Holding to the Light: Faith, Spiritual Authority, and a Life Directed by God

Speaker Identification

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher: The principal speaker repeatedly identifies himself as World Pastor Tony Alamo. He delivers the opening announcements and prayer, comments on listener correspondence, gives the extended personal testimony, interprets scripture, leads the salvation prayer, and closes the program.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant: This speaker reads listener letters, prepared teaching passages, scripture from Romans 13, and the closing contact information. The host explicitly calls the assistant Sharon near the end. It is likely, but not completely certain from the transcript alone, that Sharon reads all of these portions.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices: Brief responses such as “Amen” occur during the prayer, letters, and sermon. The transcript does not establish the number or identities of these voices.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Hello again. This is World Pastor Tony Alamo.

We are going to bring you another message in the series “How to Have God’s Life Living in You.” This is Part 121 and Program 223. If you would like a copy, Sharon will tell you how to receive it at the end of the program.

We have letters and a message today.

Hallelujah.

You are listening to music performed by our choir and orchestra. The exact title and credit are unclear in the transcript. This music may also be heard at our church at 13136 Sierra Highway in Saugus, California.

We have services every evening at eight o’clock and twice on Sunday, at three and eight. We serve meals after each service. We have music, messages, and fellowship, so come and worship the Lord with us.

There is also an announcement about transportation from the area of Mann’s Theatre, but the exact details are not clear in the transcript.

We must keep holding on. The way we do that is by taking one day at a time. The Bible teaches that we must hold on every day.

Amen?

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

That means we must remain in the Spirit and walk according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Christ is the Word of God. The way we receive more and more of Christ—the fullness of the Spirit and the fullness of Christ living in us—is by reading and studying the Bible every day.

Christ is the Word of God. The Bible tells us that we are given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven by believing that Christ, the Word of God, is the truth. The Word of God is Spirit and life, and it gives us eternal life.

If we move away from the Word of God, the Spirit of God will not always strive with us. We must read, pray, and keep the commandments. We must take responsibility for doing that.

Therefore, we read the Bible every day.

Right now, let us go to the throne of the Lord and ask Him to anoint this service.

Father, open the windows of Heaven.

I know that You are in me at all times. Now, Lord, it is time for us to speak again. I want everything that comes out of my mouth to come directly from You and from the throne of God. Let it be distributed throughout the world so that souls may be saved, the church may be strengthened and informed, and people in darkness may see the light—the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of God.

We know that a person does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the living God, which I understand to mean the whole Bible.

Believe the whole Bible and you will be saved, because I teach that the whole Bible is Jesus.

Jesus, You came into this world. Father God, You came into this world to live in the man Jesus. He was begotten by Your Holy Spirit, and we are also begotten by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was conceived in the one and only virgin. No other virgin has given birth or will give birth to the flesh of the Messiah, the Son of Man.

Yet Your Spirit—the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ—enters into us by faith, into our spirits and hearts, for the purpose described in Your Word.

That is why I study the Word: so that I may know Your purpose. Your purpose is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven forth on earth as it is in Heaven.

You have a unique way of spreading Your Word, Father. You enter into human beings and distribute Your Word through them. Your Word lives in them and moves through them to others in the world.

As more people receive Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and what scripture calls the fullness of the Godhead bodily, the Kingdom of Heaven is brought forth on earth.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet born of women. Other prophets foretold that the Messiah would come, but John announced His arrival, identified Him, and baptized Him.

That is why Jesus called him great: John introduced Him, proclaimed that He was coming, said, “This is He,” and baptized Him.

Yet Jesus also said that the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John the Baptist.

In my interpretation, John the Baptist was Elijah. Elijah had been taken into Heaven in a chariot, but the prophet Malachi said that Elijah would return as a man because it is appointed for people to die once and after that face judgment.

I use that passage to reject reincarnation. Elijah had to return and die. I teach that the same principle applies to Enoch, whom God took without death. In my interpretation, Enoch must return in a human being, die, and then face judgment.

John the Baptist also said that he was not Elijah, even though the Bible says Elijah must come before the Messiah. I teach that some people rejected Jesus because they interpreted John’s words literally and did not understand the spiritual fulfillment.

Later, John sent messengers asking Jesus, “Are You the One, or should we look for another?” I interpret that as doubt, and I teach that doubt can lead to condemnation if a person turns away from faith.

