that be a sign tonight? Did He promise it would be, just before the end of time? Now, see if He keeps his promise to Abraham's seed.

52 Now, if anybody in here thinks that's wrong, you come up here and do the same thing. If it isn't, then don't say nothing about it. You have the privilege. Now, in Christ's name I take every spirit under my control, to the glory and honor of God.

53 I'll just have to talk to you a moment, young lady. You know, our Lord talked to that woman at the well. He said, "Bring me a drink." What was He doing? Now watch. He said in St. John 5, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the son [that was Him---body] can do nothing within Myself, only as He seen the Father doing. What the Father doeth, He showeth the Son. [See.] I can do nothing within myself, but as I see the Father do it." Then Jesus never performed one miracle until first God showed Him by vision---not told Him in his ear, but showed Him. "What I see [not hear] see the Father doing. That's what made Him a prophet likened unto Moses, as Moses said.
Now when ... he knowed the Father ...

54 He was only going to Jericho, but He had need to go by Samaria, and He came up to the city of Sychar. Now, see, the Samaritans was looking for a Messiah. The Jews was looking for it and He showed them his sign. Philip, Nathanael, Peter, as soon as that sign was done, they said, "You're the Son of God." The rabbis said, "This man's Beelzebub."
Well, now, remember, the Gentiles, we were the Anglo-Saxon ---we wasn't looking for no Messiah. We were heathens, Romans and so forth. We wasn't looking for no Messiah. He only comes for those who are looking for Him.

55 But the Samaritans was looking for Him, so He had to go by them, up by Samaria. He sat down at the well. A young lady, probably about your age, come out. She was a woman of ill-fame. You've read the story. And He said, "Woman, bring me a drink."
She said, "It's not customary for You, a Jew, to ask a Samaritan such."
He said, "But if you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink." The conversation went on. Finally He found where her trouble was. You remember what it was? She had too many husbands. He said, "Go get your husband, come here."
She said, "I have none."
He said, "You've said well," said, "because you've had five, and the one you're living with now is not yours."
She said, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. We know if the Messiah cometh He'll tell us these things."
He said, "I am He."
She left her water pots, ran into the city, and said, "Come see a man who told me what I did. Isn't this the Messiah?" They hadn't had a prophet for hundreds of years, and here was a man that claimed to be the Messiah, and proved to be a prophet, and showed the sign of the Messiah.

56 Would it make you believe the same thing if He did the same thing, being He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and it's promised in the Scripture that He would do it? Will it make the audience believe?
You suffer with a kidney trouble. If that's right raise up your hand. Why is that always bounced in my face? Somebody says, "He guessed that." I never guessed that. Here, she's a nice woman. Do you believe me? Now, you know I never guessed that. Let me say something else. Your husband's with you. He's suffering too, isn't he? A spinal condition---that's right, isn't it? You got a little boy with you. He's suffering too. You want him prayed for. He's got something wrong with his eye. That's right. You got a little girl with you. She's got kidney trouble, like you. Is that right? Now, you can all be well if you'll believe. Do you believe it? God bless you. Go on your road and be well.

57 Do you believe? He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. What is it? What's He trying to do? To you seed of Abraham He's showing you that He is not dead. I can't do those things. He's not dead, but He's a-living, showing you that you have a right to possess the gates of your enemy. That should settle it.

58 This lady ... come this way just a moment. We're around somewhere the same age, I suppose, but we are strangers to each other, so far as I know. I don't know you, and we're strangers. I know nothing of you. If that's right, raise up your hand. Just, some of you get prayer cards, and here you are.
All right, now, if the Lord Jesus ... if I ... maybe say I was trying to take Brother Oral Roberts' place or some of those great men of faith. I'd say, "Lady, what's wrong with you?"
You'd say, "Well, I have so-and-so." That might not be right ---I don't know---but you might tell him what's wrong.
He'd lay hands upon you and say, "God sent me to pray for the sick. You believe that?"
"Yes."
"Glory to God! Go believing."
All right, that's all right. God promised that. But you see, we're living up a little farther up the day than that. Jesus promised, "As it was in the days of Sodom... Works that I do shall you do also."

