Balm in Gilead
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 And a good evening to all of the servants of Christ present and in the radio-land. It's a privilege for me to come tonight, speaking to this fine audience.
And I have often wondered what I would do if I held in a charger, cup, a glass, as we would call it, two drops of the literal blood of the Lord Jesus. I've often thought, "If I would be granted that privilege, of packing two drops of the literal blood of the Lord, how I would hold that to my heart, walk so humbly, and slowly, and watching every step, that I would not drop it or spill it in any way."
But then as I was thinking that, "Tonight, I have before me in the sight of the Lord, a greater price than the two drops of the literal blood of our Lord; I have the purchase of His blood: His people; that He gave His blood that this people might live." So He thought more of the people than He did of His own life. He gave His life that His people could live. So, I hold this, my audience tonight, in the greatest respects, because it is the purchase of the blood of the Lord.
2 Last evening, I was a little long in speaking. And I'd just drove many miles, and was tired. And I suppose I wore out my audience here from about one hour's speaking. But today, when someone passed the compliment that they were glad they were there, I felt like I owed a thanks to you. And awhile ago while listening at the radio, to the announcer, I want to thank him for that wonderful compliment that he passed. The Lord bless you, my brother.
And I wish that every radio in the United States carried programs like this, and dedicated their time to the preaching of the gospel as this station does. May it stand till Jesus comes. I've been listening to it and its fine programs. And how I appreciate a station of that type. If I lived around here, my dial would be set on it all the time. I like Christian music, and I like the works of God and hear the servants of God.
3 Now, to hurry right in, because tonight we're going to pray for the sick. As I was coming up just now in the car, and hearing Brother Hall pass such a compliment, I don't deserve that compliment, but thanks to Brother Hall. But if there would be any good thing found in any human being, it would be because of Christ, because we are altogether a failure to begin with. There's no good thing in us. If there's anything good, it's God.
And tonight now, before we turn back the pages of the Book to find a text, I would like to explain a little something; that is, concerning praying for the sick, because we may be still be on the air when I start the prayer line.
Now, I have never, in all my world travelings, that the Lord has sent me about five times around the world, never have I ever healed anyone. I do not believe that any other evangelist ever healed anyone. I do not believe that there ever was a doctor, or a hospital, or a drug that ever healed anyone. I believe that God is the healer. Psalms 103 said, "I'm the Lord who heals all thy diseases."
If ministers claim to be healers, then they are unscriptural. If a doctor claims to be a healer, well, I wouldn't want him working on me, because there is only one Healer, says Mayo's Clinic and other great medical institutions, and that is God. We have doctors, and hospitals, and medicines, and so forth, which I highly salute and pray daily for their success. They are God given institutions. But they do not heal; they only aid nature. God is the healer.
Psalm 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 For instance, if I broke my arm and went to a doctor and said, "Doctor, I was cranking my car. I broke my arm. Heal it right quick, healer, so that I can finish cranking my car."
The doctor might look at me and say, "You need mental healing." That would be true. The doctor could set my arm, but God has to heal it. The doctor might take appendix out of me, or a tumor, or some other growth; but God has to heal the place. God is the only One who can create, and cells have to be created to rebuild.
I made a statement of that type one time, and there was a man afterwards said, "How do you explain penicillin?"
"Oh," I said, "that's very easy. It's just like having your house full of rats, and you put out rat poison. The rats is eating holes in the house. The poison kills the rats, but it doesn't mend the holes. That's the same thing that penicillin does. It kills the germs, but it doesn't build back the cells that it destroyed. God has to do that. God is the healer." I believe God's Word, and if it said, "I'm the Lord that heals all thy diseases," I believe it. It's the truth. It's the only way I can have faith, is in what God says.
Psalm 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
5 Ministry of healing is to pray for the sick. All churches pray for the sick. I have never drawed a denominational line, any barrier. I was ordained in the Missionary Baptist church by Dr. Roy E. Davis. But I do not hold any denominational barriers. I believe that Christ died for all His children, and I pray for all His children everywhere. God is never questioned to me by, "If this person's a Baptist, he may be healed." If you've got faith, you may be healed.
I do not believe that healing is anything that a minister could do to you, only explain to you what Christ has already done for you. I do not believe that I was saved thirty-one years ago. I believe I was saved nineteen hundred years ago when Jesus died for my sins. I accepted it thirty-one years ago.
And "He was wounded for our transgressions, and by His stripes we were healed." Did you notice, "were," past tense. When He died, and when He was striped, and it was all finished... Everything that God can do for you was finished when Christ died at Calvary, for He brought complete redemption to the human race.
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.
6 We don't have it now in full; we have the earnest of our salvation. We have the earnest of eternal life, of an immortal life, that we will live forever, as we receive the Holy Spirit. We also have the earnest of our resurrection. As we see a frail body, nothing but a shadow, laying eat up with cancer, where many fine doctors has tried to kill and failed; to see God Almighty heal that person, that's the proof of the resurrection. I know of thousands of those in the lands tonight.
Now, a minister of healing, if you notice in I Corinthians 12, it's not... There's a gift of prophecy, but gifts of healing; it's in the plural. God uses many different ways.
1 Corinthians 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1 Corinthians 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
7 Now, there's five offices that God put in the church; there's nine spiritual gifts that accompany that offices and all the members of the body. The first is apostles, which is missionaries. The word apostle means "one that's sent." The word missionary means "one that's sent," the same word. Apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists, these offices God sets in the church. They're all in operation, or should be. We cannot bypass one and say there's teachers without saying evangelists. We cannot say there's evangelists without saying there is apostles. We cannot say there's apostles without admitting there's prophets. All of them are for the perfecting of the body of Christ.
The Lord gives me visions. Those things began when I was a little baby. I do not believe that man can be called of man and be a successful minister. I believe gifts and callings are without repentance, that God by His foreknowledge foreordained His ministers into the gospel, and the gifts into the church.
God told Jeremiah, I believe it was, said, "Before you was even formed in your mother's womb, I knew you, and sanctified you, and ordained you a prophet to the nations." Seven hundred and twelve years before John the Baptist was born, God told Isaiah that he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He couldn't help from being John. And all the way from the garden of Eden, and yes, before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ was ordained the Son of God. So we are what we are by the grace of God.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1 Corinthians 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1 Corinthians 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1 Corinthians 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
8 And now, before we turn back the pages on a little evangelistic text... And if there is many, which there is, ministers sitting here, and many listening in, no doubt... But I do not believe that divine healing is a major. And we could never major on a minor.
I believe divine healing is like a man going fishing. He puts the bait on the hook. He doesn't show the fish the hook; he only shows the bait. And the fish takes the bait and gets the hook.
9 That's why at Durban, South Africa, recently, where two hundred thousand was gathered, I seen thirty thousand raw heathens break their idols on the ground and receive Jesus Christ as personal Saviour.
When a man that could never walk, did not even have his right mind, and the Holy Spirit revealed him who he was and all about his life; and then when I saw a vision over him that he was going to be well, I said, "How many of you now will receive Christ if God will heal this poor man?" And I said, "The Holy Spirit just said he was born in that condition. And you've seen his parents way out in the audience there on the racetrack, witness that was true. Told him what his name was." I said, "I can't even speak his language."