It does not matter whether a person was once regarded as the greatest prophet. If that person turns back and begins doubting instead of believing, I teach that he can be lost. That helps explain why Jesus said that the least in Heaven is greater than John.

Jesus answered John’s messengers by pointing to what was happening: blind eyes were opened, the dead were raised, people were healed of diseases and chronic illnesses, demons were cast out, and the gospel was preached.

What more could the Messiah have done to establish His identity?

Let the people of the earth pay close attention to Your words so that their souls may be enlightened, receive the light, and remain in the light. Let the Spirit work through them as You worked through people in scripture and as I believe You work through me and others on earth today.

There are still prophets today. Some people think a person is bragging when he says he is a prophet, but a prophet prophesies. That is what prophets do.

You have told me many things that were going to happen. At other times, You told me to do something or warned that something bad would happen if I refused. I obeyed, and the threatened consequence did not occur.

Lord, help people see the benefits of belonging to the commonwealth of the Kingdom of Heaven. I teach that the only lasting wealth is the commonwealth of Heaven.

The commonwealth of Heaven lasts forever and is our possession throughout eternity. Anything gained in this world cannot be taken with us, whether we go to Heaven or hell. Nothing we own on earth goes with us. Only the soul spends eternity somewhere.

That is why it is so important for us to listen carefully to what You are saying.

Speak through me tonight, Lord. In Jesus’ name.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher and Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

All right. Where is the first letter from?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

From Nigeria.

“Dear Pastor Tony Alamo,

“I thank God for your life and ministry and for what God is doing through your life to promote His Kingdom.

“I have represented your ministry and distributed your literature here in Nigeria for a long time. Recently, some Catholic priests confronted me in my office and told me not to distribute your literature titled Beware of the Blessings from the Vatican and Their Pope.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

I expected that they might do that. What else does the letter say?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“However, I would rather listen to God than to men.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Not one person has come to threaten me directly over that piece of literature, because they know I will not accept what they say. I believe they know that I regard their teaching as being of the devil.

They may also want to see how many people are willing to take a stand. If you take a strong stand before them, some of those people may even be saved.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen. Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord. Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Your literature is converting many souls in the villages and towns of Nigeria. Forty-four pastors are working with me here to distribute your literature.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Please, Brother Alamo, assist us in every way you can in His service.

“Reverend Austin
“Benin City, Nigeria.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

I will help you in every way I can, Reverend Austin, and I will help the other pastors working with you.

What is the next letter?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

The next letter is from El Salvador.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

All right.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Beloved brother in Christ, World Pastor Tony Alamo,

“Greetings to you in Jesus’ name. I hope that you, your physical family, and your spiritual family are in good health.

“I request literature for distribution. I also request twenty-five Bibles to take to a hospital.

“My only purpose, as well as the purpose of the brothers who go with me, is to serve the Lord.

“May the Lord bless your ministry and expand it throughout the world. It is a great blessing that the Lord raised you up for this end time. You are a valuable instrument for evangelists in different parts of the world.

“May the Lord bless your wonderful worldwide ministry.

“Cecilia
“San Salvador, El Salvador.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord, Cecilia. God bless you, sister. Praise the Lord.

What comes next?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

This letter is from India.

“My dear brother Tony Alamo,

“Greetings to you in Jesus’ mighty name, and peace beyond measure.

“We thank God for your unending labor and covenant with God to share the good news in many countries and lead perishing souls into eternal life.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord. I thank Him too, but it is a labor of love.

I do not regard this as work. I love doing it. I truly love it. It is not work to me.

Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“I know that many souls are being led to Christ by your literature and good works, to the glory of the Most High God in these last days.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

The literature comes from the Lord. Give Him all the glory. Praise the Lord.

Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“I often use your newsletters in our gospel outreach.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.’ Proverbs 11:30.

“Many thanks for the love that you have shown to this tribal ministry and to needy children. I know that you have a great burden for perishing souls and for sharing the gospel in unreached areas of the world.

“We always thank God for all of you and mention you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God your work prompted by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

“May God bless you, give you more than you have, and grant you good health and prosperity.

“I look forward to hearing from you.

“Your brother,
“Suteran
“Path of Paddu, Andhra Pradesh, South India.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord. I feel the prayers of these people, and I truly thank God for them. Praise the Lord for you.

What else?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

This letter is from Ghana.

“Dear Pastor Tony Alamo,

“Blessed Calvary greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope everything is well with you. Thanks be to our good God, and may the Lord continue to be your strength.

