Elijah
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1 Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be in this Shriner Auditorium again just the night of the eve of the closing of this marvelous campaign. I believe this campaign ranks next to the best that I have ever had in Phoenix. The first time was when I was, of course, up here when we stayed so long. I don't believe we had any better meeting than we've had this time. It's been a very fine meeting. And we're very thankful for it. And we pray that God will richly bless each of you.
2 Now, tomorrow night is our closing night; we've got to hurry over to California to the Angelus Temple. And then, Saturday morning we got to be at the Christian Businessmen's Full Gospel Fellowship, internationally, at a broadcast, in the speaking. So then, we are at the Angelus Temple until Thursday of next week.
And then, on Friday we begin at the Stock exhibit, where we was last year with the Full Gospel Businessmen, internationally. We have a lovely big place down there that seats, I think, about eleven, twelve thousand, or maybe a little more. And it's a very nice place, plenty of room, acoustics are good and it's really a nice place. And you're cordially invited to come over any time and visit us, if you're in that part of the country. If you have some loved ones there, we'd be very, very happy for you to write to them and tell them, if they're sick, to come out; we'll do our best to minister to them in the name of the Lord.
3 Today has been a little better day for me. I had a little more rest. Sunday was pretty hard. And today, or yesterday was ... kind of felt the effects of it. You know I'm not no little boy no more. After you pass twenty, of course... You know, I'm just a little past twenty, and so you really feel it after that.
Well, you know, Brother Bosworth here sometime ago... How many know Fred Bosworth, Brother F. F. Bosworth? Nearly everyone knows him, I suppose. Wonderful old veteran of the Gospel. And we were down in his country, Florida, and we'd just had our dinner and we walked out to the seashore, and I was standing out there, forty years old, my shoulders drooped over. He was standing nearly eighty, and his shoulders back like that. I looked at him and I thought, Oh, my.
I said, "Brother Bosworth," I said, "when was you your best?"
"Oh," he said, "right now." He said, "You just misunderstand, Brother Branham." Said, "I'm just a kid living in an old house," he said.
4 So, I thought, God, help me to feel that way if I ever live to be that age. He keeps his youth renewed in his mind. When he gets up at morning, he has to say ... he'll stand there and keep quoting Scriptures. He says, of course, his blood pressure goes low, as old man like that.
But he just was a trip with me through Africa, come back, went back himself, and just returned from Japan. He called me up about six months ago, and he said, "Billy," he said, "how'd you like to go to Japan with me?"
I said, "Well, when you going? Next summer?"
He said, "Right now." No waiting for him. He took off to Japan. Come back, he was with me up to Dallas ... or, not Dallas, but Lubbock, a few weeks ago.
Just in the best of health at nearly eighty years old. So if he can feel that way we ought to be ashamed of ourselves, oughtn't we? That's right, to see as we are ... as young as we are, and then an old man at eighty years old and still preaching the Gospel.
Well, I tell you, one of these days he will set his foot over on the other side. Things will be changed then. Think of it. While you're here tonight, a Christian and sinner, also, alike, I want to give you something to be thinking of while I speak to you just a moment.
5 For instance, tomorrow is packing-up time. We've got to leave. Maybe tonight. Got to leave this world, go somewhere else. And you know, that might be just about so, too.
I heard one of my associates say today that not only in this city, but all the cities around over America; one of my associates said that he seen a car open up and just a teen-age girl started to get out and the beer and whiskey cans and things fell out of the car. The kid just left them lay there and went on in to get something and come back. He said, "If God doesn't soon send judgment upon America, He'll have to resurrect Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize to them." That's right. Resurrect Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize for sinking them (That's right.), if He don't soon send judgment.
We're in for it, friends, that's all. Sure are! But the church is in for it too---a rapture. Amen. That's the wonderful part, the rapture, coming for the church. Be a sad day for the unbeliever then. But it'll be a most marvelous time that we've ever seen or thought for those who are ready at that time when Jesus comes.
6 What if you were taking a trip into the other world that you don't know where, just stepping off. You're old and shaky, you've served the Lord for years and years. And tomorrow you're going to go aboard. There's a ship going to take you away when you get old. And was going ... the ship come in over here to the dock, and you went down and got on this ship; the old foghorn blowed. And she started across the sea, and as soon as you got across... She's made trips back and forth for thousands of years.
And when you set your foot on that new land, somewhere they just discovered a new land. And whenever you set your foot down there, that everyone of those gray hairs went black again. All those wrinkles and worn-down bodies, went back to a young man and woman again, to live forever. Just as soon as your feet touched that land, that's what happens. Well, that's just exactly what happens. That's right.
When the old ship of Zion comes gets it's victim, taking them away. Some of these mornings I expect to hear the whistle blow myself, in the room when the fogs a gathering; this mortal life is spent. I hope that everything's all right then. I believe it will be... He's give me the promise. I believe it with all my heart, that I'll step across the other side. Now not only me, but all those that love His appearing. They'll be there.
So keep your thoughts on that, sinner friend, tonight. And what if it come with you, and went out here, to a shoot somewhere that went down to a dark whirling pit; To an eternity that never ceased, in midnight darkness, and screams, and mourns, and groans. Might be tonight, you might make your decision to change ships. I hope you do. All without Christ go that way. All with Christ goes this way. Just the difference of whether you believe Him and accept Him or not. So make your choice tonight, and let us pray now, while we bow our heads.
7 Our Heavenly Father, we've gathered in this great auditorium here tonight, where You've met with us night after night and blessed our hungry souls; giving us the bread of life, food for our souls, salvation for those, Lord, who are in need, healing for those who are in need; and supplied those things which we have asked and we're grateful to Thee. To seeing Thee in the power of Thy resurrection.
And I pray, Father, that You will be with us tonight, will help us and bless us. Bless the wandering children tonight, Father, wandering about, not knowing just which way to go, or what to do ---unstable, never have anchored yet in Christ. Pray, tonight, that they'll cast the anchor beyond the Rock of Ages, there. When this ship's whirling and tossing, our little barks upon this sea of life, we know our anchor holds within the veil. God, grant it.
Get into the Word, we pray, Father, and make Yourself known to every person here through the teaching of the Word. May the Holy Spirit just take the Word of God and deliver it to every heart, just as we have need. At the end of the service, may the glory of the Lord be upon the people, for we ask it in Jesus' name, Thy Son. Amen.
Just for a few moments... We usually try to start the prayer line around nine o'clock, if possible.
And now this is something new to me to teach to the people. And then, really this is, I guess, my first meeting in years, to ever try to teach the people before having a prayer line.
And it just done my heart so good to see hands go up, accepting the Lord Jesus. When I go home at night and kind of come out the visions, I just sometimes lay in there after they've all gone to bed and just weep for joy, to think, God was pleased, tonight, because I know He was. Sinners came home. That's true. Then He honors us with His blessings and pours out His Spirit, heals the sick, giving faith. What more could we want than that?
8 Now, over in II Kings, tonight; last night speaking on Elijah, the prophet. And tonight... We had him last night going up to when ... Elijah, rather, and Jehoshaphat and them, come down meet him. Tonight, we got him in another scene, in the 4th chapter of II Kings. And just for a text, I want to read the 24th verse of the 4th chapter of II Kings.
And she ... Then she saddled an ass, and said unto her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
May the Lord add His blessings to the reading of this verse of Scripture.
9 Now, our scene begins tonight, upon a family in distress. And, perhaps, this would be a good thing tonight, to recognize that there's, perhaps, many families sitting here tonight, in distress.
And if we can only find something in the Old Testament, here, which was an example of what believers done in that day when in distress, well, perhaps, maybe we can take them as an example and find our position then and what to do.
In the days of Elijah, the prophet, after last night we seeing that he was a type of the church. After Elijah, being the type of Christ taken away, and the double coming up on the prophet. We find that he made his way up through a Gentile country, Shunem. And there was a noble woman up there. And she was not an Israelite; she was a Shunammite.
And Elisha passing through this country, she taken notice to him that he was a holy man---a man of God. What a lesson we could get out of that, that our walk and our associations with people, that people would recognize that we were children of the King. God help us to be that way.
I believe the Scriptures says that we are written epistles read of all men. And Elisha so conducted himself around in that Gentile country, there, that this Shunammite woman realized that he was truly a servant of God. His character, his conduct, and the things that God did by him, that she recognized him to be a servant of the Lord. So she wanted to show some kindness to him. So she had him to come over for dinner, or whatmore, give him a little offering, help him pay for something. Treated him kind, not because she wanted any reward.
2 Kings 4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
2 Kings 4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
2 Corinthians 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
10 People who give to people thinking that they'd get a reward for it, well, they don't have any reward. It's those who give freely from the bottom of their heart. That says, "I just give it freely. Not that I expect anything in return."
Jesus said that the Gentiles, or unbeliever, do such as that. They give when they're expect to be given back. But we, the children of God, give when we don't want any return. We just give it.
And now the woman had no ... she proved it a little later. She had no alternative of giving to this man, the blessings that she was to him of giving him food, money, whatever she give him, had a little offering for him when he passed by. She only give it in respects of God.
She said, "I know that he's a holy man. I know that he's a man of God. And he don't belong to my denomination. He doesn't belong to my church, perhaps, but maybe my pastor wouldn't agree with him, but, yet, I believe he's a holy man of God. I believe he's God's servant. So I'll just give him this little offering." So she did that in her kindness.
2 Kings 4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
11 After awhile she began to realize that there was something real good about the man. So, she said to her husband, she said, "You know this man that passes by here is a man of God. He's God's servant. And now we're worth a little money. We've been giving him just a little bit as he passed by. Let's show him some kindness. Let's build just a little room out here, somewhere, when he passes by, he looks so tired and weary, when he's on his road up the mountain to pray and fast; for days at a time he goes up there. And let's just make a little place out here that's on our...
