Now I’m sure you’ll remember that when satan came into the Garden of Eden—and, by the way, you also should know that when he appeared in the form of a serpent, it was not the form of a serpent that we see today.  A serpent, a snake, you know slithers on the ground.  But in that day, a serpent was not an animal or a reptile, or whatever it was, that slithered on the ground.  It was a being that was upright.

God later cursed the serpent and said, “You will crawl on your belly.”  So the serpent did not come to him in the form of a snake.  So, you know, we commonly say, “Well, when the snake came”—it wasn’t a snake in that sense.  The serpent was a different type of being, and the Bible makes that clear.

When the serpent came and tempted Adam and Eve and said to him basically—I’m paraphrasing—“God said if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you’re going to die.  You’re not going to die.”

Well, he was doing what satan does best.  He was telling a half truth.  He was saying, “You’re not going to die physically.”  Well, he was correct in that part.  What Adam did not understand was, God was not talking about physical death.  God was talking about a spiritual death.

God was saying, “If you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in that day you shall die,” that is, “You shall have a spiritual death.  Your body will not die, but you will die on the inside.”

And, of course, satan perverted that, which is what he normally does.  He came in and he said, “God said you’re going to die.  You’re not going to die.”  Well, he was telling a half truth.  “You’re not going to die physically, but you are going to die spiritually.  Someone inside you is going to die.”

And his words were exactly, “You’re crazy.”  And I said, “I know, but I can’t get away from this, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and we’re going to do this.”  And he said, “You don’t go to cemeteries,  not ever.”  And I said, “I know, but the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and I’m supposed to go there.  I don’t know why.  I don’t know how.  And if you won’t take me, I’ll get a taxi cab, and I’ll take myself.  And if you won’t stay with me, I’ll stay till Jesus releases me.”

Well, he knew when I said that, that something was happening inside of me.  So we got in the van, and we had a bunch of kids, and I believe my mom was there, and we drove all the way up there.  I had no idea where we were going.  So we went to the cemetery I had heard she was buried in.  My father-in-law performed her memorial service.

So I drove up there, and the man said, “I know who you are, but you’ve got the wrong one.  You go to the one over here.”  I thought, “We’ve got it!”  So we went to the one over there.  And the man said, “Oh, yes, she’s in here, with 100,000 other people or more.”  I don’t even know the name of it.  Forest Lawn, there’s several of them all over.  And there’s thousands and thousands and thousands of graves.  And this is not a party for me, and I’m understanding the Holy Spirit.  And I’m thinking, “I have lost my mind.  But I have found my spirit, so let’s do it.”

And the man said, “But, I’ll tell you this.  It takes a key to get in, and we cannot release this information.  We recognize you, and we know who you all are, but I can’t do it.”  And I said,  ”OK, Richard?”  And he said, “We’re going home.”  And I said, “No. You let me out, and I will walk every inch of this place till the Holy Spirit tells me because it’s so burning in my soul.”  And he said, “Why?”   And I said, “I don’t know.”

The love of God, the power of God, the anointing of God, the presence of God, the actual being of God was in Christ Jesus.  And in this Scripture, right there, He declares that He transferred it to us.

Now the question is, what are you doing with it? Backstabbing your neighbor?  Trying to build a bigger church because your billboard will be bigger?  Or are you pouring out of ourself everything that He poured into you.

First John 2:5,6: “But those who keep His word, in him verily, is the love of God.”  Again, there is the same word.  That word, love, doesn’t mean hearts, flowers, and candy.  You have to understand that perfect love casts out fear.  God is love.  Every essence of God, that is the essence of everything that He is, is wrapped up in the word love.

So anything that He is, El Elyon, anything, the Most High God, the Provider, the Healer, the Soon-Coming King.  Everything, every revelation of God that’s in side of Him is now poured into that word love; and that word love is now poured into you.  And the rest of it says, “He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself to also walk even as He walks.”

Another translation says, “Do exactly as He did.”

Are you raising the dead today?  Cleansing the lepers? Casting out devils?  I want to read you something that I recently read in John G. Lake, but before I do, I want to read you Isaiah 6.  Last night I was trying to find this in John G. Lake, and, thank You, Jesus, I found it on page 387.  And by 2 o?clock in the morning, my eyes were crossed.  But by this morning I was shouting and rejoicing, and I’ll show you why.

I want to ask you a question.  Do you see what I have in my hand?  Twenty bucks and a paper copy.  Look how good I did the paper copy.  If I were to ask you, which one would you pick, what would be your answer?  This may be a trick question.  You’d probably pick this one, and the answer would be why?  “Cause it

looks real.  OK, examine them, and tell me which one looks real. That one’s real?  Are you sure?  Which one would you pick?  Why? What would you do with it?  What would you do with this one?

