All things are possible to him that believeth
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 ...because of being in prayer constantly, in the afternoon, and then come right over here, if I go to preaching [Gap in the audio.] from me and the meeting don't seem like it has the right kind of a something. I don't see the visions so plain, because it's two different anointings. One of them, you're taking in; the other one, you're giving out, see. One of them, when you're preaching, you just feel wonderful and happy; the other one, you just get weaker and weaker, as you go down, see. One, is you drawing from God (see) what you desire and the other one is God giving through His Word to you, see. One of them is a vision, and the other one is preaching the Word.
2 Now, for just a little text that God might give us a context. It's in St. Mark. Let's take it from Saint Mark the 9th chapter, and read, well, let's say, one verse, for the setting. Let's take the 23rd verse.
And Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
That was our song. Now, that takes all the doubt away from it, doesn't it? "And if it be Thy will...?" He said, "All things are possible, to him that believeth." Not, "Whether it's Your will, or not." It is His will, if you've got faith. For all things is freely given to you by the Lord Jesus who died to [Gap in the audio.] fall, Christ brought to the church, by His righteousness and His sacrifice, and now we have the earnest of our complete deliverance.
A man, some time ago, was talking to me. And he said, "Brother Branham, I don't see how that you can sanely place divine healing in the atonement."
I said, "I'll place every redemptive blessing in the atonement. Everything."
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
3 Now, Jesus didn't bleed twice, or He didn't die twice, but divine healing and every blessing that you have need of was made to you in one atonement. That's right. You can't deal with sin without dealing with sickness, and when you preach the Gospel of salvation for those who believe, for their soul, you have to include divine healing, because sickness is a attribute of sin.
Before we had any sin, we had no sickness. Sickness come as a result of sin, so you can't deal with sin without dealing with sickness. You just can't do it.
Now, this fellow said, "Brother Branham, if I'll prove to you by the Gospel..." Charles Fuller, this singer, cowboy singer just converted; right big, fine fellow. I can't think of his name right now. Oh, he... Stuart Hamblen. We was having... They all had pictures taken in the place and they had just left town. So I come in. He said, "I want you to get your picture taken."
4 So, then after he got the manager and them away, those who were smart, had education. He knew that I didn't have any education, so he thought he'd just jump on me with both feet.
So, he said, "I want to ask you..." He said to the manager, said, "I want to take a couple more poses of Brother Branham. I'll guarantee you I have..." He said, "When I took about forty-five minutes of time that he would be in study and prayer for tonight's service." He said, "I'll promise you, Brother Baxter, that I'll have him there."
"All right." So he went away.
So then while... "Well," said, "one question I want to ask you."
I thought, "Oh, I know you're all loaded."
So he said, "Do you apply ... put divine healing in the atonement?"
I said, "Yes, sir. I do."
And he was just out of seminary, smart as all get-out. And he said, "Well, if you apply ... put divine healing in the atonement, Brother Branham, you're wrong."
I thought, "I don't think so."
5 And he said, "Well, if divine healing was in the atonement, as sin was included in the atonement---atoned for," said, "we would have no more pain. That if it was in ... divine healing was in the atonement, pain would be took away, for the atonement killed the very effects of sin."
I thought, "I want to ask you something, brother. Is there temptation?"
He said, "Yeah."
"Then there's pain." That's right. Sure, sure. It's your faith that overrides it. Certainly. Your faith is what does it, answers.
So, he said, he said, "Well, if I..." [Gap in the audio.] Isaiah said [Gap in the audio.] "... give it to you by the Bible, will you accept it?"
And I said, "Yes, sir. The Bible said so, then that's right."
6 He said, "Well, in Matthew 8, the Bible said, 'As they brought to Jesus, all those that were sick and afflicted, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities."'" And I said... He said, "You see that now, brother? It was fulfilled right there, every bit of it."
