Witness of the Spirit - Part 2 — Leonard Ravenhill

Yeah, I went to Jimmy Swaggart's the first First day there. I felt about as free as a man trying to swim in a pool of molasses. And that's pretty sticky, isn't it? But God is merciful I Preach that message around the world.

I preach it a hundred or two hundred times. Never had a worse time. It was terrible and The amplifying or what he called a PA system wasn't working. This side of the church couldn't hear when David was there.

The tide rolled in when I got there. It had gone. I was left on the beach all by myself. But the second day God came and when his glory fills a temple, it's indescribable. I've ceased making altar calls while we sing.

I believe that the basis of your life and mine is in our will. I Said here's the altar. It's for two things for sacrifice or death. If you don't want to die don't come. If you do come and the whole place broke Up and doesn't and doesn't came and stayed and prayed we understand.

So thank you for praying. We're going to look at Romans chapter 8. Until January of this year. I got a free copy. I liked it because it was free. A free copy of the New York Times book review. It's a very classy kind of thing.

The Lost Beauty and Majesty of the Gospel

It's supposed to be the best in the world. And it gives obviously reviews of books. I Wasted time. There's a criticism in that Paper made about three years ago that fascinated me humbled me. The man had been reviewing a book of a Christian book or a book by a preacher anyhow and He said this he said the trouble with the preachers today.

Is that they've lost sight of The awesome beauty and thrilling majesty of the gospel. I Feel I'd like to put that in every Bible school in every seminary we've lost sight of the awesome beauty and thrilling majesty of the gospel.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in 1773 he died in 1834. It was a great literary critic, too. But he said of all the readings that he had made and they had read thousands of books in different languages.

He'd read the Quran and the Vedas and the Christ and the Christian books. But he said the most sublime thing that was ever written Was the epistle of Paul to the Romans. When I first came to America my first trip was in 1950.

At that time there's a genius. By not by the name of Wilbur Smith. He was the man who checked all the Christian books and wrote reviews on them. He was in Moody and from Moody when he got when he forgot to be Moody.

He went over to What's the other school in the West there. Full of seminary, but he was a genius at analyzing books. Well, he said if Samuel Taylor Coleridge made a correct judgment of the epistle to the Romans.

It's the most sublime thing ever written. The eighth chapter is the most sublime thing in the sublime thing. Again, it is the majesty of the Holy Spirit of God. In the epistle to the Romans there are 26 references to the Holy Spirit.

18 of them are in this. That's 26 in Romans. 18 of them are in this one chapter of Romans 8. I was turning over in my mind about half-past two this morning doing some meditating a bit of writing praying.

I thought of a hymn written over a hundred years ago in England by a man by the name of Thomas Binney not Finney Binney. It's a gorgeous name. I've never seen it in the main hymn book in America. I wish we could learn it.

It starts with eternal light eternal light how pure the soul must be. When placed within my searching sight it shrinks not but with calm delights can live and look on thee. The spirits that surround I thrown as you get them in it in the sixth chapter again of Isaiah.

The spirits that surround I thorn may bear that burning bliss. But remember with two of their wings they've filtered the glory and majesty of God. They couldn't gaze upon him and it was Jesus Christ. It says in the twelfth chapter of John that was on that throne.

They filtered the blazing light. The immaculate glory of God through their wings, otherwise, they would have been blinded. They covered themselves with two of their wings because while they couldn't bear to look upon him.

They couldn't bear him to look upon them. You know, I'm praying. Almost said dreaming by the day. There'll be such a searching of God going on then the next I was going to say year or two as long as the Lord leaves us around that people will come to this place.

With their spiritual infirmities and spiritual needs. Like they go down to the Mayo Clinic. I Remember being in a plane and an old man staggered in his son sat next to me and he said there's my dad. I'm sorry, they held the plane up.

We're going to the Mayo Clinic. It's the only place in the world Where my daddy can get deliverance. We're wealthy we're Jewish with everything we need except health for my daddy and we've come. I don't know how many thousands of miles the Mayo Clinic is a magnet.

It draws us. It's our only hope. Here is deliverance or there's no deliverance. I Pray, I'm not conceited. I pray for the glory of God that people who are spiritually incurable anywhere else will find deliverance here.

