And thy Seed shall possess the gate of His enemy

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1 ... come as usual, hour or two late. The pastor got up and said, "Now, I want to introduce to you all the late Mr. Branham." Well, I have a lot of things to do, so I just get late once in a while. But this time I couldn't help it. It was because of the weather that did it this time. I can lay it onto the weather, and get by. Had to postpone it, Brother Rose, just a little bit. Good morning, Sister Rose. And glad to have this morning here, Brother Rose and Sister Rose, Brother Sharrit, and the many brethren, you fine people out there.
I hear that... Somebody tells me when it rains in Phoenix everybody just stays in bed---such a change, you know. One of these days I'm going to get a free meal. They tell me you can have a free meal every day the sun don't shine. I'm going to watch it today, make them pay off for that.

2 I was speaking last night out to some church... I really don't remember the name of it. And so, we had a wonderful time last night out at the service, and over to Brother Outlaw's, and up to Tempe; and we're just having a fine time in this fellowship. And I'm expecting to meet all these minister brothers at the convention. So we'll have time just to kind of lounge around, Brother Rose, and talk to one another.
And that's what I come for, is to have fellowship. And we had ... looking up on our schedule, and finding so many places. But I thought this was the grandest opportunity because I got to meet the different ones, to get to see them, and pass along.

3 Sometimes in preaching... Every minister's misunderstood one way or the other. Many times people take something that you say, and just kind of... It leans a little bit to them, so they'll say it that way. And then, the next one gets it, it's leaning a little bit more. First thing you know it's plumb out of cater, so we...
Many times in preaching, I kind of swamp down on denominations and organizations, and things. Sometimes people says then, "Brother Branham's against an organization." That's wrong. I'm not against no organization. But it's so many times that people just depend on that organization, you see, and placing their hopes all upon that, instead of upon Christ.

4 They want to see how many members they can get to that organization.
Now that's very fine. That's all right. I think every organization ought to get every member it can get. That's very fine. But when you come to taking the unconverted, and placing more on that than you do upon the emphasis of the Holy Spirit---like Brother Rose was saying here a while ago, and things---then you get the people thinking, "We belong to this," and, "We belong to that." After all, we all belong to God, see.

5 Now, if I seen a man going down the river in a boat... And I live by a river in Indiana, the Ohio River, and I'm right by the falls. It's a very wicked place, them falls, 'cause it'll crash you up right now. And if you ever go over that falls...
There's no boat could ride it, because it's such ... about a forty or fifty foot straight down drop, and then a big churn comes up at the bottom, which just hits right on the rock, the bedrock there. And, I guess, the caps---the white caps---gush beneath the falls forty feet high, see, where it hits down, flies up again, and then it just goes right tumbling like that, and goes down into a big key race that's about sixty or seventy feet deep. And in there is a whirlpool that whirls it around this way, and brings it out, and goes down through a channel. There's just no way of ever surviving, you see.

6 A man went off here some time ago with a life jacket on. They only seen the thing when he dropped like that. Even that life jacket... That terrific current just taken him right under. Never did find him. Never did know what become of him. He hung up on the rocks, or edges down there, maybe a mile or two around like that, and no way of surviving.
And if I seen somebody going down the river in a little old boat, sitting there reading, going on, and I go to screaming at him, "Get out of that boat!"... That boat will not be able to shoot those ripples. Now, it isn't that I've got anything against that man, even if I have to bawl him out, and talk real hard to him. It isn't I've got anything against the man. I love the man. But I know he's going to crash up. That's the reason I holler at him, because he's not...
It's because I do love him is the reason I holler. If I didn't care, I'd say, "Well, good riddance. Go on," see, if I didn't care for him.

7 But the reason I say those things is because I'm zealous of the church. I'm zealous of God's church, and I do hate to see it just becoming organizational-minded. And I know that trend---that that's the way that every church has went to the rocks, right like that, right down through that organizational trend.
Just think of the revival in the time of Luther. Look where it went. And as soon as it ever hits that, it never rises again. The Lutherans never did come back. Look at the Wesley Methodists---never did come back. Look at the Pilgrim Holiness, Nazarenes, all the rest of them---Baptists, Presbyterians. They have a revival, and then some man raises up with the power of God on him. He starts the move in the Spirit.
Then, as soon as that man's gone, then they set in an organization from that---like the Moody Bible Institute. Fine place, but it will never be like Moody had it, see. And the things that Moody stood for, they're a million miles off of it. So there you are. And now it's all intellectual, where Moody had it on the Spirit, you see.

8 And so, you find out that in those things...
Now, when I first started, and come here to Phoenix years ago in the Pentecostal move, had an opportunity to start an organization myself. The Latter Rain brethren came to me, and said, "This is it. Let's start. Why, we'll be bigger than all the rest of them."
I said, "Mercy! That's not it. That's not the thing, brethren. You're a million miles off the road. God will never bless it. Read your history. Read the Bible. There'll never be another organization come out of ... come from this." That's right.
This will organize, and go into the... It's in the Laodicean condition now. But I tell you, brother, there's no more God-blessed organizations to rise up. There'll be nothing for this... We're at the coming of the Lord, see. And God will take the remnant out of this big ecumenical move that's gone on, now, for the bride. But there'll never be nothing to organize spiritually anymore, see. It's finished.

9 When I see my brethren, precious brethren, leaning that way, then I just pour it in with all I got. And sometimes brothers say, "Well, Brother Branham is against us." That is wrong. My! That's the farthest thing from my mind, is to be against anybody. I'm for you. I'm your brother, see, and trying my best. That's the reason I never joined any certain organization, so I could stand in the breach, and say, "Brother, don't..."
That's not ... the way ... it is to say, "We belong to the Assemblies." That's wonderful. The Assemblies of God has been a terrific blessing to me.
"We're the Foursquare." Well, look what a blessing they've been to me.
"We're the Jesus' Name." Look what a blessing they've been to me. "We're the ones ..." the others, whatever, they're all blessings.
They're God's people, see, and God's people is in all of it.

10 And when we get to associating ourselves, saying, "We're a little better here than the Church of God," see, or, "We're a little better than the Foursquare," or the Jesus' Name, or something like that, when we're just a...
We might differ a little bit in ideas. If we all went to eat dinner today, we'd all take different pie. But we're eating pie just the same, see. That's the idea. So, the idea of it is, if we can just see our fellowship... So don't go to leaning towards a organization; lean towards Calvary. You become dead to these other things.

11 And I do believe... Let me say this while it's on my mind. I do believe that an organization has played a good part. For there's many times, brethren, as bad as we hate to think it, there's been things crop up among us, and things like that that's been heresies. And people will just take those heresies and scatter the people any way. And a group of brothers get together that's... What I mean, going out like they did in the early days, and all kinds of stuff. And we have it all yet today, see, just still a-moving. And a people that can bring themselves together...

12 The real picture of Pentecost to my opinion, when it comes to organization, is the church ... Brother Petros, the Philadelphia Church, in Sweden. Now, they don't care what kind of a doctrine you have, as long as it's Scriptural. If you want to see it this way, or that way, or anything: as long as you have fellowship, and live a real clean holy life, there you are. That's good. And if you want to say that Jesus is coming on a white horse; and the other one said He's coming on a white cloud, look for Him that way. Go ahead, as long as you live a good clean life and have fellowship. That's the way. That's it.

