The door inside the door
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 And welcome. That makes me feel real good. But while you are on your feet, let's speak now to He who's made all this possible.
Our God, we come to Thee in simpleness of heart. We come with our heads bowed because that we know that Thou did breathe upon us and we come from the dust. And we are Your subjects of the kingdom. And we pray, Father, that this night that Thou will find a place in each of our hearts to make Thyself known to us and to the people who we associate with. We would want to thank You this time for this fine church and for its pastor and for all who are associated with it. And we want to thank You for these who have drove through the snowstorms, over the slick, icy grounds to get here to worship Thee with us.
2 Oh, blessed God, someday in a land beyond the river where we will never have another snowstorm or there'll never be another sick person to be prayed for, another funeral service to be held or even another Gospel message to be preached. We want to meet there, Lord as unbroken families.
Forgive us of our shortcomings. Let us know that our days are few here on earth; and what we have, may we spend them to Thy honor and Thy glory. Give us many more happy meetings like this. Bless each one of us as individuals. Bless us in our needs, Lord, for they are many. And when life is finished, may we meet at Thy house. Until then, may the barrel never be empty in our houses. May the cruse never run dry until we see our blessed Lord coming in the skies to take us away. Keep us healthy and happy, in Jesus' name. Amen.
3 There is so many things that I could say till I hardly know just how to start. And by the way, these handkerchiefs each night that's laying here... I'm so glad that you believe in praying over the handkerchiefs. Now, thank you, kind sir. Many people anoint those handkerchiefs, which is all right. Anything that our blessed Saviour will bless, I'm certainly for it. But if you'll bear record, the Word (Acts 19), Paul just took from his body handkerchiefs and aprons.
I believe that Paul was a fundamental preacher. Don't you believe so? You want me to tell you where I think he got that? I think he got that from ... in the Scriptures where the Shunammite woman; she had lost her baby which the prophet had blessed her, and she gave birth to this fine baby. And when the baby died, the Shunammite woman had one of the servants to saddle a little mule, and she rode to the prophet, for she knew that God was in that prophet. And that was God's representative. That was His agent on the earth.
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
4 And she thought, if she could get to the prophet... I do not believe that she thought she would get her baby back, but she would find out why God took it. And God don't always reveal to His prophets everything that He has in His divine plan.
So when the woman arrived, the prophet did not know what was the matter. So he said to his servant, Gehazi, "Here comes that Shunammite, and she's troubled, but God has hid it from me."
2 Kings 4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
2 Kings 4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
5 And while we are on the subject, if you would just think of this. He sent Gehazi forward and he said, "Go see if everything's all right." And he said, "Is all well with thee? Is all well with thy husband? Is all well with the baby?" Watch the Shunammite's answer. "All is well." And her baby laying a corpse.
But she had arrived at her destination to where she believed that God would make known unto her what had happened. "All is well." Wonder if we tonight could think that, after the scriptures being read of the Lord Jesus and His blessed will to heal us all or save us, forgive us of our sins. Is all well tonight?
2 Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
6 And notice that the prophet said to his servant, "Take my staff and go lay it on the baby." Now, Elisha knew that the Holy Spirit was in him, and everything that he touched was blessed. But now to get the woman to believe that ... so he said, "Take my staff and go lay it on the baby."
I think that's where Paul got taking handkerchiefs from his own body, go laying on the sick and the afflicted. However, the woman didn't think very much about the staff. She said, "I'll not leave you." And she stayed right with him until she got what her heart's desire was.
2 Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
7 That's the way we do with Christ: stay right with Him until we get what we ask for. Now, these handkerchiefs, we pray over them; and if your handkerchief is not up here and you desire one, just write to me. Now, I'm not wanting to get your address, dear friends, because I have an awful time getting letters answered. I don't have any programs to sponsor anything. It's just getting somebody to help me get the letters answered.
But I will pray over, maybe not a handkerchief; we sent out thousands of them all around the world and it's very expensive. So I can't afford to send a handkerchief, but I get cloth and cut it in little parcels and pray over it and send it.
8 Now, the form letter... We got a prayer chain around the world. But now the letter you get will be made up, mimeographed, by a secretary; but the handkerchief or the little parcel, I've prayed over, see. If I had faith in you as a servant of God and my baby was sick, I wouldn't want a secretary to pray over the handkerchief; I'd want you to pray over it. "Do unto others as you'd have others do to you," see. Pray over it.
It's yours free. No, nothing, no charge to it. Just send down and we will be glad to send it. Just Post Office box 325, Jeffersonville. If you can't think of that, just write my name. And Jeffersonville, Indiana, is a very small city about 27,000, and so just write it to Jeffersonville and anybody there knows me.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
9 I want to say that this has been a glorious day for me. As I was sitting in the room this afternoon, praying, I was thinking about some meetings you get to... We love... We can't expect everything to just be wonderful. I wished I could take this group with me everywhere. Give me a prayer group like this and give me a two-weeks' meeting somewhere, let all the unbelievers pile around behind them that wants to, God will bless just the same.
When you got them standing like a brick wall, that's wonderful. I believe then that God can do anything then, when you feel the freedom of the Spirit.
10 And I certainly do thank God for this wonderful church and for its pastor, and for all the workers and this little singer; I can't think of his name. [Someone says, "Golden."] Golden. Brother Golden. He sang that special for me a while ago, and I heard it, Brother Golden. I was standing inside the door with some of my little lady friends about eight or ten years old; little boy standing around there for autographs. I can't even read my own writing, now how are they going to do it? That's what I'm wondering.
And then, Mrs. Branham was standing there, and I think they slipped over with her to... And even my little boy, Joseph, wanted to do some writing too, and it'd probably be as plain as his Dad's. He's two years old.
11 We want to express ourselves to you the best that we can that we appreciate being here. And I say this for myself, my family, Brother Lee Vayle here, Brother Woods and his wife, Brother Leo Mercer, Brother Gene Golden, all that's in our party, we certainly thank you.
12 A few moments ago, coming in, somebody said they took up a love offering for me. I didn't come for a love offering, friends; I come just to be your brother. But I sure appreciate that love offering. I'm a poor man. I could have been a millionaire if I took... I never took a offering in my life, never. I'm twenty-seven years in the ministry; never took an offering in my life.
I keep looking at my wife. Every time I get to that part, she (thinking about an offering), she always gives me that once over. I'm going to tell it, honey, anyhow.
13 I was one time really up against it; you know, when you get to that place where you just can't make ends meet. And I was working as game warden here in Indiana. So I said to my wife, "I'm going over tonight and take up an offering. I just can't owe this any longer, I'm..." She said, "I'm going over to watch you do it." We lived just across from the Tabernacle. Now, those people would do it. My, they'd sell their property, give it to me; but I was able to work. Wished I could do it now and wouldn't have to even take a penny.
14 But I went over and I said (we didn't even have an offering plate), and I said, "Folks I've met a little ... just a little place," I said, "I need a little money. I wonder if you people would feel bad at me if I took up a little offering; each one of you here drop in a little something." I said, "Brother Wisehart, will you get my hat?" And he reached to get my hat, started off. And I looked sitting down here in front, a little old lady... How many remembers them women used to wear them little aprons and turn the pocket on the inside, carry their pocketbook? A real prayer warrior, reached in and got one of these little pocketbooks that snaps on the top, begin to reach down there for those little nickels. Honest, I couldn't do it. "Oh," I said, "I was just teasing. I didn't mean that." So, I didn't go through with the ordeal.
15 You know, there used to be an old man right down from up in here, somewhere. Had long hair and beard; his name was John Ryan. I don't know whether you ever knew him or not. How many ever knew John Ryan from this country? All right. God rest his gallant soul.
He rode a bicycle down there to my house one day and gave it to me. And it'd been sitting out there a long time and I went out to the ten-cent store and got some red paint. Painted that old bicycle up and sold it for five dollars, and paid the debt anyhow and didn't have to take up the offering. So, I come almost that time doing it.