"We got plenty of ground, so let's build him a little room out here, and put a little table in it, and a candle, and a little stool; that when he passes by, why, he can come in and refresh himself, and lay down on the bed, and rest a little while." That's thinking a whole lot of someone.
So she fixed him this place. And the husband, being perhaps, a just and good man, he said, "Well, that would just be fine."
So they go and build the little place and just give it to the prophet as he passes by.
And it came to pass, one day, when Elisha was coming that way, that he stopped by. And he found this little place; of course, he was very happy to find that the people loved him.
Now, everybody wants to be loved. I tell you the truth; I do. I want God to love me, and I want the people to love me. That's exactly the truth. And if God loves me, then the people will love me. And if I love His people, then He will love me for doing it.
God would rather I'd love you, than love Him. Did you know that? I would rather you'd love my boy back there, no matter what you say about me. I want you to love my children. And any father would think that. So Father God, thinks the same thing. For He said, "Insomuch as you have done unto the least of these, My little ones, you have did it unto Me." So if you want to love God, just start loving all of His children, and God will reward you. If you'll just love His children that shows the love of God is in you.
2 Kings 4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
2 Kings 4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
12 Jesus said, "This is the way that all the people will know that you're children of God and passed from death unto life, when you have love one for another." Then you'll know it. Not because you can have a big church. That's all right. Not because that you have a lot of fine ministers come by. That's good, too. But it's because that you have love one for another.
Now when this revival's over, you all go to your respective churches. We're not here to proselyte, and tell you, "All leave one church and go to another one." You keep your church. Try to bring some sinners into that church.
Then when you go back to your respective church, go back with such a heart full of love. And that woman that you just couldn't stand, or that man, love him or her anyhow. They'll know you got something out of the meeting then. That's right. If you don't do that, then you haven't gained anything yet. 'Cause you've got to have love one for another. Then the people... The outside world will know that you've passed from death unto life when you have love one for another.
Jesus said, "You're the salt of the earth. But if the salt's lost its savor," that's its strength, "it is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trod under the foot of men." Like last year, I was holding your convention for the Four Square people in California, and I passed the Salt Lake Deserts and that's what I seen then, the salt left its savor, nothing, just to make walks out of.
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
13 But salt is a savor if it contacts. You have a piece of meat here, and a barrel of salt here, you've got to get them together, the salt to the meat or the meat to the salt, to preserve the meat. And that's the way it is. We've got to get the believer with the unbeliever. That's right, you've got to get them into the church, into the salty bunch of people.
And you know salt also makes a thirst, doesn't it? And if you eat salt, you get thirsty. And God wants His church so salty, till the whole world will thirst to be like it. That's right. See, just thirsty, just thirsty. Just be ... say, "Oh, if I could only live the way that woman lived. If she ain't the most sweetest, peaceful person, never out of humor, never fussy. She's always kind, trying to do something to help somebody else. Why, she's a credit to any man's church."
"Yes, sir, that man, you see, the neighbor, he's a gentleman, he's just so full of the love of God. You can see him at all hours of night, on his knees somewhere praying. He's always ready to go do something. he's always talking about the Lord Jesus and His mercy." That's the way to make the world salty. Act like that.
Now, Elisha was that type of person. So then, one day, coming by, being tired and weary in his journey, I can see him say, "Well, looky here," a little sign hanging on the door, "This property belongs to the man of God that passes this way." I can hear him say to his servant, "Why, Gehazi, looky here, this Shunammite people here has given us this little piece of property, here, that we can drop in."
He opens the door, for it's his. Goes in, lays down upon the bed. Stretches himself out. Said, "You know, she's been awful kind to us, Gehazi. She's just ministered to us in everything that we have need of. Go in and talk to her." Look like he ought to have went in. But he said, "You go in and talk to her and see if she wants me to speak to the king, or to the chief captain; they all like me, I'm good friends. Maybe she'd want a favor or something like that." I believe that Elisha was only trying her.
2 Kings 4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
2 Kings 4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
2 Kings 4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
14 So, he went, and asked her and she said, "No, I dwell among my people and I didn't want any reward for this, in otherwise. I just did it because I, myself, love the Lord, and I want to do something for Him, so the only way I could do it, I seen him to be a real servant of God, a man of God, so I just done this for that purpose. I don't want any reward."
And so he goes back and Elisha, said ... talked about it a little while. And I imagine Gehazi said, "Elisha, I tell you one thing," said, "she hasn't got any children, and her husband's old."
"Yes!" Elisha said. I imagine he turned over on this little bed that he had in there and laid there a few minutes and thought. After awhile a vision come before him, and he seen the woman bear a child.
Said, "Go get her and bring her out here."
So he went and got the woman and brought her out to the door, and when she walked to the door, he said, "Thus saith the Lord, according to time of life, about this time next year you're going to embrace a son."
15 She said, "Nay, now." Said, "My husband's old," but just the same Elisha said that it was in the name of the Lord, so that settled it. When God says anything, that completes it right then. That's all. No need of wondering anymore. God has said so.
If God said that Christ was returning to the earth, I believe it. That's right. If God said these kind of times would come and men would be heady high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than God, I believe it. That's right. Everything that God says, I believe it.
He said, "He was wounded from our transgressions." I believe it. He said, "By His stripes, we were healed." I believe it. So that settles it, see. If you believe it, then take it, act on it, and the results will come.
No matter how long it tarries, just keep believing it. Abraham tarried ... or, Abraham waited for twenty-five years before the promise ever come. But he was getting stronger all the time, praising God. Baby was going to be born anyhow. Made arrangements for it, everything. Got ready for the event. Just as soon as God told him it was going to happen, he made everything ready. And then, waited twenty-five years, just kept waiting until finally it happened, growing stronger all the time. When God speaks, it's got to come to pass.
2 Kings 4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
16 So Elisha told her she was going to have a baby. And just exactly the time that Elisha said it would take place, it took place. 'Cause he was a prophet. He was under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and it had to come to pass.
So the little boy got about twelve years old, and Elijah would come by, and lay on the bed and go on up into Mount Carmel where he had a cave up there, he went to pray in.
One day the little lad was out in the field with his father, with the reapers, long up in the day around eleven o'clock, something like that. And I believe the little lad had a sunstroke, because he began to holler, "Oh my head, my head!" And that time of day out in the field, probably a little bare-headed boy, running around out there, about twelve years old, behind the reapers, way down in there where deserts like it is in here. Perhaps the little fellow had a sunstroke.
So his father had a young man to pick him and take him back to the house. And he sat on his mother's lap until the midday, and then he died.
Now, seemingly it was all over. So the mother picked up the little fellow... Now notice, the first thing she did with that little boy, she took him right out of her own house, out into Elisha's house, and laid him on the bed, where the prophet had laid. Pretty good wisdom I believe.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
2 Kings 4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
2 Kings 4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
2 Kings 4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
2 Kings 4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
2 Kings 4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
17 Took him away, shut him off from the unbelief, and put him in the chamber where the prophet had been, and closed the door. Let nobody in there go to messing around with him, but she put him in the room, and closed the door. And her husband came in. Of course, there was a lot of screaming, and crying, and going on. And she said, "All will be well. Now, saddle a mule for me; I'm going to the man of God."
Now all hopes ain't gone. Something in her heart begin to tell her that something could be done. All the herbs, and perhaps, the doctor had been there, and done all he could do. Nothing could be done. She had done all of her remedies she knowed. And nothing could be done and the little fellow died.
Now she thought ... or, perhaps, maybe the rest of them thought that all hopes was gone. But she knew that there was still a God that lived and reigned. Oh, my! If we could only get that.
Now something down in her heart began to beat. "I would like to find the man of God. I would like to go to church again." Usually that's about what hits a person's heart when trouble hits the home. "I would like to see the man of God again."
2 Kings 4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
18 And her husband said, "Why, he hasn't passed by here. He goes up at the new moon and up in the Sabbath worship. He goes up there, but it's neither new moon nor Sabbath. So he won't be there."
She said, "All is well."
Why? How could she face such a thought as that? Because something down here in her heart told her, "Get to the man of God." Do you see it?
Now, she knowed there was a God that ruled the universe. She knowed there's a God who made the sun to shine, the wheat to grow, the tree, brought life. And she knowed that that God had a representative here on earth. And that representative was the prophet. And she knowed if she could ever get to the prophet, not that she... I don't think she had an idea that the son would be raised. But she thought if she got to the prophet that she would be able to understand why God took her child.
2 Kings 4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
2 Kings 4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
19 And now, people just don't realize what God can do through His servants. That's the reason today that people can't get so much done is because they've lost faith in the servants of God. That's right. Part of it is the servant's fault. He tried to tell you God, way back years ago, but God is still God here on earth, using His servants just like He always did. He doesn't fail; He's the same God. All ages, in every age, He's had somebody He could put His hands on. And we must expect God to do something through His servants. Amen.
"Oh," she said, "all will be well. Let everything alone." I like that: Something settled down in her heart, that if she ever got to Elisha, she would find out just exactly why the baby had died, for she knew he was God's servant.
So, they saddled the mule. And I like this commission she gave to the servant. She said, "You go forward, don't you stop, or slack, anything, until I bid you."
2 Kings 4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
2 Kings 4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
20 I think the church ought to have a commission like that. "Go forward, don't you stop, just keep moving on. When this revival closes, start another one somewhere. Don't wait, don't wait around, just keep moving for God. Just keep moving on, 'cause people are dying, everyday." Some over maybe a hundred thousand people die everyday in the world. I believe, a hundred and twenty-five thousand it is, dies everyday, in the world. And about a hundred thousand of those died without knowing Christ. We ain't got no time to hang around. We got to go forward and don't slack a bit.
