Supplement 23 — For Lessons 45 & 46

Supplement Twenty-three

For Lessons Forty-five and Forty-six

In the last supplement we studied the various kinds of sufferings that men go through. We have seen that Christians do not need to tolerate sickness, pain, sin, bad habits, unhappiness, failure, poverty, and want. If a person will study the promises of God and build their faith so they are ready to receive those things provided for them in the redemption of Christ, he can be free of these kinds of afflictions. We have seen that Christians suffer many of these above-mentioned curses because of false teaching.

The Reason for Failure Among Christians

We have pointed out time and time again that Christians suffer many things unnecessarily because of unbelief and because of willful rejection of plain truth. Such people cannot be helped if they continue in rebellion against the very truth that will make them free John 8:31-34. If they would lay aside those unreasonable and unscriptural theories that it is God’s will for them to live in defeat, that they should be resigned to suffer the works of the devil in their lives because others in the past have suffered, that they do not have faith and power to help themselves, and that it is so hard to get things from God, they would soon be on the victorious side of life. If they would quit cooperating with Satan and turn to God, if they would refuse to be satisfied with the works of the devil in their lives, if they would try half as hard to have faith in God as they do to maintain unbelief, if they would lay aside the many fallacies of men that lead to defeat, and if they would seek for excuses to get benefits from God half as much as they seek for ways to excuse their failures, they would get the glorious benefits of the gospel that are ready for all who believe.

Know the Truth That Sets Men Free

Jesus Christ said to the people who believed on Him, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” John 8:31-36. The first thing to do is to become acquainted with the truth. The truth is what we have been making clear in all the lessons and supplements. We have sought to show that salvation from sin, sickness, poverty, and all the works of the devil, is the heritage of every child of God. If we never learn this and freely accept it as truth, then one cannot be helped to full freedom in Christ. As long as one believes and accepts lies as truth, then he must remain bound and defeated. Just as truth makes free, lies bind. Just as truth builds up faith, lies tear it down and instill unbelief in men.

False theories of truth will never set free, for they keep one in a state of constantly questioning the will of God. They produce fear, unbelief, doubt, and failure. They are a constant source of worry as to whether one is on the right track or not. When one finds himself in such a state, it is plainly evident that he is following false theories instead of truth. When one knows the truth he becomes settled in life and consecrated to obey it. He becomes consecrated to a life of deep convictions of his duty toward God and man. His actions are based upon the truth, and he is thereby set free from worry, fear, constant complaining, doubting, and the unsettled conditions that have caused so many failures before truth was known to him.

Is it God’s Will to Save Souls Today?

There is not much argument today about this question, for most men in our land believe that Jesus Christ died to save all men from their sins. There is some argument today as to whether or not men can really get a know-so salvation, the kind that really saves them from the power and dominion of sin, but this cannot be disputed with Scriptures. The Bible makes it very clear that God does save men from sin and He also keeps them from going back into the sin-business, provided they cooperate with Him.

Is it God’s Will to Heal Sick Bodies Today?

The great question with many is whether or not God wills to heal today. The question is not so much as to whether He can heal, but whether it is His will or not. Why any person would question God’s willingness to heal is beyond me, but doubt seems to arise whenever one has been taught false concepts of God and His love. Any theory that would question God’s will to heal should never have been stated. Not only does the Bible teach that it is God’s will to heal, but it teaches that He will heal all men, in any age, who will come to Him through Jesus Christ and have faith, nothing wavering. One of the main reasons God does not heal more than what He does is that men do not understand that it is God’s will to heal. The truth is that God has made full provision to heal all who come to Him in faith. As long as men doubt the will of God in the matter of healing, it is certain that they will not get it. James said, “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord” James 1:5-8.

Is it not clear from this passage what is required of men if they want answers to prayer? In view of this, do we believe that God will break His law to lie to us and answer us when we doubt? Do we think that God is going to make a special pet of any one of us and do for us what He said He would not do? If we do not believe that He will hear and answer prayer, then let us be honest and acknowledge that when we do not get an answer to prayer it is because we do not believe. It is because we waver.

