Possessing the gate of the enemy after trial

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... wonder that you know that. I have a little idea. Like to see people stand when we read the Word. Don't you like that? We stand to pledge allegiance; we stand for our nation. Why not stand for the Word, now, while we are standing just a minute. I was reading an article not long ago. I was thinking last night of those people who stood for Christ. If you haven't done it, won't you do it today?

2 There was a great evangelist about seventy-five years ago. I just can't think of his name. I think it's Arthur McCoy. He'd crossed the land. And one night he had a dream that he had went on to glory. And said he went up to the gates, and he said they wouldn't let him in. He said he said, "I'm Arthur McCoy, from the United States. I'm an evangelist."
So the gatekeeper went in (now this was a dream), he went in, said, "I can't find your name at all."
He said, "Well, I was an evangelist."
He said, "Sir, I..."
He said, "Well, is there a chance that there's something wrong?"
He said, "No, sir. I have the book here. I can't find your name at all."
And he said, "Well, I ... can I do anything about it?"
He said, "You might appeal your case to the white throne judgment." (God help... I don't want to be there.)
He said, "Well, if that's my only hope, I guess I'll just appeal my case, then."

3 And said, then he thought he went 'way away, and just... And as he began, said it was darkness, and got lighter, and lighter; and said seemed like there was no certain place this light stopped, but he was right in the center of it.
Said He said, "Who approaches my throne of judgment?"
He said, "I'm Arthur McCoy, an evangelist; sent many souls to the kingdom."
He said, "Was your name not found upon the book?"
"No."
Said, "Then you've appealed to my court?"
"Yes, sir."
"You shall receive justice. I judge you by my laws. Arthur McCoy, did you ever tell a lie?"

4 He said, "I thought I was a pretty good man till I stood in that light." He said, "But in the presence of that light I was a sinner." We'll all be that.
You might feel secure now; but wait till you come there. How do you think it feels here, when He's anointing? How little you feel. What will it be at that white throne judgment? He said, "Did you ever tell a lie?"
He said, "I thought I had been truthful. But some little things I thought was little white lies, they become big and dark there." He said, "Yes, sir, I've told a lie."
He said, "Did you ever steal?"
He said, "I thought I'd been honest about it, and never stole. But," said, "in the presence of that light I realized there was some deals that I pulled that wasn't just right." He said, "Yes, sir, I stole."
He said, "My judgment..." And he was just about ready to hear his sentence, "Depart into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels."
He said, "Every bone was coming apart." He said, "I heard the sweetest voice I ever heard in my life." He said, "When I turned to look I saw the sweetest face I ever saw---sweeter than a mother's face; sweeter voice than my mother ever called me."
Said, "I looked around. I heard a voice, said, 'Father, that is true. He did tell lies, and he wasn't just honest. But down on earth he stood for Me.' Said, 'Now I'll stand in his place.'"
That's what I want to happen there. I want to stand for Him now, that when that time comes He stood in my place.

5 Let's read from Genesis 22: 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th verses.
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 has not withheld thy son, thy only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, ... multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which are by 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.
Let us pray.

6 Heavenly Father, take the text now, Lord, and minister to us. May the Holy Spirit carry the words, Lord, right out to every heart that would... Meet our expectations this afternoon, for they are great, Lord; and You told us to ask abundant, that our joys might be full. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. May be seated.

7 If I should call this a text for a few moments (My voice is weak. So that's the reason I have to stand by the microphone. I know there's a rebound; but just suffer it a little.), I want to call it "Possessing the Gates of the Enemy After Trial."
Our scene opens at one of the most marvelous scenes. And Abraham... You know that Abraham is the father of the faithful, and the promise was made to Abraham. And only being heirs with him through Christ is the only way we receive the promise---is through Abraham.
Now, Abraham was just an ordinary man, but he was called of God; and he was faithful to that call. When God spoke to him, Abraham never one time doubted that voice. He stayed right with it. No matter what the difficult was, he stayed right with it. And then he was promised a son. And he waited twenty-five years to receive that son, calling anything contrary to it as though it wasn't so.
And then ... and in this son all the families of the earth was to be blessed. And the patriarch was faithful to his call in the promised Word. He was an example of what we should be. Now, we being dead in Christ, we are Abraham's seed.

8 Now, there was two seed of Abraham. One of them was natural seed; the other one was the spiritual seed. One of them was natural by his flesh; the other was the seed of his faith---the faith that we also might be Abraham's seed by the promised Word.
And now, after he had been tried for twenty-five long years... And instead of growing weaker, he grew stronger. See, if it didn't happen the first year, the next year it would be a greater miracle---because it was two years old. And he piled those years up as he got older and his body died out. The womb of Sarah ... the womb, it got ... was unfertile. And therefore, his strength was gone, and there was... It's totally impossible.
Did you ever think what God did there? See, He never so much as just made her womb fertile; for remember, if He did that, then remember, if He did that (they didn't have these health and hygiene bottles them days, to give the baby milk from the cow), see, He also had to... Her milk veins was dried up, so He couldn't have ... there had to be something happen. Then, look at a woman a hundred years old to go into labor. Her heart wouldn't have stood it. It's hard now for a woman forty years old to do it. Her heart couldn't have stood it.
So, you know what He did? If you'll notice...