I said, "Well, brother, that was a year and six months before the atonement was ever made. That was before Jesus ever died on the cross. There was no atonement at that time. Then according to your doctrine, then the atonement had more effect before it was made than it's had this side, after it become the atonement.
So then he went to using some great big words, seeing that my education was limited. I said, "I haven't got the gift of interpretation yet." I said, "You just speak the plain, old language to me and we'll talk about it."
And he went on. And he said, "Oh, it's in the atonement," so forth.
I said, "I want to ask you something, brother. Do you believe that divine healing is in the Word."
Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
7 I was going to take him right here, and over in Mark 11:24. Jesus said, "Whatsoever things when you pray, believe that you receive them ye shall have them," no matter what it is.
I said, "Did Jesus place it in the Word ... divine healing in the Word?"
He said, "Yes, He mentioned 'whatsoever things.'"
I said, "That's right." I said, "Then if He put it in the Word, the Word is ahead of the atonement."
"Oh," he said, "Ridiculous, Brother Branham." Said, "No, sir." Said, "That's sacrilegious."
I said, "Oh, no. It isn't sacrilegious." I said, "He's got to keep His Word."
And I said, "Well, I'll tell you something: One time there was a king had a great kingdom, and all of his domain. He made the rules and regulations, the penalties and so forth, and when he did, he had a certain sin when it was committed, the penalty was death.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
8 "And every man that did this sin had to die for it. And one day a slave committed this penalty. He had to die. He brought him up before the king and the king said, 'I'm a man of honor. I keep my word and you have committed, according to my rules here, in my kingdom. And being a righteous man that keeps my word, my word says here that there is no atonement for that sin. You have to die. And the only thing I can do is take your life.'
"And the poor fellow said ... began to shake.
"And he said, 'Now, wait a minute.' Said, 'Straighten up.' Said, 'What can I do for you before I take your life?'
"He said, the slave that was under the penalty of death, said, 'I want a glass of water.' And so the king said, 'Give him a glass of water.' And when he got it, the poor fellow fixing to have his head cut off, he was shaking, he couldn't hold it. And the king said, 'Wait a minute. Straighten up. I'm not going to take your life until you drink that water.' And he threw it on the ground. Now what's he going to do? Now, he's a man of honor. He has to keep his word. And his atonement said that there is ... or, I mean, his word said there is no penalty ... or, no redemption for this sin, and yet the king has spoke and said that he won't kill him until he drinks the water. It's impossible; he throwed it on the ground." I said what...
He said, "That was a slip-up on the king."
I said, "That's right. And you think God made a slip-up, not including it in the atonement when He put it in His Word?" I said, "Oh, brother, that's thinner than the broth made out of a shadow of a chicken that starved to death." I said, "That will never work. No, sir. God put it in His Word, and it's for those who believe; only believers."
9 "All things are possible to those that believe." Though we may not have faith enough... And I want you to know this, at the beginning, that healing does apply a lot to the person that's praying for you; that's right, but not altogether. It's your faith, also. You've got to have faith. Watch it in this little words that we're fixing to speak. "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Now, there's a lot of difference besides having faith in the mind, and having it in the heart. The heart is a different mental faculty, altogether, than what's in the head.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
10 Science didn't know that till just about two years ago. Did you know that? The Bible said, "As a man thinketh in his heart."
The science said, "How wrong that is." Said, "There's no mental faculties in your heart. It's in your head---your mind. You can't think with your heart. You want to think with your mind.
Two years ago, I was standing on the streets of Chicago when they had a great big piece in the paper about like that (and I purchased one of them), that science has found in the human heart, (not in the animal) in the human heart a little compartment that doesn't even have a blood cell, and they say it's the occupant of the soul. The soul rests in the heart.
Oh, my. See, God is always right. They finally come to it, you know. They finally see it once in awhile. So when God said that the sun run and science said it stands still (That's what I was taught in school.)...
Now, over in California---the big observatories there---they say they were wrong now. They scientifically proved it wrong: The sun runs also. So, there you are.
