Lester Frank Sumrall
God draws patterns for lives of men and woman to instruct and direct them. He creates a special design for each rational being who is destined to live on this planet. If the individual wisely follows this divine blueprint, he will build a strong,
Take time to analyze the life of a good man, and see that it was not achieved by accident or good fortune, but was a life in submission to the will of God. successful, and happy character.
"Evangelism, Healing, and Deliverance" “...the city where I was... a man was rolled over by an automobile... and I made a mistake... because they told me he has dead drunk... I said, well... there’s a man who went to hell... right out from the front of the place where I’m preaching here... the next day... 3 or 4 of his big sons right from where I was staying here... they were giants! ...said... we’re going to kill you... I said what for! ...because you told everybody... in the meeting last night... that our daddy went to hell, and he didn’t... I said, well I don’t know... somebody said he was drunk, they said, he was not drunk... he was looking the other way... and a car hit him... I said well I’m sorry... no they said we’re going to kill you anyway... he says, well we’ve decided to kill you
while you’re preaching tonight...
since, that’s the place where you said my daddy went to hell... that was a good opportunity to quit! ...you know... the people I was staying with said... man, you ought to stay home tonight... I said, what, no! ...I could only die once... it doesn’t matter whether I die in Oklahoma... or Tennessee or where... it don’t matter... I’m ready to die... the pastor that was working with me in that meeting... he didn’t even go to church that night, he heard about it too... he said he didn’t want to see a public execution... so he stayed home... and the song leader stayed home... so I had no pastor and no song leader... and so I... I went... and I
jumped up on the platform, I said before I lead the song service, I
the first man that moves towards me to injure me... I pronounce death upon you... and you will die... I said, if you don’t believe it, try it... I heard one man say, I saw the gun... and want to tell you something...
he already had it aimed at you, standing by that tree there... well, I didn’t know about that... I led the song service and then prayed... and quite nothing happened to me... and then I started preaching... and when I got through preaching, I gave the altar call for people to get saved... and I walked down through them, and here was a young man who didn’t stand up with the others, and I walked down, put my hand on his shoulder and I said... young man... you need God... you don’t want to go to hell... Jesus loves you... he said, don’t you know who I am... I said no... he said, I was in the car... that drew up to your house and said, I was going to kill you tonight... and I got the gun here to do it... and I said oh you’re one of the sons... I said, you ought to accept my apology... I was a stranger to the area... I only heard what somebody said... and I’m sorry for that... no, he said, we decided to kill you... then I said, not after you heard the sermon tonight... and his face dropped... and I took him by the arm, I said come on... he walked down that aisle with me, and ducked in that altar, when he did, glory! ...glory hit that place... people began to scream... they began to run to the altar... they knew that was the man that came to kill me, and I had him in the altar... I didn’t know he was the one... you know, when you see 3 or 4 men sitting inside of a car... and you’re standing outside... and they talking about killing you... you’re not thinking too much about what their noses and eyes look like... but, that man got wonderfully saved... and he turned that meeting into something very... very glorious...” – transcript from Message preached by Dr Sumrall titled “I did not quit”.
Lester Frank Sumrall was born February 15, 1913 in New Orleans, Louisiana to George and Betty Sumrall. His mother was a strong Christian, but his father was lukewarm in his faith. His mother committed him to God before Lester was born and prayed that he would become a preacher. He was born the sixth child of what would eventually be a family of eight children. Betty would invite itinerant evangelists to stay in their home while meetings were being held in their church. This would often mean an extra family to feed and house and Lester didn't like the stress that it added to the household. He decided he didn't like evangelists and certainly never wanted to be one!
"My mother had decided, even before I was born, that I was going to be a preacher. She had prayed for me fervently while I was in her womb -back when I couldn't do anything about it, except kick a little! I was born at home, child number six and completely unplanned."
"My mother was a gentle, kind, and godly woman. I loved her and wanted to please her, but I didn't want to be like her because that meant I had to be good. On the other hand, if I followed in my father's footsteps, I could be my own boss and do whatever I pleased. While the inner battle raged, I dug in my heels, determined to be like my own daddy." Betty Sumrall was a dedicated prayer warrior and prayed for her family constantly. Lester saw some very miraculous events in their lives. One day she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She surrounded herself with women who would pray for her on a regular basis. During the night in the midst of this battle Jesus came into her room and touched her. She was healed from that time on. When Lester's grandfather had a stroke he became incapacitated. He could not feed or clothe himself. The family brought him into their house and Betty decided to get the women's prayer group to pray for him. They led him to Christ and began to pray. He was in a wheelchair and could not move his legs or arms. The power of God came upon him and he got up out of the wheelchair and could walk and move his arms. He returned home to live fifteen more years on his own.
Lester got in with a "bad crowd" and dropped out of school at sixteen. Shortly after he began to have health problems and spit up blood. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis, a veritable death sentence. He continued to worsen and dropped to 93 pounds and become bedridden. Once more his mother called her prayer warriors together to regularly pray for Lester. On his seventeenth birthday the doctor declared he was about to die and even went to write the death certificate. In the night God gave Lester a vision. On one side of his bed was a coffin on the other side of the bed was a bible. He was given a clear choice, either preach the gospel or die of tuberculosis that night! He decided to preach the gospel. He was healed and the next morning he ate food for the first time in a long time, and within three weeks had packed his bag to hit the evangelistic trail. Leaving his home in Panama City, Florida, he became a "brush arbor" preacher in the backwoods of Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
It was a rough start. Lester and a fishing buddy, who went along as a song leader, hit the back woods of the deep south. They were unpolished and hard on people as Lester preached his messages. Something must have been working because everywhere he went, he got a group big enough to start a church and he would send to his denomination to send for a pastor for the new group. Hundreds were saved. Seeing his success they ordained him.
"The first eighteen months away from home as a young preacher-boy were my introduction to the school of evangelism. I didn't look much like a preacher in my ninety-two pounds of city-boy finery, but I did manage to convince farmers along the way to open up their schoolhouses and let us hold revival services.