I said, "Now I challenge every Mohammedan priest to come here, that you say your religion is so great, and straighten this man up, or you Buddhists, or any other religion." And of course, it was a very quiet audience. I said, "Neither can I do it. But the God of heaven who's raised up His Son Jesus Christ, has showed me a vision just now, that the boy's going to receive his right condition. If he doesn't, then I'm a false witness of the resurrection, and should be run out of Africa. If it is, then how many of you Mohammedans, and heathens, and Buddhists will receive Christ as personal Saviour?" Just as far as you could see, the black hands waving. And I spoke what the Lord said, and the man jumped to his feet, not only healed, but in his right mind. And thirty thousand broke their idols on the ground and received Christ as personal Saviour. It was the bait that caused them to receive Christ. Let us pray.
10 Great God, You have never lost Your power, and You never will, because You are the infinite God, who had no beginning or You will never have an end. When this old world has so staggered with sin until it's come beyond the stars, and if You have sent judgment and destroyed it, and there's no more world, nor moon, nor stars, or solar system, You'll still be God. When the deserts ... the oceans has become deserts weeping from sin, You'll still be God.
And what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Why is it that You're so kind to us to send Jesus, Your only begotten Son, that He would die to save us from our sins.
And then in this last closing hours of the world's history, when the world is staggering under the impact of sin, and hydrogen bombs and atomic bombs in the hands of the heathen, and the unbeliever, and the ungodly, who could destroy the whole world within a few seconds... We are told that by our modern science, and it's just about one minute until midnight. O Lord, wake up men and women. Anoint Your ministers, Lord, like flames of fire making the last call, the sign of the last day. And may it be great.
Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Hebrews 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
11 And may we see it tonight, the living Christ, who is not dead, but has raised again for our justification, now lives among us in the person of the Holy Ghost. May He come tonight and speak to every heart, visible and invisible audience. And may He perform in their hearts that work of the new birth bringing to them the redemption power of His resurrection, taking away all shadows of doubts and unbelief, and destroying all skepticism, that the church might move on in perfect harmony with the will of God as presented by the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
Take the words that I shall read tonight from Thy Word, O Lord, and anoint them in the lips of Your servant, and place them in the hearts of the hearer. Circumcise the ears and hearts, Lord, that they might receive Thy Word. Then in the end, we will bow our heads in humility towards the dust from which we were taken, and give Thee praise. For we ask it in Jesus' name, Thy beloved Son. Amen.
12 I would like to read tonight from the book of Jeremiah 8:22, one verse.
Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is ... the health of the daughter of my people not recovered?
That was the question that Jeremiah, under the inspiration of God, asked as he brought this message many years ago in the gate of the temple. The city and the people had altogether gone out away from God. And God told Jeremiah the prophet to go stand in the gate and to speak these words: "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? And then, if there is, why is it then that the health of the daughter of My people (which is the church) is not recovered?"
The question is, "Why?" When God makes a provision, or a way of escape for the people, and they refuse to receive it, then God asked the question, "Why?"
I was reading a poem here some time ago. I may not be able to quote it, maybe a line, but it's something like this:
When the great marching armies has stacked
all their guns together,
And when the mimic has played his last drama,
And when the Bible is closed on the pulpit,
And the preacher has made his last prayer,
When the books of the judgment shall open,
We will be asked to give a reason, then why?
Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
13 I wonder, when this United States of America, which is my home sweet home, when God's great Book is opened at the day of judgment, and this nation is brought to judgment, and when He points His finger to Billy Grahams and Oral Robertses, and so forth that's crossed back and forth through the nation, preaching the gospel and showing great signs and wonders of His coming, the angels of God who's accompanied their ministry standing there as a witness, when America is asked, "Why they did not repent," I wonder what answer they'll have.
When they continually... The whiskey, and drinking, and devices of the devil continually flow onward. As the gospel moves, they become more radical with their drinking every year; sin moves up each year, each day. And it seems that it is just a little Christmas story that's told.
But we're living in that great day when the great signs of the coming of the Lord is appearing. And ministers anointed with the Spirit is preaching their heart out, and men still ignore it. I wonder what kind of an answer is going to be given at the judgment.
14 One time in the Scripture... After the death of Ahab, one of Israel's most wicked kings, his son Hezekiah followed him on his throne in Samaria.
And one day while he was walking in the upper porch, he fell through the lattice, and he hurt himself, and he took some sort of a disease. And then he called two of his men and sent them over to Ekron to the god of Beelzebub to consult his prophets, was he going to recover or not?
And Elijah the Tishbite, being a true prophet of God, the Holy Spirit came to him in a vision and told him, "Go up and stand in the way."
God blocks the way. It's not easy to go to hell. It's hard to go to hell. God sends His messengers, and He sends His prophets, He sends His gospel, He makes His churches a flaming fire, and men constantly fight right over it. He sends it out over the ether waves of the radio, He sends it over the television, He sends it by the published word, He sends it from lip to ear, and men constantly walk right over it.
1 Kings 22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
1 Kings 22:52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
1 Kings 22:53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
2 Kings 1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
2 Kings 1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
15 But God sends His prophet to block it. "Why will you go to Ekron to Beelzebub? Is it because there is no prophet in Israel? Is there no God there?"
Is that the reason people today deliberately go to drunken parties, dance all night, gamble, cheat, try to make a lot of money? Is it because that there is no pleasure in God? Is it because there is no God to give pleasure? The very reason that you thirst for that, is because that you're rejecting God. God made a man to thirst, but to thirst after Him. And if you turn that down, you have to... The devil tries to satisfy that thirst with drinking, and smoking, and gambling, and other things. Is it because we haven't got a Holy Spirit that brings joy? Is it because there's no satisfaction in Christ that you seek these things?
He said, "Is not there a God down in Israel? Why would you go to Beelzebub, the devil?"
2 Kings 1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
16 Is there no pleasure in serving Christ? Is that the reason men continually drink, and go to the church for a covering? You've never tasted the Lord yet. You've never knowed how good He was. If men ever come to the fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel's veins, once plunged beneath that, the sins of the world, and all the devil could offer, would be as dead as midnight. It's because they refuse to do it. Because they refuse to receive the Holy Spirit, God's balm, is the reason they do.
It reminds me of a man dying on a doctor's doorstep, a man die on a doctor's doorstep, because that he refuses to take the remedy for his disease. If the doctor's got the remedy for your disease, and you say, "I won't take it." You could sit on his doorstep, that close to it, and you'd still die, because you refuse the remedy. Then don't lay it on to the doctor. He's got the remedy. He's got the thing for your inoculation, but it's your stubbornness not to receive it.
17 It wasn't because there wasn't a God in Israel; it wasn't because there wasn't a prophet down there; it was because the king was too stubborn. He hated the prophet.
That's what's the matter today. There's satisfaction. There's healing for soul and body in God, in Christ, but the people are too stubborn. They're like Hezekiah of long ago. They want to be modern. They hate the Gospel message. That's the reason they die in their sins on the church steps. Men sit in the seats in their churches and die in sin, because they refuse God's remedy, the Holy Spirit. It's not because He's not there; it's because they refuse to recognize it and receive it.
