In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of promoting the kingdom of God and doing Christian work. He highlights that being born again means being involved in Christian work and not failing in the purpose of one's life. The preacher shares a personal story about a time when he faced challenges and prayed for healing. Through this experience, he learned that God wanted to know if he loved Him above all else. The sermon concludes with the message that our ability to do the works of Christ depends on our abiding in Him and renouncing ourselves. The preacher references John 15:5 and Philippians 4:13 to emphasize the importance of staying connected to Christ and relying on His strength.

You know, I learned very early after I got saved, that this God that we've come to know, it's absolutely impossible for him to do anything without a purpose. To be God, that simply meant he could do nothing without a purpose. He can speak no word without a purpose. That you're reading so carefully. In the book of Hebrews, the apostle Paul took that 95th Psalm. You know, there, the 95th Psalm talks about, today if you hear his voice. But there in the book of Hebrews, it added what wasn't there, it said the Holy Ghost saved. Today, if you hear his voice. Harden not your heart. You know, the thing that hardens the heart, is to allow this world too much of an inroad into your life. You get caught up in the politics of our time, and too much in that daily news, then that heart will become hard. And you'll not be able to hear that still small voice of God. One great preacher, a long time ago, said the world, or the church had its greatest influence on the world, when it had absolutely nothing to do with that world. When it was here for one purpose, and that's to bring this wonderful gospel of Christ, and to make this Christ known. You know, today, if you hear his voice, there may not be another day. Now is the time. You know, with God being eternal, there's no yesterday, no tomorrow. Whatever's gonna happen with God, ten billion years from now has already happened. It's already took place. It's never, nothing has ever gonna happen that hasn't happened. And whatever happened, just happened. It's all now. And since this salvation is of the same eternal nature, then that's the way, he said, today, isn't it? Now is the accepted time. There may not be any tomorrow, or that acceptance to be any part of a reality with us. God help us. You know, we've been here, we've been praying, we've been hearing. Now don't be foolish virgins, and leave here having heard, and not do what we've heard. That's the thing that made them foolish. They heard, they knew, instantly they knew what the problem was. When that trumpet sounded, they said, we have no oil. Our lamps have gone out. You know, you couldn't turn these lights out if they weren't on. Though their lights had been on, but they knew that they weren't where they were. The pastor dealt with them that night. They said, well, we've got a date at McDonald's Wednesday night, we'll do it. But Wednesday never came. It never came. It's gonna be that way, folks. You know, we're hearing from God. We're talking to God. And it isn't the time to take that lightly. Hear and do, that's the key to everything. The will to do the will of God is what faith is all about. Has nothing, nothing to do with fear. You know, God allows things to come to us, to teach us. We don't understand. I was in Houston, Texas in 1954, been preaching all of about eight months. And we were a week in that church. And Revival broke out to such an extent that the fire marshal was there every afternoon at 630. To allow nobody else in that church. It just, God came. And there was a movement of God. People being saved and healed and filled with the Spirit. And so the pastor said, I want you to go another week. Well, we certainly didn't want to leave there. But when I woke up Monday morning, my wife, around her mouth were just solid blisters. Just like this shirt, just white. And down her throat. It was a terrible thing. And the fever became such that she was comatose, just in and out. I have no idea what's going on. But by noon, both of my children, one four, one three, the same thing. I prayed all day long. All day, I prayed. I don't know what's going on. Well, that night, I locked in that hotel, went to church. The pastor said he had the gift of healing. I had the church to pray for my family. But he said he had the gift of healing, felt it in his hand. So after church, I said, come, go with me to the hotel. He said, I'm tired. I said, but they're very sick, sir. You bring that healing over there. Well, he said, I'll come in the morning. Well, when I got back to that hotel, they were just exactly like I left them. They haven't turned over, nothing. I prayed all night long. He came the next morning about nine o'clock. The old hotel, wasn't air conditioned, had a window fan in it, screen door. And when he walked in, had a look at him, he run outside, just run back outside. And I said, come in, bring that healing, put it on them here. You know, they're sick. Oh, he said, I know what that is. That's diphtheria. Well, I don't know what it was or not, but he evidently had seen it. He said, they've got diphtheria. They're going to quarantine this place. And he said, you better get a doctor out here outside. I said, let me tell you something, sir. For 24 hours or longer, I've been working on the only doctor I know in this town. That's Christ. I don't know doctors. This has been my life since I've been saved. I've been praying. You said you got that gift. Well, he drove off and left me in Everdevil in Houston, come to that hotel room. I prayed all day long, went to church that night. I preached that night, our devils were healed. That was my message. I didn't preach 15 minutes, 20 minutes maybe. 