Contending For The Faith

  These days there was to be a famine. And there was to be a famine for the hearing of the Word. There's a lot of things I'd like to talk about. There always is. Always so many wonderful things. I'd like to read just a little bit first of all from the book of Acts, the third chapter. Reading from the third chapter of the book of Acts, the eleventh verse: 

Acts 3:11-26 "And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."

Note Jesus here is called the Prince of Life. You know there's a lot of people in the earth that are referred to as being Prince. But never anyone, never at any time anywhere has anyone ever been called the Prince of Life. Now it says here when this man was healed, he said, it's all happened and His name through faith in His name, made the man strong. Then he said, "Yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of ye all." Now we know that he means the faith which is by the man. We understand that the man's believing, that this man's faith hath healed him. But there's no more to this than what you're seeing whereas the Bible uses the term, "the faith which is by Him." That is the faith which is by Jesus Christ hath given him, that is the man, the perfect soundness that he has in the presence of the people. Now we preached the other night on contending for the faith, or spoke of the faith of the fathers. And spoke of contending for the faith or that is, we called it "The Faith of the Sons of God." The Faith of the Son of God, the faith of mankind is one thing but the faith of the Son of God is another thing all together different. And so then, the faith which is by him, the faith of the Son of God, the Bible speaks of contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints of God. We was discussing that faith up in Bill's office a little over in the afternoon, the faith that the saints one time had. Now when you and I think about contending for the faith, what we think about is contending for the faith that Peter, James and John had. But see, it wasn't, it's not us that said, "Contend for the faith, that is as far as the scriptural reading. It was Peter, James, and John that said, "Contend for the faith." If I was looking back saying,, Contend for the faith, I could say, "Contend for the faith that Peter, James, and John once had, but inasmuch as Peter, James and John was looking back saying, "Contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, they was speaking of men of old like Abraham, like Elijah, like Moses and the different ones back in the old testament. Contend for the faith that Moses was able to smite Egypt with the plague. Contend for the faith that Joshua had when he was able to make the sun and the moon stand still. Contend for the faith that Elijah had when he went away in a fiery chariot. Contend for the faith that Daniel had when he walked amid the lions and was not hurt. Contend for the faith that the Hebrew children had when they walked among the flames and the flames could not hurt them. Contend for the faith which God one time delivered unto the saints. You know we ought to really be ashamed to some extent when we think about the faith of those people being so great and so mighty and the faith of the people of today being so little and so dwarfed. We really ought to be ashamed. Those people did not even have Christ Jesus in their heart. All they had was God with them. All they had was the law. All they had was the moving of the Spirit in that day. They did not have Christ on the inside like you and I have today. We have the very Son of God dwelling today inside of our being. Having the Holy Ghost in this temple and being partakers of the heavenly gift of God or the heavenly treasures we have the spirit on the inside; yet where is the faith that the saints of God one time had? Contend for that faith. You know, I've said this a lot of times, "Two boxers when they come together, they are contending for the belt, seeing which is the best man that they might carry off that championship belt and have the praise of the people as well as the money powers behind it. Isn't that right? That means that if we are going to contend for the faith then we are going to have to fight. Isn't that right? They put up a good fight and Paul said, "I have fought a good fight." If we're going to contend, that means we're going to have to fight because the one that we're contending with is the devil and we're going to have to put up some resistance. The Bible says, "Draw nigh unto God. Resist the devil, he'll flee from you. So then, it takes contending or it takes a little bit of effort on our part to be able to do something for the Lord God of heaven and to be able to have that kind of faith, that faith that was once delivered unto the saints of God. Some of us don't like to fast. Some of us don't like to pray. Some of us don't like to give. Some of us don't like to submit to leadership. Some of us don't like to admit that God has people in the earth that hath the oversight of us. Some of us don't like to share what we've got with the hungry and the needy around the world. Some of us are selfish. Some of us are cruel. Some of us are harsh in our ways of life. We don't like to make our lives conform to the good things of Jesus or the ways of the Son of God. That, being like that, it makes it impossible for us to ever come into the things of God to receive the faith that the saints of God one time had. So then, when we talk about this great faith, this great move of God, this great thing, what will this faith do? Somebody would say, "Brother Pike, you don't ever expect to have the faith of Joshua, to command the sun to stand still." Why you don't ever expect to have the faith of Moses? You don't ever expect to have the faith of Abraham." I tell you what, brethren, we should exceed that faith. We should go beyond that faith. I am expecting to have a faith that will literally change my natural body. Change it and take me away into glory with Him. I'm expecting a faith that will affect my blood genetics, that will affect my body. Paul said, "Behold, I show you a mystery." "We shall not all sleep but be changed." Enoch ran across this faith. Enoch had this kind of faith. And the Bible says, "By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death, in that he had this testimony before his translation, that he pleased God." I'm expecting a faith that can translate my outer body, that can translate my outer genes. Now I know that I've already received the faith in that I have been translated into the kingdom of God. I realize that I've been translated into God's kingdom. I understand that I'm already in the kingdom of God for the Bible says, "God hath," that is He's already done it. "For God hath translated you or me into His marvelous kingdom." We've already been translated into the kingdom of God and in my spirit, in my inner man, in that spiritual being that tabernacles in this little house of clay, I've already been translated into the kingdom of God. My inner man is no longer in the earth. My inner man is no longer in this dimension, but my inner man is living in that great spiritual dimension hid with Christ in God whom the heavens have received until the time of the restitution of all things. I am not of this world for God has chosen me out of this world. The world doesn't love me because I'm not of the world. The world loveth its own, I am not of the world for God has chosen me out of the world. That is, I have been translated into the kingdom of God, taken out of this world and the life I now live, I live by the Son of God. It is no longer I that live in this flesh, but the life that I live in the flesh, I now live by the faith of the Son of God. So then, I realize tonight that I am free from the things of this world. If we could get a hold of the greatness of God and what God hath done for us, we could very easily rejoice forevermore. A lot of times when the preacher tells