In this sermon, the speaker shares his experience of facing opposition and persecution in his ministry. Despite doors being shut and attempts to destroy him, he did not lose anyone but gained even more followers. He emphasizes the importance of not retaliating or seeking revenge when faced with evil, but instead trusting in God and committing oneself to Him. The speaker also highlights the need to be still and trust in God's salvation, citing various biblical references that encourage believers to stand firm and let God fight their battles.

Can we bow please for a moment in the presence of God, before God as his people? And quiet in our hearts, our Father, we thank Thee that we as Thy people could have been here this weekend. We thank Thee for the protection of God under the blood, the holy blood of God. We thank Thee, God, that we can overcome this evil enemy of ours through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and that this wonderful cleansing of the blood goes far beyond. For Thou through death has destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil. That cross, that death, accomplished far more than just the forgiveness of sins. It did such a death blow to Satan and his demonic powers and his forces, that we can look far beyond in our limited understanding of what we can grasp, but the limited we understand is that we have protection. Never to use the word the blood of Jesus in sacrilege, for there's probably no more sacred word we could ever utter. And therefore with reverence and reverential fear and yet deep appreciation, we thank Thee for the Jesus, the Christ that has protected us. And we ask Thee, Lord, that Thou would cleanse the atmosphere afresh with the holy blood of our Savior, and by the risen resurrected power of Christ and the Holy Spirit, Thou would come and visit us now. Wash me deeply in the blood, fill me with the Holy Spirit, anoint and use Thy word to every heart. In Jesus, the Christ's name. In Jesus, the Christ's name. Amen. In 1 Samuel 17, in 1 Samuel 17 from verse 32, we read of one of the greatest events, one of the greatest events in history. Here in this incident, recorded in God's holy word, in the valley of Elah, a great valley in the heart of Israel, the scene of many battles, great battles between Israel, the people of God, and their enemy, the Philistines. Battle upon battle in this great valley of Elah, where much blood flowed, and much grief happened, and much victory was gained in the history of the people of God against their enemy, the Philistines. Here in this valley, on this occasion, on the one side of the valley are the people of God, the armies of the Israelites with King Saul as their head. The other side of this broad valley on the opposite hill, in their masses are the enemies of God's people, the Philistines with Goliath, Goliath as their champion, an instrument of the devil, an instrument of the devil sent by the devil to take God's people's eyes off from God. For he knows that if he can do that, collectively or individually, he's won the battle. The moment he can do that, whatever he places before you as an individual, knowing this could work, this, he knows, is something that you will take your eyes off from God, whether collectively, but here he sent this instrument of the devil for this purpose, and it worked. It worked. The instrument of the devil accomplished the purpose for which it was sent. Every man from the king to the last man in the army had their eyes taken off from God totally. All eyes were on the instrument of the devil. No man had faith in God. All hearts were filled with fear. Everyone despaired, and there was no hope at what the devil had placed before them, having victory. All hope was gone, and no man, not one, had faith in God at what the devil had placed before them. But God knew that there was a youth, the Bible called him. I like that word, youth. A youth tending his father's sheep. A youth that had cultivated in God in circumstance upon circumstance that God had allowed the devil to create in the school of God with this boy. A youth that had cultivated a perfect love in God, a trust in the faithfulness of God, that no matter what circumstances befell him, God would protect him through his faith. God honored him more and more, and God brought this youth onto the scene of the battle before the armies of the people of God and Saul, before the Philistines, the enemies of the people of God, and before the instrument of the devil. And we read in verse 32, and David said to Saul, David said to Saul, let no man's heart fail because of him. Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. He a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said, moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, go, go, and the Lord, the Lord be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head. Also, he armed him with a coat of mail, and David girded his sword upon his armor. David girded his sword upon his arm, and he said to go, for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him, and he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a script. And a sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and the man that bared the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and I will take thine head from thee. And I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's. And He will give you into our hands. And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone and slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof and slew him and cut up his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose. The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines. Hallelujah. Oh, hallelujah. It's very likely, beloved, that Paul was thinking of this incident, this great incident, when he wrote in Ephesians chapter 6 from verse 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wilds of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day. And having done all, having done all, having done all is to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, truth, truth. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness, righteousness, having on the breastplate of righteousness, righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Above all, above all, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, the word of God, praying always, praying always, praying always, always, always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Now, beloved, David had the above all that Paul speaks of here. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. He had it! David chose five smooth stones out of the brook. I was there, and I was just saying, God, let me go. I went into the Valley of Elah, I left the tour, and I ran down miles, and I chose five smooth stones out of the same brook, and brought them back to South Africa. I still have them. I think everybody thought I was quite crazy in that tour. They didn't quite know what to do with me in the end, but the whole lot started weeping on the last day, including the Jewish guide, sobbing under conviction. I didn't mean that, but God does it. David chose five smooth stones out of the brook, out of the stream in the Valley of Elah to face this giant that the enemy had placed before the people of God. Stones he had proven, proven he could use, worked effectively with him, proven he knew what he could do with these stones by this time in his life. He knew without any doubt what could be happening. He chose these stones. Now, beloved, the stones you and I have to carefully select when we face the giants Satan, our enemy, would place before us in life are taken from the streams of God's Word, taken from the streams of God's Word, which is the sword of the Spirit, the sword of the Spirit. We have to know where, what to take hold of as we face these things. Satan will place before us in our circumstances to create fear, to take our eyes off God, and they will come all through life, and this is all we've got. This is all we've got. Why we have to know it. We have to take the promises, the Word of God, for faith comes by the Word of God. This book says faith, the faith that we can overcome anything Satan comes against us within life. God promises anything, anything, so long as you know where these promises are and can take hold of them, which you've proven step by step. Our stones that we must carefully select are the promises from the Word of God, the faith we are to put in the God who gave these promises, and therefore we know he cannot fail, he cannot deny himself, he has a holy obligation to fulfill it. Our stones are the promises, not our sling, his prayer. That's all we've got, to come before God in faith, in the God who gave these promises to say, remember the Word, unto thy servant upon which thou has caused me to hope. Remember the Word unto thy servant upon which thou has caused me to hope. Here we have our promises, our stones, the promises of God, and here we have our sling, prayer, to come to God and pray with this, in faith, in this, and then what God proved works when we take a hold of it. But now I'm going to stagger every single one of you beyond comprehension as a preacher now, I'm going to stagger every single one of you. I'm not going to stand here this morning and preach to you what most sermons you will ever hear in your life, probably every single one, till you die again, or find before. I'm not going to stand here and preach to you of how faith in the promises of God, we take hold of in the promises of God for deliverance, when we face circumstances that could destroy us. No, I'm not going to preach that. You see, every promise in the whole book that God gives us, that we must put our faith in for deliverance, for protection, for survival, no matter what comes against us, every promise in this book concerning God answering prayer, and we put our faith as conditions attached, staggering conditions before God is wholly obligated to answer that prayer. Every promise has conditions attached that we must fulfill. Listen, 1 John 3.20, 1 John 3.20, for if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then, then, then have we confidence toward God. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him. Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Beloved, there's conditions to those of you that are willing to look and see. God has no obligation to you coming to him with his promises unless you fulfill the conditions. The effectual fervent prayer. Have you ever prayed like that in your life? God's waiting. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. There's conditions. I will let all men pray everywhere. Oh, that's not the end. That's half a sentence. Lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting. You can't have no wrath or doubting when you come to God unless you lift up holy hands. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. His ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And I could go on and on and on concerning the conditions attached to the promises. We have to do our part, beloved. David, he didn't just put five smooth stones down there in the ground in front of the giant and say, by faith, now that's got to do the work. Expect God to take the stones and they shoot up into the poor old giant. But faith, he has to do his part. He had to do, we have to do our part, beloved. Don't doubt that. Don't doubt that. I'll never doubt it. Now, here is our part. Here are our part of what God says. You see, pray, God says, with faith in these promises. Pray only if you obey. Pray only if you obey, child. For God has no holy obligation attached to any words you bring to him of what he promises. You do his part when you do your part. Pray only if you obey. An amazing, amazing turning point in my Christian walk, an amazing turning point in my Christian walk came when I earnestly considered, in honesty, these words for the first time in my life as a Christian. An amazing turning point came in my Christian walk when I, for the first time in my life as a Christian, earnestly and honestly considered these words. Listen carefully to them. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Oh, what God's saying. What do you want, child? I'll give you. I promise you, is what he said. I promise you. I promise you. I'll give you, but there's something I want you to do also with all you're doing. Delight yourself in me. It's lacking. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. You know, I was so stunned at what God was saying to me when I earnestly and honestly looked at it, that I had a lot of confessing to do. Up till then, I'm going to be honest now, and I'm going to shock every one of you. At least 80 percent of every prayer I uttered, God didn't answer. At least 80 percent of the earnest prayers I was crying out from my soul for God to answer, God didn't answer. But from that time forth, when I made this a discipline in my life daily, in circumstance upon circumstance, no matter how negative the circumstances were, from the time I turned and obeyed this, delighting myself in God, at least 80 percent of every single prayer I uttered, God answered fully and above that I was asking or believing. Many times, every prayer, for long stretches, but at least 80 percent since that time to this day, of every prayer I ever uttered to God, no matter how impossible the circumstances were, God answered immediately, fully and above that I was asking or believing. Now, I'm not saying that in pride. I'm saying that because at this point of life, God can trust me to say, you can say it, you won't touch the glory, because you know I'll throw you in the dust if you do. But I'm saying it for God's glory. Offer the sacrifice of praise. Brother, it's easy to do a lot of things. It's easy to praise when everything goes right, but when God allows things to go wrong, all right, now it's a sacrifice. What are you going to do? What are you going to do now, child? Who so offereth praise, not when things go right. That's not much worth. The unsaved can praise better than you, better than you, when everything's right. But when everything goes wrong, who so offereth praise, then glorifyeth me, glorifyeth me. You're not called to praise God for the things that go wrong, not once, but you are expected to praise God in spite of anything that happens, to not stop praising for all the good things, the multitudes of blessings God's bestowed on your life, and not to let the devil put one thing of negativeness in your circumstance, and you forget all the good things, and all you can do is become a perfect murmurer. You're as real as you are as a worshiper of God as when everything goes wrong, sir, not when things go right. That means nothing. Oh, you do say it, but it means nothing in the school of God. You haven't proved a thing to God or yourself or anybody watching you in your circumstances. Listen carefully, Philippians 4, 6. Be careful for nothing. Oh, I love this verse. Be anxious over a concern for nothing. No matter what comes on you in life, don't get anxious. But in everything, no matter what comes on you, in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Amazing God puts that in there. Come, but don't forget to come praising for all the good when you come now for this. Don't forget to say thank you for all I've done. In everything, in everything, be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God in the peace of God that passeth all understandings for pasture to flood your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, because God answers your prayers. Perfect murmurers or perfect worshippers. What is the testimony your children will give of you when you're dead? Well, honestly, if they honestly just required to be utterly honest about you, whether you're a preacher, a missionary, a pastor, an elder, a youth leader right now, whatever, what testimony will they give of you? Are you a perfect murmurer? And that's all they ever heard when things went wrong, which is most of our lives, let's face it, in the school of God. In this world, it's not heaven yet, heaven's coming brother, in this world you'll have tribulation, it's the school of God, God's going to put it all through crash course, he's got a very little time, so don't argue with him when darkness comes, he's got to do so much, such a short time, don't doubt God is perfect in not wasting time. But what are your children going to remember of you? What? I'll tell you what, your testimony is real as your children give you. If they're honest, perfect memories, I know a pastor in South Africa, a lovely fellow, remarkable fellow, I just took to him and he told me something that really shook me, he said his sister, also a Christian, she was just murmuring and murmuring and moaning and groaning and all the time, woe is me, I'm a Christian, woe is me, you think it's the most devastating, sorrowful