18 young people between 15 and 20 rose up screaming, what do we have to do to be saved? They just ran in that altar. Well, when they ran in that altar, people gathered with them. I went out the side door, got in that car and driving back to that hotel, weeping so hard I couldn't see the road. But I said to God, I'm not leaving that hotel anymore till you tell me what you're going to do with my family. I'm no better than anybody else, but I do love you. I have trusted you. We put our life in your hands. They'll take me out there by violence. I'll not leave that hotel till you tell me what you're going to do with my family. And I said the hardest thing I've ever said in my life. I said to that God, if you take them, I'll praise you while the spirits leave that room. That was the hardest words I've ever said in my life. Well, I got there exactly like I left them, 10 o'clock. I knelt there and began to pray. I began to agonize with God. I didn't realize the time. But all of a sudden I realized somebody's in this room. I don't know how they got there. I'm looking at the door. There's no closet. It just had nails to hang your clothes on. And there's no bathroom. I've been in there. Nobody in there. I don't know how anybody got in here. But I'm not afraid of what I can see, but what I can't see sometimes. And my whole heart was beating so. And I stood there. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. And the voice said, go to bed, son. It's all right. Just clear as a bell. It said, go to bed, son. Everything's all right. Well, I looked. It's 2 o'clock, 4 hours. I've been praying. I lay down there and died. I hadn't slept in nearly 3 days. When I woke up, I caught. We had a little cot. The babies sleep. One hid. One went. One the other. Now they're in bed with their mother, and that's my altar. And that cot was shaking. That little 4-year-old boy said, Papa, I'm hungry. Amen. A little girl coming around the end of that table, she said, I'm hungry. Then that 23-year-old girl of mine said, I'm starving today. That long night was over. God did heal. But you know, it was nearly a year before I knew what happened. You know what God wanted out of me? He wanted to know if I'd love him if he took him. That's all he wanted. When I said, if you take him, I'll praise you, that settled it with God. He healed him that night. But he wanted to know, is anything more important to you than me? If it is, that's your God. I want to know. And when I told him, everything was settled in heaven. When he saw I'm going to love you whether you leave him with me or not, he healed. You see, everything is to teach us. Everything is to teach us. All that God does is to make us know, you know, that we can believe him. We are believers. That's what he called us. It may be a struggle. It may be a fight. But if you will stay, hang in, believe on, despite all the evidence. Doesn't matter if it looks like it's going backward. God will be there. He will come. And he will heal. Hallelujah. It's a wonderful day to be alive. There's never been a world in more trouble than this one is. And they don't know the way out. The problems are with perplexity. They think we're ignorant. But we're the only people on this planet know the way out. The only way. I went to a wedding one night. They invited me as a high, you know, pretty sophisticated people. There was no drink in there, you know, the wedding. I just went. After the wedding, the reception, and I was standing over by the, where they have the refreshments, and a doctor that was a doctor of something, not a medical doctor, but she was a professor in Rice University. And that's one of the fifth top universities in America, Houston, Rice University. And she come, the Vietnam War was on, and she come over and she said, introduced herself. And she asked me, said, what do you think is the solution to this war? I said, Jesus. Oh, my. Yeah. It was an explosion. You know, I, oh, it was a terrible moment with that woman. Jesus, what's he got to do with it? I said, he hasn't got anything to do with it. But I said, he's the only answer to it. I said, he never begun it, but he's the only answer to it. She said, I, you don't believe in evolution. Oh, I said, ma'am, I do not, I don't believe in, I know it's not true. I work with the smartest men on this planet, and they're not sure. I said, I'm absolutely sure. I said, I know, I know that, that's not right. Where's your information come from? I said, I know from where you talk, you've read this Bible, haven't you? She said, yes, I have. I said, you read in the first chapter of the book of Genesis, how the Holy Ghost moved on this, and brought the light out of darkness, and separated the waters from it. Yes, I read. I said, well, that same Holy Ghost is in me. And every time I hear that, she said, that's not true. She never talked to me anymore. I'm telling you folks, we know what they don't know. They think we're ignorant, but we're the smartest people on this planet. We do have the answer to these problems. I know the answer. Christ is the answer. Hallelujah. They don't want to hear that, but they will want to hear. You, you believe me, there's a lot of them going to want to hear. Well, I'm going to go to John chapter 4. That's first John, I believe it is. Chapter 4. Oh, I've just been so blessed today. This great God in the gospel, the wonderful presence of God, has been so real. And if we'll let Him, He's going to be real to us tonight. First John, I believe I'm right here. Chapter 4. And verse 17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because, see, that reason that we can have boldness in this day of judgment, is because as He is in this world, so are we. As He is, so are we in this world. As He is, not was, but as He is, so are we in this world. I want to talk to you about this tonight. Amen. We talk of Jesus now. As a son of man, He represented the Father, and He said, He that has seen me has seen the Father. Now that, that was God's Son testimony about Himself. He that has seen me has seen the Father. He said, I come in my Father's name, John 5.43. He spoke and acted every moment of His life in the Father's stead. I don't say anything but what I've heard my Father say. What that really says, but except what comes out from my Father. I don't do anything except that which comes out from my Father. Now that was the testimony of Christ. He said, I have no will of my own. I seek no glory of my own. My whole life is spent. I'm totally possessed of my Father's will. Now that, that was the testimony of Christ. He was a visible image, excuse me, of the invisible God, and He said, He that has seen me has seen my Father. So, Jesus' mission, Jesus' method, Jesus' message and works were the works of that Father. He never came to invent a way. He simply waited to hear what the Father had to say. They put that into practice in His life. No time, no place did He ever form a committee and try to figure out anything about a situation. Therefore, He never said, I made a mistake, I'm going to have to start over. Because He never started until He knew what the Father was going to do. Now the Bible is talking to us tonight. God's talking to us because this, as