TRANSLATION ALERT 114 | CD #1117 | 8/10/1986 PM
Praise the Lord! Great to be here in the house of the Lord. I am in the house of the Lord every day, I live here. You know if I ever get out of here just for a little while and I go out of here–I know because of my anointing and the revelation where God appears—when I get back here, it kind of pulls back, you are in a kind of a vacuum. Boy, He is powerful, you know it? It’s really great! You have to stay here all the time to find out the difference. The promise for the end of the age, make no mistake about it, the anointing will scorch things, correct, put in line, knock down, it will do everything. Amen? The power of God is to put God’s people in their place. I can’t help it if you lose the power and faith of God. You get it by staying where the anointing is by the power of the Lord. How many of you want church this morning? Amen, Alright, He is really great! Go ahead and be seated. The thing is this, I hope you have God when the translation takes place. Amen. How many of you can say praise the Lord to that?
Now the other night, I got a good night’s sleep, so I just woke up. I think it was about a quarter to 4 am, so I decided to just walk around. So, I just got up and got to walking around. I am watching my ministry, all of my ministry. You know your mind will think about things that happened, miracles, and different things that happened, people who were with you, way back there in California and all the other states that I went to—just thinking around and walking around. I went outside and walked around, thinking about things. Early in my ministry, the Lord told me this, He said, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). That was even before I ministered to anybody. That was when He gave me [this scripture].
Christians today begin to lean unto their own understanding. They begin to try to figure out things from a physical or mental way, it won’t work that way. Sure, the things that you are looking at from a mental standpoint are materialistic, they may look right but the Spirit and power of God is quite different. So, whatever happens, you don’t lean unto your own understanding, but you contact God and you hold on to Him. It says in all thy ways—all your troubles, all of your tests, all of your trials, all your financial ups and downs, your children or whatever it is, it doesn’t matter—trust in the Lord and do not lean to your own understanding. Trust in the Lord in all thy ways and acknowledge Him every day. I said, “Lord, I don’t understand this, you see, but I trust in you. And He shall direct thy path. That is after you have done all of that. Now it seems like the devil is moving in such a way and you don’t know exactly how to be in that race. He will direct thy path and when you get on His path, there is no runner that’s going to outrun you. Amen. That path is hard to find sometimes because you have to find it through the supernatural power of God. You can’t find it from a natural standpoint. You are not going to find it from a carnal standpoint. You are not going to find it that way, in your own human mind. The only way you are going to find that path is in the power of the Spirit. That is the only way you can get on that path. Many are trying, they can’t get on that path.
And so, I was walking around, and that scripture came to me too and I said, “Lord, people sometimes, things happen to them, and I have watched it all of my ministry. They are good Christians. Some of them are lukewarm and some of them get a little wishy washy and so forth like that. I said many Christians, the things that happen to them sometimes don’t seem fair. I can see that myself. And I said in my own life, the way things happened in the ministry, sometimes at that time they just didn’t seem fair for them to be that way. I know it’s satanic forces trying to cause you to make another turn or try to do something wrong. And I said, I understand it because of the great power appearing to me, the Lord talks to me and so forth like that, but how about the people who don’t have these experiences or see the power of God the way I do? I just wish every Christian on this earth, everyone that suffered through a trial, every Christian who says, “Well, it doesn’t seem fair that things happened to me like this. I give, I pray, I do this, and I do that, and they still happen, you see.” Just go on with God now. It could be worse than what you are seeing. Just go on with God and if you hold on, you will see the blessings all around you. No matter what happens, there is a way to hold that joy and hold that power of the Lord.
And so, for me I can see it. people give testimonies. They say my pain is all gone. I hear the testimonies. Testimonies are good and fine. But in my ministry, I stand there many times and I will see something that is corrected. I have seen it with my own eyes. I have watched big tumors or goiters on the throat, just poof right in my hands, just jump a little bit and they are gone. The swelling is gone, and the neck is normal. I have seen crooked fingers just straighten right out. I have seen a finger cut off and I have seen God pop it out in front of me and the next day fingernails and all were on it when they brought them [the person back]. I have witnessed where legs were four/five inches short and watched God put the bones back in there and by X-Ray the bones were put in. Then things that would appear in the meetings and the things that would happen. So, I have seen with my own eyes the power of God. With my own eyes, I have seen the power and how creation takes place. I understand why we are tested. The way the Lord reveals things in the bible to me, the revelations come to me by God and the power of God would move in a certain way. I see things and God reveals things to me. I understand why it doesn’t seem fair sometimes. And the old devil, how he does people, he knows how to get hold of their minds. He knows how to get hold of their hearts and he tries to make them think that the Christian life is a drudgery, the worst life there is. It is the best in the world. How many of you can believe that? So, I am able to understand those things, but it is hard on some of the people. Sometimes, it seems like one Christian, nothing [negative] ever happens to them and another Christian, everything seems to fall out, and it will go back and forth like that. But you just hold to the Word. Lean not to your own understanding, but in all thy ways—tests and trials—continue acknowledging Him. If it’s burning down, keep on acknowledging Him. No matter what happens, if it’s all blowing away, keep on acknowledging Him in all thy ways, in sickness or whatever it is, just keep on acknowledging Him. Then He said, I will guide your path. Amen. Isn’t that wonderful?