“My name is Nana, and I am from Ghana. I was very happy when I came across one of your pieces of literature. I was once a sinner and did not believe or know anything about the Word of God.

“When a friend gave me your literature, I realized that God’s words are best. I have now accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“I would like you to send me two Bibles so that I can give one to my friend.

“I love hearing the preaching, teaching, and songs from your ministry. Please add my name to your mailing list so that you will continue sending me literature and I may become fully mature in the Word of God.

“Pastor, I also ask you and your church members to pray for me during the church service.

“I love you, Brother Tony, and all the members of your church.

“I hope to hear from you soon.

“Your brother in Christ,
“Nana
“Aquagonta, Ghana.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord.

It is extremely frustrating to become born again, or to want to serve the Lord, and not know where to receive accurate information.

I remember when the Lord was dealing with me. After the experience I had in the Beverly Hills office, I knew that God existed, but I did not know what to do or where to go.

I went into bookstores and opened many books. I might read the first page and find statements suggesting that God wanted people to imitate the birds and bees, simply love one another sexually, or live like flowers and children.

One of the books was titled The Prophet. I regarded it as a terrible book.

I knew that its message was false when it suggested that God loves a person regardless of what he or she continues to do or that God never threatens anyone.

The reason I became afraid enough of the Lord to seek His Word and learn what He wanted me to do was that I believed He had threatened my life and warned that my soul could be sent to hell.

That sent me searching for some kind of literature that could show me what to do and what to say. I knew nothing about the spiritual realm.

I began visiting different churches. I would also open books, read a page or two, and quickly conclude that they were false because they contradicted the supernatural experiences I believed the Lord had given me.

The churches I visited seemed weak to me. I thought, “These people do not know God, because they teach that you may continue sinning and do not have to do what He says.”

What I believed God had said to me was essentially, “Do this or die.”

After I began seeking the Lord, it became easy for me to identify churches and books that I believed were not from Him.

The last place I expected to find the truth was the Bible.

One day, in my room, I opened a Bible out of curiosity and came across the words, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” and “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

I understood that to mean: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst to know what is right and what the will of God is, because they will be filled with that knowledge.

I thought, “That is me. What beautiful words. I truly want to know the truth.”

Then I read the words of Jesus: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

I also read that Jesus is the Word of God and that the Word is the truth, the way to Heaven, and the life of immortality.

I believed the Lord had led me to those scriptures so that I would recognize the truth.

At another time, I was in an apartment where I experienced visions of Heaven and hell. I began screaming at the top of my lungs, “Please, God, do not send my soul to hell. I will do anything You say. Just do not send my soul to hell.”

Then a voice came to me that I believed was Satan. It said, “You are only imagining these things. This is not the Lord. This is the devil speaking to you.”

I opened my eyes. Although I had been lying on a hardwood floor, what I saw appeared to be a very thick carpet filled with living colors.

I do not know how to explain “living colors.” I regarded them as eternal colors from beyond the veil of this world.

I believed that, if I looked up, I would be directly before the throne of God and the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believed that, if I looked up, I would see Him. I felt so much guilt on my soul that I could not look at the Lord.

I closed my eyes and came under conviction for doubting that the visions were from God.

Then I saw hell again and cried, “Oh God, please do not send me. I will never doubt You again. I promise that I will never again doubt that the things You are showing me and putting me through are from You.”

The truth was frightening to someone like me, who had lived in darkness for so long.

I was thirty years old. At the time of this recording, I said that the experience had occurred forty-two years earlier.

I continued pleading, “God, please have mercy. I will never doubt You again.” I screamed and begged Him to forgive me.

Then, in what I describe as my mind’s eye, the stars appeared to break apart and form the shape of a cross.

I felt what seemed like miles upon miles—hundreds of thousands or even a million miles—of the Spirit entering my soul.

Tears began flowing from my eyes. It was more than a single tear; it felt like streams of warm water. I am not normally a person who weeps, but I was filled with joy.

I had never felt joy like that before. I do not expect to feel anything equal to it until I see Jesus again.

About three years later, I say that Jesus appeared before me.

I have experienced many visions and dream visions. Before Susie and I married, God gave me a vision of the two of us getting married. I believe He showed her a related vision as well.

We did marry, and the work of the ministry grew out of what I understood to be visions from God.

Therefore, I believe that the things the Lord showed me are true and that the things He showed the prophets in the Bible are true.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change.