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
11 Science has to say things, take it back, say things and take it back, but, brother, here is one Book that you can read and it will never be took back: God's eternal Word. And you can rest your soul upon it. No matter whether you can explain it or not, I believe it anyhow. That's right. God said so, and that settles it.
You can just be that simple in your faith, then God will go to work for you. Yes, sir. He is obligated to His Word. He said, "All things are possible to them that believe." All things! "Whatsoever things when you desire, believe that you receive them. You shall have them. They'll be given to you, if you'll just believe them." That's God's requirement, and faith is what takes to move God.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
12 Now, this was tragic here, and yet, a very outstanding case that we ought to look into and give some consideration for a few moments.
A strange thing: Just a few days before that Jesus had called these same men together and had given them power to heal all kinds of diseases, to cast out all kinds of evil spirits, and to cure leprosy, and to raise up the dead. And He sent them forth, and they went out doing it, and returned back rejoicing.
But when Jesus took a trip and went up on top of the hill, up on the mountain, we find these disciples down in the valley, firmly, completely defeated on a epileptic case. They couldn't handle that evil spirit.
Now, someone said not long ago, "If you'd had the power to heal the sick, like the disciples had..." Now, these people don't believe that you receive the Holy Spirit like they did at the beginning, but they just don't know the Scripture and don't know the Holy Spirit. God's promise said so; and if people that hasn't got so much theology junked into their head, then they just believe God and receive it. That's all.
Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Matthew 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mark 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Mark 3:15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
13 Like a fellow was in a debate, he was holding a debate. He said, "There is no such a thing as God. There is no such a thing as God." Kept doing that. And a little old, silly-looking boy sitting back there with hair hanging down his eyes, and overall jacket on. He come walking up (one tooth out in front), stood up in front of the infidel. He said... Started peeling an apple. He said, "What do you want?"
Said, "I just want to ask you a question."
He said, "Well, ask it."
"Well, wait a minute." Just kept peeling his apple, cut the core out of it.
He said, "Well, sap, hurry up and say what you're going to or I'll have you throwed out."
14 "Well, just a minute." He peeled the apple, took a piece, put it in his mouth, began to chew on it and swallowed it. Said, "I want to ask you a question. Is this apple sweet or sour?"
The infidel said, "I'm not eating it. I don't know."
Said, "That's what I thought." Walked right back and sat down.
How do you know whether there's a Holy Ghost or not until you received it? How do you know Jesus heals or not, until you received it?
Said, "No man can say Jesus is the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost." No matter how much you read it out of the Bible, that won't work. The Holy Ghost has got to witness it to you---His resurrection in your life---or you don't know whether it's sweet or sour. That's right.
As the poet said, "Taste and see the Lord is good." Who knows before he tastes it? It's he that tastes that knows. As the old saying is "The proof of the pudding is the eating thereof." So that's good.
So, this infidel was defeated in this case.
Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
15 Now, these disciples were defeated because of their unbelief. Jesus had gone up on the mountain. And you know what? I'm kind of glad that they were defeated right then, 'cause that just straightens everything out for me.
When we see times say, "Oh, here, I've seen Joneses prayed for; I've seen this one prayed for, never helped them." Sure. The child was prayed for by disciples who had power to heal him. Jesus Christ [unclear words] gave them power to do it, and they were defeated. Certainly. Just have nothing to do with it.
Jesus was up on the mountain, and here, when... The first defeat come out of the drama, the scene. Here was all the pastors out and down in the valley, questioning them. "Uh-huh. I thought He give you power to do it. Let's see you do it. Now, there it is."
16 And the disciples a-praying and casting out the devil, or trying to. The kid just going right on in the epilepsy.
Said, "I told you," said, "the thing of it, it's some kind of a trick. Days of miracles is past."
And here stood, maybe, the man, the father of the child, maybe went out and got his pastor. Said, "Pastor, what do you think about these disciples of this fellow called Jesus of Nazareth, and going around here casting out devils, they say."