13 Well, now, that's one reason, friends, that I'm with this Businessmen's group, because... I know there's a lot of things in there ought to be straightened out, but it's the best that we have. That's right. There's a lot of things that I have to say... And the brethren here'll tell you I never pull any punches with them. I'm here as God's servant to tell the truth, and I've got to answer for it. That's right. Brother Rose says, "That's why we like you." Well, that ... well, we can't... We've got to stay with this Word, see.

14 Just some time ago I think... Was you in ... I was overseas, or over in the island last year, and they had a meeting. And some of the brethren was bragging about ... in this great meeting where they had the Businessmen around the country... And they were speaking about, "I had a little place down on the corner. My business was no good, and I had a horrible time. And the first thing you know, I come in to receive Christ; and, oh, I got everything now."
Now, that's good. We appreciate that. That's good. But prosperity don't always mean Christ, you see. And we have to watch that. Now, that's good, see. Nothing against that. But I kind of got after the brethren that night, when we went down to the motel where the group of us were staying, and ... Brother Shakarian and all of us.

15 And I said, "Well," I said, "brethren, I'm going to tell you." I said, "I think you brothers are the finest group of men I've ever met in my life. But," I said, "the thing of it is..." And I said, "I don't belong to any organization, but I do belong to that fellowship within it. I pack a fellowship card with them---the only card I pack---because it represents all the organizations, you see. And that's what I like. That's what I'm striving for."
But I said, "The thing that worries me, that you brethren, before those men down there, which are a thousand times more prosperous than you are, and then trying to tell them that Christ is prosperity."
Don't never try to sell them that, see. Don't never try to compare with the world. Let the world come over on our grounds. Don't go off on their ground, see. See, you go off on their ground, we'll never shine with them. After all, the gospel don't shine; it glows. Hollywood shines; the gospel glows. There's a lot of difference between glowing and shining.

16 And so, now ... and I said, "The early Pentecostal brethren that had something tried to get rid of it, and feed the poor, and so forth like that, and went out without nothing, see, to preach the gospel, to associate." I said, "Now we're trying to brag on how much we got." I said, "What a difference it is."
One precious little brother, after a few moments he raised up and said to me, he said, "Brother Branham, that was one of the greatest mistakes that people ever did."
And I said, "Now, look, brother, I wasn't trying to hint for people to sell what they got; but I'm just trying to make a point to these businessmen."
He said, "That was the greatest mistake that people..."
I said, "They did that by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit told them to do that. The Holy Spirit tells anybody to do anything, you do what He tells you to do."
And he said, "Well, it was the worst mistake the church ever made."
I said, "Why, brother?", and right there before the men who I'd been talking to.
And he said, "Because as soon as a little fuss come up in the church there [there was a difference between the Greeks and the Hebrews, and so forth]," he said, "those people didn't have a place to go. They didn't even have any home to return to."
I said, "Just exactly the will of God."
He said, "How could that be the will of God?"
I said, "They went everywhere scattering the gospel 'cause they had no place to go. The Holy Ghost don't make any mistakes. It just doesn't do it. That's all." And as I was speaking last night, you just have to take a hold of God, and take a hold of his Word, and hold right onto it. No matter where it leads you, just keep following it, keep it going like that.

17 But I'm certainly a supporter of this Businessmen's Fellowship. And every convention that I'm invited to, I always go and speak, say everything that I can. Not just try to make up something to say that would please somebody, so-and-so, but every time when I go to my meetings, I try to study, and pray and fast, and say, "Lord Jesus, what could I say that would help that people?"
Everybody knows I'm not a preacher, I'm not a speaker. I'm ... anyone knows that. I'm not a preacher. My message is praying for the sick, and so forth like that. But I'm not a preacher. Anybody'd know that'd hear me preach. But what I do say, I want to put the punch in that'll do something---not to say, "Isn't he a forceful speaker? Doesn't he use his grammar right? Isn't he wonderful in the pulpit?" I don't want that. I couldn't do it. God never called me for that. But I'm trying to find something that will help that person, or that church be a better church, help it to be a better people, praying over it.
Now, I was kind of talking like this 'cause I seen a few people are still gathering in, and it raining. That's the reason I was saying these things now.

18 It's a quarter after.
And now, I want to thank the brother. I've known Brother Fuller for a long time, always loved him from the bottom of my heart. And we have a lot of things in common, Brother Fuller. And so, I've seen Brother Fuller now for many years, and I've knowed him to be a real genuine man of God, and I love him. And I'm here this morning to fellowship. So sorry that I missed his night that went to the ... advertised for the place here, but it was something I couldn't help.
And I'm glad to be here this morning, see his church. Nice, how God has prospered them, and blessed them. And everything that He's done for them, I certainly appreciate that. May God continue to bless him, and bless this tabernacle, and the board of trustees, deacons, and all the members of the church. May you grow and prosper in the grace of the Lord, is my humble prayer.

19 Now, before we approach the Word, let's approach the Author first. Let's bow our heads just a moment for prayer. While we sit solemnly, now, in the presence of God, with our heads and hearts bowed, is there a request in your heart, something that you have need of that you'd want the Lord to give to you, that I might remember you in my prayer this morning here at the church? Would you just let it be known by raising your hand. Just keep it in your mind what it is. The Lord grant every one of you your request.

20 Gracious and holy Father God, who created all things through Christ Jesus to his glory, we come into thy presence this morning with thanksgiving on our hearts. As we have drove through the rain---the wind's a-blowing, and the rain's a-falling---we pray, heavenly Father, that You'll pour out upon us the rain of heaven, the spiritual rain, the latter rain and the former rain together in our hearts today.
We pray, Father, that You will bless this church. We're so thankful for it, for its pastor, for its congregation, for a place where the people can meet with a roof over their head, and a nice comfortable seat to sit in.
We go back in our minds to the history of this early church, this early apostolic catholic church, and see how they sat on slabs of rocks, or anything that they could, to hear the Word of God. And then kneel on the floor---and it cold, and rock and dirt---and there hold their hands towards heaven, and enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost; give them such a determination in their life, till they would walk into a lion's den---never even make a move---but with a smile on their face looking towards heaven, knowing in a few minutes they'd be in the presence of Him who they loved.

21 Oh, faith of our fathers, living still, in spite of dungeon, flame, and sword, renew into us, O Lord, such faith. Give unto us the great apostolic blessing of the Holy Spirit.
Each one today that had their hands up, You know what they have need of, Lord. You know what was behind that hand, what motive and objective in that heart. Thou alone can supply every need, Lord. And I pray for them, not knowing their needs, but offering my prayer as a petition for them. As your servant, I pray sincerely for each one, that whatever they've asked may they receive. Bless them, Father.