People that have been cast away spiritually broken-hearted may be broken-minded ministers Will know that there's something which seems to be exclusively the work of God here. Otherwise why we here. I Was rude enough to say in Jimmy Swaggart's place and I think he was sitting in the gallery then I said if you're a carbon copy of every other.

What's the other place. Springfield if you're a carbon copy of Springfield and if you're a carbon copy of Christ for the nation you shouldn't exist. Over the dinner table. He said you were right brother right now.

If we don't have a distinct mark, we shouldn't exist. I said you shouldn't. I didn't know whether he wanted sympathy. If he did he didn't get it anyhow. I Believe God one. I'm not just selfish for here.

I told brother crumb up there. Well, he came to my house and I said if the fire falls up there we will rejoice as much as if it falls here. I doubt if there's any other small community in Texas if not America, which is as much salt in prayer and tears and travel as this community.

From here to Lindale and just around at me about a 10 or 20 miles circle the glory of God Is laid up for us and all he's waiting is for us to open up and when we open up The word will open up and the heavens will open up.

Paul’s Life and the Glory of Romans 8

This again is a glorious chapter. The great Augustine said if I could have three phases of history replayed if I could witness three phases of history. Here's my choice. Number one. I would like to have seen Jesus Christ in the flesh.

Number two, I would like to have seen one of the Caesars sweeping down the Appian Way. With his fiery chariot with the crowds on either side yelling for Caesar and he had all his captives chained to the wheels of his chariot.

Number one Jesus Christ. Number two See a Caesar sweeping down into Rome with all his slave all his captives chained up behind him and number three He said I would like to have heard the Apostle Paul preach.

Well, so would I would you David? Mm-hmm. What an amazing man. He is. He was born in the ancient capital of the world Tarsus. He finished up in the military capital of the world Rome. In between he went to the intellectual capital of the world Athens in the 17th of the Acts of the Apostles.

He went to the religious capital of the world Jerusalem, and he went to the corrupt capital of the world Corinth. He's an amazing man, he has an unblemished record. As Kipling would say Kipling speaks of a character who once put on his seven-league boat boots.

He had a marvelous introduction Preacher who said to me don't tell young people they have to take up their cross, but it's God's condition. Paul says to Ananias go to that man in that situation on that place on the road to Damascus and Tell him not what he must suffer, but what great things he must suffer for my name.

That's bad psychology. Why do you start him off telling me he's heading for tribulation and distress and pill Prisons and all the rest of it. I say he's an amazing man. He put on his seven-league boots, and he strode over Asia Minor.

Look at his three outstanding missionary journeys. Not only that he did what no one else has done except a friend of mine. I don't believe him. He went to heaven for it for his vacation. Don't look so incredulous it says it in the book.

He was caught up into the third heaven. He was known on earth. He was known on heaven. He was known in hell. David I hope your name and mine if the devil has ten most wanted men in America. I hope Dave Wilkinson and I have on the list.

I Think it's the greatest thing in the world that devil has to take recognize. It's not the easiest. It's the greatest. We've no right to exist if we're going to be a mediocre church if we're going to be a sample or a copy of somebody else.

Not that we're seeking originality. We're seeking an answer to the situation and the answer for America is not in in the White House. It's in God's house if you take all the hellish things you can think of humanism Romanism.

The advent isms moonism and Humanism and put them all in one big ball. All together they cannot stop the progress of the Church of Jesus Christ. The hindrance to the church is in the church an unsanctified church an import impure church.

No Condemnation, No Separation, and the Spirit’s Witness

Better tell you what this chapter says. Remember how it begins you must do. I only got one applause. David gets lots of. I got one applause from those students. That's when I said I'm going to read from the Living Bible the King James Version and the all-across.

I've got to get one somehow. It begins it with what there is therefore now no condemnation and it ends with what there is no separation. No condemnation at the beginning no separation at the end, but it doesn't say there's no tribulation.

In fact it lays it all up. It stacks it up in between. There is therefore now no condemnation. Jump down over to verse 34 who is he that condemneth. It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again.

