The Lamb and the Dove
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1 Thank you. While we remain standing, let's just speak to the Lord a moment.
Our blessed Heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for the grace of the Lord Jesus that's shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. And how Thou has redeemed us when we were unworthy, not worthy to be redeemed. And, Father, we repent of all of our sins; for we know since we've been redeemed, we have nothing ... by no means, showed our appreciation of You redeeming us from the place that we were headed for. But by Thy amazing grace Thou has brought us safe thus far. We believe that You'll take us through because You chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world; that we might be a peculiar people, a holy people, a royal priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifice, the fruits of our lips giving praise to His name.
And we pray, God, tonight that You'll open our hearts. Send down the Holy Spirit. And may we fellowship around the Word in such a way that when we leave tonight, may it be said like those who came from Emmaus: "Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the road." Heal the sick; call the sinner to repentance; bring back the wandering, and we will praise Thee. In Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated.
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
2 I am so happy to be here again tonight in this great arena to worship the Lord Jesus with you, who love Him, and love to fellowship around His blessed Word. This has been a great day for me. I've had the privilege of meeting some of the pastors and so forth: Dr. Canada, for one, who I met today, a very fine man. He showed me his great, nice church and I was so happy to get to see it. And so, telling me about the wonderful fellowship that you have here in this Golden Gate territory, and we are happy to know that. The Lord richly bless you, my brethren. And may the Lord just make you great shepherds over the flock that the Holy Spirit is guiding you to feed and to nourish and to bring in to that great day.
3 You know, I think what these meetings are when we catch the sinner... You know, Jesus found a man, one time in a parable, was on his road from Jericho ... or, from Jerusalem to Jericho. It showed he was backsliding. He was going from up high, going down low. He was backsliding. And he met him on the road, and an enemy had beaten him and robbed him and left him half dead. That was physically alive, spiritually dead. So, the priests and the Levites, and so forth, passed him; but the good Samaritan, as Jesus taught it, came, picked him up, poured oil in and wine, and taken him to the inn.
Now there's the place I want to get to. He taken him to the inn and said to the caretaker, "Take care of him." He give him a couple of pennies, or whatever it was, to pay his way and said, "Now, if he needs anymore, just go ahead and take care of him; I'll make it right when I come."
Now, you shepherds, God give you the Spirit and the Word to take care of these wounded ones that's been brought in. If you need anymore, He'll take care of that when He comes. So, just feed those sheep.
4 Yesterday afternoon was one of the thrilling times and moments of my life, to see this whole place in here, and up and down the aisles, filled with people seeking the Lord Jesus. Oh, it was a glorious sight. When things like that happen, it just thrills the heart of a minister, a believer, to see people do that.
5 Now, we've got one more night. I believe the boys told me, (Gene and Leo; they're the tape boys), they have the tapes from meetings, and if anyone wants them, why, they have them. And they had some books and a few pictures. And I think they said they just had just about, maybe just ... this'll probably be the last night of them. So, you may get one if you wish, as you go out.
6 And now, tomorrow night is the closing night. And then, I hear that Brother Erickson's coming pretty soon to this city. I've met Brother Erickson, a very fine brother. I certainly love him. And I certainly trust that you all will go out to hear Brother Erickson, when he comes. Brother Valdez, Jr., he's just across the water here, in the city of San Francisco, in some kind of a revival center; maybe some of the brethren can announce his meeting. I've met Brother Valdez twice---a real Christian brother. I'm so happy to get to meet men like that. And he's having meetings; going to carry on the rest of the week. I'm sure it would do you good if you'd go over and see Brother Valdez.
And then, I pray for all you pastors and shepherds. Pastor means a "shepherd." And I trust that God will bless you abundantly, and may great revival sweep this city before the end-time.
7 Now, I wish to read just by the way of the Scripture tonight, the Lord willing, a little text here in the Bible. May the Lord give us the context from it. That's in Saint John the 1st chapter and the 29th verse to begin, and read down to the 32nd, inclusive. Now, listen close to the reading of the Word; for His Word won't fail, mine will, His won't. So, if you get no more than just the reading of the Word... How many reads the Word daily? Let's see your hands. Oh, that's wonderful. Just start right in and make a habit of reading a chapter every night before you go to bed, and a chapter every morning just as you get up. And oh, it just don't take no time till you just... You know the Holy Spirit feeds on the Word of God, and it's good for you to read.
Now beginning with the 29th verse, we read.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for he was before me.
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest unto Israel, therefore I am come baptizing with water.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
John 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
8 Last evening, I believe ... or, one day last week, I made this statement: that we are not supposed to produce fruit but to bare fruit. If we have tried to produce fruit, and we... We bear education and we bear theology, we... Sometimes we bear things in trying to bear fruit ... or, produce fruit, rather, we produce the wrong thing.
Now, to produce anything, to be an outward performed; but to bear anything, has to come from the inside of you. Now, the tree is known by its fruit. The life in the tree proves what it is regardless of what the bark looks like, or what the limbs look like, or what shape the tree is grown in. It's the fruit that counts. It might have sycamore bark on it and have limbs on it like a pecan tree, but if it bears apples, that shows that the sap---or the life---in the tree is apple tree life.
9 And that's how a Christian is known, by the fruit that he bears; not the way he dresses, how intellectual he is, how well educated he is, what church he goes to. He's known by the life that he lives. That's what proves what's inside of him.
And when we find out that... Many times we try to make the Christian church look good on the outside, we try to make ourselves neatly appeared on the outside. That's all right. Sometimes we try to shout and act like the next Christian, why, I don't know whether I'd say that was right or not. I don't believe it is. I believe you're trying to impersonate there. You must be just what you are on the inside. It's just a natural thing. If you try to make yourself act like something, then it becomes hypocrisy. Jesus said, "How can you call Me 'Lord' and do not the things that He asks you to do? How can you call Me 'Lord,' for Lordship is ownership." So, if we call Him Lord, we must do the things that He told us to do.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
10 And now, I'm sure that in this we have found lots of impersonations. And an impersonation, friend... A person that would impersonate something is the most miserable person that I would know of. Isn't it much better just to be yourself? As Congressman Upshaw used to say, "Don't try to be nothing that you hain't." Well, that's pretty good. Don't try to be nothing that you are not. Just be yourself. And then, if you want to be a Christian, just ask Christ. He will take your old nature out, put a new nature in. Then you don't have to impersonate anything; it's just your normal life that you're living.
And as long as you got malice, envy, strife, all these things of the world, then you know Christ isn't in there. The Bible said, "If you love the world, or the things of the world, the love of God's not even in you." See, because the life of God isn't in you. The life is in there, it just produces itself, it just lives its way out.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
11 And how happy it is that a man... Don't try to say, "I'm a Christian because I joined church." That's one way. "I'm a Christian because I sing in the choir." That's something else. "I'm a Christian because I preach the Gospel." That doesn't make you a Christian. "I'm a Christian because I spoke with tongues." That don't make you a Christian. "I'm a Christian because I danced in the Spirit." That don't make you a Christian. "I'm a Christian because I shouted." That don't make you a Christian. "I'm a Christian because I quit smoking, I quit drinking." If you did it within yourself, there's something wrong yet. That's right. We mustn't do these things in ourselves. If there's something in us that just simply takes the world out of us, then it begins to bear fruit of itself.
12 And now, the fruit of the Spirit is not joining church. The fruit of the Spirit is not smoking cigarettes. The fruit of the... I mean, quit smoking cigarettes. The fruit of the Spirit is not to speak with tongues. The fruit of the Spirit is not to pray for the sick and they be healed. The fruit of the Spirit is not to prophesy or preach. But the fruit of the Spirit is found in Galatians 5:22. Love, joy, peace, goodness, long-suffering, faith, meekness, gentleness; that's the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
13 Now, no matter how much you preach, you got a real ill-temper, don't do you much good to preach, see. No matter how much you join church and try to impersonate, if you're crabbing and nasty with your neighbor, you'll never win him to Christ, see. It's the fruit of the Spirit. As my wife used to tell me, actions speak louder than words. That's right. Live me a sermon instead of preaching me one. That's a good thing: live me a sermon.
