In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being willing to let go and surrender to God's will. He uses the example of Jesus, who gave up his life on the cross and reappeared through the ministry of his disciples. The speaker encourages the audience to be like Jesus and be willing to die to themselves in order to bear fruit for God. He also shares a personal story about a time when he had to let go of something important to him and how it resulted in blessings and growth. The sermon concludes with an invitation for the audience to examine their own lives and consider if they are holding onto something that they need to surrender to God.

Those Arab women could never have been allowed in a place where British and American servicemen were coming. And had my wife clung on to the women, the others would never have come. But when we yield, then we get promoted. Many of those men, myself included, today are in full-time ministry, all over the world. Missionaries, pastors, so on. Some here in the United States. You see, you have to be willing to let go. It's unfair, unreasonable, it's unjust. So what? God arranged it. He's in control. That's faith. All right, let's go on to Genesis 22. Romans chapter 4 speaks about the steps of the faith of our father Abraham. And one thing that has become very clear to me, is that faith is not a static condition. It's not sitting on a church pew and saying, I've got it. Faith is a walk, in which one step follows another. Abraham is called the father of all them that believe, if we walk in the steps of his faith. Abraham's faith was progressive. If you go from Genesis chapter 12 through Genesis 22, you'll see the various progressions of Abraham's faith. And what he did in chapter 22, he could never have done in chapter 12. His faith came to a grand climax. Because every time God said step, he stepped. Every time God gave him a challenge, he accepted. So he was built up. The epistle of James said, by works his faith was developed and made mature. Faith is received as a gift, but it's matured by walking in steps of obedience. Let me point this out to you also. Which is not exactly in line with my message, and maybe it is. God had promised Abraham a chance. He promised him an heir, he promised him an inheritance. But as you know the story, the promise tarried. And after 12 years, no heir had appeared. Sarah was 78 years old. And she viewed the situation as hopeless. She said if we're ever going to have a chance, we better do something about it. And you know the most disastrous words that we can ever use spiritually, are we'd better do something about it. So Abraham took his wife's advice, which was a mistake. And they had a child by Sarah's maid Hagar. Now there was nothing immoral about that whatever. By the standards of the day it was right, moral and decent. But it wasn't the will of God. And the name of that child was Ishmael. And essentially Ishmael is the ancestor of the Arabs of the Middle East. And when I think of that, I say God forbid that I should ever beget an Ishmael. Because for 4,000 years, Ishmael and his descendants, have been the main barrier to God's blessing on Abraham and Isaac and his descendants. And still are today. If that doesn't teach us a lesson, we're incapable of learning. My friend Charles Simpson says this. The child of human expediency is an Ishmael. When you decide you better do something to help God. God help you. I was planning something last year. And I went quite a long way in my plans. It doesn't matter what it is. And then I got together with Bob Mumford and we were talking it over. And I said to tell you the truth, I don't think I'm going to do it. And he said why not. Well I said I'm afraid it will be an Ishmael. And I don't want to have to live with my Ishmael. And I thought that Bob was impressed by that. So sometime later when we were together again. He said would you mind telling me why you changed your mind about doing that thing. Well I said it was the fear of the Lord. And I saw the answer satisfying. See I try to live in the fear of the Lord. I don't want to do anything that grieves God. That stands in God's way. I want to walk softly with the Lord. So I put my Ishmael in the pending file. Which is where he is today. But you see to me the lesson is this. The things that we think good. The things that seem right. That are the result of human attempts to do the right thing. Are the biggest disaster. God keep us from this. God keep me from this. God keep you from this. God keep the Tennessee Georgia camp from beginning and Ishmael. Because brothers and sisters you'll live to regret it. And I have nothing in mind. Whatever, I don't know your plans or intentions. But I just know that anyone that begets an Ishmael. Has brought forth a disaster. What's the biggest test that God ever puts us through. In one word, begins with a W. Waiting. God tell you to climb the mountain. You'll be up it. God tells you to sit at the bottom and wait. You can't do it. Isn't that right? The biggest test of faith is waiting. Probably the most mature character in the Bible is Moses. How did he mature? 