You know the supreme operation of the Holy Ghost in these closing minutes not closing days or closing hours closing minutes of this Dispensation the clutch the operation of the Holy Ghost today is not to make me an eloquent preacher or give me gifts of the Spirit.

As such the supreme office of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus. Just glorify him. To focus the eyes of the Church of the Living God on the resurrected Jesus the enthroned Jesus. There remains no more sacrifice for sin.

Every other sacrifice is false. I imagine the students again that while I tried to preach and pray and practice and promote prayer for 60 years I Realized a couple of years ago. There's one supreme thing greater than prayer, and that is worship my sweet little I'm gonna say granddaughters.

You know my god Paul's wife when she was here said there's no prayer in heaven, and she's right. I've said that often there is one prayer being going on for 2 ,000 years in heaven. Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us.

Worship is so awesome the devil said if you'll kneel down here just one second immediately you yield you acknowledge your inferiority. Acknowledge the superiority of the people person to who you kneel.

You fall down. I give you all the kingdoms of this world. It didn't mean the real estate because Jesus made them. He wanted to give him the religious system of the world which was the mightiest with the Jews.

He offered him the military Majesty of the world which at that time was awesome because 50 years before Jesus was born. The Romans had come all the way from Rome and established cities like Bath in England where we used to live.

It was established in 55 BC. Fall down and worship me. It's so awesome that it's the occupation in heaven. It says in Hebrews 1 let the angels of God worship him. I said this week in the message, you know right now.

It's your time and mine to mature. There be no maturity after we get to heaven. I don't believe at all there be revelation. All that's going to be done is being done now. God is forming my character now.

I'm forming my character now. Every day by my obedience. I'm threading my garment to be worn there at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We sing Calpas him the dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day and There have I.

I don't like to sing there. May I sing there have I'd all violence. He washed all my sins away. The dying thief rejoiced to see the fountain in his day. There have I'd all violence. He washed all my sins away.

There's a fountain open now for sin and for uncleanness. Okay, let's look again here at this eighth chapter. There's no condemnation. One of the favorite verses of John Wesley, I must quote Wesley, of course.

He's a 16th verse. The spirit itself now, that's a very bad transit. The spirit is not in itself. He's not new to he's a person. I Think we could change that verse. We sang now David. Let it breathe. No, it let him breathe on me.

Let him breathe on me. Let the love of God now breathe up the spirit itself the spirit himself. Barrett's witness with our spirit that we're the children of God. How does he bear witness? Well, if we're unsaved he bears witness with guilt.

Condemnation. Fear of death. Fear of man. Fear of being exposed to my past record. He's faithful. I Think at this moment, I could be wrong. I'm not usually wrong, but hey, I could be wrong. I think right now the least emphasized ministry of the Holy Spirit of God is that he brings conviction.

We're asking people to come to the altar. I have no conviction. They don't realize that why they may not be bad. They're dead. The first argument with God of God with the man is not that he's bad. It's that he's dead in trespasses and in sin.

He doesn't have to do any violent sins. Why did Adam get thrown out of the Garden of Eden. He didn't commit adultery. He didn't steal something. His wife didn't shared it. But anyhow, they were in trouble.

But What did he do? He said I run my life and not God. And The greatest sin in the world is to be ourself enthroned on the heart. It's getting over to that verse again. In verse 34 verse 1 says there is no condemnation.

Verse 34 says who is he that condemns? Now notice the who's there in verse 34 who shall anything to the charge of God's elect at 33. Who is he that condemns. It is Christ that died. Go back to verse 31.

Well, then shall we say to these things if God before us who can be against us? It is Christ that died. Can his sub can his substitutionary death be contested? It is Christ that liveth make intercession for us.

Can we contest that? Who sit at the right hand of God can his sovereignty be contested. The verse? I want to latch on to actually in the time I have we're a bit late. It's not all together our fault. Verse 37.

More Than Conquerors Through Christ

Nay in all these things. We are more than conquerors. Through him that loved us in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loves us. The seventh chapter of Romans is the chapter of gloom.

The eighth chapter is the chapter of glory. The man in Romans 7 is a victim. The man in Romans 8 is a victor. The man in Romans 7 is self-centered. The man in Romans 8 is Christ centered. Is there a bigger sweep in all our theology than Romans 7 where he says it is Christ that dwelleth in me.

