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God's Preparation
54-0401, God's Preparation, The Church Of The Open Door, Louisville, KY, 112 min

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L-1 Good evening, friends. It's a pleasure to be here again tonight to greet you all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and trusting that God has been good to you through this day, and you're feeling well tonight, and ready to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. May His blessings be added to you.
Last night they--I got just a little bit weak. Many times people maybe doesn't understand just exactly what that means to the human being to see visions. It's something that cannot be explained; it's beyond explaining. It's another world that you live in, and you... It's just...
L-2 How many ever dreamed a dream in here, let's see your hand, just ever dreamed a dream? Well, I suppose there's at least two-thirds of the people with their hands up; well that would be just about right. There's probably one-fourth of the people, anyhow, of the world, that never dreams a dream. Now, the reason they don't dream a dream is because they are real sound sleepers. And we're told by science that that's your subconscious, it's when you... Say, here's one conscious here; then when that becomes inactive, why, you go into this conscious. And when you're here, you dream of things that you did while you were awake. And when you're awake, you remember things that you dreamed about when you were asleep. Now, that's the dual conscious. That's the main part.
L-3 As I stop here, just for a moment for this part, there's the reason that people doesn't get the healing and blessings that they sometimes so reverently ask for. You walk up... If I'd ask, perhaps, ninety-nine out of every hundred in here tonight: "Do you believe Jesus Christ can heal you?"
"Yes." And without a shadow of doubt, they believe it. Well then, Jesus said, "If you believe it, you shall receive it." But that's just conscious believing it. Now, you got a subconscious that's got to act too. See?
Like a man crossing the sea, when you go into the ship, the man who runs the ship, or guides it, sets up here in a pilothouse. And the man that really runs the ship goes down into the bowels of the ship, down into the hull of it. He's the engineer; he... No matter how much this guy says up here, this is the guy that does the work. That's your subconscious, this is your first conscious. Well now, if this fellow here receives an order from the mate, or whoever it is, of what to do; he passes it on down; he guides the ship. But this man has to do the running of it. No matter how much he does the guiding, it won't do a bit a good until you got some steam down here or some pressure pulling it. [Mark 9:23], [Mark 11:24]
L-4 Now, what if he sends an order down, "Two knots to the left," and this man turns two knots to the right? Won't do no good which way he turns it here, you just all... You're going around and around in the--in the harbor. You'll never get out.
Well now, that's the conscious and the subconscious. Now, this fellow here, he believes all right, but this won't cooperate with him. Now, the reason it don't cooperate, when you come here and get prayed for, each night I say, "Lay your hands on each other. Believe with all your heart and you shall receive what you ask for." God comes around and confirms it, just exactly what's said is the truth of His Presence being here. There's not a mortal mentally right but what would know that that's the truth. Then you say, "Yes, I believe." The next night, right back in the prayer line again. See? It goes to show that there's a little fear down here. You--you say, "Yes, I believe it, but really, it is for me?" That's the subconscious saying that.
L-5 Now, if the subconscious and this conscious will agree perfectly together, and then when a order comes, "I'm the Lord that healeth thee." Right here, "I'm the Lor..." "He's the Lord that healed me," and the subconscious says, "He's the Lord that healed me," the ship goes out to sea. You see? There you are.
It's all got to be in agreement: God, first conscious, subconscious. Then there's not a shadow of doubt, no matter if the next day you was twice as sick as you was when you come to church that night, you're healed anyhow. Just... You're just healed anyhow. There's nothing can take it out of you. It's going to be done. And that's 'cause you've accepted it; something is anchored there that's far beyond sight, any physical or mental thing that you could have. Any of the senses would never declare it like faith.
When faith says so... You've heard people, many times, say certain-certain thing. No matter how looked like it was going to be that way, yet you knew it wasn't. It was just something that told you. It's going to be this way. And usually, you see it's that way. See? That's when perfect agreement with conscious and subconscious. [Psalms 103:1-3]
L-6 Now, we'll notice this, that in the subconscious... Now, when you're asleep, you say, and are dreaming... Now, how many of you ever dreamed a dream that you remember, been many years ago? Let's see your hand. Well now, what part of you, where was that at? There was some part of you somewhere, because you can still remember what you dreamed about many, many years ago. Now, there was some part of you somewhere, because right here where you're setting tonight, you still remember that dream. You were somewhere. Well, then the person that doesn't... Say, the person that does dream a dream, he doesn't sleep sound; a dreamer never sleeps sound.
Now, God does deal in dreams; we know that; but it's not too accurate, 'less there's a true interpreter of that dream.
L-7 Now, we know King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams and Daniel interpreted, which set the whole Gentile world--showed it from the beginning to the end of it, the second coming of Christ and all in a--a man's dream. How king Pharaoh dreamed dreams and Joseph, the interpreter told him what it meant. See? [Daniel 2:1-48]
And--and Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, he--a dream--was warned in a dream by the Lord. Many times God can warn people in dreams, but it's not too accurate unless there be an interpreter. Now, that... [Matthew 1:18-21], [Matthew 2:13-15]
Say the man in his first conscious is here; his second conscious is there, subconscious. Now, when this one's inactive, this one's active; he's dreaming. And he comes out of that; he wakes up here. But now, the man that doesn't dream at all, his subconscious is way away from him. He sleeps solid, sound; he doesn't dream a dream at all. Now, this man can't help because he dreams. If you can, some of you dream me a dream right now. You couldn't do it if you had to. But ever what makes you dream dreams could give you a dream if He wanted to. Is that right? Of me... But that man back there, he can't help because he doesn't dream. Now, God made that man not to dream; He made this man to dream. It's all in God.
L-8 But now, a seer (prophet, seer, whatever you want to call it), his subconscious is not back there, neither is it here. It's right here; they're both together. He doesn't go to sleep. He's standing with his eyes wide open and sees things just exactly like he was dreaming. Could you imagine standing here, and somebody stand before you, and knowing that you're standing here and knowing the people's listening to your voice and yet you're speaking of something that they done twenty-five, thirty years ago: right where they were at and all about it, some sin they committed or something? Then come to and you realize that--that you said something. You don't know what you said.
Then a few minutes after that one, maybe, watch it, see it turning dark, know the patient's going to die; you don't know what to say. Sometimes I just tell them to go on anyhow and the Lord bless them and heal them, 'cause prayer could change it. Even if God had pronounced death upon them, prayer will change it. Do you know that?
L-9 Prayer will even change the program of God. There's a prophet one time went to a king Hezekiah and told him put his house in order, he was going to die, "For THUS SAITH THE LORD." And he turned and walked out, went down through the courts and tell everybody, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die." On out and told the soldiers, "Your king's going to die." Told the poor at the gate, "Your king's going to die."
And then King Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and begin to weep bitterly. He said, "Lord, I beseech Thee to consider me. I've walked before You with a perfect heart and I want fifteen years longer."
Now, it looked like the king was the greatest man in the land at that day. Looks like if he was talking face to face with Jehovah God, Jehovah would've spoke back and said, "Now, king, I--I hear your--your words, and I'm--I'm going to heal you." But God has ways of doing things. Isn't that right? Of sending to the greatest man in the land, the king, and the king talking face to face with Jehovah... You believe he was talking to Jehovah? Sure he was; Scripture said he was. And then, instead of the Jehovah answering back the king, He come upon the prophet; said, "Now, you turn around and go back. Go right back where you left off at, right back, and say, "He's going to live, for I've heard his prayer and I've considered his tears. And I've spared him for fifteen years."
How'd that prophet feel, going right back again, saying, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going live" "THUS SAITH THE LORD he's going to live" after just leaving saying, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he isn't going to live"? Now, why he felt... But you see, the thing of it was, prayer changed things. It'd still do it. [II Kings 11:1-20], [Isaiah 38:1-8]
L-10 Now, in there though... That's what... Now, these visions, here at the platform that you see are only temporal. It's a--it's a Divine gift. You have to climb up into a seer by taking up some words that was told me, which that's between God and I; and I can't say. You know how it is; there's many things that you have to know that's between God; He'll... And these... The parable of words... And then you just see something that drops down. Maybe you see no more. That weakens you. But when God wants to show you a vision by His own power, He just, maybe...
Just like I've often said of some, the little boys, we used to look through the knot-hole of a fence and watch the carnival go by. And one say, "I see a giraffe." And the other one say, "I see a--a--a leopard," or something. You just see one thing at a time, standing on your tiptoes, trying to look through the fence in the ball park where the carnival's at. But now, when God wants you to see a vision by His own power, He get--or own way of showing you by His grace, He just lifts you up like this. You don't know when it's coming. He just shows you the whole thing from the begin to the end. That's the way He does it, and that's...
I've got one wrote right out here in the back of my Bible that's just been given to nearly a year ago, which will be fulfilled to the exact dot: just what it says there, it will be. And many of you know how it is.
L-11 Now, therefore, it makes weakness, and you just feel like you just can't hardly stand up after two or three people pass by. And remember... You say, "How could it be on a person?" Well, it was that way on Jesus of Nazareth. He perceived that strength had went out of Him. Is that right? [Mark 5:25-34], [Luke 8:43-48]
Look at the prophet Daniel. Saw one vision, he said, "I was troubled at my head for many days." [Daniel 4:5], [Daniel 7:15]
The only thing it is, is Jesus said, "These things that I do, shall you do and greater..." not in--in quality, but in quantity. In other words, "More than this will you do, for I go unto My Father." No man could do greater, 'cause He--He changed nature, and--and He raised the dead; and everything there was to be done, He did it. You couldn't do any greater, but you could do more of it. The Word rightly interpreted there is "More than this shall you do because I go unto My Father." [John 14:12]
L-12 And He's obligated to His Word. God has to keep His Word. Did you know that? He...?... God has sworn by Himself that He'd keep His Word. He just has to do it to be God. He can't take back on His Word and be God. So if you'd ever get that settled in this man here and this man here, you're going to go somewhere. That's right. If you can ever get it cleared up... What do you think of that, Brother Neville? Ain't that just about right? When you could get it cleared up... God's Word is spoken and you here say It's right... Now, most of you get that; now let it drop down here tonight, and let this down here say It's right; then I don't care what says anything different, it'll never change your course. You're gone on out. Nothing can stop it. You're heading out into the deep seas then. May the Lord bless you. [Matthew 24:35], [Mark 13:31], [Luke 21:33]
L-13 And now, I wish to read some of His Word here, just for a few moments and... They took my clock tonight so I... Oh, that's all right. I... It's all right; I'll watch here and trying... Today, I--I went away from home. After today there was many carloads of people started in this morning, wife said. And they come and told me that...