This one has value, and this one basically has no value. Whichever one you want, you can keep it.  I got the counterfeit, and that kid got 20 bucks.

But the reason he made 20 bucks, is because he took the time to examine the counterfeit from the real and made a quality decision that would spend later on when he needed the $20.

The problem I see with an awful lot of Christianity, is we shout, and we holler, and we’re vulnerable, and God puts us in a place to be vulnerable so He can use us, but in the middle of our vulnerability, when the counterfeit comes along, we jump on it, and then we try to spend it like it’s real anointing, and you get in there and they’re about to arrest you for counterfeit $20.

And yet, as a Christian, God said, “Examine yourself.  Take a look.  Let it be confirmed in the mouths of several witnesses. It’ll bear witness with your spirit.”  But if you don’t know the Word of God, when something comes along, and you think it sounds an awful lot like God, and even the Bible says, in the very end the very elect will be deceived, how do you avoid all that junk?

One night I gave a word about backs being healed, just one word just like that cataract, and 500 people received healing in their backs.  I gave a word over to this section, but people over here piggybacked their faith.  I had a sense it was over here, and it was.  But they also attached their faith to it.  This man attached his faith to it.  This woman attached her faith to it and said, “That’s mine!  I receive it in Jesus’ name!”  So he got healed and she got healed and she got healed and he got healed.  Glory adios!

Now are you getting anything tonight?  Are you understanding this?  Do you think I’m somewhere out on a limb or on a wild goose chase?  No, I’m giving you the Bible.  Why don’t more churches pray for the sick?  Because they’re afraid they’ll fail, and they feel that people will blame them.  They’re scared.

The first time I prayed for the sick, I was so scared.  I was so scared that I would fail.  And I said to the Lord, “I’m so scared that I’ll fail.”  And the Lord said to me, “You have already failed.  Besides, you’re not going to heal them, I am.”

My job is not to heal.  My job is to pray.  Well, what happens if someone’s not healed?  Who knows?  Healing might have started and they haven’t noticed it yet.  Or maybe the healing will start tomorrow, or maybe the next day.  I’ve seen that happen many times.

And I always say to people, “I’m going into an agreement with you, and I’m not coming out of the agreement until the healing comes.”  That’s a good word.

Richard Roberts – Do you remember when Jesus went to a fig tree to find figs and there were no figs?  And Jesus cursed the fig tree and said, “You will bear no more fruit.”  Do you remember that story in the Bible?  Nothing seemingly happened on the outside, but something was happening on the inside.

The third thing was, I knew I would see many miracles.  I saw the boy today in Apopa who was healed.  I saw many people last night here who were healed.  And I will see many more people tonight here healed.

BRENDA: My name is Brenda.  I’m a nurse.  I have been so privileged to be in your country, your beautiful country.  It is a paradise.  I know of no place in America this beautiful.  I take a picture everywhere I look, and it will help me remember.

Besides the beauty of your country, there’s beauty in your people.  I love your family love, the way I see the parents and the children and the brothers and sisters, the grandparents all show each other love.  I’ve seen love between our El Salvadorian churches as they held our hand and helped our team.  We could not do it without them.  And we could not do it, of course, if God was not here with us.

We did not bring God.  He was already here.  I want you to know the God I know and love.  And I’m excited that you will have that opportunity tonight.  And I just want to agree with the others who have given God the glory tonight for all He has done.  Gracias!

Richard Roberts – Hallelujah!  I’m honored tonight to have a member of my family here in El Salvador.  My daughter Jordan is here, and she is responsible for an organization called Hunger Needs a Voice.  She and our team have brought 500,000 meals for hungry children in El Salvador.  I want you to meet my daughter.

The second thing, he said that it was a sacrifice acceptable.  The first murder in the world happened over a sacrifice.  Abel brought his firstfruit offering unto the Lord.  He gave first.  He gave off the top.  He gave his best, and God received it.

His brother Cain, however, gave only when he got around to it.  And he gave something he would not miss.  It meant nothing to him.  Therefore, it meant nothing to God.  And God rejected Cain’s offering, and Cain became so angry that he killed his brother.  That’s how much satan hates it when you give to God.

But Paul said their giving had a sweet smell and it was a sacrifice acceptable.  How many of you want your sacrifice to God to be acceptable?  Sweet smelling?  A sacrifice acceptable?  Then listen to this.  He said, “Your giving is well-pleasing to God.”  Well—pleasing.  It’s well-pleasing to God.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.”  What does that mean?  It means their giving had their faith attached to it.  It became a seed of their faith.  Their giving was sweet smelling, a sacrifice acceptable, and well-pleasing to God.