"At times I was brash, abrupt, and negative. Often the people simply laughed at me, which irritated me to no end. One night I was so dejected that I didn't even try to take up an offering, and I didn't ask anyone if they wanted to be saved either. The next morning the hostfarmer said, 'Young man, if you don't work, you don't eat. If you plan to stay here any longer, you can feed the hogs.' Then he shoved two big pails of slop into my hands.
"'Feed the Hogs?!' As I carried those heavy buckets, the foul-smelling slop washed over onto my clothes and into my shoes. After that I was really able to identify with the story of the Prodigal Son. I lay down in the middle of the corn field not caring if my clothes were getting dirty and cried out, 'Oh, Lord, maybe I should go home and die!' But the Lord calmed me saying, 'If you will be faithful to Me, Lester, in these little things, I will give you much greater things.'"
Lester stayed with the "country folk" long enough to see them come around and respond to the move of the Holy Spirit. It was also during this time in 1931 that God began to deal with Lester’s motives. He'd agreed to preach the gospel to save his life but he didn't have a real concern for people. God gave him a vision of multitudes of people in foreign countries going to hell – and their blood was on the young preacher's hands. This vision, in much the same way as the first, took Lester's life in an entirely new direction. God broke his heart for the lost that night, and called him to be an international evangelist and preach the gospel to the whole world. He was never the same again.
"On December 18, 1931, the night of my second vision, far away in London, England; Howard Carter was praying. He was so moved by what he sensed God telling him that he wrote the words of the message down: 'I have found a companion for thee; I have called a worker to stand beside thee... He is called and chosen and shalt join thee. Behold he cometh; he cometh from afar. He cometh to help thee to carry thy burden and be a strength at thy side, and thou shalt find pleasure in his service and shalt delight in his fellowship.'"
Lester Sumrall was that companion. Eighteen months later God connected Lester with Howard Carter, an internationally known bible teacher and they began to travel the world together.
Lester Sumrall and Howard Carter
What ensued was a relationship not unlike that of Paul and Timothy's and a ministry that changed the course of the world. Together, the two men forged new territory in the arena of spiritual warfare as they cast out devils, won new converts, established churches, and instructed men and women of God from Australia to England. They travelled to Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Java, the Dutch East Indies, Tibet, Manchuria, Japan, Korea, Germany, Brazil, Bolivia, France, Spain, Portugal, and England. They would go to an area and Howard would go to one place to preach and Lester to another. Some remarkable healings and deliverance began to occur in Lester's meetings. People were being healed and saved by the thousands.
During the war in the 40's Lester returned to the US, Mexico, Central, and South America.
After growing in the grace and knowledge of God, and meeting pioneers of faith such as Smith Wigglesworth, World War II separated Lester from his friends in England. Fortunately, the war also served to unite him to a woman with whom he would spend the majority of his years.
"On my way home by train, I stopped for gospel meetings in British Columbia, speaking in the towns of Terrace, Smithers, and Prince George. In each, I kept hearing about this lovely Louise Layman, that pretty, young missionary from Argentina - and the rich blessing that she had been wherever she went. I became even more curious to meet her. She sounded like quite an intrepid missionary. What kind of courage had brought a young woman up into Canada during the winter? Normally, only zealous male missionaries brought the Gospel here. "I wondered if I would ever get to meet her."
Lester would indeed have the opportunity to meet "Miss Luisa" at -- in the most appropriate of places -- a wedding ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their eyes met, they smiled at each other, and the rest... is history.
Lester Sumrall and Louise Layman were married on September 30, 1944. Taking the "unconventional" route to honeymooning, the newlyweds began a fifty-thousand-mile missionary tour and life together that spanned over forty-nine years. Throughout the course of their marriage they ministered and lived in various foreign locales and, as Lester Sumrall so often and proudly stated, "never had a quarrel."
They ministered as a couple in Cuba, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. At one point Louise got malaria but God healed her in answer to Lester's prayers. They continued on to Guyana, Surinam, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Panama. They only slowed down when Betty found herself pregnant and they returned to the United States. God called the couple to set up a base in South Bend, Indiana for the next few years. Rewarding Lester's faithfulness, God blessed he and Louise with three industrious sons (Frank, Stephen, and Peter) and eleven grandchildren, all of whom have witnessed the goodness that one man's life can bring.
In 1950 God called the family to Manila in the Philippines. The work was tough going until a girl who was demon possessed was making national news. God asked Lester to pray for her. The deliverance and healing was so public and so dramatic that papers everywhere carried the story. The entire country became open to the gospel. He held revival meetings for six weeks and the crowd was estimated one night at sixty thousand. Clifton Erickson came over from the United States to help in the meetings.
One-hundred and fifty
thousand
were saved over those weeks. A famous actor who couldn't walk was healed which gave the group even more media attention. A lawyer who'd been on crutches for twelve years walked out holding them in his arms totally healed.