Then as I was standing there, I said Lord, you know sometimes it doesn’t seem fair. I wish the Christians could all see that; I could minister to them a lot easier. And this is the truth, as I was walking around out there, He said, “You are in a race. A challenge is set before you.” I said, “Oh my!” Here is the way He showed me, and this is the way He told me to tell it to the people. Here is a scripture that we are going to read in a minute. You are in a race and there is only one way to run that race. It is set before us. There is a challenge set before us. Now you can’t win that race by musing around. I was kind of musing around out there. You can’t win that race by being melancholic all the time. You are not going to win that race by allowing it to pull you down in a stronghold, but here is the way that you are going to win that race. When you think it is not fair, watch and see what He set before us. And that came to me and that is all that came at that time and the Spirit of God began to move for the scriptures. 1st Corinthians 9: 24: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? You’ve got all kinds of Christians, all kinds of organizations and they are running here, and they are running there, and only one, Paul said, but only one will win that prize. Paul said this, So run, that ye may obtain.
And the name of this sermon that we got here is Run to Win. Second will not count; run to win. And you see that people are running the race of religion in the time that we live in here. Only one wins and that is the one that has the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the elect of God. That is the sons of God, saith the Lord. Glory, Alleluia! How many of you believe that? Get into spiritual shape! Now this is a symbolism that God is using. We do it [get into spiritual shape] by the power of God. We will explain that in a minute. But get into shape. Any runner that is not in shape will fall by the wayside. He will run a little while and he’s gone! Some just drop out. Others can run and run until only one is left. The elect of God is going to outrun the devil. Yea, saith the Lord, he is going to outrun Ahab’s chariot. How many of you believe that? Elijah, the prophet, feeling good in the power of the Lord and the energy of the Spirit—that chariot was going about 40-50 miles [an hour] and those big horses—that rain revival came that he had prayed for. After seven times, he got up and he could run. Seven times he cried out and he changed that cloud, the weather pattern changed by his prayers. First, it didn’t look like anything but that didn’t stop him, he was still running the race. You see, it didn’t seem fair; he just kept on, the way that they were against him too–the way that Ahab, Jezebel, and all of them were against him. The bible said he got up and said, rain was coming and he ran before the chariot of Ahab. He outran the devil, said the Lord. We are going to outrun him too. So, get in shape. Don’t fall out by the wayside.
You get in shape by the vitality of the Word and joy of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Holy Spirit. You get spiritual strength from the Lord. Ephesians 6: 11 & 12: “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” You are wrestling against satan’s kingdom trying to get you to doubt and have unbelief and so forth like that. Hold on. It will be fair if you hold to the Word of God and God will be with you. Paul said run to win. The enemy will try to test you and contest you and challenge you in every way that he can. But you win by outrunning him with the power of the Word. Not by sulking. Not by giving up. Not by saying, “Oh, it’s hopeless. Why did all this occur? It’s not fair, Lord.” That is disharmony. That is the tune of millions of Christians this morning all over America, the Lord told me. Understand my words. You are in a challenge. You are in a race. It is set before you. Don’t fall out but keep that spiritual power of faith deep in the Word with you and you will win the race. There is no way you will fail that race. Why did you think the others failed the race? They had part of the Word of God. They had part of the energy. They had part of the Spirit. Many of them didn’t have anything. They went out first. Remember the parable of the seeds that fell by the wayside. They didn’t have enough roots to keep the feet down. That’s exactly right. And then they didn’t have all the power of God, all the faith and power that they needed in their hearts and souls, so they began to pour out, get out of the way. Then the other runners began to come by the power.
