In this sermon, the preacher discusses three significant spiritual days in his life. The first day is when he accepted Jesus as his Savior. The second day is when he experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit. And the third day is when he learned to will himself to be happy. He emphasizes the importance of finding happiness in things that can be controlled by one's will, such as loving others and speaking well of them. The preacher also extends an invitation for non-believers to come to Christ and be saved.

We can't even have an Olympic game without having a war while we have the Olympic games. Everything's all messed up. Everybody is looking for that evasive thing called happiness. Everybody is trying to find that seemingly elusive object called peace. And yet nobody seems to find it. Have you ever heard in your life the word peace used as much as it's used today? And have you ever seen such an absence of it? They have Olympic games and try to demonstrate that nations can live together under certain conditions, and people get shot and they have a war in the Olympic games that are built to show that nations can walk together. And so I'm going to talk to you this morning on how you can have peace and happiness. And if you'll listen, it could well revolutionize your life. There are three great spiritual days in my life. There are three days in my life that stand out spiritually as peaks in a range of mountains. The first day is the day that I was saved. Oh, happy day that fixed my choice on thee, my Savior and my God. Well, may this glowing heart rejoice until its rapture is all abroad. Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away. He taught me how to watch and pray and live rejoicing every day. Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away. That's the first great spiritual mountain peak of my life. Spiritually, the second great day of my life was the day that for the first time I knew that I was filled with the Holy Spirit. On the grave of my father, when I knew for the first time in my life that God's power had come upon my life and my ministry. And the third great spiritual day was when I learned this. Now, this is the message this morning. Now, don't miss it. Are you listening? The day when I learned to will to be happy. Let me say it again. The day that I learned to will to be happy. Let me say it again. The day that I learned to will to be happy. Whosoever will. Now, immediately, when we mention the words, whosoever will, the first thing we think about is salvation. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. Whosoever heareth, shout, shout the sound, spread the blessed tidings all the world around. Tell the joyful news wherever man is found. Whosoever will may come. And that's the first thing we think about. We think about whosoever will. But there are more things that we can get by our will than just being saved. For example, in John 5.40 it says, Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. Why does a person not have life? They won't come to Jesus. You say, I'm not saved because it's not my time. No, you're not saved because you will not come to Jesus. You say, I'm not saved because I'm not predestined to be saved yet. No, the reason you are not saved is because you will not come to Jesus. You come to Jesus if you will and you don't get saved if you will not. Whosoever will. And Jesus said, ye will not, ye will not come to me that ye might have life. But that isn't all that you get by your will. We say, whosoever will, let him come. And we normally, turn it down just a bit, fellow, just a trifle. We normally associate the will or whosoever will with salvation. But there are other things that you may have if you will have them. For example, in John 5.6 it says, Jesus said to the man who had been sick for 38 years, He said, wilt thou be made whole? Now if that man remained sick, whose fault was it? Our Lord's fault? No. Why did he remain sick? He willed to remain sick. Our Lord said, wilt thou be made whole? That means that his healing was in his own hands. Don't misunderstand me. Our Lord does the healing. But if our Lord does the healing, He does it in answer to our will. Whosoever will. Now you don't save yourself. But if you will be saved, God will save you. For example, I go out in the hallway here, we have a light switch. And I turn on the light switch. Now when I turn that switch, I don't provide the power. I don't actually provide the amps. I just turn the switch. But whosoever will can turn the lights on this building. Now, you don't provide the power. But it is your will that puts the power in operation. And in salvation. Whosoever will. You are not saved because you won't be saved. You can be saved if you will be saved. Okay, listen. There is not a person in this room this morning who could not walk out those doors with his name written in heaven if he will be saved. If you will. As Spurgeon used to say, those who are saved are the whosoever wills and those who are not saved are the whosoever wants. Whosoever will. But here's a man who's been sick for 38 years. And our Lord says, Will thou be made whole? That means now from now on, if he remains sick, it's his own fault. It's dependent upon his own will. But that isn't all. In Mark 6.22 it says, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt. Ask of me. Okay, now the Lord puts the, if you don't get your prayers answered, whose fault is it? It's yours. Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt. If you don't get saved, it's because you won't. If you don't get healed, it's because you won't. This man here anyway. And if you don't get your prayers answered, it's because you won't. Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt. Now, that means, and follow me now carefully. That means, consequently, that salvation and happiness, fellas turn me down, I'm having all kinds of PA problems this morning. Turn me down please a little bit. That means that salvation and happiness are determined by us. That whosoever will can be saved. Whosoever will can be happy. Now, that means that if you're not saved, it's because you won't be saved. And that means if you're not happy, it's because you won't be happy. Now, follow the premise. Whosoever will can be saved. Whosoever will can be happy. That means that if we're not saved, it's our fault. If we're not happy, it's our fault. Listen, anybody in this building this morning, who will be saved, can be saved. If you walk out of that door or lost center, and if you die someday and burn in hell forever and ever and ever, it's because you would not come to Christ. You don't have to go to hell. You don't have to be miserable. You don't have to stay unsaved. You don't have to not have peace with God. Whosoever will. And also the same thing is just as true about happiness. Listen, you do not have to be unhappy. You have in your hand this morning a switch, and if you will turn it on, it will make you happy. But you say, preacher, I'm a miserable person. You don't have to be. Whosoever will can be happy. Now the question comes, if that's the case, why are we unhappy? If anybody can be saved, why are people unsafe? And if anybody can be happy, why then are people unhappy? Now listen to this carefully. People are not happy because they've placed their wills, young girls be still now in the front, they've placed their wills in the hands of another. Did you hear what I said? People are not happy because they've placed their wills in the hands of another. In John 1, listen to this, verse 13, Which were born not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. How is a person saved? When he will be saved. Now how is a person, why are people not saved? They take their wills and place them in the hands of somebody else. Let me illustrate. Here's a person that goes down to the priest or preacher and says, If you will confirm me, then I think I'll be saved. And you don't get saved. Why? Because that's his will that did it and not yours. A person is not saved for the will of flesh nor the will of man, but he's saved whosoever will let him come and then God saves him. But when you take your will and you say, Okay, I'll let the church save me, then you're taking the whosoever will out of your hands and you're putting your will in the hands of another. Now listen again. The same thing is true about happiness. The reason people are not happy is this. They put their happiness in the will of another person. If somebody will treat me well, I will be happy. So my happiness is determined on how somebody else wills to treat me. Let's suppose that Brother Fisk over here, and I say, Boy, Brother Fisk was so nice to me this morning, I just felt better all day long. Well now, if I could learn to feel better because I'm nice to him, I could feel good every day, couldn't I? I can't control his will. If he wants to be an old grouch, he just has to. That's what he is all the time. And if he wants to be an old grouch, that's up to him, you see. But if I'm happy when he's nice, and not happy when he's a grouch, then I have no control over my happiness. But if I'm happy when I'm nice to him, that means I can be happy any time I will be nice to him. Is that right? Now that's why folks aren't happy. Folks, last Sunday morning I preached on circumstantial happiness. And I said you'll not be happy if you depend on circumstances. You shouldn't be happy because you have a pretty house, and not happy if you have an ugly house. You shouldn't be happy because you have a new dress, or unhappy if you don't have a new dress. You shouldn't be happy because you have a new car, or unhappy if you drive an old Model T Ford. You shouldn't be happy because of circumstances. Neither should a person seek his happiness because of the will of somebody else. Let me go back now to salvation. Why aren't people saved? Here's a fellow that says, I say, are you saved? Yes, I joined the church. No, you're not saved because you try to get saved with the will of another. You get saved when you say, I will come to Christ. Here's a fellow. I say, are you saved? Yes, I got confirmed when I was a child. No, you're not saved either. You get saved when you will come to