How Do You Treat My Son Jesus?

by Frances Hunter

Charles and Francis Hunter are gifted writers who have gone on to be with Jesus, the One they loved so much. Joan Hunter is their daughter, and she can be reached at http:// oanhunter.org !ublished originally by HUNTER BOOKS

Table of Contents
1 . 2 . " . ! . 5 . -ow Do You Treat M. #on esus 11 / (rossin+ Over ,2 #im$le %s %& '& ( )* Theres Power In The Name Of esus !2 The Devil Wants Your Mind 5

#0ri$ture 1uotations are ta2en from3 (ha$ter 1 and 24 "he #uthori$ed %ing James &ersion 56 78 unless otherwise indi0ated. (ha$ter " and !4 "he 'ew %ing James &ersion& 91/*/& 1/,:& 1/,2& 1/," ;. Thomas Nelson& In0.& Nashville& Tennessee& unless otherwise noted.

(ha$ter 54 "he (iving )ible& Para$hrased 5T<'8& 91/,5 T.ndale -ouse Pu;lishers& Wheaton& I<.& unless otherwise noted. The %m$lified 'i;le& =>$anded =dition 5%m$.8& 91/,* ;. the ?ondervan (or$oration and the <o02man @oundation The New International 7ersion& 91/*, ;. New Yor2 International 'i;le #o0iet.

Foreword
@ran0es -unter sa.s& AWe $a. too mu0h attention to the devil instead of 0on0entratin+ on Bod. AThe devil wants .our mind& ;ut we a0tuall. $ossess the mind of (hrist. ACead how the devil atta02s .ou& AD then +o to the ne>t 0ha$ter and read how esus $rote0ts .ou& AD then +o to the ne>t 0ha$ter and find out that (hristianit. is as sim$le as %& '& (E AD then dis0over in the ne>t 0ha$ter what 0rossin+ over in .our life will do for .ouE AD and then the final wra$Fu$ 0ha$ter $ier0es .our heart with the 1uestion Bod said to as2 .ou& G -ow do .ou treat m. son esusHI This ;oo2 will 0hallen+e and ;less .ou from the first word to the last. It is for ;elievers .oun+ and oldJ

Chapter One

The Devil Wants Your Mind

Bod wants .our mind. The devil wants .our mind. Whos +oin+ to winH That de$ends on .ou& and what .ou $ut in .our mindJ One of the fastest o$eratin+ 0om$uters in the world toda. ;elon+s to the devilJ Theres nothin+ he li2es ;etter than to use .our mind as a 0om$uter and $un0h 2e.s to $ut into .our mind all 2inds of thin+s that arent trueJ The devil has the +reatest +ri$ on the minds of $eo$le toda. than ever in the histor. of the world. Praise Bod& this means were ra0in+ towards eternit. and the devil 2nows that hes ma2in+ his last standJ Man. $eo$le dont even 2now who the devil reall. is. <ets find outJ I de0ided to see what Mr. We;ster had to sa.& and found it ver. fas0inatin+. -e +ives a lot of interestin+ definitions of the word Adevil.I -e starts off ;. sa.in+3 1. In. theolo+.& 5a8 the 0hief evil s$irit& a su$ernatural ;ein+ su;ordinate to& and the foe of& Bod and the tem$ter of manE #atan3 he is t.$i0all. de$i0ted as a man with horns& a tail& and 0loven feetE 5;8 an. of su0h su;ordinate ;ein+s who reside in hellE a demon.

2. % ver. wi02ed $erson. 5-e even +ives a s0ri$ture to ;a02 this u$.8 A-ave I not 0hosen .ou twelve& and one of .ou is a devilHI 5 ohn )3*: 6 78. ". %n. +reat evil. !. % $erson who is s$ri+htl.& mis0hievous& ener+eti0& et0. 5. %n unlu02. unha$$. $ersonE as& the $oor devil has had a hard time. ). %n.thin+ diffi0ult& a thin+ hard to o$erate or 0ontrol& et0. We;ster des0ri;ed him ver. well& didnt heH #atan& also 2nown as <u0ifer& had a s$e0ial $la0e in Bods heart as one of his an+els& ;ut ;e0ause of $ride in his own ;eaut. and tr.in+ to e>alt himself a;ove Bod& he was thrown out of heaven li2e a ;olt of li+htnin+. A-ow art thou fallen from heaven& : <u0ifer& son of the mornin+J -ow art thou 0ut down to the +round& whi0h didst wea2en the nationsJ @or thou hast said in thine heart& I will as0end into heaven& I will e>alt m. throne a;ove the stars of Bod3 Twill sit also u$on the mount of the 0on+re+ation& in the sides of the north3 Twill as0end a;ove the hei+hts of the 0loudsE I will ;e li2e the most -i+hI 5Isaiah 1!312F1!8. -e wanted to ;e more than Bod. -e wanted to ;e on e1ual footin+ with Bod& and ;e0ause of this& Bod threw him out of heaven. #atan then 0aused the fall of man. When he 0aused the fall of man as told in the ;oo2 of Benesis& #atan re+ained rulershi$ over the earth& and too2 awa. the dominion that Bod had +iven %dam. The onl. wa. that ea0h one of us 0an ta2e awa. his $ower is ;. the $ower of the -ol. #$irit and throu+h the Word of Bod. We 0an resist #atan and all his 0ohorts whi0h run around under the name of. Demons will have to flee.

Bod $rovided a wa. of es0a$e for all of us& ;ut the devil is never +oin+ to +ive u$ fi+htin+ until Bod sto$s him forever. Do .ou 2now who #atan is& and what his 0hara0ter is& and what his Ko; isH THE DEVIL IS THE FATHER OF LIES! ohn ,3!! sa.s& AYe are of .our father the devil& and the lusts of .our father .e will do. -e was a murderer from the ;e+innin+& and a;ode not in the truth& ;e0ause there I# NO TCLT- IN -IM. When he s$ea2eth a lie& he s$ea2eth of his own3 for HE IS A LIAR& and the father of it.I This was esus s$ea2in+& and tellin+ us who the devil reall. is. -E IS A DEVOURER! I Peter 53, sa.s& A'e so;er& ;e vi+ilantE ;e0ause .our adversar. the devil& as a roarin+ lion& wal2eth a;out& see2in+ whom he ma. devour.I Did it ever dawn on .ou that #atan was the first sinnerH -e diso;e.ed Bod and was thrown out of heaven& and his $ur$ose is to ma2e L# diso;e. Bod. -e wanted to satisf. his own desires and he $ut his own $ersonal desires a;ove Bods& and this has ;een his $ur$ose ever sin0e. To ma2e us want OLC desires more than the desires of Bod. HE IS A THIEF! ohn 1:31: sa.s3 AThe thief 0ometh not& ;ut for to steal& and to 2ill& and to destro.EI and thats e>a0tl. what the devil wants to do. -e wants to steal .our $ea0e of mind. -e wants to 2ill .our desire for the thin+s of Bod& and to destro. .our eternal life ;. de0eivin+ .ou a;out the thin+s of this world. HE IS THE TEMPTER! <oo2 at the wa. he tem$ted esus when esus was led into

the wilderness. The devil alwa.s tem$ts our MIND when were havin+ a wilderness e>$erien0e. esus had fasted for fort. da.s and ni+hts and was hun+r.& and then the tem$ter 0ame to him and said& AIf thou ;e the #on of Bod& 0ommand that these stones ;e made ;readI 5Matt. !3"8. -e tem$ted him in the area where -e was the wea2est at the time 4 in his stoma0hJ Im sure that esus was Kust li2e all of us would ;e after !: da.s of fastin+ 4 -e was Kust $lain hun+r.J The devil 2new that esus had the $ower to do an.thin+& so he tem$ted -im to turn the stones into ;read in order for -im to have somethin+ to eat. Praise Bod& esus 2new how to resist the devil ;e0ause -e said those wonderful words& AIt is written& Man shall not live ;. ;read alone& ;ut ;. ever. word that $ro0eedeth out of the mouth of BodI 5Matt. !3!8. Ma.;e .ou thin2 the tem$tin+ ended ri+ht there& ;ut the devil 2new how to 0ontinue the tem$tin+& ;e0ause Kust ;. the asso0iation of words& there was $ro;a;l. in esus mind the thou+ht of a ;eautiful& hot loaf of ;read with the to$ 0rust a +olden ;rown. Mentall. there was $ro;a;l. some ;utter meltin+ on a sli0e of that ;read. It 0ould have ;een so real that esus 0ould have $h.si0all. wanted a ;ite of that ;eautiful ;read& ;ut -e didnt wea2en& and neither should .ouJ The devil wants .our mind& ;e0ause he 2nows if he 0an 0ontrol .our mind he 0ontrols .ou& ;e0ause all of our fun0tions 0ome out of our mind. Cidin+ on a $lane re0entl. I saw a national ma+aMine with a $i0ture of a ;rain on it divided into man. se0tions& and in ea0h of these se+ments was listed some 2ind of mind 0ontrol. =#P& .o+a& est& trans0endental meditation& and

man. others I had never heard of ;efore. These are all desi+ned to Ao$en u$ .our mind to .our $otential and who .ou are.I I read for Kust a few minutes and felt the most satani0 $resen0e in the world& ;e0ause that is e>a0tl. what the devil is tr.in+ to do ri+ht now& 0ontrol our minds. I want .ou to thin2 of somethin+ sim$le Kust to show .ou how man. of our fun0tions are 0aused ;. what our mind re+isters. Did .ou ever wat0h a ;un0h of 0hildren +lued to a T7 setH The minute the 0ommer0ials 0ome on 5and I ;elieve the.re +eared to rea0h 0hildrens minds8& u$ 0omes a 0horus of AMomm.& ;u. me a #li02FaFTri02. I want one of thoseJ I want one of thoseJ Thats the most funFto. in the world toda.J I want oneJ I want oneJI Pro;a;l. somethin+ that would re+ister even more vividl. in .our mind is this& AMomm.& +et some 0ereal thats flavored with ele$hant ears. Momm.& I want some ele$hant ear 0erealJ Momm.& the man said m. ears would +row to ;e ;i+ li2e an ele$hants ears if I would Kust eat some ele$hant ear 0ereal. Bo +et some ri+ht now& Momm.JI Mother 2nows the.re not +oin+ to li2e ele$hant ears& ;ut their minds have ;een so im$ressed with 0ommer0ials the. ;e0ome little monsters until the. +et the 2ind of 0ereal that is mentioned on T7. The. dont rest until the. +et a 0ertain ;rand of 0ereal. No wonder the 0ereal manufa0turers s$end a lot of time on T7 advertisin+. The. 2now if the. 0an +et a 0hilds ima+ination 5or mind8 a;out a 0ertain 0ereal that their mother is a sureFfire 0ustomer for that 0ereal.

The devil uses ever.thin+ he 0an T-IN6 of 5noti0e he uses -I# mind to +et YOLC#8 so that he 0an hold men in su;Ke0tion to him and 2ee$ them from turnin+ to Bod. We are seein+ toda. one of the +reatest moves of Bod sin0e esus wal2ed on this earth& and whenever this ha$$ens& the devil reall. +ets ;usier than ever ;efore. Never have we seen su0h a hun+erin+ for the Word of Bod& and .et the minute $eo$le ;e+in readin+ the Word of Bod& the devil 0omes and tries to ta2eawa. that whi0h has ;een sown. The devil tries to +et .ou throu+h .our mind& even when .oure readin+ the Word of Bod. I am a$$alled at the num;er of $eo$le who sa.& AWill .ou $ra. that I 0an +et interested in the 'i;leHI Then the. will +o on to sa.& AI used to have a tremendous hun+erin+& ;ut now I fall aslee$ when I read it.I Or ma.;e the. will have trou;le with their mind wanderin+ when the. tr. to 0on0entrate on the Word of Bod. The devil does su0h a +ood Ko; of foolin+ our minds that we often dont realiMe who our enem. is. 6enneth (o$eland in his ;oo2 "he "rouble *a+er sa.s somethin+ whi0h reall. made me lau+h. -e said& AI went to a ;ullfi+ht when we were in Me>i0o and there was onl. one thin+ that im$ressed me3 The ;ull did not 2now who his enem. was. A-e thou+ht his enem. was that red 0a$e. I remem;er thin2in+& GIf he ever realiMes the sour0e of his trou;le& that matador doesnt stand a 0han0eJ AThe (hristian toda. needs a fresh revelation of his true sour0e of Power and #u$$l.& and also his true sour0e of trou;le.I Did it ever dawn on .ou that we all have the same $ro;lemH Man. times we dont realiMe who or what the C=%< $ro;lem is.

Wat0h how the devil $uts fear in our lives. One of his ;i++est tools is fear& ;ut ;efore we +o an. further& I want .ou to memoriMe a verse of s0ri$ture with me& will .ouH II Timoth. 13*3 A@or Bod hath not +iven us the s$irit of fearE ;ut of $ower& and of love& and of a sound mind.I #a. it a+ain and a+ain and a+ain& until it is im$rinted on .our mind and heart ;. the -ol. #$irit& so that .ou need not ever ;e afraid a+ain. 6ee$ on sa.in+ it over and over and over until .ou are 0onvin0ed that Bod has not +iven .ou a s$irit of fear& so that whenever an. 2ind of fear 0omes in .ou 0an throw that s0ri$ture at #atan and he will have to run from .ou as fast as he 0an. Wat0h the ta0ti0s #atan uses when he wants to 0ontrol .our mind3 #I(6N=## N The other ni+ht we had ever. woman stand who had a fear of 0an0er. You would have ;een amaMed at the num;er who live in dail. fear of 0an0er. Bods Word sa.s& A'eloved& I wish a;ove %<< thin+s that thou ma.est $ros$er and ;e in health& even as th. soul $ros$erethI 5III ohn 28. Bod does not want .ou si02J -e wants .our ;od. whole and health.. Ive often heard $eo$le sa. that Bod sends si02ness. Bod does NOTJ It is the same thin+ as with our earthl. father. Would he send si02ness to his 0hildrenH Would he ro; .ou of .our health Kust to tea0h .ou somethin+H No& its the devil who does that& ;e0ause Bod is a +ood Bod. Its when we ;e+in o$eratin+ in a realm of fear that we o$en ourselves u$ to the atta02s of the devil. One of the +reatest $roofs in the 'i;le of the fa0t that the devil is the one who 0auses diseases is the stor. of o;. In o; 23*& Bods Word sa.s& A#o went #%T%N forth from

the $resen0e of the <ord& and smote o; with sore ;oils from the sole of his foot unto his 0rown.I Bod had nothin+ to do with this e>0e$t that -e +ave #atan $ermission to do whatever he wanted to with o; e>0e$t to ta2e his life. The devil too2 the $la+ues that we have ;een delivered of& and threw them at o;& and o; had horri;le sores over his entire ;od.. Nothin+ 0ould hel$ him e>0e$t the su$ernatural $ower of BodJ One of the most widel. used wea$ons of the devil is si02ness& ;e0ause he 0an 0reate dou;t and un;elief in Bods $eo$le when he throws si02ness at them. o; is a ;eautiful e>am$le of faith in Bod. -e 2e$t lovin+ Bod re+ardless of the 0ir0umstan0es and in the end he was ;lessed far more than he would have ever dreamed. We need to remem;er that its the devil who threw the si02ness at o;& and he is still doin+ the same thin+ toda.. Whenever the devil starts to throw si02ness at .ou& +ive him the healin+ s0ri$tures in the 'i;le& and he wont sta. around lon+. Ce0entl.& I wo2e u$ in the middle of the ni+ht& and m. throat felt li2e 2nives sti02in+ in it. M. nose started runnin+& and as I rolled over to +et a 6leene>& I instin0tivel. said& AOh& no .ou dont& devil. I dont want .our +ar;a+e. Ta2e it and leave it on someone elses doorste$& ;e0ause Im not +oin+ to ta2e itJI The ne>t mornin+ m. throat was 0onsidera;l. ;etter& ;ut the devil was $ersistent& and ever. ni+ht he tried to throw the same s.m$toms on me& and ever. ni+ht Id sa. the same thin+ ;a02 at him. Then Id +ive him a verse of s0ri$ture su0h as& A-e sent his word and healed themI 5Psalm 1:*32:8& or A'less the <ord& : m. soul& and for+et

not all his ;enefitsE Who for+iveth all thine ini1uitiesE who healeth %<< th. diseasesI 5Psalm 1:"32&"8. Youd thin2 the devil would +et tired of tr.in+& ;ut he doesnt& and he 2e$t tr.in+ to +ive me s.m$toms of a 0old. 'ut I 2e$t throwin+ s0ri$tures at him until he dis0overed that he was a defeated foeJ The devil wants .ou to ;elieve that healin+ went out with the dis0i$les. I never read <u2e 1"311F1) without ;ein+ reminded of somethin+ that ha$$ened in our ministr. shortl. after we re0eived the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit. A%nd& ;ehold& there was a woman whi0h had a s$irit of infirmit. ei+hteen .ears& and was ;owed to+ether& and 0ould in no wise lift u$ herself. %nd when esus saw her& he 0alled her to him& and said unto her& Woman& thou art loosed from thine infirmit.. %nd he laid his hands on her3 and immediatel. she was made strai+ht& and +lorified Bod.I We had ;een invited to a small Te>as town to minister. The invitation had ;een +iven ;efore we had re0eived the ;a$tism& and as we drove u$& we felt we would share a $ersonal testimon.& or somethin+ that would not ;e 0ontroversial& ;ut when we +ot there& the #$irit of Bod moved on us to share with the $eo$le what was +oin+ on in the world toda.& so we shared the mira0les we had ;een seein+& in0ludin+ healin+. % hun0h;a02 woman of a;out )5 had ;een ;ound ;. the devil all of her life. %s we told $eo$le we would li2e to la. hands on them so that the. 0ould see the +lor. of Bod& she 0ame forward. This was a town where ever.;od. 2new ever.;od. else& and down the aisle 0ame this little old lad.& so stoo$ed

over that .ou 0ould not see her head a;ove the seats& horri;l. 0ri$$led. (harles laid hands on her& and neither of us remem;er what he $ra.ed& ;ut she fell ;a02wards under the $ower of Bod& and when she did& she s0reamed 4 not from fear& ;ut from faithJ #he 6N=W that esus had tou0hed her. #he 6N=W that she was healedJ #he 6N=W that when she stood u$& the hun0h on her ;a02 would ;e +oneJ #he stood u$& and for the first time in her entire life& she 0ould loo2 $eo$le in the fa0e. %s esus had 0ared for the woman in the 'i;le& so he 0ared for this woman in the twentieth 0entur.. -er reKoi0in+ and her $raises 0ould ;e heard ;. ever.one $resent& and her Ko. 2new no ;ounds. There were& however& $eo$le in the town who didnt ;elieve in healin+. One of them was the $astor of her 0hur0h. 'e0ause of the +reat thin+s that ha$$ened durin+ our meetin+ there& her $astor $rea0hed the followin+ #unda. mornin+ on W-Y -=%<INB DO=#NT =OI#T TOD%YJ #he sat on the front row& where she had sat all these .ears 0ri$$led u$& ;ut now she was strai+ht as a ramrodJ =ver. time he said that healin+ wasnt for toda.& she said& A-alleluKahJI The devil had su0h a hold on his mind& however& that he would never a02nowled+e this womans healin+& even with the eviden0e sittin+ ri+ht in front of him. The devil will use %NYT-INB to 0ontrol .our mind. -e will use .ears of theolo+i0al trainin+ to 0onvin0e a $erson that the s0ri$tures sa. that healin+ $assed awa. with the dis0i$les& and he 0ontinues to tell us the same thin+ as he attem$ts to +et our minds totall. in his 0ontrol.

You ma. sa.& AWell& I dont ;elieve in the su$ernatural. Ive never ;een to a 0hur0h where I saw an.thin+ su$ernatural.I Cemem;er that the whole 'i;le is su$ernatural. If .ou ;elieve in Bod& then .ou have to ;elieve in a su$ernatural ;ein+. If .ou ;elieve in esus (hrist& .ou have to ;elieve in a su$ernatural ;ein+. Its the devil who sa.s to .ou& ADont ;elieve in the su$ernatural&I ;e0ause .our @%IT- is a su$ernatural thin+& and he wants to destro. that. The devil reall. tries to rea0h us throu+h our finan0es. @or .ears the devil fooled thousands of (hristians into thin2in+ it was s$iritual to ;e $oor. %n.one who had an. si+n of $ros$erit. was o;viousl. not ver. s$iritual. Then a revolution arose 4 $eo$le ;e+an to read what the Word of Bod has to sa. a;out $ros$erit.& and realiMed that the devil had his wa. lon+ enou+h& and the. ;e+an to ;rin+ $ros$erit. into e>isten0e. I re0eived an advan0e review 0o$. of the New International 'i;le& and in thum;in+ throu+h it dis0overed an inter$retation of a verse whi0h 0an reall. s$ea2 to the hearts of all those who ;elieve in the $ros$erit. of Bod. #ometimes we wonder how Bod is +oin+ to $erform a finan0ial mira0le for us& and we for+et that all thin+s are $ossi;le with Bod. <oo2 what the 'i;le $romises in =00lesiastes 232)3 ATo the man who $leases him& Bod +ives wisdom& 2nowled+e and ha$$iness& ;ut to the sinner he +ives the tas2 of +atherin+ and storin+ u$ wealth to hand it over to the one who $leases Bod.I Now the devil is +oin+ to tell .ou that it Kust doesnt wor2 that wa.. Bod s$o2e it 0lear and sim$le& so who are .ou +oin+ to let have .our mind& Bod or the devilH

-alleluKahJ When I read that& I 0alled (harles who was at the offi0e& and said& A-one.& raise .our hands u$ in the air to ma2e a funnel of .ourself and then lets ;oth tell Bod we re0eive the sinners mone. for the +os$elJI Isnt it e>0itin+ to $ut .our hands u$ in the air and ;elieve Bod for the wealth that some sinner has ;een +atherin+ and storin+ u$ Kust for .ouJ 5Wh. dont .ou do that ri+ht nowH8 You 0an ;elieve that the minute .ou do that& the devil will ;e ri+ht in there tellin+ .ou that it Kust doesnt wor2 that wa.J The devil $ro;a;l. atta02s the finan0ial area of our life as mu0h as an. other area ;e0ause he $uts fear in our heart as to whether or not well have enou+h mone. to +et ;. on. 'eloved& the Bod we serve is a su$ernatural Bod and -e 0an su$$l. mone. from sour0es that .ou havent thou+ht of .et. If we 0onfess our fears& the. will rule us& ;e0ause if .ou 0onfess somethin+ with .our mouth& it rea0ts u$on .our heart or .our s$irit. The Word ;e0omes real onl. as we 0onfess its realit.. When we 0onfess the Word of Bod& -e wat0hes over it to ma2e it +ood. Cev. 12311 sa.s& A%nd the. over0ame him ;. the ;lood of the lam;& and ;. the word of their testimon..I If I 0ontinuall. 0onfess la02& I ;elieve in la02& and m. 0onfession surel. ;e0omes a realit.. There is no end to the thin+s the devil will tr. to 0onvin0e .ou of. -e will tr. to 0onvin0e .ou that .ou are in finan0ial ;onda+e and that there is no wa. out. Bive him a s0ri$ture to feed on that tal2s a;out Bods $ros$erit. and see what ha$$ens to himJ The devil loves to see .ou WOCCYJ -e +ets into our innermost thou+hts and we ;e+in to worr. a;out +ettin+ old& we worr. a;out our 0ar +ettin+

old& we worr. a;out our air 0onditioner +ettin+ old& we worr. a;out our ina;ilit. to +et a Ko;& we worr. a;out our 0hildren. Did .ou 2now that Bod 0an su$ernaturall. 2ee$ that house of .ours in +ood re$air& or su$ernaturall. $rovide enou+h mone. to have it fi>edH %nd that the same thin+ a$$lies to all the rest of those worriesH Where does worr. 0ome fromH It 0omes from .our mindJ It doesnt 0ome from .our 2nee. It doesnt 0ome from .our stoma0h& it 0omes CIB-T @COM YOLC MIND. hats e>a0tl. wh. the devil atta02s .our mindJ <ets see what the Word of Bod has to sa. a;out worr.in+3 Matthew )325 e>$resses this so ;eautifull. in the <ivin+ 'i;le3 A#o m. 0ounsel is3 Dont WOCCY a;out thin+s 4 food& drin2 and 0lothes. @or .ou alread. have life and a ;od. 4 and the. are far more im$ortant than what to eat and wear. <oo2 at the ;irdsJ The. dont worr. a;out what to eat 4 the. dont need to sow or rea$ or store u$ food 4 for .our heavenl. @ather feeds them. %nd .ou are far more valua;le to -im than the. are. WI<< %<< YOLC WOCCI=# %DD % #INB<= MOM=NT TO YOLC <I@=HI No& the. wont& ;ut the devil and worr. will ta2e .ears O@@ of .our life. When we learn to trust Bod instead of the devil& we 0an sto$ worr.in+ immediatel.. When we trust Bod to ta2e 0are of all our needs& we 0an lau+h in the devils fa0e when he tells us to worr.. The devil wants to 2ee$ .our mind full of worr. so that .ou 0ant ;e thin2in+ a;out heavenl. thin+s. When the devil 0ontrols .our mind to the $oint where he has .ou worr.in+ a;out ever.thin+& hes +ot .ou ri+ht where he wants .ou. -e will throw a s$irit of de$ression on

.ou and .our mind will ;e+in to 0on0entrate on .our $ro;lems instead of the solution. -e enKo.s twistin+ .our mind 0om$letel. out of fo0us so that .ou 0ant even thin2 strai+ht. %s2 an. $s.0hiatrist toda. the reason for most $eo$le see2in+ hel$. Its de$ression& ;e0ause the.ve let the devil 0ontrol their thou+hts and mind. There was a time when I mi+ht not have thou+ht laMiness was of the devil& ;ut I do toda.. Wat0h how the devil will attem$t to 0ontrol .our mind. -ell tell .ou that .oure too tired to do the thin+s .ou should and that .ou need to rest. If .our mind is tired and .our mind is laM.& or if .ou have de$ression& remem;er that a lar+e $art of this 0omes from a mind #atan 0ontrols. -ow do .ou +et over thatH Bet out and do somethin+ for esusJ There is nothin+ that will lift .our s$irits as hi+h as +oin+ out and tal2in+ to someone a;out esus and tellin+ them what -e has done in .our life. When m. mind is full of ideas for a ;oo2& I am so loaded with ener+. that I 0an +et ;. with Kust a few hours slee$. %s a matter of fa0t& when I am writin+ a ;oo2 (harles has real diffi0ult. +ettin+ me to ;ed ;e0ause I want to sta. u$ all ni+ht writin+J -ow man. $eo$le do .ou 2now who slee$ an e>0essive amount Kust ;e0ause the. dont have an.thin+ to o00u$. their mindsH We need to 2ee$ our minds a0tive and alert. Ive had fa;ulous fun writin+ this ;oo2 ;e0ause Ive ;een readin+ all the 0ommentaries on the devil& $lus 0he02in+ the di0tionaries and ever.thin+ I 0an +et m. hands on to find out a;out the devils tri02s and his lies and

de0eits. Then I +ot so e>0ited I wanted to sta. u$ all ni+ht to find out more a;out the armor of Bod to $ut on to withstand the wiles of the devil. -alleluKahJ. . . and never +ot tired. %nother area where the devil is havin+ a ;all toda. is in the area of lust. Yes& lustJ =ven (hristians are havin+ $ro;lems in this area. The devil has so man. thin+s to attra0t and $ervert our minds that a (hristian reall. has to ;e on +uard all the time. %s we were 0han+in+ $lanes in the %tlanta air$ort re0entl.& we sto$$ed ;. the ;oo2 and ma+aMine ra02 to see if an. of our ;oo2s were there. I was amaMed at the titles of some of the ;oo2sE titles so su++estive the. werent even su++estiveJ The. Kust 0ame out and told .ou e>a0tl. what raw& se>ual& sensual fa0ts were on the inside. The su;Ke0ts whi0h some devilF0ontrolled mind had $ut in ;oo2s was almost im$ossi;le for a (hristian mind to 0om$rehend. M. ;lood ran 0old as I thou+ht a;out some of these ma+aMines fallin+ into the hands of inno0ent .oun+ $eo$le to $ervert their minds. #u;Ke0ts that lead to $erverted se> to ma2e them sound a$$ealin+ li2e AThe o.s of 'ein+ -omose>ual.I A oin the (rowd& Birls& <ets %ll ;e <es;ians. Its @unJI The devil wants to $ossess and 0ontrol ever. mind he 0an $ollute. #tandin+ there snea2in+ a loo2 at one on that su;Ke0t was a lonel.Floo2in+ teena+er whose heart was 0r.in+ out& AIll tr. an.thin+ for funJI O;viousl. on do$e& she had that lost loo2 and ho$elessness that a00om$anies the dru+ addi0t. The devil sa.s its natural to e>$eriment with se>. Bods Word sa.s& AIt is the thou+htFlife that $ollutes. @or from within& out of mens hearts& 0ome evil thou+hts of

lust& theft& murder& adulter.& wantin+ what ;elon+s to others& wi02edness& de0eit& lewdness& env.& slander& $ride& and all other foll.. %ll these vile thin+s 0ome from withinE the. are what $ollute .ou and ma2e .ou unfit for BodI 5Mar2 *32:F2" T<'8. <isten to what the Word of Bod sa.s3 ADont fool .ourselves. Those who live immoral lives& who are idol worshi$ers& adulterers or homose>uals 4 will have no share in his 2in+dom. Neither will thieves or +reed. $eo$le& drun2ards& slanderers& or ro;;ers.I You 0an let the devil fool .ou that se> sin wont hurt .ou& ;ut .ou 0ant fool BodJ -ow do .ou 2ee$ awa. from thatH Bet .ourself as far awa. from thin+s li2e that as .ou 0an. Dont read ma+aMines 5even for information8 that 0over su;Ke0ts where .ou mi+ht have a wea2 s$ot. The devil is throwin+ $orno+ra$hi0 literature all over the $la0e ;e0ause he wants to tra$ the mind of $eo$le .oun+ and old& male and female. <ust 0an o00u$. .our mind to the $oint where it 0an a;solutel. and 0om$letel. destro. .ou ;e0ause& for the (hristian& alon+ with it 0omes a feelin+ of +uiltJ % tremendous feelin+ of +uilt. The minute a lustful thou+ht 0omes into .our mind& the thin+ to do is to turn it off Kust li2e .ou turn a television dial from one 0hannel to another. It ta2es effort on our $art to over0ome the devil& ;ut remem;er this& .ouve +ot more $ower than he has. Dont sta. where there is 0onversation that mi+ht ;e even sli+htl. smutt.. Dont listen to su++estive Ko2es of an. 2ind& ;ut 2ee$ .our mind $ure and +oodJ

A@inall.& ;rethren& whatsoever thin+s are true& whatsoever thin+s are honest& whatsoever thin+s are Kust& whatsoever thin+s are $ure& whatsoever thin+s are lovel.& whatsoever thin+s are of +ood re$ortE if there ;e an. virtue& and if there ;e an. $raise& thin2 on these thin+sI 5Phil. !3,8. BO##IP is a favorite tool of the devil. =ntire lives have ;een destro.ed ;. +ossi$. Bossi$ +oes from .our ears to .our mind to .our mouth& and the devil wants to 0ontrol all three. -e wants to 0ontrol what +oes into .our ears so that he will 0ontrol what 0omes out of .our mouth. We have heard thin+s re$eated as a;solute truth when there wasnt a tra0e of truth& ;ut the devil tem$ted some;od. to +ossi$. Whole 0hur0hes have ;een ruined ;. +ossi$. I will never for+et when I was a ;rand new (hristian& this was one of the areas where Bod reall. dealt with me& ;e0ause I have to admit I reall. did li2e to +ossi$. I $raise the <ord for the $astor of the 0hur0h where I was 0onverted ;e0ause I heard one da. that one of the .oun+ +irls in the 0hur0h was e>$e0tin+ a ;a;. and she wasnt marriedJ The first thin+ I did was to run to the $astor and sa.& ADo .ou 2now& I heard that soFandFso is e>$e0tin+ a ;a;.HI -e almost .elled at me& ADont .ou ever sa. that a+ainJ Dont .ou ever thin2 a;out it& and dont .ou ever re$eat it a+ain whether it is true or notJI I never had an.thin+ affe0t me as for0efull. as that did& ;e0ause in m. heart I reall. thou+ht I was +oin+ to share somethin+ with the $astor that he didnt 2now and sin0e this 0on0erned someone in our 0hur0h& I 2new he would ;e a;le to +ive them some tremendous hel$. The devil had so 0om$letel. fooled me that the devil told me to re$eat this +ossi$ to the $astorJ

I have never for+otten this and I never willJ (ON@L#ION is another tri02 of the devil& ;e0ause he is the author of it. One of his +reatest a;ilities is to 0onfuse $eo$le where the 'i;le is 0on0erned. -e doesnt have to worr. a;out the winner of an ar+ument a;out do0trine& ;e0ause NO'ODY wins a 0onfusion fi+ht. I loo2 at the 0onfusion toda. amon+ denominations 4 AWe dont want to s$ea2 to .ou ;e0ause .ou s$ea2 in ton+ues.I AWe dont want an.thin+ to do with .ou ;e0ause .ou dont ;elieve in ;a$tism ;. immersion.I AWe dont want an.thin+ to do with .ou ;e0ause we dont ;elieve in ;ein+ ;orn a+ain.I When we re0eived the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit& the devil 0ame in and said& AYoull +et thrown out of .our 0hur0h. Youll lose all .our s$ea2in+ datesJ No;od. will ;u. .our ;oo2s an. moreJI The devil threw all 2inds of statements li2e that at us. One of his most fiendish tri02s is to tr. to 0onvin0e .ou that .oure Kust ma2in+ u$ .our $ra.er lan+ua+e. -e tries to tell .ou that it isnt +enuine and it isnt real. We see this ha$$en over and over a+ain as $eo$le 0ome forward to re0eive the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit. The. re0eive& the. ;e+in to $raise Bod in a ;rand new ton+ue& and the first thin+ the devil sa.s is& AThats YOL& .ou are doin+ that& .ou are Kust ma2in+ u$ little sounds. You dont feel an.thin+.I -e a0tuall. 0onvin0es $eo$le that the 'i;le sa.s& AYe shall re0eive an emotional e>$erien0e when the -ol. Bhost 0omes u$on .ou.I The Word of Bod never mentions feelin+ in 0onKun0tion with the ;a$tism. It mentions A$owerI instead.