And dear Christian friends, if someone happened to be setting present that's been in the meeting, please don't think that I don't love you. I do. But in order for these services at night, I must stay alone with Him. See? I must do it. And I love you, and I try my best to--to do everything that I know how, working for your good.
I'm standing, as it were, between you and God, trying to find out just what's the best thing that He'll tell me to do for you. Surely, God will let you know that, that I'm trying to help you. And I know if I don't love you, and spurn your love, I'm spurning His love (See?), when I do that, because He just...
I'd rather that you'd love my boy (He's here somewhere.) than to love me. If you got anybody you don't want to love between he and I, don't love me; you love him. And that's the same way God feels about His children. You love His children; He'll love you. So we've got to love one another. And in order to do that, the routine of Christianity today, they think that a minister ought to go kiss all the babies and--and (You know?), and--and shake hands, and go to dinner with everybody. I'd like to do that too, but I can't, and then serve God in the way that I serve Him.
L-14 You know. Everyone knows how I've been--if you excuse the expression--the black sheep of the family, and--and so forth and among men. And it's always been. When I was a kid, I didn't drink or... And then I couldn't get along good with my people. And--and then when I got old enough to go out with girls, I didn't go to dances, didn't go to the places like that and I didn't smoke and I.... Well, I was sure a black sheep to them. And then they didn't want--have nothing to do with me. Then when I got salvation, I joined up with the--the Baptist Church, and they thought I was a holy-roller; so I--I said I was going to lose my mind. And so then I couldn't fit with them. So then, when I come to you people that really know God in the power of His resurrection, just like a glove going over a hand. And the only crowd I ever felt in my life, that I fit with was people who believe God. And that... All my life, I've longed to be, oh, I don't know, somebody to like me.
L-15 My own mother-in-law, she's setting here somewhere tonight, and I just started up a pole one day when I was climbing (used to work for the utility), and the wind, a hard puff come and I cut out the top of about a seventy foot pole and had been a--water soaked and the bark gum off of it and the... There was a knot sticking there, and I hit the knot and swung around like that, and come almost falling. And I think she went to her knees a praying. And oh, she worried for three or four days of me climb... And just me to know that she thought enough of me to pray for me, I tell you, I really think a lot of her. That's always stuck with me, just to think that she thought that much of me (See?), that'd love me that much to pray for me while I was a--a climbing and so forth like that.
I love people and I want to be with them. But what I'm trying to do now, while it's on the battlefront, I'm just battling with everything I got so I can get just as many... When we get over there, I--I--I'll sure set down and have a good time with you then, when we get there: just stay a thousand years with each one of you all, that hasn't... No sick calls to make, praise God. There won't be any services preached to this--to the wicked; there won't be any wicked there, and the sinners will all be converted, and...?... over there, so we'll just have...
The children ain't going to run away and get hurt, no where. They can get on the lion's back, and the tiger and ride around all day. They ain't a nothing going to hurt. And won't have to worry about supper, just reach up and get it right off the tree, standing right by you. So then, it'll be all right there. So, the main thing, if we don't get things right here, we're not going to meet there. That's... So let's--let's work hard here. You'll understand it better by and by.
L-16 It's just like one time a--one of my managers, Mr. Baxter, said he was in Canada, and there was a--a prize given for anybody who could ride a four inch board a half a city block on a bicycle. And they got all the experts down. They had one little old sissy boy there. And all of them thought he was really a sissy. And all those expert riders who could go downtown and get a box of groceries on their arms, and ride back, and never touch their handlebars, they was going to win this new Iver Johnson bicycle. And said--Mr. Baxter said he got on, and he went about twenty feet and fell off. Well, all the rest of them tried it. And this little sissy boy jumped on there and just rode right straight out to the end without a bit of trouble. So all the boys got around and said, "What... How did you do it? Well, what caused you to do it?"
He said, "I'll tell you where you boys was doing." Said, "You were looking down like this, trying to keep on it." Said, "I watched the end, what it was at the end. I just kept looking at the end and I held steady and went on through. But if you're looking down like this, you're--you're wondering, and any, each little teeter, why, you--you push over like that and you fall off."
That's the way Christians do. Brother, I'm looking at the end down yonder. Yes, sir. Somebody might say, "Billy Branham's a spiritualist; he's a witch; he's a hypocrite." That don't hurt me; I'm looking at the end down yonder. There's where it's a going. And I'm riding for dear life, 'cause there's a prize of life I want to meet Him down there at the end. As Paul said at the end, "I fought a good fight, finished the course, kept the faith; henceforth there's laid up to me a crown of righteousness, the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day: not only me, but all those who love His appearing."
L-17 May the Lord bless us now while we turn back the pages here and just read a little familiar text so that the service will not be without some accomplishment. My words are a man's words. They'll fail like any other man, but His Word will be forever. It'll be forever. So let us bow our heads now while we speak to Him.
Now, kind heavenly Father, it's our privilege of being here tonight, gathered under this roof, out of the cold wind and the weather outside, to serve Thee. We're grateful for this church, and for its pastor, and for its deacons, and all that's associated with this church: for the musicians, and all the--the laity. We're just so grateful for all of them and for the welcome that they've given us to come here to pray for Your dear sick children over this city and other cities that's gathered in.
L-18 Now, I pray that You'll bless this place, and may, oh, may it prosper, and may souls be saved here, and it be called the house of God till Jesus comes. Grant it, Father. Bless its pastor. Unctionize his life, Lord, as You have been. Make it even greater, Lord, and His ministry, reach way out. Grant it, Father. And may his humble heart that's hungered for souls to bring in on that day, may he lay a many precious sheaves at Your feet at the end of his journey. Grant it, Lord, and all the rest that's gathered here with us tonight, may theirs be like manner.
And now, kind Father, it's Your servant's privilege tonight, if it's Your will, I trust to break the Bread of Life now to the children. And now, in these few moments of the rest of the service, we pray that You'll especially bless the sick and needy just now. Grant it, Father. These nights now are set aside for those.
And may, while Your great Holy Spirit moving in the audience, bring conviction upon sinners. And, O God, that little lady just a while ago who stopped me on the street and said, "Brother Branham, how do you get saved?" God, I pray that that little thing will live a Christian life the rest of her days here on earth. And may many here tonight have that same kind of an attitude towards You tonight: "What must I do to be saved?"
Now, Father, take the Word, and may the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the trinity, comes, take the Word of God, and break It out to the people, and put It in every heart where it has need, where God would send It. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
L-19 In the--Luke the 2nd chapter the 25th verse, I want to read a text that maybe, perhaps, I've read it here before. I can't tell just... I come in kinda late from out tonight, where I'd been out praying and waiting on the Lord. And I just happened to think, coming across here of this text maybe use it in a different sphere.
... behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; ... the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he... seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parent brought... the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took... him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
... mine eyes have seen thy salvation, [Luke 2:25-30]
L-20 May the Lord bless His Word. I want to speak to you for a few moments on "God's Preparation."
God always makes a preparation. Before He does anything, He always gives ample time, much warning, and then those who spurn that love, of warning, there's nothing left but judgment. They must receive judgment.
Before God destroyed the antediluvian world in the days of Noah, He sent a voice of warning and warned the people to flee from the wrath that was to come. And the warning, the voice of warning was so contrary to the church setup of that day, until the people laughed him to scorn and thought he was a crazy man; for he--he spoke of something that was impossible as far as man was concerned for it to happen. Lord said He was going to rain water down out of the skies, and it had never rained, not even dew fall, until that time. But yet he said He was going to do it.
And here's where he based his--his text, where he based his thought and his faith was in, because God said He was going to do it. That's a good reason. When God says He's going to do anything, just believe it; because He's going to do it. [II Peter 2:5]
L-21 If God come down in this building tonight and said, "It's going to rain tomorrow," well, if I went everywhere, I'd take my umbrella. It'd be easy for me to take umbrella if the sun was shining ever so bright, 'cause I know it was going to rain. And when God says anything, He's going to do it, and you can just depend...
If He says, "Don't plant any crops this year, there won't--there won't be anything raised," you'd never see me putting any seed in the ground; 'cause it'd be easy for me to believe that God said so. And what God says, it's easy for me to believe that He'll do it. That is today, on the ministry.
L-22 Now, friends, there's many things that people do and say, perhaps maybe... I--I'm not the judge of people. But I think any ministry or any demonstration of the Spirit of God that can't be backed up in this Bible, I'd leave it alone. If anything that anyone says that isn't backed up by the Scripture, then I--I couldn't go with it; although I wouldn't say it wasn't God till I seen the fruits of it. Then I wouldn't say nothing about it; I'd just let it go like that.
I don't believe in talking about people. I don't believe that. I believe in rebuking sin and so forth; but talking about, "Well, this church is not right, and they are nothing but hypocrites, and this pastor's nothing." That's wrong. The Bible... God...
L-23 One man one time by the name of David, who could've killed his enemy; God led him right up to the enemy, and the man that was searching for his life, and his--even his general said, "God has delivered him into your hands; take his life." And he cut the piece off of his coat, went back up, he said, "God forbid that I touch His anointed." That's right.
So don't--don't say nothing evil about Christians. Don't try to harm Christians, 'cause you'll reap what you sow every time. "Touch not My anointed; do My prophets no harm. For it was far better for you that your--that you'd have millstone tied at your neck and drowned in the depths of the sea, than to offend My anointed." Is that right?
So don't say nothing about Christians. Maybe some of them don't live just right, or do just right, but that--that's God's child. Let--let the Father take care of His own kiddies. You know? If we go to fighting one another, God give us both a whipping, maybe. So let's--let's just leave the other fellow alone and pray for him. Try to love him and correct him and maybe God will help him. [I Chronicles 16:22], [Psalms 105:15], [I Samuel 24:1-15]
L-24 And so God prepares and sends voices of warning. And He's always made a preparation. Just before He sent Elijah up on the Mount Carmel, there to prove that He was God and--and the nation had gone wrong, well, He sent Elijah out to give a warning and to make preparation for these things. And He always does that: God provides a way every time for the people. And then if the people reject His mercy, there's only one thing left to do and that is for His judgment.