21 Not this revival. You're having a good time and seeing souls saved. Just keep on moving, don't slack at all. And the preachers, don't wait till Oral Roberts comes or William Branham, or somebody else. Practice divine healing in your church. Let's go forward, people are dying. Let's get them to the Man of God, which is Christ. Don't wait for some special event; go now. You're God's servant, just as much as anybody else is. You're called, you Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian.
If you've got a commission from God, the general orders is: "Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel, to every creature. Lay hands on the sick; they shall recover. These signs will follow them that believe." If you got a commission from God, you got a ordination from God to do these things. Amen.
Who has... You say, "Oh, Jesus can do it."
He said, "You can do it. In My name, I won't ... they shall." Amen. Got the cart before the horse, see. All right.
"In My name, they shall cast out devils. They shall lay their hands on the sick." Is that right? "They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." That's the commission. Let's take it and go. We're too slack about these things, today.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
22 We have a little ... serve the people, then we settle down right, the devil blowing his breeze across us, and we get an old True Story Magazine somewhere in the house instead of picking up the Bible. There's a many a Christian in this city, tonight, can tell you all about Hollywood, but knows so little about God. And call themselves Christians. It's a shame. Amen.
Prayer meeting night comes, you stay home watch television, instead of going out at the prayer meeting. Isn't that right? Sure it is. Everything, time to read the papers, time to do this, time to have your society gatherings and things, but no time for God. What we need today is a good old-fashioned Saint Paul's revival, and a Bible Holy Ghost back in the church again: signs, wonders, and miracles. Time for everything, but the right thing.
That's the reason the world is in the condition today. Haven't got time to take care of the children. Let them run the streets.
You women, calling yourselves real mothers, and don't even know where your kiddies is at, half the time. That's not only in the Methodist and Presbyterian; that's in Pentecostal, too. That's right. You know that's the truth. Talking about juvenile delinquency, it's a whole lot of parent delinquency. What the parent needs today is to get some of them old beer cans, out of that ice box out there, take the cards off the table, and put the Bible back there, and open it up and call the kids around have a prayer meeting. That's what we need today. That's right.
23 And some of you up in my country, Kentucky, they have little old things, they say, "The illiteracy of Kentucky, how ignorant, how dumb they are."
I heard a minister tell me he didn't want to go down to Kentucky because the people was too stupid in Kentucky, lived down there. Let me tell you something, some of them old gray-haired mammies up there could teach you something. That's right.
You let your daughter run out all night long nearly, with some little cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking rascals; and come in of a morning, and her clothes half on her, and everything like that, and you call yourself a Christian and say nothing to her? Let that happen up in Kentucky, and one of them old mammies would top one of them hickories out there, and she wouldn't be able to go for six months. Yes, sir.
What we need today is some more real old-time American mammies that believes in giving them a little protoplasm of stimulation once in awhile. That's exactly right. You know that's right. Amen.
24 Church all let down the bars. They all sing: "They let down the bars, we compromised with sin. We let down the bars, the sheep got out, but how did the goats get in?" You just let down the bars, that's what it was. You let down the standards of Christianity. Amen.
The devil might have went out of fashions, but he hasn't went out of business yet. He's still in the business. We'll save that for the preachers. I have come here to preach divine healing. All right.
But that's good for you. Amen. That'll straighten you up. It's old-fashioned cornbread, and black-eyed peas, and strong coffee for breakfast; but, brother, it'll stick to your ribs for a good day's work. Sure will. All right.
Notice, yes, sir, the day that we're living, the hour, the time; the church ought to be going forward; instead of that, it's going backwards. That's right. You can't go... If you're not going forward, you are going backwards. God don't want His church to go backwards, or sit still. He wants us to go forward, and don't slack at all. The Holy Spirit don't say, "Slack up here and wait a few years."
He says, "Go forward constantly all the time. Move on."
Where was she moving? To the man of God. Moving up the mountain all the time.
I used to sing a little song:
Lead me higher up the mountain,
Give me fellowship with Thee.
(You remember the old song?)
In the light I see the fountain
and the blood that cleanses me.
25 Way up the mountainside. She said to the servant, "Don't you let that mule even catch his breath. Just keep him a-going." That's the way to do it. Lay it on to the church, and let's keep moving. The trouble of it is, you load the church down.
I heard an old colored brother here sometime ago, preaching on the wise men coming to see Jesus. And he sure give a good illustration. He said, "Went to packing up the old camels, you know," and said, "the first thing you know," said, "two of them struck out." And said, "Then this one fellow began to pack the camel. Got him so loaded down till the old fellow couldn't move."
And that's just about the way it's been with the church: We bring in all kinds of little societies and all kinds of this little, that, and the other, and little entertainments, and so forth and cut out the real value of the prayer meeting. The upper room turned into a supper room. That's right. That's good for you. Take and get some old tough rooster, and boil him up, and sell it about a dollar a plate to pay the preacher. If you take God's plan on it---paying tithes---and do what the Lord told you to do, you'd be a lot better off. Turn that room into prayer room at nighttime. Amen.
2 Kings 4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
26 Oh, my, let's go forward. If we've already preached to the church justification, let's take them a little further than that now. Go a little higher. If we get into that, and God begins to fill them with the Holy Spirit, then let's go to divine healing and search that out.
Why, the Holy Ghost is just like a great big department store. The people that's become Christians don't know what they own. Could you imagine me buying a house without looking all over it first? Could you imagine me owning a place like ... somebody give me a big arcade, great big place where everything's just everywhere. It's all mine.
Well, that's the way it is when you come to Christ, everything belongs to you. All the redemptive blessings that Christ died for is yours. Every believer has possession of every redemptive blessing, (Amen.) is given to the believer.
By one spirit we're all baptized into this big arcade, Christ Jesus. My, up on this shelf here is "justification by faith." Over here's "sanctification through the blood." Up here's "joy," here's "peace," there's "long-suffering," "goodness," "gentleness." Why, my, everything.
Some of them may be hanging a little high. I can't get to it, but they got a stepladder over in the corner. Let's get up and look at it and see what it looks like. If you can't reach up to "divine healing"; take God's step ladder. Reach up, find out what it's all about, it all belongs to you. Right. That's what the church ought to be going---moving up the road.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
27 So the woman said, "Now you go forward. Don't you slack a bit, because we've got to get up there now, we got to make haste."
Well, the servant of God was sitting up there in his little den room, wherever it was, back in the mountain. And he looked out and he seen the Shunammite coming. He said, "Gehazi," said, "here comes that Shunammite woman, I wonder what's the matter."
Now, God don't tell His prophets everything. He just tells them what He wants them to know. What they don't... He don't want them to know, He just keeps it to Himself.
But here come this Shunammite woman and this little servant just a beating the mule in a hurry. Said, "I wonder what the hurry is about?"
Said, "Go out and meet her." And said ask her if all is well with her, all is well with her husband, and all is well with the child.
So he hollered, said, "Is all well with thee? And is all well with thy husband? Is all well with the child?"
Look, here's what I like about the lesson. She said, "All is well." Amen. The baby a corpse, but, "All is well." What was it? Everything was under consideration then. She had the situation curbed. Her heart's desire, what was telling her, in her heart, was to get to that prophet. And there she was right in the presence of the prophet. So if God had took her baby, that was His will, everything would be all right. "All is well. All is well with my husband. All is well with me, and all is well with the baby."
2 Kings 4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
2 Kings 4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
2 Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
28 She run right up to Elisha and fell down at his feet, perhaps begin to kiss his hand or something. Gehazi thought, That's not right for her to act around my master like that. So he jerked her up, threw her away from him. "Here, you can't do that. You can't come up to my master like that."
Elisha said, "Let her alone, for there's sorrow in her heart, and God has kept it a secret from me. I don't know what's the matter with her, but there's sorrow in her heart."
Then she raised up. And she begin to reveal to him what had happened, saying what had taken place, that her baby had died. And said, "Didn't I tell you, don't lie to me? Now my baby is dead. And I've got him laying in your room. The neighbors are all around. They're fixing to embalm his body. And I've come to you."
Now, watch. Elisha said, "Take this staff, Gehazi, and you go forward, and if anybody speaks to you, don't you even speak to them. Take this straight to the baby, and lay it on the baby. If somebody speaks to you, don't speak back. Don't stop for any social affair."
2 Kings 4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2 Kings 4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
2 Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
29 That's what's the matter with us today: When we get a message from God, instead of going straight, and doing what God tells us, we stop for a little social affair. We've got to have this, a few ice cream suppers, and all these other kind of things; bring social affairs in the church. We ought to take God's message to the dead, the dead in sin and trespasses. Amen.
Notice. Now, Elisha, why did he send that staff? Did you ever stop to think? Because that Elisha knew that the clothes that he wore was blessed. He knew God lived in his heart. He knew that the clothes he wore was blessed. He knew that everything he touched was blessed. He knew that himself, the way his faith laid in it. So he started the staff on. I think that's where Paul got taking handkerchief and aprons off his body to the sick and the afflicted.
So he ... but the Shunammite woman... Now that would have worked all right, that would have been fine, if the Shunammite woman would have believed that. But she didn't know about whether God was in the staff or not; she knew God was in the man. So she said, "As the Lord liveth and your soul never dies, I'm not going to leave you. I'm on your hands now. I'm going to stay right here till I find out." You know, I like that: that determination. Stay with it.
That's what's a trouble with the people today: They read where, "God's the healer," and they look around, and say, "Well, Mrs. Jones didn't get it." And then you give up. Brother, stay right with it. Amen. If God said so, God's got to take care of His Word. It's not your word anymore, it's God's Word. Stay right with it.
Said, "I'm not going to leave you."
2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
30 And so Elisha girded up his loins, and here he went without a vision, not knowing what to do. And away they went. Gehazi beat them. He run ahead, went into the room, and laid the staff upon the baby. Waited! No life come. Baby still dead. He turns around, looks awhile, still the baby was dead. So he picks up the staff, and runs back, and he meets Elisha and the Shunammite woman coming.