18 That king hated the prophet and his Gospel. So, he thought he could get some other way and get relief, satisfy his longing.
Let me say to this ... this to you, rather, tonight. My most beloved friends, you can never have satisfaction. You may own all the wealth there is in Tennessee. You may live in the best house, and drive air-conditioned Cadillacs by the fleet. You may be very popular on the dance floor. You may be the king of your party, the life and the fun of your group. But you'll never be satisfied until you've tasted God's eternal life by the Holy Spirit. That's God's toxin. That's the only thing.
How they find toxin. They take a guinea pig. And they take toxin and work it out. And then they take this toxin and give it to a guinea pig. If it works all right on the guinea pig, then they give it to human beings. Sometimes it doesn't work well on the human being, because the guinea pig's body is just not exactly like a human being. Some medicine will help some people and kill others. So there is a question on that, about taking the medicine.
But there's no question on God's balm, His toxin. It works on whosoever will let him come that he might drink from the fountain of the Lord. It's not questioned.
19 They work this down and give it to the guinea pig and watch his reaction.
The world isn't dying of... Number one killer isn't hearts disease in the world today, as we are told. Number one killer is sin disease. It's a disease of sin that's killing the world.
I've often made this statement that, "It isn't the robin that pecks on the apple that kills the apple; it's the worm at the core that kills the apple." It isn't communism that's killing America. It isn't any other nation that's polluting this nation; it's the sin that's in this nation that's polluting itself. It's the immorals of the people. And thousands of those are called Christian by name. The world sees no different in them than any other person. Therefore, their Christianity is too weak.
20 Please, will you excuse this rude, most rude expression. I do not say it to be bad. I do not say it with malice. I say it with love. Last Saturday, wife and I were going to the grocery. And our little city's just about thirty-seven thousand in population. And they have a new shopping center, which all the people goes out to this Youngstown Shopping Center on Saturday, because many of the great chain stores are there.
And as we drove, of the hundreds of women we passed, we found one with a skirt on. The rest of them were dressed so immorally. My wife said to me, she said, "Billy, look. Don't you believe that that woman knows that she's naked?"
I said, "I don't think so."
She said, "If she doesn't know she's naked, then she's out of her mind."
I said, "No, she's just an American. She follows the American trend. She acts like the rest of the Americans does."
Well, she said, "Then aren't we Americans?"
I said, "As citizenship of our flesh, we are. But we are pilgrims and we are strangers here, and we are seeking a city to come." I said, "That's the reason that one American differs from the other. Our spirits has been born from above. And in that land where we come from, the nature and the habits of that land is holiness, cleanliness, godliness. And if the Spirit of that land moves into us, then this land is strange to us." Because your soul and your spirit motivates you; it makes you what you are. And you'll never be able to join churches and get that out of you; you'll still be a church member and make fun of people who preach against such immorals.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
21 You've got to be born again from above. Then you are new creatures in Christ Jesus, and you're as Abraham was; you're his children. You are seeking a city whose builder and maker is God. That's why you act different. That's why you see things different. You never get customized to this world, because you're from above. You act like the kingdom you belong in.
I'm glad to be a citizen of America. I think it's the best. But, oh brother, I'd hate to trust that would be my salvation. The American spirit is vulgarity, evil.
Every kingdom in the world is controlled by the devil. The Bible said so. Satan said, "These are all mine to do with them whatever I want to."
Jesus never denied it. But He knew He was going to fall heir to them in the millennium. And He said, "Get thee behind me, Satan." No wonder the Scripture said, "Rejoice, ye heavens and all ye earth, for the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ." Yes. It makes a difference.
Matthew 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
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.
Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luke 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
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.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
22 Some people say, "I just can't keep from smoking. I can't keep from drinking." The reason you do this, is because you refuse the toxin against it. You'll always do it until you take the toxin, till you get inoculated. The reason people does this is...
That's the reason we got so many different denominational churches. They do this... They know it's Scripture, so they try to bypass it. And many of the great holiness churches is falling into that same rut, trying to bypass it. Go up and shake hands with the minister and say, "I believe Christ to be the Son of God." The devil does the same thing. The reason they do that is to try to bypass the new birth.
23 Now, I do not wish you to think I'm sacrilegious, but I want to make a statement, and listen close. Any kind of a birth is a mess. If a birth is in the barnyard, a calf, it's a mess. If a birth is anywhere... If it's on a bed of shucks, or a straw tick, or in a pink decorated hospital, it's still a mess.
And this new birth is nothing less than a mess. You get up from the altar crying and boo-hooing, and carrying on. It makes a starchy church think you don't have to do that. But through that new birth brings new life. You can only have it as you're ready to get all messed up. When you get the starch out of you, when you get away from the self-styled hypocrisy that we live in today, and are willing to pay the price, and lay there until you are dead to the things of the world, and reborn again by the Holy Spirit... They bypass it.
24 We take our ministers and make great doctors of divinity out of them, instead of giving them the new birth. Many of our seminaries take the man and try to educate him. Education is a wonderful thing. But education will never substitute salvation or the new birth. It cannot do it.
God has a program and we must measure up to that program. We try to teach our ministers knowledge. We ought to teach them the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We ought to teach them Christ. But we're trying to get a better class of people among us. There's no better class of people than borned again Christians. They may be peculiar, act peculiar, look peculiar, dress peculiar, but they are peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation offering spiritual sacrifices, the fruit of our lips giving praise to His name. Certainly.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
25 Knowledge, that's the first thing that took a man away from God. When in the garden of Eden, there was a tree of knowledge. When Adam took the first bite, he separated himself from God. But we try to teach knowledge, educate the people into the program of God. You cannot do it. Education's all right. It's a very fine thing. But let me say this: It'll never take the place of the new birth or God's provision for salvation.
Could you imagine, a little canary bird jump up on the little limb in the cage where other canary birds are, and he would say something like this: "My fellow canaries..." pull his little glasses, as it were, over his nose as a professor, and say, "I have been studying. I have acquired a lot of knowledge. I begin to know all about these human beings. Oh, I know them from A to Z." Just about like we try to know God.
And then the first thing you know, a professor of Purdue comes up. He said, "Good morning, my little insignificant friend," and begins to speak some great words to the little canary. And he's embarrassed. He turns his little head; he listens. He's got eyes; he can see him. He's got ears; he can hear him. But he can't understand him. Why? He's got a canary brain.
26 And that's about the way it is with us with our human knowledge. How're we going to understand God, the supernatural, with a natural mind? with knowledge? Sometimes (I don't want to say a joke; it's not a joke.) but we act like we got canary brain when we do that. We do not understand God and cannot understand God, no other way than... It's not by knowledge, but by the revelation by the Holy Ghost is the only way. The Scripture even says, "No man can say Jesus is the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost."
1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
27 When God gave this toxin test... You know, there was a time when we didn't have any toxin for smallpox. Many people died. But now we've got toxin for smallpox. We got smallpox, and for diphtheria, and many diseases, even now for polio we got toxins.
