Sound of Faith

Sharon Hardy Knotts: Greetings, friends and new listeners, and welcome to this program of the R. G. Hardy Ministries. I'm Sharon Hardy Knotts, thanking you for joining us today because we know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Today's message by my father, Brother Hardy, is, "What is the Exceeding Greatness of God's Power?" Maybe you know the answer or maybe you're not sure. Well, either way, I believe you will learn something new today as you listen to this dynamic message, "What is the Exceeding Greatness of God's Power?"

R. G. Hardy: The Lord said to me, ask the people how great I am in your life. That's the whole ballgame. What kind of God you got, a little God you got to take care of? Have you got a lot like the foreign gods you got to give them something to eat? You know, in India they give fruit to the monkey. I ain't going to let the monkey make a monkey out of me. Hallelujah. How great is He? What can He do? What can He do for you? Is there any situation in your life that God can't take care of?

He feeds all of the animals every day. He lets the robin find the worm. We were sitting in the car and it was a little shower over Sharon's, and the little robin went there. All of a sudden, Sister Hardy said, "Look, man, he's got a worm!" He was pulling that thing out. I don't know how long it was. And that's what Jesus said to His people in Israel when He said, "Consider the lily of the field." He said, "Solomon, which is the epitome of riches, wasn't arrayed like these." He said, "Look at the sparrow. God takes care of them." Then He said to them, "Oh ye of little faith." If you've ever read my message on the definition of faith, little faith is the same as no faith because you've got such little faith you're not going to use it.

When Jesus was asleep on the boat and the devil brought that storm down through Hadrian's channel and hit that boat, figuring he was going to drown Him, these men lived on that river. They lived on the Sea of Galilee. They made their living. They knew all about it. But it was such a storm that it scared them. They ran and shook Jesus and said, "Master, care not that we perish?" How can you perish when Jesus is on board? How can you be defeated when the Lord's in your life? What you have done is listened to the devil instead of the word of God.

You know what you ought to do when a test comes to you? Read the scriptures concerning your test that you're going through. Load them up. Load yourself up. The reason why people have trouble is they don't have the word in them. They don't know what to do. I know what I'm going to do when the enemy attacks or when a situation is bad. I know exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to take my burden to the Lord and leave it there. I'm going to have, like the song said, a big talk with Jesus, not a little one. I'm going to tell Him all about it.

I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to trust in the Lord. I mean, anybody ought to be able to serve God and praise Him if you go to the cupboard and it's not bare like Mother Hubbard's cupboard, and you got a lot of money in your checkbook and all your bills are paid. If you can't believe God and praise God then, the time when bad things come is times of faith. That's why He gave us faith so that we could use that, and our faith will make us an overcomer. Faith can overcome anything because faith is an attribute of God.

How would you like to step out in the beginning into a vast nothingness out there? What was in the beginning but God? What was nothing but God, the Spirit of God, and the word of God? God drew a plan of creation. He had a vote of the family. The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost all said, "May we? We can do it." There was nothing but the Godhead and a plan. He stepped out of eternity with faith in His plan. Now get this picture. Somebody says, "Yeah, well, He was God." But you see, He had never done anything as God because this was the beginning of creation. Nothing was ever created. He never created anything.

How does He know He can do it? We don't have that trouble. We got a Bible showing us everything God has done to people with certain circumstances like us. But He had faith in His word. He had faith in His ability. I got faith in the word of God and the ability of God. Supply my little need? What in the world's that? You know what He said in the Bible? All the needs of all the nations? We've got three billion people now, maybe four overnight. You know what He said to His unlimited supply? He said it's a drop on the bucket, not in it.

Did you ever see a cold thing and the little drop runs down it? He said that's just a drop. That don't mean nothing. You haven't taxed my ability to do miracles, not in the least. When the Holy Ghost really opened up the first chapter of Ephesians to me—and to me, that's the greatest book on God's demonstrated power—He revealed to me, let me see, that God doesn't even know how much power He has. When the Holy Ghost spoke that to me, I thought, and then He began to reason with me why.