16 So I will assure you, friends, my expenses runs me about a hundred dollars a day. My office and my upkeep---just about a hundred a day. Now, that's... Know it sounds like a whole lot, but it isn't. What do you think Brother Roberts' runs a day? I think the last report I had was seven thousand a day. Billy Graham's runs sometimes a thousand dollars a minute in his broadcast. That's not his television; his broadcast worldwide.
So you see, that's very small comparing with that. So I thank you for your offering. And by the grace of God, every penny, that I will spend it to the kingdom of God the best that I know how. Someday in heaven may you receive your reward, if not here on earth. Now, we're going to read some of His blessed Word.
17 Any time that I can be a favor to you, I will do it. I used to say this: "The nights never get too dark, or the rain never falls too hard but what I would come to you." Well now, in contact directly and indirectly, about ten million people. That's a big thing to say. I might not be able to come to you, but if you'll just get me word of your need, I will certainly pray for you.
I lay at home, and my wife knows and those who ever come to visit me there, but all night long that telephone ... just not but a few minutes sleep, unless I get away from home. Accidents on the road, around the nation, everywhere. People calling, calling, calling, calling just constantly all the time. We've had as many as sixty-four long distance calls an hour (that's four phones answering now), averaging sixty-four calls an hour, day and night. Think of that, see. You can imagine how it is.
18 But we're always glad to get them. Always glad to do something to help someone. You know what a blessing is? Do something for somebody else. That's right. And if you have a neighbor or somebody that's done you injustice, remember this for me: don't never turn him down, see. Take him to God in prayer and see what a different attitude you'll have.
If you're sincere in your prayer, you stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Though he's done you wrong, injustice, but you just take that man to God and stand there in the Presence of Father one time. And say, "Father, my neighbor here has done me wrong. But I guess..." Watch, when you go to telling his wrong, it'll not only help him, but it'll help you, also. And you'll see what he's been through in the temptations and things. It'll change your attitude towards that brother. And it'll help him also. You always are doing good when you're praying one for the other.
19 Now, if you've got your Bibles open, for my final text in this meeting (hoping to come again to you as soon as I can) Revelations, the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse; I wish to read for a portion of Scripture, and to get a context from this text. The reason I want to read it, I'm standing here, I don't know what the Lord Jesus is going to do. And many of you is gathered out and the overflow room is full and standing around. But yet, if I read the Scripture, God will bless that much, I know.
I think the Scriptures ought to be read at all times. Here's the reading:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
And my subject tonight, if I should call it that, is The Door Inside The Door. This is an unusual text, but it's a portion of God's eternal Word. God's Word is so real. And that's enough Scripture right there to take all communism out of the world and convert the entire world. It is an invitation to salvation. It's also an invitation to healing; the guarantee of eternal life. Oh, it means so much if it be received in the light that it's wrote in.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
20 You know, here some time ago there was a federal trial. I believe it was in the days of the late Abraham Lincoln, the president of the United States. And there was a soldier that had committed a crime, and he was going to be executed. He was sentenced to death. And finally someone persuaded the president to spare his life. And the president, in a hurry, said, "All right, I will spare it." So, he just signed a piece of paper, "Release So-and-so, Abraham Lincoln."---sent it.
And when the carrier of this, brought it to the jail and showed it to the prisoner and said, "Present this." "Why," he said, "that's no good; it's just a piece of paper. Said, "But it means between your death and life, because it's got the president's name on it that you're pardoned."
21 "Oh," he said, "it would be on official paper. It would be sealed with his seal and so forth---all the ritual that it would have to be," before he would receive it. And he couldn't persuade the man to receive it. And the next morning he was shot at sunrise. Well, after Abraham Lincoln's name being signed that he had pardoned the man, and now here he lays a corpse. Then what?
So it was tried in federal courts. And here was the federal courts decision: A pardon is not a pardon unless it be received as a pardon. That's the way God's promise is. It is not a promise unto any persons that will not receive it as a promise. But every word of God is a promise to those who believe that it is a promise. It's your mental attitude towards it, whether it's a pardon or whether it's a promise for your healing; for His words are eternal.
22 I wish I could think of the poet's ... or, the artist's name (that's on my mind now), several years ago who took upon himself to portray this passage of Scripture into a picture. And it took him just about a lifetime to paint this picture of Christ knocking at the heart ... the door of the heart.
And all famous pictures, before they can ever go into a Hall of Fame, they first have to pass through the critics. And I like that, because it is about like the church. Before the church can ever go into the great rapture, first it has to come through the critics. "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions." There is no excuses. There is none that's deferred. All have to pass through that line of persecution and criticism. But then if we can pass through that, with such a life that the critics cannot point their finger to anything that's true, then the picture is ready then for the great Hall of Fame.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
23 And this artist who painted the picture, when the critics was looking it over, they said, "Sir, your picture is wonderful. But there's just one thing about the picture that's wrong." He said, "You have Christ, it portrays all right and the door is all right, but you don't have any lock on the door. So, why would He be knocking on the door if there is no lock on the door?" And the artist said, "I painted it thus, because in this door the lock is on the inside. The one that's on the inside has to unlock the door, so He can come in."
And that's true. Christ can knock, but you are the only one that can open the door. You can say, "Come in, Christ; I welcome You." Still He can't get in till you unlock the door; then He can come in.
24 What does anyone knock on another person's door for, anyhow? It's to gain an entrance. You've got some business when someone [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit.], they have something they want to talk over with you.
And those great knocks has come on great doors all down through the ages. What do you think would have took place in the days of Augustus Caesar if he would have had the opportunity or something to go to, a peasant's door, and knock on the door when he was the emperor of Rome? Would that not've been a great honor for any Roman subject for Caesar Augustus to knock at their door?
25 Or what would it've been when the great Napoleon, though feared by people... Standing at Waterloo not long ago in Belgium, I was reading his history when I looked upon the relics of the great battle. And he was so mean. And when the mothers went to put their little babies to bed at night, like mothers sometimes say, "The boogie man will get you if you don't be good." It was more fearful to say, "Napoleon will get you." He was so feared. He'd put people to death.
But how one of his subjects would have felt honored to have him knock at their door.
26 Or the great Adolf Hitler, that's just passed away. How would... What an honor it would have been for any of his soldiers, maybe a poor man lived out along the river and for Hitler, the Fuhrer of Germany, knock on his door and want to come in to talk to him a little while.
What a honor it would have been for that soldier to have Hitler knock at his door, while he was the Fuhrer of Germany. Oh, it would have been a great honor. Or I would say this: it would be a great honor to the best democrat in South Bend for our president, Dwight Eisenhower, to knock on his door to visit him. Though you differ with him in politics, he's one of the greatest men in the earth---our beloved president, Dwight Eisenhower. Certainly it would be an honor. What makes the honor is the importance of the one that's knocking.
27 Or just recently, the Queen of England visited this United States. What an honor it would have been to any of you people here tonight---here in South Bend or in the United States---if this queen (though you are not her subject), but if she would have come to your door and knocked on your door, how happy you would have been to go at the door and she'd say, "I am the Queen of England." The greatest queen on earth, the Queen of England. Though she has no jurisdiction over you, yet she is a great woman.
You would have said, "Your honor, Queen, come into my home. If there's anything in this home that you want, you can have it. If there's any trophy or anything that I can do to make you welcome, come on in you are welcome."
28 And when you welcome anybody like that, if you don't give them full premises while they are in your house, they're not exactly welcome. That's right. If you welcome anybody... If I come to visit you and you'd say, "Welcome in, Brother Branham. Make yourself at home." Why, I'd come in, take off my shoes and sit down; put my feet up in a chair somewhere. I got hungry, I'd go out to the ice box and get something to eat. Sure. I'm welcome.
Oh, we'd welcome somebody like that because of their importance, the queen. If you had something that you cherished, you'd gladly give it to her if she wanted it, because she's a great woman.
29 But I want to ask you something. Who's more important than Jesus? And who's more turned away than Jesus? He's the most important person that can knock at your door and He would never knock unless He's got something good for you. And He's turned away more than any person that there is on the earth. Jesus is turned from the door, a heart's door of men and women, when He knocks daily trying to get in.