God called the family back to the United States to begin a pioneering television work. Lester Sumrall, with the help and support of his family and many friends, founded LeSEA (Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association) in 1957: A ministry which has subsequently given birth to well over one hundred books and study guides, eleven television stations, a satellite ministry, three FM radio
stations,
five
shortwave
stations
reaching
over ninety
percent
of the world's population, and a quarterly magazine. Perhaps the crowning glory of Lester Sumrall's work is his ongoing ministry to feed desperately poor families within the Body of Christ. Established in 1987, LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry® has given millions of pounds in food and supplies valued at millions of dollars to countless believers around the globe. And again, as Lester Sumrall so often said, "This is just the beginning. There are greater blessings ahead!” “I am assured that this ministry will continue in the second generation, and I pray in the third as well, if Jesus tarries. We will experience success in our efforts to reach those million souls for Christ, if we continue to carry the same vision and consecration.” "Men who do not make provision for successors in business or ministry often leave behind problems that someone else has to clear up. Either that, or they leave no business or ministry at all. I feel that God will give a smooth transition for my successors, as I have provided them with an organization that can expand and grow. Instead of a mess, I will leave behind a well-organized, expertly managed evangelistic ministry. My sons will not have to struggle to match my accomplishments in the ministry either. They have developed a working relationship together that will far exceed anything I could accomplish alone. "I can imagine my sons facing some dilemma in the ministry and asking one another, 'What would Dad have done in this situation?' I wish I could leave behind all the answers, but I cannot. In fact, that will not be
necessary. I know the Holy Spirit is already guiding my sons as He has guided me. They will always have Him to turn to whenever they are not sure of the way. Good-bye, planet Earth! It's been nice knowing you." –Lester Sumrall Lester Sumrall remained faithful to the visions God gave him and went home to be with the Lord on August 28, 1996. Biography Adapted from healing and revival.com and LeSEA website. “A Tribute to a victorious life”
Below is a message I have transcribed for you on the Lord’s direction because we believe someone needs this urgently, preached by Dr Sumrall in the closing years of his life titled
“I did not Quit” “Possibly... at least I feel that way about it... I am not a person with unequalled abilities, my abilities seem equal to others... but I do have a quality that is a little... outstanding... it is... I refuse... to quit... this tenaciousness, possibly came to me, from... my mother... she was a very... strong person... and when she went... to do something... she wouldn’t quit... and so maybe... like the Apostle Paul said to Timothy... that the virtues that he had received, he had received them from his grandmother... and also from his mother... but I... seem to know that built inside of me, is a desire... never to quit... doing what God... would have me to do... I live under a covenant with God... that as long as I live... on planet earth... I will publicly... minister... the gospel... of Jesus Christ... I must live up to that covenant... the words of apostle Paul are very exciting... in 2nd Timothy chapter 4... and verses 7 and 8... are some words that... really... they keep me moving on the inside... at the end of his life... when he was ready to go to heaven... he made this dramatic statement... right there... “I... have fought... a good fight” ...from the time he was born again... until the time that the Ceaser... Nero... took off his head, he fought... a good fight... he didn’t quit... Paul... was not... a quitter... he fought... a good fight... we wish that everyone of you, would do the same... that you would fight... a good fight... fight the devil... fight sin... fight worldliness... fight controversy... stand against that which is wrong... in Jesus Name... the second statement he made... in that verse... “I have finished... my... course” so few people finish their course, they don’t... finish... even the Lord Jesus Christ said that “I must work the works of Him that sent Me... while it is day... for the night comes, when no man can work”...there is an opportunity in our lives... for us to obey God... to work for God... that opportunity leaves and we don’t have it
anymore... and so... the great apostle said I want everybody to know... that I have fought... a good fight... I have finished! ...my course... there was no abortion... relative to his death... he had completed something... he had established something... he never quit... even though there were beatings... or shipwrecks... or misunderstandings... thrown in prisons... he continued... and finished... his course... the third statement... he said was... and I like this third one best of all, was; “I have kept the faith!” I have met ministers... that did not keep the faith... they got disillusioned... they got hurt too much... and they... left... and departed from... the... ministry... they did not keep their faith...
faith has to be reborn everyday... faith is very much like democracy... really... democracy cannot be inherited... it has to be reborn... your children... are not... automatically freedom lovers... it has to be reborn within them... our generation doesn’t realise, and... with our children... would often go to schools and... speak against our nation... and against the men who founded our nation... that can never be done in other countries... God help this country to get some backbone in it... and people that are... against our country... put them down, put them out... do anything... but they have no right to be leaders... nor to be teachers... for they don’t love... this country... our... country... we want you... to put something on the inside of you this moment... that in all the issues of life... you will never quit... apostle Paul said in his last statement... “I... kept! ...the faith” until the day that he went on to heaven... he... kept! ...the faith... he didn’t lose it... you have to rekindle that flame within you... I keep the same desire for souls... I keep the same desire for ministry... within me... year after year... more than 55... years... we have... kept! ...the faith... we have it now... we’re going to continue to have it... then in verse 8... he reached the pinnacle of those... 3 statements he’s made... he said, “...henceforth, forever in the future he says... there is laid up... a crown... of righteousness...” there are rewards... for those who are faithful...
In my personal life... I’ve had a... lot of... places... to quit... I mean in my spiritual life... and not in my... unsaved... life, my unconverted life... but in my spiritual... life... I’ve had many opportunities to quit... to just... walk off, say, God I didn’t hear Your Voice... God I’m going no further, I’m going to go back... I haven’t done that... If there is a quality that’s stronger than other qualities within me... it’s a determination... like the apostle Paul... to finish... this course... and to keep the faith! ...not to finish this life saying, well... I’m not sure anymore... I want to be sure! ...until the moment... that I... see Jesus... the first time God gave me... a signpost... and a direction in this... was when I was 17 years of age... God called me to preach... and I asked my own father if I should preach... and he said no... and he had a lot of reasons for it... among them, it was... you’ll starve to death if you go... and number two, nobody wants to hear you anyway... and presuming he was right, I was... weeping... and I was lying on the floor... just weeping and crying before God... and was ready to quit! ...ready... to quit you see... and God spoke to me there and said read Isaiah 41:10 and 11... so I... picked up my Bible... and it says... “Fear thou not...” and God... took fear out of my heart that moment... He says, “I am with thee”, I knew my own daddy wasn’t going to go anywhere with me, he let that known to
me real strong... and so He took fear out of me... He said I am going to be with you... He has been faithful to that for over 55 years... He said, not only am I going to be with thee... He said, “Do not be dismayed...” Do not be dismayed... I was dismayed... I didn’t know what to do... He says “I... am... thy... God...” He said, He is my God... the God of Moses, the God of Elijah... He said... “I... will... strengthen... thee...”, you know... I didn’t have to do anything... notice what He said... He said, “fear thou not... I... am... with... thee...”, He said, “be not dismayed... I... am... thy... God...”, how positive... how strong... I said yes Lord, I accept that... He said “I... will... strengthen... thee...”, you don’t have to take your own vitamins... I’m going to put something on the inside of you... I’m going to strengthen you... He says “I... will... help... you... ...Dr Sumrall chuckles... I will help you... He says, “I... will... uphold you... with the right hand of My righteousness...” aint’ that amazing? ...I... I was so awestruck by this until I wondered if God had just slipped it into the Bible... that if I closed the Bible and opened it again, it wouldn’t be there... it would be gone... it was such an... amazing... answer to my need... He said “I will... uphold you... with the right hand... of My righteousness” He said... “Behold... all they that were incensed against thee... they’re going to be ashamed...” aint’ that amazing? ...they’re gonna be ashamed... “they also shall be confounded” they won’t understand... why you’re prospering... they won’t understand... why you are successful... they won’t understand... how you can take on projects... and they work out... but God says “and they... they shall be as nothing...” and then He says “and they that strive... with you... will perish...” there are people...