And so when he did, he said, "I laid the staff upon the baby, and there was no life, no breath, he didn't open his eyes, he's still dead."
So see, the woman's faith wasn't in the staff; it was in the prophet. Now it depends on where your faith is. Some people said, "You got to have hands laid on them." The other said ... the Roman said, "Just speak the Word, and my son shall live."
And the one woman didn't want Him to lay hands on her, she touched His garment. And little Jairus in a few nights ago, in the lesson, why, he said, "Come lay Your hands on my daughter." It depends on where your faith lays.
So Elisha was right.
2 Kings 4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Matthew 9:18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Luke 7:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
31 Now, I believe he was just probing, but he knew that God had blessed whatever he touched. You see it? He believed that God blessed it. So he said, "God has blessed this. And if you'll lay it on the baby, I believe that God will make it well."
Now, no matter what his faith was, if the woman's faith wasn't the same, then it won't work. You see what I mean? It takes your faith and your pastor's faith together. You two have got to have the same faith. And if you believe the same thing that the man of God has told you, then something's got to happen. So the man of God believed that he wouldn't have to go over there; he would just send the staff. But the woman said, "No, no, no. I'm going to stay right with you. I'm going to stay right here till I find out."
So then Gehazi said, "There's no breath in the baby. He's still dead."
So away they went, come into the yard, and now look at the crowd. Everybody around, wailing and screaming. What a place for faith! Elisha standing there, no vision, didn't know what to do. All he could do was look around. There was the father screaming, there was all the neighbors, and everybody carrying on.
Well, he goes around to his little old chamber, and the woman had the baby laying on the bed, so he shut everybody out of the room, and pulled the door together, by himself. Went over in a corner, and knelt down, and begin to pray. When he got through praying, he got up, walked up and down the floor. Back and forth, to and fro, up and down the floor, until the Spirit of God came upon him. When the Spirit of God come upon him, no doubt but what he saw a vision.
Goes over, stretches himself on top of the baby, his nose again its nose; no prayer; just the nose against its nose, lips against its lips, eyes against its eyes, hands against its hands, and the baby sneezed seven times and come to life. What was that? That wasn't that preacher. That was Christ in His prophet that brought that baby back to life. Hallelujah.
Oh, my, when he stood out there then and said, "Gehazi, call that Shunammite." Amen.
The woman come to the door. Then all the good things that she had done, little did she know when she had that bed made in there for Elisha, and made his bed with her own hands, that someday her dead baby would be laying there and the body of that prophet, through the Christ would bring that baby back to life again. You don't know what's happening when you try to do something for one another. Try to help one another. That's right. Like bread upon the water, it'll return to you someday.
2 Kings 4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
2 Kings 4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
2 Kings 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
2 Kings 4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2 Kings 4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2 Kings 4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
32 Her attitude towards Elisha brought her the victory. If she'd have went up to Elisha and said, "Now you looky here, you hypocrite. My pastor was right after all." See, if she would have went with that kind of an attitude, she would have never got nothing from him. But her attitude towards the man of God, produced exactly what she got---her victory---because she believed.
That's the only way that you'll ever do, if you believe that Jesus Christ, some mythical story, some Santa Claus affair that they tell children, or something like that, you'll never get nothing, until truly in your heart that you believe He's the Son of God died, rose again, ascended on high, and is living with us right here tonight, and will do anything that He promised He would do in His Bible. When you get like that, something's fixing to happen.
Then she picked up the baby, and bowed before him, and recognized him to be a servant of God, and bowed her head, and went out. Went out with her heart full of love!
All the great crisis! What if she had just sat still, and said, "Well, all hopes is gone. The doctor just left and said, 'There was nothing could be done.' And now my baby's dead, so I suppose that's all can be done." Sit helpless. The story would have never been told. If no faith had ever come into her heart, it would have been that way. But God, in His mercy, placed something in that mother's heart, that she knew there was something could be done.
You may be sitting like that tonight in your family. Maybe every hope that you've ever had, that you've had, of ever getting well, the doctors discourage you, the man has done all he can do, and said, "It's passed medical science. There's nothing can be done." But if something can just happen down here in this heart, that tells you, "Yes it is! Yes it is!" Then stay right with it.
2 Kings 4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
33 Paul Rader, a friend of mine, Baptist preacher, died here some years ago, over here in California---a wonderful man, missionary, great believer in healing---told a little story once. Said, he was way down in South America, somewhere on a missionary trip, he and his wife. And he developed some kind of a fever, yellow fever. I believe, it was black water fever. And it kills you just in a few hours. And he was way back miles and miles, back in the jungles with the natives; went back there on a little boat.
And said that, after supper that night, they had eaten, and he went into his room. He was getting sicker and sicker. And he said to his loving wife, he said, "Darling, if you'll just kneel down here, and start praying for me," said, "I believe that, it seems like I'm ... it's getting black in the room."
So she knelt down, and held her hands up, said, "Honey, do you want me to go for a doctor?"
Said, "No, don't go for the doctor, it'd be too long." Said, "Hard telling, it coming night like this," he said, "you couldn't get the doctor now." He said, "Just pray for me, honey, and keep your hands on me." And it kept getting darker and darker in the room, as his life began to fade out; and after a while, it all become dark.
Said he was dreaming, and he was back up in Oregon, again---that was his home---where he used to chop the trees. He was a very strong man. And said, his boss, one time told him---he was dreaming---that said, "Go up the mountain, Paul, and cut me a certain size log and bring it down."
He said, "All right, boss."
34 He run up the hillside, said, with the spring of youth in his feet again---in his dream, when he was unconscious. And said he fell the tree right easy. Said he could feel his axe, as it went down through the soft Oregon fir. And the tree dropped; he trimmed it up like that, stuck his axe into the tree, and tried to pick it up.
Well, said his strength was gone from him. He said he done everything he could to pick it up. He said, "Well, my strength is completely gone." Maybe that's they way you are tonight. Your strength completely gone. The hopes is gone. Everything gone. Said he toiled. And he said, "Well, I ought to be able to lift this. I ought to be able to pick this up. Why, I've picked them up like this before."
Maybe you've been healed before, maybe you've been through prayer lines, and you've been healed, but this time you just simply can't muster enough faith to get it up, the load somehow.
He said, he just got completely worn out. So he just sat down, ducked his head down and started crying. Said, "I'm so weak, I can't move, and I've lost my strength, and I don't know what I'll do."
Said he heard a voice of his ... the voice of his boss, so gentle and kind. Said, he said, "Paul, what's the matter?"
He said, "Boss, I---I---I just haven't got the strength to pick it up. I just simple can't get it down there."
He said, "Paul, you're just doing in vain, you're just tussling in vain." And he said, "Paul, don't you see that stream going down there?" Said, "That stream runs right by the camp." Said, "Why don't you just push it over in the water and jump on it and ride down?"
And said when he looked back, his boss was Jesus. Said, "Just pitch it over in the water, Paul. Don't you try anymore. Just get on it and ride down."
35 Said he just pitched over in the water, and jumped in water, began to splash in water, and the current taking it right on down to the camp. He began screaming at the top of his voice that his strength was all coming to him, hollering, "I'm a riding on it." And said he come to, in the room, screaming at the top of his voice. His wife had been having her hands laying on him praying, said he jumped up in the middle of the room screaming when he come to himself, "I'm a riding on it. I'm a riding on it. I'm a riding on it."
36 Brother, that's what it is tonight: I take Jesus Christ at His promise, throw the thing into the waters of the Holy Ghost, and I'll ride on it. Hallelujah! No matter what takes place, I'm a riding on it. Right. Just keep a riding.
No matter what anybody else says, no matter how many times you've tried, just push it over and start riding on it. God will take you right down to the place where you ought to be. Don't you believe it?
Why, it hasn't been seven years ago, till Mayo Brothers looked me in the face and said, "Rev. Branham, you haven't a chance to live." But I took Him at His Word. I'm a riding on it. Amen.
37 He promised someday he would deliver me over on the other side. Age is coming on, but I'm a riding on it. Some of these days, I'll take out of this life, but I'm a riding on it tonight, on, "Every promise in the Book is mine, every chapter, every verse, is mine."
Oh, my, God promised, "He that heareth My words, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." I'm riding on it. I believe it. Christ said so. What? "He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me hath," right now, "everlasting life, and shall never come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."
I've been riding on it for twenty-three years. Hallelujah! The journey will soon be in and when it's ended, I'll will still be riding on it.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
38 When I was once a blind man, wore great big glasses, led around by an arm like this down the streets, couldn't see but a little piece in front of me. And tonight, by the grace of God, I can read newspaper print five feet away from me. Had an eye test here a year ago, it was ten-ten. That's twenty-twenty, then fifteen-fifteen, then ten-ten. What was it? I took God at His promise, and I rode on it, until God delivered me my sight.
Now I can sing:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
I was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
Grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Hallelujah! Oh, when I think of it! Take God at His promise and go forward, going forward in faith. What? Faith in what? Believing that what God said anchored here in my heart, and it's my personal property 'cause Jesus died for it. I'm a riding on it. I believe it.
39 And sinner, friend, tonight, when the world was in chaos, the atomic and cobalt bombs hanging everywhere. One bomb! I was talking to a prospector awhile ago, they told me how much power was in one pound of uranium, how many thousands times thousands times thousands of tons of TNT would take to make the pressure of that one pound of uranium.
And I heard Mr. Moore say that one of his jet pilot friends told him that he carried a bomb on his plane, and I forget how many hundred box cars full of TNT, like loaded all the way from Shreveport to Houston, Texas ... a string of box cars like that loaded with TNT; this bomb had more pressure and power, than all that string of box cars did with TNT. A great cobalt bomb, the cobalt around the atomic bomb can be shot up out of a missile out into the air yonder by our enemies, and will burst out there; in a few hours, the entire earth will be totally annihilated.