thing on earth to be a Christian, all the time, woe, look at the devil's children, she says, look at them, are they prospering, why do we always have to suffer, why do God's people, everything goes wrong, why does the devil's children, everything, look at him, and he got so exasperated one day, this pastor looked at her sister and said, all right then, go off and serve the devil, go on, go and serve him and see if things are better, if he treats you better than God, go and serve him, if things are so terrible serving God and so good serving the devil, go and serve him, go, well she didn't go and serve the devil, but she stopped moaning, it worked, you've got to be a bit radical sometimes, it's shocking what he said, of course it is, but what are you saying when you're murmuring all the time, do you honestly think you're going to be happy and worshiping, you go and serve satan, there's been five minutes in a home in reality when things go wrong, and you would say thank God for the shoes I'm bearing, with my God holding my hand, oh praise, and so here's a condition, a condition, delight thyself, child, just discipline yourself to say thank you to God as much as you can, as you go through the day, for everything, thank you God, I'm sitting in this car that Jesse has given to us, thank you for me and my family, where most miseries in Africa have never known ever such things as this car, why you singled me out, I don't know God, but I thank you, my children have the dignity of having a car like this to be driving in Africa, thank you God, you could just go on and on, every step brother, that I have a bed to sleep on God, where millions across Africa sleep on the mud, covered with papers and cardboard, never knew a blanket, millions never knew a pair of shoes, they were brand new, they have holes and right through life, that's all they got was secondhand, millions, so in case you don't know it, and here I have brand new shoes, a suit, the millions have never ever in their life, and never will until they die, have a brand new suit, they have to hope they might pick up something secondhand, that looks tattered, but in some condition they have dignity, so millions, and if you don't know about it, your head's dried in the sand, and you don't want to know about it, thank you for health, where millions are suffering, groaning, for years hanging on, gasping, thank you God, for some reason I have health, thank you God, I have sight, where millions have never ever seen their mother's face, or ever any color, just born in darkness, dying, thank you, I have ears, and I can hear, where millions, millions right now, not just a hundred thousand, across the world there's millions, who never ever heard a bird, who never heard the sweet voice of their mother singing, just saw lips and signs, till they die, oh thank you God, thank you God, I could just go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, through the day, step by step, thank you God, thank you God, thank you God, thank you God, if I want to, oh I could spend the whole day, oh woe is me, oh delight thyself child, also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart, you see here's a stone with a condition, here's a promise with condition, every promise concerning God answering prayers, ultimately, is if you fulfill the conditions, a text, and if you're honest, and you look in the context, you'll find there is radical conditions required, before God has any obligation to answer your prayers, oh beloved, David chose five smooth stones, why? There was only one giant, he only used one stone, what on earth did he need four others for? Well my father-in-law, Jenny's daddy, what a godly man, what a godly man, and how many multitudes walk with God, across our land, through his life and ministry. Her father said to me, well I, I think, somewhere along the line, I read or heard, he said, from some preacher, that Goliath had four brothers, so just in case, when he killed that giant, the four brothers got up, he was ready for them, all four of them, well that's very good actually, you think about it, but most people would say, no, he was human, he chose five, because he could have missed, it doesn't mean that he wouldn't have done with the second one, but he could have missed the first one, I don't know, I doubt that, but still, most people say that, or believe it on a human level, just the down-to-earth understanding of it, but I think for us here, considering the stones we're speaking about, that we have to carefully select, sometimes the first promise that we see, that God gives, as far as answering your desires, your prayers, the conditions are not enough, so God gives other conditions attached to the promises, and we need to look at the other conditions attached to the promises, we need to look at the other stones of these five, we're going to look at tonight, today, and so my second stone in the sermon, and by that I hope you mean my second point, we come to now, here's a promise that I've never found in the entire Bible, and I've been through it many times, clinging to every word, weighing every word, praying over just about, here's the greatest promise in the entire Bible, I've never found another promise more staggering, given to a Christian, than what God says here, nothing shall be impossible to you, nothing, imagine if we all took hold of that, and prayed in the spirit for what we know would glorify God, or is needed in this world, in this country, for this land alone, nothing God promises shall be impossible to you, how be it, here's the condition, this kind goeth not out, except but by prayer and