22 And now as we read of thy Word, and teach this Sunday school class, as it was, this morning, I pray that You'll take these words, and shell every unbelief off of them, Lord, that any power of Satan would try to kernel up, that would keep it from growing. May it go into every heart, and there become fruit trees of righteousness, Lord, faith bringing forth that which You have ordained your Word to do, saying, "It shall not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which it was purposed for."
Now, Lord, sanctify your servant. Your Word is already sanctified, and together may we be able to feed the flock which the Holy Spirit has give us the tutorship. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

23 Now, to you that likes to read sometimes along with the message, I ask you if you'd turn in the Book. And I got just a little Sunday school message-like to the people this morning. Can you hear me all right, all around over the place? I moved this microphone up. I'm just a little hoarse. Soon as I got down here, I took the flu. The devil tried his best to keep me away from here. I don't know. I believe that God will surely pour out something great upon this convention this time, because Satan's done everything he could to keep me away from it.
But now, we're going to read out of Genesis, the 22nd chapter. And you that will turn in your Bible, let's read a portion of it together. Genesis 22, let's begin at the 9th verse.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou has not withheld thine son, thine only son from me.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by [its horns] ... by his horns, rather: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him upon ... up for a burnt offering in ... stead of his son.
And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, ... because thou has done this thing, and has not withheld thy son, thine only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of ... heaven, and as the sand ... upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.
I want to take that last phrase there for a text, "and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." That's a wonderful promise. Now, we're all acquainted with this story, perhaps read it over and over, time after time, of Abraham; and how God called him out of his country; and how he was just an ordinary man---nothing special. But God called him, and made him a promise.

24 Now, I want you to notice that this promise that God made Abraham wasn't only just to Abraham, but it was to his seed after him. Now, many people says, "Oh, if... I'd have been like Abraham, if I would have been where God'd talk to me, and give me the assurance like He did Abraham, then I would have... I would really have faith, Brother Branham, if I just had ... if God had talked to me like He did Abraham."
But you have the same promise that Abraham had---that is, if you are a seed of Abraham. Then you say, "But Brother Branham, I'm a Gentile. I could not have the seed of Abraham."
The seed of Abraham wasn't the natural seed; it was the spiritual seed, for the circumcision of that was nothing ... the promise, see, He give him before circumcision. But it was given to him before circumcision and it wasn't because he was circumcised, and in the covenant with God that way; is because that Abraham believed God.

25 And the Scripture said that when we are dead in Christ, we become Abraham's seed. Paul speaks of it, that which is Jew is not Jew outwardly, but Jew inwardly. Therefore, if you are borned of the Spirit of God, you are Abraham's seed, and are heirs with Abraham according to the promise, see. Therefore, every promise that God gave Abraham is yours, because spiritually you are Abraham's seed. And you're more of a Jew than you would be if you were born in the Jewish blood, and then be a orthodox Jew in that church, and a denier of this precious Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ, see.
You're more of a Jew because you are a Jew that is born of a promise from heaven which God gave Abraham, and Abraham accepted it by faith. And that's what made him what he was. After all, a Jew is just separation and crossed-over Hebrew, and so forth like that.

26 Now. But when you have separated yourself from the things of the world, crossed over that separating line, and are sojourning in a strange land---a land like you wasn't in in the beginning, with a people that you never associated with in the beginning---then you become a spiritual Jew, because...
The same way that Abraham by faith left his country, left his people, went into a strange land with strange people, you have left your people, left the world behind, left your associates behind, crossed over through the blood of Jesus Christ, and are sojourners seeking for a city whose builder and maker is God, like Abraham was---pilgrims along with him, dwelling in tents, churches, fellow citizens of the kingdom of heaven, heirs of all things through Jesus Christ, see. We have crossed over, separated.

27 Now, the promise was made to Abraham and his seed after him. Now God give this promise to Abraham---of his seed would possess the gate of his enemy---after He had tried Abraham, tested Abraham. Now, after the testing come, then... Abraham had already been converted, we would call it, from paganism into God, and then God had give him, as a sign of the Holy Ghost, the circumcision.
Then after the circumcision, then come the testing time: a very pretty type here of the church; that after we have got saved, then we are give the seal of the promised circumcision, which is not of the flesh but of the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is our circumcision. It's God's sharp knife. It separates and cuts off the surplus of the flesh of the world from us---the Word of God, sharper than a two-edged sword.

28 So you see, come right back again. The Word of God is the thing that the Holy Spirit uses. Not creeds, not denominations, but the Word is what separates us from the things of the world. It cuts away our ideas, and things, and wholly consecrates us to God.
Jesus said, "If ye abide in me and my word in you..." There you are. Then it isn't your word; it's his word. Then you see, "If ye abide in me, and my word in you, you could ask what you will." See, what it is, you're not speaking your own word; you're speaking his word. So then, the Holy Spirit is the one that takes the Word of God, and separates us from these things of the world, see. Circumcision, cutting off.

29 Then you go through a testing time. Now, Abraham, after he was called out of the land of the Chaldeans in the city of Ur, he become a pilgrim, a sojourner. And then God called him, after he had been proven that he was going to go on and take God at his word, then what God did then was give him a sign that He had accepted him, and He circumcised him. And he circumcised Ishmael, and all of his household.
And now, you see when you are called out, first you go through a trial to see if you're going to really go on. And then God gives you the Holy Ghost, which is the sign that He has accepted your faith that you profess to have in Him. You follow me now? He's going to accept it.

30 Now, I was talking to... There may be some precious Baptist brethren sitting here, and everyone knows that I come out of a Baptist church. I was talking to my Baptist brother, and he said to me, "Brother Branham..." He was a Doctor of Divinity, a fine man, real Christian. He said, "But, Brother Branham, where do you get that baptism of the Holy Spirit being anything different than faith in Christ Jesus?"
I said, "It is different, my precious brother."
He said, "Don't you think that when you receive Christ you receive the Holy Spirit?"
I said, "Correctly." But I said, "You see, you're only professing that you have received Christ until He recognizes it."
He said, "Brother Branham, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness."
I said, "Yes. But God gave him a sign that He had received his faith when He give him the seal of circumcision, that He had recognized his faith." Amen!

31 Now when we receive Christ as our Saviour, then if we're sincere in that, then God gives us a sign that He has received our faith in Christ, by giving us the seal of circumcision, which is the Holy Ghost. That's the seal of circumcision. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of your redemption." Not to the next meeting, but to the day of your redemption. That's right. Ephesians 4:30. Now, that's how we receive the Holy Ghost.

32 Now, if you say, "Oh, I'm a believer," and God's never give you the Holy Ghost yet, He's never recognized you. You're just confessing that you believe. But, when all the doubt... I'm not saying you're not a believer, now. In a certain portion, you are a believer.
But when God has found favor ... you found favor with Him, rather, and He recognizes you to be his child, and He knows your heart and He sees your sincerity, He knows all things are cut away from you, then He seals you into the Kingdom of God by the Holy Ghost, proving to the world that He has accepted what faith you profess to have in Him. Get it now?

33 Now, immediately after that comes the temptation. "Every son that cometh to God must first be chastened," tried. Jesus, as soon as He received the fullness of the Spirit, on the river when John baptized Him, immediately the devil took Him into the wilderness to go through a time of temptation. But when He took the Word of God and overcome the devil, "It is written, it is written," He came back out then, ready for his ministry.