14 Now, this text that we have here tonight... And I'll try to be just briefly as possible. The text that we have under consideration, I think if we would listen closely, and if the Holy Spirit will reveal it, that it will settle the question forever: the reason that we haven't got victory like we ought to have.
15 Now, we know that there's something wrong in the Christian church. You say, "Brother Branham, why do you keep hammering at that?" Well, I'm going to hammer at it until it gets straightened up.
Just like an evangelist said... He preached on repentance one night. Second night he preached on repentance. Two weeks passed by and still preached on repentance. Some of them met him and said---the deacons---and said, "Pastor ... or, Evangelist, do you have another sermon besides on repentance?"
He said, "Oh sure. But let them all repent first, then I'll preach on something else."
So, that's the way. Let's get the wrench or the club out of the wheel so we can go to turning. And that's what we want to do, is rolling on as one big truck for the Lord Jesus, all of us together.
16 And now, this Saint John the 1st chapter. John the Beloved here, when made this statement, he quoted Jesus at the baptism; and to my opinion, it's one of the greatest, outstanding Scriptures in the entire Bible. We're going to call it: The Lamb And The Dove.
And now, let's look at the nature of the lamb first. It seemed like that it pleased God: When He went to represent His Son here on earth, He was represented by an animal, a lamb. He was called the Lamb of God. And wonder why He was represented as a lamb? And now when God wanted to show Himself to the world, He came in the form of a dove, a fowl of the heavens.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
17 And now, the lamb... We want to talk about these two natures, and these two beasts ... or, birds ... one beast and one a bird, and how that God and Christ was represented in these two beings.
Now, the Lamb was the sacrificial Lamb. And the reason in the Bible that He was called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, is because that He was given that title before the foundation of the world when He was slain.b
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
18 Now, the entire Bible is set up on revelation. Now, you'll never know the Bible just by some cold hearted reading it. You've got to read the Bible in the Spirit. You've got to be in the mood of reading. You've got to love to read it. And the Bible is written so that the wise, smart, educated, will never understand it. Jesus thanked God and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and will reveal them to babes such as will learn." Oh, I'm so glad of that. You don't have to be somebody in this world to know God. You just have to have a willing heart and God will go to dealing with that willing heart---if you are willing.
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
19 Now, watch this just a moment. In the beginning... If going to church is all God requires, God would've been unjust to condemn Cain. Cain built an altar, which the church is to represent an altar; Cain built an altar just the same as Abel built an altar. And Cain came up and made a sacrifice just the same as Abel made a sacrifice. In other words, he joined church; he gave in his sacrifice; and he also worshipped the Lord; he prayed with sincerity. So, if belonging to church, kneeling at the altar, worshipping God, paying your dues, going to church, is all God requires, then Cain was just as just as Abel was, because both boys done the same things.
Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Genesis 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
20 Now, they did not have any Bible in those days, so the only way that Abel would have knowed how to worship the Lord, it had to come by revelation. It was revealed to him some way for the two boys' sacrifices was absolutely contrary one to the other. So, God had revealed to Abel by divine revelation that what would take away sin, was the blood. The Lamb that had been slain before the foundation of the world... Oh my, here it is! He already saw Christ by the revelation, before the foundation of the world when Christ was pronounced to be slain for the sins of the world. Abel by faith saw that revelation. It was revealed to him. The entire Bible's built upon it.
Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
21 When Jesus came to His disciples one day, and He said unto them, "Who does men say I the Son of Man am?"
"One said, you're John: one said, you're Elias; and one say, you're a prophet."
He said, "But who do you say I am?" It isn't what somebody else says; it's what you say He is.
And Peter, standing right to the point, said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." That's been the age old argument between the churches for years.
Now, the Catholic Vatican says that they was a rock, and so Peter was that rock. And the revelation was to Peter, so He built His church upon Peter. That's wrong. The Protestant church says He... The Catholic church is wrong. The Protestant church said that He was talking about Himself: He was the Rock, Christ was the Rock that all the church was built upon. Maybe they're right.
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Matthew 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mark 8:27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
Mark 8:28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
Mark 8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
Luke 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Luke 9:19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
Luke 9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
22 I differ just a little, not to be different; but here's what I think He was meaning. For He said immediately, "Blessed art thou Simon, the son of Jonas, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven has revealed it to you. And upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell can't prevail against it." What is it then the rock is built upon? is the divine revelation of who Jesus Christ is. Upon that solid rock Christ builds His church, and all the gates of hell will never prevail against it.
When that direct revelation comes from heaven that Christ is your emancipator, that when He has become your Saviour, your deliverer, and that is anchored in your heart, all the devils in torment will never make you deny it. That's right. "Upon this rock I will build my church."
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
23 Now, Abel saw it and sacrificed a lamb. It was a revelation. All down through the age it's been revelation, revelation; and tonight it's revelation. Not an outward form, not a declaration of creeds, not a group of prayers, not a string of beads, but a direct revelation that God has revealed to you that Christ is your Passover Lamb; that He bore your sins and you've accepted Him as a sin offering in your stead. "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Do you see it? The revelation.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
24 Jesus said in Saint John 5:24, "He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall never come to the judgment; but hath (past tense) passed from death unto life." You get it? When it's really revealed by God into the heart that Jesus is Son of God, and you've accepted Him as your Saviour, you've passed from death unto life. Christ said so. That settles 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.
25 The lamb was a substitute. A lamb had to be a substitute. The lamb... God likened us unto sheep. And if you know anything about sheep, a sheep is an odd little fellow.
And I want to say something to the shepherds tonight, and listen to me. If you don't know the real difference... It's a hard thing to tell the difference between the bleating of a sheep and the bleating of a goat. They bleat almost the same. And there's testimonies, there's tears cried, there's impersonations that comes not from the true heart. It's an impersonation.
26 You say, "Brother Branham, could a person do all these things and be lost?" Yes, sir. Certainly. The Bible... You said, "I rejoice in the Spirit." That has nothing to do with it. It's not you rejoicing in the Spirit, neither is it the baptism of the Holy Ghost that's poured on the congregation. It is a new birth and a change of heart that changes the man from a dying being to a resurrected, immortal son of God, taking His place on the seat of the believer's heart. It's a nature change.
27 Is not it true that the Bible said, "The rain falls on the just and unjust. The sun shines on the just and unjust." You take a wheat field, and the little heads are turning over; it's a drought. The old stinkweeds, and the rawbind, and the sticktights, and all of them in the field, they're just as thirsty as the wheat. It's a vision I saw once. And they were all needing rain. And when the showers came, the little wheat raised up its head and rejoiced; and the stinkweed raised up its head and rejoiced; the creeper raised up its head and rejoiced. They were just as proud to get the rain as the rest of them. But, brother, one of them was bearing the fruit of wheat and the other was bearing the fruit of something else.
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
28 And the Holy Spirit falls into a meeting, and sometimes the believer and unbeliever worship by the same Spirit, but the fruit of the Spirit proves what you are. Not the reaction of the Spirit, not to speak with tongues, not to shout (That goes with it, too, that all goes with it.), but unless the fruit of the Spirit bears record with God's Word, you've just got an outward demonstration.
And we today are relying so much on outward emotions and demonstrations, when it takes a genuine, pure, borned-again, Holy Ghost led life to prove what you are. Now, that is right, my dear brother and sister. Unless there is fruit... And the fruit of the Spirit is not outward demonstrations; it's an inward work of grace: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, gentleness, patience. There you are.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
29 Now, you don't hear that preached on too much by evangelists anymore. It's been let run haphazard any way it can go. But I'm just one of the old-fashioned type that believes in good old-fashioned holiness. I believe. You say, "That's a big word for a Baptist." But I'm one of them Baptists that got the Holy Ghost, that believes in real genuine, borned-again holiness. Certainly! I believe the tree is known by its fruit.