9 Now, I know many might disagree. If this is all right to make this statement, see I ... it will be just my own thinking. See, the Bible is a supernatural book. It's written so that it is hid from the schools, theologians. How many knows that? Jesus thanked God. He said, "I thank thee, Father, thou hast hid it from the wise and prudent, and revealed it to babes such as would learn."
It's a book of love. When the love of God comes into the heart, then you fall in love with God. Then He reveals Hisself. The Bible (meaning the interpretation of the Bible) is God, Himself, interpreted in his promises. But the Bible is written between the lines.

10 Now, like my wife---oh, she is the most wonderful woman in all the world, and I really love her; she loves me. So when I'm away from home, she'll write me a letter, say, "Dear Bill, Tonight I've just put the children to sleep. I've washed today...," and what all she done, and so forth. Now she's saying that on the letter. But you see, I love her so much, and we're so much as being one, that I can read between the lines. I know what she wants to say, see, whether she tells me that or not. See, I know what she means, because it's my love for her, and my understanding.
Well, that's the way the Bible's wrote, see. The scholarship will go right over the top of it. They'll never get it, see. You've got to be in love with the Word, Him, to know Him, see.

11 Now. Now, in here watch what He did. Now Abraham and Sarah was both old, well-stricken the Bible said. Now, it wasn't just because they were just ... people lived longer there. The Bible said that they were well-stricken in age. Now notice. Immediately after this angel appeared (we've been talking about), which was Elohim, God... And He said, told Abraham, "I'm going to visit you, according to the time of life."
Now watch. All down through they were a type of the church ---all the way through. Now look. Here's what happened. Now, He just didn't patch Sarah up and patch Abraham up; He turned them back to a young man and woman. Now, that may seem strange, but now watch the rest of the Word and put it together. The Word is inspired; you have to be inspired with the Word. Now remember. Immediately after that ... immediately after the appearing of this angel...
I can just see that gray hair of Sarah---little grandma with a shawl over her shoulder, and a little dust cap, holding a stick going around. "Me, having pleasure with my lord, and him old too?", see. And here was Abraham, his long beard, holding on a stick, as he was well-stricken in age. And I see the next morning his shoulders begin to straighten up, the hump come out of his back. Her hair began to turn. They went back to a young man and woman, just showing what He's going to do to the royal seed of Abraham, see, when we're changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, and be caught up together.

12 Watch what happened. Now let me prove this to you. Now, they'd taken a trip from that place they were at, there at Gomorrah, and went all the way to Gerar down in the Philistine land. Did you notice? Mark it on the map, how far it is. Quite a journey for an old couple of that age.
Then besides that, in the Philistine land there, there was a young king by the name of Abimelech, and he was looking for a wife. And he had all those beautiful Philistine girls; but when he seen grandma, he said, "She's fair to look upon." And he fell in love with her, and wanted to marry her. She was beautiful, see. She had turned back to a young woman. Notice. She had to, to bring that child. God made her a new creature---and she had to, to raise this child.
And remember Abraham, his body as good as dead... And Sarah died when Abraham was... Isaac was forty-five years old, I believe, when Sarah died. And Abraham married another woman, and had seven sons, besides the daughters, after that.
See, read between the lines. It's a type that shows there what He's going to do to all the children of Abraham, just... We're nearing it right now. So our stooped shoulders, and everything, don't make any difference, friends---and our gray hairs, and whatever it is. It doesn't matter now. We're... Don't look back; let's look forward to what we're coming to. And remember, this sign that we're seeing was the last sign that Abraham, and his Sarah, saw before the promised son come into existence. We believe we're at that hour.

13 The patriarch ... after this boy being born... Could you imagine Isaac about twelve years old, lovely little curly-haired boy, little brown eyes? I'd imagine how that mother felt---beautiful young woman---and so, and his father.
And one day God said (now, for an example, for way off, the hours that is to come), " I've made you father of nations through this boy. But I want you to take this boy up on the top of the mountain that I'll show you, and I want you to kill him up there, for a sacrifice." Could you imagine that? Now, you've never been asked to go through a test like that. He doesn't do that now. That was examples, shadows.
Did Abraham fear? No, sir! Abraham said this: "I'm fully persuaded that He's able to raise him up from the dead; for I received him as one from the dead. And if that commandment of God told me to do this, and I've stayed true to it, and it paid off to have given me the son; God's able to raise him from the dead from which I received him as a figure."
Oh, my, friends! If God give you Pentecostals the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues, how much more ought you to believe his healing power, and his goodness and mercy? He did that against all the theologians in the country. They said it couldn't be done. But God did it because He promised it. Then stand by your guns, your word, your sword. Believe the Word of God. God said so---that settles it.

14 Notice. Now, He took him a three days' journey from there, with the mules. Now, I can walk ... when I was on patrol I walked thirty miles every day through the wilderness. And we got gasoline feet, so to speak. But them men---only way their transportation was, either ride a donkey or walk. And he went three days' journey from where he was; and then lifted up his eyes out in the wilderness, and saw the mountain far off.
He took Isaac and bound his hands---which, we all know Genesis 22 here is a type of Christ---led him up the mountain bound (like Jesus was led up the mountain, Mt. Calvary---type of God giving his Son, of course). But when they got up there---and he was obedient---Isaac began to get kind of suspicious. He said, "Father, here is the wood, here is the altar, here is the fire. But where is the sacrifice?"
And Abraham that, knowing in his mind, yet the word of God standing out there, he said, "My son, God is able to provide for Himself a sacrifice." He called the place Jehovah-jireh.
And when he bound his son, he was obedient to death; laid him upon the altar, pulled the knife out of the sheath, and started to take the life of his own son. And when he did, something caught his hand, and said, "Abraham, stay your hand." And at that time a ram bleated behind him, with his horns hooked, in the wilderness.

