<TITLE>04. Par 9-11</TITLE>L-9 Now, if faith being the substance of things... It's just like this. What if I'm standing starving to death, and you come to me and say, "Mr. Branham, what could I do to save your life?"
I'd say, "If I had one loaf of bread, my life would be saved."
You'd say, "All right, Mr. Branham, a loaf of bread cost twenty-five cents."
"Yes, sir."
"Here is your twenty five cents." Now, the twenty five cents is not the bread, but it's the purchase power of the bread. And as soon as I get the twenty-five cents in my hands, I can be just as happy about my life being saved as I could eating the bread; because I've got the purchase power of the loaf of bread. And when you believe that God sent Jesus to heal you and you have accepted it, you're just as happy before you quit hurting as you are after you--I mean you're just as happy while you are aching and hurting as you are after you quit hurting, more so. If I had the twenty-five cents, it wouldn't mean that I got the bread. But I know as long as I get to the grocery, I'm going to get the bread. Now, I may have to go a long time. I may have to go through briar patches and--and over gates and--and down over across the mountains and through the valleys, but all the time I'm rejoicing, holding my twenty-five cents. I'll get the bread because I've got the purchase power. Now, that's what faith is. Faith is something you can show and prove that you've got it. It's just not an imaginary mind worked up in a--a mental state; it's something that you have in your possession. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things you don't see, taste, feel, smell, hear.

L-10 Now, many times... If there was anybody that should be equipped to have faith, is a scholar of the Bible, someone who has read the Bible, taught the Bible. That should be the person that has faith. But sometimes it's very much contrary. I've seen on the platform sainted people who lived a good life, walking before God, walk across the platform and not be healed; and a prostitute follow them and be healed. God doesn't heal you upon the merits of your salvation; He heals you upon the merits of your faith. You must believe Him. Because the Christian sometimes thinks that God owes it to them, that "I'm a good person; I've done so and so." When you get that in your mind, you'll never get anything from God till you get it out of your mind. You owe God, not God owing you.

L-11 And notice, let's call a few Scriptures now, or characters to back up just this little thing that we have said. One time Israel was in war with the Philistines. And this Philistine army had gathered themselves on one side of the mountain and Israel had gathered on the other side. There left a valley between them. And just like the enemy, when he thinks he's got the upper hand on you, then he can show off. But let him get in the corner one time...
Now, they had a great big, almost a prehistoric giant among them. And his name was Goliath. His fingers was fourteen inches long. And his spear was like a weavers needle, perhaps long as halfway of this hall. And look what a mammoth big fellow he was. So I want you to notice how cunning unbelief can get. He said this way, "Gentlemen of Israel, why should we have bloodshed? Why should there be such things as all of us getting chopped up? Let us make a bargain with you. You pick you out a man and send him over here. If he kills me, we'll serve you. If I kill him, you serve us." Sure, the upper hand, great big giant, you know, one with a Ph.D., LL.D., oh, he was really all fixed up and ready. And he made that challenge.


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