34 And that's the way God did Abraham. Now, God, after calling him out of his land, and he separated himself from his land, his people... And then, God give him the seal of circumcision, then give him the son. Then he went down to that final test, right down to the time he had to offer his own son, Isaac, for a sacrifice. And He said, "Seeing that you spared not your only son, I know that you love me." He give him that test. Then immediately after that---the battle was won then---He said, "... and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemy." Amen! I like that. "... shall possess the gate of his enemy." We'll get to that final point just in a few moments, the Lord willing.
Now, He found Abraham faithful. After He found Abraham faithful, then He gave him the promise of possessing the gate of the enemy.
Now, there are a lot of times where many of us Pentecostals has made a mistake, and think, "Well, the Holy Ghost's poured out on me. Glory to God! That's all I have to have." No, sir. You're just then getting started. It's not then. It's your tests, and your trial.

35 Just like we find over in the Old Testament, testing, trying, and then placing a son---adoption---placing the son after he's already a son, been borned into the family. He's a son. Then he would be tested, and tried, and raised up by tutors, and see how he comes out. And then he's placed positionally equal, almost, to his father.

36 Now, that's what it is today. We've had about forty years of testing of Pentecost, or more. See, testing the church, seeing whether they're going to stand or not, seeing what you... See, there's where I get it again. Instead of holding onto the cross and to the Word, and moving on, we become fashioned after the world, dropping this way, or dropping this way, or patterned after this. And I've always spoke so hard against people in this modern trend today, the women cutting their hair, and the men carrying on, and everything---just wearing immoral clothes, and things. And I get so much criticism over that.
But what is it? It's trying to save that church. It's trying to get them up here to the Word of God, regardless of what the other world has to say about it. Stay with God's Word, see.

37 See, the thing of it is, like I was saying last night, the Pentecostals are waiting for a rushing mighty wind. But they fail to hear that still small voice, see. That's wrong to do those things! They think as long as the wind's a-rushing, all right.
But that didn't attract the prophet's attention. The rushing wind never bothered the prophet, Elijah, in the cave. The mighty thunders and lightnings, and pouring down, never attracted him at all. But what startled him was that still small voice, that something speaking with inside, "My word is truth. Let every man's word be a lie, and mine be true." That's what attracted the prophet.
And it will still do it. The Word of God always attracts that spiritual mind, because it is the mind of Christ in you that knows that that Word is true.

38 And you go through a testing time. The church goes through a testing time. Each individual goes through a testing time, before it can ever possess the gate of the enemy.
Abraham went through it. Christ went through it. After Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit there at the river of Jordan, he went through a testing time. After Abraham was called out, put into his land where he was to be a pilgrim; then give circumcision, and God met him time after time, yet he had to go through the time of testing. Every seed of Abraham does the same thing---Abraham and his seed, an organization, a church.

39 That's the reason we find our organizations falling by the wayside, is because when it come to the test... What test? God's Word. There's the test. God's Word is the test. Will we do what a bunch of men says do, or will we do what God says do? That's the difference.
Then it come---the days of Dwight Moody, the days of Finney, Sankey, Knox, Calvin, Spurgeon, all the rest of them, those spiritual men. Their organizations followed after them. They've got up a bunch of men back there that's cut their ways into it, each one believing this and that; and adding a little here, and taking a little away there; adding a little here, till finally they made an organization out of it. And when they do, the real true believer...
God comes right around and picks up some little humble person, breaks that thing to pieces. Right. Always done it. God doesn't change. Just tears that thing to pieces, some spiritual-minded people who'll stay right with that Word.

40 Let me tell you. I got a letter at home, of one of the finest churches, big organizations in the Pentecostal move. That poor broken-hearted woman wrote me a letter, and she said, "Brother Branham, I had wore long hair, and had a bun on the back of my head." She said, "My husband liked it." And she said, "We moved from the city, where we had a church that was real spiritual, into where this big church ... the first church of the city."
And said, "When we got in there, all the Pentecostal sisters had cut off their hair." And said, "They got after me about it, and I said, 'No, no. I believe the Bible says for us not to do that. Dishonorable to do that.' "
And so, she just said...
And they laughed at her, said, "Hey, your tire's going flat on the back, your spare," and all like that.
"And got after my husband in such a way till he forced me to cut my hair." And said, "I've been condemned ever since."
Think of it! A Pentecostal church that's supposed to stand for the Word of God. That's where your organization takes you to. Right! They fail to hear that still small voice of the Word that calls them to the truth. They're all listening for rushing mighty winds, and a lot of shouting, and dancing, saying they got power. That's all right. I believe in that, too.
But, brother, when you can dance, and shout, and then turn around and deny the Word of God, and live like the world, there's something wrong somewhere. That's right.

41 The Spirit of God comes down in that still small voice, and directs you right straight to Calvary, where we are dead, and our lives is hid in God through Christ, and sealed by the Holy Ghost. Then that Word alone lives there. Then, "If ye abide in me, and my word in you, ask what you will and it will be given to you." There's the difference.
I hope I don't appear to you as a fanatic. If I am, I'm ignorant of it. I believe that God's Word is truth, and it must abide right here. And if it abides here, it will show itself outwardly. It's got to. Your life, your whole make-up will be different. So, when God gave Abraham the test, he come through a hundred per cent.
And God cannot give an organization a test because it's all mixed up. God don't deal in that way with organization. He don't deal with nations in the Gentile race. He took a people out of the Gentiles. Israel, He took a nation. But of the Gentiles, He took a people out of the Gentiles for his name's sake. So you see, it's not an organization; it's an individual He takes out of the Gentiles. And when the test comes, you see what happens?
We did come out for justification. We did receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost in the Pentecostal move.

42 But when it comes to the test time... Get polished scholars, wants to be like the world just like it was in the days of Wesley's move, and all the rest of them. They go to school. They learn science. And they learn all these other kind of things that goes along with education. And they try to learn psychology, just the best thing.
"Well, don't say this. Let them do this, and that, because it'll..."
See, you're accumulating and building...? Your objective is wrong. Your motive is wrong. You're building to an organization, instead of building to Calvary. How can you build to Calvary, and not come in by the way of the Word? "For we are washed by the water of the word." "Ye abide in me, and my words in you. Then ask what you will."

43 There's where we see the defeat of the Pentecostal movement, because they get away from the Word. The Word will say one thing. They'll try to make that organization come in there somewhere, and they'll walk right away from that Word, and take it right in with the organization. And you see where it's gone to? It's almost like the rest of the churches.
But then we dance, and shout, and speak in tongues, and jump up and down. Them's all right. The organization's all right. I hope I made myself clear. But the thing is that still small voice of the Word speaking for us. That's it.

