An Ensign

Thank you, Brother Outlaw. Thank you very much. Good evening, friends. It's ... certainly appreciate that fine introduction, Brother Outlaw, and it's mutually felt between us. And I'm happy to be here in this tabernacle tonight, back here in Phoenix, and listen to these wonderful songs and this lovely little choir. And I was just looking them all over. I'm so critical of some of the ways people do and dress in these last days, I kind of have to admire this little clean-faced bunch of women up here. It's real good to me. I'm certainly thankful for them. God bless them.

And to Brother Outlaw and his son, I remember when I was here the boy was just a little bitty fellow. And now here he is, I think married—perhaps got a family. And it just shows that it don't take long for it to pass, does it? We're just certainly drifting on down the way. But there's one glorious thing that we are looking forward to: the day that we will see our Lord Jesus and then we'll all be changed then.

They said Sister Waldrop was here tonight, the lady that was healed with cancer. I called her name the other night. Where is she at? Is she here in the building now? Yes, Sister Waldrop, and Brother Waldrop, too. We're certainly glad to have you in the service tonight. I believe I see Brother and Sister Evans from Macon, Georgia, over here on the left-hand side—all the way from Macon here.

And this little Greek brother sitting here in front—I can't think.... He's all the way from Greece. So, I met him not long ago, and.... Eddie, I believe, isn't it? or am I...? Dave, David. I appreciate that Bible, and so forth, that you sent me just recently, that book. And I thank you very much, brother. And many of our friends.... There's another group from Georgia, Brother S.T. I call him, I believe, or T.S., on this side. And I was happy to see Brother Williams' boy. How many times that he's requested me to pray for him; and hear him stand up here testifying like that tonight, it certainly thrilled my heart for that.

Coming in I met Brother McAnally out there, my old friend. I get to see him pretty near every time coming down. There's just so many of our friends here.

Hearing the testimonies from healings brings me to think of this. A few moments ago I made a long distance call to Brother Tommy Hicks, who's in Washington, or in Oregon rather. Wanted me to come take his place this week. His brother, and his sister-in-law, and the whole family was killed instantly this afternoon, down in Mexico. And he has to go down to identify his brother, and make all the arrangements and so forth. And I certainly have a feeling for Brother Hicks. I had to do the same thing a few weeks ago for my mother, and I know just how he feels.

And so, I believe at this time, as we're all associated together as one great Christian body of people, I believe it would be real nice if we would just bow our heads a moment, and offer prayer for the comfort of Brother Hicks in this hour.

Our heavenly Father, we are bringing before Thee now, as a group of people that are pilgrims and strangers, sojourners, professing that this is not our home.... We are citizens of another great kingdom that shall come, that Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thine will be done.” Father, tonight one of our brothers, Brother Tommy Hicks, your servant, sadness is floating across the wires to his ears. His precious brother (believing he was an unsaved boy) and his wife, and little ones, all was just destroyed today by an automobile accident. And our brother is in the air, now, flying to meet up the body of his precious brother.

I pray for Brother Hicks, Lord. I pray that your Spirit be upon him, and help him. Comfort him. And may the great hand of the living God reach down and give him sustaining grace in this hour. Feeling the sharp feeling myself, Lord, of just a few weeks ago— something similar happening—I feel sorry for him. And I pray that You'll comfort him in every way that You can, Father. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

There's just so much to be said; so little time to say it. We're terribly sorry, tonight, that people ... standing inside, outside, and around the walls of the church.

Now, this next week, next Thursday starts the convention up here at the Ramada (I believe I pronounced that right), up on the right-hand side of West, or East Van Buren Street. And the Ramada—it's kind of a big hall there, with enough seating room to seat 2500 people. And it has been deemed a great privilege to me to be invited here by the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship, to which.... I have spoken over most of the world for them, and they invited me here to this convention, Brother Williams, and the president here of this chapter and many of the fine men.

And we're expecting a great time up there, and there's going to be some fine speakers, as I understand, to be there. And I understand that it's going to be my great privilege to speak to the Saturday morning breakfast. And if that be so, I want to speak on the subject, “The Worst Man I Ever Found.”

And then, Sunday afternoon I'm to speak again, to address the body of believers there Sunday afternoon. All through the week I've got church to church, church to church, sometimes two in a day ... and so, to visit my brethren. And I certainly deem it a privilege, friends, to get to meet the different organizations.

And here a long time ago this would almost've been impossible to get the people together of the different phases and organizations. But God is so wonderful. He has just worked it around so that all of them now are beginning to fellowship one with another, and forgetting their little differences, and pressing on towards the mark of the high calling. That's certainly fine. I'm very grateful to God to see that. And now, may it just continue to grow is my prayer.

Brother Outlaw, as he just said, was the first one to invite me to Phoenix. I come here many years ago with Brother Kidson, and we had a great meeting. That meeting was a red letter mark in my life. They didn't have tape recorders then. They had a little sound-scriber and they made records. And I've still got the records. That was from Brother Outlaw's church, and from Brother Garcia's church over there—the little Spanish choir that sang in Spanish, like these do in English.

And every once in a while we get kind of lonesome at home, and I kind of get the blues to see the folks out at Phoenix, and I put that record on and play it, you know. It's pretty near worn out. But I just know it so well that I know every little time it's going to jump and skip a line, and so forth. So I just stay right with it.

I've had a very sad experience in my life recently of losing my mother, which was a very sweet Christian woman. But her going was quickly. I haven't time to tell it tonight. I want to at one of the meetings—some of the little breakfasts somewhere—and how that the Lord sent me away for this to happen. He gave me a vision where to go, and what would happen. Then on the road back ... and the sweetness of watching mother come to the end of the road, and holding her in my arms, or by the arm, and committing her soul to God; and seeing that dear, old, saintly woman as she was going out when she could no more speak....

And I said, “Mother, does Jesus still mean the sweetness to you as He did the day you received the Holy Ghost? You cannot speak, I know. But if it's real, just bat your eyes real fast.” And she'd bat her eyes, and the tears would just run down her cheeks, and she went to meet the Lord. That night He came to me in a vision, and showed me her the way she was then. I just can't keep from inviting people to press on to that, see. Never miss that, friends.

And now, many times the way that we stand.... We don't disfellowship anyone because the way they believe, but being Pentecostal, and having the Pentecostal experience.... I've seen it come in my family—the ones right down to the end of the road—and watch them until their soul went out. I tell you, I'm so glad that I've got that experience, of being a Pentecostal experience in me. And I just want everyone to have it. Don't miss it. Whatever you do, don't miss the experience.

Usually in my meetings, everywhere I go, it's always about praying for the sick. I don't know. It's been very successful. The Lord has blessed, answering my prayers many times. And I wonder, just before I spoke to you, was there any come tonight to be prayed for something? so I could change my text around a little bit. If you was going to be prayed for, I was going speak on something on divine healing. And if not, I was going to speak on something else.

Is there anyone here to be prayed for, would like to be prayed for? Raise up your hand, so I can get just a general.... Hmm. My! Well, I wrestled around about a half-hour a while ago. Say, by the way, is Billy Paul here? My son, Billy Paul? Are you here? Got some prayer cards out there? Go get some, while I'm talking a little bit. Give them out. See, if you don't sometimes they keep coming back, and back, and back and forth, in the line like that. You never get to the end of it.

If you're going to have that many.... We want every one of them; but not twice, 'cause many of the people here are ... come from a long ways. And I'll speak quietly just for a few moments on something another that will try to help, and to bring faith up to that spot where we can pray for the sick.