you don’t fight... if you fight Moses... you have to suffer for it... if you fight Abraham... you have to suffer for it... and if you fight Lester Sumrall... then you have to suffer for it... because... God... made that part of my covenant... my preaching covenant... that if I wouldn’t quit... He’ll bring these things to pass... if I quit... these promises wouldn’t belong to me anymore... fear would come back to me... sickness would come back to me... God would not be with me, in whatever I’m doing... His strength... would not come to me anymore... He would not be upholding me anymore... so I wouldn’t fall down... He would not be upholding me... with the right hand of His righteousness... and those that were incensed against me would not be ashamed... you see... it would all go in reverse... except if I don’t quit... and I... will not quit... and because of that... this promise of God... stands true... after all these many years...
I’ve had a lot of opportunities... to quit... I had a preacher that had a large church... and he quit preaching... he said that God wasn’t good enough to him, in his first two or three years of ministry... he was... driving a Lincoln Continental at that time... pastoring a thousand people, and was on an unlimited salary... in his church... and yet he quit! ...he quit, because... he said, God... when he first started preaching... the first two or three years he had a hard time... and I said, I don’t understand you... I said, do you think a boy...
can leave school, and then become... get all his comforts... the first day... and he gets the same as a
master professional that’s been doing it for 20 years? He said no... I said so what right do you have to think... that you’re going to have the same things... Dr. Kenneth Hagin has... the day you got out of Bible school... I said, that’s not... rational... you’re not even thinking in your mind! ...to think a thing like that... you have to grow in God! ...you have to grow in maturity... Abraham... when he left Ur of the Chaldees... didn’t have what he had when he died... he was... maybe, a thousand times richer... when he went to heaven... than when he was started on his journey... because God increased him... you have to believe... in the increasings of God... and of the growth... of things... in God... but he didn’t want to accept that... maybe he has now, but at that moment, he did not... want... to... accept that...
Now in my person... I went out into... the... school-house... nobody was going to invite me to preach, I knew that... so I went out to the country school-house and started my own meeting... and after the second day, the farmer... that I was staying with said, how long are you going to be here... I said, I don’t know... I’ve never done one of these before... he said, well... he says, at my house... and at my table... if you don’t work, you don’t eat... and even his wife... she kept the house and did the cooking plus working in the field... so he wasn’t an easy man... to be around... well I said I am preaching everyday... he said that’s not work... I don’t count that work... I said, what is work... he said feeding my hogs would be work... he said if you feed my hogs every day, then you can eat at the table and sleep in the bed... well! ...I could’ve quit right there... that was a perfect opportunity to quit, who wants to feed dirty, filthy old hogs... you know... and then I fed them one time... and I lay down in the cornfield... beside the hog pits where he had 50, 60 hogs... and then I began to cry and I said, I have always been a prodigal son... even before I was saved... I was a prodigal son... and now... I know I’m the prodigal son... because, here’re the hogs... and I’m staying with them... and I’m feeding them... and I was weeping before God... and God... spoke to me... He said, if you won’t... quit... I’ll bless you... Dr. Sumrall chuckles... and I said Lord... You mean that... He said, you won’t ever have to feed the hogs again, after this time... He said, if you won’t quit here... I’ll bless you further there... and then I said Lord... I am... I am willing... then I got up and fed hogs! ...I don’t know for how long, weeks and weeks, feeding hogs... and so... God kept His covenant! God kept His promise, because... I didn’t quit! ...you must understand me... that there are... thousands and thousands of Americans... who have quit... their nationalities too... but also... I mean, preachers have quit... I’ve met bankers that quit... in the great city of South Bend... when the great depression hit the Studebaker Corporation... the president... Mr Erskine... shot his... brains out with a gun... he quit! ...you see... he couldn’t see that... when Roosevelt got going with that thing, he was going to bring prosperity... he couldn’t see that in 6 or 7 years,
there was going to be a war in Europe... and Studebaker would then have 25,000 people working there... you see... so he just quit! ...but he did worse than that... he halted everything... he blew his brains out... and he went on into eternity... and Studebaker... for a great number of years was thrown into victory... and so businessmen... quit... divorce... means that you quit... you just quit holding the thing together... you just quit, working on it... and when
you quit, you don’t win... quitters... never win... winners... never quit... you see... winners don’t quit... otherwise, you’re not a winner... then you are... a loser... when the going gets rough... and tough... that’s when the tough get going... when you get down there at zero... that’s when a man that’s got... some backbone in him, and a woman too... rises up and says, I’m not going to quit down here... I’m going to climb that ladder... of success... I’m going to climb that ladder... of happiness... and peace... I am... not a quitter! ...I will never quit! ...and I hate quitting!! ...Dr Sumrall chuckles... yeah... I hate quitting... oh, praise God... I want you to get that in you... that, that is what... this... is all about... you see... and I just want you, by all means... to say... never... will I quit... I’m going to keep... marching... forward... so I could have quit... when my father said... you’ll die... don’t go... I could have quit there... I didn’t... I walked out of my father’s house... that day! ...and began to preach... the gospel... a week later, I could have quit! ...because I was told if I didn’t feed hogs, I couldn’t have a place to eat, nor a place to sleep... so I fed hogs, but I couldn’t quit... you see...
