<TITLE>05. Par 16-18</TITLE>L-16 But, my brethren, the Word of God... Sometimes people get--say, "Well now, the Word said this. Let's take it just exactly the way it says." That's... Well, that--that is right. But that Word has to fall in a certain ground or it won't produce. See?
I've heard people get saved. They say, "I'm a Christian now. The Lord said whatever I ask in His Name, I'd get it. Amen. I'll ask for this." Now, that's not right ground maybe yet. See? You can't take cactus and grow it in clay. You put cactus in real rich soil, it'll die. Cactus grows in sand. And you take a--a pine tree and put it in that sand in Arizona where the cactus grows, it'll die, 'cause there's not enough moisture. Yet both of them is in soil. It must be the right Word at the right place, and it will take place.
Now, I've prayed for thousands of people, just as a routine of praying for people. But yet, I don't know what's going to happen, till He shows me what's going to happen. Then I have THUS SAITH THE LORD. Then the Lord has brought His Word in confirmation, then I know just exactly what He's going to do. When He tells me what He's going to do, then it makes a perfect faith.

L-17 If you notice Jesus, He only used those things as God permitted Him. Remember last night's lesson? He said, "The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing." Whatever the Father doeth, He showeth the Son. And the Father worketh and I worketh hitherto." In other words, what the Word of God made manifest in Christ, was what God showed Him to do.
Any prophet, any spiritual man of any age, any time, was always exactly the same thing. So you can't jump at conclusions, say "The--The Word says this; I'll accept it and do this." You can't do that. It hasn't fallen right yet. But when the Holy Spirit comes, and materializes that, and shows you what to do, then you can do it, 'cause it's not you done. This is the written Word of God, the plan of salvation. But we have to be careful how we handle it.

L-18 For instance, many times there are people come in the line and I pray for them. I never know what's going to happen. I just pray for them. And there is a power in prayer. Prayer will even change the Word of God. (That was a striker, wasn't it?) But it's the truth. The Word of the Lord... Would you not believe the prophets?
The Word of the Lord came to Isaiah and he went and told Hezekiah that he wasn't coming off his bed, he was going to die. And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and wept bitterly, and said, "Lord, I beseech Thee. I've walked before Thee with a perfect heart." And desired fifteen years more life, and the prophet wasn't gone till the Word of the Lord came again to the prophet. Said, "Go tell him I heard his prayer and he's coming off the bed in three days." Prayer changes things.


<A HREF="P6">Next Page</A>