"Lo, I stand and knock: if any man hear My voice and will open the door, I will come in and will sit down and sup with him, and he with Me." Oh, I don't know who could be any greater and who could do any more for you, or not one millionth, of what He could. There's nobody could do for you what Jesus does when He comes in. But He's turned away.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
30 Now, you'll say to me, "Just a moment, Brother Branham. I did that a long time ago." That's good. I'm glad you did. For I say, it's the greatest thing you ever done, is when you let Jesus come into your heart. That's the greatest move that you could ever make. It's changed you from death to life. Let Jesus come in.
But now, after He's in, is He welcome to every door there is in your house? That's the next thing. Oh, sure, you'll accept His salvation. You do not want to go to hell. But will you let Him be your Lord? He wants to come in and be ruler. That's the reason He wants to come in. You don't know what to do. He does know what to do. Many people will accept Him as Saviour, but then to accept Him as Lord is different. What a difference between being Saviour and being Lord. As a Saviour, He would save you from your sin; but to be Lord, He's ruler. You let Him in, but you won't let Him rule.
31 For, in the human heart is just like the door there to the house. After you come in, "Come in, Sir; set down. But these other little doors, I don't want You fooling around in my house." I want to speak on a few of those doors, all kinds of little private doors in your private life. Jesus can be your Saviour, but, "Don't You never try to tell me what to do, Lord. I know what I want to do. And don't You never try to rule me." That's the attitude of many people who profess Christianity.
"I will listen to what the pastor says." That's good. But if it's contrary to what Jesus said, then it's wrong. "I will do what the church says." That's good, but if it's contrary to what the Bible says, then it's wrong. You must let Him be the supreme ruler. That is, He's over all. He's over your opinions. He's over everything that you have. He's over your emotions. He's over your ideas. He controls every fiber of your thinking. Everything that you are you should turn it over to Him, if He's going to be your Saviour and your Lord.
32 How many of us do it? I want to speak of a few things. There is a little door when you get into the human heart (You turn to the left), and that's the little door of Selfishness. Oh, we don't want to go to hell, sure not. But we just got a little idea that we're just a little bit better than somebody else. Now, if He can't get into that, well then, you're always going to have that idea.
"I will go to church for what I can get out of it. I will rank among better people. And if I'm ever in trouble, then of course if I can say, 'I'm a member of a certain-certain church,' I'm sure the people will look up to me and say, 'That man is a real member of a certain church.'" God can't use you like that. He's got to control that, too.
33 Then there's another little door. And that little door is called Pride. Oh, that's a hard one to get open. You know, it's just... Human beings are just prone to think that maybe they're just a little better than the Joneses, you know, especially here in America. You just paint your steps red, watch your neighbor paint his red. And you, sister, wear just a certain little thing on your hat when you go to church, your neighbor just can't stand it.
Oh, it's such a day of trying to impersonate---a matching. You buy you a Chevrolet and the Jones' has got a Ford. And your Chevrolet is just a little bit better maybe than their Ford. Watch them get a Chevrolet right away. Oh, it's a matching time.
34 I've had this remark and I don't mean it personally---I don't mean any harm by it---but sometimes when I get ready go to church, my wife will come over and say, "Billy, do you think that that tie matches that suit?" I say, "I don't know, honey." And I will have on a pair of red socks and black trousers and a blue tie and, oh, I don't know. She said, "That don't match." I said, "Honey, I'm not concerned whether my trousers match my coat, or whether my tie matches my suit. I'm concerned about one matching: I want my experience to match God's Bible." That's where we ought to match. God's requirement.
35 But it's a matching time. Pride. Dress a little better. Go to a little better church (what we call better), and dress a little better. And always... But we don't want Christ to come into that. "Now, Lord, You can save me, but don't go to fooling with my business. Now, I'll take care of myself." Now, I know that sounds very rude, but that's the truth. It certainly is. People don't want Christ fooling with their business.
"And if I want to be just a little bit dishonest on this deal, 'Now, Christ, You just stand right out here just a little bit.' But I just have to do this because I have need to do it. Oh, it won't hurt me any, I'm sure." If you'll just let Him come into that door, He will fix that all up for you. He will stand at the door when the enemy tries to tempt you to do wrong.
36 There's another door that I'd like to speak of for a moment. And that's the door of Faith. So many people will let Him in the door as Saviour, but you won't let Him rule you in your faith.
Now, you say, "Oh yes, Brother Branham. Oh, I believe Jesus Christ; but the days of miracles is passed. There is no such thing as divine healing. There is no Supernatural." What is it? You won't let Christ get into that door. You let somebody else talk you out of it. Why don't you just open that door and say, "Lord, take over my faith, tonight." Watch what will take place. Sure. He will take over. He will rule the thing.
37 If the doctor cannot do you any good in his medical professions (which we thank God for), if he's got to a place till his limited ability has come to its end, why don't you let Christ unlock that door of Faith and step in there and take His Word then? Watch what'll take place. Oh my, when he examines you again, he will say, "What happened to you?"
38 Here some time ago, a woman had cancer. And the cancer was just about to kill her. And we asked our blessed Lord to help her. And He did. The doctor had given her up. Few months later, she had a son, I believe was ... he done something about... I forget now what it was. Something about taking away some chemical stuff that took away insects out of the house and so forth. I don't know what that name is you call that now. Exterminator, or something like that?
He was in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was in Jonesboro. When she come in the prayer line, she had a handkerchief over her nose. I thought she was weeping, but come to find out, she had no nose, that the nose had been eaten off by a cancer. I said, "Have you been to the doctor, my sister?"
She said, "Mr. Branham, he's given me radium treatments and everything and it continually goes on."
I said, "Then, let Christ have your faith. And then you'll have new faith. You'll have..." [Gap in the audio.]
39 "Oh," he said, "I don't believe I do." And she told him who she was. And he said, "Oh, you are the woman that I've got you on the list over here that your nose was eaten off by a cancer ... had been eaten off."
She said, "That's right."
He said, "Well, I never had seen you in so long. I wondered where you went."
"Oh," she said, "I changed doctors."
Said, "Who did you go to?" Said, "I would like to compliment him on the great job that he did."
She said, "Sir, I went to Dr. Jesus."
"Oh," he said, "I'm sorry, I... Where does He practice at? I don't believe I know Him."
She said, "In glory."
Oh, could you imagine that, and supposingly to be a Christian nation. What happened to the woman? She let Christ come in---the new doctor. And He opened a little gate or a little door that she really didn't know existed in her heart. But let Christ come into it once. Watch what takes place. Wish I had time; there's more doors. But I want to hurry.
40 There's another door that I wish to speak of. That's your eyes. Do you know you can be blind and don't know it? The Lord has, in the Bible, said that He would anoint our eyes with eye salve. Did you ever hear of that?
You know, I'm a Southerner, and I was raised on possum and coon and so forth. And my granddaddy used to trap a lot, and he used to catch coons. And how I love to hunt them yet. And so, he would render out the grease. And when any of us children got cold in our eyes, and the little eyes be matted together, Mama would go get some of the coon grease and rub it on our eyes. And just in a little bit, it penetrated in and the light begin to break through, and we could see where we could not see before.
That's the way it is with God. He's got some holy oil of the Holy Spirit that He can rub on your eyes as eye salve, and you'll see things that you never saw before. New light will break through.
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
41 You say to me, "I've got good eyesight, Mr. Branham." Well, I'm thankful for that. But you might have ever such a good physical sight and be spiritually blind. Let God open your spiritual sight. After all, you don't see with your eyes. Did you know that? No, you look with your eyes; you see with your heart.