30 Look at this little old lamb. What a wonderful little creature he is. God likens us unto sheep. Now, the lamb must be a simple lamb. The first thing, a lamb in its nature is simple.
Now, let's look at ourselves just a few moments. A lamb is a simple lamb, but not us. We know it all; you can't tell us nothing. And we call ourselves lambs. Oh, a lamb must be led. It has no way to lead itself. Did you ever see a lamb lost? When a sheep gets lost, he's just totally helpless. He cannot help himself. He's lost. He's got to be led. And a real genuine Christian has to be led. He has no intelligence of his own to know anything about God, he just goes by the leading of the Spirit.
31 And the real shepherd leads the sheep. Oh, brother. A real shepherd feeds the sheep the right kind of food, if he loves the sheep. And the sheep food... You say, "Brother Branham, what is it?" It isn't intellectual. It isn't go away to school and get an education. That's all right, but that isn't it. The shepherd feeds the sheep on sheep food. Do you know what sheep food is? The Word of God. That's right. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." That's sheep food.
Now, notice, he will not... He'll just not starve you to death. He'll give you some real vitamins. He might not have a good barn to put you in, but he'll feed you good. That's the best part. I tell you, I'd rather have an old shack and get a good square meal, than to be somewhere and not get nothing to eat but all kinds of fine decoration with a big cover charge on it. I like to eat, and especially at the Word of God---at the table of God---with old-fashioned, borned-again, experienced preaching from the Word of God. Certainly.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
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.
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.
32 We need that, brother. Not new churches, not new buildings, not educated pastors; we need some feeders of the Word. Stay with the Word. Stay in it. That's the only thing. Don't never vary any bit from that Word. Stay right with it. The Word says it and declares it from Genesis to Revelations, stay with it. If it isn't confirmed all the way through the Bible, get away from it. There's too much real to have to fool with something that you're not sure of. Stay with the real. Right. Stay with the real.
33 Now, we find out this lamb's simple. He must be led. Look at the Lamb of God. Now, here comes the Dove coming to the Lamb of God. Now, the dove is the most meekest bird of all the heavens. A lamb is the meekest animal of all the earth. One of them is of the earth, the other one of the heavens. The lamb is earthbound; he can't fly. And the dove flies in the heavens. One of them was Christ, (represent); other one represented God. Now, you see the lamb, he's an innocent substitute. He must be clean, he must be innocent to be a substitute. Now, the dove must also be the same nature of the lamb, or they can't dwell together.
Now that's the reason, sometimes, that we get all mixed up is because we got one kind of a nature, wanting the Dove to dwell on us.
Now when that Dove came down and lit on the Lamb, what if that Lamb would have snorted like a wolf? You know what would have happened? That Dove would have took His flight, right now! Certainly He would. He couldn't have stayed on there. It must be the same type of nature. And if you want to be a Christian, you've got to be a lamb. And if you're going to be a lamb, you've got to get away from your own thoughts and just let the Holy Spirit do the leading. Certainly.
34 Now, a dove. A dove cannot by no means... Oh, I want you to see it. A dove is the only bird that I know of that doesn't have a gall. He can't digest just anything; he has a certain diet. And that dove can only eat a certain diet. If he would go over and eat dinner with the crow or the buzzard, he'd die. He couldn't stand it. And that's the way it is with a believer. All the gall of bitterness is taken out of you, and you don't want no more of the things of the world. You don't have to worry about a dove. You ain't going to find him eating dead things, because he can't. His nature's different. And when a man becomes a Christian, his nature's different. He's made up different. All the old desire of the world's gone from him. He becomes united with the dove of God.
35 When this dove came from the heavens---the meekest bird of all the heavens---came to the meekest animal on all the earth, heavens and earth kissed each other. Heaven and earth was united together. Man and God was reconciled in one body, the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly it was. It was the God of heaven in a form of dove. The Son of God in the form of lamb. And the dove came down on the Lamb and abode on Him. Never just come down and lit and went away, it stayed there. It was satisfied. And the Lamb was satisfied to have the dove.
Look at Him being led by the Father---not His own will: the Father's will that sent Him. "I've come not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me."
36 Now, the lamb cannot lead himself. But, we call ourselves God's lambs, and we want to figure out our own way. "I'm going to see if I can stand this or not," see. You try to figure out your own way. And as soon as the dove comes and lights on you, and you try to figure out your own way, and how you're going to do this, and how you're going to do that, God can't lead you anymore, so the dove just takes her flight.
37 Now, I want you to notice another thing. The Lamb was a willing lamb, to be led. It was willing. And God's lambs are willing to be led by God's Spirit. "My sheep know my voice; a stranger they won't follow." Now ... is a willing Lamb. And another thing, it was a self-sacrificing Lamb. It had no selfish motives. The Lamb was willing to give everything it had. A little lamb, you can take him out there, and he's only got one thing that belongs to him, and that's his wool. You can throw the little fellow up on the table and tie his feet (I've done it a many time), and shave every bit of the rights that he has away from him, he'll stand still.
But, oh, how different we are. Oh, my! You try to shave us one time. Oh! Brother, we get hot in the collar and tell them off, don't we? Then you wonder what's the matter with us. That's right. Oh, a lamb is a willing lamb.
John 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
John 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
38 You say, "Now, Brother Branham, what do you mean?" Listen here. You say, "I'm an American." Some of you women say, "I'm an American. Last week you preached on the way we wore our makeup. You preached on the way we wear our shorts out on the streets, and things. I'm an American citizen. I've got just exactly the right to do what I want to, as long as the law puts up with it. They sell it in the store. That's my American privilege." I know. But, sister, if you're a lamb of God, you'll forfeit your rights. That's right. You'll forfeit it.
You say, "Well, if I want to stay home and see Who Loves Suzy, or what them things are to look at, that's my own American privilege." I know it. But if you're a lamb, you'll forfeit it because it's not sheep food. Amen. Right.
You say, "It's American ... my American privilege. If I want to put some beer in my icebox, and drink a good cold glass of a night when I come home from supper, that's my own American privilege." I know it, sir. But if you're a lamb, you'll forfeit your rights to become a Christian. That's exactly right.
39 I'm not at all surprised to see a pig out in a manure pile rooting---not a bit. He's a pig, that's his nature. I wouldn't holler at a sinner out drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. But when you see a ... and a sinner woman out on the street with herself dressed to attract attention of men. Now, don't tell me you're not trying to attract the attention of men; you are. That's right. You might as well come out and be truthful. Who are you trying to attract, then? Why are you dressing like that for, then? Then, you become a show to the world. That's right. Right.
Well, you say, "That's my privilege. And you preacher, you ain't got no..." Yes, but if you're a lamb, you'll forfeit it. The Bible said, "Let the women dress in modest apparel, as they become holiness." That's right.
Well, you say, "If I don't cut my hair, it gives me a headache." Get it all off then; that's what the Bible said, "shave it." You wouldn't have a headache much more if that was it. That's true.
1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
1 Corinthians 11:6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1 Timothy 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
40 Well, you say, "You're burning the women up." Yeah, and I'm going to tell you men something, too. Any man that'll let his wife act like that, and smoke cigarettes, and act the way she does, that shows what you're made out of. That's a very little thing for a man. God gave you the rulership over her, and what are you doing? She's ruling you, and that shows what you're made out of. That's right. True. Oh, brother, no wonder the holiness church is gone to the dogs. That's right.
41 Now, if you seen a pig out rooting in manure pile, you wouldn't think nothing, because he's a pig. But I'll tell you one thing: You'll never find a lamb coming over and eating with him. That's right. That's right. And you people, you know that's true.
And you find a man that calls himself a Christian, out indulging in the things of the world, telling old dirty jokes, and listening to Arthur Godfrey, and them kind of dirty things on the radio, and tell me you're a Christian? You act like a pig instead of a lamb. That's right. Come into your house and on the wall's old pinup, dirty pictures, in your office boogie-woogie music going on, and tell me you're a Christian? That shows what's on the inside of you. Yes, sir. Then, you wonder why we haven't got the victory. That's right.