Apparently it is sin that dwelleth in me. And in the next breath. He says it is Christ that dwelleth in me. Who worked the revolution? How is it this man is happy. Consoled that there is therefore now no condemnation.

If the Lord isn't condemning us bringing condemnation by fear. Condemnation by guilt. Condemnation by a conscience that feels as though he's got a burning cinder inside of there. He doesn't always witness with joy bells.

He witnesses with his peace. Peace. Peace is the most needy thing in the world in the last hundred years. There have been more than 8 ,000 peace treaties made in amongst all the nations of the world. And we've less peace now than we ever had.

We have the answer in the prince of peace. We have the answer in the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest man that ever lived. And that of course is a sermon on The man. He contains all the answers to those things David talked about this morning, which are destructing families.

Basically, what's the problem in America or any other country? Basically the problem is we can't live with each other. It's the problem of human relationships. They're all answered in the fifth chapter of Matthew there in a marvelous sermon on the man.

There's no more sacrifice for sins. There's no other program that will work the other week. I mentioned this amazing man Paul. He's my favorite after Jesus. I Said remember his life. It was an expensive life.

Because he said he he had to forfeit everything. I I laid all down that I had he said it was an expensive life. It cost him everything. It was an extensive life because we're reading his epistles today.

It was an explicit life because he said this one thing I do he never deviated. He never had a second string to his fiddle. We had a man in our church. We had an orchestra in the church in Bolton, England a Number of wonderful instruments.

One man had an old one-string fiddle. He could get more out of that thing than the others gag it out of four strings anything else. He was a genius with it. Paul says this one thing he was. I believe Again that Paul is the consummate example of a sanctified man.

He has peace that passeth understanding. I like his peace. I like his power. He could raise the dead. I'm not so sure I'd like the prisons that he lived in but it's all in the deal. I Like his poise. None of these things move me.

I think that's an all things awesome thing for him to say. What did he say that I think in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles? I think he's in that chapter can't just mark it. But remember he had got some information not by a vision not by a dream not by another prophet.

He said the Holy Ghost tells me that ahead of me. There's tribulation and distress, but none of these things move me. Why is he so positive. He don't only has peace he not only has power is positive he's prophetic.

None of these things are going to move me now notice what he said. People say if you get filled with a spirit, you know all your feelings will never get hurt everything. But he doesn't say none of these things hurt me.

He says none of these things move me. There may have been carving him up on the inside. Do you think it's wonderful to get a group of spiritual men and every one of them quits. He says all men forsook me.

Nevertheless the Lord stood by me you know we pray and ask God to do this and God is wanting to pull the props away, and we won't let him do it and Therefore he can't reveal himself further to us because we're leaning on so much flesh so much human ability so much human organization.

This was totally void in the life of the Apostle Paul the Acts 2024. The Holy Spirit says that bonds and the frictions are ahead of me. Now what do you do with this verse here in Romans 8 37? He goes beyond the bound of logic doesn't it.

I think it does. I don't know too much about logic. But I know what he says here. In all these things we are more than conquerors is not beyond the bounds of logic. How can you be more than a conqueror?

Well you can triumph and still have a margin of strength left. But notice we're not more than conquerors on the basis of a strong theology or a strong history. I was so blessed I meant I spoke twice during the Easter period on the road to Emmaus that was the most marvelous Bible school in the world.

And yet Jesus never touched prophecy. Why didn't take the veil off and say to these disciples this is going to happen. This is going to happen. He didn't do that. He went to history. Beginning with Moses he traced everything concerning himself.

This book is supremely about Jesus Christ. The church exists to glorify the Lord Jesus. The Holy Ghost exists to energize the church, but here then he says in all these things. You know he's got a lot to say about things in this chapter.

He said in verse 31. What do we say then to these things if God before us who can be against us come on. If I have the resources of the eternal God I should not be intimidated by the devil or circumstances or criticism or anything God is for me.

Does it matter if principalities and powers are against me as Paul says that God is for me. Sure I run into roadblocks sometimes. I Think when I left Jimmy Swagger's that first day. Oh, I should have stayed at home.

