Years ago, Rev. Kenneth E Hagin spoke about an epidemic that was going through Southern California while he was holding a meeting there. This is what he had to say about it:
Forty-five years have come and gone, and I’ve enjoyed divine health. I tell folks that I haven’t had the flu in 45 years. I don’t believe in having the flu. I only accept things that come from Heaven—and the flu doesn’t come from Heaven.
Have you ever heard of anyone having the heavenly flu? Stop and think about it. That couldn’t be right. It’s always Asian flu, Hong Kong flu, etc. It comes from over where the devil and false religions are reigning supreme.
Good, Spirit-filled Christians hear on the radio, see on TV, or read in the newspaper that a epidemic is due, and they say, “Yeah, I’ll be the first to get it.” And, sure enough, they are. The devil heard them say it.
I was preaching in a Full Gospel church in October 1957 when an epidemic of Asian flu hit Southern California. I picked up The Los Angeles Times and the headline said that 2 million people in Southern California had the Asian flu. Our attendance dropped to 40 people a night.
The pastor of a Full Gospel church (think about it: Full Gospel—that means it’s supposed to be the whole Gospel) said, “Brother Hagin, aren’t you afraid you will get the Asian flu?”
“No!” I said. “I don’t mind telling you, I’ll never have the Asian flu.”
And that Full Gospel pastor, with unbelief running down his face like syrup down a syrup bucket, had such great respect, such great reverence, for the devil, he whispered, “Brother Hagin, I’d be afraid to say anything like that!”
I said, “Why?”
He said, “Why, don’t you know the devil will hear you?”
He didn’t know God’s the Almighty One. He didn’t know He’s the One who is more than enough. He thought the devil is the one who is more than enough, and he’s going to put the flu on them. He just whispered—knew he was in the presence of the devil. Sure the devil was there; he had been buddying up to and bedding down with that preacher for years. Here this preacher was, whispering in the devil’s presence, “Don’t you know the devil will hear you?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I wanted him to hear it. I said it for his benefit. He’s the very dude I wanted to hear it!”
Don’t accuse me of being unkind; I’m telling the truth. You’d be better off to stay at home and play mumblety-peg than go hear preachers like that. Life’s too short. This thing is nearly over. Jesus is coming. It’s too late to play religion. The Bible is so or it’s not so. If it’s so, let’s have it. If it’s not so, let’s throw it away and forget about it. But I’ve proven for 45 years that it works—it works!
Believers And The Flu
Dad Hagin talks about the believer and the flu.