44 You go through a test. God tests you like He did Abraham. He tests Abraham's seed after him. And now the reason we don't possess the gate of the enemy, the reason there's so much among us, is because that we're not able to stand the test. And let me tell you something---a test of the Word is right.
The reason that we do not have, and we never will have in the organizations... I think Pentecost has got some fine organizations. Some of the finest men that lives on the face of the earth belongs in them organizations. The Assemblies of God, I got friends in there. My! A brother right there in Indiana I'm going to, to have a meeting, I believe right away---Brother Roy Weed---he's a district man of the state of Indiana. I believe that to be a godly man. Yet he's a district man of the Assemblies of God.
Foursquare, oh, my! How many...? Rolf McPherson, and many of those brothers who are godly men, nothing on their lives. They're good men. Over into the Oneness---what they call themselves---Oneness, or, now I think they call it the Jesus' Name Church. Jack Moore, just calling one out of the... There's hundreds of them, fine men, good men, godly men.

45 But the thing of it is, brother, is this: when you hang to that organization, see...
God takes those organizations, and they're every one fallen. Look at them, worldliness creeping in. Look at their women, look at their men, look at their condition. I could point you Assemblies of God people that's got deacons on their board that's married two or three times; preachers carrying on; women with their hair cut, wearing shorts, make-up, and still professing to have the Holy Ghost; depending on the evidence of speaking in tongues, or jumping up and down, or shouting. They failed that still small voice of the Word. That Word keeps you balanced to the cross. That's where it lays.

46 That's why we don't have genuine prophets in the church today, like Agabus. That's why the church today... They hardly respect speaking in tongues when somebody speaks, because they've heard so much bogus, and carry on, so they don't know what is right and wrong in it. Interpretations is just merely illusions, somebody just saying something because he feels led. That's not interpretation.
Interpretation---that's somebody stands, and speaks in tongues; and another one get up in a few minutes and interpret what he said. When one's a-speaking, the other one's interpreting right there, saying word by word---same expression, and everything the same. This man might be prophesying, but it isn't interpretation. Some of them ... this kind of a voice giving something; this back here giving something else. And some say ten words, another say fifty words behind it for an interpretation. Interpret means to say word by word.
If it's a word of God, it's got to come word by word, line upon line, line upon line. That's the way the Word has got to come. But what have we seen? So much bogus. And they did that in order ... instead of staying with the Word, they put that down there. As soon as a man did that, they called him a Pentecostal. And you know what happens? When the test comes, the testing time, then the seed begins... It shows which is seed and which is not.

47 Now, regardless of what took place, Abraham stayed with the Word, the promise. But today the organization can't do that. And some of you precious brothers that belong to those organizations: you disagree with them once, you know where you're going.
How many of you... Now, I don't say in this building, now, but how many has been in my study, how many has been with me, say, "Brother Branham, we know that's the truth. But if we're kicked out here, what are we going to do?"
Brother, what are we going to do? Hang to Calvary, hang to the promise, hang to the cross regardless. And over in there they got some of the finest men.
See, but what I'm trying to do is to say that has got to fail. It always has failed, it always will fail. But it's whether you fail or not with God. Keep God's Word and his promise first. You'll be tested by it.

48 You'll sign papers that you'll do this, or do that. Even against the Word, you'll still sign it. That's right. In your heart, you know it's wrong. That's that still small voice speaking that Word.
No wonder we can't move on, because what ... something's happened. You separated yourself from that still small voice. You run out too quick. God was calling you, but you run out too quick because the thunders roared, the lightning flashed, the mountains shook. It never moved Elijah, that prophet. He wanted that voice first. He said, "I'll lay right here."
So many today started off healing services, carnal in comparisons; all kinds of things and sensations that never even appear in the Word of God. That's right. What is it? We ought to sing that song, "They that wait upon the Lord. Let me humble my pride, and call on your name." Let me wait, Lord, till I hear that still small voice. And that voice will be a Scriptural voice. It'll speak exactly with the Word. Amen.

49 All right. Found Abraham after he'd been what? Called out, separated from his loved ones, from his family, from his home, for his kindred, into a strange land. By faith he did that. Then, because that he did it, God give him circumcision to prove that he was God's son. And he believed in Him, because he was believing the promise. Yet he couldn't ... he didn't see it natural, but he professed anything contrary to God's Word was a lie. No matter how much evidence come up, it's still a lie.

50 I hate to say this, but I'm going to have to. Look. And when you take women (I'll say for one thing that's visible to see) that claim to have the Holy Ghost, and not decent enough to leave their hair grow, there's something wrong somewhere. A woman that will put on a garment that pertains to a man, and wear it when the Bible says it's an abomination to God for a woman to wear a garment pertains to a man... And then you claim to have the Holy Ghost, and do that?

51 I spoke on that one day in Oregon. There's a woman wrote me a great big letter. She said, "Brother Branham, you got a wonderful ministry, but you're sure ruining it." She said, "Now what about... ?" Said, "I wear overalls all the time." Said, "What about going out in the garden to pick some garden, and with a dress on. Don't you think it would look much better with overalls on, than it would be---or dungarees, ever what it is---than to have a dress on?" And said, "Look, I ride up into the mountains with the boys when they go up to herd the cattle." And said, "I get into the mosquito infested area." Said, "Now, with a dress on they'd eat me up. With overalls, they don't bother me."
I said, "That's thinner than the broth made out of a shadow of a chicken that starved to death. Mercy! That ain't got one word of God about that. That's your own opinion. God said let every word be a lie, and his be true."
My wife wears a dress, and she picks in the garden. She has no trouble about it. And anyhow, a woman ain't got no business with a bunch of men out there herding up cattle, anyhow. She ought to be in the kitchen where she belongs. That's right.

52 They're just trying to find an excuse. But there's none. God's Word's plain.
And a woman that's borned of the Spirit of God will... And a man that's borned of the Spirit of God won't let his wife act like that. What did He say? "She that cuts her hair dishonors her head." And her husband is her head. She's dishonorable. I better shut up. All right.
Now, see... That's enough till you know what I'm talking about. I don't say that through malice. If I say that through malice, God have mercy on my sinful heart. Let me get down here at this altar, and repent. I'm saying it because, friends, I love you. And I'm trying to tell you what's the truth, and that's God's Word. We got to hear that small voice of God to measure up to the Word. We're going through a time of testing. Hallelujah!

53 Did you realize that after that testing time come that tutorship of that son that was borned into a denominational family? If he stood the test, and remained with the father's desire, then that boy was taken out, and he was put on a garment. And then there's a ceremony said, and that boy was placed, then, into the family to which he was borned in.
That's what's the matter with our Pentecostals today. They just jump here and there; and our organizations are pulling this way, and that way. They don't stay with the Word. If you'll stay with the Word, then God seeing, "If ye abide in me, and my word in you..." He cannot deny it. It's his Word. Then there'll be a time sometime when you'll be taken out, and set aside, and be given something that's genuine! Hallelujah! Power of the almighty God, with... God's waiting for his children, but they just won't line up.
"When they come to that testing time, will you accept it?"
"Well, the church will put me out."
All right, there you are. Then that's not Abraham's seed. Abraham's seed doesn't act like that.

54 Abraham's seed ... now, I don't care what comes contrary to Abraham, he stayed right with that Word of promise, just stayed right with it. No matter how Sarah come, others come, different ones come, everything. He counted it as though it wasn't. He looked. He believed that he could see the promise, because God promised it to him, and that was all there was to it. It was God's Word stayed right in him.
Then He give him that final test. "I'll give him a double portion in trying. Now, he's already got the son. He sees he got that. But now, I'll tell him to take that son up and kill it. And let that son ... when he sees ... will he kill that son? I'll try him now. Abraham, ..." True to the Word.