I teach that actions God commanded people to perform in the Old Testament may also be commanded today. When the Lord truly commands something, I say there is nothing wrong with obeying it.

Amen?

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Susie had been married to a man whom I describe as a gangster. She had tried to divorce him on several occasions, but I say he made false accusations and humiliated her in court until she gave up.

In her view, the marriage was already broken because he had violated the marriage vows through sexual immorality.

I say that my former wife, Helen, had also been unfaithful, although she tried to hide it.

I believed God brought Susie and me together.

I told Susie, “If the Lord has put us together, why do we need to go to a man to be married? Why go to Caesar again?”

She said that we should do it to show people that we were proceeding properly.

She sold the furniture in her apartment, and we went to Las Vegas. We were married three times there.

Hank Snow was our best man at Red Rock Baptist Church. We were not Baptists, but that was where the first ceremony occurred.

We were then married before a judge and again at a chapel—three ceremonies altogether.

I joked with Susie that it would take a Philadelphia lawyer to divorce us. I was teasing her, because she was the last person from whom I ever intended to be divorced.

Our relationship seemed completely supernatural to me. I do not believe two people could have been brought together more supernaturally than Susie and me.

She was nine years older than I was and ordinarily would never have married me. She wanted a man with gray hair who looked dignified and respectable. At that time, I was the opposite of that image.

I had always thought I would marry a younger woman, not an older woman. Yet I knew that Susie was wise and holy.

I contrasted her with women whom I described in offensive and condemnatory language because they displayed their nude bodies in magazines, television, and films.

I teach that even people I condemn still need to be saved.

Amen?

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

The Lord has given me compassion to preach the gospel to people I regard as among the most wicked on earth because I considered myself one of the most wicked people on earth.

If the Lord had patience with me, then I believed He expected me to have patience with them.

I have had patience with many people, including people whom I say later testified falsely against the ministry or its members.

When the Lord came into me in what I regarded as a powerful way and I experienced the fear of the Lord, it felt as though millions of miles of the Holy Spirit continued pouring into me.

Before that happened, I had felt inferior to Susie.

It was as though I were a well and water from Heaven came down and filled me. I no longer felt inferior to her. I began to regard myself as the man of the house and spiritually responsible for leadership.

I believed the Lord gave me remarkable knowledge, even before I had read very much of the Bible.

I say that the Lord told me I had a perfect understanding of the Bible. I believe the initial measure of that wisdom and understanding entered me at the moment I was saved.

One day, Susie and I came to a Bible lesson. I could hear her crying out to God in the bedroom, so I waited in the living room with the other people.

I had been awake all night with a severe toothache. When the pain went away, the relief caused me to fall asleep on a couch in the living room.

That was when a vision came to me. It seemed to burst into my mind like a television picture.

I saw myself walking into a room where Susie was lying on a couch. She was wearing a red velour sweater and blue velour pants. Her hair looked different. It was cut short and very blond, although she had previously worn it long.

In the vision, I walked to the couch, knelt beside my Bible teacher, and began kissing her on the lips. I saw my left profile and her right profile.

I began trying to force myself awake from the dream vision.

I cried, “No, Lord. No. The blood of Jesus.” But the vision remained.

I said, “This is my Bible teacher.”

The answer came back, “It is true. This is true. It is true.”

I said, “No. She is smarter than I am.”

The response came, “That is good for your ego.”

Questions began pouring out of my heart so quickly that I could not identify all of them. At the same time, answers seemed to come down from Heaven into my heart.

It was as though a stream of denials moved upward from my heart and a stream of answers saying, “Yes, it is true,” moved downward into me.

The answers seemed to address not only the questions I was asking then but questions I might ask in the future.

Suddenly, I was fully awake but still seeing the vision with my eyes open.

What looked like puffs of smoke or the Holy Spirit appeared around me, repeatedly saying, “It is true.”

The message continued many times: “It is true. It is true. It is true.”

The shimmering presence moved toward me, entered my mind, and went down into my soul while continuing to say, “It is true.”

Then it disappeared.

I began wondering, “Could this actually be true? This is unbelievable.”

I had thought the Lord might be condemning me because I was having thoughts about kissing my Bible teacher, whom I believed knew more about God than anyone else on earth.

Instead, the repeated message was, “It is true. It is all right.”

I tried to go back to sleep, but there was too much on my mind.

I thought, “If I see her, I will know whether it is true. Somehow, she must know.”