15 Did you ever think, "Where did that ram come from?" Remember, the country's full of lions, and wolves, and jackals and that ... and sheep-devouring beasts. And how far back from civilization was he? And then, up on top of the mountain where there's no water, and he had picked up the stones all around to make the altar. Where did that ram come from, see? But it wasn't a vision; he killed the ram. It had blood. What did he say? "God is able to provide for Himself a sacrifice."
How are you going to come out of that chair? How's that spastic child going to get well, or you from that chair? You from there---you with the heart trouble?
Whatever's the matter, God is able to provide for Himself. Abraham believed it. The patriarch stayed true to the promise. And He give the promise that, "Your seed... Because you've believed my word, and regardless of what the circumstance, your seed shall possess the gate of its enemy." Why? Every enemy that come up as a figure against Abraham---the enemy of "She's too old; I'm too old"; or all this, and everything else---he still stayed right true to that promise.

16 Now, a man that possesses that faith still will take God's word, regardless of circumstances. Now, if you can't do that, then you're not Abraham's seed. That's the faith that Abraham had. His seed... The promise of Abraham was that his seed---now, his royal seed, also, as I told you awhile ago... And this seal that He give Abraham was the seal of promise. And the royal seed, according to Ephesians 4:30, is sealed by the Holy Ghost after they have stood the test.
Try to think of it. Many think they got the Holy Ghost; many claim to have the Holy Ghost; many can show many evidences and signs of it. But, still, if it can't stay with this Word, it's not the Holy Ghost, see. You believe every word, then you're sealed after the test. When we believe every promise in the Word, then we are sealed by the Spirit to confirm the promise. That's what Abraham ... the way he did it. Then, and then only, have we the right to possess the gates of our enemies. You cannot do it until first you become that seed.
Remember, in the Bible ...

17 I spoke on it at Houston, or somewhere or other---or, I mean Dallas---"The Token." See, a Jew could show down in Israel that he was a Jew by circumcision. But God said, "When I see the blood... And the blood shall be unto you a token." The life that was in the blood could not come on the worshipper because, well, it was the animal's life. It was only a shadow, coming up to the real life. Then the chemistry, the blood itself, had to be red upon the door and the post of the door, applied by hyssop, which is just a common weed---showing that you don't have to have some superfaith. You just have to have the same ... the faith you got, like you have to start your car, come to church, see.
A lot of people think they got to be something... But no, no. That's wrong. Just common faith is all you have to apply the blood by. Hear the Word, believe the Word, apply it. That's all. Just pick up weeds, anywhere there in Palestine, with hyssop. It's a little weed grows out of cracks of the walls, and around---dipped it in the blood, and put it on the lintel and the doorpost.

18 And remember. I don't care how much they were in the covenant, how much of the Jew could show he was circumcised, how good a person he was; all the covenant was annulled unless the token was there. "When I see the blood...," alone. Now, the blood now... The token is not the chemistry of the blood of Christ, 'cause it was shed thousands of years ago. But you see, where it had to be the chemistry there... The life in the animal couldn't come upon the human, because the life of the animal doesn't have a soul. Animal doesn't know right from wrong; it's the human being that has the soul.

19 Now, but when Jesus, the Son of God, virgin born, shed his blood, the life that was in that blood was God, Himself. The Bible said, "We are saved by the life, the blood of God"---not the blood of a Jew; not the blood of a Gentile---but the life of God.
God created this blood cell. Virgin born---she never knew no man. Neither did she ... neither did the egg come from her. I know many of you people won't believe the egg did... The egg can't be there without a sensation. What would God do then, see? He created both egg and blood cell. And that was the tabernacle of God---holy. "I will not suffer my Holy One to see corruption. [That's where the egg come.] Neither will I leave his soul in hell." His body was holy.
Oh, my! You know, if you can't believe that, how can you call yourself a Christian? We're saved by the blood of God. That's where my faith is---not walk out there in the blood of a prophet; not walk out there in the blood of an ordinary man, or a teacher, or a theologian. We walk there in the blood of God. God said so. He become human being. He changed his strand. He stretched his tent here with us, and become one of us. He's our kinsman redeemer. He had to become kinfolks to us 'cause that was the law. God became man and dwelt among us.

20 Notice. How that in doing this, He... Coming from Him was God, the Spirit. And that Spirit becomes upon the believer. Therefore, the life that was in our sacrifice, we are identified by that same life. Then, how can they see the life of God moving amongst the people, and call it an unclean thing, when that's our identification of our sacrifice? "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also,"---his life returning (upon) the sacri... from the sacrifice as we lay our hands upon it, and identifying ourselves dead to our own thoughts.
Then how can we let denominations push us into creeds and things, and say we believe it? We are dead to those things. Paul said, "None of these things bother me," for he was tied to an absolute, Christ. Every true achievement is tied to an absolute, and my absolute is the Word. And everybody else that's really born of the Spirit, their absolute is God's Word. I'm tied to it. I laid my hands upon it, and it took my place. I've identified myself with Him. We knew that He promised to identify Himself with us. That brings genuine faith---not your own faith, but his faith---something that you don't control. He does it. Now, notice. Then, and then only, when the ... is the promise made to you.