55 How ... when you receive the promise, how are you going to stop the thing? "How're you going to ever expect to be a father of nations, and here you are a hundred and fifteen years old now? Little Isaac about fourteen, fifteen years old, how are you going to be a father of nations when you're a hundred and fifteen years old? Here's your only child, and you're destroying your only evidence that you have?" Amen.
"How am I going to make it if I get out of my organization? How am I going to make it if I do this..." Oh, listen to that still small voice that comes with the Word. The Word. You say, "I heard a voice tell me this." If it's contrary to the Word, it wasn't God's voice. God's voice comes to the Word.

56 Then Abraham walked right up there to the voice, the still small voice of God, to the Word of God, and was taking the life of his own son.
He said, "Stay your hand, Abraham. I know you love me now. And all those after you [Hallelujah!], all those that come after you that's willing to take my word, it'll be your seed. And there it shall possess the gate of the enemy."

57 Wished I had time to tell you something that happened a few days ago, see, of what's taking place. Oh, my! "Shall possess the gate of the enemy, your seed after you."
"Abraham, who blesses you will be blessed; and who curses you will be cursed." Jesus said, "It is better for a millstone to be hanged at your neck, and to drown in the depths of the sea..." And these organizations that turns out those godly men, because they've taken a stand for truth, the Word and the Spirit and power of God, and stay with the Word... You see what happens? They're drowned in the sea of forgetfulness.
"Better that a millstone is hanged at your neck, and drown in the depth of the sea, than to even offend the least of these anointed ones." What are they? Abraham's seed, staying with the Word of promise.

58 Some of our churches are getting to the place they deny. They deny divine healing. They don't want it in their church anymore. That's right. Our Pentecostal organizations don't want no more divine healing. What is it?
Don't you see how the devil's worked? He's got around there, and said some bogus things along like that, and just intellectual men thinking they're spiritual, and look at that. And say, "Look at that one. Look at that one." I ain't looking at that. If you're Abraham's seed, you'll look at the promise of God, what God said to do about it. That's it. Abraham's seed.
We look at a promise. I don't care how many falls this way, and how many falls that way. The promise remains true. You've got to come through those testings, see. Yes. Abraham, first tested, and then sealed, then given the promise that his seed should possess the enemies' gates. I like that.

59 Then they possess their enemies' gates after they were tested.
The thing of it is, we can't stand the testing. That's the reason that our organizations cannot stand the test. It is not the will of God. God has blessed it. But it isn't the will of God, because, see, you've got a whole company of men here with whole companies of ideas. And they pool them together, and come out with the best they can.
Some of them say, "This is a big man. You can't deny his word."
Well, that's the same way the Catholic church is organized---same thing---upon a bunch of intellectual believers, intellectuals. They look at it, cope it with the times. You can't do that. Everything else is a lie but God's Word.

60 Abraham never looked at one thing but God's promise. Regardless of what was, he stayed with God's promise.
Then that's the reason we don't find more... An organization can't possess the gate of the enemy. There's too many fangled minds in there. It's got to take an individual that possesses the gate of the enemy. You can do it, if you wish to. Yes, sir. Let's try a few for a few minutes, see if they stay in the Scripture.

61 Now there was a time down in Babylon when there was an image set up, pretty type of the Catholic church. And all that didn't bow down to that image would be burned in a fiery furnace. Now, it was a showdown whether it was going to stay when God said, "Thou shalt not have any other gods before me, or make any image of anything." That's what God said.
The showdown come. All the rest of Israel fall right in. And when the trumpets sounded, and the psalteries sounded, and the flutes sounded, why, they all fell down before this image. But there were three of them that said, "Nothing doing." They heard that still small voice, and they stayed in line with the Word. What did they do? Stayed with the Word. And after...
They said, "If you don't do it, we'll give you another chance," or, "We'll throw you in the fiery furnace."
Said, "Our God is able to deliver us from that fiery furnace. But nevertheless, we'll stay with the Word."

62 Now, brother, what about you? "What will I do, Brother Branham?" Stay with the Word. Stay with the promise.
"My church will all walk away from me."
Stay with the promise. They'll have to go away some day, anyhow. But God won't. Stay with the promise.
"Well, I tell you, they'll kick me out."
Stay with the promise just the same. Stay right with the promise. Now, if you can stay with the promise and stay there, stay right with them then. Fellowship with everybody. But now, here... Now, you'll never win any other way besides fellowshipping with everybody. You got...
Now, when they get so bad immorally, then stay away from it. That's right. Don't get on the enemy's territory. But as long as you are trying to win your brother, that's different, see.

63 Now watch. But you'll never win the opinion of the organization, one person. No, sir.
When they got their rules set, "We believe this," period. If you'd write up your doctrine, "We believe this," comma, it'd be different. A period means, "We believe this, and you've got to come to this, and sign this paper, or that's all of it." But if you say, "We believe this (comma) plus as much as we can learn from God. We're open to the Holy Spirit," then you're going on, brother. Yes! That's going to be different now.
But you see, if you got it wrote with a period, and God gives ... something other comes up that proves to be his Word and the truth, you can't move, 'cause it's "period." That ends it.

64 That's where the Lutherans died. That's where the Methodists died. That's where the Baptists died. That's where the Presbyterian died, and there's where the Pentecostals are dying. That's right. That's right. They die right there, 'cause it's already wrote out. There's nothing you can add to it, or take from it. It's there. That's your doctrine.

65 Luther could not accept sanctification. No, sir. He done said, "Just shall live by faith." Not Martin Luther, but that group that followed him. That's right. Not John Wesley, but the group that followed him. That's right. Not Calvin, but the group that followed him. Not John Smith of the Baptist Church, who prayed so hard at nighttime till his eyes was swelled shut, for his church; and his wife had to lead him out, and feed him with a spoon at the table. Not him, but this bunch of Baptists that follows him---organization that come behind him. Not Alexander Campbell, but those who followed him.
Not the Pentecostal move at the beginning who had all things in common, and fellowshipped with everybody, but the groups that come, and said, "No, we're this," and, "We're this," and, "These are issues, and that's that," separating themselves, seemingly not having the faith. That's right. That's what did it. There's the evil thing. Amen! I feel religious this morning.

66 The Hebrew children, after they had stood the test whether they would stay for the Word of promise or not, they were put to a trial. And what did they do? They possessed the gate of the enemy. Amen! Why? They stayed on the Word. Stay with the Word, that voice of God that speaks to you. Now all reason says, "Now, look, Babylon. It wouldn't be no different because when we bow before this image, we're worshipping God anyhow."
"Well, if we do it this way, we mean it this way." Do it the way God said it.
What if God said, "Moses, take off your shoes, Moses. You're on holy ground," he'd say, "Thank You, Lord. I sure believe in You. I'll just take off my hat instead. It's too much trouble to unlace my shoe."? It would never work. He said, "shoe"; He didn't say "hat." Right. It's got to come line by line what God says, and line up with his Word.