He is, so are we in this world. His whole life was absolutely under control of that Father. He never moved until He knew what that Father wanted. That's the reason He spent all night in prayer. He got up a long while before day to pray. He wanted to know what His Father wanted. Today, what is the will of God for my life? What must I be? Where must I be? All of this, see, Jesus said, I come to do Thy will, O God. Now we look at the miracles of Christ and we talk about this is why He came to do. No, they were part of the will of God. There were some places He couldn't heal, but His whole works on this planet was to do the will of God. Whether that's to raise the dead or kill Ananias and Sapphira. All of this was a part, but the only work of Christ was to do the will of God. Whatever that will was, wherever it led Him. Whether it was to heal the blind man in the middle of the Gospel of John. Or to cast the demons out of the Mary Magdalene. It's all the same. He simply came to do the will of God. I come to do Thy will, O God. Now what Jesus did is exactly what that Father would have done if He came as the Father. Whatever He did, every moment of His life, every prayer He prayed was what the Father would have done if He had come as the Father. Now the Father was the whole source and spear of His life. He had not come of Himself, but had been sent by the Father, John 7 and 28. Now this is so important that we know this. We overlook the fact. We try to figure out the purposes of God for our life. But if we brought out this morning, our purpose is to do the will of God. That is all. But it takes time to know that will. It takes time. You don't find that will running up and down the road. There has to be a time to wait upon this great God. He had not come of Himself, but had been sent by the Father. Now He had no teaching or words of His own, but spoke only what the Father gave Him. That's John 7, 16. He did nothing of Himself, only what He saw the Father do. Now He's a man just like me on this planet. He cannot see up there and see. But when this word see in the Bible, dealing with us as human beings means to know. That's what it means. Paul said that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened that you may know. When Isaiah said, I saw the Lord high and lifted up. Well the Bible said no man can see God and live. But there was an encounter there of some kind that Isaiah come to know God as he had never known God before. He preached five chapters before he got here. I mean that wasn't the beginning of life for him. He's been a prophet for some time. All of those five chapters woe unto Israel. I'm telling you chapter 6 brought a woe to me. All of a sudden he saw God and when he saw God he saw himself. All of a sudden in the presence of that Holy God he got to look at himself. Now his very life according to John 6, 57 depended upon that Father. He never sought his own glory, but he sought the Father's again. In John 6, 57. Now times and all times under every circumstance of life Jesus was governed and lived by the Holy Spirit. He never worked a miracle until baptized in the Holy Ghost when he come up out of the baptismal waters. Then begun that earthly ministry. You know when they took him to Jerusalem when he's just a lad. They got a day's journey out of the city before they recognized he wasn't there. Well when they went back Mary found him confounding the doctors of his day. And being the mother that she was she rebuked him. Why have you done this? You know she's correcting him as a son, but he said don't you know that I must be about my Father's will. And from there he went back and sat at a carpenter's beach for 18 long years all of it the will of God. You understand we're always in a hurry. We're always wanting to do something. We're always fretting because God's not doing what we want him to. But he sat there for 18 years. You heard nothing of him, but I must be about my Father's will. That was the will of God for that lad. You know it's an astounding thing when I learned that Paul was 12 years in Antioch before they ever sent him out. You know he didn't just get saved on the Damascus road then begin to write the Bible. He had to pass through what I passed through. A death to everything that he is. You hear that in the 7th chapter of the book of Romans. He said when I want to do good evil it's with me. When I don't want to do it I find myself doing it. Oh wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Now most of the people or some people rather don't believe he was saved at that time. But no such warfare was ever in a man's soul till he was born again. Never been such a war. But the man and he sure wouldn't have cried when he said who shall deliver me. He said I thank God through Jesus. He'd been killing people for worshiping that Jesus before now. But you see the awful warfare that's taking place in that life because now that he's coming in to this great God. There's a warfare that's attempting to keep him. But from the moment that the Holy Spirit came upon him everything. See he was born of the Spirit of God. In Luke 1.35 we talked of this earlier in the week. But he was born of the Spirit of God. For God to become a man he had to be born of a woman. Just like any other person is born. He was born of a woman. But the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary. And planted the seed of Christ which is the word of God in the womb of that virgin. And Christ was born. That's how I was born again. The Holy Ghost came planted the seed of Christ in the Spirit. And there's a new creature. No more of a miracle of Christ being born of a virgin. Than it was for me to become a new creature in Christ. That's the miracle of Christianity. But he was not only born. He was filled with the Spirit in Matthew 3.16. And then Acts 10.38. He was led with the Spirit in Matthew 4.1. And it was his whole life governed by the Spirit of God. Now in John 7.37-39. It talks about Jesus at that feast. And he cries out. He that believeth on me as the scripture said. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And John said this make he of the Spirit of God. Because the Holy Ghost had not yet been given. Because Christ was not glorified. Now theologians have argued that John was wrong in writing that. That the Holy Spirit had come on the old prophets. And John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost. Before he was born of his mother. And men have argued. Well we've half way answered the problem. That he had not come as he had come on the day of Pentecost. But the key to it is. Christ was not yet glorified. He is a man just like me. Tempted in every point that I am. He walked this earth as a flesh and blood man. The Bible said tempted in all points as I want. Amen. There was a lust trying to come in him. He never let it come. The devil offered him the world. He had to walk that world. There was no temptation to it at all. In every point he overcome by the Holy Ghost. When he sat down at the right hand of the Father glorified. He sent it back. And he said you are without excuse. You are without excuse. I've given you what brought me here. The end of your life is at that throne glorified. That's the end result. I stand there in the presence of God glorified. Wearing a body like his body. But he said you are without excuse. I came by the Spirit of God. I overcome every temptation of life. I am here because I was full of the Holy Spirit. And I have given you what brought me here. And you are without excuse. Don't talk about this being optional. No, no. This is a part of this ongoing salvation. I'm saved but I'm being saved. I was justified in the death of Christ. But for 59 years I've been being redeemed by that life. That life is conforming me to the image of whose life that is. This as he is so are we. And as we allow this life to do its work. Then what we do is always what he would do. Now for Jesus to live on this earth was for the Father to live on this earth. In the beginning was the Word. That Word was with God. But that Word became flesh and walked on this earth. That's the Logos. That's the Word. And that simply says to you and I. That the only purpose of that Christ was to be a revealer of God. That's the reason that he came. Paul said he was a visible image of the invisible God. And that's the reason he came to this planet. Now hold on because we're going somewhere. As he is so are we in this world. We're understanding something of our purpose for being. We're not here folks to go to hear a sermon on a Sunday morning. Sing a few songs. I promise you. If you stand outside the average Pentecostal church. It may be a good church. A man of God may preach a good sermon. But if you just stop the traffic coming out of that church. And say ma'am how was the service? It was wonderful. What was the preacher's message? What was it brother? What was it? Oh it was great. What did he say? Well I don't remember. That's about the way it works out folks. I'm telling you. All we think we're here to keep religion alive. But we're here to be a revealer of Christ. Dear God as he is in this world. So are we. His purpose was to be the revealer of God. And if we're the body of Christ. The only purpose of our being here. Is to be the revealer of Christ. That men look at us. And they have seen the Christ. That Jesus' relation to the Father. Was the image and revealer of God. Was expressed by the term the word. You know the Greek word term. The Greek term Logos. Was a familiar word. In philosophical discussion in the days of John. Both is understood in these discussions. And as the word itself naturally means. It expresses the truth. That Jesus Christ had one purpose. To be the revealer of God. He that has seen me. Has seen my Father. That's why he was here. That's what that term the word Logos means. A very familiar term in John's time. It is the same truth expressed by John. When he said no man has seen God at any time. The only begotten of the Father. Which is in the bosom of the Father. He has declared it. John 1 and 8. Also we have this in Colossians 1.15. He is the image of the invisible God. That's who Christ was. And now this is who we are. As the body of Christ. The revealer of Christ. What do people think when they see you? What is the testimony? Do they see Christ? Do they take knowledge? That we have been with this Christ. Or they just acknowledge that we are religious people. And we go to church on a Sunday. They go fishing. We go to church. All of us have got to do something. That's about the attitude that they have. Because for the most part. There is no difference in the average Christian. On a Monday. Than the world they live in. There is no difference. But if this doesn't change your life. It's worth nothing. The evidence of being filled with the Holy Ghost initially. Is to speak in tongues. The evidence of being born again. Is a brand new life. A life change. Not tomorrow. But that moment. When you were birthed of God. That Christ came. And now as I behold him. And that spirit works in me. More and more should my life. Become a revealer of this Christ. To all that have anything to do with me. Christ ability to work the works of his father. Depended entirely upon him abiding in that father. If he would have ever stepped out of that father. See that was a whole of that wilderness experience. That enemy was working. To get him to act independent of that father. If he would have made bread out of them stones. Then that devil would have him making stones out of bread. All he wanted him to do. Was act independent of that father. Then he could smite him. That's exactly what he did with the first Adam. Now the last Adam. Had to pass along the same trail. The same walk. All along the line. And the whole of that temptation. Was to get him to act independent of that father. Now he's out. Where the enemy could have smitten him. The second Adam. Had every possibility of going the way of the first Adam. There's nothing to where it said he was tempted. Every opportunity. That was a whole working of hell. To get him to do this. Amen. Now in his baptism. Jesus said in effect. See he had no carnal nature. But he had a nature that could be carnalized. Adam had no carnal nature. Until he bit the wrong apple. Neither did Christ. But he never. Never gave place to the devil. Thank you Jesus. But it could be carnalized. Or there's nothing to. I said there's nothing. To what we're looking at as a temptation. So in his baptism. It wasn't like me. And you when we were baptized. You know we were. We put that old Adam. In that grave. And being raised up in Christ. That's a testimony of it. But his wasn't that. But his was a testimony. That I am under no authority but my father. I have no voice but my father. I'm dead to every other voice. The bible said there's many voices. None of them without signification folks. All of them making a bid for your attention. To pull you away from what God. Is calling us to do. But here's what Christ is saying. I never. I'm dead to every other voice. But my father's voice. In John 4.34 he said. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. You see the milk of the word. Is to hear that word. But the meat of that word. Is to do it. Make it a part of that life. To become that. They went to the town. Got some bologna sandwiches. He never went. When they come back. He's talking to a woman. Been married five times. Now living with a man. They'll have nothing to do with it. Because she's a Samaritan. And they couldn't figure out what he did. Thank God us dogs was included. Amen. Thank God he included us in it. They couldn't understand. They wanted to know if he wanted something to eat. He said no. I have meat to eat that you don't know of. And that meat was to do the will of my father. That's all I'm here for. That's the works of Christ. That must be the works of me. To do the will of God. If it leads me to Indonesia. Or leads me to Africa. Or leads me wherever. The only work of God for my life. Is to do the will of God. No matter what men think about the results. The eternal results must be left with God. I just read a testimony some time ago. Of an elder man who was pastor of a church. And a young boy. And they thought he's too old. So they had a meeting with him. And said we believe you ought to resign. He said why do you think that? Well nothing happened. They said nothing happened. We just believe we need a younger man. He said well you know. And he called the name. He said the lad 12 years old was saved a month ago. He said he's coming along wonderful. He said what's one little boy? That was Charles Haddon Spurgeon. You don't know what's going to happen. That preacher. That minister reached the end of the world. And still preaching. He's a man of God. That brought Spurgeon to life. And so he's still a preacher. Though the pastor's been dead. Hundreds of years. Yet he's still proclaiming the gospel. Every time anybody quotes Spurgeon. He's getting a mark on him. You don't despise the day of small beginnings. You don't know what's happening. You don't know when there's a Wesley in that house. You don't know who's in this conference. You don't know who's going to serve millions of people. Just do the will of God. Hustling around. Born in a big crowd. Don't have time to preach. You know to a small crowd. Paul had time to preach one woman by rhythm. Amen. He was just as happy with her. Preached the same message that he preached when he had the whole citywide meeting. At another place. Nothing. Nothing changed. I'm here. This is the will of God. This is the key to it all. Amen. Now, Jesus, the attitude of self-renunciation characterized Christ. That's the only way you can abide in the Father. That characterized his life. It was a total renouncing of himself. Tempted in all points you are, yet without sin. That meant he had to deny the desires of his own heart at every turn in life. He revealed that his was a life of faith in the principle of the Father when he said, I live because of the Father. Totally. Absolute source of life. No other word. Whatever my Father says, I do. I have no notions of my own. It was this total submission to the Father that gave him power over the demons, over the elements, over the sickness, over everything else. Now, the Bible said then, after they're seeing him, as he is in this world, so are we. Jesus represented the Father. We represent him. As my Father sent me, so send I you. John 20, 21. You don't have to go about tonight and dream about what kind of ministry you're supposed to have. Just find out where you're supposed to be. And emulate this Christ. He said, I've come to do the will of my Father. I'm not out here trying to draw a blueprint and present it to get his approval on how to reach this city for God. I know how to reach him. Let my Father live in this city and men that love this Father will come. So live, so be. Amen. This whole thing. It was this total submission, though, that gave him that power. Now, Jesus represented the Father. We represent Jesus. As my Father sent me, I send you what? To do my will. That's all. If you do my will, it doesn't matter how insignificant or how great. It's the will of God. That there's no big people, no little people in there. You know, once God told me, He said, I want you to fast. I don't want you to break bread to anybody but me until you've read this Bible through. Read this Bible through. I read the Bible through in 12 days. I got so engrossed in that book. And in 12 days, it was one of the most wonderful revelations of my life. I come across a prophecy in that Bible that ordinarily takes you eight months to get there. I got there the next morning. I saw that prophecy the next morning, it's fulfilled. But you know what I saw? No big people, no little people. Only two people talked to Eli when he became an unfaithful priest. Too weak. He was a good man, but too weak to do what God called him to do. Wouldn't correct his own son. Too weak. A little boy by the name of Samuel, and another man only called a man of God. That's the only name he had, was a man of God. He showed up one day, pointed his finger at Eli and said, God's unhappy of this mess. Disappeared, never heard him again. But if he hadn't fulfilled that purpose, the continuity would have been broken. Don't ever think you're a small something. You're not just a little cog in a big wheel. Everything depends upon us. Reform in our place. That way the church can be and do what God wants. But when it becomes a professional clergy and a laity that here, then everything is broken up. Everything is broken. When you're not in your place, you're voting against revival. We give the laity a freedom that they don't have. They don't have. But you know the problem. Our problem is, is not a matter that we've asked too much of them. We've never asked enough. You have to entertain terrors, but you've got to challenge that born again Christianity. It's got to be challenged. The move of God. Let me know that I count in this thing. That what I'm doing. My pastor and I got saved. I ever said it. You know, I moved that church yard. I watched that church. It needed painting. I painted that church. He called. We're going to have a Saturday afternoon. He said, we're going to knock on doors. I'm working knocking on those doors. And then I'm doing whatever my hand is bound to do. I was there doing that. Because the only works of mine and yours is to do the will of God. It isn't to lay awake at night dreaming how I can promote the kingdom. It isn't about saying