21 No matter how many churches you join, how many times you've been baptized---face forward, backward, any way you want to---until that seal is placed upon you, then you have no right to call yourself a ... connected with your sacrifice. And what is the seal of God? Ephesians 4:30 says, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption." Not from one revival to another, but eternally sealed until the day that you're redeemed back.

22 And remember, if you never was in God's thoughts, you will never be with God. How many knows that He was a redeemer? Well, then, anything redeemed has to come back to where it fell from. So, if He come to redeem us, how come we was ... one time didn't have to be redeemed? And we were all borned in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. It shows that the real Christian is an attribute of God's thinking before there was a world, or a star, or air, or anything else. It's eternal.
And He come to redeem us back. It's God's thought spoke into a word, made manifest and re... brought back to his thoughts---kinsman redeemer. That's the reason God, Himself, had to come one of us to redeem. Nothing else could do it. An angel couldn't do it, nothing else. He had to come down and be tempted like we are, to redeem us.

23 Notice, now, the natural seed of Abraham. Let's check some of those natural seed, and see if God kept his word with the natural seed, which was Isaac. Let's check some of the natural seed that believed the full promise of God, and had no question. Now, remember, there were tens of thousands times thousands, times multiplied thousands, that was circumcised, and everything else---and still was not Abraham's seed. Sure. That which is Jew outward is not Jew; that which is Jew inward.
They, many of them, failed---bitterly failed. Look in the wilderness. They said, "We..." The day of the Passover, or at the drinking at the fountain, St. John 6, they was all rejoicing. Jesus said, "I am that rock that was in the wilderness. I'm the bread that come from God out of heaven, if a man may eat thereof, they'll not die."
They said, "Our fathers eat manna in the wilderness for forty years."
He said, "And they are every one dead."
"Dead." Take that word and run it, see what it means. Eternally separated. Yet they were Abraham's seed. Death means separation, annihilation, completely destroyed, annihilation.
Jesus said they were dead, every one of them; yet they were circumcised Jews. See, folks, just because we are Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, got a little confession and things like that... The devil believes just as much as we do. But you've got to be identified with it. God's got to witness it to us, by a sealing with the Holy Spirit. No question of the Word. If you say, "Well, I ... that was for the other day," there's something wrong.

24 What if a man come running, and you told him the light was shining, and he run down to the basement and said, "I just refuse it. I just refuse it. There's no such a thing as light. I don't believe it." There'd be something wrong with that man. He'd be mentally upset. If he refuses its warm rays, and its life-giving resource, there's something wrong with him, mentally.
And when a man sees the Word of God made plain before him and identified, and then shuts and pulls down his denominational curtains, there's something wrong with that man spiritually! Something's wrong with him; there's something spiritually wrong. He just can't receive it---blind, and don't know it---going on to the judgment. God will be the judge.

25 Notice. When they did this... And these seeds now that did believe it, watch what happened. Let's check some of them, now, Abraham's seed. Let's take the Hebrew children, 'cause they stood true and wouldn't tolerate with image worship. They refused to bow down to an image that the king of the nation had made. It was made after a holy man, too---the image of Daniel. Showed that the Gentile race was brought in under the false side of worshipping an image of a holy man. It goes out the same way, when people will be forced to worship images of people. It come in by revelation of Daniel being able to interpret the word that was wrote on the handwriting on the wall. That's the way it come in; and that's the way it goes out---the same way of the image of the Gentile.
Notice. They refused to do it. What did they do? They were Abraham's seed standing true to the Word, and they possessed the gate of the enemy of fire. They did it. God's Word's true.

26 Daniel, tested for the worship of one true God---he was tested for that. And in the time of test, he stood the test. What did God do, after it looked like the chips down for him, as we would say? And they didn't know what to do. They was going to feed him to the lions, but Daniel stayed true to the test that there's one true God. And he possessed the gate of his enemy. God closed the mouth of the lions.
Moses stayed true to the promised Word before the false impersonators, Jannes and Jambres, in the test. Look. God had met him with supernatural; told him to go do these things, show these signs, and each sign would have a voice. Moses went right down just as true as he knowed. He throwed down the stick, and it turned into a serpent. You know what happened? Here come the impersonators and done the same thing.
Now, Moses didn't throw up his hands and say, "Well, I guess it's all wrong." He stayed there and waited on God! He stayed true. No matter how many impersonators there was, he stayed true. And when he stayed true to his commission to bring those people out of that place, when the water gate got in his way, God let him possess it. And he opened the gate by the pillar of fire that was leading him, and he took the people on to the promised land.

27 Joshua, another great leader. Only two out of ... went to the promised land---Joshua and Caleb. They came to a place called Kadesh, which was the center of the world at that time insomuch that that was the judgment seat. And oh, they sent out twelve spies to look at the land. And twelve of them came back. Ten of them said, "Aw, it's too much of a job. We just couldn't do it. Why, them people ... we look like grasshoppers by the side of them."
But what did Joshua do? He stilled the people. He said, "Wait a minute. We are more than able to take it, no matter how little we are and how much in the minority."
What was he doing? He was standing true to that promise, "I'll give you this land. But you'll fight every inch of it."
Do you believe that, mother? God give you your healing; but you'll fight every inch of it. "Everywhere the soles of your feet set, that I give you for possession." Footprints means possession. It's all yours. Every promise belongs to you, but you'll fight every inch of the way, in and out.