Then someone 0omes to .ou and starts $rea0hin+ that ton+ues went out with the a$ostles& that it is the devil who +ives ton+ues& and .ou ;e+in to wonder if .ou reall. re0eived the ;a$tism or if .ou were de0eivedJ %fter we re0eived the ;a$tism& we re0eived letters from nonF#$irit filled $eo$le offerin+ to tell us whether or not our ton+ues were of the devil. The devil often uses (hristians to 0onfuse other (hristians. I remem;er wonderin+ if I should send a 0assette with m. ;eautiful $ra.er lan+ua+e on it& and then I remem;ered what it sa.s in <u2e 1131"3 AIf .e then& ;ein+ evil& 2now how to +ive +ood +ifts unto .our 0hildrenE how mu0h more shall .our heavenl. @ather +ive the -ol. #$irit to them that as2 himHI Bod isnt +oin+ to +ive us an.thin+ of the devilJ %nd who ever heard of the devil +ivin+ .ou somethin+ with whi0h to $raise BodH The devil is a liar and there is no truth in him& so we have to start ;ein+ aware of his ta0ti0s and usin+ the Word of Bod a+ainst him. =ver. time the devil 0omes to sa. somethin+ to .ou a;out $overt. or si02ness& or attem$ts to 0onfuse .our life& throw the Word of Bod at him and tell him what esus said. Cemem;er that Bod is not on the defensive 4 Bod is on the offensive& and the sooner .ou ta2e u$ the Word of Bod to use a+ainst the devil& the sooner .ou will dis0over that the devil is on the defensive& and .ou will no lon+er have to ;eJ Blor.J Dont +et 0au+ht u$ in ;indin+ the devil all the time and s$endin+ time with him 4 tr. $raisin+ Bod and see how fast the devil disa$$ears. Dont live to fi+ht the devil 4 live for esusJ

One of the easiest wa.s to let #atan tra$ .ou is to thin2 .ouve +ot to +o alon+ with the 0rowd. Too often we are influen0ed ;. our $eers. % $eer to a .oun+ $erson is some;od. who +oes to the same s0hool& and some;od. who is reall. in the AinI 0rowd where the. wish the. were. %s we +et older& it ma. ;e the nei+h;or ne>t door& it ma. ;e some;od. we wor2 with& it ma. ;e .our hus;ands ;oss& it ma. ;e an. other individual we want to im$ress. Man. times we do not fl. the ;anner of esus (hrist Kust ;e0ause its easier to ;ow to the $ressures of #atan. % ver. +ood e>am$le of this o00urred when we were in New ?ealand. We were eatin+ in the dinin+ room of a ver. ele+ant hotel Kust $rior to +oin+ to a meetin+. We were in a hurr.& ;e0ause there was onl. a short time ;etween the o$enin+ of the restaurant and the startin+ s0hedule of our meetin+. The waiter as2ed us what 2ind of a 0o02tail we wanted to drin2& and we all said& AWater.I We sat waitin+ for 1uite a while& and as we did& I was loo2in+ around and noti0ed a ver. $e0uliar thin+. The onl. $eo$le in the restaurant who were not drin2in+ or smo2in+ were the four of us sittin+ at a ta;le& 'o; and oan and (harles and I. We all stood out li2e a sore thum;& and I said to (harles& AI reall. feel out of $la0e ;e0ause ever.;od. is drin2in+.I Youn+ $eo$le mi+ht ;e influen0ed and want to +o alon+ with the 0rowd& ;ut I felt li2e I was sittin+ in a den of ini1uit.. We had no 0hoi0e of where we were eatin+& ;e0ause we didnt have a 0ar and there wasnt an.$la0e else where we 0ould +o to eat e>0e$t at the hotel where we were sta.in+.

(harles loo2ed at me and said& A-one.& Were not out of $la0e& T-=YC= T-= ON=# T-%T %C= OLT O@ P<%(=. Were on the winners side ;e0ause I read the end of the ;oo2.I -alleluKahJ We all strai+htened our shoulders ;a02 and sat there $roud to ;e the $e0uliar $eo$le Bod 0alled us to ;e. Too man. times we thin2 we have to ;ow to #atans $ressure ;e0ause $eo$le will thin2 were odd ;e0ause we dont do what the rest of the world does. Ma.;e .oure involved in somethin+ .our own heart has a 1uestion a;out. Ma.;e some;od. wants .ou to +o to a movie that .ou 2now .ou shouldnt see& and .et to ;e a $art of the AinI 0rowd .oull +o. This is where the devil +ra;s hold of .our mind and tells .ou that .oull ;e un$o$ular if .ou dont +o alon+ with the 0rowd. We have a sa.in+ in our house& AWhen in dou;t& throw it outJI That means an.thin+J A'ut .e are a 0hosen +eneration& a ro.al $riesthood& an hol. nation& a $e0uliar $eo$leE that .e should shew forth the $raises of him who hath 0alled .ou out of dar2ness into his marvelous li+htI 5I Peter 23/8. % N=B%TI7= %TTITLD= is another wa. the devil 0an reall. +et after .ou. -ave .ou ever 2nown $eo$le whose attitudes were 0onstantl. ne+ativeH Peo$le who thin2 the Word of Bod sa.s& A-ave +loom in the <ord alwa.s& and a+ain I sa. have +loomHI Ce0entl. we were tal2in+ to a woman who said she wo2e u$ ever. mornin+ wonderin+ what horri;le thin+s were +oin+ to ha$$en to her that da.. %nd thats e>a0tl. what ha$$ened to her 4 horri;le thin+sJ

The devil wants .ou ne+ative 4 he wants .ou to ;elieve the Word of Bod wont wor2 for .ou and so he +ets in there with those ne+ative attitudes. DOL'T and LN'=<I=@ are two attitudes with whi0h the devil has a field da.J Do .ou realiMe that the world is full of dou;t and un;eliefH =ven $rofessin+ (hristians have dou;t as to their salvation. The devil will tr. to tell .ou over and over a+ain that .ou are not saved. -e will tell .ou that .ou have 0ommitted the un$ardona;le sin. -e will tell .ou that no;od. loves .ou. Yet& Bod is love& and -e loves .ou so mu0h that -e +ave -is onl. ;e+otten #on for .our salvation. #atan will tell .ou that .oure u+l.. 'ut the Word of Bod sa.s that .ou are 0reated in the ima+e of Bod. The devil will tell .ou that .oure alone and lonel.. Bod tells .ou in Cev. "32: that esus is livin+ in .our heart& and when -es livin+ in .our heart& .ou 0an never ;e aloneJ The devil will tell .ou that .ou are a ;orn loser& and theres nothin+ .ou 0an do a;out itJ Bods Word sa.s& A'e of +ood 0heerE I have over0ome the worldJI 5 ohn 1)3""8. The devil will tell .ou that .oure a no;od.J Bods Word sa.s .ou are a Koint heir with esusJ 5#ee Comans ,31*8. That reall. ma2es .ou some;od.& doesnt itH The devil will tell .ou that .oure $oor and 0ant afford the thin+s that .ou need in life. Bods Word sa.s& A'ut m. Bod shall su$$l. %<< .our need a00ordin+ to his ri0hes in +lor. ;. (hrist esusI 5Phil. !31/8. The devil will tell .ou that .ou have to 2ee$ sinnin+& ;e0ause it is im$ossi;le to live a;ove sin. Bods Word sa.s&

AD I 0onse0rate m.self to meet .our need for +rowth in truth and holinessI 5 ohn 1*31, T<'8. The devil will tell .ou that this is a world of Ado+ eat do+.I Bods Word sa.s& A<ove one another&I and it sa.s that all the wa. throu+h the 'i;le. 5Tr. ohn 153128. The devil sa.s& ADo it tomorrowJI The 'i;le sa.s& AToda. is the da. of salvationJI -ow do we over0ome all of these wiles of the devilH The Word of Bod ma2es it sim$le& ;e0ause it sa.s& A#u;mit .ourselves therefore to Bod. Cesist the devil& and he will flee from .ouI 5 ames !3*8. Too man. $eo$le for+et that the (hristian life is 0om$osed of the wor2 of more than one $erson. Bod has done -is $art& ;ut we often fail to do our $art& and when we fail to do our $art& we leave an o$enin+ for #atan. ACesist the devilI . . . thats our $art. Bod +ives us all the $ower we need& ;ut how do we +et that $owerH ust ;efore the words Aresist the devil&I the 'i;le +ives the 0ondition& ;e0ause it sa.s& A#u;mit .ourselves therefore to Bod.I The answer is sim$le& ;e0ause when .ou su;mit .ourself to Bod& .ou will have all the $ower .ou need to resist the devil. We often hear $eo$le sa.& A'o.& the old devil has reall. ;een after me this wee2.I If .ou are ever tem$ted to ma2e that statement& 1uote ames !3* a+ain and tell the devil he has to +o. -e 0ant ;e after .ou if hes runnin+ @COM .ou& 0an heH <earn to #T%ND on the Word of Bod. -ow do .ou su;mit .ourself to BodH Cead the Word and 2now what the Word of Bod sa.s. .T-=N DO ITJ 6now what is .our ri+ht and .our

inheritan0e as a (hristian. That is what su;mittin+ .ourselves to Bod is. Where does this ha$$enH It all ha$$ens in .our MIND. You have to ;elieve that .ou want to follow Bod. You have to ;elieve that Bod is who -e sa.s -e is. You have to ;elieve that esus (hrist died on a 0ross for .our sins. You have to ;elieve when .ou ;e0ame a (hristian that those sins were for+iven. Thats su;mittin+ .ourselves to Bod. <ets loo2 at what (olossians 131" sa.s3 5T<'8 A@or he has res0ued us out of the dar2ness and +loom of #atans 2in+dom and ;rou+ht us into the 2in+dom of his dear #on& who ;ou+ht our freedom with his ;lood and for+ave us all our sins.I We have ;een res0ued out of the dar2ness and +loom. -alleluKahJ Weve ;een saved 4 res0ued 4 delivered 4 whatever .ou want to 0all it 4 ;ut its ;een doneJ The o;vious thin+s of the devil are eas. to re0o+niMe& ;ut he also uses little thin+s that man. $eo$le have diffi0ult. ;elievin+ are of #atan. Millions of $eo$le have ;een 0au+ht in the tra$ of the o00ult& wit0h0raft& fortunetellin+& dru+s& horos0o$es& and even sim$le little thin+s su0h as $ossession of owls and fro+s. Pro;a;l. the one area where more (hristians have ;een tra$$ed than an. other is in the area of horos0o$es& ;e0ause it seems so harmless to read the news$a$er and see whats +oin+ to ha$$en to .ou toda.. Thats e>a0tl. the same as wal2in+ ri+ht into the devils $arlor& sittin+ down& and sa.in+ to him& AWell& what are we +oin+ to do to+ether toda.HI

I dont need the news$a$er to tell me whats +oin+ to ha$$en. I alread. 2now& ;e0ause Ive read the Word of Bod& and its all BOOD& BOOD& BOODJ When I was a .oun+ +irl& m. sister and I went to a fortuneteller to find out a;out the future. I remem;er as2in+ if I would ma2e the honor roll so0iet.. The fortuneteller didnt even 2now what I was tal2in+ a;out& ;ut as she 1uestioned me& and I told her all a;out it& and how hard I studied in s0hool& and what +ood +rades I made& she loo2ed into the 0r.stal ;all and said& AYes& .ou will ma2e the honor roll so0iet..I It didnt ta2e mu0h sense for her to fi+ure out that a +irl who made e>0ellent +rades in s0hool was ;ound to ;e on the honor roll so0iet.J 'ut I swallowed it hoo2& line and sin2er& and ;elieved it was trueJ I did ma2e the honor roll so0iet.& ;ut not ;e0ause of the fortunetellerJ I have often as2ed .oun+ $eo$le who have ;lown their minds on dru+s how the. ever +ot started& and almost without e>0e$tion& their answer is the same& AI wanted to ;e $art of the 0rowdJ I didnt thin2 it 0ould ever hurt me. I didnt thin2 Id ever ;e hoo2edJI The devil ma2es it seem so sim$le that no one would ever +et hoo2ed on the first tr.& ;ut I remem;er a little teena+er who was ;rou+ht to m. house man. .ears a+o. #he was anno.ed with her mother and dad ;e0ause the. wouldnt let her date a 0ertain ;o.& so she de0ided to A+et even with themJI #ome of her AfriendsI at s0hool told her to ta2e an <#D tri$ to reall. show her $arents who was ;ossJ #he did& and her first and onl. tri$ was a ;ad oneJ =ver. afternoon& the devil would 0onvin0e her that her mouth was disa$$earin+& and she would sit in a 0hair& visualiMin+ that her mouth and her entire 0hin area were literall. rottin+ awa.. Then she would ;e+in to s0ream and

s0ream until the. finall. had to +ive her a shot to 1uiet her down. Da. after da.& this same tormentin+ from the devil 0ontinued& until the. ;rou+ht her over to m. house. I remem;er loo2in+ at this $atheti0 +irl who had so inno0entl. ;een tra$$ed into the devils lair. #he a00e$ted esus as her #avior and <ord. I told her that the devil was a defeated foe& and that he 0ouldnt stand u$ a+ainst the ;lood of esus& and that she had ;een set free. I had 0ommanded the evil s$irits to de$art out of her& and the. didJ On0e she 2new what she had in esus& she was totall. and 0om$letel. set freeJ I have seen her over the .ears& and she is a radiant& lovel. .oun+ +irlJ Did .ou ever +et tra$$ed ;. the 0ommer0ialism of toda.J Peo$le wear owls around their ne02s& owls on their $urses& owls on their 0oo2ie Kars& owls on their 2it0hen towels& owls on the walls& owls sittin+ in the 0orner& owls& owls& owls ever.whereJ The owl is a 0reature of the ni+ht& and in -im& there is no dar2ness. <isten to what the 'i;le has to sa. in Isaiah "!3)F1* 5%m$.83 AThe sword of the <ord is filled with ;lood Pof sa0rifi0esQ& it is +or+ed and +reased with fatness4with the ;lood of lam;s and +oats& with the fat of the 2idne.s of rams. @or the <ord has a sa0rifi0e in 'oMrah P0a$ital of =domQ and a +reat slau+hter in the land of =dom. %nd the wild o>en shall fall with them& and the P.oun+Q ;ullo02s with the Pold and mi+ht.Q ;ullsE and their land shall ;e drun2 and soa2ed with ;lood& and their dust made ri0h with

fatness. @or the <ord has a da. of ven+ean0e& a .ear of re0om$ense for the 0ause of ?ion. %nd the streams Pof =domQ will ;e turned into $it0h and its dust into ;rimstone& and its land will ;e0ome burning $it0h. PThe ;urnin+ of =domQ shall not ;e 1uen0hed ni+ht or da.E its smo2e shall +o u$ for ever. @rom +eneration to +eneration it shall lie wasteE none shall $ass throu+h it forever and ever. 'ut the $eli0an and the $or0u$ine will $ossess itE the OW< and the ;ittern and the raven will dwell in it. %nd -= will stret0h over it the P=domQ the measurin+ line of 0onfusion and the $lummet stones of P0haos over its no;lesQ . . . the. shall $ossess it foreverE from +eneration to +eneration the. shall dwell in it.I You ma. sa.& A'ut m. mother made this for meJI or A'ut m. sister ;ou+ht this for meJI or an. other e>0use .ou 0an find& ;ut I wouldnt have an owl in m. house for an.thin+J I feel the same wa. a;out a fro+& ;e0ause Cevelation 1)31" sa.s that in the end times un0lean s$irits li2e fro+s 0ome out of the mouth of the dra+on& and out of the mouth of the ;east& and out of the mouth of the false $ro$het in the sha$e of fro+sJ The devil will tr. to +et us to use ever. e>0use in the ;oo2& ;e0ause he is 0leverJ % friend of ours 0ame to -ouston several .ears a+o after havin+ ;een married for man. .ears to a Nav. man. -e suddenl. told her that he didnt love her an. more& he didnt want her an. more& and for her to +et out. The. were stationed at a Nav. ;ase& so she too2 her few $ossessions and 0ame here. #he had ;een a nominal 0hur0h+oer& ;ut here in -ouston she saw the realit. of a livin+ esus& went on to re0eive the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit& was healed of

tendonitis& +ot into the Word of Bod and thin+s ;e+an to ha$$en. We went over to her a$artment one ni+ht and I was horrified to dis0over she had owls all over ever.thin+. #he must have had over three hundred owls de0oratin+ her entire a$artment. You 0ouldnt turn an. dire0tion without runnin+ into a ;un0h of owlsJ We didnt sa. an.thin+& ;ut after we +ot out& I said to (harles& ADid .ou +et the same feelin+ I did in thereHI -e said& AI sure didJI We didnt sa. an.thin+ to her& ;ut $ra.ed that Bod would reveal the truth to her. We didnt have to wait lon+& ;e0ause one da. she dro$$ed ;. and said& ADo .ou thin2 theres an.thin+ wron+ with owlsHI We as2ed her wh. she said that& and she said she had ;een stud.in+ the Word of Bod& and it seemed to her that Bod was tellin+ her that owls had no $la0e in her life. #he went home that afternoon& too2 a hammer and ;ro2e five of the owls. #ome of them were terrifi0all. e>$ensive& 0ostin+ as mu0h as R"::.::& ;ut $raise Bod& she wanted to ;e a woman of Bod& and not someone tormented ;. the devil. <ittle ;. little& she had 0oura+e enou+h to ;rea2 all the owls& and then an amaMin+ thin+ ha$$enedJ -er hus;and 0ame homeJ Toda. the. are ha$$il. married& have a little +irl& and are involved in a ;eautiful ministr. for Bod. I often wonder what would have ha$$ened if she had not ;een o;edient to Bod. The devil 0ould have 2e$t her from ;rea2in+ those owls ;. sa.in+& A'ut loo2 how mu0h mone. the. 0ostJI Wat0h ever.thin+ that .ou $ut in .our house& ;e0ause .ou never 2now when the devil 0an 0ome snea2in+ in.

%t one time we had an oil $aintin+ in our dinin+ room. I ;ou+ht it ;e0ause it mat0hed the .ellow on our walls& ;ut didnt reall. loo2 at the $aintin+. =ven thou+h it was a flower& it +ave me an evil or odd feelin+ ever. time I went ;. it. We heard a man tal2 a;out the Athin+sI in .our house one ni+ht& and I said to (harles& ADo .ou reall. li2e that $i0ture in our dinin+ room& or does it +ive .ou the G0ree$s li2e it +ives meHI (harles said he didnt li2e it either& so when we +ot home that ni+ht& (harles too2 a ;i+ ;ut0her 2nife and said& AIn the name of esus& devil& +et out of our houseJI Then he sli0ed the $i0ture into four $ie0es& and too2 it out and threw it in the +ar;a+e 0anJ %s I said $reviousl.& AWhen it dou;t& throw it outJI and thats e>a0tl. what we didJ The devil will tell .ou that .ou 0ant 1uit smo2in+ ;e0ause .ouve tried. Cemem;er that with (hrist .ou 0an do %<< thin+sJ The devil will tell .ou that Bod didnt 0all .ou to ;e a soul winner& ;ut Bods Word sa.s for .ou to +o into all the world and $rea0h the +os$el. The devil will tell .ou that Bod hel$s those who hel$ themselves& ;ut Bods Word sa.s& A%$art from me .ou 0ant do a thin+JI 5 ohn 1535 T<'8. The devil will tell .ou its no fun ;ein+ a (hristian. Bods Word sa.s& AI have told them man. thin+s while I was with them so that the. would ;e filled with m. Ko.I 5 ohn 1*31" T<'8. The devil will tell .ou there is no hell. Bods Word tells .ou there isJ A'ut the fearful& and un;elievin+& and the a;omina;le& and murderers& and whoremon+ers& and sor0erers& and idolaters& and all liars&

shall have their $art in the la2e whi0h ;urneth with fire and ;rimstone3 whi0h is the se0ond deathI 5Cev. 2 13,8. The devil will tell .ou there are lots of wa.s to heaven 4 Kust live a +ood life. esus said& AI am the wa.& the truth& and the life3 no man 0ometh unto the @ather& ;ut ;. meI 5 ohn 1!3)8. -ow do we defeat the devilH MemoriMe the s0ri$ture Bod has +iven us in <u2e 1:31/3 A'ehold& I +ive unto .ou $ower to tread on ser$ents and s0or$ions& and over %<< the $ower of the enem.E and nothin+ shall ;. an. means hurt .ou.I Weve +ot the $ower over %<< the $ower of the enem.. Cemem;er that #atan doesnt have YOL in a 0orner& YOL7= +ot him on the run. Bod has +iven to all -is #$iritFfilled 0hildren $ower over an.thin+ and ever.thin+ that #atan 0an do. -ow do we +et this $ower wor2in+ in our livesH A@aith 0ometh ;. hearin+& and hearin+ ;. the word of BodI 5Comans 1:31*8. Bet into the Word of Bod. (onfess the Word of Bod. Possess the Word of Bod. %0t u$on the Word of Bod. A@or the wea$ons of our warfare are not 0arnal& ;ut mi+ht. throu+h Bod to the $ullin+ down of stron+ holdsE 0astin+ down ima+inations& and ever. hi+h thin+ that e>alteth itself a+ainst the 2nowled+e of Bod& and ;rin+in+ into 0a$tivit. ever. thou+ht to the o;edien0e of (hristI 5II (orinthians 1:3!&58. We need to ;rin+ ever. sin+le thou+ht that we have into 0a$tivit. to the o;edien0e of (hrist. The minute .our mind ;e+ins to wander and .ou ;e+in to thin2 a;out the thin+s of the devil& ;rin+ .our thou+hts into 0a$tivit. and 0enter

them on0e a+ain on the One who +ave -is life for .our salvation and deliveran0eJ We need to literall. $ut our hands to our ;rains& and ta2e out those thou+hts and desires whi0h are not +odl.& and ;rin+ ever. thou+ht into 0a$tivit.. You sa. .ou 0ant do itH Yes& .ou 0anJ #ear0h the s0ri$tures until .ou find the ones that reall. fit .our needs. <et Bod 1ui02en s$e0ial verses to .our heart. The s0ri$tures that wor2 for me mi+ht not s$ea2 to .ouE thats wh. its so vital for .ou to +et .our own twoFed+ed sword read. to fi+ht the ;attle& ;e0ause .ours is all wra$$ed u$ in the $a+es of .our 'i;le. The Word of Bod turns me onJ Did .ou ever read a familiar verse of s0ri$ture in the 'i;le& and all of a sudden have twin2lin+ li+hts 0ome onH Thats what ha$$ened to me re0entl.. -ow man. times have all of us said& AI 0an do all thin+s throu+h (hrist whi0h stren+theneth me&I and .et not reall. meant or understood what we said. Ceadin+ throu+h the %m$lified 'i;le the other da.& I 0ame a0ross this s0ri$ture and Bod reall. 1ui02ened m. s$irit as to what this is all a;out. Phili$$ians !31" sa.s& AI have stren+th for all thin+s in (hrist Who em$owers me 4 I am read. for an.thin+ and e1ual to an.thin+ throu+h -im Who infuses inner stren+th into me& 5that is& I am selfFsuffi0ient in (hrists suffi0ien0.8.I 'elieve that .ou are read. for an.thin+ and =SL%< to an.thin+J Cemem;er when the devil sends a $ro;lem a0ross .our $ath& that .ou are read. for it and e1ual to the $ro;lem& whatever it ma. ;e& and re+ardless of the siMe.

Wh. are .ou e1ual to %NYT-INBH 'e0ause (hrist infuses inner stren+th into .ou. The word AinfuseI means to fillE im;ueE ins$ireE to $our into. #o .ou are AfilledI with (hrist& .ou are A$oured intoI (hrist and -e is $oured into .ouE .ou are ins$ired ;. (hrist& therefore .ou are e1ual to an.thin+. #1uare .our shoulders ;a02 and 0har+e ri+ht after the enem.. Dont let him ;a02 .ou into a 0ornerJ FACTS OR GOSSIP? The devil wants .our mind so ;adl.& he will use an. and all the tri02s he 0an find to +et .ou to stra. awa. from what Bod wants. Bossi$ is a real tool of the devil himselfJ It 0an +et .ou in trou;le whether .ou are on the +ivin+ or the re0eivin+ end. =a0h is e1uall. dan+erousJ % $astor who had listened and ;elieved tale;earers 0ame to our -ealin+ =>$losion in <on+ Island& New Yor2 and shared the followin+ testimon. whi0h s$ea2s for itself. A%;out two months a+o I had the most resistan0e to the& -unter Ministries of an.one. @ran2l.& it was ;e0ause of +ood friendshi$s with ;rother $astors who are also resistant and a+ainst moves of Bod& and one feeds the other. One feedin+ a ne+ative thin+ to another Kust 2ee$s $assin+ it onJ AYou 0annot +o onl. on the ;asis of +ood friends ;e0ause the. ma. have it wron+. Lnintentionall.& $ossi;l. ;e0ause of listenin+ to someone else& ;ut re+ardless the. ma. have it wron+. ACe0entl. I told a +rou$ of $astors to 0he02 thin+s out for themselves and not 2no02 other ministers even if .ou thin2 somethin+ is wron+. Pra. for them& ;ut ;efore ;elievin+ +ossi$& 0he02 the situation out.

AI re0eived a 0all from an em$lo.ee of -unter Ministries and he said& GThis is -unter Ministries. AI immediatel. thou+ht& G%hhhaJ A-e 0ontinued& GWe would li2e to 2now if .ou are +oin+ to ;e involved in the -ealin+ =>$losion. AI must sa. at first I was ver. a;ru$t and 1uite 0urt and short N $olite& ;ut a;ru$t. #uddenl. he said to me& GWell& 0ould I send the videos to .ou @OC @C==H You 0ould review them and then 0all me and tell me what .ou thin2. AWhen I heard& G@OC @C== I said& AWell& o2a..I -e sent them& @C== O@ (-%CB=& so I ;e+an to wat0h them with a $ad and a $en0il in m. hand so I 0ould sa.& A%h& ha& ah ha& thats not ri+htE this is not ri+ht.I AI sat there and wat0hed all fourteen hours and I said& G<ord& I $ra. li2e that. I remem;er ;a02 in the seventies& we used to $ra. for len+thenin+ of le+s. We used to all do thatJ ABod said& GWh.& dont .ou still do itH You Kust let it die off& thats all. ABod reall. tou0hed m. heart and we ;e+an 1ui02l. to $ut it to+ether in the 0hur0h. AI was so 0har+ed at the end of the fourteen hours that I 0ould have ta2en 0an0er or whatever ;. the throat and I would have 0ast it to hell and ;a02& I ima+ine& with the stren+th of faith that I had. I was $re$aredJ 'ut I also learned that when Bod stren+thens .our faith& -es +oin+ to as2 .ou to do somethin+. AI re0eived a $hone 0all from a woman who was h.steri0all. 0r.in+. I 0ouldnt ma2e an. sense out of her until she finall. 0almed down. I said to her& GWhats wron+H Whats wron+& 0an .ou e>$lainH Who are .ouH AM. son& he Kust shot himself in the head to 0ommit sui0ide.