42 Here the other night I went to a Pentecostal meeting and the women out on the platform with earrings; looked like the devil had done put a saddle on them and used them for a stirrup, hanging up and down the place. Dancing, their little old dress on that looked like she'd been poured in there, so tight the skin was on the outside. And you mean to tell me that's Christianity? Not according to the Bible it isn't. That's right. Now, you know that's right. That's exactly right. Something's happened.
43 Here not long ago, a man come to me... I had a man to drive a truck over here, right to California, too. And I hope that person's sitting here again. I really... not to be smart. If I do, if I say it that way, I ought to be down here repenting. But I'm only saying it so that you can see what God's Word says about it. I hired an old sinner to bring my truck over here with some books and things in it, and the man... Happened to find him out there behind the truck smoking a cigarette.
He said, "Brother Branham, do you know that that man smokes cigarettes?
I said, "He's a sinner. I had to pick him up just in a few minutes to drive it over here.
He said, "Well, I'll tell you, don't you never do that again. Our people are holiness people."
I said, "I know it, brother." And I said, "I'm going to get rid of him right now, just as soon as I get somebody to take the truck for me."
He said, "Well, don't you never do that again."
I said, "I know it." But I knowed right then he was gagging at a gnat and swallowing a camel. That's right.
Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
44 And the very afternoon I went over to the tent, and that man was standing over there and he said, "This is the representative of a certain-certain denomination of church, which I belong to."
I said, "How do you do."
He said, "I want to introduce you to my wife." And here come a... I'm not making fun. If I am, I'd be a hypocrite. I'm telling you the truth. A woman come across the floor; I never seen such in my life. That woman had on enough of that blue stuff under her eyes, and lips stuff on, and a little old dress stuck out in the back and in the front and acted like ... walking...
I said, "Do you mean to tell me that that is your wife, sir?"
He said, "It is." And I said... He said, "She's going to play the piano this evening."
I thought, "Oh yes, is that right?"
He said, "You know..."
I said, "Is she a saint?"
He said, "Yes, sir."
I said, "Brother, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but she looks like a 'hain't' to me instead of a saint." I said... That's right. Brother, it's a shame and a disgrace.
45 What's happened to the church? Then you'll wonder why we can't have cooperation. Then you'll wonder why we can't have the old-fashioned prayer meetings all night long. You wonder what's wrong. The Holy Ghost took its flight. That's exactly right. It's the truth. That's right.
46 You say, "Well, that's my American privilege." I know, but, sister dear and brother dear, if you're a lamb, you'll forfeit your rights (That's exactly right.) to become a Christian. That's right.
You say, "Well, Brother Branham, if I dress like my mother did a long time ago and dress like..." You don't have to dress like mama did, just dress decent. Look like somebody. That's right. Well, you say, "If I did that, the people would call me this, that or the other." Well, I don't care what they'd call me. I'd rather God would look at me, dressed so men... Not men can see you, but God looks at you. God knows the intentions.
Well, you say, "Does it make any difference with dressing?" It certainly does.
47 And you get these little old, sissified men today with a shock of hair cut down low on his neck like that, and a pair of sideburns like Elvis Presley, and stand up and make all this boogie-woogie stuff, and you Christians try to impersonate an impostor like that. Right. Right. Go along with a little old pair of clothes on, looks like some sissy, and a woman out there with a pair of man's trousers on. Do you know the Bible said that's abomination in the sight of God? Certainly is. You know that's the truth. That's exactly the truth.
Well, listen. You say, "Now, brother, what..." Well, just look what happened. What happened to the old-fashioned meetings you used to have? What went with them old prayer meetings? Where is them old sincere saints that weep and cry? Where is those tent meetings you used to have? It's gone. Why? You started snorting like wolves and acting like Elvis Presley, and going on like that, and the dove took her flight and went right away. That's exactly the truth. Right.
Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
48 Oh, brother, I know it's sickening to you. But my mama used to tell me when we was little kids... We didn't have much to eat. Mom used to boil meat skins in an old ... render them out in an old bread pan, and where she make her cornbread. She'd make that old grease and pour it out and save it, and then make the cornbread; and we had black-eyed peas and sauerkraut and cornbread. We had to eat it three times a day, nearly. And it wasn't good for our health. And we'd break out in little bumps all over us. And every Saturday night, I know mama used make us everyone take castor oil. And I can't stand to smell the stuff today. And I used to go up and I'd hold my nose and I'd tell her, I said, "Mama, it just makes me so sick. I can't stand it."
She said, "Honey, if it doesn't make you sick, it doesn't do you any good." So, maybe I'll apply that to the Gospel tonight. If it doesn't tear the church up, and make you a little sick, and ashamed of yourself, it might not do you too much good. What we need today is a good old-time Gospel cleaning out. That's exactly right. Taking all the world out of the church and putting Christ back on the throne of the heart.
49 Then, the tree's known by its fruit. It'll bear fruit. But as long as we can dance in the Spirit, and run over the platform acting like... And then get out on the street and enough temper to fight a buzz saw, and carrying on like that, and fussing and carrying on through the neighborhood, running up and down, and fleeting, and all this other kind of stuff, will never work until the precious dove of God settles back down on the heart and makes you bear the fruit of the Spirit. That's exactly right. Clean water and stagnated don't come from the same cistern. Certainly it does not. The tree's known by its fruit.
Now, this Lamb was a silent Lamb; dumb before its shearers, it opened not His mouth.
Somebody could say, "Well, look, Liddy. What happened to you? Why, you don't act like you used to. Have you become a holy-roller?"
"I give you to understand right now. I'll tell you, hallelujah, hallelujah." Oh, oh look out. Oh, oh, something happened. That's right.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
50 The Lamb of God is a silent Lamb. When He was smit on one side of the face, He turned the other one. When He was riled at, He riled not back again. That's right. He walked on taking care of one thing, that was the business of His Father.
Not sticking your nose in every little church ordinance. Just go on, chew your chewing gum at night and saying, "Liddy, what do you know about [unclear words]?"
"I tell you, John, I'll never... I want to go fishing today and that preacher preached half the day." That shows what kind of a spirit you got in you. That's right. Certainly.
Oh, yes. He's a silent lamb. He eats the Word of God. He stays right with it. He loves it.
1 Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
51 You know, they tell me, in the physical realm, that if you're just used to eating a little bit, that's all you can eat. But you can just keep eating more and more and more till your stomach swells larger and larger. I'm telling you what the church needs today is a good old-fashioned, spiritual, gastronomical jubilee, is exactly what we need. Is to eat on the Word of God until we ... just crowd out all the world, and crowd everything out, and stick the Word of God in there and live by it, die by it.
The lamb. Sure. God's lambs, they're meek lambs, gentle lambs. They love sheep food and they stay right with the Word.
52 Now, it's getting late. Oh, take this a minute and just imagine what else I would say, see. I want to tell you something, brethren. What the church needs today is to come back.
You say, "Brother Branham, what's the remedy? What is the remedy today?" The remedy is this: You just be the lamb, God is still the dove. Now, He hasn't flew very far. He just flew up on the ... right out of a tree, just ahead of you there. He's longing and waiting to see a time when you'll just surrender yourself. Say, "Oh, precious dove of God, come back to my heart again."
53 When you get down, going to read the Word, you say, "Oh, my. I'm supposed to read a verse today. My. What I'll do: get me the shortest verse. Oh, I... Wherever the Bible opens, I will read it (and it happens to be one of the long Psalms), or... Oh, my, I'll just read half of it," see. There you are.
But, the lamb just loves to eat that sheep food, just eats it and loves it. Just stays right with it and keeps his head in the trough all day long, eating. Certainly. He loves it. And he's glad to be led by the Holy Spirit, the Christian is. He's led by the dove of God.