us to rejoice forevermore, we ask this question within ourselves, "How then can I rejoice forevermore, having the problems that I have, having the turmoil that I have, having all of the anxieties of life that I have, how then can I rejoice forevermore? But listen, Christian friend, when you really come to know what Christ did for you and what God wrought in Christ Jesus before the world ever was, and manifested at Calvary; when you really come to understand what the Faith of the Son of God did in your behalf, you won't have any trouble rejoicing forevermore. There'll be a joy, there'll be a benefit, there'll be a glory, there'll be something that will sweep over in your life and over your heart such as you've never known before. So then, I am glad tonight that I have come to understand the wonderful things of Jesus. I'm glad tonight that I can see beyond the veil. As brother Taylor said, "Having rent the veil in two," Jesus rent the veil in two, and today I'm free from that thing that was over me, that separated me from God. That middle wall of partition that stood between me and God has been taken out of the way and I'm free from that thing today. Paul tells us that in the reading of the Old Testament, there is a veil over the minds of the people. That same veil that was slipped down over Moses to hide the Shekinah life of the glory of God from the people to keep them back from death. That same light, that same light that showed forth, came down in Christ Jesus and God had to slip a human veil over it. So that the brightness of that light would not destroy the people. That same veil is over the minds of the people today. That veil is untaken away when you read the old testament. It is untaken away. It still remains over the eyes of Israel today. It remains over every person's eyes except those that get in Christ Jesus, for the Bible says, "Which veil is done away with in Christ." Now then, that is to say that when the brightness of this great light from faith to faith and glory to glory begins to shine forth that this light begins to dissolve that veil. That dark veil that comes over your heart, that dark veil of intellectual reasoning that is a derivative from the tree of knowledge in the garden, that dark cloud that settles down over you, that bright light of God from within you begins to penetrate that veil and dissolve that veil. And that ole intellectual carnal reasoning that brings death, that came into the hearts of Adam and Eve from the fall, that old satanic mind that's after the passions and human infatuations of the flesh, that ole carnal darkness begins to dissolve and begins to be expelled as the great light of God begins to come forth. From light to light, from glory to glory, from faith to faith, we move into the wonderful power of God, being changed from glory to glory into the perfect image of God that we might become one with him and have that eternal celestial body that God promised to you and I. That veil being over the minds of the people, that veil being untaken away. It is dissolved according to your measure. It is dissolved according to your ability. It is dissolved according to that which you will receive of God, how much you will receive, and how fast that you will receive it. God has so set it that way, that the bright light of Christ might not destroy you as he approaches the earth. For the Bible speaks of Satan who works, sitting in the temples of God, whose temple ye are, showing himself that he is God; God will allow it to work until God, the Great Light, the Great Spirit, comes forth and destroys that darkness with the brightness of his coming, even the son of perdition that causes all of the problem. So then today, we see the brightness of the coming of the Lord. Now why do we see the brightness in this hour? The Bible tells us that gross darkness shall cover the people; that gross darkness shall come over the people, that is, they will become very intellectual. They will be people that love to reason, people that want education, people that look to the scientific way of life and all of this has caused scientists, knowledge falsely so called, and the Bible teaches that it is a dark veil that is settling down over the people. But the Bible also tells us that in the evening time, it shall come to pass that there shall be light. So then, we see that even though this dark veil is settling down, yet the Bible says, "That they that sit in the regions of the shadow of death, unto them great light is sprung up." So then, this great light that destroys all of the darkness, this great light that destroys all of the evil, it is beginning to spring up and beginning to show itself to destroy the powers of perversion, to destroy the carnal reasoning, to destroy the educational side of life and bring man back to a place of believing rather than a place of reasoning. The Bible tells us not to lean to our own understanding but to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. One thing that I learned years ago, and that is, I cannot reason in my own mind and please God. I cannot reason in my own mind, doing my own thing and still be a child of God. There's no way that I can do that. To lean to my won understanding, to have my own reasoning, to do my own thing is to bring me death. But to think on the Word of God, Jesus said, "Come and let us reason together." For me to go to God and reason with the Word of God and reason with the way of God and reason with the plan of God then I can find life. I can get acquainted with the Prince of Life and I can get Him inside of my heart, and He'll show me the right way and glory of God will break forth in my life and the veil that has been covering me, the veil of death, the veil of darkness will be expelled and done away with and that great light shall spring forth in my life. I've learned this from my own personal life and from personal experience. Every Person must get acquainted with God for themselves. No individual can do this job for you. I can tutor you. I can tell you. I can help you. I can work with you, Even the Lord Jesus Himself, as a man could not do it. He could walk the earth; He could talk with the disciples, He could tell them all those wonderful things that they could do, but He had to go away. He said, "It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not return to you." Now it was expedient for Him to leave, depart from the people as a human being, that there might be a spiritual remedy to where the Holy Ghost could come into the heart of mankind and bring this great wonderful light that comes into the heart of mankind and bring this great wonderful light that comes from the Prince of Life. He had to go away and then He came back into my heart and into your heart. Today, we preach Christ within you, the hope of glory. And the Bible tells us that if any man deny that Christ, the Holy Spirit, lives in the human temple today, that that man is an antichrist. That if any man denies that Christ is come in the flesh and lives in the flesh and walks in you, in the temples of God, that man is an antichrist. For it is a true fact that today, God lives inside of me. God lives inside of you. God walks inside of me. God walks inside of you. Because ye are the temples of the Holy Ghost. The Bible says, If you destroy, if you contaminate that temple, if you defile that temple, God will destroy that temple. Ye are temples of the Holy Ghost. Therefore we should clean up our hearts, clean our lives up. We should sanctify ourselves daily before God that we should be workers and meat for the master's use. Now, I know and I'm persuaded of God that there is no such thing as me sanctifying myself unto righteousness. There is no such thing. I repent of my sins. I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This I have to do, but brothers and sisters, I cannot sanctify myself unto righteousness. That must be a definite work of grace by the things that God wrought in