28 Now. Joshua knew what God said. He was the seed of Abraham. See, he said, "I believe that God give us the land, and we're more than able to take it." And because he stood the test against the whole group of Israelites, all the tribes and all the people moaning and crying... Joshua said, "Keep still. God made the promise. No matter how big they are, and what the opposition is [and what the doctor said], God give the promise. It's up to God to do it."
What did he do? When he come down to the river of Jordan, he possessed the gates. That's what he did. Jericho closed up like a turtle in a shell. What did he do? He possessed the gate. Even one day when his enemy was trying to take him, he possessed the gate of his enemies so much that he commanded the sun to stand still. And the sun obeyed him, and never turned for twenty-four hours!

29 God's true to his promise no matter what He has to do---bankrupt the heavens before He'd let his Word go defeated. Never made a promise that He can't keep. "I am the Lord ... heals all thy diseases. If you lay hands on the sick they shall recover. [Amen!] If thou canst believe, all things are possible."
Joshua believed it, though God had to stop the earth from turning---held it there by some other power (his own power) that the world never turned for twenty-four hours, till Joshua avenged himself upon his enemy. He took the gates. Certainly he did. God's ever true.

30 Now, I wish we had time to get to more heroes but ... got about ten minutes now.
Look. All these precious heroes, as they were great warriors of faith, they all died at the gate of death. They all perished right at the gate of death. Then come along the royal seed of Abraham. They were all the natural seed from Isaac. But here come the royal seed of Abraham, which was Christ---Abraham's seed of faith, what we're supposed to be. You see how ... whether we are or not.
The natural seed only was a type. All others was borned of natural birth; but He come of virgin birth. See that wasn't of the seed of Abraham then (a Jew). He come by the seed of faith of the promise. And then, we're supposed to be his children through this man.

31 Watch what He did.
When He was on earth He conquered and possessed every gate the enemy had, the royal seed. He promised it by the Word. He conquered it. He conquered the gate of sickness for us. That's what He come to do. Remember, sick people, He conquered that gate. You don't have to conquer it; He conquered it. The other men had to conquer their own gate, but you don't have to conquer it; it's already conquered.
He conquered the gates of sickness, and what did He do when He conquered the gates of sickness? Saying that He would... Whatever you ask on earth, or whatever you bound on earth, He'd bind it in heaven---give us the keys to the gate. He conquered the gate of temptation by the Word; and the keys was, "Resist the enemy and he'll flee from you." He conquered it all: conquered every sickness, conquered death and He conquered hell. He conquered death and hell!
He conquered what the others couldn't conquer, because they're the natural seed. This is the spiritual seed. He conquered the gate of the grave, and rose up on the third day for our justification. And now we are more than conquerors. We just walk right into it as an inheritance---more than conquerors. Now we are dealing with a defeated enemy. Sickness is defeated, death is defeated, hell in defeated. Everything's defeated. Oh, my! I wish I was twice my size. Then maybe I'd feel twice as good!
We are disputing with a conquered enemy.

32 No wonder Paul could say... When they was building a block to chop his head off, he said, "O death, where is your sting? Show me where you can make me squirm and scream! Grave, where is your victory? And you think you'll mold me out there. I'll point you to an empty one over there, and I'm in Him! He'll raise me up at the last days." A defeated enemy. The royal seed of Abraham.
Now, the natural seed could not point to that; but the royal seed can. Conquered, already conquered: for He has gone before us, and conquered every gate for us. He's ... now after two thousand years He stands in the midst of us, the mighty conqueror. Not only did He conquer sickness; He conquered sickness, He conquered temptation, He conquered every enemy. He conquered death, He conquered hell, He conquered the grave, and rose up again.
And two thousand years later, here He stands among us this afternoon, identifying Himself the mighty conqueror. Amen! Still here alive, vindicating his promise---royal seed of Abraham. Oh, my! And the enemy shall...

33 He'll conquer the gates of his enemy.
To those seeds... He stands here alive to vindicate Himself to who? Those predestinated seeds that can see it. He conquered that, who... After his test of the promise of the Word, they were sealed by the Holy Ghost into the body of Christ. To them, confirmed what? Hebrews 13:8 to be so. They are sealed in there by the Holy Ghost, that Holy Ghost which was... By ... Abraham foresaw it, by faith he believed it, and now we receive it ---looking back to the promise of what He said.
And John 14:12 is made confirmed in this last days, by the risen conqueror Himself---not some system; but a person, Christ the conqueror. Not my church---not my Baptist church, or your Presbyterian, Methodist, or the Pentecostal; not by that---but by Jesus Christ. He lives today. He rose over the ... for our justification.

34 And because He lives, He said we live also. "Man don't live by bread alone, but by every word [not part of the word], every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
"I am the resurrection and life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Take the gate of every enemy. How could he conquer Bosworth, when Bosworth is in the conqueror. That's the reason he said, "The happiest hour of my life is right now." He knowed that mighty conqueror. His assurance rested with Him. Oh, my! Now we can sing:
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---O glorious day!