I sensed her presence near the couch and looked up. She had a horrified expression on her face, with her hands raised about a foot from either side of her head.

I looked quickly into her eyes, thought, “Oh my God,” and turned away.

She had promised to take me to the dentist because she knew about my toothache.

I asked, “Are you ready?” Then I noticed that her hair had been cut. She had cut it during the night, and I had seen it that way in the vision before seeing her after the haircut.

I saw her arranging another sister’s hair while sitting on a stool in the dining area near the kitchen.

I felt that I had to say something.

I said, “Sue?”

She answered, “Yes?”

I said, “Your hair looks good.”

She replied, “Thank you.”

I waited a little longer and asked what time we needed to leave for the dentist. She told me and said she was ready.

She dressed, and we began walking toward Hollywood Boulevard, which was only about three blocks away.

When we reached the area of the Lido Hotel on Cahuenga Boulevard, the words came out of my mouth: “I had the strangest dream.”

She immediately asked, “What was it?”

I asked why she had said it in that particular tone.

She repeated, “What was it?”

I said that the dream had frightened me.

She said, “I know.”

I asked what she meant.

She explained that she had told the Lord that I would have to tell her what I had seen.

During the night, she had been praying intensely. I could hear her crying out toward the throne through the closed door, although I could not understand the words.

She said she had prayed, “Oh no, God. This cannot be true. This man is wild.” At the time, I was known as a promoter and marketing person, and I was younger than she was.

She said she had seen the two of us walking through an arbor covered with large roses dripping with dew. I was wearing a tuxedo, and she was wearing a wedding gown. We were walking arm in arm.

She said, “You have to tell me.”

I said, “What do you know?”

She answered, “I know.”

I told her to explain it to me.

She refused, saying that she had asked the Lord to make me tell her. She would know the vision was from the Lord only when I independently described what I had seen.

She did not initially believe her vision was from God any more than I believed mine was.

We went to Music City because my toothache had disappeared. At that time, there were record-listening booths around Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, and Vine Street where customers could listen to records.

She kept pressing me to tell her what the Lord had shown me.

Finally, I said, “You and me in Vegas.”

She answered, “That is right.”

She grabbed my arm, linked it with hers, marched me out of the booth and onto the street, and told me to explain everything.

I described my vision, and she described hers.

She then said to the Lord, “I have been in the gospel field too long and have been too faithful to lose my soul over any man. He is so young.”

She said the Lord answered, “Yes, but he is strong.”

At first, I thought that referred to my physical strength because I exercised with weights. I later understood it to mean spiritual strength—that I would not be moved by anything on earth because I had seen visions of Heaven and hell.

After these experiences, we went to Las Vegas and were married in the three ceremonies I described.

The first was at Red Rock Baptist Church, where Hank Snow served as our best man. He did not know us personally but was asked to participate because a friend of his was the church’s pastor.

A fierce storm arose as we tried to reach the church for the appointment Susie had arranged. It seemed to be preventing us from getting there.

When we finally entered the church, completed the ceremony, and came outside, the storm had ended and the day was beautiful.

Many events seemed miraculous to us. One thing led to another, and here we are.

At the time of this recording, I said that it felt like yesterday even though forty-two years had passed.

Susie died on April 8, 1982, which I said had been twenty-four years earlier.

The ministry is now heard throughout the world.

In ordinary human terms, the two of us probably would never have married. Yet I believe God used us to establish a great work.

I did not believe anyone was preaching the full truth in those early days. Our ministry distributed so much of what we regarded as truth that many preachers throughout the world now repeat portions of it.

God keeps the record. Some may deny that they learned anything from us. I do not care.

I am not trying to impress anyone personally. I am trying to persuade people to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

He did not merely shed His blood for them; He willingly died and willingly shed His blood as an atonement for our sins.

I did not know these teachings before my conversion. I did not believe in Jesus, God, or the supernatural.

I say that God completely changed me through many supernatural experiences over the years.

It is incredible to me that people would want to remain outside what I regard as the excitement of the spiritual realm.

I believe these are the last days and that God is moving swiftly, powerfully, and truthfully.

Many people consider death the most frightening thing in the world. Death without the Lord is frightening, but to me it would be even more frightening to live a life without purpose.

Before the ministry, I felt that my life had no lasting purpose. I simply moved from one promotion to another.

It was like painting the George Washington Bridge: by the time you finished, it needed to be painted again.