"Aw, it's a telepathy. There's nothing to it." 'Course, Pharisee Jones knowed all about it, you know.
"I tell you, we're having an association meeting in a few days, and if you bring your kid up... I hear them disciples is going to be around here. So we'll just take him over and challenge them to do it. Yes, sir."
Now, that's just the devil, the way he works. "Do something before me and let me see it."
17 I had a man not long ago to challenge me on the radio, first, that he'd give a thousand dollars to anybody that could prove that they were healed---divine healing. I took two doctors with me, and four people. Walked up to his steps. Said, "Well, it's over in Texas where we got it." Said, "What we want to do is take a knife and cut a little kid's arm, and you hold it before us brethren, and let us see you heal it, and then we'll believe you."
I said, "You need healing in the head." I said, "There's something wrong with you. You're not mentally right, man." Certainly. Any man that wants you to cut a baby's arm, hold it there, then heal it before them. Why, certainly, there's no one sensible... That's even beyond the answer of intelligence. That's right. Sure it is.
"Now," I said, "what about this woman right here? and here stands her doctor that said she had cancer and now she's well. There's the doctor's statement. I want the thousand dollars for a missionary trip." He wouldn't give it to me. No, no. Certainly not.
Oh, it's just as Brother Moore used to say, "Like the eyes of the owl, all fuss and feathers, and no owl." That's just about the way it goes too on those things.
18 Now, just simple, trying to hide behind some kind of a church doctrine instead of coming down and saying, "You ain't got no faith." That's all. Saying you never received the Holy Ghost, you ain't got nothing in you to give you faith. It's God that's got the faith. And just as you're filled with God, you're filled with faith.
If you're a son of God, you'll have God. He just speaks the Word and it creates itself. His Word is the creative power. How did the world come here? He made it out of things which was not. He just said, "Let there be," and here it is. He believed His own Word.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
19 And this dirt that you're sitting over tonight is just the created power of Almighty God to create His Word. That dirt is the Word of God made manifest. Say, "Amen." [Unclear words]. Yes, sir.
The very dirt that you're sitting upon tonight, there is the Word of God. Amen. That post standing there is the Word of God made manifest. I'm here tonight because the Word of God made manifest. Amen.
Oh, my, don't that just give the devil a black eye! Oh, it sure does. It's the truth; it's the Word.
Now, there they were, and he said, "Now, when they all come out there, you bring your child out, and you'll see how much power these disciples has got."
Well, they got them all excited, you know, and here they was standing around, and the association standing around with their hands behind them, saying, "Uh, huh. There you are. The kid's no better than what he was. Not a bit, not a bit."
20 What could you do anything with such stuff as that hanging around? Yes. There it was. So, the disciples were all trying to cast him away. Oh, they had the power now. Jesus said they had it. Christ gave them individually the power to do it, and they had done it before, but said, "Let me see you do it now. Let me see you do it."
Now, let me settle this in your mind forever. When you hear anybody saying that, know it is the devil speaking through that person.
Let me show you just by the Word. The first time that the devil met Jesus Christ, he doubted Him. Doubt always is of the devil. That's where the first sin come. There is no other sin but doubt. Unbelief is the original and only sin.
Committing adultery is not a sin; smoking cigarettes is not a sin; getting drunk is not a sin. That's the attributes of unbelief. Amen.
21 You talk about... People say, "Brother Branham, you say ... tell them to stand up and believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved." That's what God says. The trouble of it is I don't say, "Stand up and make out like you believe," but really believe. It'll settle the whole thing. That's right. Faith.
Notice. In the garden of Eden the very first original sin was because Eve doubted the Word of God, and when Satan met Jesus and one [unclear word] offspring of Eve, the woman's seed, he used the same technique he did on Eve.
First thing was the appetite, and the next thing he said, "If Thou be the Son of God, do a miracle here before me. Let me see You do something---a miracle."