And there was a time when the toxin wasn't very good, or not too good for the soul, but now it's perfect. Under the old toxin of the law, it was a law that animals died to reconcile us to God. It can never do away with sin; it only covered sin. But now the Bible said the worshipper once purged has no more conscience of sin. Or the right translation would be, "no more desire to sin" when he took the toxin.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
28 This toxin was tried out, not by a guinea pig. This toxin of eternal life wasn't tried out by a guinea pig. God never chose a guinea pig; He chose His only beloved Son to prove this toxin to the human race. "And when he was baptized, he went straightway out of the water, and behold, the heavens opened. And John bear record seeing the Spirit of God like a dove descending, and a voice said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"
He walked in life like we walk. He was tempted with the same temptation that we was tempted with, without sin, proving that the toxin would work, not on a guinea pig, not on an animal, but upon the Son of God, a man.
And when He come to death, the toxin proved to be right. It made Him pray for His enemies. And then on Easter morning, God proved the toxin was right, when He raised Him up from the dead. Jesus rose on Easter morning to show that this toxin, the balm of eternal life, raises up the dead at the last days, at the coming of the Lord. No more guessing in it, it's proven. It works for all. The very One who has the toxin said, "Whosoever will, let him come."
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
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.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
29 It's not because there's not any balm; it's because people refuse to take it. They go to church and sit starchy. They join the church and put their names on the book. But when it comes to being born again and receiving the Holy Ghost, they turn their back and laugh at It. That's the reason they can't believe in divine healing. That's the reason they ... "How can you get blood from a turnip?" said my old southern mammy. There's no blood in a turnip. You cannot believe, until you're borned of the Spirit of God.
Nicodemus asked, "How can a man do this?"
Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot understand the kingdom of God." Got to be born first.
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.
30 The devil in the garden of Eden took a man's eye to show him, his intellectuals. God took his heart. A man goes to the great fine churches, and what he can see in the class. That's his eye. God chose his heart to make him believe things that he cannot see: "For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." God took his heart; that's God's control room.
And He raised Jesus up to prove it. He sent Him and inoculated Him, and proved that through the earth. He went alone preaching the gospel. He foreseen visions.
When the first man was brought to Him, was Simon Peter. And when Peter came, Jesus looked at him; He was inoculated and He said, "Your name is Simon, and your father's name is Jonas."
What happened? Peter was astonished. "How did He know who I was?" He was inoculated. He had the balm of eternal life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
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.
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
31 There was one there who heard that. And he went on his way to find his friend. His name was Nathanael. And he found... Philip found Nathanael, rather, in the garden, praying. And when he stood up and told him, "Come, see who we have found, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
And this be a very starchy man, he said, "Now, Philip, could there be any good thing come from Nazareth?"
He said, "Come and see." That's the best answer any man could give: "Come, see for yourself."
"Is there anything to it?" Don't stay home and criticize; come find out. Search the Scriptures.
And when he came, he told him, no doubt, of meeting ... when Jesus had met Peter. And let's think they said this, as Philip and Nathanael talked. Nathanael said, "Now, what is this you tell me?"
He'd say something like this, "Nathanael, knowest thou not that Moses said, 'The Lord our God shall rise up a prophet liken unto him?' And what is the Messiah to be? Is to be the God-prophet. And this man, without knowing Simon Peter, the old fisherman, that can't even sign his own name..." But it pleased God to make him the head of the church at Jerusalem, not with enough education to sign his name, but he believed.
Notice, and when he did this, he said, "Isn't He to be the God-prophet?"
"Yes."
And when they come up to where He was praying for the sick, as soon as Jesus laid His eyes upon Nathanael, He said, "Behold, an Israelite, in whom there is no guile." How did He know him? Because there was a balm in Gilead; because the promise that Moses made was made manifest.
There he was, "Behold, an Israelite (Not because he dressed... All Eastern people dressed the same way.), in whom there's no guile."
It astonished the man so much till he said, "How did You know me, Rabbi?"
He said, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you."
He knowed there was a balm in Gilead. He said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. You are the King of Israel."
Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
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!
John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
32 There were those who stood by that said, "This man has Beelzebub."
Jesus said... Because He was discerning their thoughts... And Jesus discerned their thoughts when they thought that in their heart. They never said it out loud. They were staunch church members, and they daren't to say it out. But Jesus said, "I will forgive you for it. But someday (in so much words like this), the Holy Spirit will come and do the same thing. And one word against it will never be forgiven in this world nor the world to come."
There will be a balm continually in Gilead. It will be after I go. "And these works that I do shall you do also. Lo, I am with thee, even in thee to the end of the consummation. I'll be with you a little while; the world will see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me (the church, the believer), for I will be with you even to the end of the world." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, absolutely...
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.
Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Matthew 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
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 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
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.
33 Notice. The Jews was looking for Him to come. That's how He manifested Himself.
There's only three classes of people. Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people. That's Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans.
Jesus went by the way of Samaria, had need to. Why? There was a woman sitting there. And He looked at her, and He carried a conversation with her. He said, "Bring me a drink."
She said, "It's not customary. There's a segregation here." Said, "Jews and Samaritans have no words with each other."
He said, "But if you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask me for a drink." The conversation went on until Jesus found what was in her heart. And He said, "Go, get your husband and come here."
She said, "I have no husband."
He said, "You've got five, and the one that you're now living with is not your husband. You said right.
Listen to that woman. She never said, "You're Beelzebub." She was looking for the inoculation. She said, "We know---we Samaritans---we know that when the Messiah cometh, which is called the Christ, He will tell us these things." She knew. Why? She was looking for that balm in Gilead. "His Spirit, He will be the God-prophet. He will make known to us these things. But who are You?"
He said, "I'm He that speaks to you."
Upon this she left her water pot and went into the city and told the men, "Come, see a man who told me the things that I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?" The balm was in Gilead. Certainly.
John 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
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.
John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
34 After His death and resurrection, there was one hundred and twenty gathered in the upper room for the Inoculation. And all of a sudden, there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. God was pouring out His balm of the Holy Spirit into the Pentecost.
And they went out of the room to all parts of the world, preaching the Gospel, seeing visions, and being persecuted for His name, and called heretics. But gladly suffered the cause for the righteousness of Christ, and counted it as joy, laid down their lives, and sealed their testimony. Why? They were Inoculated. They had received the balm that was in Gilead.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
35 Look at Paul at the end of his road. What did he say? See if the balm worked for Paul when they were going to chop his head off. (I was standing not long go in this little dungeon where he was writing.) And he said, "I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I've kept the faith; and henceforth, there's a crown laid up for me that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day." What was it? He was Inoculated. He had the balm. He was one of God's physicians.
There's a balm in Gilead. There's a physician there also. But it's the people that won't receive it. In closing, I might say this. On the day of Pentecost... Listen, to you, all of you, hear ye. On the day of Pentecost when these people had received the new birth and had received eternal life... If you've got eternal life in you, you can demonstrate eternal life. You abstain from the things of the world.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
36 But on the day of Pentecost, when they seen these people all manifesting the new resurrected life, that they'd been Inoculated, they asked one of God's doctors... Would you like to know his name? Doctor Simon Peter. They asked him, "What can we do to receive this?"