59 Now, if God can tell me what you have been, you know whether that's true or not. He can tell you what you will be. And if that's true, this will be true too. He tells you whatever---I don't know---but if He'll tell me what your trouble is, would you believe it too, audience?
I really should stop. That one time---that person that was here awhile ago---that should confirm it. Jesus did it one time. He never did it one more time. Everybody in Sychar believed it, believed the woman's testimony when she come told them, and she was an ill-famed woman. A Christian just left the platform, before all of you. Amen. But being that it's later than we think, may the Lord continue to prove Himself the great, mighty conqueror, that the seed of Abraham would, like Abraham... He did it for Abraham once, then destroyed that and did it again. Abraham continued to believe God.

60 You're not here for yourself. You're here for somebody else, and that's a lady. It's your sister. And the lady is shadowed to death, and she's suffering with diabetes. And she's not from here. She's from the ... she's from Louisiana, a swampy country. And here's another thing, that the audience might know this. You have a daughter that's real sick that's planning on 'tending this meeting, and she has epilepsy. True. That's true, isn't it? Do you believe that? If you're Abraham's seed, accept it and walk out and be healed, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Do you believe? Certainly. Remember, it's his promise. He said He would do it; He keeps his promise.
How do you do? We are strangers to each other. I don't know you but God does know you. Do you believe? If God can reveal to me your trouble, then you know it has to come from some spiritual power. Now, there's only two things it could come from that you could imagine. When it's done, it's beyond explaining because it's a phenomenon, and also it's a paradox---something, well, it's unreasonable, yet true. It'd be a paradox.
And now, you know whether it's true or not. You'll know whether He's told you the truth.

61 Now remember, I don't know you. It has to be someone besides me. If you do like the Pharisees, who said, "Oh, it's an evil spirit," then you have that reward. If you believe it's Christ, you have his reward. The reason you can believe it, because He promised it for this day. And it hasn't been from that time to this. That makes it the end time.
There's somebody keeps appearing before you all the time. It's a man, gray-headed. It's your husband, sitting right there. He's trying to accept his healing, being shadowed by cancer---a tumor, cancer. You have kidney trouble, bladder trouble. You are Mr. and Mrs. Little. Is that right? Believe with all your heart and be healed.
You say, "You said what their name was."
Certainly. Didn't Jesus tell Peter, "Your name is Simon, the son of Jonas?"

62 Here's a man. We're strangers to each other, sir. I don't know you, but you're a man like Peter coming to the Lord Jesus---we come together. Do you believe me to be his servant? Do you believe what I told is the truth? If you can believe it, I... If there's anything I could do for you, I'd do it. But there's nothing I can do; He's already done it. It's just something to get you to believe it. But see, it wouldn't be me. If it was me, I'd do all I could for you. But He gave me a gift, and I just relax myself before Him and He does the talking. You believe that? You believe that, audience?

63 I want to find a man. You have several things wrong with you. One of the things is, you got a growth on your right eye. That's your main trouble. Here's another thing. A woman keeps appearing here. It's your wife. Do you believe God can tell me what's wrong with your wife here? Her trouble's in her mouth---it's her teeth. That's right. Do you believe it's the same Jesus who knowed who Simon Peter was, could tell me who you are? Would it make you believe greatly? It would? Oscar Barnes. Is that right? Go on your road home---be healed.

64 [Blank spot] ... stranger to you. I do not know you but God does know you. Do you believe He's able to tell me what's your trouble? Would you believe it with all your heart? Your trouble is around your throat and in your chest. You're... It's a bone decay. You're getting lumps like and knots inside the bone structure. You're not from here. You're in a city that's got orange groves all around it. It sits in a valley with a panoramic of mountains behind it. There's a hotel called Antler. It's San Bernardino. That's where you're from. Go back---Jesus Christ makes you well, if you'll believe it.
There is only one thing that can heal cancer---that's God. Do you believe He'll heal you? Believe it! Go, and may the Lord God make you every whit whole.

