Presented at 70 Victor Road, Bradford, UK.
Published in Confidence, October-December 1919.
“Then said they unto Him, ‘What shall we do that we might work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God: that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.’ ” —John 6:28-29.
“This is the work of God, that ye believe.” Nothing in the world glorifies God so much as simple rest of faith in what God’s Word says. Jesus said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” He saw the way the Father did the works; it was on the ground work of knowledge, faith based upon knowledge. When I know Him, there are any amount of promises I can lay hold of, then there is no struggle, for he that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Jesus lived to manifest God’s glory in the earth, to show forth what God was like, that many sons might be brought to glory.
John the Baptist came as a forerunner, testifying beforehand to the coming revelation of the Son. The Son came, and in the power of the Holy Ghost revealed faith. The living God has chosen us in the midst of His people. The power is not of us, but of God. Yes, beloved, it is the power of another within us, Jesus the Son of God. Just in the measure we are clothed, and covered, and hidden in Him, is His inner working manifested. Jesus said, “The works that I do shall ye do also, and My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Oh, the joy of the knowledge of it! To know Him. We know if we look back how God has taken us on we love to shout “Hallelujah,” pressed out beyond measure by the Spirit, as He brings us face to face with reality, His blessed Holy Spirit dwelling in us and manifesting the works. I must know the sovereignty of His grace and the manifestation of His power. Where am I? I am in Him; He is in God. The Holy Ghost, the great Revealer of the Son. Three persons dwelling in man. The Holy Spirit is in us for revelation to manifest the Christ of God. “Therefore be it known unto you He that dwelleth in God doeth the works.” “The law of the Spirit of life having made us free from the law of sin and death.”
The Spirit working in righteousness, bringing us to the place where all unbelief is dethroned, and Christ is made the Head of the Corner. “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” It is a glorious fact, we are in God’s presence, possessed by Him; we are not our own, we are clothed with Another. What for? For the deliverance of the people. Many can testify to the day and hour when they were delivered from sickness by a supernatural power. Some would have passed away with influenza if God had not intervened, but God stepped in with a new revelation, showing us we are born from above, born by a new power, God dwelling in us superseding the old. “If ye ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Ask and receive, and your joy shall be full, if ye dare to believe. “What shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” God is more anxious to answer than we are to ask. I am speaking of faith based upon knowledge.
A testimony. I was healed of appendicitis, and that because of the knowledge of it; faith based upon the knowledge of the experience of it. Where I have ministered to others God has met and answered according to His will. It is in our trust and our knowledge of the power of God—the knowledge that God will not fail us if we will only believe. “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus said unto the centurion, “Go thy way; as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee,” and the servant was healed in the self-same hour.
An instance. In one place where I was staying a young man came in telling us his sweetheart was dying; there was no hope. I said, “Only believe.” What was it? Faith based upon knowledge. I knew that what God had done for me He could do for her. We went to the house. Her sufferings were terrible to witness. I said, “In the name of Jesus come out of her.” She cried, “Mother, mother, I am well.” Then I said that the only way to make us believe it was to get up and dress. Presently she came down dressed. The doctor came in and examined her careiully. He said, “This is of God; this is the finger of God.” It was faith based upon knowledge. If I received a check for £1,000, and only knew imperfectly the character of the man that sent it, I should be careful not to reckon on it until it was honored. Jesus did great works because of His knowledge of His Father. Faith begets knowledge, fellowship, communion. If you see imperfect faith, full of doubt, a wavering condition, it always comes of imperfect knowledge. Jesus said, “ ‘Father, I know that Thou hearest Me always, but because of the people that stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou has sent Me.’ He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ ” “And God wrought special miracles by the hand of Paul, so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchlefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior.
Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of His glory, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself? How God has cared for me these twelve years, and blessed me, giving me such a sense of His presence! When we depend upon God how bountiful He is, giving us enough and to spare for others. Lately God has enabled me to take victory on new lines, a living-in-Holy-Ghost attitude in a new way. As we meet, immediately the glory falls. The Holy Ghost has the latest news from the Godhead, and has designed for us the right place at the right time. Events happen in a remarkable way. You drop in where the need is.
There have been several mental cases lately. How difficult they are naturally, but how easy for God to deal with. One lady came, saying, “Just over the way there is a young man terribly afflicted, demented, with no rest day or night.” I went with a very imperfect knowledge as to what I had to do, but in the weak places God helps our infirmities. I rebuked the demon in the name of Jesus, then I said, “I’ll come again tomorrow.” Next day when I went he was with his father in the field and quite well.
Another case. Fifty miies away there was a fine young man, twenty-five years of age. He had lost his reason, could have no communication with his mother, and he was always wandering up and down. I knew God was waiting to bless. I cast out the demon-power, and heard long after he had become quite well. Thus the blessed Holy Spirit takes us on from one place to anoiher. So many things happen, I live in heaven on earth. Just the other day, at Coventry, God relieved the people. Thus He takes us on, and on, and on.
Do not wait for inspiration if you are in need; the Holy Ghost is here, and you can have perfect deliverance as you sit in your seats.
I was taken to three persons, one in care of an attendant. As I entered the room there was a terrible din, quarrelling, such a noise it seemed as if all the powers of hell were stirred. I had to wait God’s time. The Holy Ghost rose in me at the right time, and the three were delivered, and at night were singing praises to God. There had to be activity and testimony. Let it be known unto you this man Christ is the same today. Which man? God’s Man Who has to have the glory, power and dominion. “For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.” When He reigns in you, you know how to obey, how to work in conjunction with His will, His power, His light, His life, having faith based upon knowledge, we know He has come. “Ye shall receive power, the Holy Ghost coming upon you.” We are in the experience of it.
Sometimes a live word comes unto me, in the presence of a need, a revelation of the Spirit to my mind, “Thou shalt be loosed.” Loosed now? It looks like presumption, but God is with the man who dares to stand upon His word. I remember, for instance, a person who had not been able to smell anything for four years. I said, “You will smell now if you believe.” This stirred another who had not smelled for twenty years. I said, “You will smell tonight.” She went about smelling everything, and was quite excited. Next day she gave her testimony. Another came and asked, “Was it possible for God to heal her ears?” The drums were removed. I said, “OnIy beiieve.” She went down into the audience in great distress; others were healed but she could not hear. The next night she came again. She said, “I am going to believe tonight.” The glory fell. The first time she came feeling; the second time she came believing.
At one place there was a man anointed for rupture. He came the next night, rose in the meeting saying, “This man is an impostor; he is deceiving the people. He told me last night I was healed; I am worse than ever today.” I spoke to the evil power that held the man and rebuked it, telling the man he was indeed healed. He was a mason. Next day he testified to lifting heavy weights, and that God had met him. “By His stripes we are healed.” “He hath made to light on Him the iniquity of us all.” It was the Word of God, not me he was against.
What shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus said, “This is the work of God that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent.” Anything else? Yes. He took our infirmities, and healed all our diseases. I myself am a marvel of healing. If I fail to glorify God, the stones would cry out.
Salvation is for all,
Healing is for all.
Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for all.
Reckon yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God.
By His grace get the victory every time. It is possible to live holy.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
What shall we do that we might work the works of God? “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.”
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