Now, when you hear a person say that, you know who's talking through that person: the devil. That's right. He said, "Let me see you do a miracle now, before me, so I can see it. Let me see You turn these stones into bread, and eat yourself full again, I'll believe You're the Son of God."
Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Matthew 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luke 4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
22 Jesus turned right back with the Father's Word. He could have done something else. But to bring God's blessings to the weakest of a believer, you could take... You don't have to have gifts. You have to have faith in God's Word.
Jesus never used any of His gifts, any of His power. He used the Father's Word. He turned around and said, "It is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
When He was a prophesier... We know He saw visions. He could tell what was wrong with the people, tell them what the secret of their heart was, and so forth, said, "These signs would follow on to the end of the world."
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
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;
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
23 They put a rag around His face one day---some soldiers---and they hit Him on the head with a stick, and said, "Now, You prophesier..." The devil---what was hitting him---said, "You prophesier, you tell us who hit You and we'll believe You. Tell us who hit You; got a rag around Your eyes." Jesus never opened his mouth, nor said a word.
The Jews upon the cross ... when they had Jesus on the cross, said, "Now, if Thou be the Son of God, perform a miracle here before us. Pull Your hands loose and come down, and we'll believe You to be the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus don't listen to the devil. Never said a word, see.
So, when you see somebody saying, "Let me see you perform a miracle.", remember it's the devil.
When He come into His own country, they said, "Now, we see here about You healing over in that country; we heard about the healing over there. Let's see you do something here among us; let us see it."
Matthew 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
Matthew 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
Matthew 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Luke 22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
24 And Jesus marveled at their unbelief, and many mighty works He could not do. Takes your faith too, because of why? The lack of His power? The lack of God's will? The lack of faith---unbelief. Because of your unbelief, He could not do it.
Here the disciples being defeated, and right in the midst of their defeat, down the mountain come the most lovely Person that ever walked on the earth: the Lord Jesus, the Son of God.
Still weak, perhaps, from under that great anointing when He was taken into a vision there and foresaw ... Peter, James and John foresaw the coming of the Lord; foresaw the order, how that Elijah and Moses would come first, then Jesus would come. They saw Him, then, first coming; Elijah and Moses; and then turned back and saw Jesus only, when He comes after the Millennium.
Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Matthew 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Matthew 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
Mark 6:6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Luke 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Luke 9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
Luke 9:8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
Luke 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
Luke 9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Luke 9:36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
25 Notice, in this, the first thing you know, some of them out here, Pharisee Jones and them, say, "Well, now look. There comes this guy, this is the chief man of all of them. He is the one that started all of this here move." So, they go over and see what he's got to say.
So when the disciples saw the Lord coming, they knowed He could do it. So, they took off for Him, and when they all gathered around where He was at, what did Jesus say? He walked over to that bunch of Pharisees with their collars turned around, said, "What are you questioning them about?"
Oh, you poor dishwater preacher. What's He going to question you, on that judgment? You'll stand the same way before Him.
Said, "What are you questioning them about? What's all the fuss about? Why do you question these, my children?" Oh, my, I can see Him look around on them.
And one spoke up, said, "Sir." I see He is just an ordinary man, yet, to him. Said, "Sir, I brought my child to Your disciples." Said, "He has a foul spirit. He's dumb, froths at the mouth, falls in the fire and water." And said, "I brought him to Your disciples to cure him, and they couldn't do nothing about it."
Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Matthew 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mark 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
26 I can see Pharisee Jones, the pastor.
"Yep, couldn't do nothing about it, so I'm going to bring him to You." And said, "The disciples couldn't cast him out, so I bring him to You. If You can do anything about it---if you can do anything about it---if..." You get it? "If," oh my! "If you can, do something about it now."
Jesus stood and looked around. Said, "Bring him here." And when they brought the child up, now the devil showed off. That's the way the devil does. He likes to show off. Yes. He throwed this kid in a worse fit he ever had. He fell right on the ground, to try to scare Jesus.