Wasn't miserable, but the next day young men met me in the foyer of the of the place and said you know that was so Moving. God so spoke to me. I thought well. I said thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And you know everyone that came was a man no women not there's anything wrong with them.

I Told him if I ran that school. I wouldn't let men and women sit together, and I wouldn't. He gets so distracted squeezing hands and nudging and trying to peck the girl's cheek one guy. Did it till he got me to the edge?

I nearly. But I exercised my patience. I said I went to a Bible school with 35 students and no girls are too distracting. Go some of you got your girl your wives there, so now you'll discredit me, but anyhow.

You know it's not easy really in one sense it is if you're totally in love you've no eyes for anybody else. No woman in the world could allow me for my darling wife. She'd be a wonderful wife for 46 years.

She has no rival. Jesus Christ has no rival in my life. In that through David in your life I'm consumed with him with his love with his will with his purpose. Time is running out on us. If we don't have a Holy Ghost revival America will be dead in ten years.

Some of the most dreadful things unimaginable things are going to happen. So verse 31 says that what should we say then to these things if God before us? Who can be against us in the next verse who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect.

It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemneth. It is Christ that died. You know if you were to vote me the greatest Christian in the world. The Lord wouldn't say I hadn't noticed that I had raven a way down there about 350 millions down on the list, but everybody votes either this.

I've changed my mind about him. The only person who can change God's mind about me is me. If you're criticized and slandered and ridiculed God will not take any notice of gossip except to criticize it.

He won't change his value of David because when his new book comes out. He's gonna get busted north south east and west and Tribulations coming and trials and everything. So what? God motivated it is God who is for us and if he's for us.

How many was it. Two-third of the heavenly host that fell? One third one third. So I've got two-thirds on my side. I've got the father on my side. I've got the son of my side. I've got the Holy Ghost on my side and two-thirds of the heavenly host and The saints of God and all the promises of God.

What do you think I'm gonna go sit down and cry? Come on. You may never be a billionaire. I've got struggled get my first million and the first billion. How are you getting on Dave. Okay, but I? Want to be a billionaire spiritual.

It says here that we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. Was Jesus ever defeated. Never. Again why does this man say this may in all these things who says it. Is it an exaggeration? Is it an overstatement?

Or is it some reckless young evangelist saying you know in all these things a man with no experience a man with no trials. When you go home again read through the chapter and find how many times he emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit.

This is not the voice of a rookie. There's a poem. I don't know where it is if you don't really tell me afterwards. There's a point that has a phrase a phrase in it. My head is bloodied. But unbowed remember that anybody no.

You're as ignorant as me. My head is bloody, but unbowed. My head's dry, but there's no water. It's all right. The man who writes this pistol could truly say my head is bloodied, but unbowed. He's the most beaten.

Persecuted. Opposed none in the world. Why. Because he's ravaging the devil's kingdom. Wherever he went he had a revival or he had a revolution. We have neither it seems his head is bloodied, but he's writing out of wrong experience.

He says nay in all these things we are more than conquerors. What things? Well a text is supposed to be interpreted from the context which is the words that go before it and after it. In all these things what things.

I'll tell you what things. Verse 35 who shall separate us from the love of Christ. Tribulation distress persecution of famine nakedness wretchedness peril or sword. For thy sake for thy sake we are increasing in prosperity every day.

I'm sorry it's wrong version there. For thy sake we are killed all the day long. It's not one flashing thing. Persecution is his nearest companion. Persecution is his birthright in Jesus Christ. He recognizes he's going the narrow way.

Everybody on the Broadway is going to persecute him. Find every reason to try and turn his feet out of the way. Listen to what he says in all these things what things let me read something to you here in 2 Corinthians 10 24.

In all these things what things. Paul of the Jews five times received I forty stripes a one five forties or two hundred. Minus fives 195 lashes with a lick to the life. If he pulled his toga down his back was like a plowed field it was raw it was raged.

They had at the end of those five or ten lashes sometimes of a ten. They had a spike of copper and that's more painful even than steel and they ripped his back a hundred and ninety-five times. What's wrong with the man he says I glory in what?