54 Brother and sister, let me say this in my closing remark: that only remedy back again is for ... you'll never... You can preach it to the people (I've done it for years.), and the holiness church, the women continue to bob their hair. Every year they let their girls wear these little old shorts and things out on the streets. And then a boy will say something to her, insult her; and you, papa, you want to put the boy in jail. Brother, you're the one that needs to go, for letting her go out like that. That's exactly right.
And she'll get out here on the beach somewhere and stretch herself out to get a suntan, in a backyard, or out somewhere with one of those clothes on, just a towel laying over her or something, and somebody will make a remark about her, and you'll think, "Oh, well, the little darling wanted her suntan."
Listen. I've got two girls; they're little yet. I hope I live to see them women. And if one of them ever stretches herself out like, they'll get a son-tanning, but it'll be Mr. Charles Branham, my father's son, giving them a tanning with a barrel slat. And they'll really have one that they'll remember a long time, too.
55 What we need... It's not juvenile delinquency; it's parent delinquency. It's because that the parents has neglected. And a whole lot of it is the way the church never preached it. What's the matter, brethren? Get back to the Gospel; preach old-time holiness and get it into the church again. We must have a standard.
56 Don't try... An old Methodist preacher used to sing a song to us, saying, "We let down the bars. We 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 let down the bars. That's what's the matter. Certainly. You just taken anybody into the church because they danced a little bit and spoke, with their hands back, and screamed a little bit.
Well, you say, "I heard them speak with tongues." It might been genuine, but until that birth come in there and the Holy Spirit come from heaven and took its place in there to back up what that shouting was, brother, I'm telling you, it's still a goat. That's just exactly. It might cry tears like a crocodile and bleat at the altar, or whatever it is; but until that nature is changed, it's still the same old stinking animal. That's exactly right. Certainly.
What we need is the loving Spirit of God that comes down into our hearts and makes us sweet, makes us mellow, and makes us child, Christ-like. And what we want to be is that, and anything short of that, we're lost. Think it over, won't you? While we bow our heads just a moment, and as the organist will come to the organ. May the Lord bless.
57 I want to ask you. We got so many carnal things today (while you're praying), so many carnal impersonations, little fantastics and everything. Why, here not a few days ago ... a few weeks ago, rather, in Dallas, Texas, they had the people standing on a street. A minister actually put it in the paper that the little supermen was coming out of heaven in flying saucers, and going to come down and prove that his revival center was the real genuine Holy Spirit was in it. And he had people standing on the street looking for such as that. How far can the Christian church stoop down and eat from a garbage can? There's no such a thing as that in the Word of God. Sheep don't listen to stuff like that. Certainly not. I don't care if flying saucers flew through the building and everything else, unless that dove is there, brother, no need of having anything.
58 Now, if you would like to have the dove of God to come to your heart tonight... You say, "Brother Branham, I used to have those feelings. I used to just love to pray. I used to love to talk about the Lord, but I've got to a place to where I don't want them to talk to me about. Oh, I go to church now and then because I don't want to go to hell, but I'm..." But you're sure not making a very good act to keep away from it. That's right.
You say, "I would like to be back that." Now, I'm not... I preached hard to you tonight and scolded, but look, brother, it's for your good. That's right. It's for your good. It's to help you. I love you.
59 Someone---my boy---told me the other night, they taken up a little love offering here for me. I didn't want that. But they did it anyhow. That'll help raise my children. I've got some children and some of your ... some of your money will buy my children food. I never asked for it. I told them not to do it, but they did it anyhow. Course, I need it. Sure I do. I'm thankful and God will bless you. But do you think I could stand around with a true heart and scold people after they've been that good to me? No, my dear brother. I want to live in eternity with you. Sister, I want you to be right with God. That's why I'm saying it. That's the reason I'm... Just as your daddy would do, I'm trying to tell you the right things, the things of God.
60 And that meek, humble spirit that you used to have, you wasn't all temper and saw-blades like you are. The Holy Spirit just took its flight. You've put on shorts, the Holy Spirit flew away. You started smoking cigarettes, the Holy Spirit flew away. You started getting grouchy and fussy, and the Holy Spirit flew away. You started a little cult in your church, the Holy Spirit flew away. You broke away from your church and pulled off with some little cult, the Holy Spirit flew away. The Holy Spirit's not a author of confusion. It's to unite the big body of Christ together---one Spirit, one purpose, one accord. That's when the Holy Spirit come on the day of Pentecost.
There was a hundred and twenty people up there---Pharisees, Sadducees and everything, but they were in one accord. And they were humble; they were God's lambs that was led to the upper room, no fussing, no nothing. And all of a sudden there came the wings of the Holy Ghost coming down from heaven and it went into every heart. Oh, how they walked, lived, died in their testimony. Anything short of that, it won't work.
Acts 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
61 Now, while we're in prayer ... before we pray, rather, I wonder if there'd be... How many in here would raise up your hands and say, "Brother Branham, I raised up my hands before God. I know I have... The Holy Spirit doesn't deal with me like it used to. I used to have the sweetest experience. When I was first saved, I'd tell you, everybody I loved. But, oh, I've listened to this one and I've listened to that one, I've heard this and I've listened to that, till I've become ... till I don't know what I do want. I'm just in an awful confusion." That's an awful way to be, honey.
My dear brother, let me tell you something. God loves you and He don't want you confused. He wants you to know His voice. And if you'd like to have that sweet, humble Spirit again...
62 You say, "Is that it, Brother Branham?" Let me quote the Scripture. He said, "Go through the city, through the midst of the city and put a seal upon every head that sighs and cries for the abomination done in the city." That sweet Holy Spirit, that something in the human heart makes it call out with the love of God to do the will of God. Not jump up and down and holler, not run all over the building, not speak with tongues, not pray for the sick, not prophesy, not interpret. That ain't what I'm talking about. That's that outward something. But of something... That's good, that's some of the Spirit, that's right. But if there isn't something in there to anchor you with that, it doesn't do a bit of good. It's the wheel I was talking to without a hub in it. If that isn't anchored back there by love, it'll do more harm than it does good.
Ezekiel 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
63 Now, if you really want God to come to your heart, make you sweet, meek, humble, gentle; you want the dove to come back. He just flew off a little piece from you. He wants to come back tonight, children. He wants to come back. Sure, He does. Would you just raise your hand to him and say, "God, remember me." God bless you. That's wonderful. Just dozens of hands everywhere, sure; you Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Nazarenes, Pilgrim Holiness, sure.
What about you Nazarenes? How you used to be so sweet. But you got all different. You got a root of bitterness. Something happened.
What happened to you Pentecostals? You used to be sweet, too. But what happened? "Glory to God, hallelujah, I got it." But you found out it made you act different. Your fruits what tells what you are. That's right.
64 And now look what the church has done. It's either got off on a bunch of fanaticism; either went real starchy and stiff and take none of it. But, brother, there's a middle of the road where the real true Gospel is preached and the real true Bible, signs and wonders following; a sweet Holy Spirit leads that church. That's the kind of church to go to: an intelligent church, preaching the Word, standing on the Word, with a real full Gospel sermon, real Spirit of God; everything in the Spirit, everything is decent, everybody in order, everything in love. That's the kind of a church we want. How many wants to belong to that church? Raise your hands. Why, sure, we all do. Well, God wants us to. What made the difference? We just started getting a little arrogant and different in our churches: Dove flew away.
65 Now, is there another group in here who did not raise their hands, want to be remembered just now? Oh, I... You notice I stopped real quick tonight. Something just said, "Stop. There's some sick people to be prayed for," see. And I want to make my altar call. Would there be another? God bless you, lady. God bless you up there. That's good.
The balconies to my left over here. Anymore along through there? God bless you. That's fine. God sees your hand. Sure He does. To the balcony to the right, I see your hands up there. God bless you. Certainly. That's right. The Lord be with you and bless you.