When Paul wrote, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?” He asked, “Don’t you know?” See, some were lagging behind. They didn’t even know there was a race on. Some didn’t know how to comprehend or understand it. It was in preparation for action that Paul was trying to get to them, that the race had already started. You better get in there and start running. Amen. Run this race, he said. Only one can win. So run therefore to obtain that prize. That’s what God gives us there. You run to win and you outrun the devil to win that race. Now this is some symbolism here because He brought Elijah in to prove that. What he did was to prove in our day the battle/challenge—although he [Elijah] did his physical. You run to win the race. You outrun the devil by the Word of Power of God. You outrun him by the faith and power and trust that you have in Him. You have spiritual strength in your body. Now be careful that you have that divine love and kindness in your heart. He [the devil] is going to try to get you. Then you are going to say, “I don’t know if this is fair or not.” When you start saying that, it won’t be. But oh, there is a record in heaven. How many of you believe that? When you use kindness and divine love, the benefits work for you 100% but the devil will work against you 100%. But oh, it is worth it all. If you don’t work for something, it ain’t worth nothing. Amen. I believe in the spiritual Word of God. God has set that race before us. There is a great challenge before us there.
Now what happened in my ministry? The devil fought me. When I first started in the ministry, I was working miracles. I believe someone out there said, “Well, we don’t do that anymore today. It just happens in your ministry.” I didn’t pay attention to anybody. I just continued in that race, and I saw great and wonderful things. What if I had listened to some of the nominal preachers? You know, let’s organize this up, let’s get it this way. See; that would hurt everything I have ever done, and I would be in a mess. How many of you believe that? That’s exactly tight. I take the trail of the Lord
Sometimes it seems the lesser trail, but I can tell you one thing. It is the right way. It is the only way and once you see heaven and hell when it is all over with, you are going to declare in your heart that it is the only way. If you are new here and want a good Christin life, He will bless you beyond measure. He will reward you beyond measure. You will be the happiest person in the world if you do what the Word of God says you are to do. But you are going to be shot at by the devil. Paul said now you are in a contest. If you like a fight in your life–a spiritual one—Paul said I contend; I fight the good fight of faith. Not the type that you see people fighting out there and arguing but the good fight of faith and power. Just cast the old devil out. Move on in the power of God. If you like a great challenge and you haven’t had it in your life, spiritually speaking, you are fighting the foe—satanic forces. You join up with the Lord God, put that shield on and that full armor. Notice, it says full armor, not part of the armor. Some of them have got part of the armor out there. It isn’t going to work. You put on the whole armor of power out there.
You win by divine wisdom and divine love. You win by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the fruit of the Spirit, and by the power of miracles. You win by the power of healing, great power gifts that are in action there, the power of the knowledge of the Lord, and the divine wisdom that He gives. That’s the way that you win. God’s power is great! So, today don’t let the devil tell you sometimes it may seem unfair the way events and things take place in a Christian’s life across this earth. It did so in the bible. We find out from one end of the bible [to the other]. It didn’t seem fair what they did to Jeremiah. They did everything imaginable to that man. It wasn’t fair to Moses the way the people did him after he brought them out and into the great deliverance that even caused him—in the end God had to turn him down from going into the promised land—of course that was in divine providence. And it wasn’t fair what happened to Elijah. He just told the Lord it’s not fair to even keep me on the earth. He said I am no better than my fathers (1 Kings 19:4). Just let me go on, he said. They don’t want God. It didn’t seem fair all the way through how the devil would put that pressure on. Yeah, saith the Lord, it was not fair to me when I went to the cross, but I won. I have gotten the victory for you. Isn’t He wonderful! Just leave the rest of those men out of there. You’ve told them enough, He said, now show them what I did! He went against all odds. Everything seemed to work against Him. Some of His own disciples seemed to work against Him. It seemed like everything that surrounded Him including satanic forces began to work against Christ. Yet, He won the race.
I mean He was in a challenge, and He was in a race, and He got the victory. When He did, He just laid that devil left and right and He walked in the path of the Lord because He split it right down the middle. They didn’t stop Him, did they? Then He delivered Israel and the people that believed with great power. They were just healed by the thousands and thousands despite the unbelief of the Pharisees who went against Him. It didn’t seem fair for them to spit on Him (Matthew 26:67). It didn’t seem fair for them to curse Him. It wasn’t fair for them to call Him the devil (John 7:20)—Himself, the Great Creator. It didn’t seem fair for them to run Him out of certain places. Everything that they did didn’t seem fair to the Great Creator at all. In fact, the bible before He came said it wasn’t fair. But He would win, and He was more than a Conqueror. I believe that. Everything that they did, mocked Him, smote Him (Luke 22:63), finally they turned on Him. It didn’t seem fair to kill Him. The bible said He had done no evil to anybody. All He had done was good and He showed kindness. Everything that He did spoke of heaven. Everything that He did spoke of a Christian life. Nothing was out of the way. Everything was perfect that He did to deliver the people. He got on the Pharisees; sure, He did a few things that had to be done by the power of the Holy Spirit. It didn’t seem fair for Him to come as a baby, the Great Creator, growing up around the same people that were created. Then mankind on earth turned around and killed Him, put Him on the cross. That didn’t seem fair. In great agony, there He was. But He won the race. He didn’t quit and said, “This is not fair, boys. I am going to quit here. You people, that is the end of you there. He did it a different way. Yes, He rejected the Jews from that point on and turned, but He finished His course. And when He did, He won the race.