Then Paul said these words:  “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Tonight we are going to demonstrate the Bible.  Tonight I’m going to give you an opportunity to sow an offering unto the Lord.  But not because I desire a gift, no, no, no, no.  It’s because I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Richard Roberts – Lift your hands unto the Lord.  Father, in Jesus’ name, tonight we are going to receive a Seed-Faith offering.  As we sow it, it will be sweet smelling.  It will be a sacrifice acceptable.  And it will be well—pleasing to You.

I did not come with the enticing words of men, but I came in power and with demonstration of the mighty acts of God.  Thank You for the anointing of the Holy Spirit tonight.  I receive it now.  Thank You for confirming Your Word with miracles and signs and wonders.

Satan, you take your hands off every person here.  They do not belong to you.  They belong to God.  And I claim them for the kingdom, in the authority of Jesus’ name.  Every demonic spirit, you turn loose of every person.

And let there be the hearing of faith tonight.  And let faith rise in the hearts of men and women.  Let them hear the word of God.  Let it get deep into their hearts.  Then confirm Your Word with miracles, for miracles are Your proof that You’re a live God and not a dead God.

Father, I lift my hands and I thank You and I praise You.  And I give You honor and glory, in Christ’s name, amen and amen.  Give the Lord praise tonight.

I did not grow up wanting to serve God, although I was born into a minister’s family, although my father’s ministry was known around the world.  I was not interested in God.  I had my own dream and my own plan.  But at 19, God arrested my attention, and I fell on my knees and I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart.  I gave my heart to Him.  And He immediately called me to preach.  He called me to pray for the sick and to see great miracles.

And since 19, I have traveled to nations all over the world.  And I have been on television all over the world with the saving, healing, delivering message of Jesus Christ.  And I say to you tonight, God is a good God.  The God I serve is a good God.  And He showed himself alive by miracles and signs and wonders.

Richard Roberts – At 19, I committed my life to Christ and I began to study the Bible.  And one of the first scriptures I came across was John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.”

When I got saved, I asked in Jesus’ name.  When that healing came in my hand, plus many healings since, I ask in Jesus’ name.  When I plant my seed of my finances, I sow it and ask in Jesus’ name.  Why?  Because He is the source of my life.  In Him I live and move and have my being.

Yes, I live in this world, but I am not a part of this world.  I’m right in the middle of it, but I am not of it.  My heart is in God’s hands.

Yes, I’m a citizen of my country.  Yes, I do things that other citizens do.  I vote in elections.  I pay my taxes.  I buy food for our table.  I take care of my wife and children.  I’m responsible for a university and a worldwide ministry.  I’m on television.

I am in the world, but I am not of the world.  This world is not my home.  I am just a temporary resident.  I am here on a temporary visa.  This is but a small portion of my life.  However many years I live will be but a small portion of my life, for I shall not remain here.  The day will come when the trumpet of God will sound and heaven will be assembled.  And those who have died in the faith will rise from the dead, brushing the dirt from their hair.

And those of us who remain alive will be caught up in the air to meet with the Lord.  I don’t know whether I’m coming out of the grave or coming from the ground.

Richard Roberts -  I just know when that day comes, I’m going.  I don’t know in what condition my body will be.  I may come up from the grave, I may go from behind the wheel of my car, or I may go while I’m in church, or at home with my family.

And Paul would later write that God has given Jesus a name which is above every name named in heaven and earth and at that name, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We ask many things of God.  What are you asking of Him today?  What are you asking Him today?  Are you expecting someone else to ask, or are you asking?  Is your relationship with God so that you can ask Him, or do you come to Him through someone else?  He said, “You ask, and you shall receive, that your joy shall be full.”

Turn to the person next to you and say, “Ask, and you shall receive.”

He said, “You must ask.  If you want to receive, you must ask.  If you want to find, you must seek.  If you want to receive, you must sow.”  It’s backwards to what the world thinks.  The world says, “What goes up must come down.”  But God’s different.  What goes down, that is what you sow, must come up.

If you want to keep your life, you must give your life.  In fact, the only way to keep your life is to sow your life.  So He said, “Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

I’m not talking about asking if you can win the lottery.  I’m not talking about asking if God would rain 100 euro notes out of heaven.  I’m talking about asking things about your life.  What are you asking Him today?  Are you asking Him about your soul realm, the mind, the will, and the emotions?

Science would call that the psyche area of your life, the soul realm, the mind, the will, the emotions.  That’s where many people live.  They live in the soul realm.  Much of music today is called music of the soul because the songs deal with the mind and the will and the emotions.  Most of the music today does not deal with the spirit of man.  It deals with the soul of man.

Richard Roberts – And it is our mind, our will, and emotions that need redemption.  I don’t know about you, but my thought life messes me up.  I’ll be thinking good thoughts, when suddenly I see a bad thought come in.  Paul said, “When I want to do good, there bad is with me also.”