Many things happened... that I could have quit... some young ladies got saved... I was a single young man... they didn’t think we had any ulterior motives, but their boyfriends certainly did... and they played in a string band together... a dance band... they decided... to annihilate me... they brought eggs... to throw them at me while I preached... to splatter me.. with rotten eggs... someone told me about it, said he saw the eggs... so I said, now... I want to tell you that I am a man... like you are... and if you’re a man... divide the eggs up... and I can throw... I can throw straight... I’ll squash you... I don’t mind... egg throwing... if you’ll be... honest about it... and if you’ll divide them up! ...but I said you’re a low down dirty coward... if you throw an egg... and I don’t have one... nobody threw any eggs, you see... that was enough to quit by enough... the city where I was... a man was rolled over by an automobile... and I made a mistake... because they told me he has dead drunk... I said, well... there’s a man who went to hell... right out from the front of the place where I’m preaching here... the next day... 3 or 4 of his big sons right from where I was staying here... they were giants! ...said... we’re going to kill you... I said what for! ...because you told everybody... in the meeting last night... that our daddy went to hell, and he didn’t... I said, well I don’t know... somebody said he was drunk, they said, he was not drunk... he was looking the other way... and a car hit him... I said well I’m sorry... no they said we’re going to kill you anyway... he says, well we’ve decided to kill you while you’re preaching tonight... since, that’s the place where you said my daddy went to hell... that was a good opportunity to quit! ...you
know... the people I was staying with said... man, you ought to stay home tonight... I said, what, no! ...I could only die once... it doesn’t matter whether I die in Oklahoma... or Tennessee or where... it don’t matter... I’m ready to die... the pastor that was working with me in that meeting... he didn’t even go to church that night, he heard about it too... he said he didn’t want to see a public execution... so he stayed home... and the song leader stayed home... so I had no pastor and no song leader... and so I... I went... and I jumped up on the platform, I said before I lead the song service, I want to tell you something... the first man that moves towards me to injure me... I pronounce death upon you... and you will die... I said, if you don’t believe it, try it... I heard one man say, I saw the gun... and he already had it aimed at you, standing by that tree there... well, I didn’t know about that... I led the song service and then prayed... and quite nothing happened to me... and then I started preaching... and when I got through preaching, I gave the altar call for people to get saved... and I walked down through them, and here was a young man who didn’t stand up with the others, and I walked down, put my hand on his shoulder and I said... young man... you need God... you don’t want to go to hell... Jesus loves you... he said, don’t you know who I am... I said no... he said, I was in the car... that drew up to your house and said, I was going to kill you tonight... and I got the gun here to do it... and I said oh you’re one of the sons... I said, you ought to accept my apology... I was a stranger to the area... I only heard what somebody said... and I’m sorry for that... no, he said, we decided to kill you... then I said, not after you heard the sermon tonight... and his face dropped... and I took him by the arm, I said come on... he walked down that aisle with me, and ducked in that altar, when he did, glory! ...glory hit that place... people began to scream... they began to run to the altar... they knew that was the man that came to kill me, and I had him in the altar... I didn’t know he was the one... you know, when you see 3 or 4 men sitting inside of a car... and you’re standing outside... and they talking about killing you... you’re not thinking too much about what their noses and eyes look like... but, that man got wonderfully saved... and he turned that meeting into something very... very glorious... and it was thrilling... it was thrilling to me... aren’t you glad I didn’t quit... because my life was threatened... I didn’t quit... did you know when
you quit, you can’t go back to the same place... you have to take your place in line... it is way backwards... it’s never forward... quitters... never go forward... quitters go backwards...
When they want to start over, if they can... they have to start... at the end of the line... they can’t go jump in front of somebody else... quitters... don’t have priorities... hope you know that? ...please know that... in Jesus Name... alright... I just didn’t quit... but the Lord... spoke to me in various ways... and... how or what I should do and... I said, Lord I’ll do it... after a year and a half of preaching... only in the countryside... and places like school-houses, I was invited to Tennessee, where my brother pastored... he’s gone on to be with the Lord now... and so has his wife... and so seeing that I was preaching out in the country... being a big shot pastor, he didn’t want to come there... but he sent his wife... he sent his wife to see how Lester can preach... he hadn’t heard me
preach yet... and so she came out... she was a preacher woman... herself... and when she came back, I could hear them in the room next to me... in the next room... and I heard my brother say... baby bud... that’s what he called me... how did he do? ...and coming through the... fresh air register... good and strong... were these words... she said bud... bud... Lester wouldn’t make it... in a thousand years... hmm... and I heard it! ...I said... a thousand years! ...I can’t be preaching a thousand years... to make it... and I began to weep... cry before God and said, God... here I’ve had such a difficult time... maybe it’s time to quit now... maybe it’s time to quit... the Lord said no... and while I laid on the floor... weeping before God... crying... hurting all over... God said, would you read... the gospel of Luke chapter 4 and verse 18... I did not know what it was... I opened my Bible... and it said, “the Spirit of the Lord... is upon me... because he hath anointed me... to preach the gospel... to the poor... He has sent me... to heal... the broken-hearted... to preach deliverance... to the captives... the recovering of sight... to the blind... to set at liberty... them... that are bruised...” after I looked at that verse, I said Lord... do you mean that... He said, yes I do... My Spirit! ...is upon you... you are a person... with My Spirit upon... when people meet you... they’re going to know... that you’ve got... My Spirit... My Spirit is on you... I said really! He said yes! He said, you’re not going to always be out here... in country school-houses... He said you’re in training now... My Spirit is upon you... and He said, and I have anointed you... aint’ that amazing? ...that word anointing... has a lot to do... with the word ordination, you know... of setting apart... I’ve ordained you... anointed you... to go and preach the gospel... to the poor... and I said, just the poor folks? ...then He said, those
who don’t know Me are poor... you can be a millionaire... if you don’t know Me... you’re poor in spirit... He said, go to the heathen... and they’re all poor in spirit... because they don’t know Me... they’re poor spiritually... and He said... I’m going to anoint you... to preach the gospel to people who have never heard before... people who don’t know Me now... people that are down and out... people that have no... friends... I’m going to anoint you to preach the gospel to those that are poor in spirit... that have nothing... in their insides... in their souls... He said, I’m going to send you... to heal the broken-hearted... and God has helped me... to heal... tens of thousands... of broken-hearted people... to heal the broken-hearted... and that you might preach deliverance to the captives... if you’re a captive of alcohol... of drugs... or... perverted sex, or anything... I am here... to deliver you! God has ordained... that I should bring deliverance to people... that are captives of sin... if the devil... has captured you... I’m here to unlock the doors... and to bring you out... in Jesus Name... the recovering of sight, to the blind... that if you... say... I don’t believe in miracles... I don’t believe in the power of God... I don’t believe that Jesus is just the same today as He was yesterday... these great things... ended with the apostles... God says... I am to bring sight! ...to you... that you are to see... in my life... you are to see deliverance! ...and the power of God! ...and the anointing of God... and that... we’re to bring... spiritual sight! ...to your blinded eyes... and we’re ready to do it... maybe right now... you can’t see that... you should have the Holy Spirit today... the power of God today... the anointing of God today... the Lord wants me to... open your spiritual eyes... that you should see... and also... your physical eyes... if you’re blind... receive... the healing of Jesus... right now... He loves you... He cares for you... and He said you are to set at liberty... them that are bruised...