It didn’t seem fair. He didn’t complain because out of that unfairness came forth one of the greatest powers we have ever seen on the face of the earth. The unfairness that came upon Paul and all the disciples didn’t seem fair. It didn’t seem fair to put him in jail, for them to beat him with stripes and leave him for dead (Acts 14:19). They left him out there cold and naked. They mistreated him, stoned him, locked him up, ridiculed him, and ran him out of the cities. But he said I am content. He said I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). It didn’t seem fair. It didn’t seem fair at all. And Paul said, I fought the good fight of faith. He said my time has come. Henceforth, I am ready to go (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Amen. Right in the gospel. Right down to the end. The bible says this in the scriptures: Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10). And He will bring you out. So, it didn’t seem fair, but everyone of them that obeyed my Word won the race fair and square. Isn’t that wonderful! So, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9.24: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” The only one that will win it is the elect, the body of Christ, the one that loves Him. They will win it by the Word, power, and by faith. So, maybe you muse around on some of the events in your life—now this cassette will go in all the homes—God has got great blessings for you, or I would never have preached this. Now, this should get your mind straightened a bit and you would be able to put on the full armor because satan is not just going to stop because I preached this sermon but the [satan’s attacks] are going to bounce off some [of you] easier. Amen.
Oh, what a life! I have seen the world’s life. I have seen the lives of those who are backslidden. I have seen lukewarm lives. I have seen people who don’t go to church anymore or go to dead churches and I have seen the world. If you put it together and watch their lives, it is no more near the real Christian’s life no matter how much he is tested, it makes no difference. He [the Christian has got something in his heart that the devil will never take out of there. Well, if you’ve got the spirit of, “What I want to say is it’s unfair and I want to feel sorry for myself.” Well, if you like that soap opera, just stay right on it. I am not making fun of anybody. That is the last thing on my mind. I am just going by what Jesus did. Amen. I am going by what the prophets did. They sawed Isaiah in half for the beautiful sayings that were in there. It didn’t seem fair. It didn’t for all of them. But I tell you one thing: there is a payday coming down the line. There is a reward for His saints and there is a payday for those people who misjudged the prophets, hurt the prophets, went against the prophets, went against Jesus, and crucified Him. But oh, His mercy is great, and His power is great! We leave all of the who is who to Him.
So, this morning, you run that race and you run it to win. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct—He is like a Director—you will see Him direct your path. He will show you how to do it. Amen? Here is another thing too, I wrote it down here. If you do all that, oh, awake my soul and sing. I just put that in there somehow. O, awake my soul and sing! Don’t you feel happy right now? You know the same One who gave me the sermon cut in [to mention the cross] at the cross, and Jesus did. If you want to see something that is unfair—a Man that won the race and won the victory for all of us, you are seeing it right here. Paul, the same way, and every one of them. If you can’t see that, I don’t know what I can do for you or any angel or any power, if you can’t see that. I don’t believe there is any hope in the world that you will ever see it unless you just get alone somewhere and keep praying. Anybody can see what happened in Christ’s or Paul’s life or any of the prophets. Awake my soul and sing.
Now, did you know that we are in a race with time? Did you know that time is running out? The sundial is coming down. We are in a race with time for the end of the age and soon time will be no more, the bible says in Revelation 10:6. Race to get in the harvest of souls. Race and pray that God will save those souls out there in the world. With all your heart you want to pray for souls. God will direct your path. Amen? That is exactly right. Revive thy work, O Lord, the prophets said. Revive us again. Revive us again, O Lord, greater in power, greater in might, greater in strength. Glory, Alleluia! I can feel that and the power of God moving. Paul said in another place run the race well and do not beat the air (1 Corinthians 9:26). Beating the air, he said you will do nothing that way. Put every effort to work in your heart. Put in every effort to believe the Word, everything that it says there. You know, when situations move against you in such a way that it’s kind of hard on you—I understand, I wish all the people could know how the devil cheats them out of the great blessings there are. You want to do this: take control, take a challenge, take control of your own life. Hold on there, build yourself up within you, with the power and faith of God and take control of your life. When you do, then you can use the power of God. Don’t let the devil cheat you out of controlling yourself. With the power of God, you can take control of those things that are happening. Whatever would go against you in your life, take control by the power of God. So, run the race to win. When you run, stay in there to win. Amen?