Christ, not when another will confirm you. Here's a person. I say, are you saved? Yes, I'm saved. Well, how do you know? Well, I got baptized when I was a baby. I say, well, then you didn't will to get baptized. You didn't will to come to Christ. Somebody else willed for you. Now listen to me. You will not go to heaven unless you say, I will come to Christ. I will come to Christ. When you take your will and place it in the hands of another, then you are not going to be saved because you have transferred the only switch. Look, if I say, okay, I can turn the lights on in this building by flipping that switch. But if I give Dr. Billings that job, I will never be able to turn the lights on in the building. Why? I've given my will to him. He cannot do it for me. Nobody can do your praying for you. Nobody can forgive your sins except God. Nobody can will that you'll be saved. You can say, well, my little baby has been born now and I want to take my baby down and get the baby sprinkled. Well, now the only thing you did was get that little baby wet, that's all. And he may have already been wet before. We have a sign over in our nursery that says, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. And so that didn't... Why? Why didn't that do any good? Because it was not your will. Oh, why didn't being confirmed do you any good? That's not your will, but you will come to Christ. Notice, ye will not come to me that ye might have eternal life. And that's why you don't get saved. It's as simple as a person saying, I know I'm a sinner, I know I'm lost, I know Jesus died for me, and I will come to Christ. Now, when you exercise your own will and your salvation depends on your will and not somebody else's, then you can be saved. But when you give your will to another for salvation, then you will not be saved. Now, let's go down to the matter of happiness again. Satan wants to put your happiness in the will of somebody else. Ladies, if you would listen to me, I could save you 15 nervous breakdowns apiece. Every lady I know is either having a nervous breakdown, just gotten over one, or is planning one when she gets it in her schedule. Now, I can save you this morning. I can save you this morning a nervous breakdown. I can save you, you know. A lady walked into my office and said, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to kill myself. I'm so unhappy. And I said, well, why don't you go over to the skyway. I said, it goes over the river there. And I said, I'd jump off if I were you. I said, if you cut your wrist, they might find you. And you might not die. It don't always work. And I said, if you shot yourself, you might miss. But I said, if you just go over and jump over, just get up on top of the tallest bridge there and just jump off. I said, I think that'd be the fastest way and the surest way. And she said, that'd be dangerous. And I said, yes, I know. Now, I can save you all those suicides. I can save you those nervous breakdowns if you'll listen to me. Your happiness, your happiness and peace and contentment can be constant if it depends on your will and not somebody else. Let me ask you a question. Did you ever, did you ever, I can recall as a kid when Christmas was over, I never did like Christmas night. Did you ever, you've been looking for, those presents were all in the tree. In fact, when I was a kid, both those presents were on the tree. And both of them for the welfare to me. But I can recall when Christmas was over. Did you ever have that empty feeling and hollow feeling when Christmas was over? You know why you did? Because you determined externally whether you were happy or not and not internally. I've often said this. If Christmas to you is receiving, then you can only be happy when somebody else will give you something. But if Christmas to you is giving, then you can be happy anytime you will be happy. Brother Fisk, if I'm only happy when you give me something, good night, I'd hardly ever be happy. But if I'm only happy when you give me something, then it is your will that makes me happy. Is that right? And I'm only happy when He wills to make me happy. But if it is my giving Him something, heaven forbid, but if it's my giving Him something that makes me happy, then I can be happy anytime I will. Now, I cannot control His will. I can control my will. Consequently, since I can control my will and I cannot control His will, I should determine my happiness on what I will to do and not on what He wills to do. Do you follow what I'm saying? Are you as dumb as you look? I'm trying to give you a philosophy that will literally change your life. Whosoever will. Now, listen. Let him come and take of the water of life freely. But now, wait a minute. That word freely is the key word there. We think that has only to do with salvation. Whosoever will. Let him come and drink of the water of life freely. No, that freely means continually. That means that whosoever will can have life, eternal life, but more than that, he can have abundant life, happy life, full life, joyous life, if you want. You determine his happiness on the basis of what