Is it God’s Will to Prosper Men Materially?

In previous supplements and lessons we have proven that it is the will of God for men to be prosperous in material things. This Scripture makes this absolutely clear, as set forth in the Bible passages given in Lesson Ten and Supplement Six. Thus we see from Scripture that it is without a doubt not only the will of God for men to be saved from sin, and to be free from bad habits, but also to be free from pain, sickness, poverty, and want. All these benefits of the gospel are for men who believe, but nothing is promised to the unbeliever. God is proving to men in all walks of life that these blessings are for them.

Sickness and Hindrances to Prayer the Work of Satan

Satan is declared to be the source of sin, sickness, and oppression in the human race Acts 10:38Luke 13:16John 10:101 John 3:8. It is the work of the devil to cause men to sin and to make them sick. It is the work of Jesus to give life and give it more abundantly John 10:10. It is His work to save from sin Matthew 1:21Romans 1:16Romans 8:1-13. It is the work of the devil to hinder prayer, thus preventing men from getting what they want in life. His work is not only to make men sin and be sick, but to cause them to fail in business and in everything they undertake. That men’s prayers and the success of their work can be hindered by Satan is clearly stated in 1 Chron. 21:1; Zech. 3:1; Rom. 15:22; Eph. 4:27; 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 10:4-7; 1 Thess. 2:18; 1 Pet. 3:7).

When men get sick and are hindered in doing any good thing, it can be relied upon in every case that Satan is at the root of the trouble. If men would only realize this and immediately go to God for help and power to overcome these attacks, they would not go through long sieges of defeat. When resistance to these powers is delayed, this gives them time and opportunity to gain a strong foothold and they will be more difficult to dislodge. In sickness, demons should be rebuked at once and healing will come. In hindrances to prayer, they should be resisted from the first sign of any hindrance and prayers will soon be answered. In case of any sign of business failure, one should go to God in earnest prayer, commit the matter to Him and ask for help and guidance. God can and will undertake and correct the trouble. He can and will work out problems that never could be worked out by man in himself.

It is a recognized fact that whatever the unseen force is that hinders the progress of any good thing, it is the work of demon powers who seek to destroy the good that is being done. If they cannot stop one’s good work altogether, they will seek to hinder it as much as possible and discourage men in further attempts to do good along that line.

Demon Opposition and Oppression Are Real

The weakness of the average Christian in opposing demon powers is caused largely by his failure to recognize the source of his trouble. Most Christians so lack a true understanding concerning this matter that they are helpless and confused in their warfare against demons. And so many times they conclude, without thinking scripturally, that God must be the cause of the trouble, and they become resigned to defeat because they are sufficiently consecrated that they do not want to fight against God. If they would only use their intelligence in spiritual warfare like they do in carnal warfare they would come out of trouble victorious and God would be glorified.

Jesus Christ recognized that all sickness, opposition to truth, and all defeat in life was from the satanic forces that fight against the saints. He, Himself, was tempted by Satan, or the personal devil for forty days and nights Matthew 4:1-11. He always rebuked demons in healing people of various physical and mental troubles Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 8:28-34Matthew 9:32-34Matthew 10:17Matthew 12:22-32Acts 10:38. Jesus recognized the satanic influence in Peter when he tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross Matthew 16:21-23. He predicted that the Church would have to war against the gates of Hell, but that it would prevail Matthew 16:17-20. He spoke of power to bind and to loose and must have been referring to demon powers Matthew 16:18-19. He spoke of Satan as the one who desired to destroy Peter at the time of the denial Luke 22:31-34. It was Satan who caused Judas to betray Christ John 13:2, 27.