And Doctor Simon Peter wrote a prescription for all generations. He said, "Repent, every one of you." That means "turn back." "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; for this prescription is for all generations, to you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
There's the prescription. You can receive the Holy Ghost. The promise is to you, when you'll get away from your unbelief and repent, and do about-face, and turn towards God, instead of your intellectual thinking. God has promised. It's the prescription that Doctor Simon Peter wrote: "The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
God still lives. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
37 Why then? Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Certainly. There is a great Physician here. What's the reason the people won't receive it? Because of their unbelief. They sit right in the church and die. They come from the doctor's office, and lay in the house, and die, because they refuse to believe in the great Physician. They lay in their beds of worldliness, and perish, and go to a everlasting hell, because they refuse to receive the balm that's in Gilead for sinful souls. Far be it from you, my friends.
I've talked to you a long time. But let me say this; I've been speaking for about forty-five minutes. There is a balm in Gilead. There is a Physician there. Then why is the church so sickly? Why is it so sinful? Is because people refuse to believe it. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever has raised from the dead. He's right here now. He's the same as He was then. When He was here, He didn't claim to be a healer. He only claimed that He... In Saint John 5:19, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing: that doeth the Son likewise."
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.
38 In other words, He did not do one miracle until He saw by a vision what God did. And then He said, "The Father worketh, and I worketh hitherto." The Father showed Him what to do. Now, he said, "The works that I do shall you also; even more than this shall you do." I know the King James says "greater," but there could be no greater, it's "more," because He was in one man, now He's all over the world in every member. "More than this shall you do, for I go to My Father."
Let us think on that now, and know there is a balm in Gilead. There's a balm in the name of Jesus Christ, if it's spoke through holy reverent lips that's been sanctified by His blood and called to the ministry. Why did I say that? Because Jesus said, "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, that I will do. If you abide in me, and my Word's in you, ask what you will, and it shall be given unto you." Let us pray. There is a balm in Gilead. Gilead is the church.
John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
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 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
39 And in the invisible audience, if you have never... Out there, my dear dejected friend... You're not rejected of Jesus Christ. He loves you, and He wants you. And you've sought for satisfaction. You've went to the dances; you've went to the places; you've drank; you've gambled; you've lived in adultery. There's many things you may have done. And you may even have joined the church.
That's not what you must do; you must be born again. That's the great Physician's inoculation. That's when He guarantees you that He will keep you. "He that heareth my words and believeth on Him that sent me hath (present tense) everlasting life, and shall never come to the judgment, but has passed from death unto life." Hear that, sinner friend, and accept Him as your personal Saviour at this time.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
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.
40 If there be any in this visible audience that has not yet accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, and you'd like to be remembered in prayer, that now, that before you leave this building, God will give you the new birth, will you raise up your hand, say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham, I now want to believe with all my heart, laying aside everything. Yet I've never seen one move of His resurrection yet. Before anything is done tonight, I still want to accept it on the basis of His Word. I believe that He is alive. He lives in His church."
And if the life's of a vine... If the first church... Jesus said, "I am the vine..." Listen close. "I am the vine; ye are the branches." And if the first branch that come out of the vine was a Pentecostal branch, bearing forth divine healing and all the signs of the resurrection, the second branch will be just like the first one; and it'll be the same till the last branch; because it's the same life in the vine.
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.
41 Now, if you don't believe in these things, how can you... How can you join a church and have these things. You have to be born by the Spirit of God, then the life that's in the vine is in the branch, and you'll bear the fruit of His presence with you.
Let us pray. Dear God, we bring to Thee tonight, in the visible and invisible audience, all those who are seeking eternal life, all those who wants to be filled with Thy balm. There is a balm in Gilead for the sin-sick soul. There's a Physician there also to heal.
And why is it, Lord, that the church is so sinful? Why is it that they cannot believe? For we know that unbelief is sin, and the only sin there is. "He that believeth not is condemned already." And they do evil, because that they're unbelievers. If they were believers, "These signs shall follow them that believe," says Jesus. "In my name they shall cast out devils, and speak with new tongues, and take up serpents, or have drank deadly things, and they'll lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."
God, grant tonight, that each person, no matter what level we have to come to, Lord... If the new birth is just like the natural birth, a mess, I don't care, Lord, if I have to be a outcast, if I'd have to be called holy-roller, or any kind of a vulgar name that the devil has given the church [Blank space on tape.] ... called anything, just give me eternal life. Let me have Christ within my heart. Let me have the balm of Gilead, for I love Him. Give to each one who is desiring such, Lord, freely tonight of Thy grace. We present them to Thee as trophies of the message. Keep them, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
42 All you in radio-land who accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, I would advise you at this time to slip off to some place and ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.
Now, you say, "Brother Branham, that's pretty hard doctrine for a Baptist. I thought you received the Holy Ghost when you believed."
Paul said in Acts 19 to the Baptists up there, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?"
Someone said to me not long ago, said, "Brother Branham, did you know God gave Abraham... Taken his sins, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, because he believed on the Lord. That's all he could do, was believe."
I said, "That's right. But He give him the seal of circumcision as a confirmation that he had received his faith."
Acts 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
43 And if God's never give you the Holy Ghost yet, you claim to be a believer, and you've never received the Holy Ghost and passed from death unto life, then God's never confirmed your faith yet. See? Ephesians 4:30 says, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed until the day of your redemption." That's God's Seal, the Holy Spirit. Receive it, friends.
To you visible audience here tonight, as soon as the prayer line is over, I want you to get some of these fine preachers here. You accepted Christ as your Saviour; talk it over with them. Join their churches. Go, make yourself a church home somewhere, any denomination you want to; that's up to you. Just so you're borned again and filled with God's Spirit. You'll be a credit to any church, if you'll just receive Christ in that manner. God bless you.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
44 Now, we are going to call the prayer line. Being that this is a little late tonight, I thought I would do this: In the prayer line tonight, I would just call up a few, in what we call the Bible line, that where the Holy Spirit would a talk to us and see if He would (I don't say that He will. but if He will) and perform the same things that I've preached about, that when God... And I call it... I do not mean to be sacrilegious in saying that: Inoculation, poured His Holy Spirit into His Son Jesus, and He went about and showed these kind of signs, told Peter who he was and went through, and discerned the thoughts of the mind, and told the woman... And that was the sign of the Messiah.
Why didn't He do it to a Gentile? Not one time in the Bible. Why? The Gentile wasn't looking for His coming. Now, the Gentile has preached the gospel for two thousand years. Now, we're looking for His coming. God can't be infinite, and be no respect of persons, and give them that sign and not give it to us. He promised that He would. How many believes that? Sure He did.
All right. We will talk more on it tomorrow night. The time is getting late.
Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
45 My son gave the prayer cards. How many in here does not have a prayer card, raise up your hand and you're sick? All right. Watch how the Holy Spirit will move.
Now, we're going to call... We will see that the cards are brought up and prayed for. If we don't get them tonight, will tomorrow night. We're going to start somewhere along on that line and call out a few people of this a hundred prayer cards. Prayer card A... Let's see. Let's call the last twenty. That would make it from 80 to 100 in A. And them which are first shall be last, and those the last will be first. This is vice versa around; instead of starting the first of them, we will start from the last part of them. And then we will also pick them up as we go along, maybe tonight, or finish them up tomorrow night---the prayer cards.