67 Now after they had had the test, they possessed the gate of the enemy, of fire. They found out when they went right down to the end, staying on God's Word, they possessed the gate. That's right.

68 After Daniel... There'd been a proclamation went forth, and signed by the Medo-Persian that could not be changed, that if anybody prayed to any other God, let him be throwed into the lions' den. And Daniel knew that God's word was to pray to Him only. So he just opened up the windows and prayed anyhow. Now he never got back in a corner; he opened up the windows towards the temple. He wasn't ashamed of it.
And we don't want to practice our religion on Sunday, and Monday do something else; or believe in our heart one thing, come before somebody else, and say, "Well, I don't know. Yeah, I think you're right." Be what you are. If you're not, get out of the pulpit, get out of the church (that's right), ' cause you're an indetriment to both. Say what you are, say what you believe. Then you have nothing to back up from. You're standing just exactly what's true. Everybody knows your colors. Men will appreciate you. Any man...

69 A woman might be as ugly as all get out. She might be big, fat, little, skinny, black-headed, brown-eyed, blue-eyed, gray-eyed, one one way, and one the other. But if that woman is clean... Lady, there ain't a man in the country but what would take off his hat to them, if he's got an ounce of man in him (that's right), because she's... She produces what she is, and men appreciate it.
So God'll appreciate a man that'll be what he is. Or men that professes Christianity, let's be a Christian filled with the Holy Ghost, with the Word of God, or forget about it. That's right. 'Cause, otherwise, you become hypocrisy, and living a different life. And people seeing you run out here to dances, and smoking, and things like that, and claiming to be a Christian, then, see, you put a stumbling block in the other's way.
See, you women ... sometimes how they cut their hair, and dress and act, in these little old dresses on---look like a skinned-down wienie, or something---going out there on the street walking around with heels about that high, mincing down the street... "Is that Pentecostal?" Then the other churches say, "They claim they've got something that they haven't."

70 You are sealed and marked by the Holy Ghost. You're not in the dance hall tonight, and hugged up in some man's arms that's not your husband the next night, and come back to church and dance all over the place. That's not Pentecostal; that's hypocrisy. That's filth! I'm not so much saying it to you, but you realize these tapes that's made here goes over the world. So, I just preach it like it's to the whole world. When I feel God saying say something, I just say it, 'cause I don't know where it's going to. That's up to Him to take care of that. Just stay with the Word. That's right.

71 All right.
No. Daniel would not bow down to their proclamation, whether they was throwed out of the organization or not. He stayed right at the window, and stayed with the Word of God. He wasn't ashamed of it. What happened? They throwed him into a lions' den. But he possessed the gates of the lions' den. Why? Glory! Paul said... God said, "Your seed shall possess the gate of the enemy." Ever what the enemy is, you've got the gate.

72 Oh, how many times could we...
Look at Moses, following in the line of God's commandments, went down into Egypt. Looked like everything was contrary. He had some impersonators that went with him. He went down with a couple of signs to show that he was sent---throwed down a serpent, and so forth like that. And here come the impersonators along, and throwed theirs down.
What could he do? Nothing. God never told him they was going to do that. He wanted to test Moses. He was the one who permitted Jannes and Jambres to throw down their serpents, or their rods.
So there stood Moses in the line of duty. Throwed down his rod. It turned into a snake. He said, "Look at that, Pharaoh. That's what my Lord told me to come do before you."
Pharaoh said, "Come here, Jannes and Jambres." They throwed their rods down, and they turned into snakes.
What was ... Moses did? Was his face red? No, sir. He still believed God sent him. He stayed with that promise, and what happened?

73 That's when you're before some of your conference meetings. Your face might turn red a little bit. Stay with the Word. What happened?
All at once this big cobra of Moses come around, and swallowed them up. God vindicated. After his test, he said, "I want you, by this sign, to let them children go out yonder. I want you to send them back home where they belong. God come down here ... sent me down here to deliver them. I want them to go back." He throwed that down there, and all...
The test come. "Moses, what are you going to do, turn around and walk away, and say, 'I might have been wrong'?"
No sir! Moses stood right there. God commissioned him. Glory!

74 God says anything, stay with it. No matter what takes place, stay with it. If they put you out, and say "We won't cooperate, won't do this," stay with it.
Moses stayed right with it. What happened? He possessed the gate of his enemy. Hallelujah! The devil said, "I'll stretch the Dead Sea in front of you," but it opened up. They couldn't keep him in Egypt no longer. He possessed the gate of the enemy. Why? Because he stayed with the commission God give him, the commandments of God. He stayed with God's Word, and he possessed the gate of the enemy.

75 Joshua, after he'd went through a test... He'd been down ... probably swam across Jordan, him and Caleb, with the spies. When he come back up from the Jordan, he got up to Kadesh-barnea. And all of them said, "Oh, if we start, that'll break our organizations to pieces. We just can't go in."
That spirit don't die. Or, "We can't have that. If we teach that to our people, what will we do? We'd take pretty near half the deacons in the church out (that're married twice, three times)."
"What will we do? Why, if we told our women they had to wear long hair, do you know what they'd do? They'd leave the church. And what would we do? Why, we'd be considered old-fashioned.

76 [Jesus was old-fashioned, too] We can't do that. We can't do that. It's too much for us."
You know what a border-line believer gets to? Hebrews the sixth chapter explains that. "He which was once enlightened, been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and then fall away to renew himself again..." He come to that border-line, and refused to go over (that's it), refused to completely believe, 'cause...
What did Caleb do? What did Joshua do? He said, "We're more than able to take it." Why? They stayed with what God promised.
Why, they said, them others said, "Why, they're giants. They got all walled in. They're ... and this way... Well, we couldn't touch them in no way."
Joshua said, "We're more than able to do it. Quieten, you people. Shut up. Sit down." Amen.

77 I tell you, faith is a great big thing when it comes on the Word of God. He's not afraid then. Faith's got hairs on the chest, big muscles. It says, "Shut up!" Everything else scoots to the corner (that's right), when God speaks. "If ye abide in me and my words in you, say what you will..." There you are.
Oh, I like that. Devils will tremble, and sinners awake; faith in Jehovah will anything shake. How can you have faith, when you know you're not walking in his Word? when you know there's things there that you ought to say, and you don't say it? there's things there you ought to teach, and you don't teach it? there's things there that you can't say? And how can you have faith when you know you're wrong?

78 "If our heart condemn us not..." There you are. There you are. But stay with that Word, where there's nothing condemned. "There's no condemnation to them that's in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." The Spirit leads with the Word, 'cause the Spirit can only come out of the Word, 'cause his Word is Spirit. And it can only ... the real true Spirit of God can only speak the Word of God. Oh, my, my, my! Get away, world. Satan, leave us.
Don't be afraid to say to this mountain, "Be moved." Say it. Stay there, and watch her crumble. That's right. But you got any condemnation there, you better keep still. You're just babbling, then. You're not saying the truth. You're not saying the things that you should say.