Got a wonderful pastor, and co-pastor here, wonderful board, wonderful church, wonderful people. And the other day I was speaking at one of the meetings out here in Phoenix, and (the first meeting) and I was saying, as the wife and I was going down the street, why, how that this valley must have looked a few hundred years ago, and what it looks like today.

And today we took a trip and went up on South Mountain, and way up above the city there, out of the atmosphere of the city. We were sitting there together speaking about the Lord, and how good He'd been to us. And just ... the Holy Spirit just so sweetly moved into the car, and just.... And I looked down in the valley where little Joseph and I went down not long ago when I was here. And he and I sat down there, and held each other's hands and prayed (my little boy). And I asked God when I left, “Let me be able to lay my Bible in his hands, and let him stay with it—just with the Word; and it will be a contribution to....”—Him sparing my life and helping me.

Now you know, if you get away.... We know all cities.... I think Phoenix is a wonderful city. But, I said to my wife, “Just think. Down in there now, right at this moment, right ... little valley, the Maricopa Valley here, as we can look through it—Salt River, through here—how many people at this minute in that one little valley is taking the name of the Lord in vain? How many sins, adultery, and so forth, has been committed in the last hour in this city, this little group of people?”

I said, “How many people do you think that's sinned in the last fifteen minutes, since we've been sitting up here in this city?” Think of it tonight. I said, “It's a wonder that God just doesn't wash the whole thing out, like that.” It certainly is true.

But do you remember like it was in Sodom? There was someone down there that had to be brought out. And I said, “Sweetheart, besides all of that, remember that in this valley since we've been sitting up here, there's been prayer after prayer go from a sincere heart.” And I said, “That's the reason we're here at Phoenix today, and in this meeting around the fellowship with our brethren: is to put ourself in with them to help to move this great load—to try to get others to see.

“Now, some day I believe that the whole valley will be wiped out, the whole earth will be wiped off. And there will come a great millennium.” And I said, “The warriors and heroes of the faith then will walk down through the gardens of God, never to be old again, never to be sick again, while anthems fill the air, the angels looking down.”

I think of a soldier coming home, when he's been honored, you know, overseas or something—how that there seems to be such a great honor the people pay him. But what is it? It's a few honors out on the street, and a few trumpets to sound, or bells to ring. And then you go right back into the old grind.

But this way it'll be an endless eternity, how that the anthems that the angels was singing as these warriors, and their wives, and families, walk through the paradises of God. Now, that's not some mythical dream like Christmas, Santa Claus. That's the truth, friends. And we are looking forward to that. I'm looking with all my heart to that time, that when Christ shall come and we shall be in his likeness then. There'll be no more old age....

[What say? Come right here, Paul, if you will.] And you that wants a prayer card, as he comes down just to give you a prayer card, just raise your hands.

And I wonder if it would be asking a little too much, if we would get this pianist and this choir here to sing? Well, let's have the audience—put everybody in it, if they will—sing “Close to Thee, Close to Thee.” You know the song? You know it? Everybody knows it? “Close to Thee?” All right. Some song.... Let's just let the choir sing one, then. I think that would be better. Just let the choir sing it. And that'll let you all be interested in giving out ... getting your prayer cards.

Brother Outlaw, would you come here again, if you will, if it's not asking too much of you, my brother? And we'll have another chorus, or whatmore, from the people. And then we will go right straight, quick as we can, for a short message, and pray for the sick. The Lord bless you. Pray for the little choir now, as it.... All that appreciates ... you Pentecostal people that appreciates the nice little clean-looking bunch of girls and boys, like that, just raise up your hands. We sure do. There's one outstanding thing, many outstanding things, about this church here; and one of them, they sure are singers. [Choir sings two songs.]

Thank the Lord for that. Amen. How thankful we are for a nice spiritual lift like that, “... was There When the Spirit Came.” Now we are grateful for these services, again I say, and we're praying now that God will heal the sick, save the lost. Now you pray for me. Now when you come in just kind of unexpected, and we don't know no arrangements—just drop in, and drop out, and like that—we can't feel like we.... Not doing our very best for the Lord, but we try to do the best we can for Him. So let us bow our heads once more now, for prayer.

Our heavenly Father, it's tonight with grateful hearts that we face thy throne, not knowing just what your will is, and what for us to do. But Thou will lead us. You promised to. So we believe it. We pray that You'll speak to the lost tonight, and will heal the sick. Get glory unto thyself.

Bless this church, we ask again, Lord. Bless every church that's in this city, and in this valley; that there will come a time when there will be a great pouring of the Spirit out upon all these people, that people from all over the country will flock in to hear the Word of the Lord.

Now, we realize, Lord, the reason that we can rejoice and sing songs is, first, because we came to Christ, believing that He was, for “faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word.” And as we have enjoyed singing spiritual songs, and seeing the Spirit move in the audience, now may You provide the Word that will condition the hearts of the people for further service, for the healing of the sick, and the spiritual healing of someone who's been hurt, or a little tender conscience been bruised, like the bruised reed. We pray that You'll strengthen it tonight, Lord, and give it of thy healing balm that will give the cure for all—that this one that might have been turned out of the way will be turned back to the way tonight.

We would also pray, Lord, for those that are in the hospital, so sick they can't even get to the services. We pray for them, knowing that they would love to be here, but the enemy has bound them in such a way that they cannot come. God, grant that their deliverance comes quickly. We believe that it is written in the Word that “... the people that's called by my name shall assemble themselves together and pray. Then I'll hear from heaven.” That's why we take this opportunity to pray while all the church is assembled together, so that You'll hear from heaven, and heal our land. We ask this now for the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, feeling for those who are standing, and legs getting tired, I'll hurry just quick as I can. I would like to come back some time to Phoenix where we could get everybody together, and have a good, long, healing service in Phoenix, where....

The Lord blesses some of us ... some of us are preachers, like Brother Outlaw. And many of the other brethren here are preachers. I'm not much of a preacher. I just pray for the sick. And yet, there's no man that ever preached the gospel but what loves to express his feelings to the people. There's just something about it—you love to do it. And I'm so glad that you've come to hear the little expression I have about Him, and trust that He will do something tonight to prove to you that I'm telling you the truth, and love you.

I want to take a little text here for a few moments, if the Lord willing, out of St. John, the 12th chapter and the 32nd verse:

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

And for a little text to build upon that, I'd like to take the text of “An Ensign.” That's a very odd, strange thing to read a text like that, or read a scripture, and take an odd text. But I have found out in the years of ministry that sometimes God comes in an odd way, odd times—times when you're not thinking—speaks through texts that we wouldn't think that He would speak through, use somebody that we would think would be insignificant. But God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

And an ensign.... Of course we all know what an ensign is. It's something that's in a commemoration lifted up, something to people to look to, it's something placed before you. And God promised in Isaiah, the 5th chapter and the 26th verse, that there would be an ensign lifted up. There would be an ensign lifted up.

Man down through the age is prone ... it's inside of him to try to help himself. Now that's just the nature of man. Now what we're trying to do is set a base here for something that we're asking the Lord to do—heal the sick—and to give confidence. And you can just not walk right out and have faith for anything that you know nothing about. You first got to have something that faith can rest upon.

When you married your wife, you had to have faith in her, she had to have faith in you, before you could make a home. And you just can't take a haphazard something and have faith in it, because it's not proven. So the most proven thing that we could take a base upon for faith would be the Word of God. For “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the word of God,” because it's God's Word.