The apostles taught the reality of satanic opposition to the gospel Acts 5:3Acts 8:5-12Acts 13:10. Paul and others spoke of Satan as the great enemy of the gospel and stated that his devices were well-known by saints who fight him intelligently Romans 16:201 Corinthians 5:51 Corinthians 7:52 Corinthians 2:112 Corinthians 10:3-62 Corinthians 11:13-15Ephesians 2:1-3Ephesians 4:27Ephesians 6:10-181 Timothy 5:15James 4:71 Peter 5:8-9Revelation 12:10-12. Demons are the great propagators of false doctrines 1 Timothy 4:1-82 Thessalonians 2:8-12Revelation 12:9. There are many kinds of demons that cause different sicknesses, as we have seen in Lesson Six, Point VII. The Bible also reveals that men enter into spiritual warship with demons 1 Corinthians 10:16-22Revelation 9:21.

How to Overcome Demon Powers

Demons are disembodied spirits and a legion can inhabit one man (Mk. 5). One or many can enter a man and gain control Matthew 12:43-45. They enter an individual “through sin” John 5:14; “through failure to resist them” Ephesians 4:27James 4:7; “through failure to accept God’s protection” 1 Peter 5:8-9; “through some weakness in the human body or through failure of one to keep God in his life” 1 Samuel 16:14-15 and “through selfishness and yielding to demons” Proverbs 4:14Luke 11:24-26.

If one wants to overcome demon powers he should first learn his true condition and acknowledge that they are causing him trouble. One must renounce all sins that cause weakness in resisting demons. He must accept God’s help by turning wholly to God Acts 26:18. He must refuse to give place to the devil Ephesians 4:27. He must resist the devil steadfast in the faith, and put on the whole armour of God so as to be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephesians 6:10-181 Peter 5:8-9James 4:7. No demon power can stand against the name of Jesus Christ or faith in the blood of Christ. It was on the cross that all principalities and powers of the darkness of this world were defeated, and it is through faith in the work of Christ that personal victory over such powers can be gained Colossians 2:14-17.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God Romans 10:17. One must fully understand the fact of the reality of demons and the truth about their work in human lives. He must also understand the work of Christ in destroying the works of the devil 1 John 3:8John 10:10-18Colossians 2:14-17. As long as one is ignorant about these kinds of truths he is at a disadvantage to wage successful war against them. One should review Lesson Six to get a better knowledge of demon powers and then take a definite stand against such power working in his life. All efforts of demons to work in the body, soul, and spirit can be defeated by any child of God through co-operation with God and through the gospel.

Why Some Fail to Get Deliverance

Some seem to get immediate and permanent deliverance from sin, bad habits, sickness, and other troubles in life the first time they pray and turn to God. Others seem to have an indefinite struggle with certain conditions in their lives. Naturally, there is always a reason for this. The ones who get deliverance so easy simply believe the gospel and make a full and complete surrender of their lives to God. There is no reservation or holding back from God anything that they know should be given up for God. There is no hesitation concerning meeting the conditions that are plainly laid down in Scripture. They do not even think of holding on to some sin or bad habit and they do not concern themselves with the desire to do so. They are completely submissive to the will of God. Therefore, their consecration is complete and definite enough to rid themselves of all that would hinder God from answering their prayers.

Those who are constantly struggling to get complete victory over sin will find that they are seeking to hold on to some habit, or that they are not willing to forgive someone and give up all for God. They have made certain reservations in their minds and have limited God and His promises in their own hearts. They think that it is going to be the hardest thing in the world to give up all the past sinful life in a moment of time. They are in a state of questioning and doubting to begin with. Their faith is not definite enough to make the full surrender all at once. They do not realize that a complete surrender to God will be necessary before they receive full deliverance. When temptation comes they do not resist boldly and vigorously enough to overcome. To some extent, they reason with the evil spirits who seek to overthrow them and gain possession of them again. The love of their former pet sins and bad habits has not been fully broken and they hesitate to make a total and eternal break with these things.

If they would resist when temptation first comes, then the victory would be won. The battle will never be fully won until they renounce all sin and refuse to tolerate being bothered by demons. One cannot play around with sin and temptation and escape yielding to it for long. Temptation will grow stronger as thoughts are entertained concerning the former life. If one does have trouble with sin after he turns to God, he must go to God in earnest prayer. He must read the Bible and build up his spiritual life to the point of attaining a permanent and complete victory.