Jesus said, Saint John 3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." You mean you can't understand the kingdom of God until you're born again. You look right at a certain thing, say, "I just don't see it." You're looking with your eyes, but you mean you don't understand it.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
42 And that's the kind of the eyes tonight that must be opened, and there's only one salve that will do it. Oh, you couldn't take a shot of penicillin for it. Neither could you ever bathe your eyes with coon grease and do it. No doctor has a remedy for it. But God has the Holy Spirit of His anointing oil that He pours on your oil ... eyes, and you say, "Now I see. I once was lost, and now I'm found; was blind, but now I see." That's the eyes we want open. Can watch at the platform, look at the Bible---Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever---and your eyes open and you can see Him.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
43 After His resurrection, there was some men, one of them's name was Cleopas and his friend was on their journey back down the road going back to their old task again. And as they went down along the road, a stranger come out---a man that they had walked with for three and a half years. Walked, dodged every cobblestone down along that rough road if He ever walked it, went around every bend. Shook hands with Him. And was blind and didn't know Him, until He got them down to Emmaus; got on the inside of the room with them, and then He opened their eyes. And they recognized that it was the Lord. Oh, as soon as their eyes were opened---it taken the whole Sabbath day to journey---they were back over there just in a few minutes.
When your eyes come open, you go to work for God right quick. You don't worry no more; you just go to work. On the inside of the heart is the eyes: the eyes of understanding.
44 A minister said to me some time ago (I was in a house meeting), and he said to me, "Mr. Branham, I will bring up a little crippled girl, and if you'll heal that girl, I'll believe you."
I said, "I'm going to say the same thing to you that my Lord said to your pappy, 'Get behind me, Satan.'"
You know, that's exactly right. I said, "I've got a sinner friend sitting out yonder in a house that's got a cigar in his mouth that long, cursing every breath because his wife's in this meeting. You go save that man, and I will believe that you can save."
He said, "I can if he'd believe."
I said, "Have the girl make the same faith and I can, too."
Certainly. It's based upon your faith.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Mark 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
45 In the days of our Lord Jesus the people couldn't doubt Him being a healer, but they said, "He wasn't a Saviour." The devil just burst the table on them. Today they say, "He can save, but He can't heal." He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Saviour, the healer, the King of heaven, the Author of eternal life and the giver of every good gift comes from God through Jesus Christ.
Your eyes being open... Oh, if we could only see! Watch and see Him, what He does, in His great powers, especially in these days now that when we're living in this tremendous time. The shake of the people, where people don't know what to do. America needs missionaries worse than any nation I was ever in. That's right.
46 Now, I say this not to be different. And with this Bible laying open before me, it's the Word of the living God. But do you know what the word "heathen" means? A heathen means "an unbeliever." And it's better to---and easier to---convert a heathen that has no education than try to convert one that does have an education. That's right.
The heathen with no education will be simple in his thinking; but the heathen that has an education, he will figure every way around he can to make it a lie. The devil has used the educational system to send more souls to hell than anything I know of. That's exactly the truth.
Now, I don't mean for your children to grow up illiterate. But first place Christ at the door. But don't never place education ahead of Christ. Education will cease, Christ will never. Let Christ come into the heart, then the rest---education---will follow.
47 I'd rather my little boy, Joseph, over there, not even know his ABC's and know Jesus as his Saviour, than to have him to have all the education in the world and be the president of the United States and not know Christ. Absolutely. I'd rather have it. If he could be both, it would be fine, but if I had preference, let him know Christ. And if he has to be a beggar on the street, let him know Christ, would be my prayer to God.
48 The eyes open. We look at flashy things. Remember, everything that glitters is not gold. I've done a lot of prospecting. And fool's gold, which is iron pyrite, shines a lot brighter than real gold. But the value in it... Be sure that your eyes see the right things.
But the American people---we have just seen so much of God. God's been so good to us until we don't recognize it. It becomes... You say, "Let's go down to the meeting" to some neighbor. "Who's preaching?" "Well, so-and-so, Oral Roberts."
Oh, Oral Roberts is a great man of faith. Oh he has a, if you'll excuse the expression, a bulldog grip. He will stand there and throw that big hand down and holler three or four times, and if nothing else, he will scare the devil out of you. But he has a bulldog grip. He believes it and God honors it. Oral Roberts is my bosom friend, a mighty man of faith.
"Oh, I've heard Oral Roberts before." You say, "Well, Brother Branham is down there." "Oh, yes, I seen Brother Branham stand up there and it would be discernment and tell the people... I've seen that before." The trouble of it is you've seen so much of it, it's become so common to you, till it doesn't give the results that it ought to give.
49 In closing, I might make this statement. A man once was going to the sea. He wanted to smell the salt water. He wanted to hear the wild gulls flying over. He wanted to see the great spray of the waves as they leaped into the air with the salt briny spray. He wanted to take his shoes off, wade up and down the banks in the salt water. Oh, it was going to be a real thrill for him to get out there.
On his road there he met a man returning, which was an old "salt," as we'd call it, a sailor. And he said, "Where goest thou, my good man?"
He said, "Oh, sailor from the big sea." He said, "I'm going down to enjoy the blessings of the salt water and of the blue skies and the many things that the sea holds."
"Oh," he said, "I was raised on it. I don't see nothing thrilling about it."
50 You see, he had saw it so much and enjoyed it so much till it become common. That's what you Americans have done to Christ. He's been so good to you. You seen Him open the eyes of the blind. Some wouldn't walk across the street to see it again. You've seen Him heal the sick. You've seen Him perform miracles. You've done all this, and it's so common. It doesn't thrill.
It's been my great mystery in my life. How can the Scriptures be so plain and the people sit there and know that the Spirit of Christ is in the room, and can hold your peace? I can't understand it, unless they're eyes are not open. He's so good.
51 Way down in the South, we had an old darky down there, a colored brother---a minister, wonderful brother. And around his wife and all of them tried to persuade another man, his name was Gabriel. We just all called him Gabe. Gabe was just short for Gabriel. And he was a good old man but we never could get him lined out for Christ.
When I had had my meetings down there, he'd say, "No suh, I sure not go over where Parson Branham is; he'd call out all my sins before me. I ain't going over there."
52 And I like to hunt so well, so... And Gabe liked to hunt, too. And his pastor down there at the colored congregation, a Pentecostal church, he liked to hunt, too. So he took Gabe out hunting one day, and Gabe was a poor shot. He couldn't hit the side of a barn. He just couldn't hit nothing. But he liked to hunt.
So, that day while they were hunting, they had shot so much game until on the road home they had rabbits and birds all over them. They could just barely walk along with so much game. And the faithful, old colored pastor was walking in front with his gun in his arm, and Gabe loaded down with game wagging along behind him.
53 After while, they come around a familiar old path when the sun was setting, and Old Gabe touched the pastor on the shoulder. He said, "Parson?" And he looked around and said, "Yes, Gabe?" And he noticed Gabe snuffling and the tears was running down his cheeks. He said, "Gabe, what's the matter?" He said, "Parson, Sunday morning, you are going to find me at the mourner's bench." And said, "After I leave there, I'm going to take me a seat in the church. And parson, there I'll live and serve God as long as I live."
And the pastor said, "Gabe, you know, I'm happy to know about that." Said, "I'm so happy, but look, Gabe, I want to ask you something." He said, "Why the sudden change? I've preached; I've begged; I've persuaded; your wife has fasted and prayed." Said, "What made the sudden change?"
He said, "Parson, you know I'm a bad shot." Said, "I couldn't hit nothing." He said, "Just look at all this game He's given me. Why," he said, "you know He loves me or He wouldn't have give me all this game."
54 If you just notice, and let your eyes come open... He's all around you. He's willing; He's ready; He's wanting to give you good things, laying you with His blessings that you can praise Him and testify of His goodness.
But if God will just speak to your heart, and open that door that your eyes can see that He's here---and His goodness---He'll load you with it. My prayer is that you'll open your heart tonight, your understanding, open your heart of faith; open the door to the selfishness; open to the door of indifference; open the door of malice that's in your heart, and let Christ come in and be full Lord and Governor over your life.