It's just like if you're going right, and that's right, and this is wrong going left, you can't expect to be going wrong and come out right. You've got to come out wrong. You may think you're going right, but you find out after awhile, it'll be wrong. And you can't go right and wrong at the same time. So just keep right all the time, and you're bound to come out. You think sometimes you're going wrong when you're going this way, but as long as you're going right, you'll come out right. You've got to.
So think right. That's your obligation to yourself. Do right; that's your obligation to God. And you'll be right just as certain as I'm standing in this platform tonight. Think right; do right; you've got to come out right. [I Kings 17:1]
L-25 So God always sends His warning. Just the days before the coming of the Lord Jesus, God always makes a preparation, so He sends an Angel. Now, many people doesn't believe in angels. And I don't believe in the worship of angel now. I'm not a Mormon and I--I don't believe in worshipping angels. And a true angel would not stand to be worshipped. No. The angel of God will not stand to be worshipped. He'll say, "Worship God," every time. And he'll declare Jesus Christ to be the Son of God every time. And he'll give all praise and all glory to God, take none for himself.
L-26 And then, you see, many times that little minor angels come, so forth, and visit people. Perhaps the ones that visits us now, I could not tell you; I don't know the Man's name; I've never ask Him. I never felt like I had breath enough to ask Him when He was standing close when I was talking to Him. He's a big Fellow, weigh about two hundred pounds. He's got dark hair to His shoulders, keeps His arms folded like this when He was talking to me, and always appears to the right side. That's the reason I bring my audience that way, my prayer line when I'm praying for. Now, you don't have to do your prayer line that way. That's just my own way of bring them to my right each time.
He's always appeared to my right side ever since I was a little boy and seen, or heard Him. I never seen Him till just a few years ago: see it in forms like a--a--a whirl in a bush, and I seen it in forms like light, but this time He was a Man standing there.
Now, that wasn't a vision. I know what a vision is, but this Man walked right up just like you'd walk, talking and everything. It wasn't no other dimension, nothing about it. I was standing right there looking at the man the same as I'd be looking at you and talk to Him. He walked on the floor and His feet made the noise as He walked just like yours would or anything else. It wasn't a vision; the Man was standing there.
L-27 And so when God goes to do anything, He always sends fir--forth a messenger. A messenger bears record to some individual, and that individual carries out the word. Now when God's fixing to do something major, He always sends a great Angel, for instance Gabriel. Gabriel announced the first coming of Christ. Did you know that? And Gabriel will announce the second coming of Christ. That's right. He'll sound the trumpet; time shall be no more.
Then ever, or just before the first coming of Christ, there was an old man by the name of Zacharias. And he was a righteous man, a good man, him his wife, Elisabeth. And they was keeping all the order of the law and was blameless in it. And the woman was barren; she had no children. And Zacharias just kept holding onto God, knowed that God would answer. And one day while he was... His office was to burn incense at the church. And while he was burning incense, he looked over on... [Luke 1:5-15]
L-28 Say, by the way, that was on his right side where Gabriel appeared. Is that... The Bi... I never thought of that till just then. It was on his right side. Now, as many times as I've spoke on that, that's the first time I thought of that. Gabriel was standing on his right side at the altar. I believe that's right. You check that in the Scripture and I think that is right: standing on his right side.
And he looked over there and there stood Gabriel, the Archangel. And he told him not to fear, that after days of his ministration there at the building, at the--Shiloh, that he was going up--or the temple--and he was going up and--to be with his wife; and she was going to conceive and bear a son. Well, that man, with all the background of the Bible, yet just because he'd been associated with the ritualistic form of the church, he said, "How could these things be? Well, she's old and I am old. How could these be?"
He said, "I'm Gabriel, that stands in the Presence of God." He said, "Because you doubted My Word, they'll be fulfilled in their season, but you'll be dumb till the day the baby's born." [Luke 1:5-23]
L-29 Say, you better believe God. That's right. When God speaks anything, it's going to happen anyhow. No matter if all the whole rest of the church world downs it, God's going to bring it to pass anyhow. When He said He's going to, He's going to do it. That's the reason today, that we know that the things that Jesus said that He did, would be repeated again before He come. And it's got to be. His ministry, His life, His power, just as He was here on earth then, so is He now. It's got to be, because Jesus said so. And Jesus said, "The things that I do, shall you also; even more than this, for I go to My Father." Is that right? So there's nothing unscriptural.
Watch what He did. Look back in the Book and see what He did in His life. He didn't claim to be a healer; didn't claim to be great person; but He could perceive their thoughts; and He saw visions of the Father. The Father showed Him what to do and went straight and done just exactly what God told Him: Saint John 5:19. Is that right? And He didn't do nothing until the Father first showed Him. Is that right? The Father showed Him a vision. "What the Son seeth the Father doing, that doeth the Son likewise." So then He said, "Now, these things that I do, you'll do also." Amen. There you are. [John 5:19]
L-30 Notice. Then, see, it's perfectly in harmony with the Scripture. It might not be the regular routine of theology, the way you've heard it, but it's the Scripture. The regular routine of theology denied Jesus Christ at His first coming. It'll deny Him at His second coming. That's right. When those priests and--stood up there, of men, renown men, holy men, spotless men, scholars to the dot... My, all they done, day and night, generation after generation, is live right in that Bible. And they had to be without fault. One man had a blemish on him, took him out and stoned him. He had to be...
He couldn't be just any fellow: "Why, I got a calling to the ministry." He had to come out of the lineage of a certain priesthood or he couldn't be a--a--a priest. That's right. He had to be a Levite or he wasn't a priest. No matter how much he wanted to be, it had to be his great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather on back that had to be a priest, and him a minister, minister, minister, minister. He had to come down through that line, that in his home nothing else but just the clergy all the time.
L-31 And look how they'd walked over and over and over that Word and over that Word, and looking all the time for the coming of Jesus, and Jesus come in a way that they didn't even recognize it. Is that right?
What He did then, He's doing right now, and you don't recognize it. Yes, sir. And I say that with humble heart, Christian, not because I'm here trying to represent Him; but I'm here saying it by the power of an authority of God; that it's come in a different way and the clergy does not recognize it. That's right. They looked at it, say, "Why, he's just a mind reader."
Don't you remember Jesus said, "They called Him Beelzebub," the chief of the devils, the best of the fortunetellers there was. He said, "If they called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more they going to call you?" So you have to expect it.
You say, "Well, I heard Dr. So-and-so say that Brother Branham, who was--this was that and all this Divine healing was that." Just expect it. "Oh, the man's got a D.D." I don't care what he's got, brother. If He hasn't got a--a change of heart, he'll never recognize it. That's one thing sure. He--he needs a--a C.H.: change of heart, that--instead of a D.D. All right. [Matthew 10:24-25]
L-32 Notice, now... And here come Gabriel and told him that. And he was dumb. He smit him dumb. And then the people that was outside wondering why he didn't come out. After while he come out, and he beckoned to them that they perceived that he'd seen a vision. So he went home, and was with his wife, and she conceived. And she hid herself for six months.
At the end of six months, a little virgin was packing water one day. I aim to visit the Virgin's Well pretty soon. And then when...
There's only one well in--in Nazareth there, and there's where they--they pack the--the water. And the oriental way of packing it, many of you probably's been in the orients and understand. They'll put a pot of it... I seen them put it up on their heads that would be five gallons. And put one pot up on their shoulder--upon their hip, rather, and another like this. And the women all get around these wells and talk. And then they sit the water on their head like this; and two pots, probably fifteen gallons of water and just walk just as straight as they can with it, just with perfect balance as you ever seen.
I've seen them put a--like a suitcase, and a suitcase, and another suitcase, then put a bundle on top that, and set a bottle on top of that, just walking along talking, just going on in just a perfect balance of walk. And how they do it... [Luke 1:5-25]
L-33 And I can imagine seeing little Mary now, being espoused to Joseph, engaged to him, before they came together... Well, she was going with this man. And she was down at the well this day getting some water: perhaps a wash day. And she goes up towards her little humble home.
She was a virgin, a real little lady, out of a real poor family. And no matter... And living in the wickedest town there was in the land, where all the wicked, ungodly men lived, but yet, she was a virgin.
So your trials sometime is jewels. Do you realize that? It said that it was more precious than gold, your faith when it's been tried. Now, don't think that fiery trials come upon us to purify us. When you go through temptation, just hold your ground. If somebody says, "Well, now, you're all off the track." Stay right where you're at till God says it. Don't shake at every wind. See? Stay right there. You know, men, that God... Even if you're a little out of the way, if you'll really, in your heart, be sincere and stand firm on what you believe, God will respect it. That's right. [Luke 1:26-38]
L-34 You know, a woman--a woman that holds her ground, she might be as ugly as all get out, but if she'll hold her grounds and be a lady, there isn't a man in the country that's got an ounce of gentleman about him but what will respect her. That's right. Yes, sir. She's--she--she knows what's right; and she stands for what's right; and she holds herself right; and the people will think right of her. That's exactly right.
And God will do the same thing in the way of religion. If you set yourself in Calvary yonder and realize it's a--that your--Holy Spirit that you got, types that...
L-35 You know, this is a great day of typology. If you don't believe it, paint your steps red next week; and watch, week after next, if your neighbors ain't got red steps. You go to church with a new kind of a hat on, no matter how freaky it looks, see if the neighbor next to you don't try to get the same kind of hat. "Where did you get that at?" See? Well, it's said they'll get... Change cars. You get a Plymouth after you've been driving a Ford, see if your neighbor don't want a Plymouth then. See, everybody's wanting something to match one another. Always said I didn't care whether my trousers match my coat or my coat matched my tie. I want my experience to match God's Word, what God said.
If those people on the day of Pentecost got the Holy Ghost and staggered and shouted and acted like a bunch of maniacs, that's the kind of experience I want. If the apostles went forth, who claimed the Holy Ghost, performed signs and wonders, and--and the resurrected Lord Jesus lived among them, and they were called crazy and heretics and everything else, I want my experience to be just like that. That's what I want--want. I want to match that.
L-36 And I remember when I... I've always wanted to be that way. When I was a little boy, I read Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan and the Apes." I cut up mom's old dresser rug. She's setting here somewhere tonight. She might whip me over that yet. And I lived in a tree for six months nearly: read "Tarzan and the Apes."