40 years in the wilderness. Do you want to be like Moses? What did it make him? The meekest man on earth. Moses didn't assert his right. He stepped back and let somebody else do it. I feel safe, when I can say with all sincerity. Let somebody else have the baby. Oh I feel so safe. But when I'm nervous, tense and grasping. I'm headed for disaster. All right, Genesis chapter 22. God said to Abraham, verse 2, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest. And get thee into the land of Moriah. And offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains. Which I will tell thee of. It was a three-day journey. From where Abraham lived, to Mount Moriah. One of the things you'll notice about Abraham. Was not merely that he obeyed God. But he obeyed God promptly. It's very conspicuous. When he was told to do something. He got up early next morning and did it. He didn't hang around till noon. Wondering if God would change his mind. The next day, Abraham was up and on his way with Isaac to Mount Moriah. And you know the story. They went up the mountain and Isaac said, My father, here's the fire, here's the wood. But where's the land? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide a land. And it says in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. By faith he was willing to offer his son to God and kill him. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dame. And if you read carefully in the 22nd chapter of Genesis. You'll find why the writer of Hebrews says that. Because Abraham said to Isaac, he said, my son. And to the men he said, we'll go up. We will worship and we will come down. Bless God. He really believed that even if he thrust that knife into his son. They would come down. And he came to the place where he was actually ready to kill the miracle child. Who was the only hope of his God-promised inheritance. And as he had the knife raised. God spoke to him from heaven. This is part of what God said. It's the second time that the angel of the Lord spoke. In verse 15, the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham. Out of heaven the second time and said, by myself have I sworn. And the writer of Hebrews says, he swore by himself. But he could not swear by anything greater. By myself have I sworn said the Lord. For because thou hast done this thing. And hath not withheld thy son, thine only son. That in blessing I will bless thee. And in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens. That's a strange thing isn't it. Isaac was God's gift to Abraham and Sarah. They could never have had him apart from a miraculous intervention of God. He was supernaturally born. And the very child that God had given them. God asked them to give back to him as a burnt sacrifice. Because of a book I'm writing, which is not part of this sermon. I've been occupied with the picture of Abraham on his way to Mount Moriah. And I've tried to put myself into his position. And imagine what he was reasoning and thinking on that three-day journey. Why would God want Isaac ? Didn't God give Isaac to us ? Isn't he the promised one ? Isn't he the only way that we'll ever receive our God-called inheritance ? Haven't we left everything ? Haven't we followed him ? Haven't we obeyed him ? Why should he demand Isaac ? I don't know whether he thought that or said that. But when he came to the place where he was willing to do what God commanded. God spoke and said that's all right now I know. From now on Abraham I'll bless you as you've never been blessed before. And I will multiply your seed. What was his seed ? Isaac. See the lesson ? If he'd held on to Isaac, all he'd have had was Isaac. When he gave Isaac up, he got Isaac back. Multiplied beyond his power to calculate. And I've seen this truth. When God gives us something. It's from God. It's precious, it's unique, it's miraculous. One day God is going to say I want it. Give it back. Kill it. Lay it on the altar. And then you're either going to follow the footsteps of Abraham. Or you're going to miss God's blessing. And again without in any sense, particularly thinking of any person. In fact I have no desire. But I have to say, I've seen many servants of the Lord. Make this bitter mistake of holding on to Isaac. And all they're left with is Isaac. I think the biggest test of any servant of God. Is, is he willing to put his ministry on the altar. I'll tell you brethren, you many of you know. I have fought with wild beasts for the truths of deliverance. Some of you know that. People that come from Southern California. They look at me as if I had two heads. I remember a young man that came from California. And he lived in Fort Lauderdale for two months. And one day he said to me, brother Prince. I've decided to submit myself to your ministry. And I think he thought he was going to be smitten to the ground. I didn't understand, but I discovered later. The reputation I have in Southern California. God bless the people that promote me. But anyhow, what I'm saying is this. I have fought for the truth of deliverance. I've fought physically, I've fought spiritually. I've fought in prayer, I've fought in fasting. But there came a time when God joined me with three other brethren. And I don't want to make a big issue of this. Because I've discovered it makes us unpopular. But it just happens to be true. Whether people like it or not, it happens. And there came a time in my experience. When I said to those brethren. Brethren if you find that my ministry deliverance is unscriptural or wrong. And you take exception to it. I will not practice it. And you think that didn't cost something. It did. I praise God today. I hardly have to do deliverance any longer. God has multiplied what I offered to him. Now I'm being very personal. I didn't even intend to say this when I stood up here. When I gave him my Isaac, he multiplied it. I can go almost anywhere in the United States. They preach deliverance. And there are qualified, dedicated men of God. That'll do the work. It wasn't that way ten years ago, believe me. I believe if I'd held on to my Isaac. All I'd have been left with was a little Isaac. Let's look in John 12 24, the words of Jesus. Verily, verily I say unto you. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. It abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Now I have always applied that to the death of Christ. And there's no doubt that it does apply. Jesus was the corn of wheat. He was willing to lay down his life. He fell into the ground, was buried. And out of his death and burial and resurrection. There came forth much fruit. That's the correct application. But just recently, as I've been meditating along the lines. Along which I've been speaking to you tonight. I began to see myself and my fellow believers. Each one of us holding in our hands a little corn. That God placed there. Your gift, your ministry, your talent. Something precious. Because God gave it to you. You say it's mine. I can do it. I know how to cast out demons. I can pray for the sick and they get smitten to the ground brother. Well I've got the word of knowledge. And it's so nice to hold it in your hand. Feel it there, it's mine. But God says if you keep it there. That's all you have. Is just one little corn. You can put your name on it. You can put your label on it. But you'll never get more. What's the alternative? Let go, drop it. You mean let my ministry go. Let my talent go. Let my gift go. Let it go. Let it go right down into the earth. And get buried and lost and out of sight. And you won't own it any longer. But I'll tell you something. God will be responsible for it. And God has guaranteed the fruit. I believe this is the place where we're coming. I believe many of us are going to be faced with this choice. Do I want to propagate myself? Do I want to establish my reputation? Do I want to make my ministry? My outreach? My camp? My youth center? My deliverance center? Am I interested in the fact that it's mine? Or if I'm wrongfully challenged. And the ownership is disputed. Am I willing to say to the wrongful mother. You take it. Do I love it? Or do I love me? It's a very searching question. I believe whatever God has given you. There'll come a time when he'll ask you to let go of it. Drop it. Let it fall. Bless the Lord. I can see somebody the message is registered with. I feel that inward response in the spirit. Praise God. You're glad you let it go. I'm glad I've let some things go too. Do you know if I'd gone on carrying them. They would have grown me down to the ground. I think of the preachers I know. I'm the least busy. I'm busy. But I'm not too busy. You know what? It isn't spiritual to be too busy. Do you know that? God only made you one person. And you'll never do two persons job satisfactorily. No matter how hard you try. I read a little article by Jamie Buckingham. In his church newsletter. And this one was his decision to give up doing the urgent. In order to do the important. See most preachers are so submerged beneath the urgent. They never get to do the important. One of the most important prayers in the Bible is in Psalm 90. Teach us so to number our days. That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Teach me how to use my time. Do you know Jesus was never flustered. He was never hurried. He was never too busy. It's really an extension of my ego. If I make myself indispensable. Most people really don't want to be dispensable. As far as I'm concerned. My greatest triumph is when I can be done without. Then I've succeeded. I'll tell you a little story and we're closed. This is a true story. It's so personal that I have to be careful. Some of you have heard it before. Just a few. But the outworking of it is going on in my life all the time. In 1970 in June. I went to Seattle, Washington. To take part in a kind of fellowship retreat of ministers. Don Basham was there. Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson, Ralph Wilkerson, David Du Plessis, Dennis Bennett. Many of the nationally known charismatic teachers. And what they did. They got us together for a week. And every morning and most of the afternoons. We were together in fellowship. It was quite an experience. We spent a day and a half talking about demons. We spent two days talking about water baptism. When you got over those two. You've got somewhere. But to get so many preachers to the far northwest corner of the United States. Is very expensive. And they had no money. So they invited us and said. Brethren we promise you nothing. But we'll try and raise the money for your fares. So in order to do that. They held evening services every night of the week. And they had five preaching points in and around Seattle. And they turned loose two or three preachers. Every night in each point. Well every one of those places was filled to capacity. Before the meeting ever opened, every night. And the response of the people was tremendous. And I stayed on to minister in one of the Assembly of