65 The reason is ... exceedingly nervous, real upset by this nervousness. Your stomach has got into a condition you can't digest your food---bring it up in your mouth, acid all in your mouth. Late of an afternoon you get real weary and everything. You got a peptic ulcer in your stomach. Do you believe that that's Jesus Christ that can tell you that? Go eat your supper. Believe with all your heart.
How do you do? There's many things wrong, but one of the things that you're afraid of, you're going to be crippled up with an arthritis. But do you believe that God will heal you, make you well from it? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll grant it to my sister. Give her her sight, take the lady's trouble from her, and make the arthritis well, in Jesus' name. Amen. Go now, believing. He'll do it. You'll be all right. Don't doubt, just keep on walking. Believe with all your heart.
Heart trouble is a terrible thing, but Christ heals the heart. Do you believe that? Go, believe it, it'll all be done, whole.
You believe you're going to be crippled up? I don't think so either. It's arthritis. That shadow there, though, that's cancer. Do you believe He'll heal it? Go believing---He'll make you whole.
Been bothering you quite a little while---blockage in the heart. But do you believe it's going to be over tonight? Go believe it---He'll make you well.
Been a little trouble from lady's trouble for a long time, and then you're ... you have a hard time getting up in the morning. You're stiff in your limbs, can hardly walk, or up in the day at times. It's arthritis. Go, don't doubt. You won't have it no more. Believe with all your heart.

66 You have several things, complications, but the one thing that's bothering you so bad, you also think it's arthritis---which it is---crippling you up. Do you believe that He'll make you walk and be well? Go, believe it with all your heart, Jesus Christ will make you well.
Nervous, heart, and arthritis---but do you believe that God will make you well? You do? Go, believe the Lord Jesus Christ.
That stomach has sure give you a lot of trouble in the last few years, hasn't it? It won't no more. Go, believing. God bless you.
You can also. Your stomach's healed. Go, believe with all your heart, don't doubt.
Have a hard time breathing. That old asthma really gets you down, doesn't it? Do you believe it's going to be done now? All right, go believing. Hallelujah! Do you believe with all your heart?

67 Just a moment. Don't you see that light there? A little colored lady looking at me, sitting right down here. She's got a growth in her left side. She has kidney trouble complications. You have more faith---you don't have to come up here. It's over. Just believe it. Amen. Have faith in God. Do you believe that?
You believe, sister? You know that spinal trouble, sitting here, you believe that He'll make you well? See? Just don't doubt it. You can have it, if you'll just believe it.
The man sitting here looking at me is suffering from a prostrate trouble, getting up at nights and things. Do you believe, sir? It will be over then, if you believe it.

68 Here sits a colored man, sitting over here, looking at me. He's suffering with epilepsy. He also is seeking the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Stand up on your feet, sir. Accept your healing. May God give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Sitting right across from me there's a child, sitting over there, that also has epilepsy---kind of fainting away spells---sitting out there over on the other side. Do you believe that God will make the child well there? Do you believe with all your heart? Then God will heal the child.

69 Do you believe, every one of you? Isn't ... isn't He ... isn't He truly Abraham's royal seed? Isn't He the mighty conqueror? Did He promise that you can possess the gates of the enemy? How many of you are bound, feel the pressure of the enemy? Raise your hand if you feel the pressure of the enemy and you're Abraham's seed. Raise up your hand like this, say, "Brother Branham, I'm bothered with nervousness." Oh, there's about 80% of you with that. Say, "I..."
It's just so thick now, the whole crowd is just becoming like a great big milky... It's almost making me blind out there where you're at.

70 Don't you see that---here are twenty, or thirty, maybe, cases or more, right here on this platform and out in that audience ---that God does not fail? It's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do you believe that? Then why not, every seed of Abraham, why don't you take the key now? The great conqueror that conquered it for you is here! He's proved to be here! Do you believe Him? Then take your key of faith, reach up with your hands, and say, "Jesus Christ, I believe for my healing right now." Stand up on your feet, raise your hands, unlock your faith now. "I believe, Lord Jesus. I believe right now."
Now lay your hands over on one another. Put your hands across to one another, another Seed of Abraham. Now you pray for that person. Lay your hands upon them. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover."
Satan, you've lost the battle. In the Name of Jesus Christ, come out of here, and let these people go, for the glory of God.