46 Who has prayer card 80? 80? A-80, raise up. Are you the person? Would you stand... Go down there, will you, some of you and help. 80? 81, who has 81, raise up your hand if you can? 81? 82? All right, lady, right over here. 83? Up in the balcony? 83? Who has prayer card 83, would you hold up your hand? Maybe somebody deaf, can't hear. Look at your prayer cards. Each one look at your prayer card. Prayer card 83? Look at your neighbor's prayer card. Maybe they're crippled. We see some cots and stretchers. Look at their prayer cards, somebody. Maybe they can't get up or even can't raise their hands. 83? All right. Maybe they stepped out. If they have, they can come back in, get their place. 84? Who has prayer card 84? The lady going there? Raise your hand when I call you. 85? All right. 86? 87? 88? Would I see 88? Prayer card 88, 89, 90, 91, 91? 92, 93, 93? 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100? Did I see 100? Who has prayer card 100? All right, coming from way in the back.
Now, while these... We're going to hold them for a few minutes, then we will start back the other way.
47 Now, I'd like to say this while you all are waiting just a moment, and the ushers are getting the people ready to bring to the platform... I want your undivided attention. I want them in radio-land... I believe we're off the air at this time? All right. I was going to give them something too. But now, you that's here... Now, don't stir around; sit real still. Don't move. Be real reverent.
For, how many in this building knows that I do not know you, raise your hands. How many in that prayer line out there knows that I do not know you, raise your hand, everybody in the prayer line. How many's sick, and does not have a prayer card, and yet, you're wanting God to heal you, raise up your hand. I want to see. Without a prayer card...? There's hundreds. All right. I want you to do this: While they're lining the people up, I want you to look right this way to me now. Listen close.
Now, I have preached at length. There is a balm in Gilead. How many knows that the balm in Gilead, that God put in there, is the Holy Spirit? Well, if the Holy Spirit in the first person made Him act so that He could, by the Spirit of God, could discern the thoughts of the people and tell the people, and so forth like that, will He do the same thing if He's inoculated in us again? Is that right? If the same life is in us... Did Jesus say, "The works that I do, shall you also?" Did He say that? Then His Word must be true.
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.
48 Then, to the ministers, and to the people out there, listen to this now. You do not have a prayer card. Now, you don't... The prayer card has nothing to do with it. Now, look. Let me give you a little story.
One time, Jesus was coming across a stormy sea. And there was a little woman. She had a blood issue. And let's say she didn't have a prayer card, so she couldn't get into the crowd. But she made her way through somehow, until she said within her heart... Now, listen close. She said within her heart, "If I can only touch the border of that man's garment, I will be made well." Did you ever read the story, raise your hand? All right. And she said, "I believe that He is the Messiah that was spoken of. He's that Galilean prophet."
Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
49 One morning when the crowd had gathered on the bank, everybody was touching Him, and, "Hello there, Rabbi. How are You, Doctor. Prophet of Galilee." And others standing, saying, "Hey, you that raised the dead, we got a graveyard full of them up here. Come raise some up here. You who brought Lazarus to life, try it on old Jones up here (See); he died about a week ago: good old man, paid his tithes and everything. Come, try him. Try it on Johnson's little baby laying out here." That's the critic, the church members usually. "Come, try it on him."
Jesus said, "I do nothing except the Father shows Me first," see. That was His answer to the critics.
But this little woman, she pressed through, till she touched the border of His garment.
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 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
50 Anyone knows that the Palestinian garment hung loose around the person. And it was a robe. That's the reason they had feet washing. When that robe, as they walked, it picked up the dust where the animals had been on the road, and dust got on them, and it was stinky. They had to wash before they could be an honored guest at a home. And then they had an underneath garment that come down below the knee.
And now, anyone knows that that little touch of a border, the hem of that garment, probably standing anywhere from two to six or eight inches away from Him; Jesus never physically felt it.
And she touched Him and went back out, let's say, in the audience, and sat down. Jesus stopped. He said, "Who touched Me?"
And you know, it was such a surprise till Simon Peter even rebuked Him. He said, "Why, Lord, why would You say such a thing? Why, all ... the whole crowd's touching You. And why could You say, 'Who touched Me?'" Said, "All of them's touching You."
Here's Jesus' answer. "But I perceive that I have gotten weak." The King James says "Virtue has gone from Me." And anybody knows that virtue is "strength." "Strength is gone out of Me; it made Me weak."
See, she touched Him with a different kind of a touch. So He didn't know who it was. But she touched Him. Now listen. Then He turned Himself around and looked over that audience, perhaps about like's here tonight. He looked around till He found the little woman. And He told her that her faith had healed her blood issue. Is that right? What was it? He had some kind of inoculation in Him of God, a balm, of God, b-a-l-m, of God inside of Him, which was the Holy Ghost, that that woman with her faith in God, knowing that was His Son, touched Him; and it attracted attention to the woman. Is that right? And He said, "Thy faith, your blood issue's gone now, because your faith has..." The Greek word is sozo, means "saved," physically or spiritually, both the same time in all the Scriptures, "sozo." All right. "Your faith has saved you."
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 5:31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Mark 5:32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luke 8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luke 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
51 Now, is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever? If you believe it, say "Amen." All right. Preachers, ministers, Sunday school teachers, laity, does the New Testament teach, the book of Hebrews, that He is a High Priest right now, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? Is that right? Well, if He's the same High Priest, and you touched Him in the same way, wouldn't He act the same as He did then? If He's the same High Priest, same life. Now, where is He tonight? At the right-hand of God Almighty, making intercessions as a High Priest.
Now, if you touched Him, and this life that was in Him, the balm that was in Gilead, in Christ, which He was the church in full... And now, we are His bride, taken from Him to minister in His place. If you touched Him, He could speak through me or someone, and speak out the same as He did then, and say the same thing to you He did to the woman, if He's the same High Priest. Is that right?
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
52 Now, you without prayer cards, pray, and see. Just don't be critical. Just sit still for the next ten or fifteen minutes, and say within your heart, "Lord God, maybe I don't understand this." I don't either, but I know that it's God's Word. God has to keep His Word. Say, "Lord, I'm sick. That man doesn't know me. But I'm sick, and I need Your healing power. And if I don't receive it, I will perish. My doctor's done all he can do. He's turned me down. And I have a right to come to You. I can't get well no other way. Have mercy, great High Priest of God, Jesus Christ, His Son. Touch me tonight, and speak back through Your servant, and let him speak to me out here like You did the woman that touched Your garment. Let me touch Your garment, and confirm it to me. I don't even have a prayer card. There's no way for me to get on that platform. Just speak to him, and let him speak to me, and I will believe it with all my heart." Will you do it? You without a prayer card, raise your hand, say, "I will do it. I will pray and be real sincere."
Then if He doesn't do it, then I'm a false prophet. If He does do it, I've told the truth, and you receive Him then. And then you'll know there's a balm in Gilead.