Just let the wind start blowing; there can't be a living thing live around it. And just completely annihilates the earth, to be done just in a few minutes time. The very enemy, the very godless, heartless, brutal, insane enemy of ours, has that thing in their hands tonight. And why do you trust in the flesh of horses, why do you trust in the atomic powers, why do you trust in the things of this world, in your houses, in your places, in your position? Take God at His Word, and ride on it through the atoms yonder into the spheres yonder into the heavens. Whatever God has promised, God will do.
Do you believe it tonight?
40 God be merciful! Let's get in contact with God's representative. Who is God's representative? It was at that day, Elisha. Who is it today? Jesus Christ. That's His representative. Woman, man, boy, girl, here, tonight, if that Shunammite woman could believe for her dead son, when all impossibilities was gone, she could believe on a natural man, that God was in Elisha, how much more can you believe that God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself? Come and be reconciled tonight, before it's too late.
Shall we pray.
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
41 Our Heavenly Father, as we look around about us and see the day, the time that we're living. This great things happening, seeing scattered on the newspapers, today. That doctor here this city, jealous spirit killed four little children, shot his own wife to death, and then killed himself---right here in this city. The devil got a hold of him. God, people just don't believe there's a devil. Let them open their eyes, tonight, and see.
And then, Father, may they look past him and see there's a living God full of love and compassion, waiting to save them. Grant it, Lord. Come near to us now, Father. We believe that in Your name, what we ask, we will receive.
There's men, women, boys, and girls in here, perhaps, Lord, that's never yet, accepted Thee as their Saviour. They don't know what it means to have peace in their soul. And all these old things of the earth pass away. And the soul, the immortal part that goes beyond every sphere of atoms, goes on beyond cosmic light, petroleum, goes on into the spiritual realm. That's the eternal part, that's the part that cannot perished, when it's believed on the Lord Jesus. How simple You've made it. Just come! Receive! "Ask, ye shall receive."
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
42 "He that heareth My words, believeth on him that sent Me, has everlasting life." How simple. You said, "Even a fool shouldn't err." Nothing binding, nothing complicated, just purely accepting it, believing it because Christ talking to the heart. You said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him first."
Father God, upon the basis of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, upon His supreme sacrifice, and the Word of God, I pray tonight, that You'll knock at every sinner's heart, every backslider in the building. Bring them lovely back to Thee. Just another night, and then we must move on. Grant, Father, that tonight many will find Thee, for we ask it in His name.
Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
43 While we have our heads bowed, the music sweetly, softly playing, the Holy Spirit just above you looking down. God knocking at your heart, saying, "Oh, sinner, come on Home." You may not be here tomorrow to accept it. Won't you come tonight? If God's knocking at your heart and you feel that, it's God speaking to you. Not to me now, but to God, will you raise up your hand to Him, and saying, "God forgive me, I now accept Jesus as my Savior."
God bless you, lady. God bless you, lady. God bless you, sir, God bless you, lady, way in the back. God bless you little lady. Someone else raise your hand, say, "God, be merciful to me a sinner, now I'm coming. The preacher has been preaching."
God bless you, lady, weeping there. God bless you, lady at the end. I see you. "The minister has been preaching, I've been here night after night watching, seeing the Holy Spirit moving, healing the sick, foretelling, telling forth things, the mysterious things to mankind. We can't figure it out. I'm not going to try to figure any longer, Lord. I'm just going to accept You right now, while You're knocking at my heart, 'cause I know Your Spirit won't always strive with me. So while You're calling me now, this is my hand Lord, I come."
Will you raise your hands somewhere else, somebody?
God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady over in the corner. God bless you, way back in the back. God bless you down here in the middle of the aisle. God bless you, over here, in the corner, up in to balcony to my left. Oh, my, God bless you all along there, that great row of hands. God be with you. Remember, when you raise your hand, mean it from your heart, you can no more perish than God can. That's His Word. He said, "He that heareth my words," you're saved right then for eternity. Over to the balcony, to my right, someone up there lift up your hands, wants to settle it tonight once for all, from your heart, God's speaking.
Say, "Brother Branham, I've long time wondered. I just kind of had, oh, a mental faith, just a little intellectual faith. I've kind of read the Word and I believe that. I've went to church. I believe in church. I really belong to church. But really, right in my heart, there's really been nothing happen yet."
Then, sister, brother, you haven't believed yet. You just had an intellectual knowledge, but you haven't believed. You believe with your heart, but not with your mind. Something way down there saying, "Now, now, I want to come into your heart." That's when you get everlasting life.
Jesus said, "He that believeth on me has everlasting life, raise him up at the last day." You'll never perish. Has everlasting life right now.
Someone in the balcony to the right. All up there are Christian? I see, God bless you, sonny. God bless you, you. That's right. God bless you, sir. I see the aged man with his hand up.
Brother, you might have done many a loyal thing, worked, and fed a bunch of children. Got old now and gray. You might have done a lot of things, but just now you're doing the best thing in all your life. You just now received life eternal. You'll never perish now. That's coming from your heart. Jesus Christ's own Word said that you'll not perish but have eternal life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
44 The word is Zoe, "God's own Life." So if God can't perish, neither can you. God bless you. God bless you, lady out there at the corner, a young lady; I see your hand. God bless you, give you everlasting life now. God bless you, little girl down there; I see your hand, too, honey.
All right, down here in the aisle, yes, I see you. Back over here, God sees you. I see the Spanish brother back there, him and his family with their hands up. God bless you. That's right. Got everlasting life.
What would the atomic bomb could do for you? The atomic bomb would have a strike right in your front yard, my brother. The only thing you could do, take you to Jesus and give you a new body, a new life. You have it right now. You have it right now. You've got the very seed in you, that'll produce that life. Everlasting life because you believed on the only begotten Son of God.
45 Someone else? Listen, if you can raise your hand and be healed, you can be saved. God bless you, little Spanish girl. God bless you. And the other lady over there, God bless you. God bless you. Oh, that's fine! A bunch of new hands going up. Let the Holy Spirit just soak down.
God bless you, sir, sitting here with the glasses on, the gray-headed man. God bless you, sir. Way back in the back, I see your hand, lady, way back there. God sees it, too. God bless you, the young blond-headed woman over there with her hands up. God bless you, two young ladies down here with your hands up. God bless you, honey. That's fine! Up here, the little lady in the balcony. See, and the little boy back there, too.
You say, "What about them little children?"
Sure, Jesus is talking to their hearts. Sometimes the adults are so callused, the Holy Spirit just can't speak to them. Jesus said, "Suffer little children to come to Me. Forbid them not, such is the kingdom."
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
46 All right, every sinner now that's in the building, if you haven't put up your hand to Christ, will you put it up just now and accept Him as your own personal Savior, to believe from this night on? God bless you, sir, see you way up there in the balcony with your hand up. Now you receive Christ, and to receive Christ is life. You pass from death to sin now unto life eternal.
If you people could only realize... God bless you, lady, back there, the young lady with her hand up. God bless you, lady. A little fellow there with a red shirt on, seen your hand, honey, boy. That's just fine. Yes, you're all right. I baptized my boy when he was no older than you. Just... That's right, God bless you. You back here, the young lady, the young man there, God bless you. God bless you. You too, sonny over here. God bless you, young man. Have everlasting life.
Just think how simple God made it. Just believe, accept. That's all you can do is believe. There's nothing else you can do. Jesus said, "If they'll believe, I'll give them everlasting life, raise him up at the last days."
Yes, down here, God bless you. That's fine. God bless you. All right. Now shall we keep our heads bowed just a moment. We're going to present these before the Father; under the blood of Jesus, under His own Word.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
47 Now, Father, Your beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, when He stood here on earth, according to the Scriptures, which is the infallible Word of God that can't fail. You said, "He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death unto life."
We thank Thee, Father, for this greatest miracle of all the miracles: sinners receiving Christ. We thank Thee for this. God, grant that not one of them, Father, will ever fail, to keep their faith, and remember this night. And, Father, when I come before You at the judgment to answer, these words I have presented to the people: Thy Word shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
"For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever," Spanish, colored, Ethiopian, Indian, Anglo-Saxon, whosoever "believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," because they believed that God sent His Son to die in sinner's place.
We thank Thee for them. We pray that each one of them will have a long journey through the earth. Health, happiness, while they're here. And at the day, when I preach my last sermon, close the Bible for the last time, and when we stand in Your presence, may I see them there and us rallying around the throne with each other, so happy. Say, "Down in Phoenix, that night, I lifted my hand. I believed God knocked at my heart and I responded. Oh, what a life I had, wonderfully serving the Lord." And here they are now immortal. Grant it, Father.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
48 And tonight when the services is closed, may each of them come back here in the prayer room and kneel down. Say, "Thank you, Father, for saving me now. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Just baptize me with unction." Just pour in abundance of Thy Spirit upon their lives. Grant it, Lord, for we ask it in Christ's name. Amen.
Oh, how you'll want Him to say,
"Well done," on that Eternal day.
Don't turn the dear Savior away from your heart,
Don't turn Him away.
Oh, don't you feel good? You that raised your hands a while ago, raise your hands. If you feel like something's happened to you, just raise your hands. Everyone that raised their hands. Oh, my! Isn't that wonderful? Sure.
49 I remember, down way down the mountains in Kentucky, the old-fashioned Missionary Baptist church, they used to start singing that---the old women and them---"Don't Turn Him Away." To see them old boys back there, old limb bark hat on, scream and start to the altar, accepting everlasting life, believing on the Lord Jesus.
Now, to you new converts now, that's just come into the Lord Jesus, accepted everlasting life; I want to ask you something. Now, Jesus ... the Scripture teaches He raised from the dead. And claims that the very works the He did here when He was here on earth, He'll do it through the church until He comes again.