Now, you can’t imagine... my sister-in-law was honest... maybe I wasn’t... a great preacher at that time... she had been preaching 12 or 15 years at that time... and I had been preaching for over one year... so there was a difference there of course... but she concluded... that I wouldn’t make it in a thousand years... I was at the bottom... of the ladder you see... but I didn’t quit! ...that’s what I want to tell you... I just didn’t quit! ...I said, alright Lord... I’m going to keep on... I’m going to keep on... and in that meeting... is where God showed me a vision... of the nations of the world... and said, I have called you... to the nations of the world... so 18 months... after that... I was in San Francisco... ready to go... around the world... and preach the gospel... and the Lord spoke to me... and said, I want you to go... and I didn’t grumble with the Lord... I just said You know... that all the money... I... have in the world... is $12 USD... I have no denomination to assist me... I have no people... that have promised me... anything... I have no churches... that have committed themselves... it’s just, You and me Jesus... and that’s the end of it... I got on a boat... in San Francisco... to go around the world... and I had a problem... I had spoken in a local church... and... they gave me... no offering... for my ministry... local churches do that quite often... they... have a person come in... they just... say thank you, and that’s all they give you... and... the pastor did take me to the boat... in San Francisco the next day... and on the way to the boat... he made a statement... he said, I see you have no funds and no money... he said, it looks to me like you’re going to go to China... and starve to death... well, my father told me that you know... 3 years before... I was now 20, and this was when I was 17... and I hadn’t starved then... and so I laughed at him... I said... I won’t starve to death in China... I’ll preach the gospel in China... and God will preserve me... but then I began to cry... he was a man 3 times my age... he was at least 60... and I was 20... I said Lord... the man said that I’m going to go and starve to death... he didn’t help it any... and I said, all I have is $12 USD to go round the world on... and the Lord said... read John... chapter 15... and verse 16... now, I didn’t know what it was! ...I didn’t know what it was... so, I opened my Bible... then He said “you... have not... chosen Me... you know something... you... have not chosen Me... but I... have chosen you...” I didn’t say that... that I belong to God... and that I’d be a missionary, or that I’d go all around the world preaching... or anything like that, He said, I chose you! ...and I’ve ordained you... same as that word anointed that I was reading before now... ordained you! ...you... should go! ...and you... should bring forth fruit! ...and that your... fruit! ...will remain... and that whatsoever you ask the Father in My Name, He’ll give it to you...” can you imagine... the Word of God... being so sovereign... so powerful... so anointed! ...it hit me on the inside... then I said Lord... if... my life... is Your choice... and if You chose me... and I didn’t choose You... You chose me... and You anointed me! ...ordained me! ...to do this work... I had been ordained by an earthly organisation... but God said... the angels... also do... ordination services... He said, you are ordained to go! ...and that you will bring forth fruit... in your ministry... and that that fruit... will! ...remain!! ...phew... I didn’t quit... that had been a good place to quit... no money to go around the world on... and, a... very... wonderful... preacher... said you won’t make it... you’ll starve to death in China... and he was as agreed as my father... I had every reason to believe it... except God! ...said, don’t quit here... don’t stop here... don’t... settle down here... keep moving... keep moving for God... and so I said Lord, I’ll do it... I got on that boat... and I sailed away!
...to the land of Australia... to come up from there... to the bottom of the world and preached throughout... but the great thing that I wish to minister to you is with an opportunity like that to quit... I just didn’t quit... you know... in Australia... I went to the largest, full gospel church in the nation... in Melbourne, Australia... and... Dr. Greenwood was the pastor there... he had me to preach there a week! ...in this great church there... in Melbourne, Australia... at the end of that meeting... though they took up offerings for the church, of course, they never did mention my name at all... they... gave me nothing! ...for my ministry... no money at all... for my ministry... now... the Lord might have held them... and also, have withheld them in San Francisco, because they were not bad people... in order to see... if I would quit! ...if I was a quitter! ...and so... I preached for a week and was given no money... I was to preach in another city... and I didn’t have the money... to ride the train... I stayed up all that Sunday night after I received no money from preaching... stayed up all night... prayed all night... cried all night... got no answer... I just... wept and prayed... and the next morning... I packed my suitcase, and sat it by the door... and the friends I was staying with, knocked at the door and said, breakfast is ready, I said I don’t want any breakfast... and I told God, I said God... I will never... leave this room... without a ticket... I’ll die here... but I won’t die walking the streets and saying where’s my ticket... and I won’t die at the railroad station... watching the train pull out... and I don’t have a ticket... I said the ticket... comes to this room... or I die... right here... an hour... after breakfast time... it was now about... 8 o’clock in the morning I guess or 8:30... a knock came to the door of the house and the lady of the house said, there’s a gentleman to see you... and I led him into my room... and he was crying... an Australian... I said, what’s wrong with you... he said, I couldn’t sleep last night... I said, I didn’t either... he said, I wept last night... I said... I did too... I didn’t know what he was talking about... he looked at me and said one of the funniest things you’ve heard in your life... he said... we all know you’re rich... ...Dr Sumrall chuckles... I almost cracked up... I don’t know where they got the idea... my preaching... you know, was so firm... and so positive... they said, this man’s got everything... I don’t know any other way to preach you know... God called me to be a positive preacher... and to invite people to Him... and that there’s prosperity... for everybody... if you will accept... and so that’s why they didn’t give me any offering... when he said, we know you’re rich... I didn’t tell him he was a liar... I didn’t tell him I had no money... I just began to smile... and he said but... I couldn’t sleep last night... God told me that being a stranger in this country... and that you didn’t know... that that train that you are to ride today... is a train that you have to have a special reservation for... it is a reservation train... nobody rides it... without a reservation...I said, oh I didn’t know that... I’ve never heard it... he said, also the Lord told me, that you didn’t even have a riding ticket... a ticket to ride the train... much less the reservation... I said no... I don’t have that either... he said... I told God... that if you did have these... and that I was wrong... in what I heard from Him... I would never! ...trust Him... as long as I lived... and in order to prove God... I went to the station... and in your name... I bought you a ticket... to where you’re going to preach... and I bought you a special... reserved seat... for you to sit in... he said... here they are... we had ecstasy... I said sir... don’t tell anybody... I didn’t have money... for a ticket... and it’s true I didn’t have one... I had no money for a ticket... that Australian and I... he carried my suitcase and I carried my briefcase... we ran out... jumped on a bus... ran down to the railroad station in plenty of time... got on a train... and we were waving goodbye to each other... with tears... running