53 All right. Has everybody come? All of them? All right. What about that woman that's missing? Did they get in the line?
Now, if you will, sister. Real low as you can go on the organ, "Only Believe." Just as low. This is the first night.
Now, with this Bible over my heart, which I cherish to be the Word of the eternal God... Then if God has promised that Jesus, His Son, which was God on earth, God made flesh and dwelt among us... I believe that the Spirit of God, through Jesus Christ, promised that He would abide with us forever, the Spirit of truth, who the world cannot receive.
Did you ever think of what that was? What if you could not believe? That would be the most pitiful thing I ever could think of. Because, Jesus said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him." God has to draw us.
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.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
54 And now, He who's present... I do not know a person in this building that I can see at this time. I know there's someone in here that... my tape recording boys, Leo and Gene, my son. I know some of these ministers here. But out there I'm trying to look and see if there's one person that I know, know personally. I'm looking for Brother Wood. He's here somewhere. Brother Sothmann from Canada... Brother Wood's there, Brother Sothmann from Canada, back here... Yes, I know right here, Brother Welch Evans and his wife, little girl.
How many out there knows that (in balcony or anywhere) that I do not know you, raise your hand? All right. But God does know you. Then if I can submit myself to the Holy Spirit, that I will not use my own mind, and He will just completely take control, and let the Spirit of His Son, Jesus, do the same work that Jesus did, will you believe? Now, here... Is this the patient? Are you the lady? All right.
55 Here's a woman. I guess we are strangers to each other. God knows this woman; He knows me. I do not know her; she does not know me. But God does know. She's here for some purpose; I do not know. I have no idea what the woman wants. She may have financial trouble. She may have domestic trouble. She may be sick.
Well, what if I went to her and said, "Lady, hallelujah, you're here on the platform. Hallelujah." That's all right. "You're sick. Hallelujah. I'm going to lay hands on you. Hallelujah. You're going to get well." That's all right. Sure. She could go away and believe that. I believe, if she was sick, she'd get well; because she's come reverently to what she believes to be right. She's coming to accept something.
Now, I don't know her. But if God will speak to me and tell me something like He did the woman at the well, another picture, a man and a woman, never met before, like Saint John 4, the woman at the well. Or, if He would say something like He did to Philip, or to Peter, or to some of those, then ... or tell her something that's in her life, something that she has done, something that's wrong with her, something she desires, some troubles that she's in, or something she knows is true... If God knows what has been, surely, you could take His Word then for what will be, if He can reveal what has been. Is that right?
56 Let us pray. Now Lord, in the name of Jesus, the Son of God, I now submit myself unto Thy hands, O Lord. Take my all, my mind, my spirit, my strength, and all that is within me, O Lord, it's nothing. It's a very poor thing to submit to You. But if You look for holy hands tonight and holy eyes, they would not be found on this earth. But Thou dost take the corruptible things of the world, and cleanse them with Thy Spirit, and use them for Thy glory, taking the foolish things of the world, and confounding the wise and mighty. Let it be known tonight, Lord, that I have told the truth, that You are Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that there is a balm in Gilead, and there is a Physician also. Let it be known tonight, Lord, and speak to these dear people---those with the prayer cards and those without the prayer cards---that they might believe that Thou has risen from the dead, and the coming of Your great holy being is near at hand. And these things are only reflecting, through Your servant, the true coming of the true Messiah. Grant it, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
57 Now, sit still. And in the name of Jesus Christ, I take every soul in here under the control of the Holy Ghost.
Being a stranger to you, not knowing you and not seeing you. If the Holy Spirit will reveal to me something about you, that you know that I do not know, would you accept it then as being from the Christ? Now, you'd have to say that it would have to come supernatural. It'll have to come... It'll either have to be the power of the devil or the power of God. It cannot be natural; it has to be supernatural. If you believe it to be the power of the enemy, then you receive his reward. If you receive it as the power of God, then you receive His reward.
Jesus... Those who said... When Nathanael was told where he was before he come to the meeting, he said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
And He said, "Blessed art thou. Because I told you these things, you have believed? You'll see greater than this."
But to the Pharisees that called it the working of the devil, some spiritualist, or telepathy, or something. They said, "He's Beelzebub." Where do you think they are tonight? Where do you think Philip is? Now, it's up to you. I can only work as He would tell me. But if the Lord will reveal to me what's your cause, what's your troubles, would you believe?
How many in the church would believe? How many out there would believe?
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.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
John 1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
58 Here is this woman and I, first time we ever meeting, never seeing each other in our life. But the Holy Spirit's here.
The woman is suffering from a nervous condition. That's what she wants to be prayed for, is an extreme nervous condition. That nervous condition is a mental nervousness, a thinking, strange thoughts come to you, everything, get real nervous. That's right. Satan even telling you you're going to lose your mind, everything like that. But it's a lie. I will tell you this. You might...
How many believes now? Ask the woman. Was that right, nervous condition? Raise up your hand if that's right. Now, how many will believe? You say, "Brother Branham, you might've guessed that." All right, we will just see if we was a guess. Let the Holy Spirit do the talking. See if it was a guess. And may He grant it is my prayer. I don't say that He will. May He do it.
Yes, I see her moving. The woman seems to be going from me. Yes, she's come here. Yes, she isn't from this city; she's from out of this city. You're from another big city, Chattanooga. That's right. That's right. You believe God knows who you are? Your name's Cleo. Your last name's Dugan, Miss Cleo Dugan. That's true. You got something on your heart you're praying for. It's your sister, and she's in the mental hospital at Knoxville. That's "Thus saith the Lord." That is true. Do you believe now that the Spirit of God is standing here somewhere, is revealing this? Do you believe it? Then just as you have believed, so shall you receive. Go, and God's peace be on you.
59 Do you believe out there in the audience with all your heart? Now, have faith in God. If that ain't the same Holy Spirit of the Bible, I do not know the Bible then. Now, you without prayer cards, start praying.
We are strangers to each other. This our first time meeting? All right. God knows us both, doesn't He? If God will reveal to me what your trouble is, will you believe me to be His servant? I cannot heal; I'm just a man. But when I was born, I was born with a gift. All my life, I've saw visions. Not one time has it failed. You suffer also with a nervousness. That's right. And you got a back trouble. That's right. If that's right, wave your hand? Your back trouble's what makes your nervousness. Your name is Miss Wells. You're from right here in Cleveland. That's right. Go on your road rejoicing; it's over now. Be healed. Have faith in God.
60 Come lady. Now, you believe with all your heart? You believe that God can tell me your condition? Would you believe it was the Spirit of Christ? You would. You've had a fall, hurt your shoulders; and that's what you're here to be prayed for. You're not from this city; neither you from this state. You're from Missouri. That's right. Go on your road and back to Missouri, you're healed. Jesus Christ makes you well. God is God.
The lady sitting right here, right on the end of the line, praying, got heart trouble. You believe Jesus Christ make you well, little lady? You believe it? With the heart trouble, sitting right there looking at me, you believe that God will make you well? Yes? You believe it? If you believe it, accept it. Go home and be well.