he can control. I will, for example, take the matter of love. Let's suppose, doctor, I love you. We're stretching this a great deal, but let's suppose that I love you. And let's suppose, really, even a more ridiculous assumption, let's suppose that you love me. Now, let's suppose that you came to me. Come here. Come here and tell me you love me. Preacher, I love you. Oh, man, I'm so happy. I'm so happy. Now, tomorrow, I'll see you again. Don't tell me tomorrow. The other one's the weather. How you doing, doc? Terrible. Anything you'd like to say to me? I don't love you. That's one thing. Oh, don't mention the love. I feel terrible. I feel terrible. I was happy yesterday. Why? He loved me. I'm happy today? No, not happy. Why? Because he didn't say he loved me today. In fact, he went beyond that. He said he don't love me anymore. Can't come back to where you ain't been, but now then. Now, am I happy today? No. Why? I've given my will to him. If he will love me, I'll be happy. So, if he won't love me, I won't be happy. Oh, you know what I wish I could take you? Did you ever give medicine to a dog? Did you ever use a spoon to give medicine to a dog? And you'd get his jaws and you'd pry it open. And you'd lick those big old teeth and you'd stick a thing and you'd... Like that. That's the way I wanted to do a truth like this to you. You know what? You're just like a little child. We used to feed a child Pablum. You'd take the spoon. You'd get to him and you'd scrape it up like that. And then, right back out. You'd scrape it off his chin and off his beard and everything. You'd stick it in. Right back out. You know, I can preach on dancing or liquor or dope or communism. And everybody just takes it down real good. But when I give you something that will change your life, change your life, don't be happy because people love you. But let me show you this. Good morning, Doc. I love you, Doc. Thank you, Preacher. Now, if I'm happy because I love him, then next time I see him, I don't have to say, I wonder if he's going to say it again. Hello, Doc. Hi, Preacher. Hello, Doc. Hi, Preacher. Hello, Doc. Yesterday you said something to me that made me happy. He didn't say it. But now then. But I can't will him to say I love you, can I? But I can will me. Right? Okay. Now, if I'm happy because I love him, I can be happy when I decide to be happy. That means I can love him all the time and be always happy. And my happiness and my peace and my joy is not built on his will, but my will. And that's why some folks are happy all the time. Some people are happy because they receive, and so they're only happy when somebody will give to them. Some folks are happy because they give, and so they give all the time and they're happy all the time. That's why the Word of God says it's more blessed to give than receive. Why? Because the giving is up to me. Let's take the matter of treatment. Brother John, I'll take you this time. Come here, Brother John. I'll take you. And Brother John is a courteous kind of... And he sees me someday and he's on top and he's rejoicing and he's happy. And watch how it affects me. I walk down the street and say, Oh, John. Oh, you're happy. You're not very joyous about it. Beautiful day, sunshine, flowers. How you doing, John? Oh, wonderful. Wonderful. It's just great. Oh, boy, I feel better already. Boy, and I just feel better. Now, tomorrow. Oh, John. Oh. Oh, John. Hi. I thought I said that. Oh, I see. Okay, thank you. And you see, I don't feel good. You know why? Because my joy is dependent upon how he behaves. But if I see him this first time be happy. Hello, John. How you doing, buddy? Man, it's a beautiful day, isn't it? Boy, oh, boy, what a day to be alive. Am I happy? Yeah. Be your normal self. Hello, John. How you doing? Boy, a beautiful day. Man, it's good to be alive today. Boy, oh, boy. Thank you. Now, what? I decided to be happy then. See how I perked him up? I decided to be happy. Listen, this is a basic Bible truth. It is a basic Bible law. If Jesus said, Come unto me and I will give you life. But he said, I'll give you abundant life. Now, abundant life is an overflowing life, not a receiving. Listen, Tis the spring that gives out that's happy. Jesus said, I will be a well of water springing up unto eternal life. What does it mean? It means when we are giving out water. We're giving, we're happy, not receiving. Now, don't misunderstand me. If receiving makes you happy, then you can be happy anytime somebody else will give you something. But your happiness is temporal, it's temporary, and it's determined on the will of another. But if your happiness is giving, it can be permanent, or you can always give. If your happiness is being loved, you can only be happy when another loves you. If your happiness is loving, you can be happy anytime you decide to be happy, because your happiness is determined by your will. Whosoever will, not only they be saved, take of the water of life freely, and be saved, you can be saved, if you just will be saved. But more than that, you can drink of abundant life. You can drink of joyous life. You can drink