A-ere I am on the 0eilin+ and suddenl. I dis0overed I was +oin+ Ghmmmmm and felt that m. faith was lea2in+ out m. toes. Nevertheless the #$irit of Bod said& GBo down there. #he told me where the hos$ital was& so I told Bod I would +o e>0e$t I had to $lu+ u$ m. feet so that all m. faith didnt lea2 out. AI was su$er 0har+ed with faith after seein+ the fourteen hours of video& so I wal2ed into the hos$ital& ;ut 0ouldnt see him ;e0ause he was in emer+en0.. The whole famil. and I then went u$ to I(L where the. had ta2en him to die. The. had not even ta2en the ;ullet out of his ;rain. The whole famil. was wee$in+ and wailin+& and I told them that I was the $astor the. had 0alled. AWe went into I(L I dont 2now if .ouve ever seen an.one who has attem$ted to ta2e their life in this manner. The ;o. had ta2en a rifle& $ut it in his mouth and $ulled the tri++er. %s I stood there and loo2ed at this .oun+ man& I saw somethin+ that was unre0o+niMa;le as a human ;ein+. -is head was swelled u$. -is e.es were li2e $in+ $on+ ;alls. -e was entirel. ;la02 and ;lue. -e was ;leedin+ from the e.es& ;leedin+ from the ears& ;leedin+ from the mouth and ;leedin+ from the nose. AI loo2ed at him and de0ided that I had ;etter 2ee$ m. toes $lu++ed u$ ;e0ause faith was runnin+ out. %s I 0ontinued to loo2 at him& I thou+ht& G<ord& .ouve +ot to send @ran0es and 'rother -unter here. Or ma.;e I should run ;a02 and ta2e a loo2 at the fourteen hours a+ain. A% hol. ;oldness 0ame u$on me and I loo2ed at the ;o.s famil. and said& G<et me sa. somethin+ here. That ;o.s +ot to +et saved. %t that time I didnt 2now that the do0tors had said he was +oin+ to die and that the ;ullet was still lod+ed in his head.

AThe mother said to me& G-es in a 0oma& and he 0ant hear .ou. AI said& GYes& he 0an hear .ou. That is wh. when someone 0omes to visit a 0omatose $erson in the hos$ital the. should never tell an.one how ;ad the. loo2& ;e0ause the.re fi+htin+ inside and .ou have to +et them to 0ontinue fi+htin+ while .oure fi+htin+. AI said& GDavid sa. this& A<ord esus& Im sorr. for what Ive done to m.self. Im sorr. for all m. sins. Wash me. (leanse me. #ave me.I %nd I 2new this ;o. was saved. There was Kust a G2nowin+. AI turned around& loo2ed at the famil. and said& GYou all ;etter +et saved ri+ht nowJ %nd ever.one of them +ot saved. -alleluKahJ A% new hol. ;oldness 0ame u$on me a+ain. Then Bod said& GTell them Im +oin+ to heal this ;o.. AI was loo2in+ at the ;o.s fa0e and said& GOnl. .ou 0an do it& <ord. I 0ant do an.thin+ here. I tell .ou ri+ht now that onl. .ou 0an do it. AI turned to the famil. and 0ould not ;elieve what I said& e>0e$t for the hol. ;oldness whi0h Bod had +iven to me. GBods +oin+ to heal this ;o.. Toni+ht is our re+ular servi0e. I want .ou to 0all me at si> o0lo02. Youre +oin+ to have +ood news for me& do .ou hear meH BOOD N=W# at si> o0lo02. (all me. AI $ra.ed ver. sim$l.& ;e0ause I remem;ered the ta$es and I had read the ;oo2. I ;ound the s$irit of sui0ide& selfF destru0tion and selfFmurder in the name of esus. I 0ast it forth and 0ommanded healin+ to 0ome. I didnt 2now the dama+e. Bod didnt tell me& so I Kust 0ommanded healin+ to 0ome& in the name of esus. A%t si> o0lo02 that ni+ht& I +ot a 0all. The ;o.s mother was on the tele$hone& 0r.in+& ;ut this time it was a

different 0r.. G-es awa2e. -es u$. -es tal2in+. -e 2nows me. -e 2nows ever.;od.. -alleluKahJ -alleluKahJ A@rom that da.& the ;ells went off in that hos$ital. The. too2 him down to o$erate and remove the ;ullet from his ;rain. AWhen I laid m. hands on him and 0ast out s$irits& he was i0e 0old from the feet u$ to the trun2& whi0h was the onl. warm $art. -e was d.in+. -e was +oin+. -e was +oin+ out. I have $ra.ed for $eo$le and thats how .ou die sometimes. You +et 0older& 0older& 0older& 0older and the onl. thin+ warm is .our head and .our ne02 and then that +ets 0old and .ou die. This ;o. was +oin+. ABod healed his head. Bod healed ever.thin+J -es wal2in+& tal2in+& wal2in+& tal2in+ and movin+ around. -e is a;solutel. a testimon. of a mira0le that onl. Bod 0an do& ;e0ause I listened with m. heart rather than m. head of resistan0e. I than2 Bod for the sim$li0it. that I saw 0omin+ forth from those videos. I than2 Bod for our ;rother and sister who 2ee$ sa.in+& GIf (harles and @ran0es 0an do it& YOL 0an do it too. AYou see& if we ma2e it 0om$li0ated or if I loo2 li2e a ;i+ stuffed shirt and I am the onl. one who 2nows what Im doin+& .ou will never attem$t an.thin+. Bod sa.s& G6ee$ it sim$le. 6ee$ it sim$le. <oo2 at the +os$el& its so sim$le. A%ll of this ;e0ause I said& GYes& <ord& Im o$en. ABod is ;rin+in+ revival and this revival will ;e a00om$anied ;. si+ns and wonders. It isnt +oin+ to ;e Kust an oldFfashioned revival whi0h is +ood enou+h and it +ets $eo$le saved. This is +oin+ to ;e the out$ourin+ of the ;oo2 of %0ts $ro$he0.& G%nd it shall 0ome to $ass in the last da.s& sa.s Bod& That I will $our out of M. #$irit on all fleshE Your sons and .our dau+hters shall $ro$hes.& Your .oun+ men shall see visions& Your old men shall dream

dreams. %nd on M. menservants and on M. maidservants I will $our out M. #$irit in those da.sE %nd the. shall $ro$hes. 5%0ts 231*F1, N6 78. AI have another stor. that is Kust ;u;;lin+ over in me. The ne>t #unda. an Italian man who 0ould hardl. s$ea2 =n+lish wal2ed in m. 0hur0h. This is the wee2 after I have seen the ta$es& seen the ;o. healed& and I am still a d.namo. I am still a d.namo toda. and Im not 0han+in+. Im not +oin+ ;a02. ADevil .ou ;etter wat0h out now. -alleluKah& this is it. Blor. to Bod& Im 2i02in+ in the +ates. -alleluKahJ %menJ Blor.J AWh.H 'e0ause these ta$es are so anointed. Not ;e0ause of (harles and @ran0es& ;ut ;e0ause of the ta$es. A-is whole famil. was there& so I as2ed them what was wron+. -is dau+hter said& G-es loaded with 0an0er. Tumors all over. Theres nothin+ the. 0an do. AWith that $re0ious ;oldness that Bod +ives .ou& I said& GBods +oin+ to heal this man. I ;ound the s$irit of 0an0er& 0ast that dirt. thin+ out in the name of esus. I re;u2ed and 0ursed that si02ness and illness to its roots in the name of the <ord esus (hrist and 0ommanded healin+ to 0ome. ATwo da.s later I visited a hos$ital near;.. I saw the entire famil. in the hos$ital. I as2ed them what the. were doin+ there& and the dau+hter said& GThis is the hos$ital m. father +oes to when he +ets 0he02ed u$ on and he Kust had a four hour e>amination& and he is a;solutel. healed. AI than2 .ou <ord& wonderful esus& wonderful #avior& healer& ;a$tiMer& that .ou let me not listen to +ossi$ ;ut to dis0over the truth for m.selfJI This is Kust a start for someone who 0hose to ma2e a de0ision on his own and not listen to the devil& who often

s$ea2s throu+h (hristians. These two stories would ma2e some $eo$le ha$$. for a lifetime if it ha$$ened to them& ;ut thin2 of how these are +oin+ to multi$l. in his lifeJ %nd loo2 at what he 0ould have missedJ

Chapter Two

There s ower in The !a"e of Jesus

I <O7= T-= 'OO6 O@ %(T#J The ;oo2 of %0ts is a true stor. a;out a +rou$ of fanati0s doin+ mira0les ;e0ause the. were turned loose with the $owerful name of esusJ The name of esus will still $rodu0e the same results toda.J When $eo$le fall in love with esus& when the. realiMe the su$ernatural $ower of Bod& when the. +et into the Word of Bod and see what that Word will do& the. enter into a relationshi$ with Bod and esus and a wa. of livin+ that trans0ends the human mind. Mira0les are not Kust healin+sJ Mira0les are not Kust su$ernatural a0ts of BodJ The ;i++est mira0le of all is the 0han+e that the name of esus 0an ;rin+ in a human life. It is a livin+& ;reathin+& vital relationshi$ with Bod the @ather& Bod the #on& and Bod the -ol. #$iritJ Bod is ;reathin+ into a +rou$ of $eo$le toda. 0reatin+ the same 2ind of fanati0s as the dis0i$lesJ Praise Bod for $eo$le all over the world who are res$ondin+ to the 0all of Bod and the $ower of the -ol. #$irit that rests in the name of esusJ

Peo$le who formerl. were an hourFonF#unda. (hristians have entered into an e>0itin+ momentF;.F moment wal2 with a livin+ esus. #0ales are fallin+ from the s$iritual e.es of the (hristian world and the. are wa2in+ u$ to a new realit. ;e0ause the. are dis0overin+ the $ower in that wonderful and maKesti0 name of esusJ What did the name of esus do for #aulH When %nanias o;e.ed Bod& and Aentered into the houseE and $uttin+ his hands on him said& 'rother #aul& the <ord& even esus& that a$$eared unto thee in the wa. as thou earnest& hath sent me& that thou mi+htest re0eive th. si+ht& and ;e filled with the -ol. BhostI 5%0ts /31*8. It was not Kust when %nanias $ut his hands on #aul that the s0ales fell from his e.es& it was when he said the wonderful and $owerful name of esus that the mira0le o00urredJ <ater on in %0ts when Peter was tal2in+ to (ornelius& he +ave a lon+ tal2 a;out esus and then he made the ma+nifi0ent statement Athat throu+h his name whosoever ;elieveth in him shall re0eive remission of sinsI 5%0ts 1:3!"8. It is in that name that we have the remission of sins 4 it is in that name that we have the for+iveness or $ardon for our sins. %00ordin+ to Mr. We;sters definition of remission it is Athe 0an0ellation of& or release from& de;t.I ust thin2& the name of esus ta2en u$on our li$s releases us from the de;t of sinJ Blor.& halleluKahJ esus $aid the $ri0e for us so that in -is name we 0ould have total and 0om$lete freedom and deliveran0e from sinJ @or .ears I heard $eo$le end $ra.ers with the words& AIn esus name&I and never thou+ht a;out the im$ortan0e

or the $ower in that nameJ Man. $eo$le use the name almost irreverentl. ;e0ause we do not ;elieve and a00e$t the $ower& and wonder& and +lor. that lies in that name a;ove all namesJ The words AIn esus nameI 0an o$en the su$ernatural world to us if we will ;ut ;elieve that -is name will do what the Word of Bod sa.s it willJ The words will never have $ower& however& until we 0an honestl. ;elieve that the. are true and that the su$ernatural will ha$$en when we use those words. The. are not to ;e used Kust to 0lose a $ra.er& ;ut to ;elieve for the su$ernatural intervention of Bod in the 2: th (entur.& ri+ht now& TOD%YJ %0ts 1)31)F1, ;rin+s a realiMation of the a0tual $ower in the name of esus3 A%nd it 0ame to $ass& as we went to $ra.er& a 0ertain damsel $ossessed with a s$irit of divination met us& whi0h ;rou+ht her masters mu0h +ain ;. soothsa.in+3 The same followed Paul and us& and 0ried& sa.in+& These men are the servants of the most hi+h Bod& whi0h shew unto us the wa. of salvation. %nd this did she man. da.s. 'ut Paul& ;ein+ +rieved& turned and said to the s$irit& I 0ommand thee in the name of esus (hrist to 0ome out of her. %nd he 0ame out the same hour.I The thin+ thats e>0itin+ to me a;out this $arti0ular $assa+e of s0ri$ture is the fa0t that Paul did not ar+ue and wrestle with a s$irit all ni+ht lon+& nor tal2 to the +irl& ;ut he tal2ed dire0tl. to the s$irit& and at that mi+ht. and $owerful name of esus& the s$irit 0ame out immediatel.J -alleluKahJ That same $ower to 0ast out s$irits ;elon+s to us toda. throu+h the name of esusJ esus said in <u2e 1:3 1/& A'ehold& I +ive unto .ou $ower to tread on ser$ents and s0or$ions& and over all the $ower of the enem.3 and

nothin+ shall ;. an. means hurt .ou.I In the wonderful name of esus we have $ower over all of the tri02s of the devil& if we will Kust ;elieve and remem;er to use it. We have seen all 2inds of s$irits in0ludin+ s$irits of sui0ide 0ome rushin+ out at the name of esusJ Peo$le are set 0om$letel. free who have ;een tormented ;. the devil for .earsJ We were in northern Illinois holdin+ a series of meetin+s& and a friend of ours who had re0eived the ;a$tism under our ministr. wanted to ;rin+ some nonF 0harismati0 friends to the meetin+s. The. had heard a;out the wild !*Pente0ostals& and the even wilder (harismati0s& ;ut ;e0ause she $romised them that our meetin+s were alwa.s under 0ontrol& the. 0onsented to 0ome. The. were afraid to 0ome near the front& ;e0ause the. still werent sure what was +oin+ to ha$$en& and so the. de0ided on a $la0e on the ver. ;a02 row. -ow well we remem;er feelin+s Kust li2e that& not 2nowin+ what the Aun2nownI would do. %;out halfwa. throu+h the meetin+ I +ot a word of 2nowled+e a;out a s$irit of sui0ide& so I sto$$ed& and immediatel. said& AIn esus name& .ou s$irit of sui0ide 0ome outJI Thats all I said& and I +ot the sur$rise of m. life& and so did a lot of other $eo$leJ Three s$irits 0ame s0reamin+ out with ;loodF0urdlin+ .ells so loud that m. hair stood on end 5and so did (harles8. There is tremendous $ower in the name of esus. Tal2in+ to the three $eo$le later& ea0h had ;een 0onvin0ed that sui0ide was the onl. wa. out& and .et at the name of esus ea0h s$irit had to leave& and all three $ersons ;elieved in the name of esusJ Not all s$irits s0ream& $raise BodJ That was a ver. unusual ni+ht& ;e0ause the timid nonF0harismati0s on the

;a02 row were sittin+ ri+ht ne>t to one of the $eo$le with the s$irit of sui0ide. The. reall. +ot an initiation into the $ower of that nameJ esus 2new who -e wasJ =ver.thin+ -e said was s$o2en with +reat authorit. and $ower. -e made the most outstandin+ statements of an. $erson who ever lived on earth. -e said& AI am the li+ht of the world3 he that followeth me shall not wal2 in dar2ness& ;ut shall have the li+ht of lifeI 5 ohn ,3128. -e didnt shrivel u$ and hide ;ehind a tree& a ;ush or even a $ul$it. %s a matter of fa0t& I dont thin2 he even had a mi0ro$hone. -e Kust o$ened his mouth& and the world heardJ -e said& AI am the wa.& the truth& and the life3 no man 0ometh unto the @ather& ;ut ;. meI 5 ohn 1!3)8. -e 2new there was salvation in no other. -e 2new ;e.ond a shadow of dou;t that -e was the onl. wa.& the onl. truth and the onl. life. -e also 2new that it was im$ossi;le for an.one to 0ome to the @ather e>0e$t in -is name& and -e 0learl. and ;oldl. stated it for the world to hearJ -e even went on to sa.& A7eril.& veril.& I sa. unto .ou& -e that ;elieveth on me& the wor2s that I do shall he do alsoE and +reater wor2s than these shall he doE ;e0ause I +o unto m. @ather. %nd whatsoever .e shall as2 in m. name& that will I do& that the @ather ma. ;e +lorified in the #on. If .e shall as2 an. thin+ in m. name& I will do itJI 5 ohn 1!312F1!8. -e said that all in0lusive word AwhatsoeverI .e shall as2 in m. name& and -e meant itJ -e +ave us $ermission to use -is name so that it would +lorif. -is @atherJ 5Not for an. $ersonal +lor. for us& ;ut for the +lor. of Bod& the @atherJ -alleluKahJ8

The $romises -e made are almost im$ossi;le for the human mind to understand& ;ut -e said& AIf .e 0ontinue in m. word& then are .e m. dis0i$les indeedE %nd .e shall 2now the truth& and the truth shall ma2e .ou freeI 5 ohn ,3"1&"28. %ll we have to do is 0ontinue in ever.thin+ -e said& and we shall ;e freeJ @reedom from ever.thin+ was $romised ;. this $owerful man who stated -is $osition 0learl.. We 0an have freedom from fear& freedom from $overt.& freedom from si02ness& freedom from the fear of death& freedom from miser.. The list +oes on and on. -e $romised us this freedom& ;ut 2nowin+ that man. who would tr. to a$$ro$riate it would ;e wea2& -e +ave us a $ower& the $ower of the -ol. #$irit with whi0h to do it& and the use of that $ower lies in -is nameJ In the same wa. esus 2new who -e was& we need to 2now the $ower of -is nameJ We need to stand as ;oldl. and $ro0laim mira0les of salvation& ;a$tism& healin+ and deliveran0e to the world with all the authorit. -e used& ;e0ause in -is name -e +ave this to usJ -e not onl. +ave us this $rivile+e& -e also 0ommanded us to use it in Mar2 1). esus said& AYe have not 0hosen me& ;ut I have 0hosen .ou& and ordained .ou& that .e should +o and ;rin+ forth fruit& and that .our fruit should remain3 that whatsoever .e shall as2 of the @ather in m. name& he ma. +ive it to .ouI 5 ohn 1531)8. If .ou owned the name that was a;ove ever. other name& the name at whi0h ever. 2nee should ;ow& of thin+s in heaven& and thin+s in earth& and thin+s under the earthE and that ever. ton+ue should 0onfess that same name as <ord& to the +lor. of Bod& the @ather& 0an .ou ima+ine +ivin+ the $ower and authorit. of that name to an.one who

would sim$l. ;elieve on that nameH. . .to an.one who would dare to 0onfess his sins and as2 esus to 0ome into his heartH %nd .et -e did& -e +ave .ou and me that name whi0h has POW=C over ever.thin+ in the entire worldJ Id have a diffi0ult time +eneratin+ enou+h 0onfiden0e to $ut that $ower into earthl. ;ein+s& and .et esus 2new what -is resurre0tion $ower inside of a $erson& and that name u$on their li$s& would do. It 0ould ma2e a ti+er out of the tiniest mouseJ The name of esus ;rou+ht forth some of the +reatest mira0les in the 'i;le& and is still doin+ the same thin+ toda.. Peter and ohn were wal2in+ ;. the tem$le one da. when the. saw the lame man sittin+ there. AThen Peter said& #ilver and +old have I noneE ;ut su0h as I have +ive I thee3 In the name of esus (hrist of NaMareth rise u$ and wal2I 5%0ts "3)8. %nd the man wal2edJ Peter had no more natural $ower than .ou or I have& ;ut he used the su$ernatural name that was availa;le to him. -e used the name of esusJ I have a feelin+ that when he s$o2e it& he didnt s$ea2 it softl. and 1uietl.& as thou+h he didnt mean it. -e s$o2e it with +reat authorit. ;e0ause that name is to ;e revered a;ove all other names& and is never to ;e used in a halfFhearted manner. 'ells went off 4 din+& din+& din+. We were in #as2atoon& #as2at0hewan& (anada for a sevenFmeetin+ seminar when we saw e>a0tl. the same thin+ ha$$en in the 2:th 0entur.. When we saw Beor+ina Morin for the first time in a wheel0hair& we as2ed her wh. she was in that 0hair. #he had ;een shot in the s$ine seventeen .ears ;efore& and had ;een $aral.Med from the ne02 down ever sin0e. The onl.

$la0es ;elow her ne02 she had an. mo;ilit. at all were in the fin+ers of her left hand. The rest of her ;od. was $aral.Med. %fter tal2in+ with her ;riefl.& we said& A#ilver and +old have I none& ;ut su0h as I have& I +ive unto thee3 In the name of esus (hrist of NaMareth& rise u$ and wal2JI %nd she didntJ #he 0ame to the ne>t meetin+& and a+ain we wal2ed over to her and said& A#ilver and +old have I none& ;ut su0h as I have& I +ive unto thee3 In the name of esus (hrist of NaMareth& rise u$ and wal2JI %nd she didntJ The third meetin+& I said e>a0tl. the same thin+& and she didntJ The fourth& fifth and si>th meetin+& the same words were re$eated& and nothin+ ha$$ened. Then 0ame the seventh and final meetin+J We wal2ed over to her and I said e>a0tl. the same words I had $reviousl.& A#ilver and +old have I none& ;ut su0h as I have& I +ive unto thee3 In the name of esus (hrist of NaMareth& rise u$ and wal2JI %ND #-= DIDJ #eventeen .ears of $aral.sis were 0om$letel. +oneJ @eelin+ returned to her entire ;od.. <e+s wal2ed that had not wal2ed in seventeen .earsJ Wh.H It was nothin+ that either (harles or I did. It was ;e0ause of the $ower in the name of esusJ #im$l. the $ower that rests in that most wonderful name of all 4 =#L#J In e>$lainin+ the mira0le of the 0ri$$led man to the reli+ious ruler& Peter stated& ANeither is there salvation in an. other3 for there is none other name under heaven +iven amon+ men& where;. we must ;e savedI 5%0ts !3128.

With that one statement whi0h was stated with a;solute faith in the name of esus (hrist& Peter eliminated ever. other reli+ion in the entire world& ;e0ause it is in this name that we are savedJ -alleluKahJ This is one of the most $owerful testimonies in the entire New Testament 0on0ernin+ the name of esus. The. were $rea0hin+ the Word that throu+h esus there was resurre0tion from the dead. %ll their $rea0hin+ was done in -is nameJ ust the mere mention of the name of esus u$set the #addu0ees so mu0h that the. a;solutel. for;id them to s$ea2 at all or tea0h in the name of esus. The. 0ould tea0h and $rea0h and s$ea2 what the. thou+ht& ;ut the. were warned not to s$ea2 in the name of esus. The $riests& the 0a$tain of the tem$le& and the #addu0ees feared the name of esus. The. o;viousl. didnt fear the man esus when -e wal2ed on this earth& ;ut after -is death the. feared the name so mu0h that the. didnt even want it whis$ered& let alone shouted in $u;li0 $la0es. 'e0ause of the $ower in the name of esus& Peter and ohn said the. 0ouldnt sto$& and +reat $ower fell u$on the a$ostles as the. witnessed of the resurre0tion of the <ord esus& and A+reat +ra0e was u$on them allI 5%0ts !3""8. The. 2e$t on $rea0hin+ until the hi+h $riest and the #addu0ees were so mad that the. $ut them in $rison& and then the $rison doors were o$ened ;. an an+el and the. 0ame out of the Kail. When the hi+h $riest heard a;out this& he had them ;rou+ht ;a02 a+ain and said& ADid not we straitl. 0ommand .ou that .e should not tea0h in this nameHI 5%0ts 532,8. 'ut the. were afraid to lo02 them u$ a+ain ;e0ause of the $ower in the name of esus& so the. ;eat them and

0ommanded them not to s$ea2 in the name of esus& then the. let them +o. . .and ;e0ause of the $ower in that name of esus& the. 0ontinued $rea0hin+ and tea0hin+ esus (hrist. -alleluKahJ The name of esus s$o2en with ;elief ma2es the sinner nervous. -e 0ant stand it& ;e0ause he feels the $ower 0ontained in those five little letters. Blor. to BodJ I had ;een sharin+ with a friend a;out what esus had done in m. life& and was sa.in+& A esus did this& and esus did thatJI when suddenl. she interru$ted me and said& AI li2e to listen to whats ha$$enin+ to .ou and I love to hear a;out the mira0les& ;ut will .ou sto$ usin+ the name of esusJ It ma2es me so nervous I 0ant stand stillJI It made her nervous ;e0ause she did not wal2 in the $ower of that nameJ Theres $ower in the name of esus& re+ardless of who .oure tal2in+ to& or what .oure tal2in+ a;out& as lon+ as .oure tal2in+ in -is nameJ If .ou want to sto$ a sinner ri+ht in his tra02s when .ou hear him usin+ the name of esus in vain& loo2 around and sa.& AWhere is -eH Where is esusHI Youll ;e sur$rised at what ha$$ens. %fter all& if the sinner is +oin+ to use the name of esus $rofanel.& we should demand e1ual time to use it in the wa. it was intendedJ Does the sinner 2now that there is $ower in that name& even thou+h its not availa;le to him at the momentH Is there an.thin+ that will ma2e a (hristian shudder more than to hear the name of his ;eloved #avior ta2en ;las$hemousl. on the li$s of the sinnerH %lmost an. other word whi0h 0omes in the 0ate+or. of swearin+ does not have the im$a0t of the name of esusJ That is wh. the sinner& in his vilest& an+riest moments ta2es the most

$owerful name in all the world u$on his li$s& ;e0ause even he realiMes that name has $owerJ The name of esus 0an ;rin+ safet. in times of dan+er. Our dau+hter& oan& and I were drivin+ down the freewa. one da. and as we 0ame down the offFram$ onto the feeder street& the ;ra2es went out on the 0ar. #in0e the offFram$ was downhill& the 0ar was a00eleratin+. It was a rain. da.& the streets were sli02& and oan s0reamed& APra.& Mother& the ;ra2es are outJI Instantl. we ;oth too2 that name a;ove all names on our li$s& A esusJI oan swun+ left under the freewa. to avoid the traffi0& and there loomed ri+ht in front of us a ;i+ tru02 haulin+ Kun2. We re$eated the name of esus a+ain& and the tru02 mira0ulousl. and su$ernaturall. $ulled over in the ri+htF hand lane and we whi$$ed to the left a+ain and 0ame to a haltJ No one had hit usE we had hit no one. %nd we 2now ;e.ond a shadow of dou;t& that we were safe ;e0ause of the name of esusJ -alleluKahJ I remem;er one time when we had a series of meetin+s in a 0it.. Our final meetin+ was on #aturda. ni+ht& and the s$onsorin+ or+aniMation had for+otten to ;rin+ alon+ a 0he02 to e>0han+e for the 0ash in the offerin+. We said we would ta2e the 0ash ;a02 to our room& and then ta2e it home on the $lane the ne>t da.J We never do that ;e0ause of the dan+er& ;ut this ni+ht without a sin+le thou+ht a;out the dan+er& we too2 the 0ash with us and drove off. The auditorium was 0lose to the hotel& and the 0ou$le drivin+ us dro$$ed us off at the ;a02 of the ;uildin+ ;e0ause of the diffi0ult. of +ettin+ to the front with the oneF wa. streets.

%s we started to wal2 towards the ;a02 door& three men a$$eared out of nowhere& one standin+ ;etween us and the door& one standin+ at the door& and one inside the door. One had a ;i+ metal AafroI 0om; whi0h he was runF flin+ his fin+ers over. We 0ould hear his fin+ernails on the shar$ metal $oints. The devil was rearin+ his u+l. headJ We felt a demoni0 $resen0e. -owever& Bod reall. $rote0ted us& ;e0ause we never 0han+ed ste$s& hesitated& or even $aused. 'oth of us instantl. whis$ered the name of esus as (harles s1ueeMed m. arm& and we saw a mira0le ha$$en ri+ht in front of our e.esJ The first $erson ;owed in front of us& the se0ond one o$ened the door& and the third one who had the ;i+ metal 0om;& o$ened the se0ond door whi0h $ut us safel. inside the hotel. A%t the name of esus& ever. 2nee shall ;owJI We 0alml. wal2ed inside to the stairwa. leadin+ to the lo;;.& and the minute we turned the 0orner& we ;oth instantl. ranJ There had ;een no s$o2en 0ommuni0ation ;etween the two of us& ;ut we had ;oth felt the same sinister demoni0 $ower. We had ;oth ta2en the name of =#L# on our li$s& and we ;oth ran to the elevator as fast as we 0ouldJ Praise Bod for that name that is a;ove ever. name& the name that even $rote0ts us from a00identsJ I love what esus said in Matthew 2,31,& A%ll $ower is +iven unto me in heaven and in earth.I -e had no dou;t whatsoever as to -is 1ualifi0ations and a;ilities& and .et -e willin+l. $assed this on to us. In Mar2 1)31*F1, -e sa.s& A%nd these si+ns shall follow them that ;elieveE In m. name shall the. 0ast out devilsE the. shall s$ea2 with new ton+uesE The. shall ta2e u$ ser$entsE and if the. drin2 an. deadl. thin+& it shall not

hurt themE the. shall la. hands on the si02& and T-=Y #-%<< C=(O7=C.I What $ower -e +ives to us Kust ;. usin+ -is wonderful and hol. name. -e +ives us $ower over all the enem. and -e sa.s that we 0an 0ast out devils. We dont need to ;e tormented ;. devils& si02ness& fear or disease. We have ;een +iven a name to use in these situations& a name that ;rin+s fear to the devil himselfJ We were in %l;u1uer1ue& New Me>i0o& for a seminar when a tin. +irl named 'elinda was ;rou+ht in durin+ the lun0h time ;rea2. #he had 0ontra0ted a virus whi0h was destro.in+ her mus0les& and she was shrivelin+ u$ and d.in+ a slow death. % friend had 0alled her $arents and told them a;out our servi0es& and the. ;rou+ht 'elinda. -ow we $raised Bod we hadnt +one to lun0h. 'efore we $ra.ed& 'elinda loo2ed u$ and said& AIve +ot faith in BodJI We $ra.ed and told her to +et u$ and wal2 in the name of esusJ #he shot out of the wheel0hair li2e she was a ro02et& ;ut 0rum$led to the floor ;e0ause her little le+s did not hold her. 'ut we 2new that she had ;een healedJ (harles $i02ed her u$& and set her on her feet a+ain& and said& AIn esus nameJI This time she didnt fall downJ #he wal2ed& and wal2ed& and wal2edJ #he 2new that the $ower in the name of esus had healed herJ esus& how we than2 .ou for +ivin+ us the ri+ht and the authorit. to use .our name whi0h ;rin+s healin+ and deliveran0e.

