Author: Billy Conrad

January 25

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. — Acts 2:4

Scripture reading: Acts 2:1–21

One night I was entrusted with a meeting, and I was guarding my position before God. I wanted approval from the Lord. I saw that God wants men full of the Holy Spirit, with divine ability, filled with life, a flaming fire. In the meeting a young man stood up. He was a pitiful object with a face full of sorrow. I said, “What is it, young man?”

He said he was unable to work, and he could scarcely walk. He said, “I am so helpless. I have tuberculosis and a weak heart, and my body is full of pain.”

I said, “I will pray for you.” I said to the people, “As I pray for this young man, you look at his face and see it change.”

As I prayed, his face changed. I said to him, “Go out, run a mile, and come back to the meeting.”

He came back and said, “I can now breathe freely.”

The meetings were continuing, and I missed him. After a few days, I saw him again in a meeting. I said, “Young man, tell the people what God has done for you.” “Oh,” he said, “I have been able to work and make money.”

Praise God, this wonderful stream of salvation never runs dry. You can take a drink; it is close to you. It is a river that is running deep, and there is plenty for all.

In a meeting, a man rose and said, “Will you touch me? I am in a terrible situation. I have a large family, but because of an accident in the pit, I have had no work for two years. I cannot open my hands.” I was full of sorrow for this poor man, and something happened that had never happened before. We are in the infancy of this wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and there is so much more for us. I put out my hand, and before my hands reached his, he was loosed and made perfectly free.

I see that Stephen, full of faith and of power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. This same Holy Spirit can fill you, too, and then right things will be accomplished. God will grant it. God is ready to touch and transform you right now.

Once a woman rose in the meeting asking for prayer. I prayed for her, and she was healed. She cried out, “It is a miracle! It is a miracle! It is a miracle!” That is what God wants to do for us all the time. As surely as we get free in the Holy Spirit, something will happen. Let us pursue the best things, and let God have His right-of-way.

May the Lord open our eyes to see Him and to know that He is deeply interested in all that concerns us. He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15 KJV).

All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we are connected (v. 13). He knows about that asthma. He knows about that rheumatism. He knows about that pain in the back, head, or feet. He wants to loose every captive and to set you free just as He has set me free. I hardly know that I have a body today. I am free from every human ailment, absolutely free. Christ has redeemed us. He has power over all the power of the Enemy and has worked out our great victory. Will you have it? It is yours; it is a perfect redemption.

It is God‘s desire to make us a new creation, with all the old things passed away and all things within us truly of God; to bring in a new, divine order, a perfect love and an unlimited faith. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.) Will you accept God‘s plan for you? Redemption is free. Arise in the activity of faith, and God will heal you as you rise. Only believe, and receive in faith. Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, did great signs and wonders (Acts 6:8). May God bless this passage and fill us full of His Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, may He reveal Christ in us more and more.

The Spirit of God will always reveal the Lord Jesus Christ. Serve Him; love Him; be filled with Him. It is lovely to hear Him as He makes Himself known to us. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is willing to fill us with the Holy Spirit and faith just as He filled Stephen.

Thought for today: We may be very ordinary, but God wants to make us extraordinary in the Holy Spirit.

January 24

Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs. — Acts 6:8

Scripture reading: Luke 4:1–19

In the early days of the church, all who did the work of serving had to be full of the Holy Spirit. The greatest qualification for ministry is to be filled with the Spirit.

Stephen was a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). God so manifested Himself in Stephen‘s body that he became an epistle of truth, known and read by all. He was full of faith! Such men never talk doubtfully. You never hear them say, “I wish it could be so,” or “If it is God‘s will.” They have no ifs; they know. You never hear them say, “Well, it is not always so.” They say, It is sure to be.” They laugh at impossibilities and cry, “It will be done!” They shout while the walls are up and when they come down. God has this faith for us in Christ. We must be careful that no unbelief and no wavering are found in us.

“Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). The Holy Spirit could do mighty things through him because he believed God, and God is with the man who dares to believe His Word. All things were possible because of the Holy Spirit‘s position in Stephen‘s body. Because Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit, God could fulfill His purposes through him. When a child of God is filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). He fills us with longings and desires until we are in a place of fervency like a glowing fire. When we do not know what to do, the Holy Spirit begins to work. When the Holy Spirit has liberty in the body, He conveys all prayers into the presence of God. Such prayers are always heard. Such praying is always answered; it is never bare of result. When we are praying in the Holy Spirit, faith is evident, and as a result the power of God can be manifested in our midst.

When some of the various synagogues arose to dispute with Stephen, “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will have wisdom.

Thought for today: A man full of faith hopes against hope.

January 23

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. — Philippians 2:14–15

Scripture reading: James 1:16–27

I see many remarkable things in the life of Stephen. One thing moves me, and that is the truth that I must live by the power of the Spirit at all costs. God wants us to be like Stephen: “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). You can never be the same again after you have received this wonderful baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is important that we should be full of wisdom and faith day by day and full of the Holy Spirit, acting by the power of the Holy Spirit. God has set us here in the last days, these days of apostasy, and wants us to be burning and shining lights in the midst of an indecent generation. God is longing for us to come into such a fruitful position as the children of God, with the marks of heaven upon us and with His divinity bursting through our humanity, that He can express Himself through our lips of clay. He can take clay lips and weak humanity and make an oracle for Himself of such things. He can take frail human nature and by His divine power make our bodies suitable to be His holy temple, washing our hearts whiter than snow.

Our Lord Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He longs that we would be filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit, and He declares to us, “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). He has gone to the Father. He is in the place of power, and He exercises His power not only in heaven but also on earth, for He has all power on earth as well as in heaven. Hallelujah! What an open door to us if we will only believe Him!

The disciples were men after our standard as far as the flesh goes. God sent them forth, joined to the Lord and identified with Him. How diverse Peter, John, and Thomas were! Impulsive Peter was always ready to go forth without a stop. John, the beloved, leaned on the Master‘s breast (John 21:20). Thomas had a hard nature and defiant spirit: “Unless I…put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). What strange flesh! How peculiar they were! But the Master could mold them. There was no touch like His.

Under His touch, even stony-hearted Thomas believed. Oh, my God, how You have had to manage some of us! Have we not been strange and very peculiar? But when God‘s hand comes upon us, He can speak to us in such a way; He can give us a word or a look, and we are broken. Has He spoken to you? I thank God for His speaking. Behind all of His dealings, we see the love of God for us. He sees our bitter tears and our weeping night after night. There is none like Him. He knows; He forgives. We cannot forgive ourselves; we oftentimes would give the world to forget, but we cannot. The Devil won‘t let us forget. But God has forgiven and forgotten. Do you believe self or the Devil or God? Which are you going to believe? Believe God. I know the past is under the blood of Christ and that God has forgiven and forgotten, for when He forgives, He forgets. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! We are baptized to believe and to receive.

Thought for today: It is not what we are that counts, but what we can be as He disciplines, chastens, and transforms us by His all skillful hands.

January 22

Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. — Genesis 21:2

Scripture reading: Genesis 21:1–20

Right in that house where Isaac and Ishmael lived were the seed of promise and the seed of flesh. There was strife and trouble there, for Ishmael was teasing Isaac. You will find that there is nothing that is going to hold you except the Isaac life—the seed of Abraham. You will find that the flesh life will always have to be cast out. And Sarah said, “Cast out [Hagar] and her son” (Genesis 21:10). It was very hard to do, but it had to be done. You may say, “How hard!” Yes, but how long did it have to be? It had to be until submission came. There will always be jealousy and strife in your hearts and lives until flesh is destroyed, until God controls and rules in authority over the whole body. When His power reigns over you, you will find that your whole life is full of peace and joy.