35 To those who are ... seem to be defeated, Eddie Pruitt [Perronet] I believe it was... He couldn't sell his Christian songs. Nobody wanted them. They had nothing to do with them ... all defeated, and a believer. One day the Holy Spirit come upon him. The gate of his enemy that wouldn't receive his literature... The Spirit struck him, and he grabbed the pen. God let him write the inauguration song:
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

36 Blind Fanny Crosby one time... Said, "What [unclear word] He means to you?" Some ... she didn't sell her birthright like the Pentecostal Elvis Presley did, or like the Church of Christ Boone did, or like the Red Foley did---selling their talents to the world. They got fleets of Cadillacs, and million-dollar gold records. But Fanny Crosby stayed true to the faith. She screamed out,
Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Thou the stream of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Or whom in heaven but Thee?
They said, "What if you are blind when you get to heaven?"
She said, "I'll know Him anyhow."
Said, "How will you know Him?"
Said, "I'll know Him."
Said, "Miss Crosby, you could make a million dollars."
She said, "I don't want the million dollars."
"How will you know Him?"
She said:
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand;
I shall know Him, I shall know Him...
"If I can't see Him, I'll feel for the nail prints in his hand." She conquered the gate of her enemy. Yes.

37 If you are in Christ, He said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what key you want. Ask what gate you want to take. Ask what you will, and it shall be given to you. If ye abide in me and my word abides in you, you can take any enemy's gate that comes before you. You're the royal seed of Abraham."
What kind of a gate stands before you? If it's sickness, you're more than a conqueror for it. Then we can say, sing this gracious old song:
Every promise in the Book is mine,
Every chapter, every verse is,
And they're so divine.
I'm trusting in his love divine;
For every promise in the Book is mine.
We are more than a conqueror. And the seed of Abraham shall possess the gate of the enemy. When they say these things cannot happen, when they want to call it a devil or Beelzebub, or something else, God is sure to conquer every gate and take the enemy.
Let us pray.

38 Lord, may the seed of Abraham ... I know they'll see it, Lord. How can that Word fall without hitting that real ground. I pray that they'll understand now. May every person that comes in the prayer line be healed.
Lord, if there be some in here yet that has not as yet made their confession---not stood publicly and stood for Christ, ready to deny all the creeds and the cold, formal, dead things that's taken them away from You---may they stand now and say, "I will accept Him as my Saviour." Then You'll stand for them on that day.

39 While we have our heads bowed, if there are those who would like to stand just a moment for prayer, say, "I want to stand for Him now; then He'll stand for me at that day..." In his divine presence I ask you, and give you the opportunity that your name be placed on the book of life, if you will stand. I'm not asking you to join any church. I'm asking you to come to Christ, if you're here and do not know Him.
God bless you, son. Is there another, say, "I want to stand now"? God bless you, lady; God bless you, my sister. "I want..." God bless you, God bless you. "I take my stand this afternoon," these fine people, men and women, standing up. "I'll take my stand this afternoon." And that day when the doctor says, "Well, the wreck... His blood's shedding, death is upon him, or upon her"; or some morning ... you'll remember your stand. You stand for Him now.
"If you're ashamed of me before men, I'll be ashamed of you before my Father and the holy angels. But if you'll confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father and the holy angels."

40 God bless you, my sister.
There be some in the balcony, somewhere? Right now, while we're waiting, some more on the main floor? All right. I take you at your word, friends. If the Word falls on fertile ground like the little woman at the well... She understood. She was represented in heaven from before the foundation of the world. When that light struck it, she recognized it. God bless you, my brother. That's a gallant... God bless you, my brother. You might have done great things in your life. You're doing the greatest thing you ever did do, now: stand for Christ.

41 Our heavenly Father, the seed has dropped on some ground this afternoon. We see life springing up, men and women stand to their feet. And the all-seeing eye of God, who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, sees them. They are yours, Father. I present them to You now as trophies.
May this experience of them standing there now, knowing what they have done, knowing what this means: that they stand to take their stand with the Lord's despised few---may they ever remain true until that day they stand in your presence. Then that lovely voice will say, "Yes. One day in Baton Rouge, or a little place called Denham Springs, he stood for me, Father. Now I'll stand for him, or her." Grant it, Lord. They are yours. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God bless you for your stand. God ever... Now do this one thing for me. Find, if you're around where these pastors are, see if you ... talk to them. If you haven't been baptized yet in Christian baptism, do so. Get yourself amongst believers, now---real believers, not make-believers, real believers.
While we're praying, let's pray for these handkerchiefs.

42 Heavenly Father, these handkerchiefs goes out now, where, I don't know---maybe some old blind daddy sitting out here in a little swamp somewhere, waiting for this handkerchief to come; a little baby laying there on a hospital bed, a mother standing frantically, waiting for the return of the handkerchief.
Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll go with them. And for a token of your presence today, and our faith in You as we've preached thy word, may the faith that was in Abraham (faith that was produced and given to us by Jesus Christ), may it go into these handkerchiefs, and heal every one that it's laid upon. We send them in Jesus' name. Amen.

43 Just a moment before we call the prayer line. The omnipotent, mighty God, the great One, the all-sufficient One...
Please, friends, I'm going to start praying for the sick, and I probably... When we come down I might not get to say nothing to you. Some of you may go before that time. Whatever you are, if you didn't even stand awhile ago, and you're not sure... If you're a member of a church, that's a good thing; but that's not good enough.
See, the rich young ruler was a member of the church. And he asked Jesus what could he do to have eternal life. He never accepted it; he walked away. What a foolish thing for that young man to do. Don't take his place. You remember, the last time he was identified, a little later? He prospered. He got richer. He got to a place, till even his barns bursted. But then we find his last identification in hell, flames tormenting. Don't, don't let that happen to you. Accept Christ.