It was a dou;le thrill for us in %l;u1uer1ue. 'o;;.& the wife of a (hristian ;oo2store owner had 0ome to a meetin+ with an in0ura;le disease five .ears $reviousl.. #he was on 0rut0hes with her le+s dan+lin+ li2e the. didnt have an. ;ones in them. The. loo2ed li2e the le+s on a ru;;er doll. #he was the first one at that earlier meetin+& and sat ri+ht in the middle of the front row. When she 0ame in& she said& AI ;elieve when .ou $ra. for me& Ill ;e healedJI While we were ma2in+ $re$arations for the meetin+& she 2e$t sa.in+ e>0itedl.& AToni+hts m. ni+ht to ;e healedJI Durin+ the meetin+ she 0ame u$ on 0rut0hes& and when we $ra.ed in esus name& she fell under the $ower. We dont alwa.s remem;er the details ;ut she told us later that I threw her. (rut0hes a0ross the room and said& AYoull never need them a+ainJI %ll I remem;er is that she loo2ed $atheti0 on the floor& stru++lin+ to +et u$ with those le+s of ru;;er& ;ut I 2e$t whis$erin+ over and over a+ain the name A esusJI @inall.& she made it u$& and althou+h she was wal2in+& she didnt loo2 li2e she was healed. 'ut we loo2 not with the natural e.es& ;ut with the e.es of faith. %t the meetin+ where tin. 'elinda was healed& 'o;;ie 0ame to tell us of her healin+ five .ears ;efore. #he said& AThe onl. thin+ I havent ;een a;le to do is dan0e&I so (harles said& A(ome on& lets dan0e ;efore the <ord ri+ht nowJI %nd dan0e she didJ Man. $eo$le wonder if the name of esus is Kust a tem$orar. thin+ to hel$ out momentaril.& or if there is enou+h $ower in that name to last forever. We sa. a ;i+ A%menI to the fa0t that the $ower whi0h rests in the name of esus doesnt diminish and disa$$ear and that is wh. healin+s lastJ

Ive seen $eo$le who were eatin+ some su$er deli0ious dinner& relish the taste u$on their li$s and ton+ueE I feel e>a0tl. that same wa. a;out the name of esusJ It should ;e held on our li$s& savored and relished until we 0an understand and 2now the love and $ower that is in that nameJ When we sold the first ;uildin+ whi0h housed -unter Ministries& we were +oin+ to ;e out of town when the 0ontra0t was to ;e si+ned. We si+ned $a$ers +ivin+ the $ower of attorne. to a mem;er of our firm& so that he 0ould si+n for us in this $arti0ular transa0tion. '. assi+nin+ this $ower to him& we +ave him the $rivile+e to use our name as thou+h we had a0tuall. ;een there and si+ned the $a$ers ourselves. This is e>a0tl. what esus did for us when -e said we 0ould use -is name to do even +reater wor2s than -e did while -e was on this earth. #ometimes we fail to realiMe the a;solute authorit. of esus that ;elon+s to us as ;ornFa+ain #$iritFfilled ;elieversJ -e +ave us the $rivile+e and $ower that -e had when -e wal2ed on this earth to do mira0les. We dont have to see -im. We dont have to feel -im. We dont have to tou0h -im. We Kust have to ;elieve what -e saidJ Thats all. ust ta2e the name of esus& and then +o and do the thin+s -e told us to do& with the authorit. and $ower that Cetold us to useJ We didnt have to ;e there with the em$lo.ee to whom we +ave the $ower of attorne.. We didnt have to si+n the $a$ers in advan0e. -e didnt have to see us. T-=C=# POW=C IN T-= N%M= O@ =#L# )1

-e didnt have to feel us. -e didnt have to tou0h us. -e Kust ;elieved that the authorit. we had +iven him would wor2& and it didJ 'eloved& if we would Kust ;elieve that whatever esus sa.s we 0an do& we 0an doJ esus ;e0ame Bod in the flesh when -e 0ame to earth& and the $ower of Bods -ol. #$irit that ena;led -im to do mira0les was +iven to us in -is nameJ Pee2 at the /th 0ha$ter of %0ts a+ain& will .ouH The <ord 0ame to a 0ertain dis0i$le at Damas0us named %nanias and told him to +o and $ut his hands on #aul of Tarsus that he mi+ht re0eive his si+ht. (an .ou ima+ine the fri+ht he had in his heartH 7erses 1 and 2 sa.3 A%nd #aul& .et ;reathin+ out threatenin+s and slau+hter a+ainst the dis0i$les of the <ord& went unto the hi+h $riest& %nd desired of him letters to Damas0us to the s.na+o+ues& that if he found an. of this wa. 5the wa. of life as determined ;. faith in esus (hrist8 whether the. were men or women& he mi+ht ;rin+ them ;ound unto erusalem.I %nanias 1ualified for this listJ Paul 0ould ;rin+ him ;ound into the 0it. of erusalem. Now he was ;ein+ told to +o and la. hands on this same man. -e $ro;a;l. was shiverin+ and sha2in+ in his ;oots& so he said& A<ord& I have heard ;. man. of this man& how mu0h evil he hath done to th. saints at erusalem3 %nd here he hath authorit. from the 0hief $riests to ;ind all that 0all on th. nameI 5vs 1"F1!8. -e 2new that Paul des$ised an.one who used the name of esus and that was his reason for $erse0utin+ them& ;ut in verse 15 we find the answer3 AThe <ord said unto him& Bo th. wa.3 for he is a 0hosen

vessel unto me& to ;ear m. name ;efore the Bentiles& and 2in+s& and the 0hildren of Israel3I That is e>a0tl. what Bod has done for us. We are 0hosen vessels to ;ear the name of esus to all the world. We thin2 ;e0ause were not missionaries to %fri0a or (hina that we are not 0hosen vessels& ;ut we %C= 0hosen to ;ear the name of esus to our famil.& to our nei+h;ors& to our store2ee$ers& and to all whom the -ol. #$irit sends our wa.. One ni+ht I was 1uestionin+ Bod as to wh. -e hadnt saved me ;efore I was !/. I ima+ine Paul sometime in his life wondered wh. he wasnt saved earlier too& and Im sure that Bods answer to me was the same as Pauls. Possi;l. worded a little differentl.& ;ut with the same meanin+& ;e0ause -e said3 AYou are a 0hosen vessel and I have trained .ou to understand the $ro;lems of sin& and to ;ear the name of esus to $eo$le li2e .ourself& who have ;een involved in 0hur0hianit. instead of (hristianit.JI Thats e>a0tl. the $eo$le Bod has 0hosen me to tell a;out the name of esus. . .the ones who are sufferin+ under the same ;onda+e I had for .earsE the ;onda+e of reli+iosit.J These are $eo$le who 2now all a;out i0e 0ream so0ials& 0hur0h su$$ers& ladies teas and rumma+e sales& ;ut do not 2now a;out the wonder and the $ower in the ;eautiful name of esusJ Peo$le who live an entire lifetime in the shadows of defeat ;e0ause the. have not learned the $ower of the name of esusJ Power to ;e healedJ Power to ;e deliveredJ Power to ;e set free from $overt.J

Power to live a;ove sinJ Power to live in vi0tor.J We 0an ;elieve in a $artial esus& or we 0an ;elieve in a total esusJ ohn 1312 sa.s& A'ut as man. as re0eived him& to them +ave he $ower to ;e0ome the sons of Bod& even to them that ;elieve on his name.I It is im$ossi;le to ;e saved without ;elievin+ on the name of esus. This $art is not diffi0ult to ;elieve& ;e0ause ever. ;ornFa+ain ;eliever ;elieves in the name of esus for salvation& ;ut sometimes we have diffi0ult. in other areas. The name of esus will ;rin+ healin+J The name of esus will ;rin+ deliveran0eJ The name of esus will ;rin+ $ros$erit.J The name of esus will ;rin+ vi0tor.J Not the name (hristE not the name ehovahE not the name <am; of BodE not the name =l #haddaiE not the name 6in+ of 6in+s or <ord of <ordsE not the name =mmanuel& ;ut the ver. name esusJ <ets learn to use the name esus& over and over until we dis0over the hidden $ower that is in that name a;ove all namesJ #ometimes the ;est thin+s we ever sa. in life are said in deathJ %nd isnt it amaMin+ how we never for+et the last thin+ a loved one said to usH The last words m. mother ever said to m. sister and to me were& AYou +irls ;e +ood +irlsJI I mi+ht not have alwa.s ;een a +ood +irl and ;een o;edient to her wishes& ;ut I 0ertainl. have not for+otten them& and when I ;e0ame a (hristian& m. mothers words e0hoed in m. mind& and how I wish I had heeded them .ears sooner. %s esus life was drawin+ to a 0lose -e ;e+an to +ive -is dis0i$les advi0e on what the. should do when -e left& and -e ;e+an tellin+ them to use -is name.

In ohn 1!31! -e told us that if we as2ed an. thin+ in -is name he would do it. % little later on -e said that -is @ather would send the (omforter in -is name& who would tea0h us all thin+s. The $ower of the (hristian life was sent to earth in the name of esus. In no other name 0an the $ower of the (hristian life ;e re0eived. Over and over -e said to as2 in -is name& and it would ;e doneJ One of the most thrillin+ stories I have ever heard 0on0erns the tremendous $ower that lies in the name of esus. % .oun+ man named Bar. Wood was 2illed in an automo;ile a00ident. -e went to heaven and was havin+ a wonderful time with the first $erson he met who was a friend of his. -is friend had ;een de0a$itated several .ears ;efore& and it was a Ko. to tal2 to him. The. were strollin+ throu+h the wonders of heaven& and Bar. was enKo.in+ ever. sin+le minute of it when his friend said to him& AYou 0ant sta. here.I Bar. said& AWh.H I dont want to leave.I 'ut his friend said& AYouve +ot to& ;e0ause shes usin+ that name.I Then he added& A<oo2 down at the earth at the a00ident where .ou were 2illed. Your sister is 0r.in+& A esus& esus& dont let him dieHI It is ;e0ause of the $ower in that name that .ou have to +o ;a02JI %nd Bar. returned to his earthl. life ;e0ause of the $ower in the name of esusJ A. . .and his name shall ;e 0alled Wonderful& (ounselor& The mi+ht. Bod& The everlastin+ @ather& The Prin0e of Pea0eI 5Isaiah /3)8. That is what we should 0all -im at all times. -is name is Wonderful& (ounselor& The mi+ht. Bod&

The =verlastin+ @ather& The Prin0e of Pea0eJI -is name is all in all and over all& e>0e$t Bod -imselfJ AWorth. is the <am; that was slain to re0eive $ower& and ri0hes& and wisdom& and stren+th& and honor& and +lor.& and ;lessin+I 5Cev. 53128. This is how we should loo2 at the name of esus& as the name is full of $ower and ri0hes& and wisdom& and stren+th& and honor& and +lor.& and ;lessin+J I thin2 of the innumera;le times we have 0alled on the name of esusJ #ometimes for ;i+ thin+s& and man. times for small thin+s& ;ut -e has alwa.s ;een faithful to the Word whi0h sa.s -is name is a;ove ever. other name. We were in (onne0ti0ut one .ear durin+ to;a00o +rowin+ time. I had never seen to;a00o +row in the field& and didnt 2now that it 0ould loo2 a;solutel. ;eautiful and lush and +reen. %s we 0ame into the 0it. and noti0ed all these ;eautiful fields& man. of whi0h were +rowin+ under what loo2ed li2e a hu+e +auMe 0overin+& I in1uired of the 0a; driver what the. were. -e told me it was to;a00oJ When the <ord delivered me of 0i+arettes ri+ht after I was saved& I understood the $ro;lems of $eo$le who de$end on 0i+arettes for a num;er of thin+s& in0ludin+ nerves& wei+ht& fear& et0.& and at that time -e +ave me a ministr. to loose $eo$le from this ;onda+e of the devil. %ll I 0ould see in those ;eautiful fields of +reen were hundreds& thousands and $ro;a;l. even millions of 0i+arettes. I remem;ered the stor. of esus and the fi+ tree and how the fi+ tree witheredJ I $ra.ed a 1ui02 $ra.er and said& A@ather& in the name of esus& I as2 .ou to wither those to;a00o $lants& wither them& wither them& wither themJI

The ne>t mornin+ I 0ame out of the To;a00o 7alle. Inn 5what a name for the motel the. $ut us in8 and the to;a00o $lants were flourishin+& so on0e a+ain I $ra.ed& AIn esus name& wither them& wither them& wither them& @ather.I The ne>t mornin+ the $lants were still flourishin+& so I $ra.ed the same $ra.er a+ain& AIn the name of esus& @ather& wither those to;a00o $lants& wither those to;a00o $lantsJI When we left town three da.s later& the $lants were still thrivin+& ;ut a;out two wee2s after we +ot home& we re0eived several letters whi0h said& ADid .ou hear a;out the tornado whi0h swe$t throu+h this area& u$rootin+ all the to;a00o $lants& and now the. are l.in+ out in the sun& witherin+ awa.JI -alleluKahJ Theres $ower in the name of esusJ 5#$e0ial note3 We immediatel. as2ed Bod to re$la0e the to;a00o 0ro$s with an even more $rofita;le 0ro$ so the farmers wouldnt lose outJ8 We heard re0entl. that a lar+e warehouse had ;een ;uilt on this $ro$ert.J One mornin+ when (harles was shavin+ in the ;athroom& he ;ent over to $i02 somethin+ u$ from the floor& and hit his head on the tile sin2. The ;low was so terrifi0 he sta++ered and felt momentaril. that he was +oin+ to ;la02 out& ;ut he whis$ered the name& A =#L#&I and instantl. all $ain disa$$eared and he didnt even have a mar2 on his head to indi0ate what had ha$$enedJ Theres $ower in the name of esusJ The ;oo2 of (olossians is one of m. favorites in the 'i;le& and the third 0ha$ter is loaded with +ems and instru0tions a;out livin+ the (hristian life in vi0tor.J A<et the word 5s$o2en ;.8 the (hrist& the Messiah& have its home 5in .our hearts and minds8 and dwell in .ou in 5all

its8 ri0hness& as .ou tea0h and admonish and train one another in all insi+ht and intelli+en0e and wisdom 5in s$iritual thin+s& and sin+8 $salms and h.mns and s$iritual son+s& ma2in+ melod. to Bod with 5-is8 +ra0e in .our hearts. %nd whatever .ou do 4 no matter what it is 4 in word or deed& do ever.thin+ in the name of the <ord esus and in 5de$enden0e u$on8 -is Person& +ivin+ $raise to Bod the @ather throu+h -imI 5(ol. "31)F1* %m$.8. Plain& sim$le& 0lear instru0tions that ever.thin+ we do is to ;e done in the name of esusJ The -ol. #$irit was sent to u$lift the name of esus and when we are filled to the to$ and overflowin+& it is eas. for ever.thin+ to ;e done and said in the wonderful name of esusJ ANo matter what it is 4 in word or deed& do =7=CYT-INB in the name of esusJI =ver. sin+le thin+ that we do and sa. should ;e said and done in the $ower of the name of esusJ Thin2 of that mornin+ when .ou wo2e u$ feelin+ misera;le with s.m$toms of flu& stiffness in .our Koints& and fever. 'eloved& in those moments stand ri+ht u$ to #atan. Tell him that .oure wal2in+& and tal2in+& and a0tin+& in the name of esus& and +ivin+ $raise to Bod in %<< thin+s& and see what ha$$ens to those s.m$toms. The devil 0annot stand u$ a+ainst the $ower thats in the name of esusJ Dont let the devil tal2 .ou down 4 theres a lot more $ower in the name of esus than there is in the name of #atanJ -alleluKah& were on the winnin+ sideJ =$hesians !32/ sa.s& A<et no 0orru$t 0ommuni0ation $ro0eed out of .our mouth& ;ut that whi0h is +ood to the use of edif.in+& that it ma. minister +ra0e unto the hearers.I That means& let ever.thin+ that .ou sa. +lorif.

Bod and (hrist esusJ =ver. time we +ossi$& 0om$lain or 0riti0iMe& we are +lorif.in+ the devil instead of esusJ #ome of the most 0orru$t 0ommuni0ations Ive ever heard 0omes from the mouths of (hristians. Not ;e0ause the.re usin+ what the world 0alls AfoulI lan+ua+e& ;ut ;e0ause the.re usin+ lan+ua+e that is in dire0t o$$osition to what the Word of Bod sa.sJ In ;ase;all& a AfoulI ;all is one that is not inside the ;orders of the +ame. In (hristianit.& a AfoulI senten0e is one that is not inside the ;orders of the Word of Bod. What fun it would ;e for all of us to re0ord ever.thin+ we sa. durin+ a da. and then line it u$ a00ordin+ to the Word of Bod and Kud+e our hits and foul ;alls for that da.J When the da. 0omes that we are aware of how mu0h our dail. 0onversation does not line u$ with the Word of Bod& that will ;e the da. of +reat vi0tor.J What would ha$$en if at the end of ever. senten0e durin+ a twent.Ffour hour $eriod we added the words& AIn esus nameJI What would our 0onversation sound li2eJ AI dont have enou+h mone. to $a. m. ;ills 4 in esus nameJI AIm si02 4 in esus nameJI AIm lonel. 4 in esus nameJI AIve +ot ;ad ha;its 4 in esus nameJI #ounds terri;le& doesnt itH %nd do .ou 2now wh.H 'e0ause ever. senten0e is in dire0t o$$osition to what the Word of Bod sa.sJ The Word of Bod sa.s& A'eloved& I wish a;ove all thin+s that thou ma.est $ros$er and ;e in health& even as th. soul $ros$erethI 5III ohn 28. The Word sa.s& A-imself too2 our infirmities& and ;are our si02nessesI 5Matt. ,31*8.

The Word of Bod sa.s& A%nd now I am 0omin+ to .ou. I have told them man. thin+s while I was with them so T-%T T-=Y WOL<D '= @I<<=D WIT- MY OYI 5 ohn 1*31" T<'8. The Word of Bod sa.s& ABreater is he that is in .ou& than he that is in the worldI 5I ohn !3!8. Cemem;er the Breater One lives inside of .ou. esus said& AI am the wa.& the truth& and the lifeI 5 ohn 1!3)8. We need to remem;er that -is wa. must ;e our wa.& -is truth must ;e our truth& and -is life must ;e our lifeJ We 0annot ho$e to have the thin+s that -is name will ;rin+ if we do not fulfill the 0onditions that are laid down in Bods Word. It seems so sim$le to use the name of esus& we wonder wh. it doesnt wor2 for us& ;ut it does and will wor2 for an.one who has ta2en the time to find out what Bods Word has to sa. a;out that wonderful name that is a;ove ever. other nameJ %ll $ower in heaven and earth is in that ;eautiful name and to +et a +lim$se of what lies ;e.ond that& we need to learn to use that name in the wa. esus intended for us to use it. -is name u$on .our li$s 0an ;rin+ wholeness and holiness to .our lifeJ -is name u$on .our li$s 0an ;rin+ Ko. to .our lifeJ -is name u$on .our li$s 0an ;rin+ healin+ to .our ;od.J -is name u$on .our li$s 0an ;rin+ deliveran0e from ;ad ha;itsJ -is name u$on .our li$s 0an ;rin+ vi0tor. over #atanJ -is name on .our li$s is the differen0e ;etween life and death.

-is name u$on .our li$s is the entran0e to the a;undant life on this earth. -is name u$on .our li$s is the entran0e to eternal life in heavenJ Put it on .our li$s ri+ht now& #a. with me3 =#L#J =#L#J =#L#J

Chapter Three

Si"ple as #$ %& C
I love ;ein+ a (hristian ;e0ause it is so 0om$letel. un0om$li0atedJ When I was a sinner I had to wor2 hard all the time tr.in+ to have fun and e>0itement in m. life. Now its all 0han+ed ;e0ause of what esus did in m. lifeJ esus never made an.thin+ diffi0ult for us. -e made it all ver. sim$le and eas.. I loo2ed u$ the word Asim$leI in the di0tionar. and +ot a ;i+ sur$rise ;e0ause it has a;out as man. definitions as an. word Ive ever seen. -ere are some of the thin+s Mr. We;ster sa.s the word Asim$leI means3 ANot 0om$ounded or 0om$le>E not 0om$li0ated or involvedE eas. to doE without +uile or de0eitE un$retendin+ and natural.I Thin2 of all those words in relation to esus. The. all a$$l.. -e said& GM. .o2e is eas. and M. ;urden is li+ht 5Matt. 113":8. The entire se0ret of (hristianit. 0an ;e summed u$ in two little senten0es. Do what Bod tells .ou to do. Suit doin+ what Bod tells .ou not to doJ. . .and .ouve +ot it madeJ Thats all there is to the (hristian life& and Bod +ives us su0h a sim$le and eas.FtoFunderstand ;lue$rint that we should never ;e over0ome ;. an. $ro;lems. esus said some interestin+ thin+s in the ;oo2 of Cevelation 0on0ernin+ who -e is. -e said& AI am the %l$ha and the Ome+a& the 'e+innin+ and the =nd&. . . who is and who was and who is to 0ome& the %lmi+ht.I 5Cev. 13,8.

-e re$eated -imself a+ain in Cev. 1311& AI am the %l$ha and the Ome+a& the @irst and the <ast.I %+ain -e re$eated -imself in Cev. 2 13)& A... am the %l$ha and the Ome+a& the 'e+innin+ and the =nd.I Then in Cev. 2231" -e summed it all u$ and said& AI am the %l$ha and the Ome+a& the 'e+innin+ and the =nd& the @irst and the <ast.I -e is the first& and -es also the last. -e is ever.thin+ from % to ?J -e is ever.thin+ we need& ever.thin+ we lon+ for& ever.thin+ we ho$e forJ In the da. and time in whi0h we live& Bod is 0allin+ his $eo$le to vi0tor. more than ever ;eforeJ -es 0allin+ us to let -im ;e the % to ? in our lives and to stand on -is $romises more than ever ;efore. -ere are the %'(s of (hristianit. as I see them. <earn them as .ou learned the al$ha;et when .ou were little& and the. will serve .ou all the da.s of .our lifeJ ACT 4 Bod wants us to %(T on -is WordJ -e sa.s& A%s2& and it will ;e +iven to .ouE see2& and .ou will findE 2no02& and it will ;e o$ened to .ou. @or ever.one who as2s re0eives& and he who see2s finds& and to him who 2no02s it will ;e o$enedI 5Matt. *3*&,8. -e doesnt sa. ;e+. -e doesnt sa. $lead. -e sim$l. sa.s to as2& and 2now that it will ;e +iven unto us. -e sa.s to a0t on -is Word for answersJ BELIEVE 4 Bod wants us to ;elieveJ <ets ;elieve that ABod is not a man& that -e should lie& Nor a son of man& that -e should re$ent. -as -e said& and will -e not do itH Or has -e s$o2en& and will -e not ma2e it +oodHI 5Num. 2"31/8.

What shall we ;elieveH =ver.thin+ the Word sa.s. Praise Bod we dont have to s$end time dis$rovin+ or dis$utin+ the Word. Its true& and it wor2sJ You 0ouldnt +o $ast the letter A'I without ma2in+ some referen0e to the word A;lessin+I ;e0ause the sim$le (hristian life is full of ;lessin+s. Were ;lessed 0omin+ in& were ;lessed +oin+ out& were ;lessed in the 0it. and were ;lessed in the field. Were the head and not the tail& were a;ove and not ;eneathJ 'lessin+s and ;lessin+s are oursJ Bod 0ommands -is ;lessin+s to 0ome u$on us and overta2e us& so when we Kust do what -e sa.s& were full to overflowin+ with the ;lessin+s of BodJ 4 We are 0alled u$on to ;e dis0i$les we are 0alled to ;e saints& we are 0alled of (hrist& we are 0alled a00ordin+ to -is $ur$ose& we are 0alled to ;e friendsJ Bod is 0allin+ -is $eo$le to rise a;ove 0ir0umstan0es and 0all into ;ein+ those thin+s that ;e not as thou+h the. areJ 5#ee Comans !31*8. A(I means 0leansed ;. the ;lood of esus. AIf we 0onfess our sins& -e is faithful and Kust to for+ive us our sins and to 0leanse us from all unri+hteousnessI 5I ohn 13/8. %nd when were 0leansed& that means were not +uilt. an. lon+er& our sins are washed awa.& and were wal2in+ in vi0tor.. We 0an loo2 #atan& the old a00user& in the e.e now and sa.& ANot +uilt.JI -alleluKahJ DECIDE 4 AYou shall also de0ide and de0ree a thin+ and it shall ;e esta;lished for .ou& and the li+ht Pof Bods favorQ shall shine u$on .our wa.sI 5 o; 2232, %m$8. You 0an de0ide in .our own

CALLED

mind and set into motion a desire of Bods will and see it 0ome to $ass. Bod is so +ood to us ;e0ause -e never ta2es awa. our ri+ht to 0hoose& so we 0an ma2e our de0isions a;out followin+ -im or the devil. We dont have to ta2e the devils 0hoi0es& we have Bods. This is the da. of de0isionJ EXCELLENT 4 =ver.thin+ we do is e>0ellent ;e0ause we are 0reated in the ima+e of Bod& and -is e>0ellen0. is mentioned throu+hout the Word& A: <ord& Our <ord& -ow e>0ellent is Your name in all the earth& You who set Your +lor. a;ove the heavensJI 5Ps. ,318. A%nd to the saints who are on the earth& GThe. are the e>0ellent ones& in whom is all m. deli+ht A5Ps. 1)3"8. We are the e>0ellent ones& and we are the ver. deli+ht of BodJ =a0h and ever. 0hild of Bod is 0alled to e>0el 4 not to ;e medio0re& ;ut to e>0el throu+h Bods $ower. APraise -im for -is mi+ht. a0tsE Praise -im a00ordin+ to -is e>0ellent +reatnessJI 5Ps. 15:328. Blor. to Bod& we are ;lessed and $rivile+ed to $raise -im for his e>0ellent +reatnessJ A<isten& for I will s$ea2 of e>0ellent thin+s& %nd from the o$enin+ of m. li$s will 0ome ri+ht thin+sEI 5Pr. ,3)8. We hear e>0ellent thin+s from -im& so who wants to listen to the devilH A#in+ to the <ord& @or -e has done e>0ellent thin+sE This is 2nown in all the earthI 5Isaiah 12358. We even +et to lift our s$irits ;. sin+in+ a;out all the wonderful and e>0ellent thin+s he has doneJ FIRE 4 esus ;a$tiMed us with fire so that we would ;e ;laMin+ for the 2in+dom of Bod.

ohn said& AI indeed ;a$tiMe .ou with water unto re$entan0e& ;ut -e who is 0omin+ after me is mi+htier than I& whose sandals I am not worth. to 0arr.. -e will ;a$tiMe .ou with the -ol. #$irit and fireI 5Matt. "3118. @ire ;urns out the 0arnal nature. Turn u$ the flameJ <et the world see .our li+ht shine& A@or our Bod is a 0onsumin+ fireI 5-e;. 1232/8. <et the fire of -is love literall. 0onsume .ouJ GLORY 4 Bod wants us to ;e 0han+ed Afrom +lor. to +lor.I 5II (orinthians "31,8 4 so that we will alwa.s trium$h in (hristJ There is no defeat in esusJ -ow do we +et 0han+ed from this +lor. to +lor.H Its so sim$le& Kust li2e ever.thin+ esus tells us to do.