It was a rat race—going around and around, punching a time clock, producing another promotion, and beginning another project.

Now I believe I have a lasting purpose: leading people toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus did not come merely preaching religion. He preached the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Kingdom is a complete way of life. It is not simply sitting in a church pew, clapping, or spending time around religious people.

It is a Kingdom-of-Heaven lifestyle.

I teach that a person entering that Kingdom can no longer live according to the way of people in darkness or the Kingdom of Darkness. That former life must be left behind if the person wants to go to Heaven.

I understand how difficult that may be to believe because I did not believe any of it at first.

I pray that God may show people visions, dreams, signs, and wonders. Yet Jesus said that people who believe the preaching and the Bible without seeing such things are especially blessed.

Isaiah wrote, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

In other words, who has believed what the prophets reported, and to whom has the strength of God been revealed?

The law came through Moses, while grace and truth came through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many people say that grace means something entirely undeserved. I disagree with that interpretation.

I teach that, when a person truly comes to the Lord, God makes that person a son or daughter and grants the blessings of the Kingdom.

In my interpretation, salvation is received by coming to the Lord and believing His whole Word.

Scripture says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

I also teach that Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Therefore, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ means believing the entire Word of God, from Genesis through Revelation.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen. Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Believe the entire Word of God, and you will be saved.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Approximately three years after Susie and I married, I say that Jesus appeared directly before my face.

People claim that He does not exist or that no one has seen God, but the Bible teaches that Jesus is God.

God came into the world in the flesh of Jesus Christ to show us how to live the Kingdom life, speak the Kingdom message, and walk according to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Before coming to the Kingdom of Heaven, we lived in what I call the Kingdom of Darkness.

Jesus and John the Baptist came preaching, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

I teach that the Kingdom is now present in the world through people in whom God lives.

Those of us who identify with the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of God call people to leave darkness and come to the Prince and King of Light before it is too late.

There is no profit in remaining in the Kingdom of Darkness and allowing Satan to be your king.

There is no benefit in that. Scripture describes him as a thief, liar, and murderer who wants to destroy you.

Speaker 3 – Congregation / Supporting Voice or Voices:

Amen.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

The Lord, by contrast, offers you the Kingdom and immortal life.

Satan wants to take life away and keep you in ignorance and darkness. The Lord came to reveal the light, the life, the way, the truth, and the Kingdom of Light.

Now we will read a little from something I dictated yesterday. Go ahead. Where are we?

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Whenever someone of the world attempts to tell us what to do, unless that person holds a legitimate position of authority under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, there arises within us an attitude of resentment or resistance.

“It is not the Lord’s will that believers be spiritually ruled by the unsaved, but that they be ruled by God’s rulers, who are His ministers, according to Romans chapter 13.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Read that passage.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Later, the passage says that these authorities are God’s ministers. Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“The powers that be are ordained of God.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Do you think that means the devil is morally approved by God?

I teach that God allows evil powers to exist and operate and may use them to punish people for sin.

According to this teaching, God may allow the devil to buffet, destroy, or bring sickness upon people who reject His Word.

If you believe His Word and are sick, I teach that you may be healed. If you believe His Word and are lost in darkness, you may be saved.

If you reject His Word, I teach that God may turn you over to what you have chosen.

It is as though He says, “You love Satan and darkness, so I will allow you to experience darkness.”

The Kingdom of Darkness then does what it does to everyone.

When you turn your back on the Lord, you have Satan against you because Satan is never truly for you, regardless of what you think.

Worse still, I teach that you also place yourself in opposition to God. Scripture contains accounts of God sending plagues and judgments upon people who hate Him.

One of the most severe judgments described in scripture is strong delusion. If people do not love the truth—the Word of God, whom I identify as Jesus—I teach that God may allow them to believe a lie.

Then someone may knock on the door and say, “We are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and we have come to teach you,” or another religious group may bring doctrines that I regard as false.

I interpret such encounters as part of the delusion permitted to those who reject light, life, truth, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of Truth, and the Kingdom of Life.

Continue reading.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Is the Kingdom of Darkness not a terror to good works? I believe worldly powers often wage war against the people of the Lord, against God, against Jesus, and against the Bible.

Why do you think they want to remove the name of God, Jesus, and the Bible?

I claim that former President Clinton was involved in the destruction at Waco and that he was aligned with the Vatican. I teach that scripture identifies Rome or the Vatican as Satan’s seat and that these powers seek to eliminate God, His people, and the Bible.