I'm going to get into Christian work. If I'm born again, I'm being Christian. I'm just going to fulfill the purpose of that life. And nobody's going to belittle that. If I'm a doorkeeper in that house, I'm going to be a good doorkeeper. I have an old custodian. When Jimmy Swagger, all of his problems showed up in his life, he sent that little tape out. I don't know whether you got it or not. But he's talking about his problem. You know his problem. He had bad problems since he was a teenager. But in that, he was talking about the problems that he had. But he said, who could Jimmy Swagger go to? My, my. Who could Jimmy Swagger? Well, I had a janitor with me for 25 years. One of the godliest gentlemen. He died nearly 90 years old. Oh, what a man of God. I come in that church house sick. I said, shut the vacuum down, brother. People, I need your prayer. He had the biggest old hand. He put that hand on my head. Oh, God healed me. God was in him. Amen. One of the best janitors. Oh, he'd come around. He'd see that. He'd pick that up. He never left a speck on that floor. He knew this is God's house. This is a house of prayer. And he was as diligent as I was about my preaching, I can tell you. That man went to heaven with a great, great reward. Hallelujah. Because he cared for what he was. It's all got to be something big today, you know. We've got to worship the big. But God said it's a small beginning. Where two or three of us gather in that wonderful, wonderful name. Jesus' mission, method, message, and works was the works of the fathers. Our mission, method, message, and works must be Christ. What his was must be mine. I'm not here to invent something. I'm here to be what he wanted. What we do must be what Jesus would have done if he was in that seat. If I seek the mind of God and I said I'm going to do what he had do in this situation, different problems, different things come up, how would he have handled this? Then I'd just handle it. Young preachers all over the world, all over the country, especially in America, they call me. I've got two sets of men here. They have a question. They don't call the press, but they call me. I never pass them except by tape. But they'll call, want to know. One called me. He said, I've got a song meeting. Said he's not faithful. Not there on a Wednesday night. Don't come sing on a Sunday night. I got on him, and he said to me, he said, I don't have to go to church every time these doors open to make it. I said, well, that's very simple. Do what he wants to do. But just tell him very kindly. I said, do what's right, right. Go over to his house. You're absolutely right, son. But if you don't lead the singing, you're going to be there every time. Unfaithful people don't produce faithful people, and you can't be here. He said, well, you know, Pastor, he's got his roots in a lot of people. He may take them out of the church. I said, you do what's right, right, and then nobody left but you and your wife, Kim, then just start over. You've done what's right. You've done the will of God. It doesn't matter what hell says about it. The only thing that matters, whether it's a revival of subtraction or addition, if I've done the will of God, I've done the works of God, and that's all that matters. As he is in this world, so are we. He came in his Father's name. He sent me in his name. I speak and act for him. Now, you know, in the Old Testament, when that Hebrew come time to be set free, he's a slave for some reason or another. He's been that, but he had to be set free. You know, the time come, he didn't want to be free. He loved that master. He said to him, I want to stay with you. Well, he took him to the church, put a hole in his ear, then expunged his name from the record. He had no last name. He could only function in the name of that master. In his stead, that meant he could own no property. That means you own nothing. You may think you do, but you own nothing. We function in that name. We have to sign his name. This is how it was with him. I'm not in my name. I'm in my Father's name. I own nothing. I'm a steward of God. Hallelujah. This is God's message to us. As he was, so are we. Amen. Now, there's no more intimate relationship than what we find in John 15. See, our source and spirit of life must be Christ. He said, I am the vine, and you are the branch. Now, there's no more intimate relationship than the branch and the vine. If the vine has life, it flows into that branch. Everything, whatever's in that vine comes into that branch. That's what he said. You stay connected. You abide in me. The word abides in you. You can ask what you will, and it will be done, because you're only asking the will of God. You're not going to go around asking for jet airplanes and things that are not of that type. You want what God wants in your life. That's what it means in Psalm. Delight yourself in the Lord. He'll give you the desire of your heart, because your desire will be His. You'll not desire things if not Him. You'll desire what God desires. If that is, you're delighting yourself in Him. Now, the vine has everything. The branch has nothing. Listen, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, be the canoe, John 15 and 4. Our life must be a life of renunciation of ourselves, our abilities, our resources, and then we're open to receive the resources of heaven. Now, this was truly the life of him who said, I delight to do thy will, O Lord. Psalm chapter 40 and verse 8. That must be ours. I said, that absolutely must be ours. Our delight must be to do the will of God. To properly represent Christ, we must live a life of faith that looks to Christ for all and finds in Him everything that's needed. Folks, if Christ is not all, all is absolutely nothing. If He's not all, then all is nothing. There's nothing outside of Christ that you and I need in this life of walking with God. Nothing. If He's not all, all is absolutely, absolutely nothing. Though the true life of power and victory is summed up in two statements. Apart from me, you can do nothing. That's John 15 and 5, but connect that with Philippians 4.13, I can do all things through Christ's strength in me. That's how life is summed up. That's what life is all about. As I learned that, to walk, to live, every morning before you do anything, connect, be refilled. You don't have to backslide, folks. You burn this all up. You have to be renewed. You don't have to turn back. Just stop. The darkness is moving. It will overtake you. You'll find yourself in the