God churches in Seattle. When the retreat was over. Just for the weekend. And I heard the ministers talking together in Seattle. And I pastored a church in Seattle. So I knew many of them. And I knew that this was the truth they were saying. And what they were saying was this. In all our memory. No meetings have ever made such an impact on the city of Seattle. As these meetings. Well the comical thing about those meetings. From the human standpoint was. That they weren't organized to make an impact on the city of Seattle. They were organized to raise the preachers fair. That's the simple truth. So on the plane on Monday. I was flying from Seattle to Atlanta. Because I was going to be in meetings in Atlanta. In June of 1970. And some of you were in those meetings. As I was in the plane. You know the plane is a good place. The telephone can't reach you. People don't bother you. You just sit back in your seat. I was meditating. And I thought to myself. Isn't that strange. Meetings that were not planned to make an impact on the city. Made a greater impact than meetings that were planned that way. And as I was sitting there. The Lord began to speak to me very clearly. Not audibly. Quietly. But very definitely. And this is what he said. Now I'm. I don't demand that you believe that he said it. But I'm just telling you the way I experienced it. He said now tell me this. With whom did I have more problems. With Jonah or the city of Nineveh. And I said Lord. When you got Jonah straightened out. You had no problems with Nineveh. And he said and when I get the preachers straightened out. I'll have no problems with the people. Now I can tell that story. Because I'm a preacher. And I really believe it. Well then I arrived here in Atlanta. This is the second half of what I'm telling you. And this is the end. And I don't know how I'm going to close the message. But this is the final story. I was staying in the home of some friends in Atlanta. Who may be here. But the meetings were held in a hotel. And I was taught in the morning. Was due to preach again in the evening. So in the afternoon rather than go back home. A friend in the hotel said you can go up to my room and lie on my bed. And so I was lying there between the meetings. On this bed in the hotel room. And my mind was more or less blank. I find that when we can get our minds blank. God can get our attention. And this was what came to me. And it came to me as clearly as if it had been printed on paper. It was so clear. I've got to remember it and get it right. It was this. From Kerith to Zarephath. From Zarephath to Carmel. From Carmel to Horeb. From Horeb into many lives. Now I knew enough of the Bible to know immediately. That it referred to the career of Elijah. And that it was the different stages on Elijah's career. From Kerith to Zarephath to Carmel and then to Mount Horeb. And I began to fill in the details. And it was very, very plain. That the real climax of Elijah's public ministry. Was on Mount Carmel. It was there he gathered all Israel. There he challenged 850 false prophets. There he called down fire from heaven. And all Israel were prostrated on their faces. Crying the Lord he is the God. If ever any man had a personal individual triumph. That man was Elijah on Mount Carmel. Then the Lord showed me within three days. Elijah was running away from Jezebel. A woman and a witch. And asking God to take away his life. So brief and impermanent was the triumph of Carmel. And then the thought came to me. Had God answered Elijah's request. And taken away his life at that point. Elijah would have died without any spiritual successor. There would have been no one to carry on and complete his work. But when he then was driven to Horeb. When he got to Horeb and got face to face with God. And heard God's plan. It was very different from Elijah's plan. God said Elijah what are you doing here? He said I've been very jealous. The Lord said in so many words I know about that Elijah. But what are you doing here? And when Elijah finished telling the Lord all he'd been doing. The Lord told Elijah what he wanted him to do next. And he said I want you to anoint three men. Elisha to be prophet in your room. Hazael to be king of Syria. And Jehu to be king of Israel. And if you read the subsequent chapters in the books of Kings. You'll find that those three men. Who were the product of that interview. Between God and Elijah on Mount Horeb. Finished off every task assigned by God to Elijah. Everything he had to do. He could not do the job himself. But he could find the successors and hand over to them. Now this is very personal. And maybe I don't fully understand it myself. But I knew that God was speaking to me. And God was showing me that I had two options before me. I could go on doing my own thing. Carrying out my own ministry. Using the faith and the power that God had given me. To whatever extent I was able. And I could have some kind of a personal triumph. But I would end without a successor. And there would be no permanent fruit to my ministry. And the alternative God showed me was. Don't be ambitious for yourself. Don't promote your own ministry. Don't do your own thing. Invest in the lives of others. Let them get the credit. Let them take over where you have to leave off. Let them be more successful than you are. And I said bless God I hope they are. And I