55 Let us pray with our heads bowed. Eternal and blessed God, such a wonderful audience, we could just speak, seemingly, all night. But the hour is moving on. We thank Thee that Thou dost still knock at the man's heart's door. We thank Thee that Thou art still willing to come in and sup and discuss with us any problem that we have. If it is sin, You'll discuss it with us. If it's we got pride, You'll discuss that, give us a cure. If it's sickness, Thou art the Great Physician standing at the door knocking. If it's lack of understanding, You'll open our eyes. "If a man lacks wisdom, let him ask God." That's the Scripture, Father, and we believe it to be Thy truth.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
56 I pray, God, that just now that You'll knock at many hearts. Those, every heart that has a need may Your Holy Spirit at the door now, knock and say, "Child of man, open up your door, and I'll come in and discuss this problem with you. If you want more grace, I'll give it to you. If you want more faith, I'll give it to you. If you want your eyes of understanding to be opened, I have the salve for them. I'm the Great Physician. I'm the One who took the Israelites food all through the forty years of journey. I preserved their clothing till they never went thread bare."
And there was only one prescription in the great satchel of Dr. Moses. O, God, how if the people could read that prescription tonight. If the doctors of America and all over the world could only see the prescription that Dr. Moses, over two million people, brought them through the wilderness. Hundreds of babies born every night.
57 Oh, people, and yet they come out of the wilderness, not a feeble one in their midst. What if our doctors could get that prescription? Father God, it's here in Your suitcase tonight. Your suitcase of promises and blessings. And this is the way it reads, Father, as I read it: "I'm the Lord that heals all thy diseases." That takes care of it. It's Your Word; it's Your promise. Open understanding, Lord, of the people tonight that they will understand. Open their heart and let You be their Lord, their Ruler. Not only their Saviour, but their Lord and Ruler, their God, that they might be controlled by Thy Holy Spirit. For we ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus, Thy Son.
Psalm 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
58 With our heads bowed, just going to ask this question, and please, everyone, keep your head bowed. Sometimes a sinner friend is just a little conscious. God hates sin, but He loves a sinner. He gave His life.
Sinner friend, in the overflow rooms or in the main auditorium, you want Him to come in tonight? Has He knocked... You know He won't... If you knock at someone's door and they wouldn't let you in, you wouldn't go back no more. But not Him. Maybe He's knocked for years, but sometime He will make His final call. Would you like to let Him in tonight?
59 No one looking. Raise your hand, sinner friend. I will never ask you to do no more, just raise your hand to God. God bless you. Someone else, God bless you. God bless you, you, you, you, you. Sinner friend... God bless you. Over in the overflow room, just raise your hands. Anywhere over along those windows and wherever else in the building where the television cast is coming in now, just raise your hand. God sees it. "Yes, Lord, I need You. I now will receive You as my Saviour."
Say, "Brother Branham, does that mean anything when you raise your hands?" Well, it's making a decision. It's between death and life. It's not so complicated. It's just you believing it. We try to make it: You have to study catechism six years and you have to go six months on probation. That's man-made doctrine.
60 "He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life and shall never come to the judgment, but has passed from death unto life"---when he believes. If you believe, just raise your hand. Say, "Yes, Lord, be merciful to me, I now believe." God bless you over there, lady. God bless you, lady. God bless you. That's good. "I now believe. Lord, help Thou my unbelief." God bless you back there, sir. God bless you.
Someone else? God bless you over here, sir, to my right back in the corner. I haven't looked to my right side yet, raise your hands if there's anyone back there would love to say, "Lord Jesus, open up... I do my heart now, I pull the latch down. I've been closed in with a lot of selfishness for a long time. Maybe tomorrow or some other day, but tonight, I'm pulling back the latch. I want You to come in." He'll do it just as soon as you raise your hand. And you can't raise your hand unless He calls you.
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
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.
61 What if you was one of those kind that can never feel God anymore? You know, there's some people... God's not willing that any should perish; but there's some people that never can be saved. Not because God don't want it, but God by foreknowledge knew it.
How many in here tonight that's already Christians and has (God bless you, young man)--- that's already Christians and ... but you're not leading the right kind of a life as a Christian. You say, "Jesus, come in and take the door of selfishness, pride, whatever it is in the way, and open up my door tonight." Would you raise your hands? God bless you. That's right. God bless you. Oh my, many ... thirty, forty hands. God bless you, lady. Certainly the Lord sees you.
How many's been... God bless you over there, young fellow. God bless you, young man. "I've been different, Brother Branham; I've never lived a complete Christian life. I want God to take my doors right now and swing them open. Take all the pride and selfishness and world out of me. I know I've accepted Him as my Saviour, but I want to be a full-surrendered Christian. Pray for me, Brother Branham. I now raise my hand and say, 'God I surrender my life to You.'" God bless you, young lady. God bless you, sister. God bless the young girl here, the young man over here, the little girl and boy back there, the young man in the back, this brother down here. Yes, God bless you in the back, also. That's right. Down here, sir, the Lord be with you.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
62 Now, I'm going to ask one more question while you have your heads bowed. How many in here would say, "Brother Branham, I've read in the Bible, I've been listening at you the last few nights. I hear how Jesus Christ made Himself known to the Jews by discerning the thought of a man named Nathanael. And Nathanael said, when He told him who he was ... told Peter what his name was, and the disciples and those... As soon as He made Himself known, the Jews understood Him and said, "That's the sign of Christ. Thou art the Christ, Thou art the Son of God, Rabbi."
And when He done this same miracle and told the Samaritan woman, when He made Himself known to the Samaritans, and the woman had five husbands, and He asked her for a drink. She told Him the well was deep and He had nothing to draw with. He said, "Go get your husband and come here."
She said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. We know when the Messiah cometh, that's the sign of the Messiah, He will do these things. But who are You?"
He said, "I am He that speaks to you."
He made Himself known to the Samaritans that way. Now, why didn't He make Himself known to the Gentile? He told them not to go to the Gentile. That's this day. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
John 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
63 You say, "Lord, I have watched it, but tonight maybe it's been too common for me. Maybe tonight, Lord, if You'll just open my eyes of understanding and anoint my eyes with spiritual sight... Let me, Lord, see Your presence tonight and know and understand that I'm living just before the world meets its end." The sputniks and bombs and... They say within a year they're going to send a rocket to the moon. That's nonsense. It's a modern Babylon. Can't you see we're at the end time?
Say, "Lord, open my eyes to understand." Would you raise your hands with your heads bowed? "Open up my eyes, Lord, let me understand." God bless you. That's good. That's good. God bless you. Fine. God bless you back there, sir. God bless our colored brother there. Yes, that's right. God bless you back there my brother. Sure. "Open my eyes, Lord."
Say, "Here's my heart, here's every key, here's everything, just open up, Lord. You be Lord, You govern my faith, You govern my emotions, You govern my eyes, You govern everything, Lord. Just take me, Lord; here I am. Let me be fully surrendered." God bless you over in the rooms, the overflows and so forth. The Lord bless you. Now let us pray.
64 Dear Heavenly Father, preaching all night, we love to do it. Speak to Your children where they're eating. And it's such a blessing to let the Holy Spirit come in and feed on the Word. Now that's not all, Lord. We're so thankful that You have cut off even that to unbelief.
But, Lord God, You make Your Word manifest. You prove that the Word is true by demonstrating it. "Go ye into all the world and demonstrate the power of the Holy Ghost to every nation." "Lo, I am with you always. The works that I do, shall you also. More than this shall you do, for I go to the Father. A little while and the world won't see Me no more, yet ye shall see Me for I will be with you, in you to the end of the world." No wonder Paul could say, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
65 Bless these people. I know that these who raised their hands are saved. I know those who had differences, it'll be cleared up; and those who could not understand, their eyes will be opened tonight. Their faith will be turned loose, and this will be one of the greatest climaxes we've ever seen in this revival. Grant it, Father.