Now, to the audience on the bottom floor, right here in the middle in the regular arena. Would you raise your hands again? Saying, "God, be merciful to me. I want that kind of a meek, humble Spirit." God bless you.
Now to the little, side balcony on my left, would you raise your hands? God bless you. That's right. God bless you. To the side balcony to my right. God bless you. That's good. The Lord be with you.
66 Now, let's go to prayer. As we bow our heads in prayer, remember that dove sitting right out there in front of you. He just wants to come back. "How can I do it, Brother Branham?" Just be a lamb. Just be a lamb. Just say, "God, I'm sorry I did all that I did. Tonight I'm coming back. I'm going to be a lamb from tonight on."
67 Now, Heavenly Father, You see their hands, and I'm so glad for this city of Oakland, to see that the contamination of the great masses of things has never struck this city yet, and some of the things that's happened. Or, at least, Lord, You still got children that's hungering and thirsting. I thank Thee for them. And I pray that You will bless them, Lord, just abundantly, and give to them the deep desire of their heart.
Move, Holy Spirit, fly right down on every one of them hearts just now. And may way down, deep in their soul, not some outward emotion, but way down, deep in the soul, they can feel just a sweet, humble, soothing something coming over them. Knowing that that's God coming back, as they are changing that old nature that they did have and becoming a lamb. The Holy Spirit coming right in like a dove to abide there---just abide. And may from this hour on, may they live godly, humble Christian lives. May you lead them from victory unto victory until the day that You're finished with us on earth and then receive us in Glory. For we ask it in Christ's name. Amen.
68 There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb,
There is power, power, a wonder-working power
In the precious blood of......
How many think that's true? Certainly it is. I want to say this, friends. I have come from the east coast, from Boston, right zigzagging back and forth across the United States. And I say this, not to be any different from any other city, but I have found in this revival the most hungry and thirsting people that I have seen from New York to the west coast. That's exactly the truth. I believe the Spirit of God is ready, here in Oakland, for a great revival to sweep the country and may... That's right. That's ... in my heart that's the truth. I believe that this is the nicest group of people that I have met, in I don't know when. And it's about the only place that I have found that a real genuine hunger is in the heart.
Now, I know. For when the anointing strikes me, it's just one big blast out across this audience here. And I know that you're hungering. God bless your hearts, honey. I hope that God just fills you so full of the divine love of Christ until none of the modern isms and things will ever be able to separate you from the love of God that's in Christ Jesus. Stay with it.
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
69 God bless you, pastors. And take these words of correction. Don't never let nothing take the place of love in your church. When you do, it's gone, brother. If it's built upon anything else besides the love of God, it's got to fail. That's right. We believe in healing; we believe in miracles; we believe in signs, but that has very little to do with it. Unless the Holy Spirit is in there to keep you humble, keep you sweet, keep you in the Bible, then it won't do much good to have them. That's right.
70 You can pick up apples, but you haven't got the tree. The apple is a product of the tree. That's right. To have a apple isn't the tree. The tree's got the life in it and it just keeps bearing apples. You get what I mean? All right. May the Lord bless you.
71 I told you I'd try to let you out early and I'm going to fail it tonight. But I know I got one more night to preach to you and then I'm going way up into Canada. And I just love to talk to you so well that I just hate to give up my subject at night to get away. Now, I'm not saying that to flatter you. If I would, I'd be a hypocrite and have to go down there to the altar and repent for it. That's exactly right. I'm telling you because I believe it's the truth.
72 I don't see the man tonight, a fine gentleman. He met me out in here, he's one of the engineers here on the microphone. He shook my hand out there. He said, "Reverend, I have enjoyed working with you, keeping your voice and things." Said, "You're doing a wonderful work." Said, "Keep that up."
I took his hand and I thought, "God bless that man, and save him, and fill him with the baptism of the Holy Ghost," see. That's sincere. I pray that He will. The Lord bless you.
73 Now, let's be real humble for the next few minutes and pray now that the Lord will... And I'm watching constantly...
[Gap in the audio.] ... at ... when I had here in Oakland, and I'd take the people by the hand and stand there and the Lord would... Do you remember that? How many remembered there's a prophecy, that I said, "When He met me up there that night, and He told me, 'If you'll be sincere and keep humble, it'll come to pass you'll know the very secret of their hearts.'" How many knows that that was said, see. Here it is again. And, oh, I am so happy.
74 I can remember those joyful days with you here in Oakland. And I believe the brother that sponsored the meeting, one is sitting right back over here. I believe that's right. Morris? Is that... Morris, Brother Morris. How are you, Brother Morris? I'm so happy for you, brother. I will never forget the little days sitting in your school there, that you and I and Brother Kidd and all of us talked on the Bible and the grace of God. And how that Dr. Price had prophesied of a great move coming. And Dr. Price moved off the earth one day. Wigglesworth moved off one night. Dr. Price the next morning. And the next day I was visited by the Angel of the Lord to go out. And men foresaw it coming, see, and here it is now.
75 Now, we know that when the... When God speaks, He does things. I can remember that little boy preacher had the auditorium; and we changed auditoriums with him and went over into the big... Was that this same place? Was it this same place? I believe it was. And how the Lord did bless us. I will never forget Oakland. And I've been a long ways around, brother; but the same God, the same Gospel, the same love, still is in my heart tonight as it was then. I love Him with all my heart.
I'm getting older now and someday my work's got to be finished here on earth, and I've got to go up home and give an account at the gate. I want my record to be clear there on that day and say, "The blood of no man is upon me. I've never shunned, but with godly love tried to bring the church and keep it in the Bible with the love of God."
God bless you now. We'll pray for some of the sick and then... Not some of the sick; we'll pray for all the sick. Every person's prayed for every night, everyone. We don't miss a one.
76 All right. Billy, did you give out cards, honey? What? O's what? O, one to a hundred. All right. Let's start out with O-1, then. See, one to a hundred. Look in your little card, little something smaller than that. Any newcomers whose got a O on it. And let's just line up a few, now. Right quick.
Who has number 1? Would you stand up over here, or raise up, or raise your hand, or something? Are you sure you give one to a hundred? Is there no O-1? All right. We'll start from somewhere else then. What? Oh, I'm sorry ... sorry. All right. Lady, come over here. O-number-2. All right. Over here, sir, 3. Over here, 4. Would you raise your hands, something [unclear words] 5, 6, 6 (Did I see 6?), 7, 8, 9, 9. Did you have prayer card 9, lady? You didn't have a prayer card. She don't have to have one. No, just tell her sit right down there somewhere and believe; have faith in God. You don't have to have a prayer card. All right. 9, 10, 11, 11. Do you have 11? Is that... He got 11? 11. All right. 11, 12. All right. 12, 13, 14. Prayer card 14. O-14, 14, 15. Prayer card O-15? Would you raise up your hand? That isn't here? Oh, I'm sorry. What say? [Brother Branham speaks to someone at the platform.] I got some... You got some handkerchiefs right... I'll pray for them right quick, just a minute.
77 Now, these are all ... if you fail to get your handkerchief here, just send it to me. I'll be home after a few days, just for a day. So, you send them on up, and I will pray over them up there at home.
78 Now, let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer.
Precious Heavenly Father, as I see Tuesday night coming on, I feel a little sad about it, Lord. I just feel like that there... O God, send someone else in this city right quick, Lord, and don't let this little group ever get away. Oh, may the Holy Spirit just, out of this, send a revival, Lord, that just won't stop, just day and night, and united hearts of the preachers. And may there just be a real sound Gospel revival of the love of God back in every church and every heart. Grant it, Father.
Now, there's sick people that these handkerchiefs represent. Maybe some poor, old, blind daddy sitting off in a little dark room tonight with a white cane in his hand. He's waiting for this handkerchief to return. A little, sick baby with its frantic mother watching it in the hospital, waiting for the handkerchief to come. Thou knowest every one of them, Lord. O God, I pray that You will look down and honor the words and the prayers of Your servant. And may, as these handkerchiefs are blessed...