Jesus Christ. For the Bible tells me that I am the workmanship of God in Christ Jesus. That is, whatever God intended for me to be, He wrought it in Christ Jesus and imputed it unto me by faith in His Son or in the finished works of the Son of God. So then, today, I'm free from sin. I am separated from the things of this world. I am chosen out of this world. I am hid with Christ in God. I have been translated into the marvelous kingdom of God. I have been sanctified one time, Paul tells us, and for all by the offering of the body of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. I've not only been sanctified that way but I've been justified by the faith of the Son of God. I was justified one time and for all by the faith of the Son of God as He believed in my behalf. When He said, Father, I prayed for these, that their faith fail not. I prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail not. I've not prayed for the world, but I've prayed for these that you've given me, and I've not lost a one of them except the son of perdition and all that you've given Me, not only has He sanctified me, but the Bible says, "That God hath glorified me and I've been glorified by the blessings of God and the Son of God and God hath blessed me with all heavenly blessings in these heavenly places. So then, we are seated together tonight in heavenly places. We are they that inhabit the heavens. We are they that walk with Christ, that walk among the angels and the angles walk among us. The Bible says, "For us to praise God and for us to rejoice, ye that inhabit the heavens." But they that are in the earth, they that are cut off from God, they that are put down in the low lands of sorrow, He said," Woe unto you. One woe cometh and then another woe." Woe unto you! For Lucifer is cast out. Lucifer is in the earth and he goes among you like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. I've not only been justified but sanctified. Not only sanctified but been glorified by the wonderful works of Jesus Christ. Today it is finished. As Jesus said at Calvary, I am a finished product in Him. I have been perfected for how long? Not only glorified but the Bible says, "Made perfect once and for all. I have been perfected forever. For them that He sanctified, He also, the Bible tells us, hath glorified and hath perfected them forever." He made me perfect without spot, without wrinkle, without blemish forever that I might be unreproveable in His sight. When Paul speaks of it, he said, "God did this that you might be unreproveable in His sight." God didn't never want to see another day where He had to reprove one of His children, where He had to get upset at one of His children. Where He had to, where He had to do anything to one of His children. He wanted us to, he wanted us to be in such a condition before Him that never again would we be in the condition to where we needed reproof. So then, from the time that Jesus has saved us from the foundation of the world in the foreknowledge of God, even to the time that it was manifested at Calvary to let us know what God had wrought in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, even from the beginning, God hath made us perfect without blemish, without spot, without wrinkle, and today we are a perfected people. A bride without spot, without wrinkle, without blemish, a church that Christ hath give himself for to make us perfect in His sight. Now you say, "Brother Pike, you talk like there's nothing left for us to do." There is nothing you can do, beloved friend, in becoming a Christian. There is no way that you can do anything. God did it all. They said, "What must we do to work the works of God?" He said, "This is the works of God, that you believe on Him that the Father has sent, for the works have been finished from the foundation of the world. So then, we are to believe on Christ tonight and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God. I survived today. I have the victory today. Even the victory that overcometh the world, my faith in God, I have it today because of the faith of the Son of God. So I'm a great victorian because of what Jesus Christ did. Now then, what is there left for me to do? To sanctify myself daily, yes. Not unto righteousness because God has done that once and for all. To put away the filth of the flesh, yes. But the Bible says,, "It's not the putting away of the filth of the flesh that saves me, but rather by the faith of the Son of God, I'm saved. But do I out away the filth of the flesh? I certainly put away the filth of the flesh for Paul said, "Let everyone that names Christ depart from iniquity." So then, we should get away from those things. He that beareth the vessel of God, let him do it in righteousness. Let him do it in honor. And we should have our fruits unto holiness and the end thereof everlasting life. We should be therefore perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. Not that we could perfect our lives unto salvation, but rather perfect our lives to the pleasing of God that He might be satisfied with us in the sense that He sees how grateful we are in serving Him and pleasing Him for what He hath done in making us perfect in the things of the Son of God. Somebody would say, "Well, Brother Pike, if it's so optional then you mean to tell me that I don't have to do anything.." I mean to tell you that you have to do everything and then after you've done everything, you haven't done anything so far as doing anything that will save you. But there's one thing about it, if you don't do everything to live holy and everything to overcome and everything to be righteous, then, my brother and sister, it's positive proof that you're not partakers of the divine nature of Him that hath done everything for you. So then, what, what are we doing? As I've said so many times, somebody would say, "Well, if it's like that, Brother Pike, then I'm just going to go on to heaven because He's done it all. I'm not going to worry about it." You're going to go on to hell because you've never been born again. No tree that's got a nature of any certain kind could help but produce whatever the certain kind of nature is. No tree with an apple nature could produce anything but apples. It's got to produce apples because it's an apple nature; and a person that's been born again, they don't go around doing righteous things to try to get perfect. They don't do righteous things to try to be holy. They do righteous things because they're born of the spirit of holiness and because it's God's holy nature on the inside of them that's putting forth those fruits unto holiness that the end thereof may be eternal life. And, brother and sister, the Bible says, "By their fruits, ye shall know them." It doesn't matter how much a person professes Christianity. It doesn't matter how much a person tells you that they've been born again. If they don't bear fruits unto holiness, they do not have the spirit of holiness. And the Bible tells us that God is the spirit of holiness and without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Why does God speak like that? I say again that there is only one God. He is an spirit. What kind of a spirit? The Holy Spirit. And if God is the Holy Spirit, then if we have God inside, what kind of fruits will we bare? Holy fruits. If we have the spirit of holiness, then we have God. Without holiness, the Bible says, no man shall see God. Why? Because God is the spirit of holiness. How could you see God without holiness if God is the spirit of holiness? Therefore the only life there is, is holiness and Jesus is the Prince of Holiness, the Prince of Life. Somebody say, "I love Jesus." I say this a lot times, they speak of the Pope, they say, "His Holiness." That's blasphemy. The Pope is not His Holiness. Only one is His Holiness, that is Christ Jesus, God Almighty. There is but one His Holiness that is the Holy Spirit which is God. He is His Holiness. So then, we