darkness unless you're moving onward and upward with God. That darkness will overtake you and you'll find yourself in the darkness. Our ability to work the works of Christ like God's Son entirely upon our abiding in Christ. Our baptism in water was a testimony that we died with Christ and have been resurrected to walk in a new life. Now we abide by choice. We make in life's tests and temptations. We're kept by the same power, the Savior. But now there's a life in me that's in the Word and it demands a response from me. You see, God's working with me to save me. I'm dead. You know, it's a sovereign thing to deal with the dead. But now I'm alive. And the same life that's in the Word of God is in me. And when God speaks, it demands a response from me or there's no more working with God. If you won't respond. The angel said to Mary, you're going to have a baby. Never said another word till she said, how can it be? When she said that, then he told her how it's going to happen. He waited. He never... See, they didn't increase your welfare that Monday then. If you got pregnant, they stoned you to death. You know, you didn't get paid for having an illegitimate child in those days. That's what you got to be in America today. And I think maybe worse over here. But just the same, they stoned you to death. So for the young virgin to agree to be pregnant wasn't easy. But after a moment, she said, be it unto me according to thy word. Then and only then did he plant the seed of Christ in her. All of a sudden, there has to be a response. You know, you look out the trees, the flowers, all of that, God did that. Nobody painted that. Nobody perfumed that flower. God did that. That's the same thing in spiritual only. He'll never do it without your consent. He has to have your consent before he ever begins his work. I was put in Christ by a miracle. The Bible said the Holy Ghost at birth baptized me into Christ. That's a miracle of God. Now he tells me to abide there. Well, the same power that put me there keeps me, but only when I consent. I can walk out like that. But there must be that consent all of the time, whatever that looks like. Then and only then does it work. Now the attitude of renunciation that characterizes Christ must be my attitude. Jesus said, I live because of the Father, John 6, 57. He also said, because I live, you also can live. In other words, you've got my life. If you choose my life, you can live. You're as eternal as God himself. You and I are safe as if you're in heaven with the door locked. No matter what comes on this planet, only the will of God can affect it. Amen. There may be Stevens here that are going to go by the way of a stone, but just the same, as long as I abide, this requires the same attitude of faith that possess the Lord Jesus. We must live what we believe and we must believe this truth, Christ liveth within me. Amen. I must believe that truth all the time, everywhere, under every circumstance of it. Then act your faith. See, there's different grades of abiding. We know that. Depending upon our spiritual understanding and development. But the principle never changes. I said the principle never changes. When we can say with our heart, for me to live as Christ, we're then in a position of authority and power. Whatever comes against it. In his humanity, the prayers of Jesus, never, never refuse. Never. He said, I thank you that you hear me always when I pray. The reason they would never refuse was because he never violated this principle of abiding. Not one time. The devil never got him to cross that line. All of it. Offered him a world. And then tried to get him to perform some kind of an act to prove God. See, all of this. But he never violated that principle. We'll be trusted in the same way when we fulfill the condition. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him. Because why? We keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. When he can trust us like he did Christ, then we can do the same works of Christ. When we know that. All of this is only possible as we're controlled and led by the spirit of God. The meat shall inherit the earth. Now that word meat means that the word inherit means we'll rule this earth. See, God's not going to die and we inherit something. But we rule. But the word meat translates the word to be tamed. To be controlled. It is said that Moses is the meekest man on this earth. Out of all time, today in the English language, that meat is some little dagwood fella that his wife tells him what to do all the time. You know, that's about the way that works out in our time. And here I saw Moses send 150 families to hell with their clothes on. I mean the earth opened up. So I'm drawing a line in the sand over that golden calf. Said everybody on God's side come over here. Went to God and said now kill everybody on that side. That didn't sound meek to me. But what it means is controlled. That man controlled by God. I don't move until God tells me. But when God speaks, I move. That's the attitude. That's where I want to be. I'm not saying I'm there. I'm just saying that's what God is saying. And that's where Christ lived. And that's what He wants of us. And when it is, I said when it is, then we will be exactly where He is. The meek shall inherit the earth. As we are possessed and led by the Spirit, we resolve then the warfare between flesh and spirit. Only then, this I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. That's Galatians 5.16. This thing called flesh is the only thing that keeps me from demonstrating Christ. Not the devil. Not the devil. This is His body. This flesh. And when the devil came to Christ, he found nothing in Him. He couldn't get in there. But if you sit there unforgiveness in your heart, somebody did you wrong and you won't forgive them, then you've cut yourself off. You've got to resolve. He said when you come to this altar, if you have ought against your brother, leave your gift on this altar. Go make it right with that brother, that sister, whoever it is, and come back here and you'll find an answer to that thing. You'll find what you're looking for. This I say, walk in the Spirit. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary one to the other so that we cannot do what we want simply because we let that old man live. Those desires. Paul said, I keep my body under. I keep my body under. What he said, I tell it how much it can eat. I tell it what it can eat. I tell it where it can go. I tell it where it can walk. I tell these hands what they can touch and these feet where they can go. Amen. I tell it. By the Spirit of God within me, I'm not dictated by the desires of this flesh. Amen. I don't let this body tell me what to do. I tell this body. Amen. It may want to dress to please the world. I said, No, you'll dress to please the Christ. Amen. This all will be a part of this life. Amen. The Holy Spirit is God's life in the believer. Paul said, The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Now, to walk in the Spirit is for God to live through you. When that happens, what we struggle to do becomes a reality. What we struggle. Isaiah 58 and 8 tells us that. The first five verses, he deals with that flesh. They're trying to make God accept what is rejected. But then he tells them, verse 6 and 7, This is the fast I've chosen to loose those bands of wickedness. Let that oppress go free that you break every yoke. Then he went right on to say, Deal your bread to the hungry. Give the naked some clothes. Bring them in the house. And don't, don't deny your own flesh. You can see everybody else. But he said, You see yours too. Let us know real quick what to hinder. He said, The fast has been chosen to do this. Not a bargain counter with God. Everything that has life demands some kind of a food. Whether it's plant, animal, human or spiritual, it has to have food. Take food away from it, you weaken it. When you take food away from that old nature, then it begins to weaken. If you don't feed your dog, he'll die. Amen. If you don't feed your husband, he'll die. You take food away from them, then you begin to weaken them. And they say, Weaken that old man. And through prayer lift up that new. When he speaks, it happens. There's no struggle. You don't pray 30 minutes over sick people. He laid hands on them, they got well. Our problem is, we're not in the right place. If we stayed where we belong, we'd just speak to devils. We don't have 25 people holding them down. We just tell the devil to come out. He said, They'll lay hands on the sick and they'll recover. Well if you lay a hand on an empty head, then nothing will happen to nobody. Amen. But disappointment. But if it's God, this is what I'm saying, when that is resolved, when we resolve this, when we crucify that place, then, verse 8 said, then shall your life break forth as a morning. When that flesh is broken, when we break it too fast, then, he said, your life shall break forth as a morning. You know, that's so wonderful there. If John 1 and 4 said, in him was life, and that life was the life of men. When you put that flesh down, when you no longer let that flesh be your life, then God's life, which is life, begins to break forth. Then he said, your health will spring forth speedily. Healing will take place. The church will be healed when men come to it. The church will be healed when that river flows. There's nothing of grumbling and complaining that can stay in the way. Amen. Life cures all ills. That's a property of life, to rule out death. And as we let that river flow, then it does. He said, through fasting, you break that clay pot, and let this river flow. Your life shall spring forth as a morning. Your health will spring forth speedily. Your righteousness, that's Christ, is being brought in. And the glory of God is going to be behind you. And when you call, I'll answer. Hallelujah. Had a good New Year's Eve? Oh, yes. When you call, I'll answer. See, that's what they do. He said, deep calls for deep. When it's that new creature, that's the nature of God. And God will never deny Himself. When it's that new creature crying, Here I am, child. Here I am. Every moment, every time, God hears it. He don't hear that flay. No, he has no time. He rejected that, drove it from that garden, put a sword thus, and your kind can never come back here. But that new creature, when that old man is put out, that new creature, begins to cry. He says, Here I am. Instantly, he said. What a truth that is. That's what David meant. Deep calling to deep. Every mother in this house knows what that's all about. Every one. God taught me that before I was saved. My son was born four months before he was saved. Before I was saved. Brought him home. I thought he knew me. He didn't know me from Adam. But oh, he knew that mom. He had been with her for nine months. I mean, he knew her. I'd have him. I'm walking. He's just screaming. I'm sad to call it. You know what? I just, you know what? I'd give him nursing and feel that heartbeat. Nine months isn't it? He's just quiet. And I said, What's wrong with that boy? Nothing. Why is he hollering? Don't like strangers. He didn't know me. I'd wake up at night. Every light on that room. That baby's over on that little crib. She's over there. I'd wake up. The light's on. I didn't hear nothing. I'd wake up. I said, What are you doing over there? Is something wrong with the boy? No. Why are you over there? He grunted. He grinned. Every mother knows it. I don't have her snoring. You didn't hear nothing. That baby. That baby. The moment that baby changed, breathed, had mama so glad to let me in. What's wrong here? That's what God said. You cry. What's the matter? What do you need, son? You see, that baby was with my wife nine months before he was born. She's just a little girl, and we hadn't been married long until she was pregnant. I'd come in. She's talking, singing to that baby. I said, Oh, my. I got her pregnant too early. She was nervous at all. We've got trouble here. You know, I don't understand what you're talking about. But I, you know, I thought she'd be talking to that baby, singing to that baby. Nine months. When it got here, he knew her. Let me tell you. This little creature was about to be born. And he says, when you cry, I'll be right there. The slightest whimper toward God. Now, that little creature, God said, I'm right here. Oh, God, help me. As he is in this world, so will I. Our mission, to do the will of God. If you don't raise anybody from the dead, then it wasn't his will. I just, as other people did more of that, looks like Peter did more healings than Paul did, but Paul wrote half the Bible. Amen. But the will of God for your life is to do the will of God. Do what he wants you to do. No matter if it's in a secluded corner, nobody knows what you're doing. He knows. He knows. And the slightest whisper, I'm right here, son. I know where you are. You're right where I put you. Hallelujah. Let's stand together. All blessed be the name of the Lord. You'd preach a man to death. Amen. Lift your hands.