mean it with all my heart. I've always been, in a certain sense, a successful person. I don't say that boastfully. But from way back, from when I was nine years old. I've been head boy, captain of schools, senior scholar. Youngest fellow of the college, all the way through. And it's ingrained in me to expect to be successful. But God showed me there's a higher standard of success. Let that little corn of wheat that you hold in your hand. Fall into the ground and die. And God will take care of the consequences. And I tell you tonight, in a way I'm probably the freest person. In this building. Because I have let go and let God. I don't care if I never cast out another demon. If God doesn't want me to, I don't mind the least bit. I'll tell you my critics are much more demon conscious than I am. If I never write another book. If God so leaves it, that I disappear from the public eye. That's all right by me. As long as I've invested what I have, where it will do good. I don't know how much I have, I don't have to know. But what I have, I'm willing to give. I'm willing to let it drop. And I'm very, very happy tonight. Truly I'm free. I mean I know what it is to act free. I know what it is to preach freedom. But the best thing is to be free. And really tonight, I can say in all sincerity before God, I'm free. You see, let me just take another five minutes or less and I'll finish this. I've been gripped by the phrase secret. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, I'm preaching on in my workshop. Secret, hidden wisdom of God. Psalm 51, behold thou desirest truth in the inward path. And in the secret place thou won't make me to know wisdom. And Psalm 91, he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high. Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Well that's a beautiful place. The secret place, the secret wisdom. The secret knowledge. But you know if something is secret, it's hidden. And if you want to dwell in the secret place. You may have to be willing to be hidden. Your own personality, your own reputation, your own ego, may be taken away. Think about the life of Jesus, just for a moment. Since he became a man. He spent about 30 years in perfect family life. Three and a half years in public ministry. And almost 2,000 years in intercession. Are you prepared for that proportion? See the people that rule the world for God are the intercessors. And most of them are not publicly known at all. Are you willing to bow out? What was the last public appearance of Jesus in the eyes of the world? Where? On the cross. All right, when he reappeared in the earth. How did he reappear? In the ministry of his disciples. He dropped into the ground, died and out came the fruit. Are you willing to do that? Am I willing to do that? Are you tonight holding on to your eyes that, God you gave it to me. It's mine. God says give it back. Put it on the altar. Take the knife. God says if you'll give it to me, in my way and in my time, when it suits me. I'll bless it and multiply it more than your ability to understand or comprehend. I told the Lord years ago. That I would never preach this religious lecture anymore, if I could help it. But when I preach the thing. I'd give people opportunities to act on the truth. And I feel that I owe it to you tonight, to do that. I want no pressure on anybody. But I suppose in this congregation. There must be not a few, who are holding on to their Isaac. It's mine God. I built it up. I established it. Maybe your Isaac is really a little child. That you're holding on to. God says would you let go and let me. Or it may be some gift, some ministry, some situation. Now if God's really spoken to your heart tonight. Not otherwise. I would like to give you an opportunity. To bring your Isaac and put it on the altar. Just as we bow in prayer. Without any further pressure. If God has spoken to your heart tonight. Would you just get up, come down to the front. And kneel there at the rail. And give God your Isaac. Then I'm going to ask Jay to close the meeting in prayer. Now what I want to say is. I will be available for a little personal ministry tonight. On the platform, when the meeting is entirely closed. If you want to come up. And I doesn't clash with any other activity. I'm willing to pray for a few people tonight. Especially for healing. If you feel this is your night. And I'm the instrument that God wants for you. Don't come unless you feel prompted to come. But meanwhile, there are those of you tonight. Who need to bring your Isaac. And put him on the altar. Before you leave this place. I'm going to pray for you right now. God I'm sure tonight that there are those here. Who are unhappy, edgy, tense. Because they're asserting their own will. And their own claims to something which you gave them. Maybe a ministry. Maybe a gift. It may be a situation. It may be a person. Lord I just pray tonight. That by your Holy Spirit. You'll give grace to these people. To let go. And bring that Isaac. Hand him over to you. And trust you with the consequences. In Jesus name. Amen. For a further study on this theme. We recommend the following cassette series. The way up is down. Number TS-004. For further information. And a catalog of audio and video cassettes. And books. Contact Derek Prince Ministries. P.O. Box 19501. Charlotte, North Carolina. 28219. Or call us at 704-357-3556.