fasting, sometimes you've got to fast, not just pray, not just bring the promise and start praying, you've got to fast, of course we know the context of this verse, every one of us, whether you had demonic powers, demonic, even possessed people that the disciples couldn't release, couldn't get these people freed from satanic powers, but it doesn't limit that statement at all, just to demons, nothing shall be impossible to you, but this kind, when God sees us facing something extraordinary difficult, beyond belief that anyone could ask God such an impossibility, because it's so impossible in everybody else's eyes, you've got to fast, it doesn't just happen, sometimes we've got to start fasting, but now I'm going to shock you even more, you think fasting is just, stop eating, for a day, two, all of us have fasted, those of us that are earnest with God anyway, when it comes to God answering prayers, but listen, concerning fasting by the way, be careful, to some of you in weakness, you would do damage, use your common sense, I know many missionaries that lost their health forever, and became a burden to the they stopped eating, and their kidneys collapsed, be careful, that you don't become a burden through extremity, if your body can't take it, if your health can't take it, don't do such extremities, fasting isn't this great total abstaining from all food, to some people you need to perhaps have liquids, if I fast I always have fruit juices, I've never ever just totally that I don't even drink, something my common sense tells me, you'll do damage to yourself, God doesn't want that, don't blame God if you're extreme, in your interpretations of what he's saying, it doesn't mean a total fast for days, and weeks, and months, and years, like Daniel, there were certain things he didn't touch, but there were certain things he did, as he fasted for three weeks non-stop, but God answers his prayers in the most miraculous way, we have to be careful, to some it's just eating a little bit less, perhaps missing a meal, or less, or a meal or two, but don't do damage to yourself ladies, I fast but I don't let Jenny, when she wants to, I say no, we've already had a few scares with your health, that I thought I'd lose her, I'm not going to let her do that, and then have an invalid, they're trying to keep up with all the things I've got to fast for, because of so much responsibility on me, from so many lives across the world, that look somehow to me to pray for them, I can't do that to my wife, and take the children's mother away, and letting her go to extremities, that God's requiring of me, be careful now, but let's get back to the fasting, this is going to shock you, there are different fasts in this bible, fast, the fast of righteousness, a fast from sin, to many of us, God doesn't answer our prayers, simply because of the inconsistencies, that you don't get earnest about dealing with, once and for all and forever, beginning in your home, and God's waiting for righteousness, that you are able to attain, if you just get deadly earnest, to fast from things you know grieve him, to stop, when you're in circumstances, you really need to seek God, now it isn't only the food, it's perhaps nothing to do with food, there are different fasts, conditions, now I come to my third stone, third point of the five stones, we have to consider, here we're number three, and this is perhaps going to hurt a lot of you, but it's what God says, 1 Peter 3 starts with these words, likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, what a command, I defy thee God, I will not, and I know it, and my family know it, and I'll die, everyone knowing it, what's your testament, likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, sorry, that's God's standards, not mine, I don't apologize for God, but I tell you what, most people would have to apologize for daring to say what God says today, as it stands, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation, by the life of the wife, while they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear, whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in sight of God of great price, for after this manner in the old time, the holy women also adorned themselves, the holy women also were trusted, and God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, Lord, whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement, likewise ye husbands, also the wives are not the only ones that you can trample over, and say, oh you'll be under subjection, or you do, I'm the man, no, likewise you husband, oh husbands have got something to do, of course, it's five chapters, five passages in the scriptures about the, the subjection to husbands, and what the husbands are doing, and this is the only time it's to be in subjection to a godless man, to win him, there's a point, God doesn't expect that in the light of the rest of the scriptures, if he goes that far, that you can't, then leave him, God says again and again, your conscience, the common sense, God gives you through his word, in the light of all scriptures, will tell you, give up there, pray for his soul, but no, such a defiled man, no, but the four other places, more is required of the husband, than God demands of the wife, to be in subjection, did you know that, because those little few verses, about a woman being subjection, is just surrounded with this, a husband loving his wife, in such a way, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, so ought husbands to love their wives, in such a degree, you'd die for her, your children know it, she knows it, you would die for her needs, for her happiness, for