Isaac grew up to be a fine young man, perhaps twenty years of age—we are not told—but then came another test. God said to Abraham, “Take your son Isaac, and offer him to Me upon the mount that I will show you.” (See Genesis 22:2.) Do you think that Abraham told anybody about that? No, I am sure he didn‘t. Isaac was near to his heart, and God said he had to offer him on the altar, and there he was—Isaac, the heart of his heart—and God said he was to be the seed of all living. What did he have to do but believe that, just as miraculously as Isaac came into the world, God could raise him even if he were slain? Did he tell Sarah about the thing? No, I am certain he did not, or else he would not have gotten away with that boy. There would have been such a trial in the home. I believe he kept it to himself. When God tells you a secret, don‘t tell anyone else. God will possibly tell you to go and lay hands on some sick one. Go, do it, and don‘t tell anyone.

I know that Satan does not know my thoughts; he only knows what I let out of my mouth. Sometimes he suggests thoughts in order to get to know my thoughts, but I can see that God can captivate my thoughts in such a way that they may be entirely for Him. When God rules in your heart, you will see that every thought is captive, that everything is brought into obedience and is brought into a place where you are in dominion because Christ is enthroned in your life (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). God reveals deep and special things to some people. Keep your counsel before God.

I see this: Abraham could offer Isaac. I believe that God wants me to tell you how so that you may know something about your trials. Some people think they are tried more than other people. Trials are used to purify you; it is the fiery furnace of affliction that God uses to get you in the place where He can use you. The person who has no trials and no difficulties is the person whom God does not dare allow Satan to touch because this person could not stand temptation. But Jesus will not allow any man to be tempted more than he is able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Before Abraham offered Isaac, he was tried, and God knew he could do it. Before God puts you through the furnace of afflictions, He knows you will go through.

If you know you need the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and you know it is in the Scriptures, never rest until God gives it to you. If you know it is scriptural for you to be healed of every weakness, never rest until God makes the healing yours. If you know that the Scriptures teach holiness, purity, and divine likeness—overcoming under all conditions—never rest until you are an overcomer. If you know that men who have gone in and have seen the face of God have had the vision revealed and have had all the Scriptures made to be life in their lives, never rest until you come to it.

We must live in the fire. We must hate sin; we must love righteousness. We must live with God, for He says we have to be blameless and harmless amid the crooked positions of the world (Philippians 2:15). I look at you now, and I say God is able to confirm all I have been saying about trials and testings, which are the greatest blessings you can have.

What a redemption! What a baptism! What an anointing! It is ecstasies of delight beyond all expression for the soul to live and move in Him who is our being (Acts 17:28).

Thought for today: If you knew the value of trials, you would praise God for them more than for anything.

January 21

As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” — Romans 4:17

Scripture reading: Genesis 15:3–6; 18:9–15

Here are Sarah—her body is almost dead—and Abraham—his body is almost dead. “Now,” says Abraham, “God has made me a father of many nations, and there is no hope of a son according to the natural law, no hope whatever.” Here God says, “I have made you a father of many nations,” yet Abraham has no son. During the past twenty years of waiting, conditions had grown more and more hopeless, yet the promise had been made.

How long have you believed and still suffered from some disease? How long have you been waiting for the promise, and it has not come? Did you need to wait? Look here! I want to tell you that all the people who are saved are blessed with faithful Abraham (Galatians 3:9). Abraham is the great substance of the whole keynote of Scripture; he is a man who dared for twenty-five years to believe God when everything got worse every day. I do not know anything in the Scriptures as marvelous, as far-reaching, and as full of the substance of living reality to change us if we will believe God. He will make us so different. This is a blessed incarnation of living faith that changes us and makes us know that “[God] is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). God is a reality. God is true, and in Him there is no lie or “shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Oh, it is good! I do love to think about such truths as these.

No subject in the whole Bible makes my body aflame with passion after God and His righteousness as this one does. I see that He never fails. He wants man to believe, and then man will never fail. Oh, the loveliness of the character of God!