When he fell on the ground, began to frothing before ... frothing before the disciples, they got a little scared. But you're not going to scare Him, brother. The devil throwed this kid into a real spasm. He fell on the ground and [unclear words] away and frothing and rolling around on the ground having a ... just throwing the child in the worst he had, 'cause he knowed his time was at hand.
Jesus looked at the child. He said, to the father, said, "How long has he been this way?"
Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Matthew 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Matthew 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Mark 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
Mark 9:19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
Mark 9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
27 Said, "From a youth. Oh," he said, "he falls in the fire and everything." And when He got attention... Now, let's draw a drama here.
Oh my. Here's a valley; there's a mountain. Right up there on the mountain where God came down, overshadowed Him. Said, "This is My beloved Son. Hear ye Him."
And here He is, standing there now; the mountain, the Father had been with Him. The Dove was on the Lamb; the Dove was still on the Lamb, and He knew it. What's He trying to do? He had just got through saying before that: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Father can do ... the Son can do nothing except He sees the Father do it." That right? Saint John 5:19. "I see visions; I do nothing except the Father shows Me in a vision what to do." Saint John 5:19. "I don't do nothing."
Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mark 9:9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
Mark 9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
Luke 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear 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.
28 The disciples are defeated. The father is standing a little hostile. Why? "Well, now, I know He's not going to do it. Because if he don't do it... If these disciples couldn't do it, then He can't do it. I begin to believe with you, pastor, that this is just a bunch of fake---a bunch of work-up, a bunch of mental or telepathy or something. That's all it is." Begin to think that in his heart.
See how unbelief will catch a hold? Oh, I don't care how many times it fails, He's still God, the healer. If I pray for five hundred people tonight, and all five hundred of them die in the morning, tomorrow He's just the same healer that He was tonight. Has nothing to do with it. I know God said so, and that settles it, to me. His Word said so.
29 Look at Elijah, when he went out a little old prophet, the Dove was on him. So, Ahab had called all the priests out there and Elijah had cut their heads off---four hundred of them---that afternoon. Walked over and sat down on the mountain, said, "Now, I'm going to pray for rain." Three years and six months, [unclear word] rain and he put his head down between his little old, bony knees, and he prayed, said, "O God, send the rain."
Said, "Gehazi, go over to the top of the hill and see if you see any clouds back over the sea."
Gehazi went up and said, "Not a sign."
Oh my. How unbelief would have caught that. "But He's still God." Said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, hear the prayer [Gap in the audio]. Gehazi, go back."
"Well, I just got through coming down."
"Go back again. Look again."
"Looks like brass; no sign of rain."
"Hold still." Stuck his head down again. "O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, send us rain. Go back up again."
"No different."
1 Kings 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
1 Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
1 Kings 18:43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
30 Seven times he went up. After awhile Gehazi come down and said, "Oh my. I see a little, bitty, cloud hanging out there, about like a man's hand."
How quick unbelief would have said, "If that's all you can do for me---if that's all you can help me, well, I won't take it." But Elijah had something in him that knowed that was God's sign.
"Well, I went to the meeting last night I had a headache, been sick for a week or two, or month. I felt better, but I'm not altogether well. I had a crippled hand; I could move my fingers, but, my, it's..."
Oh, brother, how quick unbelief goes to work, right there. "Oh, I could see a little bit, I've been blind, but I can see a little bit; but maybe if I'd tried hard enough, I could have done it beforehand." Oh, you poor... I don't know what to call you. You're excuse, as a Christian, that's right.
1 Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
31 Elijah didn't do that. When Elijah had the first little, bitty sign, he raised up and said, "Hallelujah"---so much. Brought up the rain barrel, "Get everything ready. I hear the sound of abundance of rain."
"If I can wiggle that finger, Hallelujah! Get the crutches out from under me; here I come! Doctor, I'll pay you my bill; I don't need it anymore. Thank you, doctor, for all you done, but I won't need your service anymore. I hear the sound of abundance of rain! Yes, sir. She's coming down the rain pipe right now, and I'm going to stay right, and stop and get every bit of it." See?