of happiness and peace and joy. That's what the world is looking for. The world is looking for the thing that the Christian gets when he learns to live to give, and live to love, and live to serve. If you could know it, that's one reason why that a person... Doc, I suppose that Brother Fisk criticized me, and you heard him tell me about it. Hi Doc. Hi Preacher. I hate to tell you this, but I heard... Oh my. Oh my, I don't feel good. I'm unhappy about that. Now tell me that you heard him drag on me. Preacher, I heard Brother Fisk say the nicest things about you. Hey! Hey, I'm happy now. Why? Because of what Brother Fisk said. Let me ask you a question. Do you think I'll let Brother Fisk determine my happiness? Huh? Do you think if he criticizes me, it will make me unhappy? No. That's what the Bible means when it says we ought to crucify the flesh, and crucify ourselves. If this old sin-cursed world would ever learn one thing, if she could learn that nobody, nobody, nobody has ever had lasting happiness because of what he gets, but rather because of what he gives. Listen to me. I stand this morning and I say, Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. That means whosoever will can be saved. And all you Christians will say, Amen! That's how I got it. Yeah. But there's more to life in Christ than just being saved. There is an abundant life. There is a full life. There is a joyous life. And how do you get that joyous life? You don't get it because you get a new house. Or because when you get the new house, you want new carpet on the floor. And you get new carpet, you want furniture to go with it. And you get furniture to go with it, and you want drapes to go with the furniture. And you get drapes to go with the furniture, and you want some end tables to go with the drapes. And by that time, the carpet's worn out and you've got to get new carpet again. Why? Because you're happy because you get. Listen. America has more today than she's ever had in her history. And she's more miserable. Our country was happier, and our folks were happier, when our population lived on little farms with 40 acres, and without any Social Security, without any insurance, without any government check, without any federal aid, without any GI Bill. We were happier. Why? Because we lived for what we could do for somebody else. You take a person nowadays, a young lady can be raped or assaulted on a street corner in Chicago with millions of people or thousands of folks walking by, and nobody stops to help her. Or as used to, if a fellow on the next farm was sick, everybody in the neighborhood went down and carried him food and raised some money to take care of him and came to his rescue. And America was happy. You know why? Because we knew back in those days that you're happy because you will be happy. You will. So I'm saying if you would be happy, then you be sure that everything that makes you happy is something that you can will to do. I cannot will for the fifth to always speak well of me. I cannot will for Dr. Always Say I Love You. I cannot will for John Colston to always be gay and happy and on top. But I can will that I love Brother Dr. Billings. And I can will that I speak well of Fisk. And I can will that I speak well of Colston. Listen to me. I'm an expert on this subject. There's not a man that lives within miles of here that's cussed as much as I am. And you know that's the truth. There's not a man in this city as hated by as many people or as loved by as many people either as I am. But there's not a person in this town whose name is used with derogatory statements as much as mine. And yet I'm not unhappy. I told the Sunday night crowd I was walking out here in the Montgomery Ward Shopping Center the other day. And somebody, a family was there and some teenage kids and one of the kids said Mama, who's that fella? I know him. Who's he? And this lady said to the teenage this teenager said That's Reverend Hiles First Baptist Church. And this teenager came over and spit on me. And I wiped the spit off. And you know what I did? I said Whoopee! Because the Bible says rejoice when men shall speak evil of you. Say all manner of evil against you or falsely. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. And check the Greek word. It means jump up and down and click your heels. And I was just obeying God. And so another one of the teenagers came over and spit on me. You think I was unhappy? No. You know why? Because I'm only happy when I spit on somebody else. Not your spit that makes me happy. It's my spit. I can decide what I want to spit. It's like the little kid that was locked in the closet. Everything was quiet for a while and the mom opened the door and said what you been doing? And he said I spit on your dress and I spit on your coat and I spit on your shoes and as few as I can get some more spit I'm going to spit on something else. And what you say out of the house were you miserable? Of course I was miserable. I'm not happy because folks spit on me. I'm happy because I love them. I have learned that whosoever will can be happy. That's why you