And man, now, being that he is made.... Even in his fallen condition, yet he's in the image of his maker, God. And in one sense of the word he is a son of God fallen from grace. He's fallen away from what God made him to be. And in ... his fallen estate gives him them attributes to try to do something to bring himself back up to a place where something inside of him tells him that he come from; because he knows he's not in the right condition yet 'cause he sees death, sickness, and sorrows, and heartaches, and disappointments. He knows he wasn't made for that. Yet, no matter how far he is away from God, there's something with ... inside of him that tells him that—some inside something.

Now, a man is made up as a triune being—soul, body, spirit. Now, the outside is the body. There's five gates to that body, and that's the five senses, of course: see, taste, feel, smell, and hear. The inside, like the seed that's planted.... The inside of that is the pulp-like of the seed, which is the soul. There's five gates to that you enter into: conscience, and memory, and so forth.

But then inside of that little compartment is the third compartment, which is the spirit. And that's what controls the rest of it. There's only one avenue through that, and that's self-will. You can accept or turn away and that's the only avenue to that. If you accept the will of God through that spirit, God's Spirit takes his place in your heart, and controls the rest of you. And if you do not accept that, then the enemy takes that spot and controls the rest of you. So it lays in that.

And man, being made up in that fashion, then it gives him the something inside of him that makes him want to achieve something by himself. He's trying to do something to save himself. He wants to get out of it, but he wants to do it himself. He wants to make his own way about it.

Now he's tried many achievements. He's tried to achieve this through science, and every time that he moves through science he only destroys himself. Every time that science makes something, he destroys himself—gunpowder, and atomic energy, and nuclear weapons, and automobiles and all these things. Yet temporarily it helps him. But in the long run it destroys himself, because it's something that he has achieved while he's in God's workshop trying to make something—pervert what God has made—and put in into his own ideas, and make it up.

Now. As I said about this city, as this great beautiful city here.... If this city was just.... It would be prettier than it was at the first place if up and down the streets went the people of God, with their hands in the air praising God for their home, and everything. Wouldn't Phoenix be a garden spot of the earth? But instead of that, like all other cities, it's lying, stealing, cheating, gambling, smoking, drinking, carousing, adultery. And it's become a stink before God, see.

So you see, what a man tries to achieve, he just makes a mess out of it. He cannot save himself. And he tries by education. He's took that route to see if he couldn't educate people into a saving knowledge of Christ, or saving knowledge for himself, or to do something through his education.

I was reading the other day in “Life” magazine where they'd (I believe many of you read the article) ... where they'd done everything now towards putting different elements together, or accumulations, until they can almost make life. And they said they would make it. They can't do that. Life is creation. So, only one is a creator, and that is God, see. They'll never be able to make life, but he's trying to do that. Wonder what kind of a species it would be if he could make it, if it'd be after the intelligence of a man. So you see, he can't do that. It's just not for him to do it. He's failed with education, he's failed with science. He knows that he come from somewhere, but he wants to find his way back.

Adam really expressed that, the first man on earth. After finding that he had fallen from grace he tried to take his own intelligence, and make a way back to God without an atonement. He tried to go back to God without making an atonement, something to pay for his sins. After the penalty of God was death, he tried to go back without a death atonement.

And men are still trying to do that, trying to make a religion without an atonement in it. Adam made himself a covering out of fig leaves with no blood shed for this covering, and God refused it. And He has refused it then, and He always will refuse it, because without the shedding of blood there's no remission of sin. He just can't get back because the penalty is death, and something has to die to pay that penalty. So it can only be substitutionary, or we're all in death if there wasn't a substitute for us to hold on to. And man, in doing this, realized that—that he needs something to hold on to, something that he can put his hands on, something he can say “This is it. I've got it. I know it's it.”

So Adam, to hold on to something made a fig leaf to cover his and his wife's nakedness. But he found out that that ... what he had in his hand did not work. On down through the ages we could count men if we only had time.... Let's take two or three of them anyhow.

Let's take Nimrod. Nimrod thought the same thing. After the flood he was conscious that there was a God who would judge the wicked, for they had just come out of that flood. And he knew that it was sin that caused God to destroy the world. Therefore, knowing that sin again would make God do the same thing, he tried to achieve something to make a tower, that men could run up in heaven if it got bad here on earth, and live in heaven; then come back down on earth, and sin, and go back up into heaven again.

Now that's been the idea of men all along the road, trying to sin and live in earth, and be in heaven at the same time. You cannot do it. You can't do it. Jesus said you can't serve God and mammon. That's the reason we believe tonight in a total abstaining from sin, getting away from it. It's poison. Do not fool around it. Don't tolerate in it at all. Have nothing at all to do with it. Don't see how close you can come to it without sinning; see how far you can stay away from it. Anything that looks sinful, stay away from it. Don't have anything to do with it at all.

So Nimrod, with his great master mind, he tried to achieve this. And if you'll notice, it's always been since man was created that.... If you'll run the genealogy of Cain's children, they all become scientists—mighty men, workers in the earth with metal, and wood, and so forth. They were the smart intellectual side. But Seth's children were peasants, sheepherders, humble.

Now that's the same way it is today. Those who are depending upon some man-made mechanical something that they can put their hands on, say, “This is it, this is it,” something that man has achieved himself, then, you'll find out mostly that's those kind who are trying to escape the blood atonement back to the right way.

Now. But Nimrod after a while.... In the building of his tower, God sat in the heavens and laughed at him. And he come almost completing. I want you to notice that he almost achieved what he started to do. But then, all of a sudden God just turned the thing the other way, and the thing went to pieces. It went into the dust. Just like Adam's fig-leaf apron went to dust, so did Nimrod's tower go to dust.

Then there come another, which was King Nebuchadnezzar, and he was going to build a city. And if you'll notice, sometimes those spirits that get onto men.... And it's a day coming, and is at hand now, where the Christian church—the church of the Lord Jesus Christ—ought to be so spiritual, because that Jesus said that the two spirits would be so close till it would deceive the very elected if it was possible. The enemy is so cunning.

Now watch him with Nebuchadnezzar. He built a city just exactly a pattern of heaven: as the river Euphrates flowed by the throne, like in heaven the river of water of life goes by the throne, swinging gardens and everything, just exactly like it was, for ... before when Abraham was journeying, looking for such a city. And if you're not spiritual-minded, Satan will blind you on these things, see—something that looks almost like it, but it isn't it. If it's man-made it's no good; if it's blood-boughten by God, it's the truth, see. It's true. But if it's man-made....

Now, he made this great city. And then, we find out that also he made an image for people to worship, and brought an image worship amongst the people. But in the midst of all of it, there come a supernatural handwriting on the wall—an unknown tongue—that no one could interpret but a spirit-filled prophet that was among them.

And that kingdom went to the dust, just exactly like Nimrod's tower, and Adam's fig apron. Just the same, because it's something that man achieved himself. It's something that he wanted to do to show that he could save himself.

You cannot save yourself. There's not a thing you can do about it. The way is already made for you. You cannot save yourself.

We could call many other great things that taken place. Just recently, France, after the first World War they wanted to build the Siegfried line up there. And they turned all their guns towards Germany, and said, “Now, if the Germans ever would try to come this way again, why, we'll be able to hold them off because we've got a line here that we can hold them off with it.”

Just to show that man-made schemes cannot stand, the Germans out-smarted them.

They got behind this Siegfried line, and said, “We can eat, drink, live in adultery, dance, live in sin, do anything we want to, because we are protected. We have done something that will protect us.”

The Germans marched right around behind it, and took them. See, went right around behind, because they forgot to make their guns, turret, to turn any way. So, the Germans just got out of the reach of their guns, and went right around in behind, and the Siegfried line fell.