GIVE 4 +ive .our life 4 +ive .our talents 4 +ive

.our mone. 4+ive .our time 4+ive .our all& and .oull wal2 in the +lor. of BodJ HEAL 4 esus said& Athe. will la. hands on the si02& and the. will re0overI 5Mar2 1)31,8. -ealin+ is our Ko;. -ealin+ is our $rivile+e. -ealin+ is our desire. -ealin+ is our inheritan0e alon+ with healthJ Bet those hands ;us.& la.in+ them on the si02& and wat0h the divine health ;e+in to flow into .our own ;od.J

INHERITANCE 4 Bod wants us to 2now what our inheritan0e isJ The ri0hest and +reatest $otential in the world is our ver. own lives when we invest them in the 6in+dom of

Bod and dis0over all the ri+hts& $rivile+es and ;lessin+s that are ours. =ver.thin+ we have is invested in somethin+& and the ;est A;lue 0hi$I sto02 in the world is the investment of our lives in esusJ 'est +uaranteed returns in the entire worldJ JOY 4 o. is 0onta+ious. (hristianit. is 0onta+ious& ;ut onl. if its full of Ko.J esus 0ame that we mi+ht have Ko. to the fullest e>tent so that our 0u$ would a0tuall. run over. The Ko. of the <ord is our stren+thJ In the $resen0e of Bod is the fullness of Ko.J CeKoi0e with e>0eedin+l. +reat Ko. Kust li2e the wise men did when the. saw the starJ =nter into the Ko. of the <ordJ <et -is Ko. ;e fulfilled in .ouJ KNOW 4 <ets 6NOW that we 6NOW that we 6NOW that esus is livin+ in our hearts. <ets 6NOW that we 6NOW that we 6NOW that Bod is aliveJ esus said& AIf .ou a;ide in M. word& .ou are M. dis0i$les indeed. %nd .ou shall 2now the truth& and the truth shall ma2e .ou freeI 5 ohn ,3"1&"28. Were free& were free& ;e0ause we 2now the truth. That word was used ;. ohn more than an. of the other dis0i$les. -e used it 1:* times 0om$ared to the ,1 times used ;. Paul& ;ut in the ;oo2 of =Me2iel Athe. shall 2nowI is used *5 timesJ 6now the wa. to Bod. 6now the -ol. #$irit. 6now the onl. true Bod. 6now that we are in -im. The +reatest thin+ in all the world is 6NOWINB BODJ

LOVE 4 <ove Bod with all our hearts& minds and

soulsJ <ove .our nei+h;or as well as .ourself. <ove .our enemies& and wat0h them ;e0ome 0onvertedJ esus said to love -im and 2ee$ -is 0ommandments. @or Bod so loved the world that -e +ave =#L#. esus loved us so mu0h that -e +ave -is life for usJ <et the 0onstrainin+ love of (hrist ;e the motivatin+ for0e in .our life. The love of Bod is shed a;road in our hearts ;. the -ol. #$iritJ Bod loves a 0heerful +iver& so lets ;e loved as well as lovin+ sim$l. ;. +ivin+J MOUNTAIN MOVERS 4 Bod wants us to ;e mountain movers& not valle. di++ersJ Mountains are moved throu+h faith& and we have the BodF2ind of faith that 0an wal2 throu+h all 2inds of 0ir0umstan0es 4 ;e0ause Bod +ave it to ea0h and ever. one of us. Lse itJ A@or assuredl.& I sa. to .ou& whoever sa.s to this mountain& G'e removed and ;e 0ast into the sea& and does not dou;t in his heart& ;ut ;elieves that those thin+s he sa.s will 0ome to $ass& he will have whatever he sa.sI 5Mar2 1132"8. <ets ;e mountain movers. %ll we have to do is to ;elieve without an. dou;t and those mountains have +ot to start movin+J NEED and NOWJ 4 'elieve Bod ri+ht now that .our needs are met. 6now that .ou need Bod more than an.thin+ else in the world& and +ive -im the T1 $riorit. in .our life. The

minute .ou do this& -e will ;e+in to su$$l. all of .our needs a00ordin+ to -is ri0hes in +lor. ;. (hrist esusJ -eaven isnt ;an2ru$t& and never will ;e& so ;elieve that .our needs are met CIB-T NOWJ OVERCOMERS 4 AYet in all these thin+s we are more than 0on1uerors throu+h -im who loved usI 5Com. ,3"*8. We are not defeated. We are not losers. We are vi0torious ;e0ause Bod doesnt ma2e $rovision for failure. -e onl. deals with su00ess. We are not over0ome& we are over0omers who alwa.s winJ esus said& AIn the world .ou will have tri;ulationE ;ut ;e of +ood 0heer& I have over0ome the worldI 5 ohn 1)3""8. 'e0ause esus lives in us& we& too& have over0ome the worldJ In the world to 0ome& we shall eat from the Tree of <ifeE we shall not ;e hurt ;. the se0ond deathE we shall have some of the hidden manna to eatE we will have $ower over the nationsE we shall ;e 0lothed in white +armentsE we shall ;e a $illar in the tem$le of BodE well have a new name written onusE we will ;e +ranted the $rivile+e to sit with esus on -is throneE and we shall inherit all thin+s and ;e a son of BodJ PROSPER 4 Put .our faith to wor2 and ;e+in to wal2 in the $ros$erit. of Bod. -is desire is for the $ros$erit. of .our soul& and the $ros$erit. of .our entire life. A'eloved& I wish a;ove all thin+s that thou ma.est $ros$er and ;e in health& even as th. soul $ros$erethI 5III ohn 2 6 78. Dont as2 for more faith& ;ut $ut .our faith into a0tion ri+ht nowJ

We 0ouldnt $ass over the letter API without mentionin+ the word A$raiseI. Bod inha;its the $raises of -is $eo$le& and when we +ive -im the fruit of our li$s in $raise& the ;lessin+s of Bod will flow our wa.J QUICKEN 4 <et the same #$irit that raised (hrist esus from the dead 1ui02en our mortal ;odies ;e0ause -e dwells in us. Praise Bod& our lives and our s$irits have ;een 1ui02ened ;. the #$irit of Bod. Now that were 1ui02ened& lets 1ui02l. do all the thin+s -e tells us to& ;e0ause we are alive in (hristJ RECEIVE 4 Ce0eive the ;lessin+s Bod has for .ouJ -ealin+& salvation& the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit& $ea0e& Ko.& $ros$erit.& and man. more are all ours when we o$en our arms to ;elieve and re0eive. 'elievin+ and re0eivin+ +o to+ether. 'elieve that .ou re0eive .our healin+ ri+ht nowJ 'elieve that .ou re0eive that $ros$erit. ;lessin+ ri+ht nowJ 'elieve that .ou re0eive the healin+ of .our marria+e and the healin+ of $ro;lems with .our 0hildren ri+ht nowJ #==6 4 #ee2 -im with .our whole heart. Thats Bods advi0e to us. #ee2 -im and .ou will find -im. Those that see2 -im earl. shall find -im& and -e sa.s that when .ou see2 -im .ou shall find -im and live. #ee2 the thin+s that are a;ove and not the thin+s of the earth. -e is a Arewarder of them that dili+entl. #==6 himI 5-e;rews 113) 6 78. When we see2 Bod& then the first thin+ we want to do when we find -im is to #=C7= -im.

-ow ;eautiful when we have that desire to serve the <ord with all our heart and with all our soulJ A'ut as for me and m. house& we will serve the <ordI 5 oshua 2!3158. A#erve the <ord with +ladnessI 5Ps. 1::328. We serve the true and livin+ BodJ %nd with what +reat Ko. and +ladness in our heartsJ TRIUMPH 4 A'ut than2s ;e to Bod& Who in (hrist alwa.s leads us in trium$h 4 as tro$hies of (hrists vi0tor. 4 and throu+h us s$reads and ma2es evident the fra+ran0e of the 2nowled+e of Bod ever.whereI 5II (orinthians 231! %m$.8. We alwa.s trium$h throu+h (hrist. There is never defeat in esusJ Its vi0tor. all the wa.J Trust in the <ord with all .our heart& mind and soul and .ou will alwa.s trium$h. %nd how we love that word %<W%Y#& ;e0ause it means we are trium$hant 0hildren of the 6in+ of 6in+s at all timesJ UNDERSTANDING 4 AThat the Bod of our <ord esus (hrist& the @ather of +lor.& ma. +ive to .ou the s$irit of wisdom and revelation in the 2nowled+e of -im& the e.es of .our understandin+ ;ein+ enli+htenedE that .ou ma. 2now what is the ho$e of -is 0allin+& what are the ri0hes of the +lor. of -is inheritan0e I saintsI 5=$h. 131*&1,8. The e.es of .our understandin+ are ;ein+ o$ened ri+ht nowJ <oo2 into the s$irit world and see the ;lessin+s that Bod has out there waitin+ to over0ome .ou and overta2e .ouJ VICTORY 4 A'ut than2s ;e to Bod& Who +ives us the vi0tor. 4 ma2in+ us 0on1ueror 4 throu+h our <ord

esus (hrist. Therefore& m. ;eloved ;rethren& ;e firm 5steadfast8& immova;le& alwa.s a;oundin+ in the wor2 of the <ord 4 that is& alwa.s ;ein+ su$erior 5e>0ellin+& doin+ more than enou+h8 in the servi0e of the <ord& 2nowin+ and ;ein+ 0ontinuall. aware that .our la;or in the <ord is not futile 4 never wasted or to no $ur$oseI 5I (orinthians 1535*&5, %m$.8. A@or whatever is ;orn of Bod is vi0torious over the worldE and this is the vi0tor. that 0on1uers the world& even our faith. Who is it that is vi0torious over 5that 0on1uers8 the world ;ut he who ;elieves that esus is the #on of Bod 4 who adheres to& trusts in and relies Pon that fa0tQH This is -e Who 0ame ;. 5with8 water and ;lood P-is ;a$tism and -is deathQ& esus (hrist& the MessiahE not ;. 5iii8 the water onl. ;ut ;. 5in8 the water and the ;loodJI 5I ohn 53!F) %m$.8. What more 0an ;e said a;out 7i0tor.H The Word of Bod sa.s it all 4 we are vi0toriousJ WIN 4 AYes& furthermore I 0ount ever.thin+ as loss 0om$ared to the $ossession of the $ri0eless $rivile+e 4 the overwhelmin+ $re0iousness& the sur$assin+ worth and su$reme advanta+e 4 of 2nowin+ (hrist esus m. <ord& and of $ro+ressivel. ;e0omin+ more dee$l. and intimatel. a01uainted with -im& of $er0eivin+ and re0o+niMin+ and understandin+ -im more full. and 0learl.. @or -is sa2e I have lost ever.thin+ and 0onsider it all to ;e mere ru;;ish 5refuse& dre+s8& in order that I ma. WIN 5+ain8 (hrist& the %nointed One&I 5Phil. "3, %m$.8. The onl. $rovision that Bod ma2es in -is Word for losers is for the sinners. @or the ;eloved -e ma2es $rovision for us to alwa.s ;e winners& to alwa.s ;e vi0torious& alwa.s to ;e 0on1uerors in ever. area of our lives.

UNKNOWN 4 In mathemati0s& AOI is alwa.s the

un2nown fa0tor& ;ut $raise Bod& we dont have to have an. un2nowns in our lives ;e0ause we 0an find the answer to all the $ro;lems wra$$ed u$ neatl. in a ;oo2 0alled the 'i;leJ We ta2e the Aun2nownI out ;. lettin+ Bod ma2e -imself A2nownI to us& and then our $athwa. is eas. ;e0ause it is wellFli+hted ;. esus who is the li+ht of the worldJ YOUTH 4 #ta. Youn+J A'less the <ord& : m. soul& %nd for+et not all -is ;enefits3 Who for+ives all .our ini1uities& Who heals all .our diseases& Who redeems .our life from destru0tion& Who 0rowns .ou with lovin+2indness and tender mer0ies& Who satisfies .our mouth with +ood thin+s& #o that .our .outh is renewed li2e the ea+lesI 5Ps. 1:"32F58. Our stren+th is renewed. We dont have to ;e tired and worn downJ We 0an mount u$ with win+s as ea+les& we 0an run and not ;e wear.& and we 0an also wal2 and not faint ;e0ause we are 0hildren of the 6in+J @or+et .our a+e and +et on with Bods ;usiness. AThis is m. wor2& and I 0an do it onl. ;e0ause (hrists mi+ht. ener+. is at wor2 within meI 5(ol. 132/ T<'8. There is real ener+. in the Word and in the wor2 of Bod& and it 2ee$s .ou .oun+J ZEAL 4 from the Bree2 word AMelotesI or enthusiast. Bod wants us to ;e enthusiasti0 a;out ever.thin+ we do for -im. ?eal for -im should ;e a 0onsumin+ fire in our lives.

=nthusiasm a00ordin+ to Mr. We;ster is Ains$iredE ;elief in s$e0ial revelations of the -ol. #$irit.I Boin+ a little further& the word ins$ired means Ato ;reathe& to inF fuse 5as life8 ;. ;reathin+E to influen0e& move or +uide ;. divine or su$ernatural ins$irationI. =nthusiasm is from the Bree2 word AenteosI whi0h means ABod withinI. No wonder we 0an have Meal when we have Bod within. No wonder we 0an ;e enthusiasti0 all the time ;e0ause we have esus livin+ inside of us. We need to let the Word of Bod $revail in our lives so that we will s$ea2 the Word& and the Word onl.& at all times. %ll were doin+ when we s$ea2 the Word of Bod is a+reein+ with Bod. Were not s$ea2in+ somethin+ new. -es alread. s$o2en itJ If Bod said it first& we will see -is +lor. when we sa. what -e saidJ @rom % to ? we need to s$ea2 the Word. -eres a su++estion for .ou. #ele0t an. verse .ou desire in the 'i;le& and ;e+in to ta2e it for .our ver. own life. It has to +et into .our heart ;efore it 0an 0han+e .our life and .our thin2in+& ;ut 2ee$ tr.in+& and see what ha$$ens. Dont listen to dou;t and un;elief. Dont listen to the devilJ <isten onl. to the Word of Bod from % to ? and what -e is sa.in+J <et the 0ommuni0ation of .our faith ;e0ome effe0tual ;. a02nowled+in+ that ever.thin+ that is in .ou is +ood ;e0ause it is there ;e0ause of the <ord esus (hrist. Thats a sli+ht $ara$hrase of Philemon )& ;ut we need at all times to wat0h what our mouth sa.s ;e0ause we are snared ;. the ver. words of our ton+ue and mouth.

Peo$le who $redi0t and s$ea2& a00idents to themselves in their 0ars& will have a00idents in their 0arsJ Peo$le who $redi0t si02ness a;out themselves will have si02nessJ Peo$le who $redi0t $overt. will have $overt.& ;ut those who s$ea2 the Word of Bod are +oin+ to have $ros$erit.& health and ;lessin+s& ;e0ause thats what Bod $romises usJ You 0ant listen to dou;t and un;elief in one ear and faith in the other& ;e0ause the two are li2e oil and water 4 the. Kust dont mi>. No matter how hard .ou tr.& .ou 0anF not mi> dou;t and un;elief with faith. Its an in0om$ati;le 0om;ination& so .ou have to +o with one or the other& and we li2e to +o with faithJ =ver.thin+ from % to ? is full of faith and ;elief. ACT 4 doesnt +o with ina0tivit.. We need to do thin+s for the <ord. BELIEVE 4 doesnt +o with dou;t. <ets ;elieve with faith. CALLED 4 to ;e saintsJ <ets dont live li2e the devilJ DECIDE 4 <ets ma2e a 1ualit. de0ision in all thin+s 0on0ernin+ (hrist and not ;e over0ome with inde0isionJ EXCEL 4 <ets e>0el in all thin+s ;e0ause we 0an do all thin+s throu+h (hrist who stren+thens us. FIRE 4 turn u$ that ;urnerJ <ets +o for BodJ

GLORY4 <ets see the +lor. of BodJ HEAL4the si02J

INHERITANCE 4 <ets 0laim our inheritan0e

and ;e+in enKo.in+ it& instead of lettin+ it sit in a 0orner waitin+ for us to +et around to usin+ itJ JOY 4 is ;u;;lin+ over ri+ht nowJ

LOVE 4 .ourself. You 0ant love an.one else until

.ou 0an love .ourselfJ

MOUNTAIN MOVER 4 Mountains& wat0h

out& here we 0omeJ NEED and NOW 4 M. needs are met ri+ht now in the name of esusJ OVERCOMERS 4 I am more than a 0on1uerorJ

PROSPER4 I am $ros$erin+ and m. needs are

;ein+ metJ

QUICKEN 4 Im alive& and -es aliveJ RECEIVE 4 Im a re0eiver and a ;elieverJ #==6
4 Im a see2er and a finderJ TRIUMPH 4 Ill never ;e a loser a+ain ;e0ause esus has made $rovision for me to alwa.s trium$hJ UNDERSTANDING 4 I now understand that m. future is ;lessedJ VICTORY 4 I live in vi0tor. ever. da. ;e0ause there is no defeat in esusJ WIN 4 I was made to ;e a winner& never a loserJ

X 4 The un2nown is +one out of m. life. I understand what Bod wants me to ;e. YOUTH 4 Im +ettin+ .oun+er ever. da.J ZEAL 4 Wat0h me +o from now onJ

Chapter Four

Crossin' Over
% 0omforta;le little ni0he 0an ;e a si+n that were reall. Ain the +roove&I or it 0an also ;e a si+n that were in a ;i+ rutJ %nd the unfortunate $art of a 0omforta;le& 0oM.& sometimes lu>urious little ni0he is that we want to sta. there forever and ever and ever and ever and everJ <ittle ea+les love their 0omforta;le little nests filled with down and all 2inds of soft material& and then Mama sa.s its time to ;e on .our own& so one ;. one& she $ulls out the $addin+ until the.re sittin+ on a ;un0h of thorns and the. have to remove themselves from the nest. %t times all of us need to have the feather.& flee0.& velvet.& sil2.& satin. $addin+ removed from our little ni0he into whi0h we have settled so that the thorns 0an $ri02 us into +reater a0tivit.& or at least into Kum$in+ into a hi+her realm. (hristianit. has no level +round its& either u$ or downJ %nd level +round is remainin+ in the same little ;o> weve ;uilt around ourselves. This $art of the ;oo2 is ;uilt around a $assa+e in the 'i;le whi0h has to do with 0rossin+ over or +ettin+ out of the $la0e .oure in. Oftentimes& we arent even aware of the fa0t were in a rut& and ma.;e .oure not in a rut& ;ut .ou need to 0ross over into another area of (hristianit. where .ou 0ould e>$erien0e a lot more of the a;undan0e that Bod has $romised us. Over and over $eo$le as2 the same 1uestion a;out +oin+ ;e.ond where the. are now.

I remem;er the da. I +ot saved. I had no idea of what ;ein+ AsavedI meant. I had no idea of what Bod meant. If I had realiMed what Bod was +oin+ to 0all me to do& I $ro;a;l. would never have a00e$ted esus that da.J I smelled of +in ;e0ause I loved martinis and I smelled of 0i+arettes ;e0ause I was smo2in+ five $a02a+es a da.J If I had realiMed then that m. A$re0iousI 0i+arettes were +oin+ down the drain& and m. Ainvi+oratin+& e>hilaratin+& ener+iMin+I martinis were a thin+ of the $ast whi0h would 0ome a;out so 1ui02l.& I $ro;a;l. would have run as fast as I 0ould have out of the 0hur0hJ 'ut there was a tu++in+ at m. heart. %n irresisti;le for0e whi0h 2e$t drawin+ me in the o$$osite dire0tion of m. flesh. There was a voi0e whi0h 2e$t sa.in+& A(ross over. (ross over& @ran0es& from a life of sin into a life of a;undan0e with esus.I The sinner has no idea of what the (hristian wal2 is all a;out& or even remotel. what it is li2e& so that de0ision is a +ar+antuan ste$ into an un2nown realm& similar to what I mi+ht feel toda. if I de0ided I was +oin+ to ;e0ome an astronaut. I dont $ersonall. 2now an.one who is an astronaut& some have ;een su00essful& ;ut some have failed. -ow would I fit into that 0ate+or.H =ven thou+h I didnt 2now where I was +oin+ on that s$e0ial da.& or with that s$e0ial de0ision& and with a;solutel. no 2nowled+e of what the (hristian life was all a;out& I 0rossed over to the other side. When .ou are willin+ to 0ross over to the other side with esus there are alwa.s mira0les on the other side. When .ou +et to the $oint that .ou 0an thin2 ;e.ond where .ou are now& .ou will ;e+in to wal2 in the su$ernatural. Too man. $eo$le do not thin2 ;e.ond where

the. are at the $resent time so we need to lift u$ our e.es to see ;e.ond our toda.s vision. AIve ;een an usher here for thirt.Ffive .earsJI I thin2 thats +reat. I admire .our sti02a;ilit. ;e0ause I thin2 that is one of the most wonderful 1ualities in the whole world. 'ut here is a thou+ht to 0onsider. Did it ever dawn on .ou that Bod mi+ht have wanted .ou to +o ;e.ond ;ein+ an usherH There are man. 0hur0h Ko;s I 0ould have said as well as AusherI ;ut 0ould it ;e that we miss Bods ;est ;e0ause we sometimes are not willin+ to 0ross over and ;e a #unda. #0hool tea0her& or fun0tion in some other wa.H Or $ossi;l. even somethin+ outside the 0hur0h wallsH Oh& that would ;e too darin+J #ometimes we +et in our little 0omforta;le nest whi0h. is either airF 0onditioned to the ri+ht tem$erature or heated to the ri+ht tem$erature& de$endin+ on whatever 0limate .ou live in& and we +et so 0omforta;le& 0oM. and se0ure and the surroundin+s are so familiar that were afraid to 0ross over to hear what esus is sa.in+. In the fourth 0ha$ter of Mar2& it tells how esus had ;een tea0hin+ ;. the sea and the multitude ;e0ame so +reat in num;ers that -e +ot into a ;oat and sat in it on the seaE and the entire multitude was on the land fa0in+ the sea. -e was tea0hin+ them with $ara;les& A'ut when -e was alone& those around -im with the twelve as2ed -im a;out the $ara;le.. .and with man. su0h $ara;les -e s$o2e the word to them as the. were a;le to hear it. When evenin+ had 0ome& esus said to them& G<et us 0ross over to the other sideI 5Mar2 !"F5 NTC) 5-e didnt sa. where he was +oin+ on the other side& nor did -e +ive an. 0lue as to what -e was +oin+ to do on the other side.8 ANow when the. had left the multitude& the. too2 -im

alon+ in the ;oat as -e was. %nd other little ;oats were also with -im.I Its alwa.s interestin+ to note what ha$$ens to the ;ul2 of the $eo$le when there is an o$$ortunit. to 0ross over into the un2nown. The. sta. ;ehindJ #ome of the $eo$le went& ;ut it 0ould not have ;een ver. man. ;e0ause -e was in a ;oat and there were other AlittleI ;oats with -im& so there 0ould not have ;een too man. $eo$le who were willin+ to dro$ ever.thin+ and +o with -im. (rossin+ over means loo2in+ ;e.ond where .ou are ri+ht now& ;ut it alwa.s means leavin+ ;ehind what .ou 2now a;out& and loo2in+ into a future that .ou 0ant see and 2now a;solutel. nothin+ a;outJ Thats what (hristianit. is all a;outJ 'efore we start the Kourne. with esus& lets see who sta.ed ;ehind and wh. the. did. Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie was one of the ni0est $ersons .ou 0ould ever ho$e to meet. #he had her own lu>urious airF0onditioned tent and airF0onditioned 0amel and her hus;and had Kust ;ou+ht her a new mi0rowave oven. #he had all the ni0eties and ne0essities of life& and ;elon+ed to the AdesertI 0lu; instead of toda.s 0ountr. 0lu;. #he ran around with her own little 0li1ue and had a wonderful life surrounded ;. her famil. and friends. #he did Ani0eI thin+s for ever.one and was 2nown for her 2indness and +enerosit.. When esus said& A(ome on& lets 0ross over to the other side&I she said& AI would reall. love to& ;ut I Kust 0ant. Im +oin+ to sur$rise ever.one at the 0hur0h dinner toni+ht with m. new re0i$e for 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies. Its a sur$rise re0i$e. I Kust +ot it off the new T7 0hannel and

0an hardl. wait to tr. it. Ci+ht now the most im$ortant thin+ in m. life is to amaMe ever.one with this re0i$e.I #he 0ontinued rattlin+ on& AIt is Kust fa;ulous ;e0ause it not onl. has $e0ans in it& it also has walnuts with a dou;le dose of 0ho0olate. The 0hi$s are not 0hi$s the.re reall. Ghun2s& so I 2now ever.one is Kust +oin+ to love them and Ill have to du$li0ate the re0i$e on s0rolls for ever.one& so I Kust 0ant +o. I reall. a$$re0iate .our as2in+ me& ;ut I 2now .ou will understand& wont .ou& that we have to 2now where to $ut our $riorities.I #he further e>$lained that ;e0ause of the new airF 0onditionin+ in her tent it was so 0omforta;le she Kust hated to +et out of the house and she 2new there wouldnt ;e an.thin+ li2e that on the other side& so& +ra0iousl.& she sta.ed at home. There were lots of others who sta.ed home& too. The. $ro;a;l. all had +ood e>0uses& ;ut did the. miss Bods ;estH Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie loo2ed out the window of her fa;ulous tent and saw a +reat windstorm out over the sea of Balilee. The waves were hi+h and she si+hed with +enuine 0on0ern. AThat storm is ;i+ enou+h and stron+ enou+h and vi0ious enou+h to sin2 all those little ;oats that 0rossed over with esus. I Kust feel that somehow the. are all drowned ;. now. I 2new I was smart sta.in+ at home to ma2e 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies and not +oin+ out there. <oo2 at that storm. Those little ;oats have all 0a$siMed ;. now and all those +ood $eo$le are drowned. Oh& I am so +lad that I followed m. intuition and sta.ed home. I su$$ose I had ;etter $ra. for them& thou+h& ;e0ause Im sure that the ;oats have all 0a$siMed and ever.one will ;e lost.I That was Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ies version.

#hall we listen to the real version of what ha$$enedH The 'i;le tells us& A%nd a +reat windstorm arose& and the waves ;eat into the ;oat& so that it was alread. fillin+. 'ut -e was in the stern& aslee$ on a $illow. %nd the. awo2e -im and said to -im& GTea0her& do You not 0are that we are $erishin+H Then -e arose and re;u2ed the wind& and said to the sea& GPea0e& ;e stillJ %nd the wind 0eased and there was a +reat 0alm.I Two 2inds of $eo$le were involved in this mira0le. Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie who sta.ed ;ehind and missed it all& and then those who dared to venture ;e.ond their own human reasonin+ to follow esus. -ow would .ou li2e to have ;een there when esus stood u$ and said& APea0e& ;e stillJ A* Is there a 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ie that was ever made that was worth missin+ ;ein+ a $art of that su$ernatural e>$erien0e of seein+ the sea 0almedH %s for me and m. house& we will ta2e the su$ernatural. 'ut lets see what ha$$ened to those who had 0hosen to +o with -im& after the su$ernatural ha$$ened. A'ut -e said to them& GWh. are .ou so fearfulH -ow is it that .ou have no faithH %nd the. feared e>0eedin+l.& and said to one another& GWho 0an this ;e& that even the wind and the sea o;e. -imJ The su$ernatural is interestin+J The dis0i$les were not nearl. as afraid when the storm was +oin+ on as the. were when esus 0almed it. #ome $eo$le are afraid of the su$ernatural $ower of Bod. #ome $eo$le love it ;oth (harles and I love it with all our heartsJ The su$ernatural does one of two thin+sE it either draws .ou li2e a ma+net or it s0ares .ou sill.. It seems there is no in ;etweenJ

I am a firm ;eliever that if it ha$$ened in the 'i;le& it will ha$$en a+ain& ;e0ause esus (hrist is the same .esterda.& toda. and foreverJ I never read that $ortion of s0ri$ture without ;ein+ reminded of somethin+ that ha$$ened man. .ears a+o when I was still a 0om$arativel. new (hristian. Its amaMin+ how miniature our faith is at times and its amaMin+ what Bod will do for us if we will Kust ;elieve and trustJ I started drivin+ from %nderson& Indiana& to <afa.ette to s$ea2 at Purdue Lniversit. at a;out 1: a.m. on a fo++.& rain. da.. %s I drove alon+& it was almost im$ossi;le to see the road or the 0ars in front& and the onl. thin+ that made it $ossi;le to see the on0omin+ 0ars was their headli+hts. The fo+ 2e$t +ettin+ worse and worse until I was Kust 0rawlin+ alon+ at a;out 15 miles $er hour. The windshield wi$ers were +oin+ full s$eed ;ut the. still failed to 2ee$ the water off the windshield. %fter I had +one over three se0tions of the hi+hwa. whi0h were 0overed with water& I ;e+an to $ani0 and de0ided I had ;etter find a +as station and 0all m. hus;and& who was auditin+ in %nderson& to see if he felt I should 0ome ;a02. Then I said to m.self& AThats sill.& (harles isnt the one to as2& Bod is&I so I said& A<ord& shall I turn around and +o ;a02HI Then I ;elieve the devil +ot in the 0ar with me and said& A<oo2& there wont ;e an.one 0omin+ out in <afa.ette to hear .ou in su0h ;ad weather. Wh. dont .ou +o ;a02HI -owever& I sure 0ouldnt hear Bod s$ea2in+ to me& so I 0ontinued. %fter another three or four miles& I reall. ;e+an to $ani0 ;e0ause it was almost im$ossi;le to drive. I des$eratel. loo2ed around for a little $at0h of ;lue s2. when I sto$$ed to fill u$ with +asoline& and 0ouldnt see

one tin. little s$ot that loo2ed $romisin+. I +ot ;a02 into the 0ar and started on and ;e+an thin2in+ to m.self 5or should I sa. to BodH8. M. 0onversation went somethin+ li2e this3 ABod& .ou 0ouldnt sto$ the rain and turn the s2. ;lue& 0ould .ouHI I loo2ed around for a little si+n of ;lue s2.& ;ut noneJ Then I 0ontinued Athin2in+ to Bod&I and I said& ANow& <ord I 6NOW .ou 0ould& ;e0ause the 'i;le sa.s .ou $arted the Ced #ea& and if .ou 0ould $art the Ced #ea& and I 2now that .ou did& then I 2now that .ou 0ould sto$ this rain and turn the s2. ;lue&I Then the devil +ot in the 0ar a+ain 5ma.;e he never +ot out8 and said& AWell& sure he 0ould turn the s2. ;lue and sto$ the rain& ;ut wh. should -e do that for .ouH Who are you,- %nd I thou+ht& AThats ri+ht& who am I to as2 Bod for somethin+ li2e thisHI Then another thou+ht 0ame into m. mind... AWho am IH Im Bods +irl Im a 0hild of Bod and ;e0ause I am Bods +irl& the 'i;le sa.s I 0an as2 for whatever I want& and it will ;e doneJI 5Matthew 213228. #o ver. sim$l. I said& ABod& .ou 2now I 0ant see well enou+h to +et throu+h this rain& so would .ou $lease sto$ the rain and ma2e the s2. ;lueHI Bods Word sa.s to trust -im& and thats all I did& ;ut ;elieve it or not& within ": se0onds the rain had sto$$ed& and within one minute the s2. was ;lue and I drove all the wa. to <afa.ette on dr. hi+hwa.s and under ;lue s2ies. When I arrived at the universit. the. as2ed me if I had noti0ed the tremendous 0han+e in the weather& and I related the stor. to them. %s I have retold this stor. in the area where it ha$$ened& I have alwa.s said& AMa.;e .ou wont ;elieve that Bod would ;e willin+ to do this for me& ;ut I ;elieve -e loves me enou+h to do this for me& Kust li2e -e loves .ou enou+h to do it for .ou& if .ou will onl. as2JI %nd in

ea0h servi0e someone has 0ome u$ to the mi0ro$hone to tell the audien0e that the. vividl. remem;er the rain sto$$in+ and the sun 0omin+ out so suddenl. on this $arti0ular Thursda.. I thin2 its fa;ulous how Bod alwa.s lets someone else see the mira0les& tooJ This stor. thrills me so mu0h ;e0ause it ;rin+s to mind the fa0t that Bod is still in the mira0leFma2in+ ;usiness toda. Kust as -e was when -e sto$$ed the sun& moon and stars for a;out 2! hours ;e0ause of the $ra.ers of one man. oshua wasnt afraid to as2 for the +lor. of Bod& so lets start as2in+ moreJ 5Mar2 531F"!8. AThen the. 0ame to the other side of the sea& to the 0ountr. of the Badarenes. %nd when -e had 0ome out of the ;oat& immediatel. there met -im out of the tom;s a man with an un0lean s$irit& who had his dwellin+ amon+ the tom;sE and no one 0ould ;ind him& not even with 0hains& ;e0ause he had often ;een ;ound with sha02les and 0hains. %nd the 0hains had ;een $ulled a$art ;. him& (CO##INB O7=C // and the sha02les ;ro2en in $ie0esE neither 0ould an.one tame him. %nd alwa.s& ni+ht and da.& he was in the mountains and in the tom;s& 0r.in+ out and 0uttin+ himself with stones. A'ut when he saw esus from afar& he ran and worshi$ed -im.I There are two words that are su$er im$ortant in that senten0e. The first one is the word Asaw.I It sa.s he AsawI esus. You 0an wal2 ;. a ;uildin+. You 0an wal2 ;. a 0ar. You 0an wal2 ;. a $erson. You 0an wal2 ;. a situation da. in& da. out and never see it.