the necessities to give her the dignity of life, as a Christian, and make her able to be in subjection to you, you'd be so godly, so Christ-like, that it'd be impossible for her, but to want to be, and to be in subjection to you, outside of this one occasion, that God waits for a man, don't leave him, win him, win him, win him, unless of course, it's impossible, then God says on two occasions, leave him, but don't ever remarry, bear that cross, until he dies, physically, he's still your husband, likewise he husbands, Peter says, dwell with them, remain faithful to them, no matter what happens, even if they fail, as the weaker vessel, dwell with them according to knowledge, using your common sense, speaking by the Holy Ghost, as to how to be a godly man, and to not lose the testimony of the home, beginning with the children, because if you lose your testimony to your children, you haven't got a testimony, the rest is a lie, out there, it's not what you really are, if it doesn't work in the home, it doesn't work, it doesn't mean, if it doesn't work in your husband's life, it doesn't work in your life, but the husband whose life it doesn't work, it doesn't work, anyway, you don't have to all lose your testimony though, you can be as godly as any woman, who had the godliest man on earth, as a husband, if you want to be, no matter what he does to you, no matter, if you lose him, if you've got to raise those kids up, and pray them through, that they don't follow him into the world, into his evil desires, and his interpretations of defiance of God's Word, because he refuses to open his eyes to 99.999% of what's in his context, says don't, he hateth divorce, God does, and then to say, God justifies it, of course, puts you into the category of someone, who's deranged spiritually, sorry, because you can't see, what a baby can read, if he's given the opportunity to, you won't read, and if you read, you blind your eyes, as bad as a Jehovah Witness will, to what God says in truth, even if God says it, so God lets them believe a lie, because they would not receive the love of the truth, but it goes on, likewise ye husbands, dwell with them, according to knowledge, common sense, quickened by the Holy Ghost, to know how to be godly, and keep the testament of the home, no matter what circumstances, or trials come, or pressures, you can be that godly, with common sense, quickened by the Holy Ghost, to know how to react, to keep the testament, to keep the lovely atmosphere of Christ's presence, there somehow, through the fires, that will come on every home, the trials, on every home, the circumstances, the crises, somehow, you've got to take them through, it's not easy, every one of us know, but you can come out, that they know, as they saw your earnestness, and your concern, and even your hard words, sometimes, your integrity was intact, right through, in God's eyes, dwell with them, according to knowledge, giving honor, unto the wife, that isn't by standing and say, I honor you, no, that's by every single thing you do, in reaction to every single thing she does, or says, or her opinion, that you even let her have her opinion, that you value her opinion, that you value her desires, her conversation, her input, more than anyone else in the room, you honor her, you honor her, and if you don't, you're not godly, I can tell you how godly a man is, by the way he speaks to his wife, when she fails in weakness, don't become bitter, because she is the weaker vessel, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, she is weaker, thank God, if she wasn't, you'd be in trouble, if you didn't know, you were the stronger vessel, that she needed to survive, it's you, she needs to carry her through, oh, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and has been heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered, now one book, that brings out the Greek, be not canceled out, to mean nothing, meaningless prayers, worthless prayers, you see, if a marriage doesn't work, because of defiance of God's word, on both the husband, or the wife, your prayers are canceled out, as worthless in God's eyes, that your prayers be not hindered, that isn't just limited, how can you pray for your child's salvation, to this Holy God, if you're the reason, your child doesn't get saved, there are conditions, attached to even a mother and father, praying for the salvation of their children, or the good of that home, or the protection on that home, now let's continue to look at the fourth stone, well, he had five, remember, we had four, it's not midnight, nearly midday, doesn't matter in the day, does it, here we are, point four, stone four, amazing verse, he openeth not his mouth, wow, do you think there was this there, for us to historically look at what Jesus did on the cross, no, the whole New Testament, when it looks at the cross, applies it to you, the cross was there, sir, not just for us, to see how God could forgive all of our sins, because of such, but what he did in that cross, is related to what you must do, who leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, when he was reviled, he reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, leaving us an example, that he should follow his steps, oh, he openeth not his mouth, is a literal doctrine in the New Testament, of the application of Christianity, and the proof that you are what God wants you to be, to love your enemies, to bless them that curse you, to do good to them that hate you, to turn the other cheek, love suffereth long in his kind, all this, he openeth not his mouth, you see it's from Isaiah 53, he's brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shears is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth, do you? do you? he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, are you wrongly treated, yet he openeth not his mouth, do you? I got a letter a while back, was it this year? Yes, this year, I was in a town where God did something wonderful, so many met with Christ, and I left the town rejoicing at the joy God had given his people, where drug addicts, drunks, perverted people, had found Christ, and changed, transformed the most wonderful testimonies, glowing testimonies, it just fills our hearts with joy that God could do so much in such a short time of meetings. Now I go home rejoicing, soon a letter arrives in the post to me, from someone in that town that was in those meetings, a letter of rebuke, oh such scathing rebuke, that it is impossible to believe, it's beyond comprehension, that from one human being such scathing attacks, and condemnation, and judgment could come from one human upon one another human, everything what he told me I was, and in spite of all that the Christians of the whole town were rejoicing, and praising God for the consciousness of what God had done, this man just saw venom in his heart to me, I was terrible, oh and the attacks of things that he knew nothing about, had no right in his life to even think about, because he had never been within 100 miles of my life, apart from when I'm in the pulpit, there's something a little bit wrong, but anyway I looked at this, and I thought oh, oh, anyway my heart went a bit down, then I said to the dear Lord Jesus, what must I do, this man's listening to the devil, this could really do damage, if this man mentions it, I mean one negative statement is all the devil needs, the power of suggestion, even if it's a lie, just the power of suggestion, even you say something that's totally lies from hell, it brands a man till he dies, a slanderer destroys his neighbor with his words, God sees, you can destroy lies with what you say, that there's no truth attached, and I said Lord this could destroy me, if this fellow starts really shouting loud, what he, the devil's convinced him of nothing, not one word here makes any sense, nothing is true, what made this man come to such a conclusion, he knows nothing of me apart from me in the pulpit, what do I do, what must I do, should I phone him, should I drive back there, get the ministers and try and sort this out before damage comes, you know what the Lord said to me, just one thing came to my mind by the Holy Spirit, he openeth not his mouth, he's brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shears is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth, and I said I'll obey thee Lord, that's the only verse that God the Holy Ghost gave my mind, and God is faithful to know how to speak to you if you want to, so what did I do, I said yes Lord, I tore it up, threw it in the dirt box, and I said bless him anyway, and I left it there, I didn't declare war, I didn't get on the phone, I didn't get groups, I didn't start on the internet, you know war breaks out, the whole world must know every word now, until in the end war would have been in the blood flowing, everybody feels they didn't, no, I just tell you something that's going to shock you, your greatest triumphs in Christianity is when you do nothing, that's grace, you win the argument most times as a Christian beginning in your home, when you keep quiet, how many times have people stood up against me, and they will, they must, you put yourself in the front line of the battle no matter who you are, you carefully put yourself in the front line of God's battle on earth, do you honestly think the full bombardment of Satan isn't going to come against you through the most unexpected sources as it was with Jesus, if they did it to me, they'll do to you, he tells us, if you're faithful and proclaiming me and living me, they're going to do to you, he tells us, so when it comes, well I'm sorry for the few occasions in the last 38 years of ministry that I did dare to say something back, I'm so sorry I ever did, but I do thank God for the many, many times I just sat still, silent, prayerful, it wiped them out, totally, before we left the room, finished, no one would even consider them, just because I kept quiet, you know, even a fool is looked upon as wise if he just, if only we'd listened to God, oh my, here in the USA, I've been privileged more than most preachers on earth to come to your land, and other lands, other lands, 80 percent of the other lands that asked me, we didn't ever go to, so God just put it in my heart and Jenny's heart to come here for some reason, because this is the only country on earth that the tapes, the messages don't stop here, America for some reason sends them across the whole world, so why should I go across the whole world, I come to the one nation that sends it to the whole world, because they're bigger than themselves, hallelujah, well, here in America, did it just be Don Covells, Aaron of the Baptists, flowers, chocolates, that I gotta forbid my children to even look at them, there's so many in the rooms, Jesse's, Dolores's, Debbie's, Randy's, no, no, no, no, whoa, all hell has risen against me to destroy me and try and keep me from ever coming back to this country to such a degree, it's beyond belief, and it's beyond belief who did it, but God had taught me, keep quiet, leave the fighting to me child, what a lesson to learn, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, just do it, Jesus did it, do it, there's of course a point, you have to be strong, but