Even court oaths have changed. People once said, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” In some places, the words “so help me God” are no longer used.

I interpret this as submission to a one-world system.

Many people in darkness show more obedience to the powers of darkness because they fear Satan more than they fear the Lord.

Their fear is misdirected. If you fear God, I teach that you need not fear anyone else.

Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“For he is the minister of God to thee for good.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

There are many false ministers today, but there are also what I regard as true ministers of God.

People should take seriously what true ministers say because those ministers tell the truth.

If you hear the truth and refuse to pay attention to it, I teach that God may deal with you as He warned He would deal with me if I refused to stand in the Beverly Hills office and tell the people about the Lord Jesus Christ and His return.

I believed He told me that He would kill me and send my soul to hell if I refused.

You must choose whether you will be saved, enter the Kingdom of Heaven, become part of that Kingdom on earth, and help bring others into it, or remain lost.

God is no respecter of persons.

If He judges other sinners, He will also judge you. In my teaching, a person who rejects God is ultimately throwing himself into hell and the lake of fire.

Continue.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

I understand the passage to describe true ministers of the gospel, not merely secular or Antichrist political systems.

I say that the Vatican hates the gospel and has condemned Bible readers. In my view, only Satan would oppose people for reading the Bible.

Let us return to the phrase “ministers of God.”

I reject newer Bible translations that interpret the passage primarily as referring to civil government or Antichrist political power.

I specifically warn listeners against the NIV and similar translations. I believe those translations falsely identify worldly government as the power of God.

Do not believe that interpretation. I tell listeners to discard such Bibles.

The NIV is among the most popular Bible translations, which I interpret as evidence that much of the world has been deceived.

I do not want you to be deceived, and I believe God does not want you to be deceived.

My time is nearly over. Let us read one more line.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

“His ministers are not merely those who have just begun ministering, but those who are elders, tutors, and governors.”

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Yes. We must also learn to govern ourselves, and all believers exercise a form of spiritual rulership within the environment where the Lord places them.

We are not to rule as worldly people rule. We are to rule as the Lord rules.

When the Lord enters an environment, He rules through the Spirit of God, love, peace, correction, rebuke, and what I describe as casting out demons.

Will you come to the Lord?

Will you believe the biblical report, the reports of the prophets, and the reports of the apostles?

An apostle is commonly understood as someone who has seen Christ. I say that I have seen Him.

Whether anyone gives me the title “apostle” does not concern me. I do not care about the title.

I am telling you what I believe is the truth. When you know the truth, the truth will set you free from weakness and the lusts of the flesh.

The Lord will pull you out of those things if you begin by saying this prayer to Him now.

Say:

“My Lord and my God, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner.

“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“I open the door of my heart and invite You into my heart, Lord Jesus.

“Wash all my filthy former sins away in the precious blood that You shed for me.

“You will not turn me away, Lord Jesus. You will save my soul.

“I know this because Your Word says so. Your Word says that You will turn no one away, and that includes me.

“Therefore, I know You have heard me. I know You have answered me. I know I am saved because Your Word says that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

“I thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving my soul.”

Raise your hands and praise and thank the Lord.

Sharon, tell the listeners how they can receive a copy of Program 223 absolutely free of charge. Postage and handling are also free.

Speaker 2 – Reader / Program Assistant:

Go to AlamoMinistries.com, write to Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, P.O. Box 6467, Texarkana, Texas 75505, call 479-782-7370, or fax 479-782-7406.

Speaker 1 – Host / Preacher:

Praise the Lord.

Make sure you tune in tomorrow because we will have another message.

I had planned to present a different message this evening, but I believe the Lord changed the program into what you heard tonight.

It is wonderful to hear from the Lord.

Praise the Lord, because you know it is the Lord.

Tomorrow’s installment will be Part 122 of “How to Have God’s Life Living in You,” Program 224.

I love bringing you the gospel message.

You are hearing music conducted or presented by someone whose name sounds like H. C. Barney. You may hear music like this at our church every evening at eight o’clock at 13136 Sierra Highway.

There is also beautiful music in congregations or ministry locations in the Texarkana area, the Portsmouth area, the New Jersey area, and elsewhere throughout the world.

We serve meals after each service. On Sunday, services are held at three and eight.

Join us again for tomorrow’s message.

This is World Pastor Tony Alamo saying: God bless you, and praise the Lord.