#uddenl. .ou will AseeI that situation for the first time. #omethin+ will 0ause it to A0ome into fo0usI and I ;elieve this demonia0 AsawI esus that da. for the ver. first time for who -e was. -e saw -im in all -is maKest. and -is $ower and -is +lor.. -e saw esus as the answer to his $ro;lem. We 0an use the name of esus and never AseeI the $ower in that name. We 0an use the name of esus and not AseeI the mira0le -e 0reates. 'ut this man AsawI esus and what -e was& and it 0han+ed his lifeJ <oo2 what ha$$enedJ The first thin+ he did was to worshi$ -im. =ver.thin+ 0han+ed in his thin2in+ and his a0tions when he reall. AsawI esus. -e ;e+an to worshi$ -im in the ;eaut. of -is holiness. Worshi$ does somethin+ to our soul and our s$iritJ A%nd he 0ried out with a loud voi0e and said& GWhat have Ito do with You& esus& #on of the Most -i+h BodH I im$lore You ;. Bod that You do not torment me. @or -e said to him& G(ome out of the man& un0lean s$iritJ -e was a man of a0tion and no wasted motion. Did .ou noti0e how sim$l. esus did itH -e didnt use ten million words. -e said& A(ome out of the man& un0lean s$irit.I -e +ot ri+ht to the $oint. -e sim$l. s$o2e -is messa+e& shar$ and 0lear with no e>tra words. AThen -e as2ed him& GWhat is .our nameH %nd he answered& sa.in+& GM. name is <e+ionE for we are man.. %nd he ;e++ed -im earnestl. that -e would not send them out of the 0ountr.. Now a lar+e herd of swine was feedin+ there near the mountains. %nd all the demons ;e++ed -im& sa.in+& G#end us to the swine& that we ma. enter them. %nd at on0e esus +ave them $ermission. Then the un0lean

s$irits went out and entered the swine. 5there were a;out 2&:::8E and the herd ran violentl. down the stee$ $la0e into the sea& and drowned in the sea.I <ets ;a02 u$ Kust a little ;it. #hall we visit with Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie Kust to see what shes doin+H #he is havin+ a wonderful time with her new Mi>master and her new little mi0rowave and all those fan0. little 2it0hen +ad+ets she had Kust +otten. I 0an visualiMe her sa.in+& AI Kust 0ant +et those $eo$le off of m. mind who followed esus and went a0ross the sea. I 2now ;e.ond a shadow of a dou;t the. were all drowned in the #ea of Balilee durin+ that awful storm. I Kust wish I 0ould have warned them to sta. at home and not follow after -im when the. didnt 2now what -e was +oin+ to do or where -e was +oin+.I %s she mi>ed u$ another ;at0h of 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies& she 0ontinued& AOh& I have the most wonderful idea. I thin2 what I reall. should do is to start sellin+ 0oo2ies 5;e0ause ever.one loves them so mu0h& and I love to ma2e them8 so that I 0an ma2e enou+h mone. to ;uild some 2ind of a memorial for all those $eo$le who were foolish enou+h to 0ross over there. Ill ma2e them all in the sha$e of little tom;stones& and when I +et enou+h mone. Ill have a +reat ;i+ tom;stone $ut ri+ht on the side of the #ea of Balilee so that no;od. will ever for+et them.I <ittle Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie was so ha$$. with her $roKe0t& ;ut loo2 at what she missedJ <ets +o ;a02 to the other side. Would .ou rather have ;een ma2in+ 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies or would .ou have rather ;een with esus when -e said to the demonia0& A(ome out of him& un0lean s$iritIH Wouldnt .ou have loved to have ;een there and seen that man who was insane& the man who was 0a$a;le of

;rea2in+ sha02les and 0hains& suddenl. made wholeH Its alwa.s far more thrillin+ to follow esus into the un2nown ;ut e>0itin+ su$ernatural world that is waitin+ for us. There is a reall. stee$ 0liff over there& and 0an .ou ima+ine how .ou would have felt to have ;een there to see those $i+s +oin+ over the 0liff into the seaH (ant .ou Kust hear them sa.in+& AOin2& oin2& oin2& oin2I and s1uealin+ all the wa. downH (an .ou ima+ine what it would have ;een li2e to ;e standin+ there wat0hin+ all thatH #ome li2e to ma2e 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies& and some li2e to venture into the su$ernaturalJ Ta2e .our $i02. ANow those who fed the swine fled& and the. told it in the 0it. and in the 0ountr.. %nd the. went out to see what it was that had ha$$ened. Then the. 0ame to esus& and saw the one who had ;een demonF$ossessed and had the le+ion& sittin+ and 0lothed and in his ri+ht mind.I The ne>t four words are almost un;elieva;le3 A%nd the. were afraid.I The. werent afraid of this man when he was ;rea2in+ the sha02les and 0hains. The. werent afraid when none 0ould tame himJ 'ut when the. saw the su$ernatural $ower of Bod demonstrated ;. the #on of Bod& the. were afraidJ There are $eo$le Kust li2e that toda.J The. 0annot stand the su$ernatural ;e0ause it s0ares them. I have $eo$le tell me& AIm not sure I want to ;e healed.I The. are afraid of what mi+ht ;e e>$e0ted of them if the. +ot healedJ Ce0entl. a +rou$ of wheel0hair $atients would not 0ome to one of our servi0es ;e0ause the. said& AWe would lose our identit. if we +ot healed& and we wouldnt 2now what to doJI %fraid of the su$ernatural $ower of Bod. %fraid to follow esus into an e>0itin+ su$ernatural world. %fraid to 0ross over.

The 'i;le 0ontinues on to sa.& A%nd those who saw it told them how it ha$$ened to him who had ;een demonF $ossessed& and a;out the swine. Then the. ;e+an to $lead with -im to de$art from their re+ion.I (an .ou ima+ine them $leadin+ with -im to de$art from their re+ion Kust ;e0ause -e was involved in the su$ernaturalH I 0an& and Ill tell .ou wh.. Man. .ears a+o when (harles and I first re0eived the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit& we went to a lar+e #tate (am$ meetin+ of a wellF2nown denomination. It was time for our last servi0e and Bod had s$o2en to us the $revious da. to minister to the .oun+ $eo$le ;efore the evenin+ servi0e. We had announ0ed that we were +oin+ to minister to the .outh first& and then at seven o0lo02 we would have the re+ular servi0e. The 0am$ meetin+ was ;ein+ held in a hu+e& outdoor ta;erna0le. When we arrived there shortl. ;efore si>& we dis0overed the entire ;uildin+ was filled with .oun+ $eo$le& and there were $ro;a;l. five hundred on the outside as well. There was a tremendous air of e>0itement ;e0ause a$$arentl. the -ol. #$irit had s$o2en to ;oth .oun+ and old ali2e that somethin+ su$ernatural was +oin+ to ha$$en. %s we waited for Bods instru0tions& we re0eived the im$ression that we were to lead all of them in a sinners $ra.er& so we did& en0oura+in+ them that this 0ould 0han+e their entire lives. The minute the. had finished sa.in+ this $ra.er& Bod said& ABo down and la. hands on the 0hildren.I esus did this& and while we had no idea of what was +oin+ to ha$$en& not even the sli+htest in2lin+& we were o;edient. (harles and I went off the sta+e to+ether. -e laid hands on

one 0hild and I laid hands on another. These were some of the small 0hildren& and a sur$risin+ thin+ ha$$enedJ The. ;oth fell out under the $ower of BodJ We laid hands on two more. =>a0tl. the same thin+ ha$$enedJ The. ;oth fell out under the $ower of Bod and as the. did& we noti0ed that the first two were still on the +round. Then we laid hands on two more and the. went out under the $ower of Bod. 'ut here is the uni1ue thin+ the. sta.ed under the $ower of Bod. The. didnt +et u$. We 0ontinued wal2in+ throu+h the entire audien0e la.in+ hands on ea0h of the 0hildren& ;ut as we loo2ed ;a02 when 0han+in+ se0tions in the ta;erna0le& we noti0ed that ever. sin+le 0hild was on the floor. Not a sin+le one of them had +otten u$J The. were all l.in+ on the +round with their e.es shut. @or a moment& we mi+ht have thou+ht the. were all wat0hin+ ea0h other and that was the reason the. didnt +et u$& ;ut the. loo2ed li2e the. were all aslee$. We wal2ed outside the tent& and e>a0tl. the same thin+ ha$$enedJ When we finall. finished la.in+ hands on the last .oun+ $erson& we noti0ed that ever. 0hild had +one under the $ower of Bod e>0e$t one& and the. were all still thereJ It seemed as thou+h the. were +lued to the floor and were una;le to do an.thin+ a;out it. A#uddenl. there 0ame a sound from heaven& a of a rushin+ mi+ht. wind&I and it filled the entire ta;erna0le where the 2ids were l.in+ on the +round. Their hands all shot u$ into the air Kust as thou+h the. were on $u$$et strin+s. =ver. arm went u$ at e>a0tl. the same time and the. all ;e+an to s$ea2 with other ton+ues as the #$irit +ave the utteran0e. It was a si+ht we will never for+et as lon+ as we liveJ It was one of the most in0redi;le ni+hts that we have ever

e>$erien0ed even to this da.& and we have reall. seen some tremendous moves of Bod. 'ut this was the most soverei+n thin+ that we had ever seen in our livesJ I do not remem;er how lon+ it 0ontinued& ;ut a news$a$er $hoto+ra$her too2 hundreds of $i0tures of this su$ernatural event and seven $a+es of $i0tures and an in0redi;le arti0le a$$eared in the ne>t #unda.s $a$er. None of us will ever 2now all that ha$$ened in the lives of those .oun+ $eo$le until we rea0h heaven. The maKorit. of these .oun+sters were from the Methodist& 'a$tist& (atholi0& =$is0o$alian& Pres;.terian& (hur0h of Bod 5nonF$ente0ostal8& 'rethren and man. other 0hur0hes who had never heard of the -ol. #$irit and s$ea2in+ in ton+ues in their entire lives& so it had to ;e a wor2 of the -ol. #$irit. Over the .ears we have seen a num;er of these .oun+ $eo$le who all attri;ute their wal2 with esus toda. to that e>$erien0e the. had in the ta;erna0le that ni+ht& and man. of them have +one on to ;e outstandin+ .oun+ men and women of Bod. When the servi0e was over that ni+ht& the leaders said to us& AWe are not +oin+ to let .ou +o home until .ou $romise to 0ome ;a02 ne>t .earJ We $romised them we would ;e0ause the. were so e>0ited a;out havin+ seen a demonstration of the $ower of Bod li2e the. had never seen ;efore. We hadnt seen an.thin+ li2e it either& and we were on a s$iritual 0loud& too& so we $romised them we would ;e ;a02 the followin+ .ear. (harles and I had to drive over an hour to +et to the air$ort and then we too2 a $lane ;a02 to -ouston. The entire tri$ $ro;a;l. too2 no more than five hours& ;ut ;efore we +ot home& we had a tele$hone 0all 0an0elin+ the invitation the. had +iven us for the ne>t .earJ

The reason3 the. had re0eived 0om$laints from $astors in the area ;e0ause the. did not li2e the su$ernatural $ower of Bod. #ometimes $astors fear the su$ernatural demonstrations ;e0ause it doesnt ha$$en in their own servi0es. =van+elists often wal2 in a uni1ue anointin+ ;e0ause that is the Ko; of the evan+elist to stir thin+s u$ to the ;oilin+ $ointJ It ha$$ened toda. Kust li2e it ha$$ened in the 'i;le. The. said to the dis0i$les& ABet -im out of here. We dont li2e the su$ernatural.I That was e>a0tl. the same thin+ that ha$$ened to us ;e0ause the. 0an0eled us and we did not +o ;a02 the ne>t .earJ AWhen -e +ot into the ;oat& he who had ;een demonF $ossessed ;e++ed -im that he mi+ht ;e with -im. -owever& esus did not $ermit him& ;ut said to him& GBo home to .our friends and tell them what +reat thin+s the <ord has done for .ou& and how -e has had 0om$assion on .ou. %nd he de$arted and ;e+an to $ro0laim in De0a$olis all that esus had done for himE and all marveledI 5Mar2 5311F218. What esus was a0tuall. sa.in+ is& ADont ;e a 0onferen0e ho$$er and thin2& GWow& I Kust +ot healed in a (harles and @ran0es -unter servi0e& so Ive Kust +ot to follow them around all the time.I -e said& ANo& +o home. #hare .our testimon.. Tell the world what esus has done in .our life.I 7erse 21 sa.s& ANow when esus had 0rossed over a+ain ;. ;oat to the other side& a +reat multitude +athered to -imE and -e was ;. the sea. %nd ;ehold& one of the rulers of the s.na+o+ue 0ame& airus ;. name. %nd when he aw -im& he fell at -is feet and ;e++ed -im earnestl.& sa.in+& GM. little dau+hter lies at the $oint of death. (ome

and la. Your hands on her& that she ma. ;e healed& and she will live.I I want to $oint out somethin+ ver. interestin+ to .ou in that s0ri$ture ;e0ause it sa.s he 0rossed over a+ain. There are man. wa.s .ou 0an 0ross a la2e. You 0an +o from east to west& or north to south& or east to south& and 0ontinue 0rossin+ over a+ain and a+ain without retra0in+ .our ste$s. It isnt Kust a oneFtime de0ision& with esus& its a de0ision a da.J A#o esus went with him& and a +reat multitude followed -im and thron+ed -im. Now a 0ertain woman had a flow of ;lood for twelve .ears& and had suffered man. thin+s from man. $h.si0ians. #he had s$ent all that she had and was no ;etter& ;ut rather +rew worse. When she heard a;out esus& she 0ame ;ehind -im in the 0rowd and tou0hed -is +armentE for she said& GIf onl. I ma. tou0h -is 0lothes& I shall ;e made well. Immediatel. the fountain of her ;lood was dried u$& and she felt in her ;od. that she was healed of this affli0tion. %nd esus& immediatel. 2nowin+ in -imself that $ower had +one out of -im& turned around in the 0rowd and said& GWho tou0hed M. 0lothesHI -undreds of $eo$le had tou0hed -im& ;ut -e felt that healin+ virtue and she Kust literall. su02ed the $ower ri+ht out of -im. A'ut -is dis0i$les said to -im& GYou see the multitudes thron+in+ You& and You sa.& AWho tou0hed MeHI %nd -e loo2ed around to see her who had done this thin+. 'ut the woman& fearin+ and trem;lin+& 2nowin+ what had ha$$ened to her 0ame and fell down ;efore -im and told -im the whole truth. %nd -e said to her& GDau+hter& .our faith has made .ou well. Bo in $ea0e& and ;e healed of .our affli0tion.I

<ets +o ;a02 to Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie who was still ;a2in+ 0oo2ies& and still feelin+ sorr. for all those $oor $eo$le with $oor Kud+ment who had drowned in the #ea of Balilee. Where would .ou rather have ;eenH With Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie& or at the s0ene of that +reat mira0le when the woman with the issue of ;lood was su$ernaturall. healedH I want to share with .ou a twentiethF0entur. stor. with some 0hara0ters with whom .ou mi+ht ;e ver. familiar. I had Kust returned from one of m. evan+elisti0 tri$s. I was so wound u$ and so e>0ited that Bod had 0alled me to share m. testimon.& and m. first tri$ to (alifornia was more than I 0ould have ever ima+ined ;e0ause all 2inds of wild thin+s ha$$ened and all 2inds of mira0les ha$$ened. M. $astor as2ed me to share in the 0hur0h what had ha$$ened. -e never allowed me to +ive a testimon. on #unda. mornin+ ;e0ause he said& AYoull ta2e the whole servi0e& so Ill +ive .ou the entire Wednesda. ni+ht servi0e insteadJI I 0ould hardl. wait until Wednesda. ni+ht& and I was all $rimed to share the little ever.da. mira0les that esus wants to do in our lives& moment ;. moment and hour ;. hour so we 0an live in the su$ernatural all the time. %t the end of the servi0e& a +irl 0ame u$ to me whose mother was ver. si02. #he as2ed me if I would +o over and $ra. for her mother ;e0ause she said& AM. mother is d.in+& ;ut she ;elieves if .ou will 0ome over and $ra. for her& she will ;e healed.I I was su0h a new ;a;. in (hrist that I was honestl. flattered to have ;een as2ed to $ra. for someone that was si02& and I would never have 0onsidered sa.in+ an.thin+ ;ut& AYesJI The more I thou+ht a;out it& however& the more

I de0ided I needed someone to +o alon+ with me who had ;een a (hristian a lot lon+er than I had. I went to one of the women I 2new was a $illar of the 0hur0h and as2ed her to +o with me to ;a02 me u$ in $ra.er. I was e>0ited a;out what I was +oin+ to do and thou+ht she would have the same 2ind of e>0itement. -er answer sho02ed meJ #he said& AI would reall. love to +o with .ou& ;ut its late alread. and I have to +o home and ma2e some 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies for s0hool tomorrow& so I Kust 0ant ma2e it with .ou toni+ht. 'e sure and tell her hello for me& thou+h& will .ouH %nd tell her as soon as I have the time Ill ;rin+ her over some of m. deli0ious 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies.I -ere was a real (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie& alive and real and in a 0hur0hJ #he 0ould have +one to the store and ;ou+ht some& ;ut then the. wouldnt have ;een as +ood& would the.H Not dis0oura+ed& I went to another a01uaintan0e of mine in 0hur0h and I 2new she would want to +o alon+ with me. #he had ;een a (hristian for man. .ears and I alwa.s loved to hear her ;eautiful $ra.ers in 0hur0h. I 2new she would +o with me& so after I e>$lained what I was +oin+ to do& I said& AWould .ou li2e to +o with meHI =a+erl. awaitin+ her answer& I was sho02ed to hear her sa.& A@ran0es& I would love to& 'FLFT&I she said& AYou 2now m. hus;and and .ou 2now what a ;ear he is a;out the house ;ein+ dirt.. -es ;een +one for a wee2 and I havent 2e$t it 0lean. Its a real mess& so even thou+h Id love to +o with .ou& Ive a;solutel. +ot to +o home. -ed 2ill me if he 0ame home and found the house in the mess its in ri+ht now.I Then she added& AYou do understand&

dont .ouHI #he was $ro;a;l. thin2in+ that ;e0ause I was a widow I mi+ht not. #o I said& AThats o2a.. Ill as2 someone else to Koin me.I '. this time the 0hur0h was thinnin+ out& ;ut some were still tal2in+& so I 1ui02l. ran over to another one that I 2new .ou 0ould alwa.s 0ount on and told her the stor. and as2ed her to a00om$an. me. #he said& A@ran0es& I would Kust love to& 'FLFT& I +ot a ;a;. sitter toni+ht so I 0ould 0ome and hear .ou share a;out the mira0les that ha$$ened in (alifornia. You 2now& ;a;. sitters are so e>$ensive these da.s& I had to $a. fift. 0ents an hour for someone to sit with the 2ids& and I 2now if I went with .ou it would 0ost me at least another hours ;a;. sittin+& so that would ;e another fift. 0ents& and I reall. 0ant afford it. Ma.;e some other time.I The woman is d.in+ and no;od. wants to +o with me. A#ome other time.. .Ill ;rin+ her some 0oo2ies.. .it mi+ht 0ost me fift. 0ents...I I wasnt a;out to +ive u$& so I tried a+ain. This time the e>0use was a;out a hus;and who didnt want her sta.in+ out late at ni+ht. The fifth one +ave me an e>0use a;out havin+ to do her fin+ernails and her hair ;efore she went to ;ed that ni+ht ;e0ause she was +oin+ some$la0e s$e0ial the ne>t da.. No;od. wanted to +o with me. =ver.;od. had their own little e>0use. I went all ;. m.self. I didnt ma2e an e>0use ;e0ause I 0ouldnt +et an.one to +o with me. I Kust went ;. m.self. What o00urred was one of the most e>0itin+ thin+s that has ever ha$$ened to me. I drove over to the house whi0h was Kust a short distan0e from the 0hur0h and 2no02ed on the $or0h door.

This was not a wealth. famil.& and the $or0h onl. had two $ie0es of furniture on it. One was a small 0hair ;. the door& and the other was a mattress whi0h had o;viousl. ;een $ulled out of the ;edroom and was Kust la.in+ there on the floor. I went in and the woman who was d.in+ was on the mattress and when I went to sit down in the 0hair she said& AWould .ou mind 0omin+ a little 0loserHI I wal2ed a 0ou$le of ste$s 0loser and then she said& AWould .ou mind wal2in+ Kust a little 0loserHI I too2 a few more ste$s and this 0ontinued until I was almost standin+ on the mattressJ One more time she said& A(ome Kust a little 0loser.I #o I did. #he made a su$erhuman effort to move over on the mattress& and when she did& she wea2l. rea0hed u$ and tou0hed the hem of m. suit. I will never for+et the suit I had on that ni+ht& and that $arti0ular moment will forever ;e et0hed indeli;l. in m. mind. % wea2 little voi0e 0ame out and said& AI 2now if I 0an Kust tou0h the hem of .our +arment& I will ;e made wholeJI There is nothin+ s$e0ial in the hem of m. +arment now or then& ;ut there was somethin+ s$e0ial in her faith. When that woman rea0hed u$ and tou0hed me& the issue of ;lood from whi0h she was sufferin+& Kust li2e the woman in the 'i;le& was instantl. sto$$ed. #he was totall. and 0om$letel. healedJ #he is still alive toda.J <ets +o ;a02 to the end of the 0hur0h servi0e. There were five $eo$le invited to +o with me. There were five $eo$le who 0ould have ;een there and seen the mira0le $ower of Bod as this womans faith made her whole& ;ut the. werent there. Where were the.& and what were the. doin+H Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ +ot her 0oo2ies made.

The lad. +ot her house 0leaned ;efore her hus;and 0ame home. The other lad. $aid fift. 0ents less to the ;a;. sitter. One woman +ot home earl.. %nother woman +ot her hair and nails done for tomorrow... 'ut the. all missed what esus was doin+. Thats what ha$$ens when we dont 0ross over. We miss the su$ernatural of Bod& totall. and 0om$letel.. The same thin+ ha$$ened in the 'i;le. <ittle Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie was $ro;a;l. over there whi$$in+ u$ her little old 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies and ;. this time she must have at least sevent.Ffive doMen of them made. 'ut lets ta2e a loo2 at what she missed. @irst of all& she missed it when esus 0almed the sea. There isnt a 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ie in the world that Id ta2e over hearin+ esus sa.& APea0e ;e still.I #e0ond& she missed it when the demonia0 from the Badarenes was healed. Third& she missed the woman who rea0hed u$ and tou0hed esus +arment and was instantl. made whole. 5Mar2 53"5F!28. Wouldnt .ou have loved to have ;een thereH AWhile -e was still s$ea2in+& some 0ame from the ruler of the s.na+o+ues house who said& GYour dau+hter is dead. Wh. trou;le the Tea0her an. furtherH %s soon as esus heard the word that was s$o2en& -e said to the ruler of the s.na+o+ue& GDo not ;e afraidE onl. ;elieve. %nd -e $ermitted no one to follow -im e>0e$t Peter& ames& and ohn the ;rother of ames. AThen -e 0ame to the house of the ruler of the s.na+o+ue& and saw a tumult and those who we$t and wailed loudl.. When -e 0ame in& -e said to them& GWh.

ma2e this 0ommotion and wee$H The 0hild is not dead& ;ut slee$in+.I The ne>t words literall. ;rea2 m. heart ;e0ause of what the. sa.& A%nd the. lau+hed -im to s0orn.I (an .ou ima+ine someone lau+hin+ at whatever esus saidH %nd .et the. did. (an .ou ima+ine esus 0omin+ into .our house and sa.in+ that the 0hild was not dead ;ut Kust slee$in+ and .ou answer -im ;. sa.in+& ADont ;e su0h a nut. #hes dead and I 2now it.I We should never for+et that re+ardless of what the 0ir0umstan0es are& with the #on of Bod there is nothin+ whi0h is im$ossi;le. I love what esus did. -e $ut them all outJ A'ut when -e had $ut them all out& -e too2 the father and the mother of the 0hild& and those who were with -im& and entered where the 0hild was l.in+. Then -e too2 the 0hild ;. the hand& and said to her& GTalitha& 0umi& whi0h is translated& G<ittle +irl& I sa. to .ou& arise. AImmediatel. the +irl arose and wal2ed& for she was twelve .ears of a+e. %nd the. were over0ome with +reat amaMement.I <ets +o ;a02 to the twentieth 0entur. and to a stor. whi0h has the same $rin0i$le involved. While this stor. too2 $la0e man. .ears a+o& and thousands of stories have ha$$ened to me sin0e then& I still love some of the old ones. When .oure willin+ to 0ross over to the other side and .oure willin+ to ;e+in to wal2 in the su$ernatural of Bod& these are the 2ind of thin+s that 0an ha$$en to .ou. I had ;een invited to s$ea2 at a state 0am$ meetin+. This $arti0ular .ear the. were e>$e0tin+ the ;i++est 0rowd the. had ever had& so the. had ;uilt a new motel on the $ro$ert. to house the additional $eo$le& and ever.one was es$e0iall. e>0ited a;out this meetin+.

The. had $ut in a ;rand new well so the. would ;e a;le to su$$l. water to the entire 0am$ meetin+ +rou$ sin0e the. were e>$e0tin+ a re0ordF;rea2in+ num;er of $eo$le. M. $lane was late arrivin+ and after ;ein+ driven another one hundred miles to rea0h the 0am$+rounds& I had to +o to the $latform immediatel.. It was a wonderful meetin+ where the $resen0e of the -ol. #$irit was so real and I was ;as2in+ in the after+low for Kust a moment when one of the $astors 0ame u$ to me and said& A@ran0es& we need .ou to $ra.JI I said& ABreat& what do .ou need me to $ra. forHI There were a;out four or five thousand attendin+ the 0am$ meetin+& ;ut somewhere in the nei+h;orhood of four hundred of the elders and $illars of the 0hur0h were +atherin+ around me and were formin+ a 0ir0le. -e told me that their water su$$l. had ;een in4 ade1uate to ta2e 0are of su0h a lar+e 0am$ meetin+& so the. had du+ a new well 2*) feet down in the earth ;e0ause the water doesnt run 0lose to the surfa0e in that state. The well had wor2ed ;eautifull. and had $um$ed ;eautiful 0lear water when suddenl. it had su02ed u$ a ro02 and the ro02 shut off the flow of the water into the motel. 5Thats the same thin+ that sin does in .our life F it will 0ut off the flow of Bods $ower in .our lifeJ8 The. had the well drillers 0ome out and the. attem$ted to +et the ro02 out with no su00ess. In s$ite of ever.thin+ the. did& the onl. solution the. 0ould offer was to ;rin+ the $i$e ;a02 out of the +round and di+ a new well& or Kust di+ a new well whi0h is ver. e>$ensive when it is that dee$. What the. as2ed me to $ra. for sho02ed meJ The. said& AWe want .ou to $ra. and as2 Bod to +et the ro02 out of that wellJI

Do .ou have an. idea how that $uts .our faith on the lineH Its a sim$le thin+ to $ra. for somethin+ that is hundreds or even thousands of miles awa.& or to $ra. for somethin+ where an immediate answer is not needed& ;ut here was a totall. different situation. Youve +ot a well that doesnt wor2. It has a ro02 at the ;ottom and no water is 0omin+ out. %t moments li2e this .ou need some divine dire0tion. The four hundred or so of the +reat $illars of the 0hur0h had reall. formed a ;eautiful $ra.er 0ir0le around me ;e0ause we were all +oin+ to a+ree in $ra.er ;e0ause the Word of Bod sa.s& AIf two or more of .ou a+ree as tou0hin+ an.thin+ that the. shall as2& it shall ;e done for them ;. m. @ather whi0h is in heaven.I %s I loo2ed out at the fa0es there& I did somethin+ I had never done ;efore and Ive never done sin0e& and I ma. never do a+ain the rest of m. life. 'ut I ;elieve with m. heart and soul that the #$irit of Bod s$o2e to me and I immediatel. o;e.ed. I stood there& sear0hin+ the fa0es of all these +reat men and women of the 0hur0h who had ;een saved ma.;e thirt.& fort. or even fift. .ears lon+er than I had. I felt Kust li2e a new little ;a;. standin+ there& and suddenl. I ver. sweetl. said& AIf there are an. of .ou in this 0ir0le who do not ;elieve that Bod is +oin+ to +et that ro02 out& B=T OLT O@ T-I# (IC(<=JI I .elled at the ver. to$ of m. lun+s. %s a matter of fa0t& I .elled so loud I sho02ed m.self. ;ut ;efore I +o an. further& I want to as2 .ou a 1uestion. What would .ou have done under the 0ir0umstan0esH Ill tell .ou what the. didJ I never saw su0h a fast move of $eo$le in m. entire life. The. fell out of that 0ir0le so ra$idl. it almost made me diMM..
. .

When I loo2ed out a+ain& I had seven $eo$le in front of me. =ver.one else had Kum$ed out of that 0ir0leJ There were onl. seven left& so I $ulled m.self to+ether and said& AWell& +u.s& I thin2 we had ;etter re+rou$ a little ;it.I %nd thats e>a0tl. what we did. I was standin+ on the $latform and seven of them surrounded me. We Koined hands. Ive never learned how to $ra. fan0. $ra.ers. It seems to me ever sin0e I +ot saved I alwa.s +et m.self into a Kam and then I have to $ra. so fast that I 0an never remem;er how to $ra. real formall. and with all the ;eautiful words& ;ut I Kust have to s0ream out to Bod ;e0ause it seems its alwa.s an emer+en0. situation. -ow I $raise the <ord that -e hears m. $ra.ers and answers themJ %s I loo2ed u$ to Bod& I saw the few who were reall. standin+ with me& and the multitudes who were out in the $eri$her. with all of this dou;t and un;elief& so I ver. sim$l. told Bod what the $ro;lem was. I said& ABod& its .our mone.. You 2now how .ou want to s$end it. The.ve had the well di++ers out here. The. tried to +et the ro02 out& ;ut the. 0ouldnt& and now the. sa. the. have to di+ a whole new well.I I 0ontinued and said& AIts .our mone. and .ou 0an s$end it an. wa. .ou want to. You 0an +ive it to the well di++ers& or @ather& .ou 0an su$ernaturall. +et that ro02 out of there and that mone. 0an ;e used to win $eo$le to esus.I I waited Kust another se0ond and said& A@ather& I as2 .ou in the name of esus to $lease +et that ro02 out.I With that last sim$le little senten0e& I loo2ed ;a02 at the seven& and one of them had left the 0ir0le. -e had +one over to a little ;uildin+ whi0h was ma.;e twent. or twent.F five feet awa. from where we were standin+.