44 You young people, you young girls, young boys just at the turning of life---please do that. Hear me as your brother, one who loves you. I'm here because I love you. I love God, and I love you. And I cannot love God, if I don't love you. I'd a lot rather, if you have a comment to pass, pass it on my son out there, or one of my children. Let me ... I'll go without it. Any parent will do that. So will God, see. Love his people. Love one another.
You say "What do you scold them for?" Genuine love is corrective. If your child was sitting out in the street, and you say, "Well, there sits Junior. He oughtn't to do that, but I don't want to hurt his little feelings," you don't love him. He'd get killed there. If you love him, you'll bring him in, and give him a spanking. You'll make him obey. That's the way God does. Love is corrective---that's genuine love.

45 When a preacher stands and lets you women bob your hair, and wear paint and stuff, and don't correct you, there's no genuine love there---won't call it out. And lets you men marry three or four times, and all these other things, and get by with it---there's no genuine love there. Lets you join a church, and pats you on the back, and smother you with some creed, say, "That's all you have to do. Join the holy church," there's no love there. Or either, the man's so totally lost himself he don't see.
Genuine love is corrective and brings you back to the Word of God. Look at Jesus, how what He said, 'cause He loved them so much that He died in their place, when they was even calling for his blood.

46 Now, may the great Holy Spirit... I want to wait just a minute. I'm waiting till the anointing of the Holy Spirit gets upon me before we get started. I've been preaching. Thank you for your cooperation.
Now, each one in here, wherever you are anywhere in the building, pray just for a minute, say, "Lord Jesus, help me. Help me. Let me touch your garment." Jesus said, you know, when the woman touched his garment... He didn't feel it physically; but He turned around and knowed who she was and what she did. He's the same Jesus this afternoon, a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Do you believe, each one of you, now, that it's true? That God that made this promise...
Once more may He show it, as we're living in the days of Sodom. How many believe that in the building? Just raise up your hand. We're living as it was in Sodom. The whole system has become polluted. The world system---everything---the church system, political system, there's nothing... Politics is so corrupted, the system everywhere, dictators---it's all corruption. The church has become the same way. Families have become the same way. It's just corruption. Sodom.
Then remember... God's got that before you. Then remember, He said that He would represent Himself in human flesh, and would do like He did before Sodom, before the promised son came on the scene. He promised to send one that would forerun that promised son, as He did at the first place, that would introduce. And He said when the Son of man is being revealed.

47 I don't know you. Miss Thompson, that female trouble and complications---do you believe that God will make you well? Can you believe it? You will? Miss Thomas? You believe He'll make you well? Raise up your hand.
There's a lady sitting right behind you. She's praying. She's got arthritis. One sitting right next to her has stomach trouble, praying also. You're going to miss it, if you don't watch. You're not from here. You're from Mississippi. You're Mr. and Mrs. Stringer. Do you believe with all your heart? Jesus Christ will make you well, if you can believe it. Do you? Then you can receive it. Okay. Raise up your hands, so that the people see that you...
I don't know them people. I've never seen them in my life. You've got to believe, friends. He's identifying Himself. Do you believe that? With all your heart?

48 Why did you shake your head, sir, and look at me like that? Yes, sir. Because you've done that, I'm going to talk to you a minute. Look like a aged gentleman, sitting right here, looking at me. He looked at me with such sincerity. He believed it. You're praying for somebody that had a stroke. But your main thing you're praying ... you need... You're seeking the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That's right. That is right. If you believe...
The lady ... you're seeking employment. Besides that, that you might know that I be God's prophet, or servant, you've had two operations. That's left you kind of weak. All kinds of conditions, spiritual trouble. I want to tell you it's all settled. Your faith makes you well. [Gap in the audio.]

49 Sitting right next to you there, she's praying. Look here. He heard you. You touched Him. Don't know you, but He does. I tell you what you was praying about. You believe with all your heart? You got a gall bladder trouble. You're praying. Do you believe that God will heal you and make you well? You're Mrs. Smith. That's right. Raise your hand.
See, He's identifying Himself. What is it? It's the seed of Abraham, the faith that Abraham had---the Lord Jesus Christ among us confirming his Word with signs following.
Who ... how many cards is to be prayed for? Raise your hand. Got your... Oh, we better start the prayer line. You see ... you understand, don't you?
Now, that Spirit, not only... That doesn't heal. That only identifies Him being here. Your pastors have just the same authority to pray for the sick. They don't do that. No, certainly not. But they have just the same authority. These signs shall follow the believers. Now I want my pastor friends here... Is it all right to call from the audience?

50 How many pastors here that believe with all your heart---ministers in here believe? Thank you. I wonder if you'll stand ... come here, stand with me just a minute right down here to pray, for the sick. Come right down here.
Now you watch the healing take place. Watch what happens. I want you to come form a double line right here. I'm coming down there just in a moment to pray for the sick. I want the believing pastors who wants to identify themselves with believers, that you believe that your coming here [blank spot] you're living a holy clean life. Remember. Looky here what's coming out, representing the gospel of Christ.
Brother Blair, I know you there. You, or Brother Pat, would you form that double line the way you usually do? You and Brother Pat?