can be happy if you live in Chicago instead of West Palm Beach, Florida. That's why you can be happy living in New York City or Manhattan if you have to move to New York City from Los Angeles, California. That's why you can be happy when you move from Hawaii to Chicago where Brother Helton did. You know why? Because happiness is as near the reach of the Christian as salvation is to the unsaved. This morning I say are you unhappy? I've given you a recipe from God's word this morning that will make you happy as long as you live. Whosoever will who's saved can be happy by making your happiness built on something that your will can control. And if you're not a Christian this morning you can be saved just as surely as you will be saved. Whosoever will you say well the house I don't know that I'm going to heaven if you will you can come to Christ. You say what do I do? You realize you're a sinner? Realize that Jesus died for sinners and you say this morning dear God I will receive Christ as my Savior. I'm glad I learned this these three great days in my life the day that I was saved the day that I was filled with the Holy Spirit and the day that I learned to will to be happy. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father bless we pray the truth that has been preached from this pulpit this morning. Oh good God that all of our people could get this truth. Our heads are bowed eyes are closed. This morning if you would get this blessed truth it would change your life. Whosoever will let him come to Christ yes but also let him drink of the water of life continually. What does it mean? It means if you will if you will let your happiness depend on your will you can be happy. Yes happy in spite of communism coming in. Yes happy in spite of the dirty dope narcotics traffic. Yes happy in spite of the liquor traffic. Yes happy in spite of cancer and heart attack. Yes happy in spite of threatening war. Yes happy in spite of financial reverses. Yes happy in spite of anything external because you're happy because of what you will do. I wonder how many would say this morning Pastor I'm afraid I'm guilty. I'm afraid my happiness has been determined by the will of someone else. And this morning I'm going to ask God to help me to will to be happy myself. Would you raise your hand please all over the building all over the building all over the building. Yes there are many God bless you you can lower your hands. Now then how many would say well the house I don't know that I'm saved but I want to know. I don't know that if I died today I'd go to heaven but I wish I did. Pray for me that I might be saved and know it. Would you lift your hand please all over the building. God bless you God bless you yes I see several hands on the lower floor. Are there others you don't know that you're saved but you wish you did. You see if you will you can be saved whosoever will and if you're not saved this morning it's because you won't. If you are saved it's because you will. It's not caused by some electric current that goes down your spine an external stimulus. It's caused by an internal will whosoever will not of the will of man nor will of the flesh but of God born of God. How you get born of God when you will come to Christ. I wonder how many others would say in the balcony on my left pray for me I want to be saved I don't know that I'm saved but I wish I did pray for me lift your hand please in the balcony on my left in the center balcony you'd say pray for me I don't know that I'm saved but I wish I did God bless you. In the balcony on my right you'd say include me in the prayer God bless you I see you God bless you lady I see you thank God. Other others back on the lower floor who would say for the house pray for me I don't know that I'm saved but I wish I did include me in the prayer would you lift your hand please alright in just a moment I'm going to pray but first right where you are would you say oh God today I will come to Christ whosoever heareth shout, shout the sound spread the blessed tidings all the world around tell the gospel news wherever man is found what is that gospel news whosoever will may come this morning right where you are would you say dear God I will I will become a Christian I will receive Jesus and then after a while when we sing you come down the aisle and say yes to God on the first stanza you come wait a minute how many have been saved but you've not been baptized since you got saved would you lift your hand please you've been saved but have not been baptized since you got saved would you raise your hand please all over the building yes there are others all there are others quickly yes I see you all there are others alright you come this morning for baptism we'll baptize you this morning if you will if you want to join this church by transfer of membership we invite you to come on the first stanza if you need to receive the Savior if you need to get baptized if you need to join the church you come whosoever will our Heavenly Father I pray for these and others that this morning they'll say yes I will come to Christ in Jesus name Amen