<TITLE>07. Par 23-25</TITLE>L-23 I've seen them when they... you... haven't stood for ten years or more, little bitty limbs about that big, eat up with cancer. Where are people tonight? Because they rose in the strength of the Lord, God's strength.
Did you ever see a maniac? They got about five times the normal strength. In the insane institutions, they are terrible how fight, and they're twice to three or four times their strength. If the devil can give you double strength, what could the Holy Ghost do, when you're completely surrendered to Him? You don't walk...
You say, "Oh, it's impossible. I can't do it. I can't raise up right." When you feel that way, then you're still... You--you haven't received the promise yet. But let it once get sunk down in your heart, and you take a hold of Jehovah as your Strength- giver, watch what takes place. You won't stay there very long. You'll come right out of it.
He said, "Abraham, I am Thy exceeding great reward." Oh, my, God testing Abraham... You believe God tests you? He's tested me a many time, and He will test every son that comes to Him, no matter who it is, not any exceptions. He will... Every one that comes must first be tested, child-trained, brought up. You know that's what makes a good child sometime, when you give him a little testing, you know. Papa used to give it to me with the--with the hickory switch, about this long, you know, with all the ten commandments wrote on it. When I... All of them, you know, that was the golden rule at home. And he sure knowed how to use it right too.

L-24 Well, it's an honor tonight when I pass by his grave, and look where the--my dear, old dad, "You was the one who kept me in the right road. See? Sure, testing, trying, no chastising for the moment is pleasant, but afterward it yields the fruit of--of righteousness, if you'll just stand the testing. Yes, sir. God gives testing.
And Abraham was tested. After he--God had give him the promise and he had left his home, his father, and his loved ones, and become a pilgrim and sojourner for years, and promised him a child, and Abraham constantly believed God. He said, "Yes, sir, it'll be so. God said so." Couldn't we just like to have that now?
You look in the Bible at every person that ever amounted to very much were people who took God at His Word. Look at little Mary. Compare her with Zacharias. Zacharias at the temple, when the Angel told him that he was going home, after the days his ministration there at the temple of burning incense, that he would be with his wife (her passed the age of bearing), and she would have a child. That was a natural thing there. But a little--a little phenomenal because her passed the age, but he had plenty examples. Sarah, and here, and--and Hannah at the temple. But that priest doubted God. And when he did, he was stricken dumb.

L-25 But Mary, when the Angel met her, she didn't doubt God. She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to Thy Word." And never was there anything like that done before. But she didn't question. She didn't reason. She just took God at His Word and went along rejoicing, telling people she was going to have a baby, knowing no man, when that had never been done before.
Oh, wouldn't it be fine, if--of all these Marys in here tonight would take that kind of an attitude? Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the people could take that attitude? Don't question. If God said so, that settles it. That's all. That's settles it. If God said so, that makes it right. Now, He's the final Voice on all--all authority. He has all the authority, of everything God has the supreme authority.


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