I read the "Lone Star Ranger," by--I forget who the writer was, and... And anyhow, read the... Zane Grey... I was at his place over on Catalina Islands, here not long ago. And he wrote the "Lone Star Ranger." I read it. I'll tell you; I rode mom's broom to death as a hobbyhorse around the house. I... What you to read is what... That's the reason today, that there's so much juvenile delinquency.
L-37 I was parking my car in a parking lot around here. A man said, "Preacher, what are you going to do about all these kids and this juvenile delinquency?"
I said, "Cut out all this vulgarity on the television, and all this other kind of stuff like that, and get that communistic spirit started to moving, and it'll move. But as long as the kids has got it in them, drilled in them; see it at home, see it among their father and mother, walk down to school and act impudent and everything like that... How can one church do it? Brother, you're putting them into a... Communism is a spirit, not just a nation; it's a spirit. And the spirit's what's worming into America. It's worming into the churches; it's worming into the schools; it's worming into the individual. And communism is the thing that's breaking it down. Watch these high-headed, haughty Americans, and you see whether Communism has got them or not. Why, they're rooted as deep as Russia is right now. That's right. It's a...
L-38 Don't never fear about the robin that pecks on the apple hurting it. It isn't the robin peck on the apple that hurts it: it's the worm at the core that gets the apple. That's right. Don't think about Russia coming in and hurting us; it's our own... The spirit of communism big headed, highty, heady, high-minded lovers of pleasure; forsaking God, making fun of the Holy Spirit, that's what's ruining us. That's what's a hurting us: the worm at the core. That's where it's at. Amen. I don't mean to go to preaching, but notice. We'll get that tomorrow night or sometime.
L-39 But anyhow, back to our story. We watch them up there. Then when she conceived and she hid herself, the little virgin then was packing water; as we go along with our story. Going up along the side of the road, I imagine she was wondering in her little heart, happy, "One of these days I'll be married. We--Joseph and I will live in this little place here. And..."
Along the road, and after awhile a light flashed before her. And she looked, standing in that Light... The little virgin never seen a vision, perhaps, before. And there stood a mighty Archangel standing there. It frightened her. It would frighten you. Yes.
And there He stood. And He said, "Hail, Mary..." In other words, "Stop." "Blessed art Thou. Now, you've lived a good clean life among all this here vulgarity and things here, and you've found favor with God." Amen. I... That's what I like. "You've found favor with God." [Luke 1:26-38]
L-40 And now, He went and told her about Elisabeth up there, what condition she was in. And Elisabeth and Mary was first cousins. And went and told what happened up there.
And said, "Now, you're going to bring forth a child, knowing no man."
Why, she said, "How will these things be?"
And he said, "Why, the Holy Ghost is going to overshadow you, and that holy Thing will be borned in you will be the Son of God."
She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to Your Word." [Luke 1:26-38]
L-41 Now, look at that scholar. Look at Zacharias, the scholared priest, the man who come through the seminaries and had the D.D.'s and Ph. D's., and had plenty of examples. He had Hagar back there, or--or Hannah, rather. And he had Sarah and many women, real, older than his wife, had received children after being past the age. But he doubted whether it could be his or not.
But little Mary had to believe something that had never happened before. No virgin born child had ever been before. But she didn't question Him. She just took His Word. Said, "Behold, the handsmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to Your Word." And away she went.
And here's what I like about her. She went to testifying she was going to have the baby, before she had one sign of evidence, otherwise of His Word. Can you do that tonight, you sick person? When God said, "I'm the Lord that healeth all thy diseases," can you say, "Thank the Lord; I'm healed. Praise the Lord." That's right. "Going out of here and be perfectly normal and well." Why? "The Lord said so." [Luke 1:5-15, 26-38], [Psalms 23:1-3]
L-42 Now, little Mary run through the streets said, "You know? I'm going to have a baby knowing no man."
Said, "What? Nonsense. Why, how do you know?"
"The Holy Ghost said so. Huh... That's why. The Holy Ghost told me I was going to have it." She had a good reason to believe it. Is that right? If the Holy Ghost said so, then that settles it. That's right. It settles it.
And I can see her then. She said, "I believe I'll go up and see how Elisabeth's getting along. And she put her little shawl on, and away she went up the hills of Judaea, out of Bethlehem, out--up into Judaea. And when she got up there... Elisabeth had hid herself, so she was looking through the window, and she seen little Mary coming up. And the way woman did then, they loved one another. You know? So they run out and put their arms around one another, and give a, hug one another. And oh, they was so glad to see one another. [Luke 1:39-45]
L-43 Say, it's too bad we lost that kind of love for one another, hasn't it? That's right. Nowadays, look like love is the last thing people thinks of, and that's the very principle. If you want to know what I think the evidence of the Holy Ghost is, it's love. And that's right. I don't care what else, you can scream, shout, or do whatever you want to, if you haven't got love, Paul said, "You got nothing." That's right. You got to have love to go with this there. You got that without love, you haven't got it yet, 'cause God is love. And no--and there he goes. And up into the country... [I Corinthians 13:1-3]
L-44 And she--loved--begin to love her--her sister. And today, you know, the love is so hard to find, well, the Bible said there'd come a time when there wouldn't even be love for one another: that father would be against mother, and mother against father, and children against parents, and so forth. And the only love would be left would just be between the elect. And that's about right. Love is a scarce thing today.
Look at the divorce courts between husband and wife. Look at juvenile delinquency. Look at the home breaks and everything: no love, no love.
Now, the only time that you even know your neighbor's dead, is when you read in the paper. That's about right. We don't know about one another no more: no love no more.
L-45 And I can just imagine running out there, and loving one another, and shaking hands with each other, and talking about... And I can hear Mary say...
Let's--let's just break in now and tune over on their conversation. I can hear Mary say, "Oh, Elisabeth, I'm so happy, so happy." 'Course, looking at her, she says, "I--I know that you're going to be a mother."
She said, "Yes. Mary, I'm--I... That's right. I'm going to be a mother, but I--I'm scared, Mary."
"Well, what are you scared about, Elisabeth?"
"Well, it's already six months with me as a mother and--and there's no life yet." That's altogether subnormal. Anyone knows that muscles twist and jump. So he said... "That... I--I--I--I--I'm worried about it."
Mary said, "You know what, I was walking home here a few days ago from the well. And the first thing you know, I saw a--a big Pillar of Light before me. And I happened to look in that Light and there stood Gabriel the Archangel. And He said to me that I was going to be overshadowed by the Holy Ghost and was going to bring forth a Child too."
"Oh, is that right, Mary?"
Said, "Yes." And said, "His Name was going to be called, 'Jesus.'" And as soon as she said, "Jesus," little John got the Holy Ghost and begin to shout and jump up and down in his mother's womb for joy. [Luke 1:39-45]
L-46 And listen. If the first time that the Name of Jesus Christ was ever spoke in human lips brought life to a dead baby, what ought it to do to a borned again church? What ought it to do to diseases? Why, it'd just rid the thing like that if you'll take it reverently. You can't use it in slang out here on the street and come back to the church tonight and expect to be healed by it. That's right. You got to respect It and love It and cherish It, and put It out in the front of everything else; "Take the Name of Jesus with you, as a shield from every foe." That's right. Keep the Name of Jesus before you always. [Luke 1:39-45]
L-47 And the first time she said, "Jesus," the little John begin to jump in his mother's womb for joy, and she said, "Whence cometh the mother of my Lord, for as soon as your salutation come into my ears, my baby leaped in the womb for joy." Talk about a Name... There it is. "My baby leaped for joy and begin to shout and jump in her womb." And the Bible said that he was born from his mother's womb, full of the Holy Ghost. That right? You know, Holy Ghost gives life when It comes; give life to a dead baby, the first time the Name of Jesus was spoke. [Luke 1:39-45]
L-48 Notice. On they went and when Jesus came... We go on to His birth, just for a few moments. Now, God has never left Hisself without a witness. He's always had a witness somewhere. Sometimes its got down to one man, but He's never been without a witness on earth.
Now, remember, God takes His--His man off of earth but He never takes His Spirit off of earth. If that Spirit ever leaves, it--she's finished.
That's the reason tonight, that we got wars and troubles and things. Why? This world--every nation is dominated by Satan. Whew. Never heard many, "Amens" on that, but it's the truth: THUS SAITH THE LORD.
Every nation on earth is dominated by Satan. Satan took Jesus up on a mountain and showed Him the United States and all the other kingdoms. He said, "I will give them all to you if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus knowed He was going to fall heir to them anyhow. He said, "It's written: thou shall worship the Lord Thy God and Him only shall thou serve."
Satan said, "They're mine. I do with them what I want to." That's the reason we got wars and troubles. But one of these days, that Rock that was hewed out of the mountains was coming and mashing into these kingdoms, and will tear them down. [Matthew 4:1-11], [Luke 4:1-13]
L-49 Over in the book of Revelation said, "Rejoice, ye heavens and you holy prophets (Here it is), for the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. And He ruled and reigned on earth a thousands years." There you are. Then they will study war no more.
But as long as Satan's got the rule, he just... This one will build up a little bit, and a few righteous men will get in office, and they will build up a little bit, and then Satan will reach over here and tear the thing down. That's right. Then the first thing you know, with that great prince that's coming someday, every man, every nation fighting: let this be the international language; let this be the international flag; and they're fighting for power and don't realize they're calling up a bunch of crazy people. And we're in the kingdom that will possess the world. That's right. Yes, sir.
The kingdom of God shall rule and reign and smite down every nation, every flag, and there will be one flag, and that will be the Old Rugged Cross. There will be one language; that will be the heavenly. Hallelujah. One people, that will be the saints, and they will rule and reign with Christ on David's throne, His father, and rule and reign here through the millennium of a thousand years, and then it over to the new earth. Oh, what a marvelous thing.
Say, that would just get me to preaching in a little bit, I believe, the thing, 'cause that'd get all of us Methodists to shouting. Notice, thinking of that time coming... [Revelation 20:6]
L-50 Notice, then, the next thing we see, coming on the scene now, was another man. God had a remnant. There was a man... Well, 'course there was John the Baptist was looking for the coming of--of Jesus to appear. And there was Zacharias. I mean Zacharias instead of John the Baptist's father, which was Zacharias. He was looking for it. And there was an old man in the temple by the name of Simeon. He was looking for the coming of the Lord. And they were farther away from it all.