"Verily, verily I say unto you, the works that I do shall he also, and more than this shall he do. For I go unto My Father." The word there is "greater." Greater means "more," you couldn't do anything greater quality ... or, quantity, but in quality, more of it. He could be everywhere in all the churches since He has risen from the dead.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
50 Now, He seen visions, said, "I don't do nothing till the Father shows Me, and what the Father shows Me that I do."
He seen the woman's trouble at the well. He knowed where Nathanael got ... or, Philip found Nathanael when he was praying. A fellow come up, and He knew his name, knew who he was, told him what his name was, looked out into the audience, perceived their thoughts.
A woman touched His garment. And He turned around, said, "Strength went out of Me." He look out in the audience where she was, till He had found her.
Said, "Thy faith has healed thee." See, that's the kind of a Jesus He was when He was here on earth.
Well, if He's the same in power, same in respect, same in attitude, same in all, He's the same in everything, yesterday, today, and forever. He said, "A little while and the world won't see Me no more" (That's the unbeliever.), " yet ye shall see Me" (That's the believer.) " for I," (I, as I say, is a personal pronoun.), " I will be with you, even in you," not just through the apostles' age, "unto the end of the world." Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Now we're going to pray for the sick in a few moments. I'm not a healer. I'm just like you are, a sinner saved by grace, that's all. And the Lord has... When I was borned a little baby up there in the mountains, this light here that we have, many of you seen it, that was hanging over my little crib bed that I was in, little trundle affair; been with me ever since.
It's not me that sees the visions; it's Him, that shows them. So it's nothing I have, see. It's what God has given to you. It's not my faith that does it, it's your faith. Your faith does the moving of it, itself. I can't make it move, it's you that makes it move, see. You have to believe it yourself; and in believing so, if you correctly believe, God will grant you your request. Not because it's... It's because it's the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Mark 5:32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luke 8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
51 How many know that the first time Jesus appeared to lead the people, He was in a form of a pillar of fire? The Angel of the covenant led the children of Israel.
The second time He appeared, He was in the form of a Man called Jesus.
The third time He appears, He is in a form of spirit called the Holy spirit. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. You get it? Amen. That's Him.
Now, He's just the same today, as He was when He led the children of Israel in the pillar of fire. It's only thing it is is God condescending---bring Himself down.
Way up there on a mount... Moses, no one, even if an animal touched the mountain, had to be killed, no sacrifice. No blood sacrifice that could take the place. So sinners couldn't approach the holy God.
Then the next thing He come down born of a virgin. A virgin birth. And God came into His Son, Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to Himself. You could touch Him, but He was a different person. What's God doing? Breaking this blood cell to sanctify a church, that He could come down, Himself, and have fellowship with the people. See how God loves you? You couldn't do nothing about it. He brought Himself down. And cleaned His road as He come through wiping away sin, till He could come down and fellowship with Adam again. You see it?
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
52 He fellowshipped with Him before sin came, then He had to come make a way to take sin out. Now He fellowships with Him again. The same Holy Spirit, the same Father, moving among His people. Just so simple, nothing strange about it. It's God!
Now He'll be here tonight, I trust, and will do the same thing that He did when He was here on earth in a physical form. God raised that Body up, sits on the throne of God today. Christ is not on His right throne, He's on God's throne now, in the heavens. But when He returns back, He'll come to David's throne, which He is heir to.
Now, notice, now He's here in the form of the Spirit, tonight, to do the same thing, same love. He just saved the sinner out there, that's the love He had. Now He'll heal the sick, same love He had, He will show signs and wonders, just the same love He had, the same Jesus. If He'll do that, would you receive Him? God bless you now.
Father God, we pray that You'll grant this. And I submit myself to Thee, now, through Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
53 Bill. What prayer cards was we... Q's, we was calling from last night, wasn't we? Prayer card Q's, I believe, it was. I believe we called the first bunch of them. Let's call the last part of Q's tonight. He isn't here just at the time. Let's... It's prayer cards Q, does anybody have them? Look out there. That's fine. All right, let's call from Q's then. Let's call from the last part of them. The last... How many did we have? Fifteen last night? Fifteen or sixteen?
All right, let's call the last fifteen; that'll be from eight-five to a hundred. Q-85, does anybody have it? Raise up your hand right quick. Q-85, raise up your hand, please. Anybody have it? The girl? All right sister, come here. 86, quickly, just a little card with my picture on it, and the number and a letter on the back. Q-85, 86. Who has 86? The lady. 87, raise your hand quickly now to save the time. Is this it? 87, 88, all right, Q prayer card 88. All right.
Prayer card Q-89, 89. Q-90. Q-90, anyone have it? Would you raise your hands right quick? Prayer card Q-90. Look at somebody's card somewhere. Yes, all right. 90, 91, raise your hand so we can see. Help me if you will. 91, somebody deaf or somebody that can't get up, you know, then ... 91? Come to the afternoon meetings; they give out the prayer cards. 91? Is Q-91 here? 92? All right, lady. 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, up to a 100.
Now look around and see if they come into the meeting, come into the line. And now, if we can ... if everybody be reverent, maybe we can get out then, and give out, and call some more from ... some more prayer cards. If everybody try to hold faith and believe.
While they're coming, I want to pray for these cloths here again. Shall we bow our heads a moment?
54 Dear loving Jesus, upon the basis of the Word of God, we realize that Elisha, the Bible said, "He was a man subject to like passions as we are." He had ups-and-downs. He had his troubles like we have. But he sent a stick that he'd been walking with to lay on a dead baby.
Paul called himself "the chief of sinners." On his road to Damascus to lock up all the people that were in this way. And the Holy Spirit struck him down and chose him for a vessel to bear the Word of God to the Gentiles. And they believed that apostle so much till they took from his body handkerchiefs and aprons. And they laid them on the sick, and unclean spirits went out, and evil, and infirmities, and the people were made well.
Now we realize, Lord, that the prophet has gone, and so has Paul, but Jesus remains forever. And we pray, Father, that in this day that the people's faith believing that You'll now bless these handkerchiefs and little parcels in here, and when they're laid on the sick, may they each be healed. For we send them in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
55 Now, everyone reverent. And I believe that it got a little cool in here. I see the women putting their coats on. Maybe if they'd shut the fans off, it might be a little better. The custodian will, please.
And then, notice, friend. I want to ask you something while they're lining the people up. Now, if Jesus of Nazareth stood here tonight, wearing this suit that I have on that He gave me several years ago in Sweden. If He stood here wearing this suit, and for instance this girl here, or somebody along the line there, come up here, to Him and said, "Lord, will you heal me?" What do think Jesus would say to them?
He'd say, "I can't. I have already done it." When Jesus died at Calvary, He healed every sick person that would believe that He did it for them then. Is that right?
What if the sinner awhile ago would say, "Now, Lord, will you save me?" What if a sinner came up here to the platform and say ... and Jesus was standing here, say, "Jesus will you save me?"
He'd say, "Well, son, I saved you nineteen hundred years ago. Do you accept it now?"
If he'd say, "Well, I want You to do it now."
He'd say, "I have already done it."
So if any person ever tell you that they can save you or heal you, it's an error, 'cause no one can do what's already been done, see. Jesus died to save sinners and heal sick people. That's what...
And He's sitting tonight at the right hand of God as a High Priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Is that right? Making what? Intercessions upon our confession, see. He cannot do one thing for you until first you believe it in your heart that He has done it, and then say that He's done it. And the minute that you believe it and say it, then before God, He says it's right. He's there to make intercession upon your confession.
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
56 Now you can come to the altar here and scream, and cry, and walk up and down the floor and scream, "God, save me a sinner." That wouldn't do one speck of good. You could do that tonight, all night, all day tomorrow, and the next night, beat on the floor, anything you want to do. You're just giving vent to your feeling.
But you can never be saved until you first believe it and then confess it. For He said, "If you confess Me before men, I will confess you before the Father and all the angels." Is that right? The minute you do.
And if you're just doing it from your head, well, it doesn't matter. If you're doing it from your heart, it's settled right there. Has to be. Regenerated person right then. "He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me has," right now, "everlasting life and shall never perish, but has passed from death to life." Just because you believe. It's all.
The same thing by divine healing. You don't have to be up here on the platform. You just believe right where you're sitting. Look up to Jesus, and say, "I now believe it and accept it and You're my healer right now."
At that very minute, He confesses that same thing before Almighty God, saying, "By My stripes I've recognized him healed," see. And you're just as sure to get well, as He's God, He has to. God just can't say something and take it back; He's got to keep His Word. I can say something and take it back, you can too, but He can't. He's God, once spoke, and that settles it. All right.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
57 Now, now, what could be done for these people? Now these standing in the line, just a few of them here, we called a few of them up here to the platform. And my Heavenly Father knows that as far as I know, I've never seen a person in that line. Frankly, there's nobody in the building... I thought this man sitting right here a while ago was Brother G. H. Brown, from Little Rock, but it isn't. You know he looks a whole lot like him, but I thought it was Brother Brown, but it isn't.
If I'm not mistaken, this is Brother Fuller sitting right over here, if I'm not mistaken, sitting right there. And this man here, I don't know him, but I know his face, but I don't know his name. Outside of that, outside my own brethren, right here, there's not a person in this building that I see that I know. That's right.
58 Now I'm not saying that, if you know me, see, I just don't know you. You see, see. Or don't recognize you. God knows that.
And yes, I see the lady sit up there. Her sister, I know that lady. She's from Tucson, Mrs. Morgan. The first vision I ever seen in my life. Her sister was a twenty-one year graduate nurse in Louisville, Kentucky. She's been dead about fourteen years. She's nursing at Clark County Memorial Hospital.
