FATHER DIVINE
(After the introductions, FATHER says:)
Peace, Miss H.
Miss H.: Peace, FATHER.
FATHER: What did you want to see ME for, Miss H.?
Miss H.: FATHER, I live in the Lorraine Hotel, and -- well, one day I guess the D-v-l told me to smoke a cigarette there and I knew I was not supposed to, and I came down to ask YOU to forgive me and I won't let it happen again, and ask YOU to bless me so that I won't smoke anymore.
FATHER: That is the great essential. If you find smoking or any other habit detrimental, to hinder your free access in every way and in every place, it would be a Blessing for you to Overcome the habit of smoking; for that which tends to offend and prevent your free access for expression, it may be deemed as detrimental -- especially if it is not essential.
I think you bear record yourself, it is more of a habit than it is an essentiality. If it was something that was for the sustenance of your body or for your physical well-being in some way, it could be justifiably received as such, and could be deemed as one of the things people do that is not harmful, but helpful, that is critical or criticized in many places. But if you make that contact and if you are convinced that it is something that is not especially necessary, I can be with you and help you to overcome it; for
'Such kind cometh out with fasting and with prayer.'
You do not have to go through a multitude of words to GOD in praying in a groveling
attitude, but you fast those things out of your system by fasting out of your
Consciousness and by Refusing to consider indulging in the thing that tends to
be detrimental. And by so doing, such things will come out of your system and
out of your consciousness!
It is not especially necessary to go through the performance of fasting, as some count fasting, but whatsoever you desire to overcome -- that habit -- just deliberately fast from it! Refuse to indulge in it, and eventually it will leave you! That's what fasting consists of. And I continue to say, anything that is detrimental or anything that is not harmonious or pleasant or advantageous or constructive, if you just FAST from that by refusing to Indulge in it or refusing to compromise with it, sympathize or harmonize with it, it will eventually LEAVE you; even the simplest habit!
You might consider the birds, such as those of many species of birds; some domestic and some of the wild birds are propagated in this country and that. After they are hatched out, the mother bird tries to lead them for a little while. After a while, the mother bird sees it is not necessary for them to be always babies -- even the domestic bird such as the chicken, the duck, the guinea and the geese, or goose; they fast out the care for caring for them all the time, continually. After a while they begin to wean them, and by refusing to compromise with them, they very quickly get weaned from that care of being so attached to them or depending on them! So it is with anything else. You can wean yourself from doing certain things by fasting from it and refusing to indulge in it! That is the mystery of GOD'S Actual Presence -- to
'purge the Sons of Levi as silver is purged, and as gold, so that they might offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness, as in former years, and as in the days of old!'
So if anything you see and know that you desire to overcome, just be PERSISTENT
in your ambition and have an ambition to FAST from that thing by refusing to
indulge in it, and GOD will help you to overcome it! It is wonderful.
I AM glad you were willing to confess that little, simple violation, but yet, it is worth confessing; because it is through My Sacrifice Personally, I AM making and have been making for lo, these many years Personally, that My Following have Unlimited Purchasing Power -- and they, at My endorsement and at My Advice to put their money into circulation unselfishly, they purchase Hotels and different estates for the comfort and convenience of themselves and for others! That is why it has been made possible for you as well as others, not as Followers, but even as visitors and strangers, to enjoy the Blessings! They have abstained from all intoxicating liquors, self-indulgence and many other manners of expression that are customarily performed in the world; and by they doing that, they have made themselves super-successful and prosperous, and have been able to attract others and draw others to it, that they too might enjoy the blessings!
I AM happy to know that you have been there and you see what GOD is doing for His People.
Miss H.: Yes.
FATHER: If you will take ME in consciousness and in consideration, if you desire to be free from the custom or habit of it, you can and will be -- and can be free from any other habit that you may have, that would tend to be an undesirable habit! "Such kind cometh out with and with prayer!"
One can overcome anything that is detrimental! People may desire to get rid of fear for different things; I might say, the simple fear of a dead person. One may overcome it by coming up over it and by refusing to be fearful; and if you will touch a dead person, if you are fearful of it, and touch it in consciousness and in consideration, that fear will leave you! And that is the way it is with prejudice and selfishness or any tendency a person may have, and even those prenataled influences of resentment, of anger, of jealousy and envy and many other different tendencies a person may have within them; they can fast those things out of their system by fasting them out of their consciousness and by refusing to indulge in them, and thereby overcome those conditions, even though they may be prenataled influences!
Miss H.:Yes.
FATHER: And after overcoming them, by those things coming out through fasting from them -- fasting does not mean to fast, as afore said, from food and from drink for the sustenance of your body, but fast from the thing that is detrimental, that you may tend to accustom yourself to; it will eventually leave you and give you the victory! I thank you.
Miss H.: (gratefully): Thank YOU, FATHER!
FATHER: Peace, and many Blessings!
Miss H.: Thank YOU!
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