down... my face... I’m so glad... I didn’t say God because... I didn’t get an offering... I quit... a lot of people quit over money... they do... preachers quit... over money... businessmen quit... over money... homes break up... because of money... don’t ever let money break up anything... money is a pure little commodity here... to help you day by day... but it’s not... a god... and God will supply all that you need... He may not supply all that you want right now... because that might... take you to hell... but He can supply all that you need, especially to do with His works... if you’ll put your trust in Him... but it doesn’t need to become your master... and your lord... and your god... because, in doing that... then you have broken the first commandment... of having another god... before Jehovah... and He will not... permit that... but in Australia... I just didn’t quit... I went straight through Australia... had a wonderful time... raised up a new church in Brisbane Australia... went all around to Java... and by this time I was travelling with Dr Howard Carter... from London, England... and on into Singapore... and on into Hong Kong... and there was always enough...to buy... the next ticket... God provided it... Mr Carter and I... never! ...discussed... personal... finances... although, we lived together 10, or 12 or 15 years... never did we discuss personal... finances... we got to Hong Kong... and we all agreed together... because of some special missionaries... that we would go... to Tibet... that we would go to Tibet... I had one dime in the world... just
one... dime! ...was all the money... that I had... in the world... and I didn’t just speak up and say, well I won’t be going... I’ll stay in Hong Kong... inside of me, I said I’ll go where you go... I’ll stay where you stay... and God will have to supply all my needs... you see... it would have been a great place to quit... you see, because I needed... hundreds... of Dollars... American Dollars... not Hong Kong Dollars... I needed... hundreds of them... to go into Tibet... for 3 months... read news everyday... take food along with me for the journey... and to come back... into civilization... I needed... and God did a miracle... because I didn’t quit... a Chinese lady... who was the wife... of a Chinese general... in mainland China... had come to Hong Kong... for a very... delicate... operation... she came to the church service, and I prayed for her... and God healed her... she went back to the hospital... and they said... the cancer... we cannot see it this time... we have records of it here... that we saw it... when you first came... but we don’t see it now... they had been waiting for her body to get strong enough... to operate... she came back to the service, I prayed for her again... she went back to the hospital... and they said... there’s not even a tumour there... all is fine... he said, it’s cleared out... she came back to me and... told me... about it... and she went back to the hospital and they said... it looks like... baby skin... around there... fresh... youth... more beautiful than any other skin... they said that you don’t need to come back anymore... and you certainly do not need... any kind of operation... God spoke to the lady, she was wealthy... and said... I want you to pay for my servant... He said, give him all the money... you would have paid the doctors... all you would have paid the hospital... for a long operation... and recovery here... at the hospital... so, she gave it to me... she gave me more money... than I’d ever had... in my life... more money... I don’t know how many... one hundred dollar bills... she gave me... American money... about that many... must have been 20, 25 or 30... one hundred dollar bills... that in those days... they were like a thousand dollars
today... we went through China... preaching for a whole year!! ...and never came short... of money... because of one... little lady... and so... I didn’t quit... it was a good opportunity to quit from Hong Kong... and say, Lord You haven’t supplied my needs... I don’t have ten cents in the world... I’m quitting here... but I just didn’t... I just didn’t quit there... I... marched through China... victoriously... for God... we have books... that tell more... of the stories... of how we... just held on to God... we just... we just didn’t quit you see... and so... you can get “My story to His glory” ...it’s a large book... and... “Run with the vision”...it’s a beautiful story... and “Miracles don’t just happen”...in those... 3 books... you’ll see... how we didn’t quit... they’re... formidable... information... and dialogue... just saying... this is what God did! ...and we stood there... and we did not quit... in China itself... we were captured by bandits... and God preserved us... we didn’t quit there either... we got to the border of Russia... and Manchuria... and decided to go through Siberian Russia... into Poland... it took us... 2 to 3 months... to get a permit... to go through... and we went to that Russian Consulate... every day... telling them... to give us... a permit to go through... they had... all kinds of excuses... why not to let us go through... but... we just didn’t quit... going back... we said, we’re going through Siberia... on the Trans-Siberian express train... into... Moscow... and we... we’re ready to go... we want to go... and we just wouldn’t quit going... we were just obstinate... and when they didn’t want to talk to us... we’ll just file and say... you’ve got to talk to us... we want to go through... we’re not going to harm anybody... we won’t hurt anybody... we want to go through... and finally... the Russian government broke down... and said... we’ll let you through... the time... when Stalin was killing millions of people... and Russia was going through a blood-bath... in that time! ...we rode... first class... on the Tran-Siberian express train right straight from over... five... thousand miles... stopped at the prison camps... were thousands were imprisoned... you could see them... going in and out... they would take food off the train... and bring their manufactured goods and... put them on the train... and you could see them... as we went through... through Russia... by not quitting! ...we got to see what God
could do... we got to walk with God... talk with God... and be with God... and so... our life has moved on... we’ve had so many opportunities... to quit... one time when God told me to pastor... in South-bend Indiana... I thought it was the end of all things... that I should quit there... even when God told me to be a missionary... I said God... how could it be... when I’m not prepared for that... I didn’t quit... and it was a success... when God told me to come to manila, the Philippines... it looked like the end of the trail... it looked like the end of life... it would have been a great place to quit... but I didn’t quit... I went ahead... and God gave us... the greatest... revival... we’ve ever had in our lives... 150,000 people... converted to Jesus... in... 6 weeks time... a whole nation... stirred... by the power of God... when I’d been in that nation... for 5 to 6 months... and got no results... God... moved... in a mighty way... and He did it... He did it... when I didn’t quit... I won... if you don’t quit... you’ll win... I feel this message is so pertinent... young people quit... in school... and don’t finish school... whatever you start... complete it... don’t quit it... if the place is hard... stick it out! ...if people are against you... hold fast! ...God will deliver you... from all of your enemies... and all of your oppressors... no condition in the world... is going to stay for ever... good or bad... there’re going to be changes... and it’ll be... for better... for those... who don’t quit... for those who will stay faithful... to... the Most High God...