The Germans come around and made the Maginot line. And they thought, “If the Yankees ever come over here, why, we'll just get down in this fortified concrete, and we'll be all right.” What happened? The Yankees come over with blockbusters and busted them to pieces. She fell anyhow.

United States, here not long ago, thought they could build a ship that no other ship builders could build. It was called the Titanic. One night when she was steaming across the ocean, with all of her engines a-running, and the bands was playing jazz music, whoopin' it up, all of a sudden it turned to “Nearer My God to Thee.” Why? She struck an ice gorge out there, and knocked a hole in her, and busted up the engines, and she went to the bottom of the sea. Why? God with his mighty hand shows this world it cannot stand. Man cannot achieve nothing by himself.

Now, today, the great fuss is on about the nuclear weapons, and we're spending billions of dollars to try to get a man over on the moon. What good's it going to do after he gets on the moon? As I said the other night, I'm not worried about getting on the moon; I'm wanting to get in heaven. So the moon's not far enough for me.

And then the Russians saying, “Oh, we put the first man in space.” I sure differ with them there. That man went in space about two years ago; and we've had one in space for two thousand years, building us a home to come to. But you see, man-made achievements, what man has achieved to do within himself, it will not work.

Now, we've tried to educate people to get what we would call the better class of people through education. Our seminaries have sent our ministers to school, which is fine; and learned an education by proper speaking, speech, and so forth, and better grammar that ... where that the better class of people of the city, so-called, would come in to these churches. And we've filled our church full of that.

Now, I don't believe there is a better class of people than the people of God, see. And Jesus never worked upon such a class when he was here. He went to the fishermen, the illiterate, unlearned, ignorant. And that was what He chose. God, if you can only understand Him, He likes to take something that's nothing and do something with it. That proves He's God. There's nothing you can brag on. He takes something that's nothing, to make something out of it. That proves that He is God.

Now we tried to do it then with denominations. We thought maybe if we could get our denominations to grow.... And what did we do? In making our denominations (which is all right, nothing against them).... But the thing that we done with our denominations, we just started pulling for that denomination, and the first thing you know we didn't give the other brother enough blanket to keep warm by, see. And we separated ourselves then, you see. And in doing that, then we caused something to happen among us, that should not have happened. And we find out that that just don't work.

Our intellectual talks (which is fine—only wish I could do it), but that ain't what counts in the sight of God; it's the Holy Spirit. God never did ordain such. He ordained and commissioned his church to go preach the gospel. The gospel is not intellectual. The gospel came not in word only, but through power and demonstration—manifestations of the Holy Spirit. That's what brought the gospel.

Here not long ago in Chicago, a full gospel group called for a meeting. They went to a certain big Bible school, and they got a great intellectual speaker. It was advertised all over the city, about this great speaker from a certain great school, with such a name. My! And all the degrees on the end of the name, until they thought that would just be it. And when crowds gathered in to hear the man, when he raised up in the back of the building, with a suit on, the collar turned around, and his speech under his arm, walked up and spread it across the place....

And the speech, my, it was superb. There was no one could say a word against that speech. It was perfect. The grammar was exact. His actions, and his pulpit manners were perfect. He never stammered, stuttered, or slobbered like a lot of us do. But he brought his speech out with such eloquence....

But he thought, “With this bunch of an illiterate people, I'll get up there and show them what it really means to be a preacher.” With his chest out he walked up, all puffed up, and gave this speech. But he found out that didn't sit with that kind of a crowd. It went over the top of their heads. So much great big, swelled-out words, they didn't get it.

So after a while, when he seen he was wrong, he gathered up his speech and put it on his arm. His shoulders dropped, his head dropped, his knees hanging, he drooped back down—humble, humiliated—off of the pulpit.

There was an old saint sitting back there, looking around. Touched another one, said, “If he would've went up the way he come down, he'd have come down the way he went up.”

So, that's just about right. Until man knows that he knows nothing, and he'll humble himself before God, and expect the Holy Ghost to do the work.... That's the thing. Man cannot achieve nothing by his intellectuals. He must depend solely upon God.

Now, man doing this shows that there is an achievement somewhere for this great cause of being redeemed. And God made that achievement. He did that, and He made it so simple: it was by faith. God told ... beginning it has always been by faith. Today you're not saved by works, by good things, by joining church, by being educated. You're only saved by faith, and that by the grace of God. You're saved by faith by believing what God has already done.

God appropriated the ensign. God give you something to hold onto—an ensign, like a flag hanging. And in Korea ... and, oh, down in the islands, during the time of the war, when the Americans had drove back the Japanese.... And they run up, in Guam and different places, to the top of the hill, the highest hill that they could find; and there, with tears running down their cheeks and with shouts, they planted the American flag—Old Glory—above the hillside. They had conquered the land! What an achievement to lift up that ensign, that this belongs to us! Oh, what a privilege it was for those soldiers to stand there on the land that they had conquered!

I tell you, God gave the church an ensign one day, when Jesus was lifted up on Calvary, between heavens and earth—none other than God Immanuel, bleeding out his blood upon the ground. There was an ensign lifted up to the people. We have conquered. We have ... we're more than conquerors because He conquered for us.

Now we find that Noah, a man of God, had faith, and God give him an ensign. And that ensign was the ark. And Noah built away by faith, because it was a commandment of God to build this ark for the saving of whosoever would enter into it.

Now, as Noah went along building on the ark he knew that he was completing an ensign that God had told him to build. Anything that God says to do, hold on to it because it's right. No matter how many scoffers laughed and made fun of, Noah knew he had “thus saith the Lord.”

Compare Noah with Nimrod. Nimrod had his own idea about it; and Noah had God's idea about it. Nimrod had something he could put his hands on; and Noah had something he could put his hands on. It was an ensign—something he could hold to. Certainly.

Then we find out after that.... We'll speak of another man quickly, and his name was Moses. And he was just one man. But how would he ever be able to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt, out of bondage—after he had studied for school, had been trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and found himself totally defeated?

But one day back in the wilderness, God met him; or he met God. And God give him an ensign: a stick to hold in his hand. What a simple thing! But it done the work! “Take this rod before you.” It was an ensign, that Moses, when he had that stick, he marched forward with it.

I was studying not long ago of David Livingston, when I stood at his grave in London. And more people visits Livingston's grave than any other grave in the Abbey. Then, hearing the story of Livingston—how that he went down there as a doctor and a Christian, how he went to the natives and he couldn't get in because they were mostly savage....

So he got to the chief, and he said ... the chief said, “If you will drink the blood of the covenant with me, then you will be one of us.” So they got some wine in a cup, and they plucked each others' veins, and held it over the cup and dropped the blood in there, and mixed it up, the two bloods together; and then Livingston drinking half of it, and the chief drinking half of it. And then they gave one another an ensign that they were brothers.

And the chief asked for Livingston's doctor coat, and he took his coat off and give it to the chief. And Livingston asked the chief, then, for his sacred spear. And then when he went back into the jungle, and the natives run after him—would throw a spear through him—how well he could feel when he lifted up this ensign, the sacred spear! And when he lifted it up, like that, natives would fall on the ground and almost worship him as God, because they knowed that that's where that sacred spear came from.

Now that's the ... today, the people of today fail to realize the great ensign that God has given us. You say, “Brother Branham, do you have power? I wish I had power.” We don't have power. We don't have power; we got authority. It's not a power; it's authority. We don't need power. Christ has the power; but we've got the authority. Amen! There's a lot of difference. He was the one who conquered. He conquered and gave us the authority. He's got the power, but we got the authority—just like any ambassador going to another country.