Concerning sickness, some get healed immediately and others do not. It is clear that there must be a cause if one is not healed for there is no respect of persons with God. He will heal and save any and all alike who come to Him with the whole heart. The cause of failure is not in God. It is the individual who is to blame. God has plainly stated what the cause is. That cause is always unbelief. This was the cause in Mt. 17:14-21. This is plainly stated to be the cause of failure in all prayer James 1:4-8Hebrews 11:6.

True Heart Faith Always Works

In Lesson Twenty-eight we have studied the doctrine of faith and have seen that there is a difference between mental faith and heart faith; the latter one is the active faith that we have studied about. One can feel that he has lots of faith when he has mental faith only, but this is not enough. One must have true active faith that acts upon the Word of God and that will cause one to act as if the prayer has already been answered when prayer is offered. This kind of faith will not take no for an answer. It will not place blame on God and try to excuse one’s self for the failure. It will not once question or waver concerning the answer. It counts things done whether they are seen or not. On the other hand, mental faith will begin to question the will of God if the answer is not given immediately. It will reason, wonder, begin to doubt, and constantly seek for some grounds to stand upon and is easily reconciled to defeat.

One can always tell his true state—whether he is exercising true faith or not—if he will be honest and consider things in light of the Bible. True faith is taking God at His Word. It maintains that the answer to prayer has been granted regardless of what it sees, thinks, or feels. It does not look to circumstances and possibilities in the least. It acts like it did through Abraham of old, who simply believed God and who was fully persuaded by the Word of God alone that what God had promised He was able to perform. Abraham had his faith built upon what God said and not what he could see or feel. He was occupied with what God had said, not what he thought were his possibilities. He refused to reduce in the least degree his confidence in God. He held firm to his conviction that God was true to His Word and would do as He promised. He even glorified God before he received the answer, and he acted as if the request was already fulfilled.

True faith will always bring results if one will intelligently seek to know what God says, base his faith upon the Word of God and be determined to obey to the letter of the Word of faith, he will have whatsoever he saith Matthew 21:21-22Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26.

Let no one be discouraged if he does not immediately receive what he asks of God. Keep reading the lessons on faith and prayer, and keep following the instructions in the supplements until your faith is built up to the point where you get what you ask of God. It may take time to build up faith, but it is worth all the work that is necessary to get a strong, unwavering faith. It will provide rich rewards in the end, so keep up an intelligent program of finding out what to do and how to do it, and all demons out of the Abyss cannot stop you from getting from God what you want in life.

Ten Questions For Supplement Twenty-three. Do You Know:

• That there was sin on Earth before Adam and Eve and even before Lucifer’s subjects rebelled? There was sin in Lucifer himself before he caused his disciples to sin. This is revealed in Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:11-17 where we read of Lucifer being perfect in his ways as the ruler of the Earth until iniquity was found in him. Jesus said that he sinned in the beginning and that he was the father of sin John 8:441 John 3:8Revelation 12:9Matthew 25:41. All this was before the days of Adam and Eve, as we have proven in Lesson Seven.

• That the devil is a son of God? He is a son of God by creation like all the angels and Adam Job 1:6Job 2:1Job 38:4-7Luke 3:38. He could not cease being a son of God, for in that case he would have to be untreated and that is impossible. That he was a created being is clear from Ezek. 28:11-17; Col. 1:16-18. Sonship means nothing when sin is committed. God will damn His own sons when they rebel and get past reconciliation. This is clear from the fact that Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels, who are all created sons of God Matthew 25:41, 46.