thank God tonight because we are not struggling to try to be righteous. We're not struggling to try to be a Christian. We're not struggling to try to get to heaven. We're not struggling to try to be perfect or perfect our lives in the sight of God so that we might have salvation but we are struggling to perfect our lives in God or to be perfect in God for the simple reason that we want to sanctify these vessels daily that the Holy Spirit in abundance can live on the inside of us that we may be filled with the Spirit and be meat for the Master's use to work for God and to be filled up and overflowing with the Spirit that we might be clean and upright in His sight. Not that we're clean and upright in the sense of the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but we're clean and upright because Christ put away the filth of the flesh by His faith in God and called me unto holiness and my spirit is in His Spirit, therefore I have the Spirit of Holiness which causes me to produce holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. The write said, "And surely goodness and righteousness shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. All right, so then it makes me feel better. I know now that nothing can separate me from the love of God." Powers can't do it. The power of the devil can't do it. The power of the devil, the power of fallen angels, the power of Satan, powers can't separate me from the love of God. No power can do it. Money power. people power, fallen angels, demon spirits, nothing can separate me from the love of God. Now you say, "Oh yes, Brother Pike, the devil will make you sin against God and you'll be lost." The Bible says, "He that is born of God cannot sin." The devil can't you make you sin because a man born of God. a woman born of God cannot sin. If a woman or a man could sin then there would be a power that could separate you from the love of God, but God wrought such great love in Christ Jesus and done such great things for you and I in Christ Jesus that He sealed us in to where we could not sin, making our righteousness be of God and of Christ's work that the devil can't make us sin. Therefore there is no power that can separate us from the love of God. Not only that but poverty can't do it, sickness can't do it, the problems can't do it, people can't do it, happenings can't do it, beloved friend, we are sealed in the inner man unto the day of redemption, which redemption is the redemption of the body which the Bible calls the purchased possession that we are waiting on tonight. See, God purchased at Calvary this body. It is now His possession and your possession in that you are benefiting together and partakers together. You are joint heirs which means whatever He has, that's what you have. So then, heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ's purchased which is the body, we're waiting on this purchased possession. Now I wished I wasn't hoarse tonight, I'd love to preach. But I'll tell you, we in this hour, what has our Father Abraham discovered? Old Paul got excited, "Oh, he said, "What has our Father Abraham, what has he discovered in this thing called faith?" My dear God, what has he discovered? What has Abraham discovered? Our Father, the faithful, what hath he discovered? Paul said, "To be justified of works wherein he hath to boast." But if it wasn't that that he discovered, then it must have been the works of Jesus Christ that he discovered. What then hath he found? Therefore we being justified by the faith of God in Christ. What a wonderful thing! Folks, when we come to the place to where we try to contend for that faith that was once delivered unto the saints of God, to where we can listen, where we can study, where we can pray, where we can search until we come to that great knowledge of what God hath done for us, then is when we're really going to start enjoying our salvation. I could not possibly enjoy an automobile if it was given to me with the understanding that if I ever had a flat tire, if I ever made a bobble in the road, if I ever did hit a rut, that ii was going to be taken away from immediately. I could never rest like that. God hasn't given such a thing. God hasn't done such a thing. Oh, God, help us to get away from this thing of from revival to revival. We repent from revival to revival. We get baptized all over again, all over again, all over again, just one revival to another. We're up and down and in and out like a bunch of children playing a game. Somebody say, "Amen." God didn't save me from one revival to another. God saved me throughout eternity. God didn't baptize me from one revival to another. God baptized me for the dead. I put on the body of Jesus Christ. He said' "I counsel of you to buy of me raiment that's tried in the fire." Put ye on the raiment that's tried in the fire. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." Put ye on the body that went down amid the flames. I ask you to buy of that raiment, "If ye can afford it." Anybody going into that wedding supper without the body of Christ is in trouble. Today we are all baptized into one body, one great membership by the great Holy Spirit. I've become a member of the church. I've become a member of the church which is the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a member of the church. A member of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was made a member by the Holy Spirit. I was baptized into that bodily membership that made me a member, that spirit of life took me on, grafted me into that body and made me a member of that great body of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Not I that liveth but Christ that liveth within me.." The life I now live, I live by the Son of God. "I live by the faith of the Son of God." It pleased God that Christ should be revealed in my life." And how then is Christ revealed in my life? Through my sufferings. Christ isn't revealed in my life through riches. Christ isn't revealed in my life through splendor. Christ isn't revealed in my life through comforts and convenience. How could Christ be revealed to the world in my life through such, for He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He never had riches. He never had conveniences. It's when we are killed all the day long, Paul said, accounted as sheep as to the slaughter. It's when we look upon ourselves as He did, saying that the apostles are made the off scouring of the earth while you abound, we are abased. We are, w are talked about. We are ridiculed! Said, "Every evil thing about, yet in all of these things, we are more than conquerors." And the Bible says, "That we rejoice in our infirmities." Paul said, "For when I'm weak, I find out that Christ is being shown to the world in my life." Therefore I am strong in my endeavor." I am strong in my mission." I am strong in my work, for when I am weak, then I find out that Christ is living on the inside of me." So then, we should have a vision for God. We should have a desire for God. And that desire should be to let the world see Christ in our life. "Let your light so shine that men may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." I praise God for this tonight in a good thing." I praise you tonight in a good thing. Paul said, In a good thing I praise you." I praise you because he said, "Your faith is spoken of throughout the world." Your faith is a great light around the world. Getting letters from around the world, people are being converted. People are being healed. People are receiving light and they are wanting to follow the great light of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, another thing I say so often is this: a lot of people say, "Oh but, Brother Pike, you're trying to take God's glory. You're trying to give it to the people. You're trying to give it to mankind." God won't give His glory to another." I tell you again, my brother, my sister, we are not another. The Bible