We're taught in the Bible that one time God called Israel from Egypt to the promised land. The Red Sea got in the way of Israel, but when God looked down through that pillar of fire with angry eyes, the sea got scared and it walled up and let Israel pass through the path of God. And when these handkerchiefs are laid upon the sick and afflicted, may God look through the blood of His own Son, Jesus, and see the memorial, and may the sickness wall back and give that person the right-of-way to health that Jesus died for. I rebuke every sickness that these handkerchiefs will represent; the prayer of faith going to. And may they be healed in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Exodus 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
79 Oh, there's something... My old Irish heart's just bubbling with love tonight. Don't you feel that? Just something like, I'd like to cry a little while. Do you ever feel that way? I guess it's just (I don't know.), just something in here. I love Him.
80 Now, we're going to see how the... Would you see, brethren, all here? All right. Now, I want you do me just a favor, if you will. Just sit real reverent; be real quiet, and then wait just a few minutes. Be in prayer and see what God will do.
Now, how many out there doesn't have a prayer card; you want the Lord Jesus to heal you? Let's see your hands. All right. Now, He'll do it. He'll do it. Now, frankly, He has already done it. How many knows that? Now, the only thing it takes is just for your... How many that's sick and are Christians, borned-again Christians? Let's see your hands, that's sick and borned-again Christians?
Now, God gave you two wings. Did you know that? Do you remember the sermon the other night on the wings? Now, the only thing you have to do with those wings, when the Holy Spirit sends down a [Brother Branham blows into the microphone.] just ride away on it, see. Lift right up. God gave you those wings to bear you up. So, now, be faithful and listen for the Holy Spirit.
81 There's epilepsy in here tonight. And keep your children near you, see, because that's the thing. Many of you has been in my meetings and see what happens sometimes; it gets away from us. And so now, be real reverent and be in prayer.
Now, remember, when I pray for these people, it isn't just my prayer. Everyone of you pray the same time, see. We're all together. We're not divided. Your prayer is just as much or more than mine, see. We're all one. I want you ministers to join right with me, pray. And all you, the laity, all of you, join together with me. We want to help somebody to get well.
Now, I want you to do something for me tomorrow night, if you will, some of you ushers. Don't let the cots and things set off on the side. Get them down here in front of me tomorrow night, will you do that?
82 All right. Now, let's... Are you the lady to be...? All right, come here. Every person is a spirit. Everyone of you has got a soul. And when you go to believing, it's in that channel of faith. Do you believe that? Certainly. And if you get with one accord, that's when the Holy Spirit will just move in.
Now, if you just won't... We don't take emotion, now. It takes faith, love. "Lord, I love you. You couldn't lie because You're God, and I love you." Love settles the thing. When you love your wife with all your heart, with all your soul, you just love her, there ain't nobody in the town could make you believe that she wasn't a good woman. That's right, see. Same thing: The old tattle-tales will come tell you your husband ain't true to you, when you really love him, got confidence in him. Is that right? Love just covers it over. That's all. When you love God, all the fears just scatter everywhere and you just say, "God, You're right. And I love you, and I'm healed, and I just go on and take it." That's it. Everything can happen spontaneously, if you just believe it.
83 Now, here is a lady. And here's another scene like a Bible scene. Now, the lady is a colored lady; I'm a white man. We both come... We're both Adam's race. Just because she was raised in Africa and me in Ireland, that has nothing to do with it, see. Her people come from Africa, mine come from Ireland. And that... God went right down in Africa with me down there and healed them. I seen about, oh, I guess thirty or forty thousand healed with one prayer. That's right. Is that right, Brother Stadsklev? That's right. Right. Right there, of African natives, see. God loves them. They'd sit there, some of them's been in heathenism and, or sitting there with leprosy and looking up through those curls of the hair hanging down with mud. And they've got just as much right to eat and live as we have. And their little hungry children is just as hungry as our little American children are hungry.
84 And it's not fair, brethren, and you young men ... or just to be putting up church here, and a church over here, and a church over here, and a church over here, and the rest of the world dying for the Word of God, and us fussing and stewing with one another. We ought to be uniting our efforts together and sending missionaries into all the world and preaching the Gospel, for Jesus is coming. That's right.
85 Now, let's pray, and just be reverent, now. Now, is this lady here... We do not know each other. We're strangers, are we, lady? I never seen you in my life, but the Lord Jesus knows you and He knows me.
Now, my theme is this: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. If He's the same, He's got to be the same in power, same in principle; do the same works in the same way. Is that right? Did He say, "I do nothing except the Father shows Me first." Did He say it? All right.
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.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
86 And, now, He told the woman at the well what her trouble was. He told Philip, He knowed ... or, Nathanael where he was at and what he'd done. He knowed Peter's name. Oh, it just on down. That's the things He done. He never claimed to heal. How many knows He never claimed to heal? He said, "It's not me that doeth the work; it's my Father that dwelleth in me. I do nothing till the Father shows me to do." Saint John 5:19. Now, remember, Jesus' own words, that He never did one miracle without God showing Him what to do first. Is that right? What He said.
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.
87 Now, if Christ was standing here, the Lord Jesus, in a corporal body like mine, wearing this suit here. I want to ask you a question, now. Be careful, now, how you answer. If Christ was standing here in a corporal body like mine, and this woman needed healing, and she come to Him and said, "Lord, will You heal me?" Now, be careful. Could He do it? He has already done it. Is that right? How many knows that healing is a finished work?
Well, then, if you've been... If you had something in a pawn shop and you went and redeemed it, could it be redeemed again? It's already out of the pawn shop; you just have to recognize it. Is that right? And that's the way... Is salvation the same way? "He was wounded for our transgressions. With His stripes we were healed." Is that right? Then, what would Christ do if He's the same yesterday, today and forever? He'd say, "I've already healed you when I died for you. I was striped for you." See, that's why you got your healing.
But, now, what could He do? He could tell what the Father would tell Him about her. Is that right? If He will do the same thing tonight like He did then, then He's the same. Is that right? Now, let us pray.
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.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
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.
88 Now, lady (ever who's engineering just now, if you will), just want to talk to you like our Lord did the woman at the well. Now, we know that in the last days there's going to be a revival of supernatural that's not going to be of God. We know that. But the way we're to tell it is by the Bible (That's right)--- by the Bible. Now, because it said, "Many will come to me in that day and say, Lord, have not I done this and that. And He will say, depart from Me," see. That's right. Now, it must absolutely be "thus saith the Lord."
Now, to fulfill the Scriptures... Jesus does these things to fulfill His Scriptures. That's what He did when He come. He healed the people that it might be fulfilled which is spoke by the prophets.
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
89 Now, if He will come and do the same thing here tonight, reveal what you want me to pray for you for, would you believe Him and accept it that it's a finished work? You will believe it? Will you audience believe it, if the woman... Just so you'll see. We don't believe in swearing, but just to see her sincerity.
I've never seen the woman in my life. Are we strangers to each other, you and I? If it is, just raise up your hand so the people will see. I've never seen her. Don't know her, nothing at all. But the Lord Jesus knows you and He knows me.
So now, if He will do His work, I pray that He will. He's just being asked that what He... The lady's very conscious that something's going on because it's... It's the... You can't see it. Just faintly it seems to come, because it's in another world.
90 Paul seen that light that put his eyes out, you know, and that was Christ. So, Christ was in the form of light when Paul seen Him. It's the same light that led the children of Israel, the pillar of fire. So, when we get in our eyes, can see something, sometime, maybe others can't. But you're aware that something's going on. [The lady says, "Amen."]
Now, I see the lady standing by someone; it's a doctor or some... He's giving a shot. It's a... You are here not for yourself; it's for the baby. It's your baby and the baby has a ... it's an allergy that's wrong with the baby, that when he eats anything it swells up. That's right. And it took shots, and the doctor has done what he can, but it still don't do it no good; it just keeps swelling up. And you're wanting somebody else prayed for, and that's a woman. It's a woman preacher and she's got cancer. Do you believe? [Lady says, "Amen."]