Here, to explain it to you: There's.... Down ... you go down here to one of these crossings here in Phoenix along about five o'clock in the afternoon. There's a policeman standing out there. Here's the cars passing by—forty, fifty miles an hour. Well, that little bitty policeman maybe not be five foot high, walk out there, and, why, he hasn't got power enough to stop one of them cars. Why, one of them cars may be three hundred horsepower. Why, they'd just pick that little fellow up and crush him, and go on. But let him raise his hand once, blow the whistle! He hasn't got power, but he's got authority. That's it. Brakes will slide, and wheels will squeak. Everything will stop because he raised up his hand, because he has an authority.

And when a man or a woman is dressed in the full armor of God, it ain't power; it's authority from on high when He says.... Devils will scream, and brakes will squeak. Even death itself will shudder, and graves will open, at the authority that Jesus Christ gave his church. All men knows this, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” Lift up the authority, the ensign. His hand raised up with his white glove on, and every car will stop. He hasn't got enough power, maybe, to stop a bicycle; but he's got authority to stop anything that comes across that street. Because why? The whole law of Phoenix is behind him.

And a Christian that's dead and buried and raised with Him in his resurrection, in heavenly places.... See, if we are dead with Him, then we're also raised with Him; for the body goes where the head is. And He is the head, and this is the body. And not will be, but now we are seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, with every power of the devil conquered and under his feet. Authority! Authority—there's the ensign. That's the hand that lifts us up that counts.

Moses went down into Egypt. There was the great seas out there. Lifted up the ensign, and what happened? They turned to blood. Lifted over the lands—frogs, lice, fleas, the sun refused to shine, death struck the land. Why? He lifted up the ensign of God's judgment.

And when we lift up the ensign of God's judgment as a believer in Christ, with a crucified life to yourself and your own ideas, and raised in his Word made alive among you, every devil's got to squeak at it (that's right), 'cause it represents Christ, see. He died. He's the one lifted up the ensign.

And Moses, with his stick—it looked like a little bitty thing, but it was a stick. And it was God's ensign to Egypt, his judgment rod. And it brought judgment. God always gives something that you can look at, something you can put your hand on, something you can prove, something that's right, after you have accepted Him.

The wise men, Magi.... We read ... Peter said that he perceived that God would take any nation of people, anybody that believed Him. The wise men, they were looking for a star to rise of Jacob, a star to come out of Jacob. And they were given an ensign. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men came from India following a star. Oh, my! Why? An ensign, an evidence, a proof, a supernatural proof.

Unbeliever, I'd like for you to see this. Not altogether does everybody have to see it. Nobody saw that star but them three men. He passed over every observatory, a real living evidence—an ensign to lead them to Christ. Nobody seen it but them.

“A little while and the world sees me no more. Yet ye shall see me, for I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world.” The ensign, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever—God's true ensign. The unbeliever may not see it. Jesus also said, “He that believeth in me the works that I do shall he do also.” What would it be?

It would be a sign, an ensign. It was once asked Him, “Let my son sit on ... one on the right hand, and one on the left.”

He said, “Can you drink the cup that I drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with?” The same Holy Spirit was upon Him without measure comes upon his church by measure; but it's the same Holy Spirit, the same God. It's the ensign.

We are God's ensigns to the world. That's the reason I'm always scolding the Pentecostal church, getting after them, their ways of living. That's the reason the world can't see Christ, is because we let down the bars. We get away from that.

When our women dress and act like the rest of the world; when our men go out—and dirty jokes, and smoke, and carry on like the rest of them, marry four or five times, and everything else; pulls get them into church, and things like that.... Why, no. The world don't believe you've got it.

Let me tell you, brother, when you are dead and your life is hid in Christ through God, and sealed by the Holy Ghost, and God lifts you up in heavenly places, you'll be an ensign that a work of God has been committed in you.

Jesus said in Mark 16, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” What kind of an ensign is it? Some great stuffed shirt? No! Humility. The fullness of God in Christ Jesus made Him walk like a humble peasant, made Him wash the feet of his disciples, had not a place to lay his head.

Some of us calling ourselves Christians, we go to a place, we got to have the best there is in the country; got to be guaranteed so much money or we won't go (the evangelist). Some pastors won't go to a church unless it's a high class and big place. Oh, my!

We need another experience like Paul saw, when he was on the road to Damascus. Paul saw that ensign lifted up, and he said, “Who are you, Lord?”

And He said, “I'm Jesus.”

What we need tonight is another pillar of fire hanging over the church again tonight, that peoples' blinded eyes would be opened and could see it. Jesus still lives and reigns, the ensign.

Now He is.... God gave us this ensign. It's an eternal ensign. Remember that all of Roman's ensigns, all of the ... Nimrod's ensigns, all of Babylon's, and all the rest of them are crushed and gone. We only know them by history. I stood in Rome to where the Caesars once ruled the world, and you'd have to dig down twenty foot in the dirt to find where their palace was. Stood in Egypt where the Pharaoh's were, and it's gone and turned to dust.

Brother, but there is an ensign that God achieved one day by lifting up Jesus Christ from the dead, and sending the Holy Ghost upon his church. And heavens and earth will pass away, but his Word shall never pass away. “Upon this rock I'll build my church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it.” Why? The living ensign is in the church—the ensign, the infallible, the perfect proof, something you can put your hands on, something that you can look at.

See here, this young man—young Williams here—stood up and testified how his father and mother had prayed for him, and all at once he saw the ensign. Something happened. He seen ... he bid farewell to the old house of clay, and then he went to running around the Milky White Way, as the brother said. When men can see that....

“If I be lifted up from this earth I'll draw all men unto me. Ye are my witnesses. You shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly things. It shall not harm them. Lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”—the ensign.

Let me get another one on top of that to seal it with. “...this will all men know you're my disciples, when you have love one for another,” see. You can't take part of it; you got to take all of it. And it cannot be sealed until that all of it has come. That's right.

In the old country, old times, the seal was usually a ring. A man that couldn't sign his name, he just had a ring. And he sealed it, his ... ever what he wrote, instead of signing his name, he put the seal on it. It was a penitentiary offense to ever copy that seal.

Now, today, God has a seal. It's a penalty of death to copy that seal. Listen, you Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Pentecostals, don't try to copy it. Hold still, and God'll put it on you. And then, you'll be an ensign example of Christianity, and manhood and womanhood—the seal of the Holy Spirit, God's ensign, pressed into you till you're ... look, act, walk, talk the gospel everywhere you go. No finger can be put on you. That's right.

God has achieved that by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through the washing of the water by the Word. Through his blood today we are washed and made clean, given this great privilege of.... See, we would wonder what Jesus was, if we say He was the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now, what He was yesterday, He is today, and will be forever—that same ensign.

We find what the ensign was then to them people, to know whether He was the right ensign that was looking to become. We see in the Scriptures where in there He never claimed to do anything. He never claimed.... He said, “It's not me that doeth the works. It's my Father that dwelleth in me. He doeth the works. Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing, but what he sees the Father doing: that doeth the Son likewise.” It's what He saw the Father doing. In other words, He saw it by vision what happened.

We find a woman touched his garment. He turned, and looked at her, and told her.... She had the blood issue, and it stopped. Her faith had saved her.

The woman at the well.... Said, “Go get your husband.”

She said, “I have none.” Said, “Well, we....”

He said, “Right, because you've had five.”

When He said that, she said, “Sir, we know that Messiah is coming who is called the Christ. When he comes he'll tell us these things,” see.