Scientists, since God let them get the knowledge of advanced knowledge and of the solar system and all the planets, we're in the smallest galaxy. There's supposed to be billions bigger. I forget how many trillion stars are in our little galaxy. He created every one of them. You know what's so wonderful? They all rotate on an axis in a certain place and none of the planets bump into one another. They can tell where a planet's going to be what time of the year so they know when the window's open and they can send someone in space and get them back. A lot of people are lost in space. Man, when I saw that, it blew my mind.

Paul prayed in the first chapter of Ephesians. He said that God wants us to know the exceeding greatness of His power. The human language is inadequate to express how great His power is. He modifies modifiers with modifiers that need to be modified. How many's following me? An adjective modifies a noun, doesn't it? Come on, am I right? Don't an adjective modify a noun? I got to go to the horse's mouth. I didn't go far in English. And modify means it describes it. It elucidates it. How many say amen? Somebody said, "Where'd you get that word elucidate?" It's in there. Get your dictionary. It's there. You elucidate it. You make it plain. You describe it.

And he said God wants us to know. Now the Greek word "know" here means to know by experiencing it, not to know by hearing about it. I mean God exceeds great. He goes beyond the greatest. And God wants us to experience it, this greatness. I think maybe I ought to get somebody to read it. Where's my reader Betty? Betty used to be on the front row all them years was my reader. And now she got married and she lost her salvation. Give me a hand, Shirley. You still got it, but it's a big battle, ain't it? Anybody that's got kids, and especially teenage kids in this day, it's a battle to keep your salvation. We used to sing a song, "He keeps me singing as I go." And teenagers keep you praying. You got it? You're in the first chapter of Ephesians.

Guest (Female): Ephesians 1:7. "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

R. G. Hardy: All right, go on.

Guest (Female): "According to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will."

R. G. Hardy: Wait a minute, stop there. Do you know the mystery of His will? You ought to. He said to the Ephesians, He made it known. Do you know the will of the Lord in your life? I know you ain't going to raise your hand. How many don't know the will for your life? I got you now. Especially young people, do you know the will for your life instead of just looking pretty? You got to have something because age will take care of that. If you don't know the will for your life, how can you be obedient to God? You've opened a door to not being the will, that opens the door to the enemy. All right, I won't get on you too much. I wanted to get to the good stuff. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "According to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance."

R. G. Hardy: Oh, ain't this a beautiful chapter? We can know His will, we got an inheritance, and we're going to be gathered together with Christ and be a part of His great kingdom.

Guest (Female): "Being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

R. G. Hardy: He don't have to go to nobody. If God wants to do something, He don't have to check in with me. And in this church, I don't have to check in with you. When I want to do something, I don't have to check in with you to see if it's okay. I don't want to get people mad at me, especially the young people. When I put somebody in an office, I don't have to come and check in with them to see if it's okay with their plans. You know what I mean? You put somebody in office and they don't like it, and they go around, they get in trouble. They start talking about it. "I don't think that should be." Really what they're saying is, "I should have had it." I'll let your mind run with that. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."

R. G. Hardy: Lord Jesus Christ, I am sealed. You know what a seal meant? You know what a seal is? Back in those days, or even now they'll do it. They'll put wax on and they have their signet and they seal it. Now the seal means two things: to authenticate the genuineness of the thing they're sealing, and it's also protected. God has His seal on me. I have been authenticated that I am His child. And I'm under the protection of His power. Nobody better fool around with my seal. Better not fool around trying to break it. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance."

R. G. Hardy: Okay now, how many knows what the word "earnest" means? If you know it, raise your hand. If you don't, okay. Most of them don't know what it is. That means it's a down payment. And you're going to get the full payment at the rapture resurrection. But you got your down payment now. How many knows when you buy a house, you got to put what they call earnest money, the down payment. But when you settle, you got to pay the whole load. So we got the earnest of His blessings. All the blessings we can have now are just but a down payment of what He's really going to give us. I've been searching for 57 years to see all that I'm going to have up there. Man, I'm having trouble staying in English here. I can't wait to get all those things. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."