“A father of many nations.” You talk about your infirmities—look at this! I have never felt I have had an infirmity since I understood this chapter. My cup runs over as I see the magnitude of this living God.

It is almost as if Abraham had said, “I won‘t look at my body. I won‘t look at my infirmities. I believe God will make the whole thing right.” Some of us can say, “What does it matter if I have not heard for over twenty years? I believe my ears will be perfect.” God is reality and wants us to know that if we will believe, it will be perfect. “God…gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17).

Then God tested Abraham and Sarah still further than that. Oh, it is blessed to know you are tested. It is the greatest thing in the world to be tested. Some people say, “Oh, I don‘t know why my lot is such a heavy one,” and God puts them into the fire again. He knows how to do it. I can tell you, He is a blessed God. There is no such thing as a groan when God gets hold of you. There is no such thing as lack to those who trust the Lord. When we really get in the will of God, He can make our enemies to be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7). It is wonderful.

I wonder if you really believe that God can quicken what is dead. I have seen it many times. The more there was no hope, Abraham believed in hope. Sometimes Satan will cloud your mind and interfere with your perception so that the obscure condition is brought right in between you and God, but God is able to change the whole position if you will let Him have a chance. Turn your back on every sense of unbelief, and believe God. There are some who would like to feel the presence of the touch of God; God will bring it to you. I wish people could come to this place.

Abraham had a good time. The more he was squeezed, the more he rejoiced:

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. (Romans 4:19–20)

God knows. He has a plan; He has a way. Do you dare trust Him?

Thought for today: You never know what you are made of until you are tested.

January 20

As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:12–13

Scripture reading: Romans 4:8–5:2

I see before me faces I know, and I can tell that these people are born of God (John 1:13). Sometimes I see that this power of God within us is greater when we are weak than when we are strong, just as this power in Abraham grew stronger as his body grew weaker.

Looking at him, Sarah would shake her head and say, “I never saw anybody so thin and weak and helpless in my life. No, Abraham, I have been looking at you, and you seem to be going right down.” But Abraham refused to look at his own body or Sarah‘s; he believed that the promise would happen.

Suppose you come for healing. You know as well as possible that, according to the natural life, there is no virtue in your body to give you that health. You also know that the ailment from which you suffer has drained your life and energy so that there is no help at all in you, but God says that you will be healed if you believe. It makes no difference how your body is. It was exactly the helplessness of Sarah and Abraham that brought the glorious fact that a son was born, and I want you to see what sort of a son he was.

He was the son of Abraham. His seed is the seed of the whole believing church—innumerable as the sands on the seashore. God wants us to know that there is no limitation with Him, and He wants to bring us to a place where there will be no limitation in us. This state would be brought about by the working of the Omnipotent in the human body, working in us continually—the One who is greater than any science or any power in the world—and bringing us into the place to comprehend God and man.

Some of you would like a touch in your bodies; some would like a touch in your spirit; some would like to be baptized in the Holy Spirit; some want to be filled with all God‘s power. It is there for you.

Now come into a position of faith. I want you to see that you can be healed if you will hear the Word. Some people want healing; maybe some need salvation; maybe others want sanctification and the baptism of the Spirit. Romans 5:2 says that it is by faith that we have access into grace. Grace is omnipotence; it is activity, benevolence, and mercy. It is truth, perfection, and God‘s inheritance in the soul that can believe. Grace is God. You open the door by faith, and God comes in with all you need and want. It cannot be otherwise, for it is “of faith that it might be according to grace” (Romans 4:16). It cannot be by grace unless you say it will be so.

This is believing, and most people want healing by feeling. It cannot be. Some even want salvation on the same lines, and they say, “Oh, if only I could feel I was saved!” It will never come that way. So God brings you to hear the Scriptures, which can make you “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15), which can open your understanding and make you so that if you will hear the truth, you will go out with what you want. Then you have power to shut the door and power to open the door to healing.

Thought for today: Three things work together. The first is faith. Faith can always bring the second thing—fact—and fact can always bring the third thing—joy.