There was the ensign. He said, “I am he that speaks to you.” Oh, brother! The water pot was left. She'd found a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. She'd found a fountain of salvation. She'd found a fountain. She run into the city, see. She was gladly pointing men. She said, “Come see who we have found, see a man that told me all the things that I've done.”

Look at Andrew that I preached on last night over there, how as soon as he stayed all night with Jesus, and found out that that really was God's witness, that was the Messiah, he didn't go say: “Simon, come help me figure it out.” He knew that He was Messiah. And as soon as he come up before Him, and He told him who he was, and what his father's name was.... And Peter knew that was what was going to happen. Philip did the same thing, and, oh, on and on, and on. The ensign.

Jesus said in St. John 14:12, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

Now look. We are sent. Listen here, friends, all of you. I'm talking to you people now that's ... right now to the people that's going to be prayed for. Listen to this. You are a witness. If you've been saved, and you know what the power of God is, you've touched that ensign. You've got a hold of something, something that's not a Nimrod's tower. Neither is it a Adam's fig leaf, apron. But it is a promise of God that “Heavens and earth will pass away, but my Word shall not pass away.” It's something you can lay your hands on. “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover.” It's an ensign, a real ensign.

And to you people, if there be one here that has never accepted this ensign, that don't know what makes these people cry, and shout, and dance; and how it makes these women let their hair grow out, and quit wearing them old dirty clothes, and looking sexy out before men, and things like that, that old evil spirit gone out of them....

Don't tell me ... you might be as pure as a lily to your husband; but when you come to the judgment bar, you're going to answer for committing adultery. That's right. The Bible said, Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” And if you dress yourself to present yourself before men, you're guilty, if a man never touches you. When that sinner answers for his adultery, you're the one that committed it. You've presented yourself. Yes, sir.

Brother, sister, you might think this is old-fashioned. I had a minister not long ago, said, “You're going to hurt your ministry, Brother Branham.”

I said, “It isn't mine; it's his. That's his Word, and that's what He says. And I believe it. Yes, sir! Yes, sir.”

So when you see one of them women get straight with God, you'll see her come out like a saint. You'll see her act different. There'll be a difference in her life. Holiness will speak everywhere. She'll be a lady.

Watch that man, that drunkard out there on the street, staggering—the bar fly—and his mouth blowed with fly-blows from vomiting from whiskey and beer, and stuff like that. Let him get down at the altar and catch a hold of that ensign one day, and I'm telling you he'll be an ensign to God, and a memorial to the saving power of Jesus Christ! Yes, sir. He certainly will.

I stood down the other day here on the streets of Phoenix, and seen a little colored boy standing out there. Little guy, was nobody paying any attention to him. Had his Bible under his arm, and ever who was coming by he was pointing the gospel to them, just as hard as he could. And I said, “Thank the Lord God! Oh, my! Scream it out, brother. Just keep it going. That's all right—lifting up Jesus Christ.”

Oh, if you don't know Him tonight, friends, receive Him. Won't you do it? while we bow our heads just a moment for prayer. Sorry the time is getting so quickly away.

I want to ask just a moment, is there a sinner here tonight that doesn't know Christ, and have never accepted this ensign? If you've tried to achieve.... Say, “Now, Brother Branham, now just a moment. I keep the golden rule.”

Brother, if that would've stood, Jesus would've not had to die.

Say, “Brother Branham, I've become a member of a very prominent church.”

That's all right, my brother, I appreciate that. And I appreciate you keeping the golden rule. I appreciate you keeping the ten commandments. But if the golden rule, a church joining, or any of those things would've saved you, Jesus died in vain. Jesus said Himself in St. John, 3rd chapter, “Except a man be borned again, he will in no wise enter in.”

Life is like a leaf hanging on a tree. After awhile, the life leaves the leaf, and goes back to its roots. The leaf drops off. That life is buried in the roots till the winter's passed. In springtime it brings back another life, another leaf.

That's the way of a Christian that's on the tree of life. This old hull here might drop off. That is true. But the life goes back to the God who gave it, see. If God give you your life, you're born again. There's only one life that can ever live, and that's God's life in you. And if that life is in you, then it'll only go to where it come from, back to God, to come back in that great millennium with a new leaf, or new life, or new body that will never fade and fall away.

Our seasons denote that God is with us, that God is here. He commanded nature. And now, if you have never received that life, and if that little leaf would drop off tonight—this little leaf that you are here on earth—you know it would never raise again. If you're not born again and haven't received the ensign in your heart, the evidence, the Holy Spirit....

Not just imaginary. You can't imagine it. I spoke somewhere the other night, and said, “What if the disciples had waited nine days, and said, ”We'll accept it by faith that we've got the Holy Ghost,“ and go on? They wouldn't have had it, see. They stayed there until they knew it was there. Something had happened, something that they could put their hands on, and say, ”This is it“; just like Noah could say, ”This is it“; just like Moses could say with his stick in his hand, ”This is it.“

“How're you going to conquer, Moses?”

“With this stick I'll conquer. That's how I'll do it.”

By Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost, I have conquered, 'cause He conquered for me. And now my life is dead, and hid in Him, and sealed by the Holy Ghost. It's there. If you haven't that experience tonight, sinner friend, would you come while we bow our heads just a moment?

Our heavenly Father, now I commit the audience to You. There might be a wayward person here that may never have the opportunity again. We just hear it on the telephone, a few moments ago, or awhile ago, Brother Tommy Hicks—a precious servant of yours—his brother that he'd cried to, begged to, just a few weeks ago even sent him a letter and said, “Brother, receive Christ.”....

But he was making so much money—to buy him a $100,000 home, a new Cadillac—he didn't have time to do it. “Think I'll do that later on, Tommy.” But it's too late now. It caught up with him down in Mexico. O God, be merciful. Let people know that there's no more coming back to try again; this is the only opportunity. And death does not change the soul; it only changes its dwelling place.

Now Father, I pray that if there's a soul here that knows that they are made up of this triune being of both soul, body, and spirit—that inside of the pulp that they live in is a spirit, inside the soul that controls them is a spirit, inside the five senses is a spirit—and if that spirit isn't the Spirit of God when this other drops away, it can never rise again. But God, I pray Thee that they will receive You now, and catch this beautiful ensign of the Holy Spirit in their heart and be saved tonight.

While we have our heads bowed, if there's anybody'd like to be remembered, raise your hand now, and say, “Pray for me, Brother preacher. I....” God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, you, sister. That's very fine. Someone else?

Now don't be ashamed. Just keep praying, all Christians. These people raising their hands.... God bless you, little lady. God bless you, Sister. Someone else? Say, “Remember me, Brother Branham. I ... now I believe. I just believe it somehow. I just believe it.” Someone else? God bless you. God bless you over here. Bless you, back there. That's good.

Now, that's people that's raised their hands. They believe it. The altar's standing full of children. They're all over everywhere. You don't necessarily have to have the altar. Your heart is the altar. Your heart is where God comes.

I was reading the other day in history, Broadbent's, “Pilgrim Church, Nicene Fathers,” that where in the early church they never even had any ornaments, never even had an altar, because.... The pagans being converted, they used to fall prostrate at the altar. They just had a plain little old building where they sat on slab of rocks. They raised up their hands after some godly man gave a message. And they raised up their hands and praised God. They loved that after-effects of the Holy Spirit bathing through them. That was the early church, in the times of Irenaeus and Martin, and so forth, right after the death of the Lord Jesus, when the church going on ... before it went into Catholicism. Oh, that's what we love.