R. G. Hardy: Until we're raptured, it's just a down payment. Everything He's given us now is just a down payment. Read everything in the New Testament of what He's gave us, and that ain't nothing of what He's going to give us. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."

R. G. Hardy: Now Paul is a person that has his prayer answered. He expects them to be answered. He's like Jesus. When Paul prays, he only prayed three times for something else and the Lord didn't want him. It was his prayer was out of the will of the Lord. That's right. But Paul's been praying that we would get the spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him, not going around calling people out that have this. They'll get in a meeting and say, "Your name is Robert." I said I know it all my life. Says, "This is your address." I said I knew it. Said if you're going to tell me my phone number, I know it too. Some people don't know their phone number. It's a little tougher. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know—"

R. G. Hardy: Now there's a textual term there between two schools. One says understanding and the other one says heart translation. But it means the same thing. The eyes of your heart or the eyes of your understanding be what?

Guest (Female): "Being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling."

R. G. Hardy: What is the hope of His calling you? What hope have you got? I've already got salvation. Good, you're getting close. The hope, eternal life, all the blessings, the rapture, the resurrection, all His great exceeding great and precious promises. All those things that we only got a down payment now, the hope I want to get the full payoff. Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "And what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."

R. G. Hardy: See who is going to get an inheritance in this verse? We? No. His inheritance in the saints. We are God's inheritance. Read that again slow.

Guest (Female): "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."

R. G. Hardy: His inheritance in the saints. Not our inheritance in Him. We are His inheritance. And no power or person better try to rob God of His inheritance. When you mess with me, you mess with what belongs to God. He inherited me and you're in big trouble. I don't have to ask Him, "God get him." God said, "I'm already got him. I'm on it." All right, go ahead.

Guest (Female): "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power—"

R. G. Hardy: Oh, now we're getting to where I wanted to get. What is the exceeding greatness of His power? We can know the exceeding greatness of His power because He's going to give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation that the eyes of our understanding, our heart, will be quickened to know that we're in His inheritance. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power that He's going to do something with it.

Guest (Female): "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe."

R. G. Hardy: To usward. This power is turned exceeding great to us. His exceeding great power is turned to His children. How many's getting it? Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "Usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ—"

R. G. Hardy: Okay, what is this exceeding great power that's turned towards us and it's at our disposal? And it's according to the power, now he's going to describe that power, according to the greatness of His power that when He raised Christ from the dead. Am I pretty close? Go ahead.

Guest (Female): "When He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places."

R. G. Hardy: Now get this slow. Far above.

Guest (Female): "Far above all—"

R. G. Hardy: Emphasize the all.

Guest (Female): "All principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come."

R. G. Hardy: Now listen to this. Two raisins are here. He raised Him from the dead, and He raised Him above all the devil's power. Read that again.

Guest (Female): "Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead."

R. G. Hardy: This exceeding great and priced power when He energized in Christ. Here Jesus is in the tomb, been there three days. He's got a seal on the tomb. Pilate gave the Jews the seal it, and he marked it with his ring, signet, meant that it was backed up by the power of Rome. The greatest force at that time on the earth was Rome. And you, if you break that seal, then you're going to have to deal with the power of Rome. So Jesus is in this tomb, being guarded by a continual Roman soldier. Four of them that work three-hour shifts to make sure nobody would break the seal and fulfill what the Jews said, that His disciples would steal His body and then go say He was raised from the dead.

So it's sealed and then now it's got a bigger stone than Joseph Arimathea put in front of it. It covered the whole thing. And they thought no way in the world is Jesus going to get out of that. No way in the world are His disciples or thieves going to come and steal Him. No way in the world. That's to them. It is absolutely sealed with the greatest power on earth. It's got trained, hard soldiers, full armor, ready to cut you to pieces. Lord help me, Jesus.

But on that resurrection evening. I wanted to set you up for that because the Jewish day started at 6:00 PM. Because God started the day cycle when He created the earth. He said, "And the evening and the morning was day one." And even our day don't start in the morning. It starts at 12 o'clock at night. Okay, all those things are hid in there. So He had to be in the tomb three days and three nights. That would mean He had to come out of the tomb the same time He was put in the tomb but three days later. So how in the world they can get three days and three nights from Friday evening to Sunday morning is beyond me. But they try to say it that to the people of that time, any part of the day was a count of the day. But the Lord said as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the earth three days and three nights.

