Neville Goddard Lectures: “Counting the Cost”

29 Dec Neville Goddard Lectures: “Counting the Cost”

By Neville Goddard November 19, 1963

Tonight’s subject is “Counting the Cost.” In the gospel of Luke, the fourteenth chapter, he asks a certain question, “Which of you desiring to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost, whether you have enough to complete it?” (verse 28). So you and I are called upon to count the cost. It’s not in dollars and cents. That’s not the coin that you use. God counted the cost when he decided to transform us into himself. It’s a frightening cost! Because, God actually became us; he didn’t pretend to become a slave, he became one. As we are told in Philippians: “Jesus Christ, who, though in the form of God, emptied himself, taking upon himself the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men” (2:5).

He actually took upon himself the form of a slave and this mightier self that is our self who is Jesus Christ, is your own wonderful human Imagination. Completely emptied himself and assumed the form of a slave, and now he serves us in the capacity of a slave. A slave does not question the order given by his master, he only obeys. For today he serves us as indifferently and as quickly when our will is evil as when it is good. I can conjure in a second, a split second, the most horrible picture or the most wonderful loving picture, and he does it. He is my own wonderful human Imagination, who gave up his primal form, his prenatal wholeness, and took upon himself the form of a slave, which is my own wonderful human Imagination that serves me in this capacity.

Now tonight, I want to take it on this level, this level of Caesar, and show you how on this level we do the same thing. Just as he gave up everything to become me to transform me into himself, so that I may wear the form of God and wear that primal form that is eternal, so today I give up, too, certain things. But I must count the cost. Well, how would I go about counting the cost if I wanted to be other than what reason tells me that I am? Well, this is how I do it. First, I must know what I want to be, and then I conjure in my mind’s eye a certain imagery which imagery implies the fulfillment of my dream. And then, this is where I now count the cost. Do I have the necessary persistency, the necessary faithfulness, the necessary power that in spite of all things to the contrary I will persist? Do I have these virtues? Am I willing to start with what I have in the hope that it really is enough to build the tower? For the word translated tower means “a simple watch-tower.” As we are told in Habakkuk: “And now I will stand, and watch, and take my station upon the tower; and I will look forth to see what he will say unto me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. The Lord answered me and said, ‘Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets that he may run who reads it.’” And then comes the promise, “For the vision has its own appointed hour; it ripens; it will flower. If it be long, then wait; for it is sure, and it will not be late.” Here you find these three verses of 2nd Habakkuk (:2, 3). This is the tower spoken of in this Book of Luke, “I will stand upon my tower.”

So I bring before my mind’s eye a certain imagery. I bring you, my friend, and hear you discussing each other and your discussion is all about my good fortune. I listen as though I actually heard you say what I want everyone to say. I listen and persuade myself I’m actually hearing it. And then have I now the courage, in spite of tomorrow when everything denies it? Have I the persistency? Have I the faithfulness? By faithfulness I mean loyalty to this unseen reality. So here, it is unseen, but to me it’s real. I’m seeing it vividly in my mind’s eye, but it hasn’t yet objectified itself upon the screen of three-dimensional space so that you may share it with me. Well, can I remain faithful? Can I remain loyal to this unseen reality until it becomes something I can share with the world? Have I that coin?