Now to my ownself, I surrender my heart, my all to You---my emotions, my being. Speak, Lord, and let the people know that Thou art Christ and I be Your servant. For I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
66 Do you feel good? That's lovely, sister. Let's just sing one verse of that. You love to sing? Now look, you can have all your little songs you want, the little jubilees. Give me the old-fashioned kind. I'm just old-fashioned. I love it. Oh, my, don't you love that: Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour, hear my humble cry. Anybody know who wrote it? Sure, Fanny Crosby. She was blind.
You remember the story, when the English writers come and wanted her to write some of these modern songs of love songs, which would be nice today, but she refused to write anything else but religious songs.
67 And one of them said, as two of them were talking to her, "If there is a heaven and you go to it, you'll never see Christ. What if you were blind when you get there? Then how would you know Him if you were still blind?" And she said, "I'll know Him. I shall know Him, though I be blind, yet I will know Him." And she turned and started weaving her way through the house and the inspiration struck her of this song: "I Shall Know, Yes, I Shall Know Him and redeemed by His side I shall stand. I shall know Him, I shall know Him by the prints of the nails in His hands." Said, "I feel His hands and I will know Him." Certainly.
68 Any man or woman that's ever done anything for God, has swung their heart of faith open and stood gallantly for Christ. God grant it to you.
Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others... (Everyone join in now.)
Saviour, Saviour, hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Now, He won't pass you. He never did pass anyone. He hears their cry. I wish I could bring all the sick upon the platform and go through the discernment, if the Lord will permit it. I don't know that He will.
69 How many is in the building tonight that's never been in one of my meetings before? Let's see your hands. Just look. See what I mean? That's the reason I have different ones to speak before (I guess you have explained the ministry before I got in, have you?) of how that someone comes to introduce before I come to the platform, the ministry. I do not claim to be a healer, friends. I can't heal. No other man can heal.
Brother Oral Roberts, a great men of God, but he doesn't heal you. He just lays hands on you and asks God. Brother Valdez, Brother Allan and just many great men, your own pastor here, and great men in the fields who pray for the sick; but none of them heal. Now, they're preachers. They can take a hold of the Word and preach it. I'm not a preacher. I have no education, so I can't preach. You know that, now.
70 But what the Lord has given me is a different type of a ministry. It's a ministry of seeing visions. How many knows that God promised to set that in the church? How many knows that gifts and callings are without repentance? How many knows the difference of a gift of prophecy is not a prophet? Certainly. A gift of prophecy is to be judged by two or three before it can be given. But a prophet is born---"Thus saith the Lord"---from childhood, see.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
1 Corinthians 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
71 The Bible said, "First are apostles." Is that right? Well, apostles, we call them today, missionary. That's the first. The highest calling is a missionary. What does apostle mean? "One sent." What does a missionary mean? "One sent." Missionaries, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. How many knows that's true? We have to have them all. Some's pastors, some's teachers, some's evangelists, some's missionaries and some prophets.
Now, we have those things in the church. What are they for? The apostle is the highest calling; a missionary is the highest calling. Prophet and so forth down. But they're not any different. They're all God's servants, set together to temper and bring the body of Christ together.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
72 When Jesus was on earth, He didn't claim to be a healer. He claimed to be the Son of God and said, the Father was in Him. How many knows that? How many knows that He said in Saint John 5:19, He did nothing until the Father showed Him what to do? He saw what the Father was doing, then went and done it. He said that. He couldn't lie. He was God, see.
So, He never done one miracle until first He saw a vision what the Father told Him to do. People would come to Him; He would know their name. He would tell them what was wrong, what they'd been doing. How many knows that's right? How many knows that that's the way He made Himself known and Israel recognized Him by that? Said, "That's the sign of the Messiah." How many knows that the Bible says that? Saint John, the 1st chapter.
How many knows that that's the way He manifest Himself to the Samaritan nation? That's how this woman knowed ... when He told the people in Samaria---said, "Come see a man that told me the things I've done. Isn't this the Messiah?"
John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
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.
73 If He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, He does the same yesterday, today, and forever. How could you take the life out of an apple tree and put it in a peach tree; what kind of a life, what would the peach tree bear? Apples, see. Take the life of a sinner out and put the life of Christ in there, it'll bear the fruits of Christ. Is that right?
He said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches." The vine doesn't bear fruit; it purges the branches and the branches bear fruit if it's a good healthy branch. If a lot of vines is wrapped around it and isms and things wrapped around it, it's cut off all the circulation, it won't be nothing.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
74 But if it's a good, healthy branch, it'll bring forth the fruits of the vine. Is that right? Well, the church is the branches. He's the vine. So it absolutely will have to bring forth His life. If He does that and does the same things tonight in the church that He did before His crucifixion and resurrection, how many will say, "I truly believe" (you newcomers), " I truly believe that He's raised from the dead if He will manifest Himself tonight through His church, just the same as He did when He was here on earth." Raise your hands will you to Him, through the audience. That's fine. That's very good. May the Lord grant it.
75 I want to pray for these, remind me somebody after the Holy Spirit has anointed. Now, I... (Did you give out prayer cards? What did you give out today? W.) They give out prayer card W and I've explained how... Here I say to the newcomers. How many in here wants to be prayed for tonight. Be honest. Something wrong, you want to be prayed for, raise up your hands. Everywhere in the building, wherever you are, anywhere. Four-fifths of the audience; well, who's going to be first. We can't get to too many. Visions, just one, weakened the Son of God. How many know that? A woman touched His garment; He was weakened, see.
76 My ministry is not lay my hands on you; that's a Jewish tradition. The Jew said, "My daughter is laying sick unto death, come lay Your hands on her, she'll get well." But the Gentile said, "I'm not worthy that You come under my roof; just speak the word and my servant will live." Jesus said, "I never found faith like that in Israel."
There's the way: to believe it. Just ask Him. Here's His Word. Now the next thing to prove: Is He alive? You believe He's alive? Sure, He's alive. And now the only thing that's different, He's here in Spirit form instead of physical form. How many knows that? And the Spirit form works through... He don't have any hands, but my and your hands. No eyes, but my and your eyes. No mouth, but my and your mouth, and they should be surrendered. God has made us one to be this way and one to be that way.
Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Matthew 9:18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Luke 7:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Luke 7:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
77 Mine ... my part is just surrender myself to a gift and just watch. And where I'm not a preacher to speak, the Lord uses my eyes to see things. That's been in the past, will be in the future.
And I take any person in here to this or anywhere you wish to go, out of the tens of thousands times tens of thousands, not one time has it ever failed. These things you see happen here are minor. That's the things that you do. I can't operate it. You operate that. If you had no faith, nothing would happen. But with your faith, you don't have to be up here on the platform.
78 This woman touched His garment and went out in the audience and sat down or wherever she was. Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me." Turned around and looked till He found where she was. There she was, the woman with the blood issue, and told her her faith had saved her. Didn't say, "I did it." "Your faith has saved you."
Now, did you notice that word "saved"; the Greek word "sozo", there I believe. Sozo, physical or spiritual either one. You're saved from your sickness; you're saved from your sin, both. The same word all the way through the Bible every time. Sozo, the Greek word.
Now, your faith has saved you. Does the Bible say, "He's a high priest"---the New Testament? Says, "He's a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities." How many knows the New Testament says that? Do you believe then if He's alive and alive and your faith can touch Him, He'd speak back through and do the same thing He did there to declare Himself to still be the high priest, alive? Then pray. God will grant it.
Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luke 8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
79 Somewhere we have to call. I can't get my mind working right on what to call. (What did we call the first night? from one? Last night from 85 to 100.) Well, let's call tonight on prayer cards W. Take your prayer card. Look at it. It's got a letter W. What is it? It's a little card... [Gap in the audio.]
Now, if you'll just give me your undivided attention just for a few moments. Now, this is the time that where our Lord... The promise that He made, is either the truth or it isn't the truth. Now, which would be easier for you: to accept your healing by His promise or come here and see Him do something, you want to take my place up here, see.
80 But what it is, He just makes His Word the truth. He makes every word the truth. All is truth. Now, "I will be in you. The works that I do, shall you also." Now at the gate of Samaria, at the well, a woman and a man met together. Jesus and the woman of Samaria. He talked to her a few minutes till He found out where her trouble was. The Father showed Him, certainly. The Father told Him to go up to Samaria. He was on His road to Jericho; you know that.