They were just getting in with good things and they were... The Roman Empire had captured them; they were captured. And they were going along pretty good. But, you know, one day while Simeon was praying, the Holy Ghost come to him and said, "Simeon, you're an old man, but you're not going to see death before you see the Christ." Just think of it now. A--an old sage, long white beard, probably eighty years old, white hair, been a teacher among his children; they all regard him as father. Thousands times thousands of Jews, a very sagey old man...
And the first thing you know, the Holy Ghost told him, said, "Now, you're not going to see death till you see the Christ." What a thing that man had to step out and witness then. But did he do it? Yes, sir. Walked right out and told everybody he wasn't going to die till he seen the Christ. [Luke 2:21-30]
L-51 I can imagine, just like the same thing that happened here in Louisville about Divine healing and the Holy Spirit. Say, "You know what? Brother So-and-so kinda went off at their head. You know that? There's something wrong with him. Well that old man... Why, David looked for him. And way back the apostle--way back the patriarchs looked for Him. And here we are in the condition that we are today; then he says he's going to see the Christ. Well, poor old Simeon, there's something happened to the old man." It was. He got ahold of the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Ghost got ahold of Him, could talk to him; got him quiet enough one time.
People'd probably think the same thing about you if He could ever get you quiet enough one time; He could talk to you. That's right. You'll come join up with us. Huh. My, that went deep, didn't it? Huh. All right. Well, that's true. Yes, you'll become one of them. You know, He said, "One of them... and in this way..." [Luke 2:21-30]
L-52 Notice. Then, we notice the old fellow, he went around telling people he's going to see the Christ. So they just though he was a little bit crazy. So one day, it finally happened. Up on the top of the mountain, there was some angels came down and sang to some shepherds, "In the city of David today is born Christ the Saviour." Now, why didn't He go down, tell the priests about it? They wouldn't receive them. God deals with the common people. He always has. And He sung to the poorest people there was. When the angels came, they visit the most poorest and outcast people there was, which was shepherds.
When Jesus came on the scene, He chose for His apostles, the most poorest peasants there was: fishermen down on the river. And then, yet, the heady high-minded scholars think they got it. They got it. All right. [Luke 2:1-14]
L-53 Notice, then up there on the hill, when He was born, then there's some Magis come to worship Him, stargazers who came from the east in the Orient. And they said, "We have seen his star in the east and we've come to worship him."
I want to show you something. Someone said the other night, about while here in the meeting, said, they seen the Angel of the Lord standing near. Said, "Brother Branham, I would've raised up and said something, but I--I just kept still." Said, "I didn't say nothing."
Many times it's happened. Well, the other woman that was with her said, "I want to ask you something." Said, "If she would've seen it, and me a Christian, wouldn't I have seen it too?"
I said, "No. Wouldn't be necessary." I said, "Think of the star that rose in the east and come all across the country, weeks after week, months after month, traveling by camel. They never come to a little infant baby as you think. The Bible said they come to a young child. He was two years old when they got there. Herod killed all the children from two years old back so he could be sure to get Him. See? All the two year old children, he killed. And it would not a--not a infant like Christianity calls it, but it was a young child. [Matthew 2:1-18]
L-54 And when these star gazers got there, that mystic star passed over every observatory, as we know of. And remember, there was somebody on the watch of every city taking time by the stars. Is that right? That's how they told the time. "Watchman, what of the night?" See? They seen just how the stars was moving what time it was. And he passed by every one of those smart, scholarly men. And here was these old men on these camels just riding along, looking at it. And them wondering, "What's the matter with them guys looking up. They didn't see nothing." Why? They wasn't looking for it. That's right.
You say, "Well, I went to the meeting last night, Brother Branham, and I didn't see nothing so outstanding." The reason, you wasn't looking for it. That's right.
"I never see nothing in one of those meetings called you all, meetings of holiness people, or whatever it is you call yourself, one of the people: I don't see nothing." Because you're not looking for it. You usually get just what you're looking for. You know? [Matthew 2:1-18]
L-55 So they, they never seen it. They say, "Well, I--I'm a star gazer. I know every star in the sky. I know all about it. And if you... Them men passed right by me. There was no star there." But the Bible said there was. So some of them fundamentalists sure got turned around there, didn't they? Certainly did.
Here come the star coming right by them, them standing there just as fundamental in their astrology as they could be, but they couldn't see it. Passed right on by and went right over and hung over Christ. And when they worshipped and returned back, you know the story. [Matthew 2:1-18]
L-56 And then let's take it, say it's one Monday morning. All right. He was born in Bethlehem. They didn't have ways of sending news like they do now. We got the telegram and--and the television, and everything that we can send news. But the only way they had then was to tell it to somebody, and let him take a letter or message to somebody, from lip to ear. And the message hadn't got around.
Now, every baby, according to the Jewish laws of them days, every baby after it was eight days old, the mother had to go and offer a sacrifice for her purification, circumcision of the child.
So let's take it's Monday morning now, and there's about two million Jews in Palestine at the time. So there's probably thousands of babies to be circumcised each day.
L-57 All right. Let's say it's a Monday morning, the big temple... There's thousands of people there. And along this side stands a big long line of women, standing along there with their little babies in their arms, and some of them in nice needlework. You know? And the mother's cooing to their little darlings. You know? And the little Jews a laughing. And first thing you know, on down along the line...
Let's look on down as we come. Here was a poor woman. She's standing there. On down there I see a young woman. She's very young; she don't look to be over about eighteen, and she's very poorly dressed. And she's got a baby. And look what's it got on it; it's got swaddling's cloth wrapped on it. And swaddling's cloth's what they take off the back of a yoke of an ox, they tell me, when they're plowing. You know? And they put that cloth on; they didn't have no clothes to put on Him, so they just wrapped Him in swaddling's cloth: yet the King of Glory, the Prince of Peace. The Mightiest that ever was or ever will be, stood there wrapped in swaddling's cloth. Come through a stable door and went out through capital punishment with gobs of mocking spit hanging on Him from the religious people of that world--of this world, rather. Yes.
Because He wasn't of the world. His kingdom was not of this world and that's the reason He went out that way. He went out that way so that we guilty people could follow Him to glory someday. He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we're healed. [Luke 2:21-33]
L-58 The Blood... The most bloody sight I ever seen, is to see Him going up Golgotha; little red spots all over the back of His clothes here. We wonder what that is. We keep looking at it as it goes up. Them spots get bigger and bigger, until finally it's all one big blood, and there's something patting against his leg. [Brother Branham pats his hand--Ed.] What was it? It was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. That blood that was dripping off of His body there was for my healing and for your healing, for every individual's healing.
There he was, the blood running over His face, through mocking spit of the soldiers and things; a cruel crown of thorns around His head; and the nails was drove through His hands, through His feet; spear run through His side. He was wounded for your transgressions, bruised for your iniquity; the chastisement of His--of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we were healed. [Isaiah 53:5]
L-59 And here He is now, as we see Him coming into the world through the stable door. There stands His little mammy, standing there with a baby in her arms, wrapped in swaddling's cloth, two little turtledoves, the peasant's offering. A rich baby could offer a little lamb, which was a rich baby's offering. But he had, perhaps, two little turtledoves standing in the mother's hand.
Well, I can hear some of them say, "Looky there. There's that woman that goes around here giving that word here, not long ago, that she was going to... Why, I know she's going with that man and that's what it is. She got that baby out of holy wedlock. Don't stand near her. I won't have nothing to do with her."
That just puts me a real mind of the people today in the church who tries to spurn the borned again man and woman that knows what they're talking about, 'cause they've received something from God. No matter what the world calls it, you know what you are. [Luke 2:21-33]
L-60 Oh, argue with Brother Paul when he was getting ready to be beheaded, when he stood before the Caesar there, or, I believe, Agrippa; he said, "In the way that's called heresy, that's the way I worship God."
I like to join with him tonight and say, "Amen, Paul. The way that's called heresy, crazy, that's the way I worship God, and among--with the people that's called crazy people." Act up and act all kinds, and cuts up and screams and hollers, and believes in Divine healing, the power of the resurrection, things. That's the kind of people I worship God with. That--that's what he said. They call them crazy so I'm one of them.
And he said, "Paul, you got too much learning. You're mad."
He said, "No, I'm not mad."
"Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian."
Said, "I wished you were just like me: o--only these chains." That's right. There he was. Notice him. [Acts 24:14-25]
L-61 Now, here's Jesus in the temple. Let's say Simeon's standing over here somewhere in the room, reading some of the Scripture, maybe "All we like sheep have gone astray; the Lord placed upon Him the iniquity of us all. He... Yet it pleased God to smite Him and bruise Him." And, "He was wounded for our transgressions..." Simeon said, "Just wonder Who that was?"
Now, if the Holy Ghost had promised Simeon he was going to see Christ, and Christ was in the temple, it's up to the Holy Ghost to lead him to Christ. Is that right? If God's made a promise, God's under obligation to His Word. Is that right? If God promised Divine healing, God's under obligation to place Divine healing here. If God...?... If Christ promised that He was the same yesterday, today, and forever, He's under obligation to place that upon somebody to represent Him: if He promised it. If He said, "The things that I do shall you also," He's under obligation to that Word. Is that right?
He said, "Go ye into all the world, preach the Gospel. These signs shall follow them that believe." He's under obligation to make those signs follow. How far? To all the world, to the end of the world. He's under obligation to do it somewhere. And no matter how much they persecute and what you try to do, it's going to be right on just the same. No way of stopping it, God has said so. And you could stop the world easier than you can stop that. It'll move right on just the same. So communists and everything else just might as well keep still, 'cause God's going to move on anyhow. [Luke 2:25-35]
L-62 Now, I want you to notice. I'll hurry right quick. I got about five minutes now. Notice, here He is. And Simeon, standing in the temple there, way off in a prayer room, the Holy Ghost said, "Stand up, Simeon." Simeon stands to his feet. Here he comes walking out of the temple, not knowing where he's going, led by the Holy Spirit right down along that line until he finds, stops in front of that little woman with that baby; reaches over, and the tears running down this white beard; took the Baby up in his arms and blessed God; and said, "Lord, let Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word, for my eyes have seen Your Salvation."