51 Believing pastors, that's going to believe.
Now, look. If God so can identify Himself by his Word, with his Word, how many knows that the Bible...
Jesus said this: "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." Pastors, you've come here to identify yourself as believers or... You are believers, aren't you? You wouldn't be standing here. Now, what did Jesus say? "These signs shall follow them that believe." I'm a believer with you. I'm coming down. These are our people. We're shepherds over these flocks. I'm coming down to stretch my net with you, now, put my hands with yours. When these people come by...
If you've got anything that's just a little skeptic in your mind, get it out right now; so that when these people come by, that each one of them coming by and we lay hands on them, they'll be healed. Will you believe with all your heart now? Everyone?

52 How many in here is going to be praying for the others as they pass through? Raise up your hand. I'll be praying. Remember, might be your father, your mother, your daughter, or son, sister, or brother. If it isn't yours, it's somebody's, that's going to come through this line. And what if it was them, and they were dying with cancer or some hideous disease. Wouldn't you want men to be deeply sincere? Certainly we would.
Now. I believe ... how you going to? ... Now, these in this row here, this aisle, stand over against that side---with the prayer cards---stand over against that side, all that's in the right section. Now we'll hold the left section. We get all jammed up, and see, you don't know what we're doing. All right. All that's in this section, stand up here.
Now, all that's in the right-hand section, just come this way, 'cause you're going to come down, come around. And how you going ... how they going out, Brother Borders? Right out the side door, come right around and in the building again.

53 So when this side will be called in a few minutes, and they'll stand up ... and let's see now. While ... all right. Those in this section turn on this side, over here. Holding your prayer cards, get over on this side. And you in the balcony walk right down to meet him at the end of the row, up there.
Now, these in this left-hand section go over to the left-hand side. And then, you see you form your line, and go back that way. Turn back, turn that way, see, and you'll follow the line right around. Then we won't have any mix-up at all.
And then, you up in the balcony, just make your places right at them aisles, and just drop right in as they come through. Now just start walking on back, each one, walk right on back till you meet this line, right around here. Just come right around up in here. Just start walking right around, and come to this line, right here.

54 Oh, what could happen right now! What could happen! This is going to be a time where something must take place. Now, that's right. Go right back around that way, and get right in the line, like that. Go right around this aisle. That's the way. Now. And now, when you're standing, everybody on their feet, we're going to offer prayer. And this congregation is going to pray with me that you're going to be made well. Just have faith now, and don't...
Come right on around, way back in the back, come right on around, and join into this line back here. Come right around. Make one big line. Come right around that way, and make the one line. That's it.
Everybody be in prayer, be really in faith, now. Just ... don't notice the crowd, now. Remember, we are enshrouded by the presence of Jesus Christ, depending on us to honor what He's done among us by having faith in his Word. That's fine. Now, that's ... just be fine. I think that line is getting in just wonderful. Now, while they're all standing, I want every person now in the building to bow your head.

55 Lord Jesus, it's soon to happen. The decision has to be made right now. Do we believe You're here? Do we love You? Have we faith, Lord, sufficient for what we're going to ask? These people are identifying themselves by standing in the line. Lord, may it not be in vain. May it be, Lord, that they pass through here ... each one will just pass like they was passing under Christ, for we know He's here. And we pray that they'll receive their healing.
I'm sure that, even in weeks and weeks to come, these people will be going to their pastor. Women that had female trouble, stomach trouble; men with prostate, all kinds of trouble, will be made well, saying, "You know, the thing just left me," for they're in your presence. May they come through the line, and draw off this what You have died for. They're the seed of Abraham. And You've conquered for them. May they come and receive what You have given to them.
Satan, you have been so exposed this week till you know that you are a defeated being. Jesus Christ defeated you at Calvary. He raised up on the third day for our justification. And He stands among us now. And our faith looks to Him, and away from you or anything that you have done. Leave these people in the name of Jesus Christ [Prayer line people are ministered to.] ... God.

56 We have did just as the Master bid us to do. How many of you that went through that line believes that you're going to be well? Raise up your hands. I join mine with you. What we were doing there at the last ... there's a group of ministers there, many of them were sick. I knew it. But they were trying to put forth their effort to get their congregation in, whether they get in or not. That's genuine shepherds. And the Holy Spirit said to me, "Cause them to join hands with each other." We laced our hearts and nets together, and our prayers together. Jesus, make them well, too. And make them strong shepherds, strong in the Word of the Lord.
May God, my brethren, may He give you all the desires of your heart. May you serve Him all the days, and have power of God in your lives to minister to this fine bunch of people. May Jesus Christ, who's been with us, and is with you all the time---may He make Hisself more prominent to you than He's ever before.

57 You people, some of you that were crippled, you might not see no difference for awhile. You might not feel different. Look what Abraham did. Don't make any difference what... That ain't what you're looking at. Don't look at your symptoms; look at what He said. If you say, "I still feel the pain," that don't have nothing to do with it. You've done what God said do. See, don't look at that; look at what He said. God said it was so. I believe it. Don't you? With all my heart I believe it.
The Lord God bless you till I see you again. My prayers is for you. The night don't get too dark, the rain don't fall too hard---I'll be praying for you. You pray for me until we meet again. God bless you. Now, the brother pastor...