• That the Lord calls women to preach? At this time there is a major controversy as to whether or not God calls women to preach, but the Scriptures clear up this question, like they do all others, if we will but believe the Bible as to what it says. In the Gospels there were several woman messengers who proclaimed the good news Matthew 28:1-10Luke 24:9-11John 4:28-30John 20:16-18. In Acts 2:16-21 we have a prediction that God would pour out of His Spirit in the last days “upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and upon my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out of my Spirit and they shall prophesy.” Prophesying is explained in 1 Cor. 14:3-4 as “speaking unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” The following passages prove to any unbiased mind that prophesying is for the Church 1 Corinthians 12:1-311 Corinthians 14:1-6, 12. In Acts 21:8-9 we read that Philip had four daughters that prophesied or preached in the early Church. In Rom. 16 we have mention of Phebe, Priscilla, Mary, Junia, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, all female names, mentioned as laborers in the gospel. In Phil. 4:2-3. Euodias and Syntyche, two women, are mentioned as leaders in the local church at Philippi. They are referred to as “those women which labored with me in the gospel.” Paul speaks of the Corinthian women prophesying and praying in church 1 Corinthians 11:41 Corinthians 14:1-5, 23. When Paul said for women to “keep silence in the church” he was not speaking of women prophesying or praying, but he referred to asking their husbands certain things at church. He said, “if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home” and not in the church 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. But that they could speak and prophesy and pray in church is clear from 1 Cor. 11:4; 14:3-4, 23-26; Acts 2:16-21. Women have been used of God in all ages Exodus 15:20Judges 4:42 Kings 22:14Nehemiah 6:14Isaiah 8:3Luke 1:39-56Luke 2:36. To say the least, God is sovereign and can use a woman when He pleases and He does not have to ask any man whom He should use. Besides, if more men would obey God today it might not be necessary to use so many women to preach.

• That literal angels will come down from the heavenlies to live among men in the future tribulation? This will be when Satan and his angels are cast out of the heavenlies to the Earth to be among men for 3½ years Revelation 12:7-12. The devil and his angels will cause the great woe of Rev. 12:12. The devil will no doubt come down at this time to Earth to appear visibly to men, else they would not know that he is among them in a different sense than he is now. As we have seen in Lesson Six, angels have appeared to men in visible form. This is no doubt what will happen at this time. God’s angels will also be seen and heard by men in a visible way at this time, as proven in Rev. 14:6-11.

• That men cannot be saved after taking the mark of the beast? This is plainly stated in Rev. 14:9-11, which says that when men take the mark that they are doomed to eternal torment, so they could not be saved and still go to eternal Hell.

• That one-third of men on Earth will be destroyed in one hour? This will be done under the sixth trumpet judgment when 200 million demon horsemen will be liberated out of the Abyss to slay one-third of men at a certain hour Revelation 9:12-21.

• That many men now living on Earth will personally stand before Christ to be judged before they die? This will take place at the judgment of the living nations at the second advent of Jesus Christ Matthew 25:31-46. At that time many men will be destroyed in eternal Hell Matthew 25:41, 46Matthew 13:40-42Matthew 24:51. That we are now living at the very end of this age, during the last generation before the second advent is clear. There are many signs pointing to the soon return of Christ, and many prophecies are now being fulfilled, as we have seen in Lesson Forty-four. There are many people living today who will be alive when Christ comes to set up His kingdom. This will at least be true of many children that are now being born.

• That the dead are now in a conscious state between death and resurrection? This we have abundantly explained in Lesson Thirty-seven, which can also be seen in Lk. 16:19-31; Rev. 6:9-11; Isa. 14:9; Ps. 16:10; 1 Pet. 3:19; Heb. 12:23; Mt. 17:3-5; etc.).

• That none of the 144,000 Jews of Rev. 7 and 14 will ever die? They will be translated to Heaven as the manchild of Rev. 12:5 without seeing death. They are all living Jews who will be taken up to Heaven out of the nation of Israel when Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel in the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, as we have seen in Lesson Forty-five.

• That it is not a sin today to eat pork? Unclean animals were forbidden in the Law of Moses, but this law has been done away with, as proven in Lessons Seventeen and Thirty-two. Now under the New Testament men are permitted to eat any animal, as proven in the following passages Romans 14:1-23Colossians 2:14-171 Timothy 4:1-8.