The Holy Ghost promised him that; the Holy Ghost is under obligation to do that. And yet he didn't know nothing about it, but God led him to Christ when Christ was in the temple. [Luke 2:25-35]
L-63 How many of you believe in Divine healing? Well then, if the--David said, when the deep calls to the deep, there's got to be a deep to respond to it. The very rea... How many would like to have more of God tonight, raise your hand? Well, because that you want more of God, that's a good sign there's more of God to be for you.
As I've often said, before a fin was on a fish's back, there had to be a water first for him to swim in or he wouldn't have no fin. He has to have the fin first. Before there's a tree to grow in the earth, there has to be an earth first for it to grow in or there wouldn't be no tree.
L-64 And as I told you about the little baby eating the erasers off of a pencil here a few nights ago... Now, the reason that baby eat the pencils--erasers, and eat the pedals from a bicycle, that was rubber, the doctors examined him at a clinic and found out he needed sulfur. Sulfur's in rubber.
Now, before there could be a craving here for sulfur, there has to be a sulfur out there to respond to that crave. Before you can want more of God, there's got to be more of God to respond to that crave. Before you can have... Before... Well, if--if the Bible didn't even teach Divine healing, yet you believed in it, there's got to be something somewhere. Amen. There's got to be a deep to respond to every deep. There has to be. The very thing of you believing in it, shows that there's a fountain open somewhere.
L-65 And the reason Simeon believed that Christ would come, the Holy Spirit said so, and the Holy Spirit, no matter how strange it seemed to people, how crazy he seemed to be, he yet believed it; because there was something in him told him so.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]...?... is to bring to that place where it was at to meet it. See what I mean? Just like obligated to bring sulfur to his body, obligated to bring water to the fish or the fish to the water. See? And God's obligated to you tonight, that believe in Divine healing, to bring you to the fountain. That's why you're here tonight.
The same Holy Ghost that led Simeon up to the Christ, because He had promised it, you've read it in the Bible, you believe it, and the same Holy Ghost led you here tonight. I'm sure the devil wouldn't do it. [Luke 2:25-35]
L-66 The Holy Ghost has led you here tonight to the fountain of Divine healing. And I promise it to you. I'm showing it to you, that it's the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the power of God, that's here tonight, flowing freely to every man. "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the fountains of waters of life freely." No strange job, no nationalities; no degrees; no... Whether you're poor or whether you're rich; whether you're illiterate; whether educated, whether you're black, yellow, brown, or white; no matter who it is, "Whosoever will, let him come." Whether you're Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, whatever you are, "Whosoever will, let him come." Drink from the fountains of the water of life that was smitten on Calvary for a perishing world that was sick and dying. Come drink freely. [John 7:37]
L-67 The same Holy Ghost that tells you that there is healing, has brought you here tonight. Look at the Holy Ghost lead Simeon: "Stand up, Simeon." And now as tonight you was just in a hurry, you eat supper. Said, "Wifey, let's hurry up and get over to the church right quick now. We... Maybe the Lord will move on us tonight. We'll just go to see the Lord's power. We believe. We're going to be setting there praying. When Brother Branham's a preaching and talking, we may see it."
"Well, let's hurry. I'll just... Oh, you can just set them potatoes aside. I'll eat them when I come home." What is it? The same Holy Ghost moving yonder. There's a man and women setting here now that's sick and afflicted is going to go out of here healed tonight. There's somebody going. Amen. I'll assure you that. That's right. [Luke 2:25-35]
L-68 There's sick people setting right here now that'll go out of here tonight to be well. There's no doubt dying people setting right here tonight, will go out of here with life to live again. Praise God. Why? The same Holy Spirit that led Simeon is leads--led you here tonight. Don't be a scared to drink. Walk right up freely with a lot of boldness. We come boldly to the throne of God, for God is faithful Who has promised us. Don't be scared. Reach up and get it; it's yours. He's led you right up to the Fountain. Now, if you're thirsty, drink. Just drink abundance; just drink till you can't drink no more. Drink till you get so drunk on the salvation of God, you'll not listen to the critics, not listen to your feelings, any symptoms. You'll look to Calvary and say, "God, I want to hear the roars of Calvary. That's all I hear." Amen. There you are. [Luke 2:25-35]
L-69 Here comes Simeon, led by the Holy Spirit, like you people led in here tonight. Walked down and stopped, he said, "I see the Messiahic sign. This is Him." Reached right over and said, "Lord, let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word. My eyes see Your Salvation which Thou hast prepared for all men."
Way back down in a corner, about a city block away, was an old blind woman setting down there. Her name was Ann. She was a prophetess: spiritual, filled with the power of God. She was setting there. And being she never left the temple, they'd give her something to eat, and she stayed there and prayed for the people. As they'd pass by, Ann would pray and say, "The Lord bless you and comfort you." And she said, "Someday, there'll... Oh, although I'm blind, but through this blindness I see a lovely One coming." Oh, my. She had better eyes than most you all got. Said up there this day, "I see a lovely One coming." [Luke 2:25-38]
L-70 And I can hear her testifying to someone. Just then the Holy Ghost said, "Ann, stand up. He's in the temple."
"Where is He, Lord?" She heard that still small voice speak in her heart. She raised up. And here comes that old blind woman, going right around through the people, bumping into one and then the other one. What's the matter? Led by the Holy Ghost: Deep calling to the deep to see Him.
She moves up, and Simeon's standing there, and the tears running down his face. And I hear somebody say, "Now, looky there at that old fanatic priest. You see what he's done? He's walked right over. Now, look at that old preacher stand over there, just as crazy as he can be. There he's standing over there. And look who's--look who he's dealing with. Look at the class of people. You can see what he's doing. Look at him standing there crying over that little old baby wrapped up in that old stinky garment, hanging there. You can see what kind of people they are. Uh-huh. Oh, we just won't have nothing to do with them. And looky here at this old blind woman. Where's she coming?"
Here she comes staggering around. "Watch that poor old wretched witch. Why, they ought to... Somebody ought to set her down." Don't try it. Here she comes. You can't set God's servants down when they're moving in the Spirit. They're coming on (That's right.), coming on. And... [Luke 2:25-38]
L-71 Directly she come right to where Simeon was. She stopped and give thanks to God. Amen. There you are. Brother, you--are you expecting to see Him tonight? Do you believe that God is preparing now mercy before judgment is going a strike the nations? His merciful arm's stretched out over each one of you here tonight. I declare to you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, that Jesus has risen from the dead. And the things that He said in His Word, takes place here and goes just exactly the way He said. The same resurrected Lord from Calvary is here tonight to give eternal life to every one; to give eternal blessings to every one; to give to eternal peace to every one; to give salvation; to give Divine healing; to give any redemptive blessing that He died for, He's here tonight to do it to you.
L-72 And surely, Christian friend, if I was such an impostor and such an awful person, how would God confirm His Word by it? Around the world, how could it happen? God would never back up an error. God will never have nothing to do with error. He'll stand for truth and only testify of the truth. If I tell the truth, God will say it's the truth. If I tell a lie, God will back it up as a lie. He'll have nothing to do with it. He'll say nothing with it. But I never fear, because that I know it's the truth, and I speak the truth. And surely I have some conception of what I'm talking about, if God has let me do these things by His grace.
And I say tonight, that every person setting here, that's hungering in your heart for healing, it's yours just as free as you will receive it. Try it. Don't try it; get it. Nothing to just try; anybody can try. It takes a real man or woman to go get it. That's right. Let's believe.
L-73 The Holy Spirit leading you now, may He lead each one of you tonight. May He you--lead your spirit in contact with His Being. May He speak to many of you tonight: peace to your soul. May He forgive every sin of the people that's in here. May He heal every sick person. And when this meeting's closed... As this meeting tonight goes down in history, may the people go away from this building tonight, saying like those who went from Emmaus that time. They'd walked with Him all day long, talking with Him. He explained the Scriptures to them, but they didn't realize that it was Jesus they were talking to. And many of you come to church tonight, wondering, talking; but you didn't realize it was Him. Now, when He got them all on the inside of the house, He done something kinda different from what other men does; and they said, "That's Him." And away they went home just as hard they could go, saying, "Truly He's risen from the dead." And may He come tonight and do things just a little different, so that you'll know that He's here. Do you understand what I mean? God bless you while we pray. [Matthew 28:7], [Mark 16:6], [John 21:14]
L-74 Father, there it is, the little broke up message, just as I--You gave it to me here at the platform. Gone out now; it goes on the books of heaven. I don't know what the results will be? I pray that sinners and backsliders here tonight, will make up their mind right now, that they're going to serve You.
And may all the sick that's in the building tonight: sick, lame, halt, blind, withered, cancered, heart trouble, whatever it may be, may every one of them make up their mind right now: "By His stripes I'm healed." And may they know that it's You, here, the resurrected Lord Jesus, confirming Your Word with signs following.
Bless all the churches everywhere. The churches that's represented here, bless the members. And God give us an old fashion revival. And tonight, may the Lord Jesus come in, the resurrected One, and do the same things through His humble people that He did then to confirm His Word, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, "The things that I do shall you also." In Jesus' Name, Amen. [John 14:12]
L-75 Of "Only Believe," if you will, sister, just a moment. I'm sorry to take up this time like this by speaking to you. It's so lovely. And I--I think most the time, after all, this is the Word. And if preaching the Word of God won't break down the difference, I don't know what will: the truth. There might be miracles performed here. You might come to the platform... And I've never seen one yet, but what walked on the platform but had some, something happened. Never seen it in my life. Something happened. Wait maybe, for a few days. First thing you know, in comes the enemy again. Then you say, "Where's Brother Branham?" Well, it's hard tell. I'll be in Shreveport, I guess, next week, the Lord willing; then Denver, and then Canada, and then overseas.