says, "God will not give His glory to another, but tonight, we are not another; we are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, and Jesus said, Father, glorify these with the same glory I had with Thee before the world ever was." When they awoke, they saw His glory." And God wants us glorified with the same glory because we're not another. You may belong to some denomination. You may belong to some religious sect. You may belong to some idea, or you may have some computerized thing going on in your brain up here that's foreign to the Word of God, if you do then you are another. But tonight, if you are born of the spirit, born of the Word, you're not another tonight. You can have the very glory of God and be one with the heavenly Father. All right, so it is a wonderful thought tonight to know that we are children of God. What then hath our Father Abraham discovered? What is this, Abraham, that you've found? Why, he's found something that will translate me in my spirit. He's found something Paul said that will transformate me in my mind. "Be ye therefore transformed by the renewing of your mind." He's found something that will transfigure my body. For the Bible says, "Jesus was transfigured on the Mount of Transfiguration unto the point that His raiment glistened before the people". What is this that Abraham has discovered? He has discovered some great power that God has placed within his hands that through this great power, I can be translated, transformated, transfigured in spirit, soul and body into the marvelous kingdom of God that I may fit God's program, where Paul said, "I seek to present you blameless body, soul, and spirit." So then, we are baptized for the dead. I've been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Why was I baptized? That I might put on Christ. Why did I go down into the water? I went down into the water that I might be baptized for the dead. I am buried with Christ in baptism. I am resurrected in Christ's image, in Christ's body and today it's not I living but Christ. The man of sin, the man of perdition is back at Calvary and he became me in death that I might become Him in life. He exchanged places with me and today I'm free from the man of sin and sorrow. I'm free from the man of grief because he was a man of sorrow, he was a man of grief. He was a man that went through all of those things that I might rejoice forevermore. "Put on your beautiful garment, Oh, Zion, and rejoice for evermore for when I bring Zion again, I shall bring her with everlasting joy, for I have given her beauty for ashes." Hallelujah! "Put on your beautiful garment!" How can you put on that beautiful garment? By being baptized in the name of the Lord and they that are baptized into Christ have put on the beautiful garment, Christ, the raiment tried in the fire. Put on thy beautiful garment. Don't dare to go into the wedding supper without the beautiful garment. The Bible says "If we try to go in then we are a thief and we are a robber." If we go in, we will be bound hand and feet. You know I believe this. I've said this a lot of times. I really believe it. There's people today that are bound with all kinds of demon spirits. They're bound with evil passions. They're bound with devils, like Mary, they had, she had seven devils and people today have just many, many devils that's in them, around them, that's got them bound. You know why? Because they've tried to get into this supper without the wedding garment. Somebody say, "Amen." They've taken every route, every way but coming through the door. Jesus said, "I am the door." I am the door. And every way they tried to get in and some of them had climbed up and got into this religious move, but, brother, they didn't come through the name of Jesus. They didn't come through the door. They come in another way. And they are today bounds with spirits of insanity. They are bound with spirits of adultery. They are bound with money spirits. They are bound with spirits searching for fame and popularity. They are bound with devil spirits of being married one time and two times and half a dozen times, they're bound with all kinds of spirits because they refused to go in by the door. I'm the door, Jesus said. "The sheep go in and out by me." They'll find green pasture. What is this then our Father Abraham has found? When he said, "Contend for the faith, contend for the faith." When the, when the preacher looked back saying "Contend for the faith."? What is this that our Father Abraham has discovered? He hath discovered something in our behalf, children of God. What is this that he hath discovered? That we are perfected forever. Now, let's look at it like this. There is a people that's not going to go into the grave. There is a people. We might as well to admit it. Now, let's run through it for just a minute again. There is a people that will not go into the dirt. They will not go into a casket. Paul said, "Behold, I show you a mystery." What is the mystery? We shall not all be put in caskets. That is, we shall not all sleep. We shall not all go into the grave. What is the difference? I've said this a lot of times. The Bible says, "We have passed from death unto life." How then have I passed from death unto life? "He that believeth on My Word shall never come into condemnation for My Words are spirit and My Words are life." What is this Word of eternal life? What do you mean, Lord, I've passed from death unto life? I say this again to you, and yet though you know it, I repeat it. Stir up your minds that we have by-passed what the Bible calls the "second death". And what is the second death? The death of the lake of fire. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection over which the second death hath no power." So then I have passed over the second death. It hath no power over me. Why? Because I am found in the first resurrection. And what is the first resurrection? Jesus said, "I am the resurrection." Now, I say this again, when he came up at Calvary, that was the first resurrection. He took the people up, but in that man must see something, they can't account for the first resurrection because He took them all away with Him. Now, when we, just before the tribulation period, Thessalonians trumpet will sound, Christ shall appear in the air. We which are alive and remain shall not prevent the dead, for the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to be with God, or that is, with Christ, with the saints of God, those that are resurrected from the dead, this is also called the first resurrection but still the Bible doesn't refer to it as the first resurrection. "But blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." So then, seven years of tribulation goes by then comes the saints of God back from the raptured condition, back down to this earth with Christ Jesus, Rev. 19, a vesture dipped in blood, yet they come on white horses and then the other dead comes up. Those that were killed during the tribulation period, the Bible calls this what? The first resurrection. Why does he call it the first resurrection? Because the Bible says, "Them that have died, that's buried in Christ, them will He bring with Him at His coming." That means them that He brings with Him was the first resurrection. Somebody say, "I love Jesus." I said, " Those that was dead that He brings with Him, they are those that come from the first resurrection. So then, He calls it the first resurrection because the first stages of it is at Calvary, the second stages of it before the tribulation period, they are not seen. The people are not seen, therefore they're not accounted for in the world as those that come from the dead that's walking around. But after the tribulation period, then the world can see them walking around and they say, "My God, there's those people resurrected from the dead." Jesus said, "The first resurrection." It's accounted for in man's way of life, so we see, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection over which the second death hath no power." We've passed from death unto life; that is, we can never go into the lake of fire. Let's say this again now. Hell is not eternal. Remember that. Hell is not eternal, for the Bible says, that, "Hell and death shall deliver up the dead that are in them and hell and death shall be cast into the lake of fire and that's the end of hell and that's the end of death. But the Bible speaks of eternal flames where the worm dieth not, God saying, "I'll help thee, thy worm, Jacob, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." There is an eternal burning. There is an eternal separation from God. There is an eternal flame that won't go out and when hell is cast into that lake of fire, that lake of fire is the second death. Remember that. That is the second death. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, that shall appear on the white horses in Rev. 19 to live and rule and reign with Christ a thousand years for the lake of fire hath no power over them. So, tonight if they put me in a casket and you said, "Brother Pike is dead", you'd be all mixed up. He that is born of God can not die. He hath passed from death unto life. How? HE hath escaped the death of the soul, the second death. Now then, but there is still a great jubilee coming. Hallelujah! There is still something even greater coming to the extent that we're going to be changed, not greater than our soul salvation but greater that men might see it. We're going to be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality. We're not going to sleep in the dust if we come to that great knowledge of God that we are the perfect church, that God has done it; that God's got everything straightened out, that we're not up and down and in and out, but that we are a church without spot, wrinkle, and blemish and get that faith up in the sight of God. When we do that, then Christ is coming after a church without spot, wrinkle or blemish. Now we are only heir to whatever we believe. Somebody, "Amen." Though He has perfected us forever, though He's healed us by His strips, though He has saved us, yet we only have the benefits of it if we believe. Is that right? We must first be taught it by the minister which is our benefits; our will, the will of our Fathers is read to us by the lawyers, which is the minister, and then we must believe it. Is that right? So then, when we believe it, it comes to pass. So then, in the age when there is a message brought to the people that will let them know that they are perfect, that they can understand, that they can see it, it means the rapture is at hand. So then, what is it? "We shall not all sleep." Paul said, "The mystery is shown." We shall not all sleep but we are going to be changed. They said concerning Lazarus, "Lazarus sleepeth. Lazarus sleepeth; I go to awake him." Lazarus sleepeth. Why is it that Lazarus was sleepeth? Lazarus was asleep because the second death had no power over him. If a man's passed from death unto life, he can't die so then all he does is go to sleep, that is the body quits functioning, but the soul is wide awake in the paradise of God. You believe that? It's got to be that way because the Bible says, "That Abraham from paradise looked across a great gulf and saw the rich man in hell." Is that right? He lifted up his eyes in hell and looked up toward Abraham and there was Lazarus in Abraham's bosom. Isn't that right? So then, said, "Lazarus is asleep." He is asleep. I go to awake him. But brother, Paul said, "I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep." That is, he won't even have to awaken us. We're not even going to be put in the dust. We're not even going to be put in a casket. We are passed from death unto life by the new birth. But we're coming to a faith now, where we realize it's a finished product that we are fixing to wit the redemption of our body. I say this so many times, we're not waiting for the redemption of our body. We are waiting to wit the redemption of our body. Now I say this again: Men have searched out many witty inventions. The old gent is a witty old gent. I'm at my wit's end. I say that so that you'll understand what he means. To wit, it's an old-fashioned term of expression. To wit the redemption of my body, that is to come to a knowledge. to come to an understanding, to know that God hath preserved my body, my soul and my spirit, that the purchased possession, that the creature is groaning for, all of the earth is groaning for, that purchased possession which is this body is on the verge of the change. From glory to glory, from faith to faith, from light to light, from knowledge to knowledge, from understanding to understanding, this great light from within springs out, swallows up my outer man and changes my blood genetics. Transformates my thinking just like I translate a Bible from Greek to English. One thought at a time, two thoughts at a time, until I hear something saying, "Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus." What kind of mind? The mind that can bring the body up from the dead. The mind that can speak the stars into existence; the mind that can think your troubles out of existence; the mind that can think godliness into your heart, and the mind that can think eternal existence by a celestial means into your members. Let this mind be in you. The mind that can see the revelation of Jesus Christ; the mind that can see the unveiled; the thoughts that come to you that unveil everything around you. Let this mind be in you to where it's in another world and you see in another world, another dimension. Understand? Let your conversation be in heaven. Let your thinking be in heaven. You love Jesus? Praise God! Changing from glory to glory. Paul said, "Such a one as I knew at one time was caught up into the third heaven." Heard things that wasn't permitted. The voice said, "Come up hither, John." Elijah got on board the chariot. A whirlwind come and the fiery chariot took him away. Isn't that right? Enoch, the whirlwind picked him up and away he went. Oh, brother, sister, what can we do if we have the faith that was once delivered unto the saints of God. We're living in a great hour. A moment such as mankind has never known. This is the hour of the church. This is the hour of the change. This is the hour of understanding of Almighty God where the Bible says, "Now is made known to the church the manifold wisdom of God that's in heavenly places." Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus that can produce the faith of the Son of God. Your mind can produce your faith, but Christ's mind can produce his faith and the faith of the Son of God, if you'll contend for that faith by which you're sanctified, it will change your body and redeem this purchased possession. I want you to stand with me. I appreciate your kind attention tonight. I am sorry that I'm hoarse, but I can't help it. It just gets that way. I holler and scream so much from revival to revival that as fast as I get it straightened out, I get it all tangled up again. But there's one thing about it, Paul said, "Though rude in speech, yet knot in knowledge." I may sound a little blistery, whereas the Bible says, "Lift up your voice like a trumpet. Show my people of their sins." Now they fast and pray. They delight to know me. They act like they have not done any wrong, but the Bible says, "That they have failed God." All of the have failed God. There's none good. No, not one. All of you have gone astray. Every man has turned to his own way and the Bible says, "We know that what the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, and they that are fallen from grace are under the law. But if you are not under the law, then you cannot say that ye are not righteous for the Bible says, "He that is righteous is righteous even as He is righteous." Made righteous by the Son of God. Therefore, being not found with our own