And she came after the Angel of the Lord had ministered to me this ... told me what it was, and about these visions, that the ministers told me it was the devil, and He let me know it was the Spirit of God. And they just didn't understand like they did in the other days. And Mrs. Morgan was the first one to come. Mr. McDowell had been healed of his eyes. Mrs. Morgan... Mr. Morgan, her husband said, "Come," and said, "now, I wonder if that'll work on my wife; she's dying. Taking radium, x-rays, ether. Oh my! She's out of her head."
So he come ask me. I said, "It's not for me to question it; it's for you to question. Do you believe it? I believe it." So he brought her over, and the lady, right here, was present that night.
And when the woman with cancer, it run all through went from the breast, down through the abdomen, into the intestinal tract. And the doctor when he opened her up, "Why," he said, "just like the roots of a tree. Wrapped..." He couldn't even wash her out with an enema.
And said, "There's nothing to do, but let her die." And she got so low till the doctor told her husband, said, "Now, if you want to take her out of the hospital over to Jeffersonville," said, "you can take her just 'cause she always said she liked the river, let her see the river before she dies." But said, "There ain't nothing can be done for her."
59 Well, that being my first one, laying there like that, a dying woman. But when I took a hold of her hand... Two nights or three nights before that the Lord Jesus had met me up there. And this Angel stood by me, and said, this thing would happen, that I was going into all the world testifying over the platform that night, when praying for her, the Holy Spirit spoke back, "Thus saith the Lord." And today she's a healthy, and strong, fine, lovely woman, and that's her sister sitting there with us. Is that right, sister? That's right. Lovely.
And a great attorney come from up north. He heard about it. And he come down, wanted to find out. So he went to the cancer clinic in Louisville, and she's been dead for years. He said, "Do you want to meet her?" Said, "She's the liveliest dead person you ever seen." Still nursing.
60 Me and my wife, in a few weeks now with the baby, she's been with them all along, the loveliest friend, one of the loveliest friends I have in the world.
Yeah, I didn't see you, sister. I'm sorry. I didn't notice you sitting back in the crowd. Especially standing up here and the lights shining in a different way. It's kind of hard. Anyone standing up here can see it's hard to see people out in there.
And now, notice, but if Jesus has risen from the dead... What did He do when He was here on earth? Now just take your time. Don't be in no hurry. What did He do? One thing to recognize the truth, ought to settle it forever. When Jesus was here on earth, did He claim to be a healer? No, sir. He said, "I don't do any healing at all." Said, "It's My Father does the healing, that dwells in Me." Is that right? Said, "I, the Son, can do nothing."
What did He do? He was possessed with the power of God without measure. We have it in measures. He has it without measure. Just like go out to the ocean get a spoonful of the water, it's just a spoonful out of the ocean; that would be just a little gift here, up by the side of Him. But remember, the same chemicals that's in the spoonful of water is in the whole ocean, see. It's the same thing, but just smaller, see. Way smaller.
But when He was standing, the people would look and believe. And certain things that He would call out in the audience and say things. Philip brought Nathanael; He said, "Behold, an Israelite, in whom there's no guile."
He said, "How did You know me, Rabbi?"
Said, "Before Philip got you when you were under the tree, I saw you."
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
61 He told the woman at the well, after He had talked to her a while to contact her spirit. There was something about Him that seen visions.
And Jesus said, when He passed by a lot of cripples and twisted people, and so forth, and went over to a man laying on a pallet and said... Now watch. Jesus knew that He was there. God had showed Him. He healed that man, told him to take up his bed, and go to his house.
Well, my! When the Jews found him and questioned Him. They brought Jesus in to question, here's what He said, "Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son likewise." Is that right? Then Jesus' own words said He could do nothing at all until the Father showed Him first what to do.
John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
62 Look at the resurrection of Lazarus, many other things there. Some blind man come by one time, wanted to be prayed for. He didn't have no vision for him. He just touched their eyes, said, "Now according to your faith, be it unto to you."
The woman touched His garment and went out in the audience, stood around out there a little bit and He look around and said, when He found her said, "Thy faith has healed thee." Thy faith has saved thee, physically saved. Same words, sozo. Save thee, save thee, physical or spiritual, same word, same every time in the Bible, where healing or saving, it's the same Greek word, sozo. Any minister knows that, that's studied. Sozo, thy faith has saved thee physically, saved thee spiritually.
Now, if Jesus was here tonight, then when He went away He said this, "A little while and the world..." the unbeliever, they won't believe it. What did the people think about it that day? What did they say He was? Well they... Did he say, "That's truly the Son of God, the great religious world."? They said, "He's the best fortuneteller in the country. He's Beelzebub, the chief of the devils." Is that right?
But what did the devil say He was? "The Son of God." So the devil was more right than the preachers was. You know why? They were more subject to spirit, them fortunetellers, then what the preacher was. That's exactly right.
And here's a little something on the side. What was all that happened on the reservation the other day? up on the Indian reservation? Get what I mean? More subject to spirit. We people are all scholared and educated, my, well, things way back, gone, but the Easterner, brother, he believes.
Matthew 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Matthew 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mark 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
63 Now, if Jesus was here tonight, and come in, and do the same things that He did when He was on earth, what would He do to these people here? Now if He's already healed them, now what could He do? Now, already through preaching the Word, He let them know what He believes, what He did. Now if they can accept it that way, that's the best way, that's the initial healing. Is that right? That's the initial way. Faith cometh by hearing, by the Word.
Now it's not that... Then He sent gifts into the church. Some apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, all those for the edifying of the church.
Now, I'm not much of a preacher; the only thing that I can do is just by a gift to see visions. Not here, not here in the church. Mercy. This is a amateur side of it. Ask my associates that deals with me around other places. Why, visions come from everywhere, all the time, foretelling things that will happen on the road and all along.
And just ask anybody if ever one time it ever failed. If it'd be William Branham, it always fails; but as long as it's the Lord Jesus Christ, it can't fail. That's right.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
64 In this picture here of Him, that proves scientific world that I've told the truth. That is His picture, which is not mine. It's copyrighted in Houston, Texas, and we just have to buy them and then let the people have them.
But now, if He will come in the power of His resurrection, as we as Christians contend---the Full Gospel people, all of them---contend that Jesus raised from the dead, then if He raised from the dead, and the same yesterday, today, and forever, He's got to do the same thing today that He did yesterday, and forever. Is that right? He's just got to do it in order to be the same.
Now, I hope, that... I know it's not a hundred percent with me tonight but I... You can't hide that, my brother. But it's so anyhow, see.
65 Now, may He come and for the sakes of those believers do... Now how many here that doesn't have a prayer card and yet you want Jesus to heal you, raise your hand. You want Jesus to heal you and don't have a prayer card, I can just get a general conception of where you are. All right. Let's pray.
Father, in the name of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus, I now submit this poor, humble, unworthy body to You. That You'll speak through these lips, look through these eyes. Go into the hearts of the people out there, Lord, and give them faith to believe so that You can work through Your servants together, tonight. For the glory of the resurrection of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Now, everyone, now please keep your positions, keep your seats, don't move around, just give us a little time. And I want to say, tomorrow night being the last night, if the Spirit of the Lord strikes me, of course, it's a little while them kind, it's another dimension, it's another world. I don't know what I say.
And they tell me... You see this tape recording sitting over yonder? That's how I pick up. Anybody wants to know what's said to them, just get on the tape recording there and you can pick it up. We do that because it's absolutely infallible the truth each time. Just go and find out. And it's been that way. I'm forty-five years old, it's been that way since the first thing I can remember as a little baby boy.
Now, be reverent. You say, "What is it, Brother Branham?" It's submitting yourself to the Spirit of God. Just knowing how to submit yourself. And you do the same thing. You might not be able to see visions, but you can submit yourself for the working of the Holy Spirit.
66 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. Amen.
Now, if the engineer will watch, sometimes I catch on the tape, my voice is not very loud. Now, this young girl standing here, she's a stranger to me. I never seen her in my life, as I know of. If it is, I know nothing about it. But God knows all about the child, He knows just exactly what's wrong with her, or what she's here for, anything.
So, if the Angel of the Lord will come now to this little lady standing here, speak to her, and tell her of something that's been in your life in the past; and will bring it up, whatever it is that you know I know nothing about, and I've seen strangers and you're probably fourteen, fifteen years older, or maybe not that old and I'm forty-five.
And so we were born years apart, perhaps, hundreds of miles apart. Our first time to meet one another. So then, it'd have to come from God. Wouldn't it, little lady? Well, then if He would do that, will the audience believe that He's raised from the dead and living here today, the same yesterday, today, and forever?
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
67 Well, now little lady, being the first here, of course, you're conscious that something is going on. Now just as a child... You're a Christian, you are a believer, 'cause your little spirit feels welcome, see. If it wasn't, it'd just be turning back from me, but you realize that something's going on don't you? That's the settling of that Angel of the Lord coming down. Now that will not hurt you. You just believe on it and it'll do you good.
And now talking to you, just like our Lord did the woman at the well. Well then He had to get in contact with her somewhere, so it had to be through spirit.
68 One thing, you're all nervous, upset about something. And you are suffering with a kidney condition. It's in your kidneys. That is right, isn't it, sister? Now bless your heart, honey, don't worry. Do you believe now? All upset, got kidney trouble, probably's what making her have kidney trouble. Now, the Lord bless you, my sister.
69 Now, if He's present now to do that for you, then you know me, just a man, and don't know you, if He could tell you what your trouble was, well surely His presence then... Do you believe it being the Lord Jesus? Then somehow in this unworthy temple, Jesus Christ speaks, doesn't He? Then if I'd lay hands on you according to His Word, you'd have to get well if you believe it. Isn't that right?
The little lady seems to leave from me again. Oh, you're... I see a man, it's a man real sick, there's something wrong, it's your father, there's something, he's got a... Oh, he's dying, he's got a head, something wrong with his head. It's a pressure or something in his head. And the man is dying. Your father. That's truth.