-e fli$$ed the swit0h to the well& and two hundred and sevent.Fsi> feet down in the earth I heard the most +lorious sound Ive ever heard in m. entire life. Blu+& +lu+& +lu+& +lu+& +lu+& +lu+& +lu+& and suddenl. the water shot out of the to$ of the $um$ e>a0tl. li2e out of a fire hoseJ Bod isnt deadJ The su$ernatural $ower of Bod is still availa;le toda. to those who are willin+ to 0ross over and to do what Bod tells them to do. I had $eo$le as2 me that da. and the.ve as2ed me ever sin0e& AWerent .ou afraidHI ANo& wh. should I ;e afraidHI AWerent .ou afraid that Bod wouldnt +et the ro02 outHI Would .ou ;elieve that thou+ht never entered m. mindH I Kust remem;ered that -e said whatever I as2ed& I would have if I Kust ;elieved it when I as2ed it. I ;elieved with m. heart and soul that when I as2ed -im to +et the ro02 out that -e was +oin+ to do Kust thatJ Paul sa.s& AI have ;een 0ru0ified with (hristE it is no lon+er I who live& ;ut (hrist lives in meE and the life whi0h I now live in the flesh I live ;. faith in the #on of Bod& who loved me and +ave -imself for meI 5Bal. 232:8. If we& too& have ;een 0ru0ified& if we are dead to self& we 0an never ;e em;arrassed whether somethin+ su00eeds or failsJ Ma.;e the reason I had a little 0onfiden0e that da. was ;e0ause the man who had 0ome u$ and as2ed me to $ra. to +et the ro02 out had ;een to a servi0e where I had s$o2en in West 7ir+inia. We had a real wonderful servi0e on #aturda. ni+ht after a s$a+hetti dinner. #$a+hetti sau0e 0an ;e +reas. and a real mess to 0lean u$& and it was in this 0ase& and the. were attem$tin+ to +et

the 2it0hen read. ;e0ause it was used as a 0lassroom on #unda. mornin+s. I was dr.in+ dishes. This was ;efore all 0hur0hes had dishwashers. % man 0ame over to me and said& A@ran0es we need hel$.I I said& AWhats .our $ro;lemHI There were five sin2s there and he said& AThe.re all sto$$ed u$. If .ou will noti0e& not one of them is drainin+.I What a messJ The. had s0oo$ed so mu0h of the +ooe. s$a+hetti down there and it had sto$$ed u$ ever. sin+le sin2. -e sim$l. said& AWe Kust need .ou to $ra. and +et those un$lu++edJI I was still a new little ;a;. (hristian. #ometimes I thin2 it would ;e wonderful if we 0ould Kust sta. ;a;. (hristians ;e0ause .ou dont have dou;t and un;elief. You Kust ;elieve ever.thin+ the 'i;le sa.s and .ou Kust ;elieve that Bod will do an.thin+. I stood there for a moment wonderin+ how to $ra. for sin2s& and then I loo2ed u$ and said& ABod& I didnt 2now .ou were in the $lum;in+ ;usiness& ;ut if .ou are& I as2 .ou in the name of esus to un0lo+ these sin2s ri+ht now so we 0an have a de0ent #unda. #0hool 0lass in the mornin+. Than2 .ou& @ather.I I dont thin2 I even had the AThan2 .ou& @ather&I out of m. mouth when suddenl. I heard a sound that almost shoo2 the entire ;uildin+. %<< @I7= O@ T-= #IN6# W=NT ALCCCPI %ND LNP<LBB=D %T ON= TIM=J Blor.J Does Bod still do the same thin+s toda. -e did 2&::: .ears a+oH You ;etter ;elieve -e does. <ets +o ;a02 to the ori+inal Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie. 'less her little 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ie heart. #he $ro;a;l. ma2es 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies in the sha$e of a

heart and $uts ;i+ 0hun2s of 0ho0olate in themJ #he had sta.ed ;ehind safe and se0ure in her little airF0onditioned tent. #he had sta.ed with the worldl. $ossessions whi0h made her feel so 0omforta;le and so safe and so se0ure. Im safe and se0ure in esus. Thats all the se0urit. in the world I need. 'ut lets see what reall. ha$$ened. I ima+ine it was hot over on the other side when the. 0rossed over. I ima+ine man. of the $la0es were e>tremel. warm. #he didnt have to +o throu+h that at all. #he was there in her ni0e little airF 0onditioned tent& havin+ a ;all& ma2in+ little 0ho0olate 0hi$ 0oo2ies in her new mi0rowave oven. 'ut loo2 what she missed ;. not 0rossin+ over3 The first thin+ she missed was the storm and seein+ esus 0alm the sea when -e merel. said& APea0e ;e still.I I wouldnt have missed that for an.thin+. Then she missed the demonia0 ;ein+ healed. This man who had ;een li2e an animal for .ears was suddenl. set free when esus said those famous words& A(ome out of the man& un0lean s$irit.I Thats all& and the man was set free. Would .ou have loved to have ;een thereH Me& tooJ -ow would .ou have li2ed to have ;een there when the woman with the issue of ;lood was healedH % woman who wasnt allowed on the inside. % woman who 2new that the death $enalt. would ;e hers if she was 0au+ht& ;ut she ris2ed ever.thin+ to do the one thin+ that she ;elieved would ma2e her whole. #he said& AIf I 0an Kust tou0h the hem of -is +arment& I 2now I shall ;e made whole.I And she was. Wouldnt .ou have loved to have ;een there when she rea0hed throu+h the 0rowd and tou0hed the hem of -is +arment and instantl. the flow of ;lood sto$$edH

Thats e>a0tl. what ha$$ened to the lad. whose house I visited. %lthou+h there is a;solutel. nothin+ in the hem of m. +arment& nor will there ever ;e& the faith of that woman made her whole. #he didnt see @ran0es -unter. #he saw the esus in me who had the same healin+ $ower toda. that -e had 2&::: .ears a+o. #he saw the esus who also lives in .ou and who has the same healin+ $ower in .ou that -e had when -e wal2ed in -is own ;od. on the shores of Balilee. Wouldnt .ou have loved to have ;een there and wat0hed the woman with the issue of ;loodH I would have loved to have seen the e>$ression on her fa0e ;efore and after. I would have loved to have seen it with the ho$e and the anti0i$ation and the e>0itement and the e>$e0tan0. that she had. Then I would have loved to have seen her afterwards reKoi0in+ and $raisin+ Bod for what -e had done ;e0ause -e had done what the do0tors 0ouldnt do. #he had s$ent all of her mone. and it 0ouldnt ;e done& and .et esus did it all. Thin2 of the little twelveF.earFold +irl who was dead and esus raised her from the dead. Thin2 of all Mrs. (ho0olate (hi$ (oo2ie missed Kust ;e0ause of not wantin+ to 0ross over. We should all 0ross over ever. sin+le time Bod tells us to 0ross over. Im +oin+ to& and I ho$e .ou are& too. I often loo2 ;a02 at the da. when Bod +ave (harles and me the mandate to ta2e the Breat (ommission around the world and to tea0h the world& not Kust in Te>as where we live& not Kust in <ouisiana whi0h is ne>t door to where we live& ;ut to tea0h the whole world that if (harles and @ran0es 0an do it& .ou 0an do it& too. I thin2 if we had ever realiMed the res$onsi;ilit. that would have +one with that& we mi+ht not have ever even

started. Yes we would& ;e0ause weve learned that when esus 0alls .ou and -e 0roo2s -is fin+er and sa.s& A(ome follow Me. Cross over to the other side&I .ou ma. not 2now whats on the other side& ;ut if .ou dont +o& .oull miss it all. Neither of us would miss what were doin+ toda. for an.thin+. There are man. areas where (hristians need to 0ross over in their minds and in their hearts and their lives and their wa. of livin+ from one area into another. I ;elieve we 0an do it ;. merel. 0rossin+ over and wal2in+ on the side with esus. You can chan ! "ro# $!%n a &os!r to a '%nn!r( esus never $romised us that we would ;e a loser. %ll -e $romises us is that AD in all these thin+s we are more than 0on1uerors throu+h -im who loved usI 5Comans ,3"*8. It is a lot more e>0itin+ to ;e a winner than a 0ontinual loser& and it is onl. throu+h esus that we 0an 0ross over to the winnin+ side. We need to ma2e the de0ision& however& ;e0ause no one 0an ma2e it for us. 'efore I was saved& I used to wa2e u$ ever. mornin+ and sa.& AI wonder what awful thin+ is +oin+ to ha$$en to me toda.JI Toda. when I wa2e u$ I sa.& ABod& what fa;ulous thin+s are we +oin+ to do to+ether toda.HI I swit0hed from ;ein+ a loser to a winner ;e0ause Im on Bods side. You can cross o)!r "ro# $!%n a s*!+t%c to a "anat%c( Its eas. to ;e a s2e$ti0& ;e0ause nothin+ is re1uired of .ou e>0e$t to sa.& AI dont ;elieve thatJI Its eas. to sa.& AIt doesnt wor2JI ;e0ause nothin+ is re1uired of .ou. Its mu0h harder to ;e a fanati0 ;e0ause .ou have to $ut .our faith in Bod. You learn to de$end on -im for ever.thin+. When .oure a s2e$ti0 .ou $ut .our faith in

.ourself. Its time we all 0ross over from ;ein+ a s2e$ti0 to a fanati0. Man, o" us n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# $!%n &u*!'ar# to r!- hot( Man. $eo$le wal2 the A(hristian roadI& and I have to $ut those two words in 1uotes ;e0ause Im not real sure it is reall. a (hristian wal2. The. stum;le& loaded with $ro;lems& in lu2ewarmness all of their life. I would rather ;e a red hot sinner than a lu2ewarm (hristian& ;e0ause a lu2ewarm (hristian is misera;le. Not onl. that& esus said he would s$ew them out of -is mouthJ More than an.thin+ else& Im +lad that Im a red hot& onFfireFforFBod fanati0J I was ;ornFa+ain in the fire of Bod& -e turned the ;urner u$ on me& and it has never 0ooled down sin0e that s$e0ial da.. %0tuall. it ;urns with +reater intensit. ever. da.J .! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# -ou$t an- un$!&%!" to $!&%!"( #ome of the saddest words in the 'i;le 0on0ern un;elief. Part of the 1)th 0ha$ter of Mar2 deals with esus havin+ 0ome ;a02 from the dead. When Mar. Ma+dalene saw -im& A#he went and told those who had ;een with -im& as the. mourned and we$t. %nd when the. heard that -e was alive and had ;een seen ;. her& T-=Y DID NOT '=<I=7=. %fter that& -e a$$eared in another form to two of them as the. wal2ed and went into the 0ountr.. %nd the. went and told it to the rest& ;ut T-=Y DID NOT '=<I=7= T-=M eitherI 5vs. 11F1"8. The +reatest sin in the world toda. is dou;t and un;elief. AThe worlds sin is un;elief in meI 5 ohn 1)3/ T<'8. Not onl. on the $art of the sinners& ;ut on the $art of ;elievers. Man. ;elievers do not ;elieve in healin+& and .et we see healin+s da. after da.. The 'i;le tells us that esus

(hrist is the same .esterda.& toda. and foreverJ If -e healed .esterda.& -ell heal toda.J Man. do not ;elieve that s$ea2in+ in ton+ues is for toda.& and .et we have seen over a million $eo$le re0eive the ;a$tism with the -ol. #$irit with the eviden0e of s$ea2in+ in ton+ues. We need to 0ross over from the area of dou;tin+ the Word of Bod to ;elievin+ all of -is wondrous $romises. Dou;t and un;elief 0ome from not understandin+ and not ;elievin+ the $romises of Bod and that the. are for toda.J Ln;elief and dou;t are stri0tl. from the devil& and we need to +et those thou+hts out of our minds& our hearts& our ;odies and our souls so that we 0an 0ross over into the area of ;elief and enKo. the unfettered $romises of BodJ .! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# s%c*n!ss %nto h!a&th! Bods will is for .ou to ;e whole& and to wal2 in divine health& and .et there is so mu0h si02ness on the earthJ A'eloved& I $ra. that .ou ma. $ros$er in all thin+s and ;e in health& Kust as .our soul $ros$ersI 5III ohn 28. -ealin+ is for .ou& toda.J .! n!!- to 'a&* out o" s%n an- start 'a&*%n %n th! $!aut, o" H%s ho&%n!ss( Man. (hristians want to wal2 that little middle line and thin2& AIll Kust da;;le in sin a little and Ill still ;e all ri+ht.I Bods Word sa.s& ADo .ou not 2now that .ou are the tem$le of Bod and that the #$irit of Bod dwells in .ouH If an.one defiles the tem$le of Bod& Bod will destro. him. @or the tem$le of Bod is hol.& whi0h tem$le .ou areI 5I (orinthians "31)&1*8. On0e we +et the idea in our minds that it is far more e>0itin+ to wal2 in the holiness of Bod& the ;etter off we will ;e. %s for me and m. house& we ;elieve what the 'i;le sa.s& AWithout holiness no man shall see Bod.I We want to see BodJ

.! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# +o)!rt, %nto +ros+!r%t,( Ive wal2ed on ;oth sides of that fen0e& and I li2e $ros$erit. mu0h ;etter. %s a little +irl I was ;rou+ht u$ in total $overt.& la02in+ //U of all the thin+s that .oun+ $eo$le need and want& ;ut esus $romised& AThe thief does not 0ome e>0e$t to steal& and to 2ill& and to destro.. I have 0ome that the. ma. have life& and that the. ma. have it more a;undantl.I 5 ohn 1:31:8. esus does not want us to wallow in $overt.& ;ut -e wants us to enKo. the a;undant life whi0h -e has $romised to usJ .! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# -!+r!ss%on to /o,! #ome of the letters that 0ome into our offi0e would ;rea2 .our heart if .ou 0ould read them. #ometimes $eo$le will list ten $a+es of $ro;lems the. have& written in su0h a de$ressin+ manner that .ou mi+ht ;e tem$ted to wonder if even esus 0ould +et them out of the dum$s. AIf .ou 2ee$ M. 0ommandments& .ou will a;ide in M. love& Kust as I have 2e$t M. @athers 0ommandments and a;ide in -is love. These thin+s I have s$o2en to .ou& that M. Ko. ma. remain in .ou& and that .our Ko. ma. ;e fullI 5 ohn 1531:&118. Comans 1!31* is another verse that 0an $ut Ko. into .our soul and remove de$ression. A...f or the 2in+dom of Bod is not food and drin2& ;ut ri+hteousness and $ea0e and Ko. in the -ol. #$iritI. Pea0e and Ko. are the o$$osite of de$ression& and are the thin+s we need in our life and the.re availa;le for allJ AThe OY of the <ord is .our stren+thI& 5Nehemiah ,31:8. If .ou lose .our Ko. .ou will dro$ into Ala02 of Ko.I whi0h is de$ressionJ .! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# $on-a ! to "r!!-o#( =ven after salvation& man. (hristians are in ;onda+e to ha;its su0h as 0i+arettes& al0ohol& lust& dru+s& swearin+& attitudes& and man. other thin+s. We need to ;e set free

;e0ause esus said& ATherefore if the #on ma2es .ou free& .ou shall ;e free indeedI 5 ohn ,3" )8. Its so eas. when we let esus do it for us. I was set free from ;ein+ a fiveF$a02a+esFaFda.Fsmo2er in the twin2lin+ of an e.e. The martinis I loved went ri+ht down the drain& and so did the swearin+ and dirt. Ko2es ;e0ause I ;elieved what the Word of. Bod sa.s. %n interestin+ letter that 0ame in our mail sa.s& AI first re0eived esus as <ord in ul. 1/,:. -e delivered me from dru+s& al0ohol& $orno+ra$h. and a multitude of sins instantl.. The one thin+ that wasnt instant was m. 0i+arette ha;it. #i> and oneFhalf .ears after I was saved I read .our ;oo2 on How "o Heal "he .ic+. It seems I tried ever.thin+ to 1uit. I went to the elders to $ra. for me.. I 0alled Trinit. 'road0astin+ Networ2. Id +o to retreats. I 1uestioned m. faith. When I read in the ;oo2 to throw them awa. and not ;u. an. more& it ministered to me. I threw awa. m. first $a02. % 0ou$le of hours later I +ot the ur+e a+ain& ;ut ever. time I went and ;ou+ht a new $a02 of 0i+arettes& the words 2e$t 0omin+ ;a02. GThrow them awa. and dont ;u. an. more. %fter a;out three da.s and a doMen $a02s thrown awa.& I thin2 the <ord said& GThats enou+hJ I havent smo2ed sin0e and thats ;een almost 21/2 .earsJI <ets ;e free li2e the #on wants us freeJ .! n!!- to cross o)!r "ro# carna&%t, to tota& co##%t#!nt o" our &%)!s( You mi+ht sa.& A-ow do .ou do thatHI AI want to do that& ;ut how do I do itHI Its so eas.. It all 0omes with a de0ision. 'ut the de0ision must ;e the ri+ht 2ind. The da. I +ot saved I made a 1ualit. de0ision that Bods wa. was ;etter. I loo2ed at sin& and I loo2ed at Bods wa.& and de0ided there was no

0om$arison. The sim$le statement I made was this& ABod& Ill ma2e a deal with .ou. Ill +ive .ou %<< of me& for %<< of YouJ Then I added another senten0e to ma2e sure -e understood what I meant. I said& AIf .ou want whats left of this mess& ta2e %<< of me& ;e0ause I dont want an.thin+ left of m.selfJI The de0ision was total not $art wa.& not half wa.& not even a ninet.Fnine $er0ent de0ision. @or me& it was one hundred $er0ent from the word salvation. I made that de0ision& and nothin+ in the world 0ould ever 0ause me to 0han+e m. mind ;e0ause I have wal2ed in vi0tor. ever. da. of m. life sin0e then. There are so man. 1uestiona;le areas 2nown onl. to ea0h of us& ;ut its su0h a Ko. when we leave them ;ehind and 0ross over and a0tuall. rea0h that other side Cemem;er& the onl. $art of .ou that 0an ;a02slide is the $art .ou have not +iven to BodJ I remem;er man. .ears a+o when I was a .oun+ teena+e +irl livin+ in #t. <ouis& Missouri& we often went out to the Merima0 Civer whi0h reall. wasnt mu0h ;i++er than a 0ree2. The onl. ;ea0h was on a little island 0lose to the other side of the river. It wasnt too far to swim& ;ut farther than man. $eo$le wanted to swim& so the. had row ;oats to ta2e .ou over& for whi0h the. 0har+ed .ou ten 0entsJ We lived in so mu0h $overt.& I never had the ten 0ents to 0ross over& so one da. I de0ided to ;e real darin+& even thou+h I wasnt a +ood swimmer& and 0ould onl. do the oldFfashioned stro2e 0alled APi02 a 0herr.& $ut it in the ;as2et and +lideJI If .oure a .oun+ swimmer& .ou wont have an. idea what Im tal2in+ a;out& ;e0ause no one swims that wa. toda. that I 2now of& ;e0ause it is slow and ta2es a lot of effort.

I mana+ed to ma2e it a0ross the river and after we had $i0ni02ed and $la.ed most of the afternoon& I started to swim ;a02. I was a;out in the middle of the stream when I realiMed that I was winded ;e0ause I had $la.ed so mu0h durin+ the da.. I rolled over on m. ;a02 and ;e+an to float& ;ut that ;e+an to 0arr. me downstream& so I turned over and ;e+an to $i02 more 0herries. #uddenl. I realiMed that I was out of ener+.& and I started +oin+ under the water. I stru++led to +et ;a02 on to$& and tried to swim a little more& ;ut I Kust didnt have the stren+th. % million thin+s +o throu+h .our mind at a time li2e that3 I stru++led franti0all. tr.in+ to sta. afloat. I wasnt seein+ an.thin+ e>0e$t how far awa. the shoreline loo2ed when suddenl. I heard a voi0e& AWould .ou li2e to hit0hhi2e a rideHI It was the 0ommer0ial ;oatman who had seen me flounderin+ and rowed down to where I was. #till $addlin+ madl.& I said& AI dont have a dimeJI -e said& AYou 0an hit0hhi2e for nothin+JI -e +ra;;ed m. hand and $ut it on the side of the ;oat so I 0ould han+ on. %ll the fears that had rushed throu+h m. mind in that short $eriod of time were +one and m. Ko. 2new no ;ounds when m. feet finall. tou0hed solid +round

again.
<oo2in+ ;a02 toda.& I see vividl. it was the hand of esus that rea0hed down that hot summer da. and $ulled me to safet.J I 0ould have never made it without -im. If .ou need to 0ross over& do it now. You 0ant do it without -im& and -ell ma2e the tri$ so eas. for .ou that .oull ;e as e0stati0 as I was when I finall. landed on the other side. It is life or death. -ow I $raise Bod -e +ave me life.

Chapter Five

How Do You Treat My Son Jesus?

One of m. most fa;ulous (hristian e>$erien0es ha$$ened in a most unusual wa.. (harles and I had ;een to a $owerful meetin+ where we had seen the $ower of Bod wor2 throu+h an evan+elist in a +reater wa. than we had ever witnessed it in our entire lives. I 0ouldnt stand it. I had to find out what the se0ret of his $ower was. I 0ornered him and I said& AWhat is the se0ret of the tremendous $ower in .our meetin+sHI 7er. sim$l. he said& AI s$end at least ei+ht hours ever. da. in Bods Word. There is no $ower without that.I I 2new there wasnt an. $ower without Bods Word& ;ut nevertheless it stunned me to thin2 that some;od. 0ould s$end ei+ht hours a da. in the Word of Bod. I thou+ht a;out m. own life and all the letters I have to answer& the 0lothes I have to wash& the house I have to 0lean& the food I have to ;u. at the stores& how I have to $re$are meals& and I wondered how I would ever find time to s$end ei+ht hours in one uninterru$ted stret0h in Bods -ol. Word. This $ut a tremendous hun+er in m. heart and all I 0ould thin2 a;out was& ABod& let me have Kust one da.& let me have Kust one uninterru$ted da. that I 0an s$end in .our -ol. Word& Kust You and me& and no;od. else.I

You should ;e 0areful when .ou $ra. unless .ou mean it ;e0ause .ou mi+ht +et the sho02 of .our lifeJ Its amaMin+ what Bod will do Kust to answer a ver. sim$le little $ra.er li2e the one I Kust $ra.ed& ABod& somehow& +ive me ei+ht uninterru$ted hours alone with You.I I was s0heduled to ;e at a meetin+ in a little town in 6ansas. =ven thou+h 6ansas isnt ver. far from -ouston& Te>as where I live& it was a ver. diffi0ult $la0e to +et to ;e0ause I had to +o from -ouston to Dallas& +et off there and transfer to another $lane. @rom there I too2 a little $lane that went ho$& ho$& ho$& u$ and down until we +ot to <i;eral& 6ansas. @rom there I was to ;e driven to the little town where I was s0heduled to s$ea2. The distan0e wasnt ver. lon+ ;ut the fli+ht was& so when I ;oarded the $lane in -ouston I was wellFarmed for the fli+ht. I had m. ;rand new <ivin+ 'i;le with me. I thou+ht& AIll start in Matthew.I I had read Matthew man. times $reviousl. and was ;lessed a+ain as I read it. When I finished it I started to read Mar2. #uddenl. I heard the small still voi0e of Bod. Man. times that little voi0e is so still that we miss it& if we dont reall. listen& or if we arent listenin+ 0arefull.. I heard Bod sa.& ABo ;a02 and read the whole thin+ a+ain.I I thou+ht& AWow& this is +oin+ to reall. ;e interestin+.I I turned ;a02 and read the whole ;oo2 of Matthew a+ain. It was e>0itin+ readin+ ;ut nevertheless& I 2new Bod had somethin+ reall. su$ernatural that -e was $re$arin+. 'ut nothin+ ha$$ened until I had finished it and -e said& ABo ;a02 and read it a+ain.I I read it the third timeJ When I +ot to the end of the ;oo2 the third time I heard Bod sa.in+ e>a0tl. the same thin+ a+ain. -e said& ABo ;a02 and reread it.I

This was four times Bod had me read the ;oo2 of Matthew. #uddenl. I +ot to the fourth 0ha$ter and read3 AThen esus was led out into the wilderness ;. the -ol. #$irit& to ;e tem$ted there ;. #atan. @or fort. da.s and fort. ni+hts he ate nothin+ and ;e0ame ver. hun+r.. Then #atan tem$ted him to +et food ;. 0han+in+ stones into loaves of ;read. AIt will $rove .ou are the #on of Bod& he said. A'ut esus told him& GNoJ @or the #0ri$tures tell us that ;read wont feed mens souls3 o;edien0e to ever. word of Bod is what we need. AThen #atan too2 him to erusalem to the roof of the Tem$le. G um$ off& he said& G%nd $rove .ou are the #on of BodE for the #0ri$tures de0lare& GBod will send his an+els to 2ee$ .ou from harmD the. will $revent .ou from smashin+ on the ro02s ;elow. A esus retorted& GIt also sa.s not to $ut the <ord .our Bod to a foolish testJ ANe>t& #atan too2 him to the $ea2 of a ver. hi+h mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their +lor.. GIll +ive it all to .ou& he said& Gif .ou will onl. 2neel and worshi$ me. ABet out of here& #atan& esus told him. GThe #0ri$tures sa.& AWorshi$ onl. the <ord Bod. O;e. onl. him.I ust as I finished that little $art of s0ri$ture& I heard Bod sa.& A%s2 them& Do you yield to temptation? I thou+ht how man. times in a (hristians life we are fa0ed with tem$tations. esus was fa0ed with tem$tation& ;ut what did -e doH Bod said& A%s2 them& GDo .ou .ield to tem$tationHI I 0ontinued readin+ and didnt have to read far ;efore Bod ;e+an to s$ea2 a+ain. This was su0h a fantasti0

e>$erien0e ;e0ause I was fl.in+ hi+h in the s2. with a $lane full of $eo$le& ;ut so far as I was 0on0erned there was no;od. there ;ut Kust Bod and @ran0es -unter. When I rea0hed the nineteenth verse& I 2new there was more to 0ome. A esus 0alled out& G(ome alon+ with me and I will show .ou how to fish for the souls of men. %nd the. left their nets at on0e and went with him. A% little farther u$ the ;ea0h he saw two other ;rothers& ames and ohn& sittin+ in a ;oat with their father ?e;edee& mendin+ their netsE and he 0alled to them to 0ome too. %t on0e the. sto$$ed their wor2 and& leavin+ their father ;ehind& went with him.I When I finished readin+ that& I heard Bod s$ea2 a+ain. %nd this is what -e said. A%s2 them& 0Do you instantly obey? O;edien0e to the will of Bod is all im$ortantJ I was e>tremel. e>0ited ;e0ause I realiMed this was +oin+ to ;e a ver. s$e0ial afternoon. % ver. s$e0ial time& ;e0ause Bod was +oin+ to ;e sa.in+ thin+s to me that I had never heard in m. entire life. I was an>ious to find out what the ne>t thin+ was -e had to sa.. I +ot to Matthew 5321&22. ALnder the laws of Moses the rule was& GIf .ou murder& .ou must die. 'ut I have added to that rule& and tell .ou that if .ou are onl. an+r.& even in .our own home& .ou are in dan+er of Kud+mentJ If .ou 0all .our friend an idiot& .ou are in dan+er of ;ein+ ;rou+ht ;efore the 0ourt. %nd if .ou 0urse him& .ou are in dan+er of the fires of hell.I %nd then I heard Bod s$ea2 a+ain& A%s2 them&I -e said& Do you have au ht a ainst you! b!othe!? Its so eas. to +et an+r. with mem;ers of our own famil.. Man. times we +et an+r. at the ones we love the

most. We +et an+r. at our s$ouse. We +et an+r. at our 0hildren. We +et an+r. at our +rand0hildren. We +et an+r. at our ver. 0losest friends. Did .ou ever noti0e thatH The reason is ;e0ause thats where the devil reall. li2es to 0ome inJ I hurriedl. read on ;e0ause the sus$ense 0ontinued to +row. I an>iousl. 2e$t readin+ and .et I was readin+ ver. 0arefull. and was listenin+ so 0arefull. ;e0ause I wanted to ;e sure I heard ever.thin+ Bod had to sa. to me. I +ot to the si>th 0ha$ter& the twent.Ffifth verse. This is what I read. A#o m. 0ounsel is3 Dont worr. a;out thin+s food& drin2& and 0lothes. @or .ou alread. have life and a ;od. and the. are far more im$ortant than what to eat and wear. <oo2 at the ;irdsJ The. dont worr. a;out what to eat 4the. dont need to sow or rea$ or store u$ food for .our heavenl. @ather feeds them. %nd .ou are far more valua;le to him than the. are. Will all .our worries add a sin+le moment to .our lifeH A%nd wh. worr. a;out .our 0lothesH <oo2 at the field liliesJ The. dont worr. a;out theirs. Yet 6in+ #olomon in all his +lor. was not 0lothed as ;eautifull. as the.3 %nd if Bod 0ares so wonderfull. for flowers that are here toda. and +one tomorrow& wont he more surel. 0are for .ou& : men of little faithH A#o dont worr. at all a;out havin+ enou+h food and 0lothin+. Wh. ;e li2e the heathenH @or the. ta2e $ride in all these thin+s and are dee$l. 0on0erned a;out them. 'ut .our heavenl. @ather alread. 2nows $erfe0tl. well that .ou need them& and he will +ive them to .ou if .ou +ive him first $la0e in .our life and live as he wants .ou to.I Then Bod s$o2e to me a+ain and -e said& A%s2 them& Do you "o!!y? Do you t!ust me? Do you !eally believe? Do you "o!!y? That#s $o! the heathen%