God... asked me to come back... to the States... where... I am right now... and in these... in these scriptures... that I have... in this... little book here... “the Will of God”...we have a story... in here... that is really... a very exciting story... I was down... in South America... in the city... of Brasilia... and was raising up a church there... and one day... I spoke to the Lord, and I said Lord... what is the end of my life God... and God said... Psalm 71:18... again... I didn’t know what it was... I did not... know what it was... and so I... opened my Bible... and it said... “when I’m old and grey-headed” ...I laughed out loud... and I said, I’m going to get old... and I’m going to get grey-headed, He said so here... He said, “forsake me not... till I show Your strength! ...to this generation” God said you are to go... throughout the nation... every means possible... radio... television... tapes... writing... everything... and you are to show My salvation... to this generation... show them how great I am... show them how wonderful I am... witness for Me... talk for Me... and I said... God... that’s my last job? ...He said, that is your last job... that you must do... and He said that is not all, and to
show... My power to everyone that is to come... I said who is that... He said that... is the young ministers of the land... the young ministers of the land... show them... the power of God... tell them that... I am real... that they can trust Me... I won’t let them down... that I stick closer... than a blood brother... and that they can afford... to trust me... that I will... I will... bless them... and the Lord also spoke to me... and said... if you’ll be faithful to Me... I’ll bring you into Television... and I will give you a million souls... by Television... I didn’t know anything about Television... that would have been a good opportunity to quit... but I just didn’t quit... God began to give us... Television stations... and you’ll be happy to know... that the FCC granted us one... this very day... that I’m talking to you, right now... He granted us... our... our Honolulu... station... He granted us and said... we could have it... it is channel 14... in Honolulu... we have been working on it for many many months... and just this... hour! ...that you are... listening to me... God spoke to the... men in Washington... and they said you can have it... we have difficult times... now we have to pay the bankrupt court... that money... $825,000 USD... I can quit there... because we don’t have the money... we’ve been awarded it... it’s ours... we have to make the payment now... but we don’t have the money... neither did we have the money... for the Tulsa station... it’s channel 47... in Tulsa... right here... and we didn’t have the money... for the... for the Tulsa station... but that’s nothing... I didn’t have the money... for channel 46 in South-bend either... and by the way... in our first station... I didn’t have the money... for it either... but I didn’t quit... I didn’t quit... and now we have a new station... after Honolulu coming up... and it’s channel 55... it covers Chicago... and Milwaukee... about 6 million people... and... I don’t have the money for that either... but I
have enough faith... to put my name on it...
World... Harvest... Evangelism... I do Honolulu... it’s World... Harvest... Evangelism... you know... so... I have enough courage... to put my signal on there... and the government accepts... those like me who call them... for all these stations... now the first one... it’ channel 40... it means World... Harvest... Missionary... Broadcasting... and you know... that’s what we’ve been doing... ever since... and the next station here... is World... Harvest... Missionary... Evangelism... and the
government accepts them... it’s WHME... WHMB... that’s what it means... and when I didn’t quit... the Lord... gave it... and now we speak to... we speak to... millions of people... when we put the grid short-wave the grid short-wave radio station on the air... just the material on it... just the hardware... cost... $1,002,000 USD... but you see... I didn’t quit... it was hard to get... I would go all over America and ask my friends for help... and we didn’t get it... we just said God... we’re not going to quit... out in front of us today... is a great world... a great world... I’ve lived 7 lives... from the time I lived... from age 1... up to age 17... was the first life... and it finished then... and then... I started my next life... till I became a missionary... and then... and when I divide my life into the th 7 parts... I’m living the 7 ... and final part... right now...
and I want the testimony... of the apostle Paul... that it... when it comes to the end... that I finished my course... I’ve been faithful unto God... and there is laid up for me... a crown of righteousness... in heaven... you see... I don’t want to ever... quit... and I’m coming to you... begging you... neighbour... friend... don’t ever quit... don’t ever let God down... don’t ever turn back... don’t quit... in Jesus Name... now to those... who have made an offering... through my letter, of $10 Dollars or more... I’m sending to you this post paid... and I love you for it... thanks for getting the gospel... all over America... and then we want you to have it... for your player... every word you’ve heard... in video tape... and we want you to have it... just write to us... and... ask us... for the Video tape... write to us... Lester Sumrall... or... LeSEA broadcasting... South-bend Indiana SID code 16624, and do it today... but remember this... Jesus... was not a quitter... Moses... was not a quitter... Elijah... was not a quitter... Gideon... was not a quitter... and I wrote something in my Bible... in the fly-leaf... it said... when all... the possibilities...
are against me... I still have all... of the impossibilities... for me... you do to... Father... bless... my precious neighbours... my friends... and my partners... and may not one of them... ever!! ...quit... but may keep on doing... what is local... don’t wait... to run
off somewhere else... right where they are now! ...do something for Jesus... witness... testify... give out literature... do something! ...for Jesus... now!! ...where they are... and never be a quitter... and you will promote them... to the highest honour... and one day... at the end of life... the Master would say... well done... you... good... and faithful servant... and those are the... greatest Words... I could ever speak... on planet earth... Jesus loves you and I do too.
“...You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the worldlike a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father...” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:13 – 16) New Living Translation