Now you in here make that altar your heart, now, and say, “Come in, Lord Jesus.” I'm going to pray for you.

Lord Jesus, I trust that.... hurrying up real quick, throwing these words together, getting ready now.... And we're waiting to see what You're going to do in the prayer line—not knowing exactly what You will do. But yet, there's been at least a dozen hands went up, of young and old, that's longing to know You, Father, longing to have that eternal life. Let it be a reality to them just now. Grant it, Lord. May the precious Spirit of God bathe down into their souls just now, and make them new creations in Christ.

And now, Father, I pray that in the prayer line that You'll show yourself so visible before this audience tonight by healing the sick, that they'll walk away from here saying like those who came from Emmaus, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” because they seen something done.

Those people at Emmaus, those brethren, they had walked all day, Cleopas and them, talking to Him. But yet, they didn't know who He was. But when He did something just the way He did it before his crucifixion and burial, they knew that He had raised from the dead. Will You do it again, tonight, Father? Grant it, we pray.

Now we pray that You'll take these precious souls, give them eternal life. May, if they've never been baptized, may they find their way to the rectory, or somewhere, and be baptized, calling upon the name of the Lord. And may You fill them with the Holy Ghost. And may we meet them in glory in a better land where this night's meeting will be brought into judgment. We commit it to You now, in Jesus' name. Amen.

I love Him, I love Him,

Now after the hard-cutting message, let's just worship now.

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Don't you love that? All that.... You that were Methodists, raise up your hands. Baptists, Presbyterian, Catholic. Now, all that's borned again of the Spirit of God, raise up your hands—whether you're Methodist, Baptist, or Catholic, or what. Isn't that right? Now, while we sing it again, real sweetly, as sister gives us a chord now.... Don't you love that? Oh, my!

You know, when you get over in heaven, and get in your big mansion and look down there, and you'll see my little place down there. One of these mornings you'll hear me come out singing it. Then you'll know I got home. Amen. I just love that.

All right, all together now. Just ... don't put ... just be yourself. I love good Pentecostal singing, don't you? I don't like an overtrained voice, you know, that squeaks, and holds their breath, and blue in the face; and you're just trying to put on something. I like good singing—just real, free singing. Now everybody together, with the little choir, together now. All together now.

I love him (let's close our eyes), I love Him,

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now real sweetly, while we sing again, let's turn and shake hands with somebody by your side, in front and back, now. I ... all you pilgrims—pilgrims, strangers to the world—Catholic, shake hands with the Protestant; Protestant, shake hands with Methodist; Methodist, with Baptist, Pentecostals....

........ loved me

Church of God with the Assemblies; Assemblies with the Oneness.

... purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now with our hands up to Him:

I love Him, I love Him,

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now humbly, let's bow our heads, and hum it. Father, we confess our sins while the Word is still sowed over the people's hearts, that ensign. Many of them have learned it long ago. Move among us now, Father. You've saved the lost; now heal the sick, that it might be known that your Word shall not return to You void. It will accomplish that what it has promised.

Prayer cards now, beginning with number 1, start standing right alongside the altar like this. Wait, till.... I better call them one at a time, so there won't be no confusion. Prayer card #1? If you'll keep playing the song, sister.... Who has prayer card #1? Right here. #2? #3? All right, 3? #4, #5, #6 #7. Just move right out, and come right out here, just stand right out in this way.

I love Him, (Just keep in the spirit

of prayer now sweetly, quietly.)

Because He first loved me,

Eight, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

... purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now all of the rest of you that's got prayer cards....

.... He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Oh, isn't He wonderful?

I love Him, I love Him, (Do you hear that?

It sounds like anthems of angels.)

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

That sound pretty? [Congregation continues to hum.]

Don't you hear the bells now ringing?

Don't you hear the angels singing?

'Tis the glory hallelujah Jubilee.

In that far-off sweet forever, (Bless God)

Just beyond the shining river,

When they ring those golden bells for you

and me.

Now, I just can't get away from that. I love that. I remember my son, Billy, when his mama died. A few hours, his little sister died. I put them both together up on the hill, and buried them. Went up there, and sat down. There was an old turtledove used to sit out there and coo. I honestly thought it might ... could've been the immortal souls of them coming back, talking to me. I was so brokenhearted. And it seemed like coming down through those pines, there was a whispering, like:

There's a land beyond the river,

That they call the sweet forever,

And we only reach that shore by

faith's decree;

(Isn't that right, friends? Hmm, my.)

One by one we'll gain the portals,

There to dwell with the immortals,

(Won't it be grand when they do this?)

When they ring those golden bells for

you and me.

Now, friends, on divine healing, there is no man that can heal you, no more than any man can save you; because both healing and salvation are past tense. When Jesus Christ died at Calvary, He was wounded for our transgressions, with his stripes we were healed. It is a finished work. Now the only thing that you have to do, to receive either your salvation or your healing, is to accept what Christ did for you.

As I said the other night, let's look at God just a moment, way back there in eternity, when his ... when a hundred billion suns would look black to Him, when angels looked dirty in his sight. That's Jehovah. And then, He become a little baby over a manure pile in a manger. That's still Jehovah. And here He is tonight. Through his grace and through his blood He cleanses his church, and puts us in position to receive all these blessings that He paid for for us.

Now here stands a line of people. I never seen any of them in life, as I know of. Now, many of you has been in my meetings, and know what discernment is. All of you know that, don't you? We know that. I've had it over, and over, and over, and over. That is a gift.

That doesn't make the Holy Spirit in me any greater than anybody else. That's just a gift to work with the Holy Spirit, see. No matter if it's a little housewife, or the little boy, or the drunkard out there that's just got saved, and filled with the Holy Ghost, he's got the same Holy Spirit that any of us has got. Yes. But God gives gifts with this Holy Spirit to work. It's a confirmation to lift up an ensign. Who? The preacher? No. To lift up Christ.

Now, I don't know what ever happened. When I was a little boy.... You know my story. I've just prayed for people. There's not a thing I do but just pray, lay hands on them, they'd get well, see. So, what could I do? Not only me praying, but look at the others who are praying. Everybody's praying, see. And just, I believe it. That's all I know to do. I believe it.

Now I'm uneducated, have not any education. And I think the Lord just give me a little gift to work by. And now, when ... Jesus said when He was here on earth, of the things that He did we would do also. And if that is so, and He was God's ensign by doing that, by being able to tell Phillip where he was at, tell a woman about her blood issue and whatmore, and where the coin was in the fish's mouth, or something like that, something that the woman that ... she was living in adultery, or anything like that—that sure was a confirmation He was the Messiah.

Now look at that staunch Jew, Philip. When Philip ... or Nathanael, came. Nathanael was a scholar, a real orthodox. And when he seen Jesus, he couldn't hardly believe Him. And He said, “Behold an Israelite in whom is no guile.”

He said, “When did you know me, Master?”

He said, “Before Philip called you.”

He said, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel.”

The woman at the well said, “I have no husband.”

He said, “Yes, you have five.”

She said, “We know when Messiah cometh he'll tell us those things. But who are you?”

He said, “I am he.” We know that's going to be the ensign. And if Jesus Christ is the same ensign yesterday, today, and forever, He'll do the same thing if He can get hold of the human heart. Is that right?

Now this lady standing here, I don't know her. Never seen her. We're strangers to one another. Aren't we? That's right. If God will tell me what your trouble is, will you believe me? You'll know whether it's right or not, won't you? Would you accept your healing then? It's in your back. It's finished. You are healed. God bless you. God bless you. Go believing.