But look. If you've got, not Brother Branham, but if you've got THUS SAITH THE LORD, just let the storms howl. And, you say, "I got saved, Brother Branham. I know I did; 'cause I felt real good." The devil can beat you around the stump every day on that. I'm not saved because I feel real good. I'm not saved because I shout. I'm not saved because I see visions. I'm not saved--saved because I preach the Gospel. I'm saved because I've met the conditions of God's Word. "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life." The devil can't beat you around that. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD meeting him right in the face. [John 5:24]
L-76 All right. I think... Did he give out new prayer cards? Did you give out new prayer cards? All right, let's see. Let's--let's begin the first of them tonight and stand up a few groups of them now. What is your number, sir? What? Q. All right, who has Q number 1? I don't know who you are. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
... you and that settles it. You never have... Many of you people, I'm getting your letters and hearing your phone calls that comes to my wife and loved ones there. And they tell me, "Well what's the matter?" See? Well, it's just because it's home. That's one thing. See? The first thing, there's people setting in this building here, has knowed me since I was a little kid. And that--that's right. And this being home, Jesus said so, and it's just got to be that way. Another thing, it's a church. Church is the best place to have a meeting. But the first thing, people come in and say, "Well, this is--this is Brother's Cauble's." This is not Brother Cauble's; this belongs to Jesus Christ. See? Brother Cauble's just one of us. See? But they'll do that.
L-77 If the Methodists have it, the Baptist say, "Well, that's the Meth--from the Methodists. Wait we'll have it in our church." See? Well, that--it... They do it that way. And then, another thing, in a church where you're congested like this, look, I've got spirit all around me (See?), everywhere.
This morning, my boy come up and was talking to me when I was in the study. He said, "Daddy, one of Brother Cauble's people was up there and was prayed for last night. It's somebody, or a singer, or something. And the night before that--the night before that, that same person, if it is the same person that was setting here, with such a faith--one of them--turned completely around like this, with the faith setting there waiting. And here I was, just about to call that woman's trouble to somebody else standing here on the platform. See? It's all around you. It's just coming like this, just...
Did you know Jesus took them by the hand sometimes, took them out in another--to a part of the country and... That's right. See?
L-78 You don't realize; every one of you is a--a spirit. There's a body declaring you, but every one's a spirit. And a lot of you setting here looking around. You're lovely. I love you and God knows that, but (See?), your faith is in this first person here, this first conscious. And when you look up, way down in your heart, the least little fear will come in there. "I wonder how...?" Just that cuts me down right here, that you can feel it; just comes in like "whew" [Brother Branham makes a blowing sound--Ed.] like that. I can feel it. I think, "Oh." I look over and I think, "Well, God bless that man's heart. I--I know he don't mean that. And here... And something back here say, "I wonder how?" Then, to wonder then... Whew [Brother Branham makes a blowing sound--Ed.] Here, it's on this side. And then back here, you think, "Oh, they don't mean it. Bless their heart." Then you hear... You're... A vision's breaking here and here's somebody setting here wants hundred percent faith. They're moving in, and you're seeing something here that's moving. Here's something it... Now, where you at. It's all... That's the reason I try to get the person first, right out to me or something, where there'd be no spirit around it.
L-79 God be merciful to you, friend. Be merciful to me. And now, may His grace and blessing... You say, "What are you talking so about, Brother Branham?" You know I'm stalling. It's exactly right. I am. I want to feel Him. I got to preaching awhile ago and got off on...
See, there's two anointings. The preaching anointing makes me feel like I could walk out and tear up a city with my hands. That's right. But when this other comes on, then you feel like you just want to stand still and watch Him tear it up. See? You just... It's a difference. You just... Something happens to you. And you just feeled yourself. Oh, my. It's just like changing walking from... Well--well, it's all the same--same God, just different manifestations of the same Spirit. See? One's for one thing, one for another.
How many believers in here tonight? Raise your hand, say, "Brother Branham, we're right behind you now in prayer." God bless you. Now, do that. And I believe that you raising your hand, you was behind, before God, asking as believers. And I pray that He'll come. Why, I don't know...
And I pray that God will bless each one of you and let His blessings... Of course, if He doesn't come, I--I'm just as helpless as anybody else would be, standing here, trying to take my place. Just exactly right.
L-80 And now, let's just try to sing that a little bit together, "Only Believe," if you will, just a moment now. Come on. May the Holy Spirit in the presence of this people, in the Name of Jesus Christ, come to Your...?... Here, the servant of God, that I might know these things and that You might anoint Thy servant for Thy glory. Why are You so far from me? I pray that You'll meet close now, that I might be able to speak of the Lord Jesus. And may He a vindicate the words that I've tried to say. I pray, in Jesus Christ's Name.
Now, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I take every spirit in here under my control for the glory of God. I'm sure you understand what that means. One move from you--you realize what it would be; it'd be a curse of God resting on you. Be reverent and obey what you're told to do now. In the Name of Jesus Christ. All right.
L-81 Now, if there was healing that I could do for people, I would be very grateful to do it. But I--I can't heal people. God knows that. But God can heal people. I can only, by a Divine gift, help the people of God by seeing in visions or whatever He would--He would grant to me.
Now, young fellow, if you come here just a minute, a little closer to me, if you will. I suppose that we're strangers, are we together? I don't know you. I guess this is our first time meeting in life. But you realize that the very God of heaven, in Whose Presence we're standing now, will judge us both some of these days for what--as we have done, and the way that we've treated His message and His Son. And with trembling fear to stand in His Presence, that's how I stand here tonight, wondering what He will say at that day.
L-82 There's something strange about you. I don't know, but there's something somewhere that's not just exactly right. It keeps turning black all around you and moving away. And every time I go to meet you, your spirit, it moves back for some cause. I don't know. The audience will bear me record of this, that there's something somewhere that I can't understand, that God keeps pulling me back from you all the time. And there's something somewhere that's certainly... Yes, I... Jesus Christ, the Son of God Whose Spirit is present to do all things and do all things well... You're in trouble. That's what the blackness is. It's a trouble, and it's not you. It--it--it's in your home. It's a--it's a domestic... It--it's your wife; she's left you. I seen that blackness go away and it was your wife, a woman that once was to your side has pulled away and standing in blackness. That's what it is. And here's another thing. You have... In this, you have lost out your experience with Christ. You've backslid and went back on God. Come here, brother.
Kind heavenly Father, be kind and merciful, and may Thy Spirit be upon this poor dear man, Your wandering prodigal. May he come tonight to the Father's house, and may He supply all and restore to him a double portion. Grant it, Lord. I send him on down the road now to meet You, Lord; in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. God bless you, boy. Go home now and throw all of your habits and things away back in the sea of forgetfulness. Your sins are forgiven, and now go and God will move and work with you. God bless you, my brother. [Luke 15:11-32]
L-83 Do you love the Lord Jesus with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind?
Come, lady. I want you to believe and have faith. Now, every person in this building ought to believe right now and accept Jesus as--as their--their Saviour right now, and as their Healer.
I suppose we are strangers to each other, are we, lady? You've been in one of my meetings, but I don't know you. All right. 'Course, even if I--perhaps if I did know you, I wouldn't now. See? No more than I just recognize that someone's standing there, and it's just all... It's... The things are changed now. And I...
Out yonder, I do like other men. I like to go hunting, fishing. But now, something different. I become His witness now. We are strangers then to one another. And we've both got to stand in His Presence someday, lady. Do you believe me, sincere, with all your heart, as God's servant, before God, this vow you take? There's something that seems to be moving. Your--your mind or something traveling. No, it's--it's... You're standing for somebody else. It's--it's not you that's sick. It's a--a--a man, and he's a relative something, a son-in-law, or something on that order. Is that right? I see a young lady that looks something like... Yes, son-in-law. And he isn't here. He's a--he's in a place that it begins with a--a "H," Hamilton. Hamilton, Ohio. Is that right? He's in Hamilton, Ohio. And the man's a sinner. I see him now. It's turning dark, and he's been to a doctor or something, and he's formed an operation. And it's a somewhere in the back. It's a--it's a growth; oh, it's a cyst on a kidney. Is that right? All right. Give me your handkerchief, just a moment. How did I know you had that handkerchief there?
Let's bow our heads. Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, I send this. May the boy's sins be forgiven. May his body be healed; in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Your nervousness and upset is stopped from you too. Now, you can go back, lay that on his body. Tell him to believe God and be well. God bless you. Don't let no one else touch that--that handkerchief. You place it on him yourself. [Mark 11:22], [Mark 11:22]
L-84 Let's say, "Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Have faith.
Are you believing, lady, with all your heart? That's your wife, sir? Something's happened to you recently too, hasn't it? Yes, sir. That's true. You had your hands laying on her; you're a strict believer. I can't heal her, but she can't hide her life now. You know that. If I will tell you what your trouble is by the power of God, will you accept it as Divine healing for your body through Jesus Christ? You have nervousness, for one thing. And another thing, you have hemorrhoids. Isn't that right? If that's right, raise up your hand. Do you accept it now as healing? Jesus Christ make you well. Put your hand over on her, brother...?... Lord Jesus, may Your Spirit move now, and may the woman go home and be well. May her faith save her just now; in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. [Mark 11:22]
L-85 Have faith. Don't doubt it. Just believe with all your heart and you shall receive that what you've asked for. The Lord bless you now.
If you'd believe, you'd get over that sinusitis, if you--if you really believe that God would heal you of it. You believe it? All right, stand up and say, "I accept Jesus as my Healer. God bless you. Go and the Lord make you well. God bless you. Huh. Amen. All you have to do is have faith and God will bless you.
Now, something happened to you then, didn't it, sir? If I'll tell you what happened, will you--will you believe me as God's prophet? You had something wrong with your back, didn't you? Stand up on your feet. It's all gone from you now. God bless you. You're healed. Now, go home and serve God. Now, here He comes. Oh, why don't you love Him? Why don't you believe Him, all of you? How wonderful, how real and marvelous that our Lord is. [Mark 11:22]
L-86 All right, is this the patient here? Come and have faith. Trying, young man... You believe He's going to heal you? You believe it? Lay your hand over on that man next to you; he's got arthritis, setting right there too. Isn't that right? Lord Jesus, make them both well. I condemn the enemy; in Jesus Christ's Name, may it leave them. Amen. God bless you.
You think that's wonderful, do you, lady? You think He healed your throat then at the same time? Kinda shocked you, didn't it? Raise up. Jesus Christ makes you well. Now, you can go home and be made well. God bless you.
L-87 All right, lady. You believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come to save and to make well; to heal the sick and the afflicted? Do you believe me as His servant? With all your heart? We are strangers one another on earth, but God knows both of us. He knows all about you; He knows all about me. And He can do anything that--that He desires to do about it. And here's one thing that He will do: if we'll believe Him, He'll confirm His Word.
Now look this a way just a moment. I mean by that like when Peter, John passed through the gate Beautiful, said, "Look on us." See? Look on... In other words they wanted to attract the man's attention. All right. Now, you just believe with all your heart and believe that God is going to grant the blessing.