Success. I glory in the fact I've written more epistles than anybody else. I've traveled more miles anybody else. I won't know. No, he doesn't say that at all. That's all of God. He says I glory in tribulation in necessities in reproaches.

Is there a philosophy in the world a religion in the world that does that? We run away from those things the very things that would make us that I give us character prunus and Take all the surplus fat off us spiritually of the Jews received I forty stripes say one three times I was beaten with rods once I was stoned three times I suffered shipwreck a night in a day.

I've been in a day 36 hours in the deep in Journeys often in perils of waters perils of robbers perils of mine own countrymen perils of the heathen perils in the city perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea.

In weariness in painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst and fastings often in cold and nakedness. Boy, he just about exhausted the whole list doesn't he? Then you go back into chapter 4 and read something else about this incredibly indestructible man chapter 4 verse 17.

What does he say? He's ridiculous. This man is associated with tears and travail. I've read his list of sufferings weariness fastings painfulness three days 36 hours in the deep thrice. I was stoned thrice.

I suffered suffered shipwreck and then under 95. Here's the bottom line as we say these days. I Think the angels must rejoice over this our light affliction, which is but for what? You must have miscalculated poor light affliction.

You've done enough through enough to wipe out a whole church congregation. Never mind yourself. It says our light affliction, which is but for a moment workers for us are far more exceeding and the eternal weight of glory.

We look not at the things which are seen see that's the whole trouble our present generation of Christians. We're mesmerized by materialism. We're earthbound we value like everybody else almost value property value everything as they do.

In God's name, what are we doing? We look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen a temple. You don't stay hanging on a piece of wood in the Mediterranean forever.

You're there 36 hours. It feels like forever, but it's gonna pass. Like somebody asking old lady. What's your favorite scripture? She said it came to pass. And the pastor said it was it came to pass. I Came to pass that's good better than the Greek.

For the troubling resettle down. Why do we get heavy because we brood over our difficulty. We brood over if we brooded as David said this morning if we brooded over our joys. If I brooded over the fact that the hill of Zion as Isaac Watts says even now the hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets before we reach the heavenly field.

Walking by the Spirit Rather Than the Flesh

Who has a companion that ever needs them I? Say Romans chapter 7 the man said in Romans 7 says he's suffering from the indwelling and indwelling sin. I Sometimes think that the the best agents the devil has in this world of preachers.

They say you know Romans 7 was where the Apostle stopped. It's not it happens to be there's a chapter called Romans 8. Well while you're in the flesh you cannot please God. Where did it say that? What it says that in Romans?

Romans 8 1 that is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. For the law of the spirits of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Previously he says that we're in the flesh in chapter 7. They that are in the flesh cannot please God and he follows it here by saying, but you're not in the flesh but in the spirit. And The Holy Ghost is given in the fourth verse that the righteousness of the law people say the righteousness of the law is passed.

It isn't we've got to keep the law. The best thing you can tell young people that is the Ten Commandments don't matter for today God says they do the ceremonial law of the Jewish past. We don't have to keep it the model law we have to keep God sending.

What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his son. So Jesus Christ has been sent in the likeness of sinful flesh. So Jesus Christ has been seen. That the righteousness of the law of God might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh.

But after the spirit for they that are after the mind after the flesh mind the things of the flesh. They did after the flesh spirit the things of the spirit. Let me emphasize another verse here. Verse 13 says if you live after the flesh you shall die, but if he's through the spirit I can do it by myself.

They find the spirit. I mortify the deeds of the flesh. He'll keep things under control. I have a right to eat. I've no right to be a glutton. I've a right to sleep. I've no right to be lazy either. I've a right to expect adversity.

I've no right to buckle underneath them. If he mortified the deeds of the of the body he shall live and. Then as many as are led by the Spirit of God the Spirit bears witness. The dear Quakers have to look at day when I talk about Quakers the Quakers used to talk about an Authentic stop in the spirit.

You're going to do something and suddenly the Lord says no. There's got to explain it. It doesn't owe me any explanations. All he asked of me is obedience. Not that I understand what he's doing. I Get an authentic stop in the spirit.

I can't do it for no philosophical reason. For no moral reason. It's just that God says no, and if he says no well neither say yes. If he says stop who am I to go? You might have seen Paul going down the road.