Oh, he was ready. How quick unbelief catches a hold, and perhaps the father... That's the reason he said, "If thou can---if thou can do anything for her." All right.
Now, Jesus walked over to him to get a conversation, (like He did the woman at the well), said, "How long has the child been that way?"
"Oh," he said, "Since a youth." One time looking into their eyes, something come over him. Then he said, "Have compassion on us."
1 Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
32 When he once looked in the face of Jesus, he could tell that wasn't no mental telepathy. He could tell that there was something about that person that no one else had.
And any man or woman that ever looks the cross in the face... The other day... I got a little cross hanging on my windshield out there. I don't know how many has said to me, "Brother Branham, that looks like a Catholic cross."
When did the Catholics ever have the option on the cross? When did the cross ever become an emblem of Catholic faith? Cross is an emblem of Christian faith, not Catholic. No, sir.
Said, "Why do you have it hanging there?" Some fellow riding with me, coming down from Sellersburg. Kind of tearing me up. They like to do that somehow. I don't mind it, as long as they don't tear at Him.
33 Said, "Why do you hang it there?"
I said, "You know what? Every time that I turn my head up here at this country, when summertime comes, there's a naked woman standing in the yard, on the street, or somewhere. I look at the cross. Amen. I'd rather look at that." He never said no more.
I said, "And now, I see where I was redeemed. In there I see His stripes, I was healed. Once I was blind, I had no eyes what I look with, and I promised Him if He'd heal me, I'd look at the right things. And I know that's the right thing to look at. I look to Calvary. It's a memorial to me, that my Lord died, He healed me. And there on that cross was where He forgave my sins. There on that cross where He took all my worries away from me. On that cross, He healed me with His stripes. I said, "I look at that; turn my head, look at the cross." All right. Depends on what you're looking at. That has a whole lot to do with it. Look at the cross one time. See how much different.
34 Now, when this man looked in the face of the Lord Jesus, He was anointed. He was the anointed God. Here He was, standing there, the anointed man, God in the man. And when he did, there was something caught the man. Looked over, he said, "Have compassion on us." Now, he's on the right grounds. He's coming on the grounds of pleading mercy. He is coming to the mercy seat. And that's the only way you'll ever get anything from God, is come to the mercy seat---not judgment, not upon self, but upon the mercies of God.
Now, it's on the grounds for healing. There's no "if" in it. He's placed it on Jesus now. Watch. No more, "Sir." Now he says something different. Jesus then places it right back on him. He said, "Oh, canst thou believe? Can you turn Pastor Rabbi Jones down, over here? Can you cast all this doubt away from you? Canst thou now believe?"
Mark 9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
35 And the father looked Him in the face, said ... tears running down his cheeks; something had struck him. A change had come in his heart that very moment and he said, "Lord, I believe. Forgive me," so many words, "forgive me for my unbelief. All this time I've tried to believe the Pharisees. I've doubted when the disciples failed. Forgive me, Lord, of my unbelief." And with tears rolling down, the Spirit of God had struck his heart, and he said, "Lord, I believe. Forgive me of my unbelief, or, the Bible quotes it, "Help Thou my unbelief," was "forgive my unbelief."
There he stands. What is it? Now watch. A few moments ago he was "Sir, if thou can..."
But when Jesus caught his attention, He wasn't "Sir." Capital "L-o-r-d." What had happened? When he come to the mercy seat, he found mercy. Hallelujah! I know you'll think I'm crazy; maybe I am. Let me alone though. I'm happy this way.
Look. "If thou can." Pastor, I believe you have been right. "If thou can," and He looked at him. Said, "How long has he been this a way?"
He said, "Since a youth." He said, "Then have mercy on us." The mercy seat, he'd found forgiveness. Asked forgiveness, and repented and, "Now, Lord, I believe. Forgive me of my unbelief." Lord! Lord means "ownership."
Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.