Do .ou trust -imH Do .ou reall. ;elieveH M. heart 0ried out. I said& AOh Bod& there are so man. (hristians who worr. and worr. and worr. a;out ever.thin+. What 0an I sa. to themHI %nd -e ver. sim$l. answered. &s' them i$ they !eally t!ust (e% #o I want to as2 .ou& do .ou reall. trust -imH Do .ou reall. loo2 to Bod as .our total and 0om$lete sour0e for ever.thin+H This was reall. +ettin+ e>0itin+ ;e0ause -e was tellin+ me so man. fantasti0 thin+s to share with .ou. I +ot to Matthew *321 and I was tr.in+ to read real fast ;e0ause I 2new that Bod had a lot more to sa.. %nd .et I didnt 2now how it was +oin+ to ha$$en ;e0ause I 2new that it wouldnt ;e ver. lon+ ;efore we would ;e landin+. ANot all who sound reli+ious are reall. +odl. $eo$le. The. ma. refer to me as A<ord&I ;ut still wont +et to heaven. @or the de0isive 1uestion is whether the. o;e. m. @ather in -eaven.I %nd Bods voi0e softl. whis$ered& A%s2 them& )Do they !eally obey? Do they RE&**+ obey? To ;e o;edient& I want to as2 .ou& ADo .ou reall. o;e. BodHI Twi0e while -e was s$ea2in+ to me -e had s$e0ifi0all. mentioned the word Ao;e.I. Over in the Old Testament it sa.s that AO;edien0e is ;etter than sa0rifi0eI. I 0ouldnt hel$ ;ut feel that Bod was sa.in+ somethin+ ver.& ver. s$e0ial a;out wantin+ .our o;edien0e more than an.thin+ else. Ci+ht after I heard this& I heard somethin+ I 0ould hardl. ;elieve. The loud s$ea2er 0ame on& and the $ilot ;e+an tal2in+ and what he said reall. sho02ed me. It has

never ha$$ened to me ;efore and it has never ha$$ened sin0e. The $ilot said& A'e0ause of the dust storm& we are una;le to land at <i;eral and will 0ontinue on to Denver.I I didnt want to +o to DenverJ I was s0heduled to s$ea2 in -u+oton& a little town a;out fort. miles from <i;eral. I loo2ed out the window and .oud never +uess what I saw. It loo2ed li2e I was floatin+ in a sea of red dust. I 0ouldnt ;elieve itJ Id never seen so mu0h red dust outside of a window in m. whole lifeJ I 1ui02l. turned to the other side of the aisle and loo2ed out that window and it was e>a0tl. the same thin+. %ll of this red stuff Kust swirlin+ around the air$lane. I 0ontinued on to Matthew /3/& A%s esus was +oin+ on down the road& he saw a ta> 0olle0tor& Matthew& sittin+ at a ta> 0olle0tion ;ooth. G(ome and ;e m. dis0i$le& esus said to him& and Matthew Kum$ed u$ and went alon+ with -im.I %t the end of that little verse Bod s$o2e a+ain. ust one tin. little verse and .et Bod s$o2e 0learl.. %nd I 2new e>a0tl. what Bod was +oin+ to sa.& ;e0ause it said& AMatthew Kum$ed u$ and went alon+ with esus.I Bod s$o2e a+ain and said& A%s2 them& as2 them& wherever .ou +o& wherever .ou s$ea2& )Do they instantly obey? Im +oin+ to as2 .ou& ADo .ou Kum$ ri+ht u$ when Bod tells .ou to do somethin+H Do .ou instantl. o;e.HI I read on to the "*th and the ",th verse and ;. this time I was aware of Kust two $eo$le in the world& Bod and me. There mi+ht have ;een other $eo$le on the $lane. The stewardesses were there& and the $lane was loaded& ;ut I 0ould have ;een in the middle of the desert for all I 2new ;e0ause to me it was Kust& AYou and me <ord& and thats a;solutel. all.I

AThe harvest is so +reat& and the wor2ers are so few& he told his dis0i$les. G#o $ra. to the one in 0har+e of the harvestin+& and as2 him to re0ruit more wor2ers for his harvest fields.I -ad the $lane ;een fl.in+ lower& I 0ould have loo2ed down and seen harvest fields all over 6ansas. #ome of the +reatest wheat fields in the world& or in the Lnited #tates an.wa.& are in 6ansas. %nd I thou+ht a;out all the wheat that needed to ;e harvested. %nd I thou+ht a;out all the $eo$le who needed to 2now a;out esus. %nd Bod said& A%s2 them& )&!e they "illin to be !e,!uited? &!e they "illin to be !e,!uited to be "o!'e!s in the ha!vest $ields? 'eloved& the fields are so white unto harvest. There are so man. $eo$le out there who are an>ious to 2now esus. 'ut the. need some;od. to tell them. Tread on to Matthew 1:3"*. I was o;livious to time& or $la0e or s$a0e& or an.thin+ else. AIf .ou love .our father and mother more than .ou love me& .ou are not worth. of ;ein+ mineE or if .ou love .our son or dau+hter more than me& .ou are not worth. of ;ein+ mine.I There was a tremendous love of Bod envelo$in+ me as I read this $arti0ular $art& and 1 2new somethin+ s$e0ial was 0omin+ ne>t. I thou+ht of m. own ;eloved dau+hter& and I thou+ht of m. own ;eloved hus;and. I thou+ht of m. ;eloved son. I thou+ht of all m. famil. that I love ver. mu0h and Bod said& A%s2 them& -ho do you love the most? -ho ,omes $i!st in you! li$e? %nd then Bod s$o2e to me. -e said& A@ran0es& who 0omes first in .our lifeHI %ll I 0an sa. is Praise Bod I 0ould answer& A esus.I %fter -im 0omes m. famil..

When .ou love Bod more than .ou love .our own famil. -e will +ive .ou a love for .our famil. that is far +reater than an. love .ou 0ould have ever dreamed or ever ima+ined. #o Im +oin+ to as2 .ou Kust what Bod told me to. /0ho do you really put first in your life,I read on. I was devourin+ ever. sin+le word ;e0ause I wanted to ;e sure I didnt miss a sin+le solitar. thin+ that Bod said to me. %nd then I +ot to the twelfth 0ha$ter of Matthew& the "!th verse. This is what -e said. AYou ;rood of sna2esJ Wow& loo2 what esus was sa.in+. AYou ;rood of sna2esJ -ow 0ould evil men li2e .ou s$ea2 what is +ood and ri+htH @or a mans heart determines his s$ee0h.I %nd softl. Bod said to me& A%s2 them& 0-hat ,omes out o$ you! mouth? I thou+ht a;out m. own mouth. I thou+ht a;out what Id heard from the li$s of other (hristians. %nd wondered if all that 0ame out of our mouths was of Bod. I thou+ht a;out the .ears I s$ent in the world servin+ the devil ;efore I ;e0ame a (hristian and I thou+ht of all the thin+s that 0ame out of m. mouth. Theres a han+over lots of times from ;efore were a (hristian& and then when we ;e0ome a (hristian. %nd all I 0ould thin2 of was Bod sa.in+& ACeall. wat0h out what 0omes out of .our mouth.I Does it reall. +lorif. BodH Does it alwa.s ma+nif. esusH Does it alwa.s lift u$ the name of esusH Im +oin+ to as2 .ou what Bod told me to as2 .ou. AWhat 0omes out of .our mouthH What reall. 0omes out of .our mouthH Now I Kust dont mean on #unda.. I mean what 0omes out of .our mouth all the timeJI

I 2e$t readin+ ;e0ause there was a real stirrin+ in m. heart. #uddenl. I 2new Bod was +oin+ to sa. another ver. s$e0ial somethin+. AThe 6in+dom of -eaven is li2e a $earl mer0hant on the loo2out for 0hoi0e $earls. -e dis0overed a real ;ar+ain a $earl of +reat value and he sold ever.thin+ he owned to $ur0hase it.I 5Matthew 1"3!58. I thou+ht a;out this man +atherin+ ever.thin+ to+ether. =ver.thin+ he had. %nd he was willin+ to trade it all for one $earl. %nd Bod said to me& A%s2 them& &!e they "illin to ive all? %re .ou reall. willin+ to +ive all for that $earl of +reat $ri0eH esus $aid a +reat $ri0e for us. %nd .et that $earl& esus& is a;solutel. free. %ll it ta2es is all of us. #o I want to 0hallen+e .ou3 %re .ou reall. willin+ to +ive allH =ver. 1uestion that Bod as2ed me& and ever. 1uestion that Bod told me to as2 .ou& Bod as2ed me to sear0h m. ver. own heart to see if I 0ould honestl. +ive all the ri+ht answers to ever. 1uestion that -e was tellin+ me to as2 .ou. -ow do .ou reall. treat -is son esusH I +ot to Matthew the 1!th 0ha$ter the 25th verse& and I ;e+an readin+ and I 2new a+ain here was somethin+ ver. s$e0ial. A%;out four o0lo02 in the mornin+& esus 0ame to them& wal2in+ on the waterJ The. s0reamed in terror& for the. thou+ht he was a +host.I I ima+ine I would have too& wouldnt .ouH A'ut esus immediatel. s$o2e to them& reassurin+ them& GDont ;e afraid& he said. Then Peter 0alled to him. G#ir& if it is reall. .ou& tell me to 0ome over to .ou& wal2in+ on the water.

A%ll ri+ht& the <ord said& G0ome alon+. A#o Peter went over the side of the ;oat and wal2ed on the water toward esus. 'ut when he loo2ed around at the hi+h waves& he was terrified and ;e+an to sin2. G#ave me <ordJ he shouted. Instantl. esus rea0hed out his hand and res0ued him. GOh man of little faith& esus said. GWh. did .ou dou;t meH %nd when the. had 0lim;ed ;a02 into the ;oat& the wind sto$$ed. AThe others sat there& awestru02. GYou reall. are the #on of BodJ the. e>0laimed.I Then -e said& A%s2 them& )Do you !eally t!ust (e?I ;e+an to thin2 a;out m. own life. Do we have those times 0ome u$ when we reall. $ani0 and we tr. and do it ourselvesH Do we $ani0 and fail to loo2 to Bod as our sour0eH Do we $ani0 and loo2 to our own human stren+thH Do we loo2 to our hus;ands for the answerH Do we loo2 to our 0hildren for the answerH Or do we reall. trust BodH %ll I 0ould thin2 a;out was m. own heart. ADo .ou reall. trust Me& @ran0esH Do .ou reall. trust MeHI #o Im +oin+ to as2 .ou& ADo .ou reall. trust -imHI Throu+h it all& throu+h thi02 and thin& throu+h all the $ro;lems that 0ome u$ in .our life. Throu+h all the situations that ma. 0ome u$ even within .our own famil.. % situation with .our hus;and& .our wife. The im$ossi;le $ro;lems that .ou have with those teena+e 0hildren. Do .ou reall. trust BodH Do .ou reall.H #uddenl.& I +ot so e>0ited ;e0ause it Kust seemed li2e Bod was ;e+innin+ to s$ea2 more and more. %nd I +ot to Matthew 1) and the 2!th verse. On0e a+ain I felt that there was +oin+ to ;e somethin+ real su$er s$e0ial.

AThen esus said to the dis0i$les& GIf an.one wants to ;e a follower of mine& let him den. himself and ta2e u$ his 0ross and follow me. @or an.one who 2ee$s his life for himself shall lose it. %nd an.one who loses his life for me shall find it a+ain. What $rofit is there if .ou +ain the whole world and lose eternal lifeH What 0an ;e 0om$ared with the value of eternal lifeHI I sto$$ed readin+ ;e0ause I 2new Bod was +oin+ to s$ea2 a+ain. %nd -e did. This is what -e said. -e said& A%s2 them& a+ain and a+ain and a+ain& the most im$ortant 1uestion of all& &!e they !eally. !eally "illin to ive all? %re .ou reall. willin+ to +ive ever. sin+le thin+ that .ou have to ;elon+ to BodH Thats what -e told me to as2 .ou& -e said& A%s2 them& /#re they really willing to give all, #re they really willing to give up every single thing to belong to me,I read on and m. interest 2e$t +rowin+ more and more all the time. '. this time I was at the 1,th 0ha$ter of Matthew and I read& A%;out that time the dis0i$les 0ame to esus to as2 whi0h of them would ;e the +reatest in the 6in+dom of -eavenJ esus 0alled a small 0hild over to -im and set the little fellow down amon+ them& and said& ALnless .ou turn to Bod from .our sins and ;e0ome as little 0hildren& .ou will never +et into the 6in+dom of -eaven.I %nd Bod said& A%s2 them& &!e you "illin to ,ome as a little ,hild. in simple $aith? &!e you? I didnt ;e0ome a (hristian until I was fort.Fnine .ears of a+e& and I never will for+et what the $astor who led me to the <ord said.

-e said& A@ran0es& at .our a+e& .oull never ma2e it.I You mi+ht thin2 its $e0uliar that he said Id never ma2e it. 'ut he followed it with a statement that has reall. sta.ed with me throu+hout all these .ears. -e said& AYoull never ma2e it as a (hristian at .our a+e& unless .ou 0ome with the faith of a little 0hild Kust ;elievin+.I Thats e>a0tl. the wa. I ;e0ame a (hristian. I ;e0ame a (hristian with the faith of a little 0hild. I have never 0han+ed. I still have that ver. sim$le 0hildli2e faith. %nd I $ra. to Bod that I will never lose it ;e0ause if we 0an let our faith ;e Kust as sim$le as a 0hild& and Kust as trustin+ as a 0hild& weve reall. +ot it made. Thin2 a;out .our own 0hildren. Did .ou ever noti0e& es$e0iall. when the.re little& that when the. +et hurt& the first thin+ the. do is to run to their momm. or their dadd.. Wh.H 'e0ause the. have faith to 2now that momm. and dadd. 0an heal it. Thats what the. ;elieveJ The faith of 0hildren is ;eautifulJ If we 0ould Kust loo2 u$on Bod as our -eavenl. @ather& 2now that whenever we have an a0he or a $ain& or whenever we have a $ro;lem& that -e is ri+ht there& read. to ta2e 0are of ever.thin+. I thin2 a;out little 0hildren runnin+ with their arms outstret0hed to their mother or their dadd. when the. +et hurt. Thats e>a0tl. the same wa. we should run to Bod with our arms outstret0hed and Kust sa.in+& A%;;a @ather& %;;a @atherI. If we 0an Kust $ut our trust in -im& and loo2 to -im totall. and 0om$letel. as our sour0e& -ell never let us down. Bod said& A%s2 them& )&!e you "illin to ,ome as a little ,hild. in simple $aith?

%re .ou reall. willin+ to 0ome with Kust that sim$le little 0hildli2e faithH %t a re0ent meetin+ the. ;rou+ht a little +irl who had ;een ;orn totall. deaf in one ear. #he had heard that I had $ra.ed one time for a little +irl who was deaf in one ear and she was healed. %nd this little +irl 0ame& ;elievin+ that esus was +oin+ to heal her the minute I tou0hed her ears. #he wal2ed ri+ht u$ in the middle of the servi0e. It was the most ;eautiful thin+ .ou ever saw ;e0ause the #$irit of the <ord was reall. on her. #he Kust wal2ed u$ to me and stood there Kust loo2in+ at me. I said to her& AWhat do .ou want esus to do for .ouHI %nd she said& AIm deaf in m. one ear. %nd esus told me that when .ou tou0hed m. ear& I would ;e healed.I I 2new that I didnt even have to tou0h her ear ;e0ause I 2new that her faith had done it. 'less her little heart& I Kust $ut m. fin+er in her ear and said& AO$en in the name of esus.I %nd it was done& Kust li2e thatJ 'eautiful& sim$le 0hildli2e faithJ It too2 a lot lon+er to $ersuade her mother and her dadd.J I as2ed them to 0ome u$ onsta+e ;e0ause the 0hild had 0ome u$ alone& drawn there ;. the $ower of the -ol. #$irit& and drawn ;. that sim$le little 0hildli2e faith in esus. -er mother and dadd. tested and tested and retested ;efore the. finall. ;elieved that this 0hild was healed& and .et instantl.& the little +irl 2new she had ;een healed. #he 0ould hear ever.thin+ we said. 'eloved& let us all +et ;a02 to that sim$le 0hildli2e faith. ust li2e Bod said& A%s2 them& 1#re you willing to come as a little child, Just believing,-

I said& AOh& <ord& 2ee$ me a little 0hild. Dont let me ever +row u$. 6ee$ me a little 0hild Kust ;elievin+ in the Word of Bod.I I +ot to the nineteenth 0ha$ter of Matthew and in the fourth verse it said& ADont .ou read the #0ri$turesH he re$lied. GIn them it is written& that at the ;e+innin+ Bod 0reated man and woman& and that a man should leave his father and mother and ;e forever united to his wife. The two shall ;e0ome one no lon+er two& ;ut oneJ %nd no man ma. divor0e what Bod has Koined to+ether.I Then Bod said& A%s2 them& )Do you !eally believe in ma!!ia e? I thou+ht a;out all the married 0ou$les Ive 0ounseled with& and all the $ro;lems the.re havin+. I thou+ht a;out how man. were thin2in+ of +ettin+ a divor0e. %nd m. heart 0ried at the answer a lot of $eo$le would have to +ive to that 1uestion. 'ut Im as2in+ .ou ;e0ause Bod told me to. -e said& A%s2 them& 12o you really believe in marriage, 2o you really believe that marriage is what 3od created it to be, 2o you believe, really believe that 3od +new what He was doing when He created marriage, #nd when He said /the two shall be one-, #o Im +oin+ to as2 .ou& do .ou reall. ;elieve in marria+eH I read on. I read on ;e0ause I 2now how I feel a;out marria+e and I read on to Matthew 223"*. A esus re$lied& G<ove the <ord .our Bod with all .our heart& soul& and mind. This is the first and +reatest 0ommandment. The se0ond most im$ortant is similar. <ove .our nei+h;or as mu0h as .ou love .ourself..I %nd then Bod said& A%s2 them& a+ain and a+ain and a+ain&

)-ho do you love the most? -ho do you !eally put $i!st in you! li$e? 'efore I ;e0ame a (hristian& I $ut the dollar ;ill first& ;e0ause on the mone. it said AIn Bod We TrustI and I thou+ht if I trusted mone.& I automati0all. trusted Bod. Thats not what Bod means. Bod said& AWho do .ou reall. love the mostH Is it that mone. that sa.s GIn Bod We TrustH Who do .ou reall. $ut first in .our lifeH Your mone.H Your hus;andH Your Ko;H Your se0urit.H Or do .ou $ut BodHI -e said& A%s2 them. %nd so Im as2in+ .ou& AWho do .ou love the mostHI I want to as2 .ou a 1uestion ri+ht now that I never thou+ht a;out until this $arti0ular moment. AWho is reall. the most lova;leH Is .our mone. more lova;le than BodH Is .our hus;and more lova;le than BodH %re .our 0hildren more lova;le than BodH Is .our Ko;H Is .our homeH Is there an.thin+ in this world that is more lova;le than BodHI I 0ant thin2 of a thin+& 0an .ouH I +ot e>0itedJ I read down to Matthew the 2!th 0ha$ter. I +ot to the ":th verse and .ou 2now how .ou Kust 2now that Bod has somethin+ real s$e0ial for .ouH I Kust 2new that somethin+ Kust real su$er was +oin+ to ha$$en. This is what I read& A%nd then at last& the si+nal of m. 0omin+ will a$$ear in the heavens and there will ;e dee$ mournin+ all around the earth. %nd the nations of the world will see me arrive in the 0louds of heaven& with $ower and +reat +lor.. %nd I shall send forth m. an+els with the sound of a mi+ht. trum$et ;last& and the. shall +ather m. 0hosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. ANow learn a lesson from the fi+ tree. When her ;ran0h is tender and the leaves ;e+in to s$rout& .ou 2now that summer is almost here. ust so& when .ou see all these
.

thin+s ;e+innin+ to ha$$en& and .ou 2now that m. return is near& even at the doors. Then at last& this a+e will 0ome to its 0lose. A-eaven and earth will disa$$ear& ;ut m. words remain forever. 'ut no one 2nows the date and hour when the end will ;e not even the an+els. No& not even Bods son. Onl. the @ather 2nows. The world will ;e at ease ;an1uets and $arties and weddin+s Kust as it was in Noahs time ;efore the sudden 0omin+ of the floodE $eo$le wouldnt ;elieve what was +oin+ to ha$$en until the flood a0tuall. arrived and too2 them all awa.. #o shall m. 0omin+ ;e. ATwo men will ;e wor2in+ to+ether in the fields and one will ;e ta2en& the other left. Two women will ;e +oin+ a;out their household tas2sE one will ;e ta2en& the other left.I %nd Bod said& A%s2 them& )-hat "ill you be doin ?# &s' them. )-hat "ill you be doin ?# -ill you be the one ta'en? O! "ill you be the one le$t? I thin2 of so man. $eo$le toda. who have so man. thin+s on their mind and so man. thin+s +oin+ for them. 'ut the. dont have time for Bod. The Word of Bod sa.s so s$e0ifi0all. that two $eo$le will ;e wor2in+ to+ether and one will ;e ta2en and one will ;e left. Ive never read this $art of s0ri$ture without thin2in+ of that tremendous son+ ;. <arr. Norman where it sa.s& A% man and his wife l.in+ in ;ed& he heard a noise and raised his head& and she was +one. Wish wed all ;een read.. Wish wed all ;een read..I I often wonder if Bod didnt reall. sa.& A%re .ou reall. +oin+ to ;e read.H %re .ou +oin+ to ;e read. on that +lorious da. when esus 0omes ;a02 a+ain. When the

trum$et of the <ord shall sound and time shall ;e no more. %s2 them& )&!e you !eally !eady? I went on to Matthew 2)3* and it sa.s& AWhile he was eatin+& a woman 0ame in with a ;ottle of ver. e>$ensive $erfume& and $oured it over his head&I and as I read& Bod s$o2e a+ain. -e said& A#he +ave the ;est she had. Would .ouHI Bod said& A%s2 them& )-ould you ive the ve!y best you had? I want .ou to thin2 a;out the $ossessions .ou have that are so $re0ious in .our own life. Would .ou ;e willin+ to +ive the ver. ;est to esusH This woman was. There was a hol. stillness as I 0ontinued to read on to Matthew 2 *32). I was almost finished with that whole 2*th 0ha$ter when suddenl. Bod& in -is ;eautiful wa.& ;e+an to s$ea2 a+ain. M. heart ;e+an to 0r. as Tread these s0ri$tures ;e0ause I read somethin+ that I had never read into them ;efore. It sa.s& AThen Pilate released 'ara;;as to them. %nd after he had whi$$ed esus& he +ave him to the Coman soldiers to ta2e awa. and 0ru0if.. 'ut first the. too2 him into the armor. and 0alled out the entire 0ontin+ent. The. stri$$ed him and $ut a s0arlet ro;e on him and made a 0rown from lon+ thorns and $ut it on his head& and $la0ed a sti02 in his ri+ht hand as a s0e$ter and 2nelt ;efore him in mo02er.. G-ail& 6in+ of the ews& the. .elled. %nd the. s$at on him and +ra;;ed the sti02 and ;eat him on the head with it.I M. heart has never 0ried as mu0h as it did on that da.& ;e0ause never have I so vividl. felt that 0rown of thorns +oin+ on -is head. I 0ould Kust see the lon+ thorns. I understand the. are a;out three or four in0hes lon+.

I 0ould feel in m. s$irit the a;solute a+on. -e suffered as the. $ut this 0rown of thorns on -is head. I am sure it was not $ut on +entl.. Tam sure that the. Kammed it on there with vi0iousness as the. said& A-ail& 6in+ of the ewsJI When a little tin. thorn $ri02s .our fin+er it hurtsJ Thin2 what those ;i+ s$i2es in that 0rown of thorns must have felt li2e as the. $ushed them into esus head. (an .ou ima+ine the $ain ri+ht thenH Then the. s$at on -imJ esus& the #on of the <ivin+ Bod. The. were all s$ittin+ on -im. -orri;leJ #i02enin+J Then the. too2 0lu;s and ;eat -im. The. $ut the s0e$ter in -is hand& and then the. too2 the sti02 out of it and the. ;e+an to ;eat -im on the head with it. M. heart 0ried and 0ried as I saw esus with the ;lood streamin+ down. %nd all I 0ould thin2 a;out was the a+on. of -is soul& and the a+on. of m. soul. I thou+ht to m.self& A-ow 0ould the. have ever done it to -imH -ow 0ould the. have ever done an.thin+ as horri;le as that to esusHI %nd then Bod said to me& A%s2 them wherever .ou +o& )Ho" do they t!eat my son /esus? I loo2ed around the air$lane and saw the 0i+arette smo2e filterin+ u$ to the to$ of the $lane. I saw the 0o02tail +lasses with the i0e tin2lin+ in them. I thou+ht a;out the indifferen0e to Bod that I viewed ever.where on the $lane. %nd I wondered to m.self& AWhi0h is worse& s$ittin+ on -im& or Kust $lain i+norin+ -imHI Bod s$o2e to me a+ain and -e said& A%s2 them in ever. 0it. .ou +o& )Ho" do they t!eat my son /esus?

I read to the end of the ;oo2& and there was no more. I turned ;a02 to the first $a+e of the ;oo2 of Matthew and I wrote the date& !V12V*2 in m. ;oo2. A%s2 them& G-ow do the. treat m. son esusHI When I landed in Denver& I 0he02ed on the $ossi;ilit. of 0harterin+ a small $lane ;a02 to <i;eral& 6ansas& ;ut I dis0overed that nothin+& a;solutel. nothin+ 0ould land there that ni+ht. The. told me that the. would ;e ver. +lad to $ut me u$ in a hotel for the ni+ht and that the. would fl. me in the ne>t mornin+ $rovidin+ the dust storm had ended. I said& ATomorrow mornin+ wont do me an. +ood& it has to ;e toni+ht.I There was no wa. of +ettin+ out of there& so .ou 2now what the. didH The. $ut me on a $lane ;a02 to -ouston. I landed ;a02 at -ouston& I loo2ed at m. wat0h& and it was e>a0tl. ten hours from the time that I had started that mornin+. Ten hours when I had had the o$$ortunit. to ;e alone with Bod and with esus. Ten ;eautiful hours where I had the o$$ortunit. to listen to Bod and to hear Bod as2 me 1uestions that -e wanted me to as2 .ou. Bod answered m. $ra.er in a ver. $e0uliar wa.& didnt -eH Do .ou realiMe the dust storm -e 0reated to 0ome u$ so that I 0ouldnt land in 6ansasH %nd then -e made it im$ossi;le for me to land an. $la0e other than Denver. Bod would never send .ou on a tri$ li2e that and ma2e .ou $a. out a lot of $lane fare mone. Kust to fl. and +et nowhere. When I de$laned in Denver& the. +ave me a free ti02et ;a02 to -ouston& and a refund on m. ti02et from -ouston to Denver ;e0ause the. 0alled it a Afutile tri$ fare.I In other words& I had not ;een a;le to +o where I wanted to +o and so the. refunded %<< of m. mone..

I had ten ;eautiful hours u$ in the air with Kust .ou and me <ord& and it didnt 0ost me a sin+le solitar. thin+. Now the. mi+ht have thou+ht it was a futile tri$& ;ut I 2new it was not. I want to as2 .ou the 1uestion that has ;urned in m. heart ever sin0e then. #omehow or other& that da. I was so 0om$letel. wra$$ed u$ in the arms of Bod that I 2new -e wanted me to as2 ever.one& How do .ou treat m. son esusH -ow do .ou reall. treat m. son esusHI (ould I $ra. for .ou ri+ht nowH A@ather& I 2now that there are $eo$le readin+ who have never a00e$ted esus& ;ut whose hearts were $ri02ed toda. ;. the 1uestions You as2ed them. A@ather& I want to $ra. for them ri+ht now. In the name of esus& I $ra. a s$e0ial ;lessin+ u$on ever. $erson who ever hears this messa+e in $erson& ;. television& ;. radio& ;. a 0assette ta$e& or a ;oo2. A@ather& I $ra. that their heart will ;e so stirred& so i+nited and so 0hallen+ed that the. will sa.& GI want to follow Bod all the rest of m. life. I will $ut esus first in m. life from now onI. If .ou are in that 0ate+or.& Im +oin+ to as2 .ou to Kust $ra. a sim$le little $ra.er with me ri+ht now. Would .ou do thatH #a. it out loud with me& would .ouH ADear <ord esus& I want to ;e .our dis0i$le. I want to instantl. o;e. .ou. I want to hear .ou when .ou 0all. I want to $ut .ou first in m. life. I am willin+ to +ive u$ ever.thin+ to ;e .our dis0i$le& and to find that $earl of +reat $ri0e. I want to 0ome with 0hildli2e faith. I dont want to .ield to tem$tation an.more. I want to ;e o;edient to .ou all the da.s of m. life. A esus& I am not +oin+ to worr.J I am +oin+ to loo2 to Bod as the total sour0e for ever.thin+ I need. I am +oin+ to

$ut m. faith in Bod and I am +oin+ to have su0h a sim$le little 0hildli2e faith that I will never dou;t a+ain. I am +oin+ to $ut .ou first in m. life ;e0ause I heard toda. that .ou will ta2e 0are of all m. needs if I +ive .ou first $la0e in m. life. A@ather& I as2 .ou to +ive me ;oldness. I as2 .ou @ather& to let me +ive m. testimon. wherever I +o. <et $eo$le 2now what esus means to me. @ather& +ive me su0h ;oldness& and +ive me su0h 0oura+e that I 0an share m. testimon. all over the street where I live. %ll over the town where I live. A%nd then @ather& when I have the o$$ortunit. to ;e awa. from m. town& +ive me the ;oldness that I need to share m. testimon. wherever I +o. <ord& let me ;e one of those harvesters in that field. I want to ;e a harvester. I want to ;e ri+ht u$ there ;e0ause .ou said that the fields are white unto harvest. ABod& I am willin+ to +ive .ou all. I am willin+ to trust .ou for ever.thin+ in m. life. I am willin+ to $ut .ou alwa.s first in m. life. <ord esus& I as2 .ou to ta2e me ri+ht now. AI as2 .ou to for+ive me of all m. sins. I as2 .ou to for+ive me of that sin of indifferen0e to Bod& ;e0ause from this da. on& I am never +oin+ to ;e indifferent. I o$en the door to m. heart and I invite .ou to 0ome in& and I 0lose that door& ;e0ause I am not ever +oin+ to let .ou +et out of there a+ain. AThan2 .ou dear esus& for for+ivin+ m. sins. AThan2 .ou for 0omin+ into m. heart Kust li2e .ou $romised. I love .ou <ord esus& and I am +oin+ to serve .ou forever. -alleluKahJI