Now, blessed Saviour, in the name of the Lord Jesus, may this happen. Cursed be the disease and whatever that's wrong, may it be corrected by the great Holy Spirit. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, lady. Go and receive what you've asked for.
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
91 Let's say, "Praise the Lord," everybody. Now, just... It was very strange; I couldn't feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I couldn't feel it and, now ... I mean, in that way, I was just so... Look like I wanted to bring people up around the altar, or something. I was just so... But now, it's different, now, see. God be blessed forever.
92 How do you do, sir? Do you believe with all your heart? We're strangers to each other, but God knows you; He knows me.
He just healed that man sitting there with nervousness. If he wants ... claim it, my brother, and go home. Well, you can have what you asked for then.
It's for that child. That's right. And that child has had an operation or something, and it's on the ear. And it won't heal up; it just keeps running. That's right. What do you say, Ozzie? Do you think it's ... God will make you well? Do you believe it? Hmm? Ozzie Johnson. That's exactly right. You live on a street called Juniper, 8404. Right. Castro Valley. Take the child home; it's going to get well. Don't worry. God bless you. If thou canst believe.
93 How do you do, sir? We're strangers to each other. Do you believe with all your heart? Do you believe that Christ is present now? The preaching of the Word: He loves it because it's His Word. I don't know you. This is our first time meeting. But if the Lord God, our heavenly Father, will by the Holy Spirit, let me know what you want God to do, then you'll accept it as God telling you that you have it. Is that right? Would you believe it? Sure. Your trouble is in your stomach. That's right. It's bleeding ulcer. You was operated for it; didn't do much good. You want me to pray for your wife, too, don't you? She's got female trouble. All right. Go home and receive what you asked for. God bless you. If thou canst believe.
94 Do you believe, lady? You have something wrong with your side, pains in your side. You have a knot in your neck. True. You want me to pray for someone else; it's a niece. She's got asthma. Go home and find it so. In the name of the Lord Jesus, may God grant it.
If you believe. If you can believe. God is all sufficient, if thou canst believe.
How do you do, sir? Suppose we're strangers to each other. The Lord Jesus knows us both. You're a minister. You've got arthritis. Something wrong in your ears. Right. Everett Wayte. You're praying for someone else; that's a man. He doesn't live here. He lives in North Dakota. It's your brother-in-law; he's got cancer. Go find it the way you believe it, my brother. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may it be so. Have faith.
Now, when I said to the man, "arthritis," you had a funny feeling, because that's what you've had, too. Do you believe that Christ will make you well? Let us pray. Blessed Heavenly Father, receive this woman for Thy glory now, and heal her and make her well for Christ's sake. Amen.
95 Come, lady. You want to get over that lady's trouble, female trouble? Do you believe that God will make you well? That book that you tap has eternal life, if you believe it. It has healing, also, for you. Do you believe it? And then, Heavenly Father, I pray that You will heal the woman and make her well. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Now, believe with all your heart and pass right by.
Hard to get up sometimes. You have another trouble, lady, that's bothered you for some time. Not reading your mind, mother, but your main thing you're wanting God to heal you for is arthritis because it's bothering you so bad. Now, look, there's Something here that knows you. Is that right? You know it's not me. Do you believe it's the Son of God? He loves you.
Then the Bible said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." Is that right? Then come here just a moment. Let us pray. Blessed Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll heal her and let her go home and be well. In Christ's name. Amen. God bless you, sister. Now, believe with all your heart.
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.
96 Would you come, lady? How do you do? If God will let me know what you want to be healed of, will you believe Him, that He will do it? Then, that diabetes will leave you and you'll be made well. Do you believe it? Will you... Would you serve Him all the rest of your life?
Dear heavenly Father, I bless the woman; pray that You'll make her well, as we all, as one great unit of people, pray in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, lady. Believe with all your heart, now.
Hundreds die yearly with it, lady; they go quick. But God can heal heart trouble just... It's no trouble for Him to do it. Do you believe that He will make you well? Now, the Bible said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." I'm getting weak is the reason, I'm just trying to find something... I'll just lay hands on you and believe He will. Blessed Heavenly Father, I bless this woman. And I pray that You'll heal her and make her well. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen. God bless you, sister. Go now and be made well.
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;
97 Nervous condition causes stomach trouble. But do you believe God will make you well? You will? Let me have your hand just a minute, mother. O God, I lay my hand upon her as she... We know that You're here, Father, and I just bless the woman, in Jesus' name, for her healing. Amen.
I just can't hardly see the audience. It's just... You're such a bank of faith out there, now. What God could do for you, just a moment.
Do you believe He'll make you well, now, you just take off your [unclear words] and make you well? Do you believe that He will make you well? You'll never have to go around with a little white stick, crippling. Do you believe it? [Lady says, "Yes."] Then receive it. In the name of Jesus Christ, God's Son. All right. Have faith.
98 Believe that God will heal you of that kidney trouble and make you well, and you can go home and be well? Do you believe it? Come here let me lay hands on you. Blessed Father, I pray in Christ's name that You'll heal the woman and make her well. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
All right. Would you come, lady? Do you believe me to be the servant of God? Do you believe me with all your heart to be a servant of God? You got stomach trouble, you got arthritis, and you want God to heal you. Is that true? Then you can receive it. O Jesus, Son of God, I pray that You'll heal the woman and make her well. In Jesus' name. Amen. Have faith.
99 Come, lady. Do you believe, lady, as you come, with all your heart? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? You do. Asthmatic condition. Do you believe God will make you well? Here's one thing that you need worse than that; you need salvation, Jesus Christ. You got a sick husband, too, haven't you? He's got stomach trouble. He's not saved either. Would you give your life to Christ now? Do you believe on Him as the Son of God? You tell your husband to believe the same thing and both of you be baptized, and your diseases and things and sins will all be gone. Do you believe me as God's prophet? Then go do it.
You accept Christ as your personal Saviour now? You do. Come here. Jesus of Nazareth, her sin's forgiven. She's now ready for healing. God grant that it can be so just now. In Christ's name. Amen. God bless you, lady.
100 Some ministers here, quickly. Are you believing? Let the aud... Is that? Just a minute. Let's look at this prayer line out here a minute. Hold still. Look this a way. The meeting's not over. Christ is here. My boy is back here and some of them... I know when they come and hit me in the side, it's time for me to leave. I want to look at this audience a minute. I want you to believe. I want you to believe with all your heart.
101 Here's a man sitting right here, with glasses on, sitting right beside the colored woman; sitting here just suffering with heart trouble. He's praying for God, for me to pray for him. If that's right, mister, I want you to raise up your hand. That's right. Do you believe that God will heal you?
The one sitting right next to you, the man right next to you, do you believe me to be God's servant, sir? You do? Trying to get over asthma. That's right, isn't it?
All right, the one next to her, do you? Lady, what do you think about it? Do you believe it to be the Son of God's work? You do? You're wanting to get over female trouble. That's right. Raise up your hand. All right, sir. The Bible said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible."
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
102 The little lady next to her, what do you think? You want to get over stomach trouble. That's right. Raise up your hand, if that's true. All right. Believe. If thou canst believe.
A lady right next to her, what do you think about it, lady? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? You want to get over ulcers, don't you, stomach ulcers? Raise up your hand if that's right. All right. You can have it.
What about you, lady, that looked around there, right next to her, there. Do you believe with all your heart? Do you believe? You want to get over that spinal condition? Yes, sir. Then you can have it.
What about the lady next to her? Do you believe? You do? You want to get over heart trouble? Then accept it.
103 I challenge anybody in here in the name of Christ to believe it. I challenge you to believe it, my brother. I am not a deceiver. I'm your brother, and Christ is your Saviour and He's your healer, here. Do you believe it? Then in Jesus Christ's name, stand to your feet and accept your healing and you shall have it, if you'll give Him praise and glory, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.