When did He fulfill that except His death and resurrection? Because when He released His Spirit, He went into the inner part of the earth and down to Tartarus, where the evil spirits were in prison that tried to stop Him from coming in Noah's day. And He went down there and He didn't preach the word as proclaimed; He announced His victory alive! Said you couldn't stop me. And I'm going to tell you something. I'm going to go up and fulfill the rest. And I'm going to say it and then he's going to say, "Ain't no grave going to hold my body down." These people are happy. You don't see it. You're not walking with me. You're not walking in revelation with me. I'm trying to slow you up because most of us read it real fast like she was reading. You don't emphasize it. And you get such words as "all" you want to stop and let it resonate in your cranium.

So here's this sealed tomb with all the power of man on earth sealing it. God turned all of His exceeding great power, beyond comprehension, beyond the ability of man to even know how great His power is. He turned it upon that body in that tomb. He turned that power on that body, and a double miracle happened. It was not only raised from the dead, it was changed! We shall not all sleep or die, but we all shall be changed. I don't want to go through eternity with this body now. No, it's too old, worn out, all that stuff. It's got too many wrinkles and Max Factor can't help it. The face lifts have fallen down and all that stuff. You know what I mean? They can't help it. And you can't put enough Max Factor on there.

Man, when that power hit that tomb, did a double miracle. And the spirit man of Jesus stepped into that glorified body. The earth shook. It knocked the soldiers to the ground. They were scared to death. They didn't know what to do. Are you there? And what happened? Jesus didn't walk out of the mouth of that tomb after the angel rolled the stone away. The angel rolled the stone away to show He's not in there! He didn't—no stone could hold Him down. He walked right through the wall. Just like He appeared to the disciples in the upper room, scared to death. He just walked right through the wall. How would you like to be in the revelation of God and God showing you all this? How can you contain yourself? You're almost going crazy.

Glorified that body. Give it the properties of the heavenly bodies that's not subject to earth's physical laws. Somebody said that's impossible, can't be done on earth. But God's not bound by physical laws. He made them. And anytime He wants, He can set them aside. If you're in trouble out on the water, He can come walking on it. And water in the Bible always means trouble. He'll just walk on the trouble. He'll put the trouble underneath His feet. And then when He gets on boat, they don't have to say nothing. As soon as He got on the boat, the storm was over with and the boat was already on the other side. Okay, this is just leading up to the message. Is that okay, leading up?

Sharon Hardy Knotts: Amen. What an anointed and encouraged message by Brother Hardy, "What is the Exceeding Greatness of God's Power?" How exciting that God wants us to know, that is, to experience the exceeding greatness of His power. He wants the eyes of our spiritual understanding to be enlightened so that we may know what is the riches of our inheritance in Christ. Now, how can we possibly define God's power in its superlative manifestation? It has been said that when the New Testament writers want to define the greatness of God's love, they point to the cross. And when they want to define the greatness of God's power, they point to the empty tomb. But God's power exceeded even the raising of Jesus from the dead because others have been raised from the dead also. But God not only raised Jesus out of the sepulcher, but He raised Him far above. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but in the age to come. He raised Him to sit at His own right hand, the place of supreme power, honor, and authority.

And child of God, it gets better. He raised us up too with Him and seated us with Him in heavenly places with all authority under our feet because we are His body in this world. This wonderful message, "What is the Exceeding Greatness of God's Power?" is available on CD for your love gift of $10 or more for the radio ministry. Request offer 314. That's offer 314, mail to R. G. Hardy Ministries, P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland 21203. Or if you prefer, order online at rghardy.org. Even if you do not wish to order at this time, we still need to hear from you with your financial support to keep this program on this station. But if you want today's message, offer 314, send your love gift of $10 or more to P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland 21203. Until next time, this is Sharon Knotts saying maranatha.