Do you believe with all your heart? Just have faith, don't doubt. Believe. Now you see how simple it is? Now, if we just pray. Now see, He knows what ... every one of you, what's wrong with you. You believe that, don't you? You know that's right.

Now, if I just take this lady here, and say I won't say a thing about it, but just pray, and lay hands on you, do you believe you'll get healed? Do you believe you'll be healed? All right. Bow your head just a moment. Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll heal our sister. May she go now. We see the ensign lifted up—we know that He'll draw all. I lay hands upon my sister in the name of Jesus Christ for her healing. Amen. Don't doubt. Just believe with all your heart.

If I wouldn't say one thing, just pray for you, you still would believe it, wouldn't you? You'd believe it anyhow. But if I tell you, would it help you? Your heart trouble? That's right.

Would it help you if I told you what was wrong with you? You don't know whether it would help you or not. Well, perhaps I'll just pray for you. Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll help the woman. Give her faith and strength in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Believe now with all your heart.

What do you think, sister? I'm a stranger to you. If Jesus'd tell me what's wrong with you.... I'm not? You know me, huh? You saw me when I first come. That's good. I mean I don't know you. The first time? It's been about fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago. My! It's been a long time. Lot of things has happened since then. Well, you would have to be operated on. But if you believe Christ, that tumor will leave you, and you won't have to be operated on. You believe it? Go believe it.

How do you do? I have seen you. Do you believe if I ask God He'll heal you? Our heavenly Father, I pray that You'll heal her, and make her well, Father. I lay hands upon her in Jesus' name. Amen. Believe with all your heart.

All right, come right ahead, sister. Now, you see, I cannot heal people; and God cannot heal people unless they believe that Christ has already did it. And now, you say.... I preached tonight on something you could put your hands on. He'll say, “Here it is.”

Now, see, if Jesus was standing here Himself, wearing this suit that He put upon Brother Williams' heart to give me.... But He ... if He was standing here wearing this suit.... Do you know, I believe he gave it to the Lord when he did that?

How many ever read the life of St. Martin? He was a pagan, and he was a soldier. His father wanted him to be a soldier. And he didn't want to be. Just something called him about God. And one night passing down, a real cold winter night, there was an old, poor old bum laying in the street freezing to death. And people passed by who could've helped him. They didn't do it. Martin had give everything he had away.

So he said, “There's only one thing to do. I got one coat.” So he just took his sword, cut the coat half in two, wrapped the bum up in it, like that, and he went on with the other half. He ... people laughed at him, and said, “How ignorant. Isn't he a handsome looking soldier now, with half a coat on?

He never paid any attention, went on, because he knowed what he was to do. That night in the barracks he woke up, and when he did he seen Jesus standing there wrapped in that piece of coat that he had wrapped the bum in.

And He looked around to the angels, and He said, “Do you know who wrapped me in this?”

They said, “No.”

He said, “Martin did.”

There you are. And he become a saint, speaking in tongues, and casting out devils, seeing visions—a mighty prophet of God. Yes, sir!

Why? When he wrapped that old beggar up in the street, he wrapped up Jesus Christ. “Insomuch as you have done it unto the least of these my little ones, you have done it unto me.”

And to be sure that you wrap in the righteousness of Christ, I'm trying to tell you tonight.... If I had power to heal you, I would heal every one of you, see. But I'm trying to show you by a gift that what I've preached that God is vindicating it to be so, see; that I cannot heal people, but to let you know that He's here.

You believe that, lady? Then your arthritis will leave you. Do you believe it will? Then go on your road, and shout, and say, “Praise the Lord. I believe with all my heart.”

That was a funny thing, that I said arthritis to her, and you had the same thing. Just go on, and say, “I believe with all my heart,” and it shall be done.

Now, do you believe God will heal your stomach and you go home and eat like you ought to? Then go right ahead home and eat like you ought to. Believe now. Do you believe with all your heart? “If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

Now do you believe the Holy Spirit's here? If I just laid hands on you, you'll be healed? In the name of Jesus, may she be healed. “These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name....” Just believe now, as you pass by.

Come right in here, sister. In the name of Jesus Christ, everybody pray now. See, too many of them visions break me down. In the name of Jesus, I pray that You'll heal our sister. I seen you raise your hand there, that you believe. Believe now. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that You'll heal her.

Come, sister. Father God, “nothing in my arms I bring; simply to thy cross I cling.” I ask for her healing in Jesus' name. Amen. Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. Come, my precious brother. In the name of Jesus Christ, may my brother be healed.

Do you believe that God will heal, and make him well? In the name of Jesus Christ, may this child be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. In the name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed.

In the name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our brother be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may my sister be healed.

Now keep in prayer, everybody, real quietly. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. O God, give back to this little girl what Satan took away. Come out of her, Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our brother be healed.

In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

In the name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed. In the name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed. In the name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

Now in the audience, everyone.... I know you never got enough prayer cards out there. I want you to bow your heads just a moment. I want to ask you a question. Two thousand years ago there was a man.... Four thousand ... as a matter of fact, 2500 years ago there was a ... God came down represented in a man, and sat at the oak tree of Abraham, turned his back to the wall, or to the tent, told Sarah what was the trouble on the inside. Jesus said as it was in that day, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man. Jesus was God's ensign. “The works that I do shall you also.” We see it. It's true, without a doubt.

Now the reason I didn't go no farther, I got so many meetings. I'll be back to Phoenix some day, with a great meeting, the Lord willing. Now, to you here tonight that's sick and needy, and didn't get a prayer card to come to the altar, up here to be prayed for, I'm going to pray for you now. I want you to be real reverent. I want each one of you believers to lay your hands over on one another, as a sign.

Now the Bible said ... now this same God that made this promise said this: “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover.” Any believer, any believer that's got the Holy Spirit, you have the power of God within you, or the authority to pray the prayer of faith. Now, I want you to pray, while I pray for these people.

Our heavenly Father, we are happy tonight—preach the Word, and then see God come down and confirm the Word. Then that's the ensign. You promised.

One day a long time ago there was a little boy named David. He was taking care of his father's sheep. He was given a charge to watch these sheep, to keep the enemy from them. He had very little to protect himself with—just a little slingshot.

But one day a lion came into the camp, and it took out one of the lambs. David, being a true shepherd, he wanted to hold that father's sheep. He knew that lion was stealing that sheep, and he would devour the sheep. And the sheep belonged to his father. He went after the lion with bold courage. He slung a little rock, and it knocked the lion down. And he slew the lion, and he brought back the sheep to the fold.

Now, God, we are your shepherds. We are not men of knife operations, or of medicine cures. We have a very humble little thing, a slingshot. But that's what you've put in our hands—a slingshot of prayer. The enemy has come in, and grabbed a hold of God's sheep. It's grabbed fathers, and mothers, and children, dragging them out through the bushes—retarded minds, and blind, and cancer-eaten, and devils.

Satan, this little slingshot of prayer seems very simple, but I know what it'll do. I'm coming after that sheep tonight, to bring it back. Come out. Let him alone. Come out of that person, thou evil spirit of sickness, and leave him. I adjure thee in the name of Jesus Christ, leave and don't come back to them anymore. May God of heaven rebuke thee, Satan.

Jesus of Nazareth said, “If you say to this mountain be moved, and don't doubt in your heart but believe what you said, you shall have what you said.” Therefore, in the name of Jesus Christ I speak deliverance to everyone here. By the....

Satan, you might say we have not the authority to do this. We're holding up to you the ensign tonight. Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, is here proving that this is God's ensign, and you've lost the battle. Come out of these people.