And He went up to Samaria, way out of His way, sat on the well. The Father said, "Go up there." But He didn't know what to do. The woman come out. He caught the woman and begin to teach her ... talk to her. And the Father showed Him where her trouble was, He told her where her trouble was. And when He did it, she said, "This is the sign of the Messiah." How many knows that to be true? The same yesterday, today, and forever.
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
81 Now did you get that clear? I didn't say I was Messiah. Get that straight. I'm your brother, a sinner, saved by grace the way you are; unworthy of any blessing. But He has to use somebody. He has to choose someone. No hands are holy enough for that. Certainly not. But He has to use someone's. It's not our holiness, anyhow, we trust in. It's His merits. Not nothing I could do. It's what He has done and I believe.
82 Now, I want to tell you, the visions weaken me so much, I want to tell you good-bye and the Lord bless you real good, and pray for me as I go along. The Spirit of the Lord is coming nearer and nearer all the time. How many's got the picture of it now in here? How many's seen the picture? Chase it down, find it, if that's right or not.
That same light that you see on the picture is not two foot from where I'm standing right now. You say, "Brother Branham, if you could see it, could I see it?" Not necessarily. None of them saw the star but the three wise men. The group that was with Paul, they heard a rumbling noise, but they didn't see the light, and the light was so real to Paul till it put his eyes out for a season. God reveals as He will.
83 Now, I suppose, sister, the lady standing here, that you and I are strangers to each other. Are we? Would you just ans... After being preaching, it's another anointing, and I have to wait for that. That's the reason you're up here, just so that I can find somebody that will ... that I could get segregated from the rest of the people to talk to a few minutes.
Now, if we are strangers to each other and have never seen each other in life so far as I know; unless you've been sitting in a meeting and looked at me. But I don't know you, you know that.
If the Lord Jesus will come now, and say to you or reveal something in your life. Maybe what's wrong, where your trouble is. You know I don't know that, lady. How many knows the audience ... this woman... I raise my hands (I don't believe in swearing), but here's my hands before the Bible. I never seen the woman and she's never seen me outside of just being in the meeting and looking at me; I guess, in this meeting here, sitting here looking at me. I don't know her.
84 Now, if I said, "Lady, what's wrong with you?" And she'd say, "I have cancer or I have TB or I have something wrong with me." Put my hands on her, say, "The Lord says you're going to be well. Hallelujah, go on."
Well, that might be all right. She might have faith to believe that. "You're going to be well. A year from today you're going to be well." She could scratch her head and say, "I wonder." That's still not a miracle.
But if God will go back down in her life somewhere to something that she knows is the truth and I don't know, and then will reveal it; let her be the judge. Then she will know it has to be a supernatural power and not a man. Is that right? Would that be right, lady?
85 Now, He'd have to act the same as He did when He was here on earth in a physical body. He'd have to take my physical body and her physical body. My faith in His Word; her faith in His gift. If she will approach it reverently, she will receive.
Now, she knows it comes from a supernatural power. Now, if she believes like the Pharisees, "It's Beelzebub," then she will get his reward. If she believes it's Christ, then she will get Christ's reward. Now the rest is up to God. This is as far as I can go as a human being. God be with you and help you.
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mark 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
86 Just to contact your spirit, sister. Just to see what He would tell me. He might not tell me one thing. I want to ask you a question. Do you believe what I preached is the truth about Him? If He didn't reveal one thing to me, would you still believe if I prayed for you, you'd get well or you'd get what's... I don't know what you're here for. But would you believe it, anyhow? If I didn't no more than just pray for you, passed you through the line, you'd believe it, anyhow? God bless you. I believe you would.
But just that the people might know His resurrection, may He grant to let me know. How many, if the Lord will reveal... Let her be the judge with her hands up. You'll be honest about it, will you lady? Raise your hand so the people will see. Just put your hands like, not swearing, just so that they'd see that you understand what I mean. Yes, yes.
Let her be the judge whether it be right, if He does it. I don't say that He will. How many then will say, "That settles it for me? I believe it." If the Jew could believe it on one time, the Samaritan could believe it on one time, what ought the Gentile to do?
87 I'm thinking how pitiful it's going to be for the people that the Lord God has blessed to see and yet will never know it till it's done passed over them and gone. That's the way it's been in every age. It won't be no different in this age.
If the people can still hear my voice, the lady is moving from me. And I see her; she's in a terrible condition. She suffers with a nervous condition. And also, she has a heart trouble. Not only that, but she has trouble in her throat, and you have stomach trouble. Now let her be the judge.
Was those things that He said... The only way I will know what it was, is pick it up on my tape down there. That wasn't me. Couldn't have been me. Ask the lady if whatever He told her was right. Was that right? Just wave your handkerchief. [Sister says, "That's right. God knows it's right."] There you are.
88 Do you believe now? Now let's... We're in no hurry. Don't be pressing. Now, you without prayer cards that's not going to be called in the line, you look this way, and just keep believing. Say, "Lord, I believe that with all my heart." Just keep looking and believing.
That's it. Just don't be in a hurry. Just be quiet. I want to talk to you again, lady. Whatever He told you was right. I know this takes strength, but you're a nice person. You have a wonderful feeling to your spirit. You are a Christian. I mean a born again Christian.
You're not from here, though. You're from Michigan. You like Benton Harbor real well, do you? [Sister says, "Yes."] Your name's Leah. Your last name's Schroeder. You believe it's over for you, now? Go on your way, rejoice. God be merciful to our sister.
89 How do you do, lady? Do you truly believe? Believe with all your heart? If the Lord God shall find favor tonight to say to you something, I see you're ... something ... you can't stand well. Would you help her there just a moment, brother? Yes.
Now look here to me and believe with all your heart. The lady is suffering with a heart trouble. You also have a cough. It's a asthmatic cough. That's right. And you have bronchial trouble, says the doctor. That is true. The reason, it's not your feet; you're just weak. You've been in a bed for several days and got out of bed to come here to be prayed for. That's "thus saith the Lord." That's right, isn't it? God shall reward you for this. Let us pray.
Almighty God, the strength of our being, give to this woman her healing. She must have it or die. And I pray, God, that You'll move every shadow and give her supernatural strength now that she can be healed through Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, sister. Don't doubt a bit.
90 Do you believe with all your hearts? Just have faith. That's all I ask you to do. Just look this way and believe. I can't heal. God's the healer. You are His subjects.
How do you do? I suppose we're strangers to each other, are we, lady? I don't know you. You belong to some different religion and many of them wear those little caps, different ones. But do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died that He might redeem us? Do you believe me to be His servant? I say that with respects, just like Peter and John said, "Look on us"; not as Him, but sent by Him.
If God will reveal to me, say for instance, what you are or what's wrong with you, you will believe it? This is our first time ever meeting, I believe, in life. Is that right? You're a Mennonite, to begin with. See your colony. And you're suffering with a liver trouble. That's right.
And that's not all on your heart. You've got something else on your heart. That's for your husband. He isn't here. If God will tell me what's wrong with your husband, what He's doing right now, will you believe me? He's coughing. He's got the flu. That's "thus saith the Lord."
Mrs. Miller, do you believe me to be a servant of God? You do? Go back home, put that handkerchief on him, it'll all be over.
Acts 3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
91 How do you do, sir? Guess we're strangers to each other. Philip went and found Nathanael; and when he found him, he said, "Come see who I've found, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." And Philip said ... or, Nathanael said, "Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?" He said, "Come, see."
And on the road over, he told him, perhaps about the conversion of Peter and the others, how He called their names; told them who they was. He does the same thing today. He's the same Christ. When he got up there, he was about notion to believe. But when Jesus saw him, He said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there's no guile."