not in self-defense, not to protect your doctrine, your name, you, be careful, and so what did I do here in America, when doors shut totally, whole movements, to who, one or two people, can shut the doors of whole movements, I could have stood up and said, right, let's take one thing at a time and wipe the floor with it, that they would still be running, not to be seen again in life, but I didn't, I let the door shut, you know why, because God, as it was happening on a wall in a plock of a particular place, I just happened to be staying, said, be still and know that I am God, and I said, yes Lord, I will, because I know even plocks and walls on mistakes in the sovereignty of God, where I am in the school of God, I've learned that on a number of occasions, but I thank God, all things work together for the good to them that love God, in that room, I looked there, and there was about Jacob, no not Jacob, Joseph says, they meant it for evil, God meant it for good, what men do against you, good's going to come, just give God a chance though, don't droon it on the way and start fighting, well, what good comes out of people closing doors, let me tell you what good, suddenly other doors that always were there, but we never had time to consider, open wide, and all to the astonishment of those who try to shut the doors, 99 percent of all those people came to the other venues, the other places, I didn't lose anybody apart from the handful, all I gained was double the amount, treble the amount of people across this land, and I'd ever would have known had this not happened, do you honestly think God's lost control, tell you what, don't blame him though, if you don't obey, when the devil sends his giants to take your eyes of God, obey, Proverbs 20 verse 22, say not thou, I will recompense evil, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save me, ah, praise the Lord, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4 12, being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we suffer it, being defamed, we entreat it, we accept it, we are made as the filth of the world, and the offscoring of all things, but whatever happens, child of God, no matter what happens in life, God cries out, page upon page, as illustrations throughout the whole Old Testament, be still, and know that I am God, their strength was to sit still, Isaiah 30 verse 10, staggering promises, on and on and on, Exodus 14 verse 13, stand still, be still, fear not, watch, see the salvation of the Lord, the Lord shall fight for you, verse 14, and ye shall hold your peace, literally in the Hebrew, the Lord will fight for you, if you do nothing, but if you start fighting, he can't, you just mess everything up, 2nd Chronicles 20, ye shall not need to fight in this battle, set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, oh, the promises, do you honestly think they're history, no, they're raven, they're meant for you and me, to know what to do, when we turn and open the pages of this book, to hear what God would say here, make sure in his sovereignty, you're reading right there, and you become conscious, that even where you're reading, is not a mistake, the sovereign God, knew you'd be facing this right now, and he's got you reading, where he's so sovereign, it's beyond belief, and be careful of the words of sovereignty, I'd like to preach on sovereignty one day, but the miracle never let me back then, so I'm waiting until I'm really old, my interpretation of sovereignty, is very different from you sir, no wonder they shut the doors to the whole of America, to Spurgeon, when he changed his mind, to what I believe in, take heed, be quiet, do you know what it says in the margin, be careful to be quiet, to do nothing, promises upon promises, oh sword of the Lord, he calls Israel, how long will it be ere thou be quiet, put thyself up back into thy scar, but rest and be still, stop trying to defend yourself, get back in the seat, sword my people, leave the fighting to me, or wounds will come, that I never intended coming on you, conditions, in every circumstance of every giant, the devil will place in your circumstance in life, to get your eyes of God, to hurt you, to create fear, stagger your faith, now the fifth stone, the final stone, our land, your land, my land, and I have as much groaning for America as I have for my own country of South Africa, I don't know why, I'd die for America, and God knows it, I'm probably going to, our land and your land, turn their backs on God, and are being destroyed by the avalanche of depravity and moral decadence, they're allowing what wouldn't have happened, no matter how much they're mourning, they're allowing, but God can visit the land in revival until the moments before he comes and takes us home, if we really believe the promises in this book, from beginning to end of what God wants to do through his church, but listen to the conditions attached to these promises, we looked last night, if my people, called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and confess their sins, turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear their prayers, forgive their sins, and will heal their land, oh it's time to seek the Lord, breaking up the fellow ground, all the hard ground that you've allowed to settle, just break it up, it's time to seek the Lord, till he come and reign righteous, if you don't know, it's time to seek the Lord, oh Christians, if you don't know, it's time to seek the Lord, not the unsaved, you, so that he can heal the land through you, but there's a condition to heal the land, their land, my land, and he's waiting for his people,