You're--you're--you're going to doctors about something. Been some kind of a trouble, you're... It's--it's a bladder condition. And you're been going to... You went to some kind a renown place. I see you kinda excited about... Oh, it's a specialist that you've been going to in this city. I know the man. And you--you're also--you've got a--some... It's a--it's a little--a little child. I believe it's a little boy about eight years old. And he's got some kind of a kidney trouble, 'cause in the urine is blood. I see him, he's being examined. You know that's true, lady.
Look here, just a moment. I see you with something in your hand. Oh, it's a--a...Your name is Elsa, something like that. It's--it's a funny name, Elga, but your last name's Cox. And you live at--at 2514, of Jefferson, or some... Isn't that right? Go back home. Believe me as God's servant; you're going to get well. God bless you you're healed, in Jesus Christ's Name, may you be healed. Have faith. Don't doubt. [Acts 3:2-11]
L-88 All right, bring the next patient. Now, be reverent; everybody quiet as you possibly can. It's just getting blind in here. Do you believe me as His servant, sir? Yes. You were setting there deeply thinking about something; wondering if it would touch or call you. I don't know you. I've never seen you in my life, but you're trying to break through to something, to touch Jesus Christ, and you have. You've touched Him, the same One that turned to the woman and told her what was wrong. Your faith has touched Him. You've been bothered with some kind of a trouble that's in your back. It's a liver trouble. Isn't that right? God bless you.
Come. You believe with all your heart? We're strangers to each other in this pilgrimage here of life, but we're not strangers before God. He knows both of us. He's fed us since we were babies. He knows you; He knows me. And He surely can bless us if we'll only let Him. [Luke 8:43-48]
L-89 Little fellow, you sitting there looking right at me... Yes, you. Put your finger up. You were setting there praying, wasn't you? Something struck you a few moments ago. You started weeping because you believe. Is that the truth? If it's the truth, raise your hand. You believe me to be God's prophet? You been suffering with a bowel condition, haven't you? Isn't that right? Just wave your hand like that. It's left you now. You can go home. Your faith has saved you. You touched the Lord Jesus.
Amen. Be praying. You don't need a prayer card. You don't need to be up here. You want to have faith. Your faith will touch Him every time. It's not me, Christians. It's Him. I don't know you; God knows you. I can't make myself do anything. It's Him directing me to you. I just see Him hanging there by you and see it break forth.
L-90 All right, the next patient. Just... Oh, excuse me. Excuse me, lady. All right. I was--I was... Was I talking to her awhile ago? I was talk--been talking to you. Excuse me if you would. Now, I want you to look this a way just a moment. Be sincere. Just as we, here on earth, strangers to each other, Jesus Christ knows us both. Now, I couldn't heal you if you're--if you're sick. One thing I do know, you are a Christian, for your spirit is welcome. Yes. You're a Christian believer. But you're in a lot of trouble. And your trouble is... One thing it's about a--a child, a little fellow that there's something wrong with the child that's--it's underweight or something another. It don't... It's a--it's kindy don't gain its weight right and you're worried about it. And you're having some kind of a trouble. You... Oh, it's a... You've had an operation. And that operation has give you trouble. And you've had--you're extremely nervous. I see you trying to do things. Oh, no. It turned from... You've had a breakdown. That's what it is, a nervous breakdown.
And aren't--aren't you connected some way with some kind of a religious movement, and your husband's some sort of a--a teacher, or--or something in a--a bu--a group of people, or some way like that, kindy... You belong to something where they get real happy. It seems to be... I hardly think it's Pentecostal. But it's some sort of a religion that you shout. I see your husband's speaking and people shouting. You're--you're a Methodist. You believe me as His servant? Now, take my word.
Your little fellow appears here before us again. Look to me just a moment, woman. The--your--your baby has--has been borned at the time of the menopause of life, in there is what's made it... But it--it's going to get all right. Don't fear; I see it later. See? It's moving. Don't you fear. You're--you're going to come out all... All this with what's to do with your trouble right now, and I...
Come here, just a moment; I... O God, the--the merciful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I send blessings to my sister who is in need. And now, whatever her need is, supply it. I ask this blessing; in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. The Lord bless you, lady.
L-91 All right, the patient... Come, lady. Suppose that to you and I are--are strangers to each other. Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ the Son of God is near? You realize that you're near some deep water. And for quite a while there's been a growth on you, coming, and that's a tumor. And it slipped up to a bad place. That tumor is in the breast. I want you to go, and if that lady playing the organ; let her lay hands on you as you pass by. She was healed with same thing. Lay hands on her while I pray.
Lord Jesus, may it go as hers did. And may she get well; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God I ask the blessing. Amen. Have faith in God. Are you all believing with all your heart? [Mark 11:22]
L-92 All right. Come, lady. You believing? Trying hard, but just don't press now. Just let yourself down. 'Course, you're bound to feel a little different standing here. You're going to try to serve Him closer now, aren't you? At least you promised Him that. Not reading your mind, but I heard what you did, 'cause if you... It's the only hope you have now. For that stomach condition you got is near eating ulcer to go through. It started from a nervous condition causing peptic, belching up, caused you to be sick. But you promised Him that you was going to serve Him and serve Him closer, walk closer with Him. That's what He wants. Do you believe He's healed you now? You believe you're going to get well? Come here.
Almighty God, send Thy blessings upon this woman, who I bless in Thy Name. And may she go from here tonight, well and normal; in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
Now look, lady, go eat your supper. Just eat what you want to and just pay no attention to it. Now, go on; just eat just anything you want to and give God praise. With all your heart give Him praise.
L-93 Now, while I was praying for her, and asking about that condition, while you were setting there, you noticed me taking my time and gazed back to you; 'cause you had the same thing: a stomach trouble. And just as it left her, it did you the same time. So you can go on and be made well. All right.
You believe? Bless your soul, my sister. For you're suffering with the most dreadful enemy; kills more people than any other enemy we have in this nation: Heart trouble. And it's not just the indigestion; you've got heart trouble. You've had it for a long time: leaking, murmuring heart. Come here. You have one hope. Take it.
There's some lepers set at the gate one time, said, "Why do we set here until we die? If we stay here, we're sure to die. If we go into the city, we'll die. Doctors has done everything they can do. You've got one hope. That's not a hope; that's a fact. Come to Christ right now. You can't lose. Just forget you ever had heart trouble. Go away from here thanking God for your healing; you'll get well. Will you accept it now? Will you raise your hand to accept it? Almighty God, I lay hands upon the woman and condemn the heart trouble while Your anointing Spirit is here; in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. God bless you. [II Kings 7:3-9]
L-94 Come. Perhaps we're strangers, sir, to one another. Only God does know these things. If our blessed heavenly Father will, between us now, reveal what you're after, what you're wanting, will you accept it? And if He will just tell me, knowing that I don't know you, know nothing of you, friend, it's... I'm getting awfully weak. You see? If He'd just let me know what's wrong with you, you'll accept your healing then? What? It's both gone from you. Now, that you might know that your sugar diabetes is gone, watch your hearing. Hear me? "Amen." "I love the Lord." They both left you. God bless you. God bless you, my brother. Let's say, "Thanks be to God."
Would you obey me as God's servant? Go eat your supper. Stomach trouble left you. You can go and be made well. Your nervousness is what caused it. It's gone also, caused from a...?... trouble. God bless you. Let's say, "Praise the Lord." [Congregation says, "Praise the Lord."--Ed.]
L-95 Well, your conditions is this, sister. Since a child you've been nervous. The nervous condition was very bad in school, especially. You had a hard time. Least little thing upset you. Isn't that true? Then it's developed into a ulcerated stomach also. You have a stomach condition. And another thing, that you're seeking God. You're seeking for a closer walk with God. Isn't that the truth? That's right. Now, do you believe? That let's you know what was your life. Now, do you believe me to be His servant? You do. Then if I'll ask you, and this the Holy Spirit speaking, knowing your life and revealing it, surely you'll get well, won't you? He said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." And if these signs follow them, then they'll lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover. You believe that? Come here.
Kind Father, show Thy mercy to this woman, and may she go from here tonight, and may the blessed Holy Spirit of God move upon her and heal her; in Jesus Christ's Name, I ask it. [Mark 16:17-18]
L-96 I want you to turn this way, lady, just a moment. That nervousness that causes so much trouble, great bunch of these people here tonight is suffering with the same thing. How many of you out there's suffering with it, raise your hand? Put your hand up. See what I mean? Now, just keep your hands up just a moment. Now, you put your hand up, sister. Have you accept your healing? You believe you're going to get well now? Do you accept your healing? You believe you're going to get well now? Then, in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, I condemn that devil that's bound you; may he come out of every one of you and be made well. Now, stand to your feet and testify. You that's healed just then, stand to your feet.
Every one that's got heart trouble stand to your feet just now. That same thing. Every one that's got a cancer, stand to your feet. Every one that's sick, stand to your feet. Stand to your feet. I want you to raise your hands up like this. Thank you. Now, raise your head and look this a way. From whence cometh your help? It comes from Jesus Christ.
Every sinner in here, stand to your feet right now and raise your hand. Every backslider, stand to your feet and raise your hand. That's right. I see you coming up back there. That's right. Stand to your feet. That's right. Every man seeking the Holy Ghost stand and raise your hands up to heaven just now. Whoever has a need, raise your hands up. Now, let's join our voices together.
L-97 [The congregation repeats the following prayer--Ed.] O God, Creator of heavens and earth, send Thy blessings upon--upon us, for we are standing needy. We need healing; we need salvation, and we need to be called back to the fold; and Thou has did that for us tonight. That's why we're standing with our hands to You. And we thank You for healing us, for saving us, for redeeming us back. And we give Thee praise for it. And from this time henceforth, we'll serve You with all of our heart.
Now, while you raise your hands to give Him praise, I want to offer thanks for you.
Kind heavenly Father, I thank You for every healing. Satan has lost his power tonight; he's been exposed; he's gone. These people are liberated. May he not be able to come back. Backsliders are coming back home to God. Sinners are repenting. God, get glory out of it. I--I praise Thee; in Jesus Christ's Name, for all the glory and the power...?...

LWB is dedicated to all who are looking for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ; to you we owe credit for the materials used herein."Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."[Heb 10:25]."So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."[I Cor 3:7]
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