You know time is running out. Time upon us is running out. The bible says this in Revelation 22:12, three times, He said, “Behold, I come quickly. And then He said, “Surely, I come quickly.” Now what does it mean three times in a row? He meant that suddenly at the end of the age in the 1980s or at some point in the 90s, tomorrow or whenever or next year, at some point, I will come. Then He said surely. He backed it up. Three times He said surely I come quickly. He didn’t put that in there for nothing. He put that in there for the end of the age. And then sometimes to those that He can come quickly to [passing away] at any time. But it was a prophecy for the end of the age. Meaning that at a sudden time, suddenly the events will speed up like a flood. Things will take place here and there and everywhere things will begin to happen. The revival, God’s power upon His people, the events happening so swiftly. All of a sudden, the next thing you know the revival is over with, the translation has taken place, events are swelling up, the antichrist is upon the earth, the three and a half years is on there. Then the battle of Armageddon and events are moving swiftly. Look at all that will happen in those seven years! Just before that translation, brother, events will speed up like lightning. They will run and dart to and fro, back and forth. It is going to be a sight! Surely, I come quickly. That means all of a sudden events will change. What looks like they are just going along, all of a sudden, He is going to change that. It is going to take people so much off guard. He said in an hour that you think not. When He put the word, “Surely, I come quickly,” it means you can count on it. That’s why He backed it up with “surely.” In other words, He said there is no way around it. “Surely, I come quickly” and He said it three times. When God says something three times, that is confirmation that cannot be broken, saith the Lord, the Almighty. You can’t break it. Three times is divine revelation fulfilled; divine revelation about what He is going to do.
So, time is running out and we are getting closer to the end of that race. And I tell you, after we have run this race, we are going to change and even go faster than the speed of light. We are gone! How many of you can say, praise the Lord? We will be in the infinite. Time shall be no more for us. The world will go on for a little while, but time will be no more for us as we are changed. All the people, take heart, take courage, run the race to win. Keep your eyes on the Word of God no matter what satan says. And satan will tell you, “That’s not fair.” Maybe it isn’t, that doesn’t make any difference. Put your hands in the hands of God, He can make it fair. You win by faith and power in the Word of God. My own ministry will change but the spiritual power and the spiritual part of my ministry will never change. That spiritual power will still remain. That race will be right there. He can do in 10 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour what some cannot do in a year. He is the Great One. He monitors, He guides, and He directs my paths. He moves in divine wisdom. He knows exactly what He is doing. He is the Almighty God.
So, all of you listening to this, I know that you have been through different things and it’s hard for you to figure it all out. You just keep acknowledging the Lord in all thy ways and He will direct your paths. And one thing, you are hearing my voice, He has already directed your path. Now says the Lord, take advantage of it. Isn’t that great! That is great! The message of the Almighty and a message from the Lord. Know ye not that you are in a race? Run it to win the prize. To obtain, run and believe in God. I believe this with all my heart. How many of you have got an uplift from this? Can’t you feel God. Now, if you need Jesus and want to get into this race, it’s the greatest race this earth has ever seen symbolically speaking. There is no race in football, baseball or track or any kind of space race or any type of race that they have in the economic world, there is no kind of athletic race in the Olympics that can outdo this race. They are all beating the air compared to this race saith the Lord. Glory, Alleluia!
Alright, I want you to stand on your feet now. If you need Jesus this morning, you get in. Take the Word of God and that is when it says “Go” you know, when they stand there at the starting line. Well, Paul said—the Lord said—don’t you know? He told all those people that you are in a race. Don’t you know that? Amen. If you are new, all you have to do to get into that race is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart. All your motors will be running then. Blessed are the feet, He said, that carry the gospel. Amen. Give your heart to the Lord Jesus. Repent, it’s a gift from God [salvation], you can’t work for it. Use your faith. He has already done all the work. He has already paid the price for you and a good one at that. He was resurrected and came back again. Accept Him in your heart as the Lord Jesus. You need healing or a miracle, you can get it here. And so, get in the race now. Give your heart to the Lord Jesus and He will bless you beyond measure. How many of you believe that? You keep coming to these services and get on the prayer line and you will find out that the light of the Lord and the power of the Lord will be with you. Are you ready? Amen. Shout the victory! Come on and praise the Lord. Run the race to win. Run, run, run! Thank you Jesus. Glory, Alleluia!
114 – Run to Win