Dear God, be merciful tonight. Come to this little child here, Lord, standing here deeply in sorrow, broken up. Thou does know all things, Father. Thou can do all things. And I pray that you'll bless her now. Bless her loved one that's so bad tonight. May the great Holy Spirit be at the room. Stay the hand of death. In this audience, Lord, is believers, we now ask this blessing. This little girl standing here for this. May she receive everything she come for. In the name of Jesus Christ as Your humble servant. I ask it. Amen.
God bless you, honey. God be with you.
He said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible." Have faith. Don't disbelieve, just have faith in God. Don't you believe now with all your heart? The Bible said, "He that believeth shall not be condemned. He that believeth shall not be condemned." All right.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
70 I see you have a personal worker, lady. But I suppose we're strangers to one another. Just as we're strangers that you seen me, but being a personal worker, of course, you have seen me. But I mean to know one another, we are strangers to each other. But the Lord Jesus knows us both, doesn't He?
Now, if He'll help me to know you, know something of you, or something in that manner, will you accept Him then? Now you know lady, that there's not a way in the world for me to know what you're standing there for. Isn't that right? Not a way in the world. I'm a total helpless when it comes to that. Only by the grace of God would I know.
But you're suffering with something in the heart, the heart trouble. That's what it is. True. Now you believe? Believe that God will heal you? Believe that God will make you well? Now what it has to do, not knowing what your trouble was, frankly, I don't think now what it was, but whatever it was I seen something that told me that's what it was. Now that's enough to make a believer out of you, isn't it?
71 I see you're interested in somebody else, too. And that's someone younger than you are. It's your child; it's your daughter. And your daughter is about... It's a domestic trouble in the family. It's a... You understand what I speak of? What is in your heart at this time? God bless you. Do you believe you receive what you asked for? Come here.
Almighty God, be merciful now. Let Thy Spirit come upon this, our sister. As I have my hands laid upon her, and grant unto her, Father God, the deep desire of her heart for that which she asks for. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
God bless you, sister. May He grant to you the riches of His blessing.
How do you do, lady. Supposing we're strangers to each other, too. Strangers. I don't know you, but Jesus Christ does know you, doesn't He.
Somebody touched Him!
The vision doesn't break, but it was right in here.
Excuse me, I'm not beside myself. I just ... it's just, I can't explain it. You understand?
72 You got lung trouble. Haven't you just come from the hospital? Or going to one or something? I see a hospital look like appears. Do you believe that Jesus Christ will make you well and take the thing away from you? You believe that He will do it? Will you come near?
Precious Lord, I lay my hands upon the woman. Take this shadow of death from her, Father, and may the light of life take its place. Grant it, Lord, in Jesus Christ's name I ask it. Amen. God bless you, lady. Go believing now. Have faith.
Do you believe Him with all your heart?
73 Sister, you that just bowed your head and said, "Lord, have mercy on me," that's sitting there with the nerve trouble, sitting right there. Yes. He heard you. Now isn't that what you were praying? If it is, raise up your hand if that isn't right. Been suffering with a kind of mental nervousness, haven't you?
You got a habit of dropping things, too, haven't you? I see you standing, dropped a plate or something just recently and broke it. That's right. All right. Isn't that right? If that isn't right, raise your hand, see. I don't know you, but God does. Now you're healed, that's left you. You are going home to be well.
Is this my ... the patient?
Are you believing up there for the child, the little girl? You believe God take that diabetes away from her, make her well? You was crying a while ago, wasn't you? Have you got a prayer card? You don't? You don't need one. God bless you, honey.
You sitting up there with your little head down praying then wasn't you? If that's right, sweetheart, raise your little hand like that. See, Jesus heard your prayer and He come back and tell me about you saying, "Can I be healed tonight, Jesus?" Sure you can, sweetheart, just accept it. That's all you have to do, and you can go home and get well.
Let's say, "Praise be to God, Who gives us the victory." The faith of a little child! Just only believe. Are you believing, everybody believing? You can be healed if you just believe.
74 Lady sitting there with that red dress on, you kind of have a ... you was just really thinking then, "God, are You going to catch me tonight?" That's the truth, isn't it? Not reading your mind, but that's exactly what you said. That's right. Because you want to get over arthritis, don't you? And you also have bursitis, don't you? That's right? All right, now you can get over it if you just... Your faith touches the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Oh, people, how can you turn Him down? How can you say that He's not alive tonight. Why isn't He alive? Here He is doing the same thing He did when He was here on earth. Just believe Him, that's all you have to do. See, those people out there, without prayer cards without anything at all, no way to get up here on the platform, but they get there faith away from here down here. And when you do that, it touches it. Now every spirit in here, I'm feeling it. That's exactly right. And if God wanted to, you couldn't hide your life if you had to, see. All right now, where?
How do you do, sir. Do you believe me to be God's servant? The reason I say that, sir, is not for... I'm a poor representative of His. But what little I can, and with all my heart, I just love Him with all my heart, and all my soul. I love Him.
And I suppose, my brother, that you and I are strangers to each other. Perhaps, we've never seen one another in our lives. You have seen me, but I don't know you. You just see me probably by being in the meetings and things like that. Yes, yes, sir. Well, then, the only way that God would know ... that I would know anything about you or what you're here for, would be through God. Is that right?
Now if He'd just show me what was wrong with you, the vision's what makes me weak, you see. But if I just, if He'd show me what was wrong with you, well, that would be enough for you. You'd believe it then, wouldn't you? With all your heart.
If you possibly can, be just as reverent.
75 Now, my brother, 'course there's spirit all around everywhere. Your brother, myself, it's in a different world now, but you're moving away from me. And I see you suffering with a heart trouble. It's caused by a nervous condition that causes the heart trouble. It's a nervous condition. That is right.
You got a wife that's sick, too. Has a colon trouble like, some kind of a trouble. You got a... I see a daughter, you got a daughter that's a spastic or something. You have. And you got another daughter that suffers a nervous trouble. She's something around school. Isn't she a teacher? Or something around school. That's right. School teacher. Those things are true, sir.
Now, that wasn't me talking. That was my voice, but it was Him talking. Now, whatever He told you, it's the truth. For, He was the same One said here, "If they lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." You believe that? Then come near.
Almighty God, author of life, giver of every good gift, send Thy blessings upon the man. And give to him, Father, the desire of his heart. I ask this in Jesus' name, the Son of God. Amen.
God bless you, my brother.
How do you do, sir? We're strangers to each other, I suppose, sir? My talking to the people, seems like everybody... I just want to talk to you a minute. I see you got the book, the picture there. I hope you enjoy them and God blesses you with reading it. We are strangers to one another. I've never seen you in my life as I know of. We are totally strangers to each other.
Then if there's anything concerning you, or what you're here for, God will have to give it to me in some way. If I, by the Spirit of God will know these things, just exactly like Jesus did when He was here, then you'll have to know it comes from some supernatural resource. Then will you accept it to be from God? God bless you.
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
76 Will the audience do the same thing? I wish I could just have more strength to go along, but ... just to speak to you a minute.
You're suffering with a nervous condition. That's right. You're a wonderful person though. You got a strong spirit; vision breaks quickly for you. You're a disabled veteran. You got a wife, you're a married man. She's suffering with nervousness, too. You're from Texas. You're here and you're in a business, some kind of a ... you're in a filling station business, filling station. You got a call in your life for the ministry, you feel like you have. And you're trying to accumulate money to go to a school somewhere to learn about, something about... That's true. Do you believe? [The man says, "Yes, sir."] Well, then "Thus saith the Lord," go and receive what you've asked for in Jesus' name.
77 Do you believe that the Lord Jesus healed you while you were sitting there? You was. God bless you. You can go now and be made well.
Mother, do you believe Jesus' going to take that arthritis away from you? you're going to get well? Just go and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus." Just...
Having headaches, aren't you? Been having all kinds of headaches. God bless you. Back there, sir, sitting next to you there, having trouble with your ears, aren't you. You believe Jesus is going to make you well?
The lady sitting right there has got something wrong with her eyes. Got a tumor on your eyes, haven't you, lady? Put your hands over your eyes and wipe them across that way. Now go and see. Jesus Christ make you well.
Praise be to God. You have a lady's troubled and also arthritis. You believe Jesus going to make you...? God bless you then. Go and God make you well. Go rejoicing, happy.
78 Your trouble's in your back, isn't it, lady? You want to be well? Walk out there and stoop down like this and bend your back down and say, "Jesus, I accept it." Then go, and Jesus Christ will make you well. Let's say, "Praise the Lord."
Brother, you want to go eat your supper, be well again? [A man says, "Yes."] All right, go. The ulcer has left you. You can go and be made well now.
Come! You believe? Lady, you believe? [A lady says, "I believe."] With all your heart? ["With all my heart."] Then you won't have to be operated on; the tumor will leave you and you can go home.
Diabetes is nothing for Jesus Christ to heal. Amen. You believe Him?
You want to get over the tumor, also? God bless you. Then go and be made well in Jesus' name.
Have faith in God.
79 Who switched the switch? All right, stand still. Are you all together? Is this the rest of the line?
All right, to you, young lady, have faith now. Believe with all your heart. There's a dark shadow of death hangs over this family. This lady's a caretaker for these. These people are Indian. You come from an Indian school. You've been put out of the school, because of TB. They say that the children are all going to die. This is the father.
Look on me, sir. This lady here, by working, has contracted TB, and is working is her face. You feel that you got a call for the ministry. You want to preach the Gospel. You! The shadows of death over the children. You believe me to be God's prophet? You believe that this shadow can be moved tonight? You can go back to your people, with these children and get well and live? Will you go preach the Gospel? And believe on the Lord Jesus?
Then, Almighty God, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I condemn every demon power. I take the curse off of this people here. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may every evil spirit depart from this. Hope is failing, oh, from these people. Come out! Satan, I adjure thee in the name of the Lord Jesus.