righteous but rather the righteousness of God in that the Bible says, "He that knew no sin, was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." Bruised for our transgressions and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. We ought to follow in His steps who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. Learning obedience by the things that He suffered. Therefore, being made perfect, He became the author and the finisher of our salvation. "Let's sing a little chorus together. Now, we love you tonight and appreciate you and thank God for you tonight. We appreciate you and thank God for you tonight. We appreciate everyone that comes to visit with us. Everyone that comes out regular to be with us. I want you to pray that God will help us because we've still got some decisions to make. We've still got to make a decision about going into Canada to run a revival there, and a few other places that's on our heart and mind. I understand that we're supposed to be, well we need you to pray with us. Paul said, "Pray for me that doors would be open." Pray that God will open doors for me and help me to understand His will and His way and let's rejoice in the Lord. Let's, let's be good. Let's be holy. Let's be righteous. Let's be just. Let's be pure that our light might shine. Let us be without spot, without wrinkle, without blemish, that the world which is evil, can have no evil thing to say of us. That we be found without any spot, wrinkle, or blemish in the sight of the world that they may not be able to say anything against us children of God; that they might not be able to substantiate any of their accusations, shining forth as a light in midst of a crooked and a perverse generation. They being on the evil part, have nothing evil to say of us which live for God and walk upright. Let's be clean. Let's be holy. Let's be just. Let's be pure and if you've got the nature of holiness, you will be just, you will be holy, you will be pure for he with the spirit of holiness, can be no other way. And those that go contrary are only professing something that they do not possess. Now, pray for me. Tomorrow, we want to get busy again concerning the publications around the world. About thirty-five or forty foreign languages ready to go to press. Not to many of them but what we can't, with just a little effort out right on the press. Running a million every four to five days, hurling the gospel around the world. Like the song said, The message of His coming of the glad millennium day." Hallelujah! We can rejoice forevermore. We can be glad children. Why not be glad? Our heavenly Father is watching over us. Who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Peter said, "Ye are God's elect according to what He foreknew about you. Ye are elected according to foreknowledge." Having made you His elect, having elected you by grace through the foreknowledge of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Having sent froth the ministry to call you to your grace. Therefore examine yourself. See if you be in the faith of Christ. See? Make your calling and election sure. For if you can produce these fruits of the spirit, the Bible says, "You can never fall because you therefore have the nature of Christ, meaning that ye are the elect of God." If we are elect, then who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect because He hath perfected them forever. You love Jesus? Remember one thing, he that is born of God cannot sin. He that sinneth is of the devil. Then we say, "Brother Pike, what about all these people that have been such God people and gone back out into the world?" There's never been no such people. Oh you say, "Brother Pike, surely you don't believe that?" I surely do believe that because that's what the Bible says. He said, "Preach the Word." You can't show me one God person that ever went back into the world. The Bible says, "They went out from us because they were not of us." And they went out that it might be made manifest that they were never of us. They were spies, spying out our liberty. Spots and blemishes in our feast of charity. He said, "If they had been of us, they no doubt would have continued with us, but they went out from us that it might be made manifest that they were never of us." He that sinneth is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning." Therefore, we're living in that day. If you live holy, then are you holy. If ye yield your members unto righteousness then are ye children of God. If ye sin, then are ye of the devil. If you yield your members unto sin, unrighteousness, then are ye the servants of Satan. For Paul said, "Know ye not, to whom ye yield your members servants to obey, his servants ye are." Whether it be unto life or unto death. So then, unto righteousness or unto sin. Whatever it might be then, children of God, that's what you are. For if you do righteousness as it would appear in your own self doing, whereas you can do self-righteousness. If you do righteous, and then you turn and do wickedly, the Bible says, "All your righteousness shall not be remembered. In your sins ye shall die." But if you do sinfully and turn and do righteously, then all of your sins shall be remembered. In your righteousness ye shall live." God is simply saying, "He that is born of God, you'll never catch him sinning." So he'll live on and on. He that is not born of God, though he act very religious and go on for many days, he will fall away to show that he was never of us. After having come to the knowledge of the truth, the Bible says, "Being made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasting of the Word of God, the knowledge and spirit of the world to come, if we shall fall away, then there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, only the fearful looking forward to of the fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries of God. For if we willfully sin after we come to the knowledge of God and the knowledge of righteousness, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. Therefore, whatever the wrong might be, there is no blood atonement for it when you willfully do something that you know better than to do. There is no such atonement. The atonement was for them that does not mean to do wrong, that's stumbled in error. And when you stumble and error, you have an advocate with Jesus Christ, with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, which means an advocate means that your sins have been taken away, though stumble and stagger, it is called a trespass. "Father, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." So then, our advocate makes it a trespass. It cannot be a sin to a child of God. Sin is a willful thing. Sin is a transgression of the law. Where there is no sin that means there is no law. Where there's no law, there's no transgression. Where there's no transgression, there's no sin. Where there's no sin, there's no death. For the sting of death is sin. Having passed from death unto life, therefore we cannot sin. Death hath no more power over you. You have passed from death unto life. So then, children of God, we should rejoice forevermore, because we are free from sin and death. "Oh death, where is thy sting?" Oh grave, what kind of victory can you afford? Hallelujah! Let's sing this little chorus together, can we? (They that wait upon the Lord.) Can you sing it? (They sing again.) Don't you love Jesus? Don't you love Jesus? (As I walk.. they sing song.) Sing it with me. (They sing song.) While we sing, I want you to come to the altar for just a few minutes tonight. You need something from God  You need something tonight from God, let's gather around the altar. (sings) Don't you love Jesus tonight? Hallelujah! Fill my way every day with love. You know we've got something to rejoice about. Haven't we? Glory to God! To know tonight that we don't have to die, to know tonight that we don't have to worry, to know that the devil can't do anything to you. Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power over all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Can you say hallelujah! Glory to God. Tonight we've got something to shout about. We've got something to rejoice about tonight, knowing that our troubles are gone, our sorrows are gone. Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Don't let it be afraid." You know we say, "Father, oh Father, don't let me be troubled." Jesus said, "You've got the power to keep your hearts from being troubled. Don't you let it be troubled. Don't you let it be afraid., David said, "My heart is fixed and evil tidings shall not troubled me." Glory to God. We don't have to be worried tonight because we've got a sure Word of prophecy, a more sure word of prophecy. Hallelujah! You love Jesus? Let's lift our hand and love Him tonight. Hallelujah! Can you love Him tonight? Glory to God! Father, we love you tonight for your glory. We love you tonight for your presence, Jesus. We ask you to heal tonight and save tonight, Jesus. God, we ask you to forgive tonight. May every person tonight receive a special touch from heaven, Jesus. God, may they be healed tonight. If there is sickness, if there is sorrow tonight, Father, may they be delivered in the wonderful name of Jesus. I ask for your touch tonight. I ask for the moving of your spirit tonight. Dear God, may they rejoice in the Lord tonight. May they realize tonight what Christ Jesus has done for them. May they realize tonight that they're free from the sin and Father, that they're free from death and they're free from the harassment of Satan. All they've got to do is believe, to lift up their faith in God and the Bible says, "Draw nigh to God. Resist the devil. He'll flee from you." Taking the shield of faith that you might be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Hallelujah! "Putting on the whole armor of God that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Have you got on the whole armor? The Bible says, "Let your loins be girt about with the truth; taking the shield of faith, putting on, let your feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel, putting on the breastplate of righteousness; and this way we can fight against the devil. Taking the helmet of salvation, just put on the whole armor. Isn't that right? Put on the whole armor tonight.. Have you got the whole armor tonight? You say, "Brother Pike, how can I put on the whole armor?" By putting ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Did you know the Lord Jesus Christ had everything that I just spoke of? Isn't that right? Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Make no provisions for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof, but let your vision be heavenly. "Lay up your treasures in heaven where thieves don't break through and steal, where moth doesn't corrupt, for where your treasures are, there your heart will be also." Don't you love Him tonight? Let's sing another chorus or two, can we? Hallelujah! Give me another key, sister. Have you got time to worship Him just a few minutes? Let's just worship Him just a few minutes. (They sing a song.) Sing it with me. He touched me. (They sing a song.) Hallelujah! Don't you feel Him tonight? (Sings again.) Don't you feel Him touching you tonight? (Sing) You are saints of God tonight. Don't you feel that joy? (They sing song.) Can you sing it again? (They sing again.) Hallelujah! Isn't it wonderful to be a Christian? Jesus touched me and He made me whole. Jesus touched me and He made me whole. How wonderful tonight to know that somewhere Christ is standing close by. Isn't that right? Somewhere Jesus is watching tonight. You are the saints of God. Oh brother, sister, you are the saints of God. Don't you know what that means? Not that you're going to become a saint, not that you're going to get eternal life, not that you're going to get to the place to where you'll be saved. Brother, you are saved. You do have eternal life. You have passed from death unto life. You do have power over all the powers of the enemy. You can rejoice forevermore. You don't have to let your heart be troubled. You don't have to let your heart be afraid. Ye are the saints of God. Now, beloved, are ye the sons of God. You're sons and daughters of God tonight, tonight, right now. Not day after tomorrow. You're already sons and daughters of God. Isn't that wonderful? I'm glad that He called me a son of God. Now beloved, are ye the sons of God tonight. Hallelujah! Let's sing this little chorus, can we? (They sing song.) Sing it with me. (They sing song.) You know  there's many people tonight who have problems. You've got problems tonight. I know you have. But you know, the only reason you've got a problem is because you haven't taken it to God and left it with the Lord. That's all. Jesus said, "Decree a thing in your heart and it'll come to pass." Isn't that right? What is it that you want tonight that you don't have? Jesus said, "If you ask anything in My name, I'll do it." Decree it in your heart tonight. I challenge you to do it. You say, Brother Pike, have you ever done it? I've done it so many multiplied times and it always worked. Decree a thing in your heart. It will come to pass. "Ask what you will in My name, Jesus said. "I'll do it. Whatever you ask in My name, I'll do it. Let this be your fruits, that whatever you ask in My name, I'll do it. "I want to do it," Jesus said, "that your joys will be filled up, overflowing." So then, tonight if you desire something, decree it in your heart. Say, "Jesus it's mine." It's mine. It's mine. It's mine. You know the other day, I remind you when I wanted that twenty thousand dollar press, way out in Texas. I didn't have twenty cents. I said, "God, that press is in Texas. I read about it in the book. The man's wanting to trade that press for an airplane. I don't have an airplane, God, but that's still my press. I claim it in the name of Jesus." Tonight the twenty thousand dollar press is setting there in the multi-purpose building. Nice and brand new and pretty and ready to go to work. Hallelujah! Decree a thing in your heart. It will come to pass. Whatever you want, ye can have it. Jesus said, "Ask anything in My name. I will do it." Oh, I've done that so many times, so many times, so many times. Let us contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints of God. Hallelujah! I've seen Sister Betty so many times decree a thing in her heart. I'd say, "Ah, you don't believe it!" You know, I'd just go on at Betty a little bit. I'd say, "Ah, Betty, you don't believe!" She'd say, "Yes, I do." I'd say, Nah, you don't. "Yes, I do, she'd say. You just wait and see." And I could tell, you know, she'd really decreed it in her heart and sure enough, it would come to pass. You know, that has happened so many times in our life that even our little children, they do that. When they want something, you can't keep them from getting it. If they want a bicycle, if they want something else, daddy don't have to get it. They'll say, "I'm going to get a bicycle. I'll say, "Ah, no." "Oh, yes." I'd say, "How do you know?" I done told Jesus and He's going to give it to me." I done decreed it in my heart. You wait and see, daddy. I'll get it. And they do. Here come somebody saying, "You know, I just thought I'd like to buy you all a bicycle." My, how many times they have done that. Folks, you're passing up the greatest privilege that was ever offered to mankind. Why be troubled tonight? Why be worried tonight? Why not use your faith tonight? Why not love the Lord? Why not just purpose something in your heart and say, "Oh, God, I won't take "no" for an answer. It's mine." There's nothing too hard for God. Do you love Him? Let's sing this little chorus together, can we?

By Rev. George Leon Pike Sr.

Founder and first President of Jesus Christs Eternal Kingdom of Abundant Life, Inc.

Holiness Unto The Lord