Questions & Answers
Questions 28 (COD Page 164)
So the Holy... Does the Holy Ghost still given by the laying on of hands? The disciples did this, Peter, Paul, and so on, and is it still possible? Paul received It in this manner.
93 Yes, dear brother, sister, whoever wrote the-the note. The Holy Ghost is absolutely to be received by laying on of hands.
94 Now, many people call me... as I’ve been marked as a Pentecostal, saying I was pentecostal. I never belonged to a Pentecostal organization. I’m absolutely free from all organizations, and by God’s help I aim to stay that way, ’ cause I can stand right in the breach and say, “We’re brothers! Come here, let’s come reason together.”
95 When I first started back there, by the grace of God... And you people here, and my secretaries and them sitting here knowing, I could be in contact with ten million people, or more, in the world today. What an organization could be started! See? That’s right. But I don’t want a organization, it’s against the Bible. I’m trying my best to get the people to be saved that’s in the organization. That’s the thing. And what influence the Lord has give me with people, I’ll certainly use it for His glory instead of place it on some organization. I’ll put it on Jesus Christ where it belongs. No organization can save you; it takes the Blood of Jesus Christ. But now, in laying on of hands, now, I’m going to differ with...
96 Now, you dear Pentecostal people, now don’t fall out with me. But now when you come to a place to say, “We’ll go tarry for the Holy Ghost,” what a word’s been used in Pentecost!
97 And I’ll say this by what... not hurting your feelings. The greatest support I have on the field is the Pentecostal people, because they believe the message of Divine healing and the power of God. The rest of them turn their nose up at It.
98 But just individuals out of the church, who is predestinated to Eternal Life, they’ll come. That’s all. But those who are not, cannot come; and God said so, said, “They were predestinated to condemnation.” He’s not willing that any should perish, but, being God, He seen they would condemn It. So that’s-that’s all, He foresaw it. And that’s what the foreknowledge of God is, to see those things. And He predicted the Church just where it would be standing right to this very day. And God knew it from the beginning. Before the foundation of the world, He knew the church would be just the way it is today. He knew before the foundation of the world I’d be standing in this pulpit tonight. He’s God; He knows the end from the beginning.
99 Now, now, the Pentecostal people has taught... Now, I’ll probably get plenty back on This, but I must be honest if I’ve got to come to the Word. There is no such a thing as “tarrying meeting.” You’ve been in error. Tarry doesn’t mean “pray.” Tarry means to “wait.” After the ascension, after Jesus Christ... the crucifixion, the cleansing of the sanctuary. And after the day of the Atonement, the resurrection... The day of the Atonement, when He was killed, and then it’s forty days until the ascension, and then Pentecost. The word pentecost means “fifty,” it meant fifty days after offering of the Atonement.
100 And then after the Atonement was offered, everything had to come out perfect, letterly, geographically, everything just as God said. And Pentecost, it was a jubilee time, when they brought the first fruits of the harvest in and had a jubilee.
101 Now, the first fruits of the-of the Church, the Holy Ghost Church, the Church that was to last these two thousand years till Jesus come, the first fruit come at Pentecost. It was ten days before Pentecostal time; it was forty days after the cleansing, after the killing of the sacrifice, until the ascension of Jesus Christ. He said, “Go up to Jerusalem and wait until you’re endued with Power from on High.” Acts 1...
102 Acts 2, “And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were in one accord, in one place. And suddenly there came from Heaven a sound as a rushing mighty wind, filled all the house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and begin to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
103 And then the religious world, on the outside, the great orthodox churches, come up and seen those people staggering and acting like drunk people. And they come up and laughed at them and made fun of them, said, “Look at this bunch of Galileans! They’re all drunk!” See the misunderstanding?
104 And to my Catholic friend, the blessed virgin Mary was with them. And if God wouldn’t let her come to Heaven without receiving the Holy Ghost and being like that, do you think you’ll get there anything less, sister? No. So let’s get off our high horse, let’s get off.
105 Don’t pay no attention to what the world’s got to say. Look what God’s got to say! This is the Word of God. We have to build it according to this blueprint, ’cause He said to Peter, “Upon this rock I’ll build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against It.” Everything else will take place. It showed the gates of hell would be against It, but it’ll not prevail. And the people thinking they can stop It? You could stop the sun quicker.
That’s right. You can’t stop It. God has ordained It to move on.
106 Here when I first got converted, even my poor mother back there thought I had gone crazy. My mother-in-law said, “He ought to be sent up to the insane institution.” The preachers of the city said, “He’ll burn down pretty soon.” I been burning a long time. It’s spiritual burning, better all the time. Why? It can’t burn down, It’s God! Instead of burning down, It’s spread around the world now.
107 Just the same thing He said when I baptized right down here on the Ohio River, many of you was standing there, twenty-three years ago, right on the Ohio River. That Light, Angel, come right down to where we as at, and said, “As John the Baptist was sent for a forerunner of the first coming of Jesus Christ, your Message will bring the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.” And it’s done it. It’s... He hasn’t come yet, but look what it’s done, it’s swept the world, around. See? And today now, just think, and the-the effort that’s went forth, there’s been literally millions.
108 Even the Catholic Sunday Visitor spoke of it, of how many millions that come in around, just of the effort.
109 Others hear, they say, “That’s the Truth! I’m ready to sell out right now, to these things of the world, and go preach the real Gospel.”
110 And that’s the reason they call us “full Gospel,” they make fun of full Gospel. But, brother, I don’t want a half of nothing, I... it’s got to be the whole thing, to me. If part of It’s good,
the rest of It’s good. The full Gospel!
111 Now, notice, the Holy Spirit come back there. The pentecostal people waited, “And there suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind, filled the house where they were sitting.”
112 Not one time did they ever have to wait after that. While Peter spake these Words to the Gentiles, the Holy Ghost fell on them, even before they was baptized. Is that right? While, Acts 10:49...
But while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on... them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision... as many as come with Peter was astonished, because... on the Gentiles... was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then said Peter,
Can a man forbid water, seeing that these must... has received the Holy Ghost like we did at the beginning? And he tarried and bap-... commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ!...
113 That’s right; no waiting, no tarrying. The apostolic way, God had no set rule; when the heart’s hungry, He’ll give you what you’re hungering for. If you want the Holy Ghost, It can fall on you right now.
114 Peter, when he went down to preach, Peter had the keys to the Kingdom. I’ve got a question to get to that in a few minutes. He had the keys to the Kingdom. He opened It up to the house of Cornelius. He opened It up, down to the Samaritans, he opened It up over here; but remember that Philip had went down there and preached to them and had baptized them in the Name of Jesus Christ, and Peter came down and laid hands on them. And, now, he done something, for that sorcerer down there... They had Simon the sorcerer, said, “I’ll give you some money, to give me that Gift, that whoever I lay my hands upon receives the Holy Ghost.” Is that
right? Something happened! (Not some of these arch-bishops with their collar turned around in the back, come around and lay hands on them, said, “I give you the apostolic blessing.”) Something happened when Peter laid his hands on them; and when they do yet.
115 I’ve seen them just fall like flies like that, as the Holy Spirit strikes them, by laying on of hands. Yes, that is the-the apostolic doctrine of laying on hands. God bless you. If you’re a little different from that, just write me a note tomorrow night. All right.