Lady sitting right back, second one in there, has got stomach trouble. You believe Jesus Christ make you well? All right. Then go home; receive your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. Have you a prayer card, lady? You don't? You don't need one. You're already healed. God make you well. Now, you're on your road.
61 What did she touch? What did she touch? The High Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The High Priest that can be touched by the feelings of our infirmities.
I challenge this audience in the name of Jesus Christ to believe that to be so, and see what the Holy Spirit will do for us. You have faith in God. Don't doubt.
This lady here. Are we strangers to each other? If that's right, raise up your hand? We've never met. If God will reveal to me your trouble, will you believe me to be God's prophet, or His servant? Do you believe that the Spirit of God, that you now... You believe that Spirit of God's moving on you?
Between me and the woman comes that light. How many's ever seen the picture of it that they got in Washington? Here it stands, right between me and the woman. Don't you see that moving on to the woman? There it is.
She's not here for herself. She's here for somebody else; that's your step-daughter. That's right. And she doesn't live here either. She's from Georgia; and she's got a nervous trouble that causes her to have a speech ... impediment of speech and so forth. And I see she's shadowed also. She's a sinner. She hasn't accepted Christ as personal Saviour. That's "Thus saith the Lord." That is true, isn't it? Go, find it the way you have believed it. And God be with you.
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.
62 Do you believe, lady? You here? You believe that God is able to tell me your trouble? reveal to you as He did to the others, and as He did in the Bible times? Do you believe it?
Now, somebody did something. The old man sitting... The man sitting back there, right back here looking at me, that's got something wrong with your leg. You're up for an operation, sir. Do you have a prayer card, sir? You don't have a prayer card? But you were sitting there believing. Was that right? You were sitting there believing, wasn't you? If that's right, stand up on your feet. Stand up to your feet. Is that the truth? Raise your hand. All right, go home. Jesus Christ makes you well. You've touched the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. You have faith in God. Don't you doubt.
63 What did that man touch? What was it? He was praying. He seen something going on. He was praying for himself. He knowed he couldn't get in the line; he had no prayer card. But he touched something, and the Holy Spirit turns around. And there He was, there was that Angel standing above him, that light moving around. And I seen there's something on his leg down here that the doctors wants to operate about. That's exactly the truth. If you'll believe with all your heart, you'll never have to have that operation.
Do you believe that God is present? The Holy Spirit? The great Alpha Omega? Sure, He's God. He's always God. If He was ever God, He's still God; and He will always be God. He's can't change; He's infinite.
64 Is this the lady that's next? Lady, if God will reveal to me just something in your life, or what's wrong with you, will you believe? These things, visions, almost kill you. You're scared of cancer. That's right. You've had an operation on your breast, and you're afraid it's coming back again. Now, that's the truth. Is that right? Wave up your hands to the people if that's right. Well, don't be scared. There's a balm in Gilead, and there's a Physician also, who can operate without a knife, who performed the first operation in the garden of Eden, and took mother Eve from Adam's side. Do you believe that it's Him present? You believe that He's the One who knows you? Then go and believe on Him and you'll never have to be operated on. And the cancer will leave you. In the name of the Lord, may it be so.
I keep feeling a spirit thinking I'm reading those people's minds. I can't locate it. And if I do, I'm going to tell you who it is.
Sitting right there with TB, little fellow. Do you have a prayer card? You don't? But you have TB. The great physician stands near you. What did you touch, sir? You're going to die if you sit there. Accept Him; believe it. Stand up on your feet and believe, and you shall be healed of that tuberculosis. In the name of Jesus Christ, believe it.
65 Here. May this man come here just a minute, the patient. Here, you, put your hand on mine. I'm a stranger to you. If God will reveal to me what's your trouble, will you receive me as his servant and believe that Jesus Christ is His Son? You will? Well, that asthmatic condition will leave you then. I wasn't looking at him.
Look here. Come here. Do you believe that heart trouble leaves you? Well then, go on your road and rejoicing, saying, "Thank you."
You also have asthma. All right, go, don't doubt, and you'll get over it and be well.
You believe with all your heart? What if I didn't say nothing to you, would you believe it? In the name of the Lord Jesus, go and be well, so the other people can understand and see.
All right. Now, go eat your supper. That nervous condition, stomach trouble's left you. So you can go on your road and rejoicing, say, "Thank You, Lord, for healing me." Amen. Have good faith like that.
Do you believe that the arthritis will leave you, and you'll be all right? All right, go on your road and say, "Thank the Lord."
66 You'll have to have an operation for that tumor, if God don't take it out of you. You believe He will do it? All right, raise up your hand and receive the Lord Jesus as your healer and go believing.
You believe that back trouble's going to leave you? All right. Just start on your road, rejoicing.
Do you believe out there? Are you satisfied that Jesus Christ, the Son of God...?
Your back trouble too has left you, so you can just go on your road rejoicing, and be happy, and believe.
Heart trouble, nervousness, just keep on going, saying, "Thank You, Lord, for making me well."
Do you believe with all your heart? How many believes? How many out there? Is there a balm in Gilead? Is there a Physician here also? He's the great physician, the Son of God.
67 Some of you afflicted people... What about you on the cot, stretcher, whatever it is. That's the only one I see at this time. Do you believe what you see be God? You do? If I could heal you, lady, and take you off that stretcher, I'd do it. But I can't do it; I'm a man. But do you believe that Jesus Christ can do it? If He will reveal to me by His Holy Spirit why you're laying there and what's your trouble, will you believe Him? May He grant it. Look on me. I'm saying that not as Peter and John, but get your attention from the rest of them, to look on us. Elijah said, "If it wasn't I respected the presence of Jehoshaphat, I wouldn't even look at you." You're shadowed to death. It's heart trouble, a blood clot in the heart. That is true. The doctors can do nothing about it. God can. Do you believe it? Do you accept your healing? Then rise up in the name of Jesus Christ, take your bed, go home, and be well. Do you believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and me to be His prophet, you don't doubt by one shadow of doubt, rise up to your feet, and take up your bed, and go home. You do it and don't doubt, you'll get... Oh, you can get up. Come on out from there. In the name of Jesus Christ, believe it. There she is, getting up.
68 How many of the rest of you believe with all your heart? Raise up your hands. Stand up on your feet. I don't care what's wrong with you. Makes no difference if you're blind, deaf, dumb, that doesn't hurt. Stand up to your feet. That's it. Get up. Doesn't matter who doesn't stand up. Sick people, crippled people, get to your feet. What's the matter? It's Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Now, let's pray together.
O Lord, Creator of heavens and earth, Author of everlasting life, send Thy Spirit upon these people. There is a balm in Gilead. There is a Physician. O Lord, as this woman laying down on the cot has raised up giving You praise and glory, and let the crippled woman rising up also, others... It's Your power, Lord.
Satan, you have lost the battle. Jesus Christ has overcome you. You are a deceiver. You have no legal rights. You are a bluff, and we are calling your hand. In the name of Jesus Christ, come out of this people and leave them, the spirit of sickness and affliction and diseases come, and may they be well. The woman's standing on her feet. This crippled woman's on her feet; others are on their feet. God has healed you if you believe it. If you believe it, raise your hands. Give Him praise. Go in the name of the Lord and be healed.