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
92 We know, both know, that we're mortal beings and got to face Christ someday. God be merciful to us.
If the Holy Spirit will reveal to me what your trouble is, will you believe Him? There's something that's in your back. It's your spine, spinal trouble. And you have arthritis. You're not from here. You're from Chicago. You got something else on your mind. You're praying about it. You've been praying about it quite a while. It's a woman. It's your sister. She's not in Chicago. She's in Cleveland. She's got heart trouble and a mental case. Do you believe? Go, find it the way you believed it, brother. In the name of the Lord Jesus.
93 How do you do? We are strangers to each other. I don't know you. God does know you. You're not here for yourself. You're here for somebody else. Seriously sick. Mighty city, Chicago. He's got tumor on the brain. Up for an operation. Send that handkerchief and don't doubt, and what you believe, that's the way it'll be. God give the blessings of what she's asking.
94 Have we had three yet? Reverently, reverently, please, just a minute. You see, it gets to a place to where the Holy Spirit... See, Christ, a person touched Him and He said He got weak. What do you think about me? The only reason I can stand a little longer because He said more than this shall you do. It's His grace.
Do you believe that Christ is here? How many believes it's His Spirit permitting this to be done? Then bless you. You can have what you ask for if you'll just believe it.
95 I'm a stranger to you, I suppose, lady. I don't know you. God does know you. If He will reveal what's your trouble, will you believe Him? If we're strangers to each other, would you just raise up your hands like this?
Now audience, we're both witnesses before God's Word. If the Holy Spirit will do this one more time, will you all believe, promise Him you'll believe?
96 Here's what it is. It's for a good thing. That is, you're trying to get to walk with Christ. You want a close walk with Him. You had your ups and downs, backslidings, ins and outs. That's what you want is a close walk with God. That's a worthy thing. Your faith has been shook about something, caused you to be upset. That's the truth. You think God will reveal to me what upset your faith? What you need is the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Here's what it is. It's because that you're wanting a baby, and you've had miscarriages, and you can't pack your baby. That's "thus saith the Lord." Will you surrender all to Him now? Surrender your heart and all?
Dear God, upon a penitent woman who comes humbly, seeing that shadow hanging over her. I ask Thee, dear God, just on the basis of her faith, to give to her what she asks for just now. May every heart, every door be swung wide open and may she receive Him just now for everything she has need of. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen. You be the judge. That's right. Raise your hands if that was right, whatever it was. Now do you believe?
97 What about you in the audience? Are you ready to believe? How about you over on this side of the line? Do you believe with all your heart? You without prayer cards, I want you to look this way. I want you to believe with all your heart. You pray.
The angel of the Lord said to me, "If you get the people to believe you, then be sincere when you pray, nothing shall stand before the prayer."
I'd like to get some in each line, if I could. If God will permit it. Have faith, people. This is our last night.
98 Yes, here's a lady sitting right in here, looking right across the shoulder at me. Got trouble in your chest. That's right, lady. You sitting right there, glasses on, your hair combed down. You had chest trouble, didn't you? Breath yourself deep. You heard what I said: You had chest trouble; you don't have it now. Your faith has made you well.
I don't know you, do I lady? I've never seen you. If that's right, stand up on your feet. Never seen you, had no contact at all. There she is. Go home now, you're well. Jesus Christ heals you and makes you well.
99 What about in this row in here in this section. Let's come a little further. Will you believe? Who said that "amen" then that I heard? You? with your red hat on? Do you believe me to be God's prophet ... or, His servant? That name stumbles people. I'm a stranger to you. I don't know you. But if you'll believe me, God will heal that arthritis for you.
What did you raise your hand for, sitting by her? You want to be healed of spinal trouble, don't you? And the reason you raised your hand, you both come together and you're both Canadians, aren't you? You're not Americans; you're Canadians. Go back to Canada and spread the good news. Christ makes you well. You just have faith. Believe with all your heart. You can receive it.
100 What do you think, lady? Did that strike you just well to believe on the Lord Jesus? You believe me to be His servant? You have a need of Christ to do something for you? You believe that He will reveal it to me, you'll accept it? Then your rectal trouble will leave you. That's what your trouble was. If that be right, stand up on your feet if we're strangers and don't know one another. Is that right? All right, then receive it.
Are you believing? Somebody in here, have faith. Don't doubt, believe. Trouble is in your head. The lady, blond, sitting there, gray headed. You believe in Christ? You believe He can tell me what caused that head trouble? It's some gas. That's right. If you believe it, that's right. Raise your hands if that's right. I don't know you, do I? Never seen you in my life as far as I know. That's the truth, isn't it?
101 How do I know you from any different... There's that light hanging over you right now. It broke into a vision. Here it goes, moves over to the next lady, second lady, next one sitting back there on the end. Yes.
You were wondering then, wasn't you? It's over you. I want to be honest with you. You be honest with me. There's a feeling that you right now like you've never had before: real sweet, humble feeling. If that's right, wave your hand. Then your high blood pressure left with it. You have faith. If thou canst believe, all things are possible. If thou canst believe. That's all He asks.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
102 Think God will heal that ruptured baby, make it well? Well, believe it. Don't doubt, and have what you ask for.
You going to believe it, too, brother? That nervousness leaves you, also. God bless you.
I think that's across the building. Do you believe? You think Christ will heal that arthritis for you and make you well? Go believing. It shall be done.
If you'd believe Him, that diabetes would leave. Instantly be gone, you'd be well. Do you believe it? Then go believing it. God bless you, as you have believed.
103 When you raised up, you felt your back was different. ["Yes, I did."] You were healed sitting there.
You're awful young, but you've got a nervous heart. Do you believe that God will make it well? Go believing, now. Amen.
When I said back trouble to the woman a few minutes ago, struck you too, didn't it? You were healed right there in the line. Now, go on your road rejoicing. Don't doubt nothing, you'll be well. You believe with all your heart.
And you do, too? You believe the same thing and believe the smothering stuff will leave you and you be well? Go on your road, go right on your road rejoicing.
104 Let's say, "Thanks be to God." Are you believing? Do you believe with all your heart? Does He do all things well? Is He the same yesterday, today, and forever? Do you believe it solemnly with all your heart?
Then I'm going to ask you to do something. Put your hands over on one another just a minute. I will show you the glory of God. Don't doubt. Have faith. I know... I'm not beside myself, but I'm getting awful weak. I'm going to stop just a minute.
I trust that God has confirmed what I've told you to be the truth. Nothing in me. Believe Him. It doesn't matter whether you touch me; touch Him now, see. He will prove it.
105 Now, you lay your hands on each other. That's the Scripture. The Bible said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." If they lay their hands (their hands) on the sick, they shall recover.
Over in the overflow, lay your hands on each other if you're sick and needy. I'm going to pray for you. If you believe in my prayer, you have faith now. As you bow your head, I want to put in your mouth the words that will defeat the devil right now. You just pray them as I repeat them with your heads bowed.
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.
106 Almighty God, Creator of heavens and earth, author of everlasting life, giver of every good gift, have mercy upon me. I am in need of Thy grace and of Thy healing power. Heal me, O Lord. And heal the person I have my hands on. Be merciful to them, Lord. I sympathize with them for they are suffering, too. I now believe that You are the risen Christ showing among us the great signs and wonders that You promised You would do. Be merciful to me, and I will serve You with all my heart as long as I live. And by Your grace, this night, I accept You; because You promised, I believe. I now am healed. I believe it. I accept it. I shall not listen to Satan anymore. I will praise God for my healing; for by Jesus' stripes, I now am healed.
107 Just keep closed in. Keep closed in. Reverent. You've prayed. You've said the right words. Just in your heart, feel His goodness coming down. Feel them keys turn that door in there and that faith that you once wanted is now coming loose. Something telling you, there's Something here by me. Something is making me well. My headache is gone. My stomach trouble is vanished. Oh, I feel different in my limbs, my arms; new life is coming in.
Keep that on your mind now, while I ask the devil, in Jesus' name to depart from you. That's the devil that would make you doubt it at anytime.
Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, I come to Thee in the name of the Lord Jesus asking You to be merciful and pardon our unbelief.