79 All right.
We find out then that Joshua, after he went through that test, he seen the evidence of a good land. And he stood there at Kadesh-barnea and complained against all of them, and said, "We're more than able to take it. We can take it." What was the idea? Cross over.
What was Moses' idea? Show this sign, and bring the children out. And looked like it failed, but he stayed with the Word; and the gate of the Dead Sea could not hold him. He went right on through it. He possessed the gate of the enemy.

80 And Joshua, looking at the promise of God, said, "We're more than able to take it." That's right. And when he come down to the Jordan, what did she do? She gave away. That's it. He possessed the gate of the enemy. The Jordan was keeping him back, from going over and taking that promise. But when he got down there, he was the seed of Abraham.
Why? He believed God's Word. That's the only way you can be a seed of Abraham, is to believe God's Word. And then, what did he do when he come down to where he was ready to take the enemy? God opened up the gate, and he possessed it, took it, went over.

81 When the first battle ... his first conflict he had with them, the walls was so big they could run a chariot race on top of them. How is he going in to get them? They run from him, got back inside. The enemy will do, too. But you'll take the gate of the enemy.
Said, "Lord, what must I do?" He was walking around one afternoon, meditating. He seen a man standing with his sword drawn. Joshua pulled his sword, and said. "Are you for us? Are you for our enemy?"
He said, "I'm the captain of this host."
"What must I do?"
"March around it thirteen times. Sound a trumpet. You'll take the gate of the enemy." She fell down. Yes, sir. Why? He was a seed of Abraham, that kept the Word of God. He'd taken every gate that come to him. Certainly.
It's getting late. I got to quit.

82 Look, all these precious heroes... Got a page full of them wrote down here. But all these precious heroes, the things that they did, they finally died.
But then come the real faith-seed, the royal seed of Abraham, Jesus, a promise. Abraham had Isaac, true, after the flesh. But the real seed wasn't in that organization system. It was in that promise of God's Word, that He'd make him a father of nations---not through Isaac, but through the royal seed, Jesus. That was the royal seed which... Actually the seed of Abraham...
Jesus was not a Jew; neither was He a Gentile. He was God.

83 See, you Catholics here, bless your heart. But when you worship Mary as a goddess, what's the matter with you, anyhow? Mary wasn't nothing but a woman. God chose her. She was a incubator. That's all, a incubator. That's what a woman is. But she's associated with the seed of the man. But ... it's a mixed audience, but I got to say this so you'll understand what I'm talking about. Now, you listen to your doctor, and I'm your brother. Surely you can.

84 Mary had no pollen in Christ. There was no sexual feeling when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, not a bit. But God Almighty, the creator, created the blood cell and the pollen. If it was pollen from Mary, then the dead rise not. Glory! That just come fresh. I just caught that.
Then if you say there's no difference what we do, then why did God tell us to abstain from things wrong? Why did God raise up the body of Jesus, if it isn't so? So you see, there could not be a woman connected into it. If there was, then his body was after his mother, Mary, because she had a sexual affair by an overshadowing by the Spirit that caused her to discharge a sperm, and it's wrong. The Holy Ghost by immaculate conception... Hallelujah! Now, He created both sperm of man and woman.
Did Jesus call her mother? Find it in the Scripture. He called her "woman." Hallelujah! Woman. That's fresh. That's the reason it's doing me the way it's doing. "Woman, behold your Son." Million miles closer to her than He was.

85 He was God. He was neither Jew nor Gentile. He was God, both flesh and body, God dwelling in Him. God dwelling in the sperm of a woman couldn't do it. That sperm of the woman had to have something to do with our flesh.
But it was the blood plus the sperm that God overshadowed. He could put it on a stump if He'd wanted to. Yes, sir. He could put it anywhere He wanted to. But He brought it because the woman being in the fall. There come forth an immaculate Son of the living God, created, virgin borned both body and soul.

86 Why did David say, "I will not see my Holy ... my Holy One see corruption; neither will I leave his soul in hell."? David said that. See, both soul, body and spirit was created of God by Him.
The woman was not a mother. It was a woman. I believe she was a good, holy woman, absolutely. She'd never've been an incubator. God would have never chose an old dirty incubator (Lord willing, I'm preaching on that tonight, but ...), an old dirty incubator to bring his Son to the earth in. He chose a virgin, knowing not a man.
Neither did she have any sperm discharge, or anything else, when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, because God in his immaculate, infinite way created in her soul, body, and spirit of Jesus Christ. That's right. He was the virgin-born Son of God.
What did that do? It broke the gate of the enemy. Hallelujah! Whew! This is getting good to me.

87 Look. Why? He broke the gate of the enemy right there, that every man that's borned in this world by a sexual desire that could not go to heaven, because sex is what started it in the beginning, in the garden of Eden---why they covered themselves up... When He did that He broke that thing in two right there, and possessed the gate of the enemy by what? Taking the royal seed of Abraham at the very first time, and smashed it to the bottom. The royal seed of faith and promise---not a conception of Mary, but of God---broke the gates. That lets the human being pass through the gate. Glory to God!

88 What did He do? Then, took all the gates of the enemy. He took the gate of sickness. Sickness could not exist in his presence. No, sir. Neither could anything else exist in his presence. A funeral procession could not stand in his presence. No. What did He do? Joshua died. Moses died. All the rest of them died. But not this royal seed. Death could not stand where life was.
That woman from Nain, coming out with her boy stopped. He said, "Rise up, son."
That girl that was dead, Jairus's daughter---He spoke a word back yonder into the unknown world out there, and said, "Daughter, arise."
Lazarus was dead four days, and his body rotted, and his soul'd been away from him for four days. He said, "Lazarus, come forth." Glory!
There He is. What did He do? He broke the seals of everything. Hallelujah!

89 When He had to die, then He could not hold that life. He'd have never died, but He had to give that life. And when He give that life, he died a death. And his precious soul, as the Bible said, descended into hell to take my place and your place---the royal seed of Abraham. The what? He was the royal seed. Oh, glory!
Now we are the royal seed. Why? To stay with the Word, just like He was, for, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word ... made flesh and dwelt among us." Don't you see where the royal seed lies? The royal seed is that stays with the Word.

90 You weaklings, that's willing to compromise with the devil, with his fashions of the world! I'm not speaking just to you. Out there, you preachers, that knows that you preach, "The days of miracles is past"; you preach, "There's no such a thing as the baptism of the Holy Ghost," shame on you---then call yourself the seed of Abraham.
The royal seed stays with the Word. The royal seed's not born by man, nothing to do with man or woman. The woman is the church. Nothing to do with the church. Mary had nothing to do with the seed. Neither has the church so-called organization got anything to do with the seed. It's borned of what? Not of an organization---not Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, so forth, but born of the royal seed of the promise of God.
That's the one that takes the gate of the enemy. It's already been took for him, for "if ye abide in me and my word in you, ask what you will, it will be done for you." There you are. It's a promise. It's already done.

91 His precious soul descended into hell, where I ought to've went. But on that third day... Samson, taking the gate of the city on his back had nothing to do with it. He took the gates of hell, the gates of the grave, and everything else. He didn't pack it up on the mountain, but He destroyed it. Hallelujah! He possessed the gate of the enemy.
The atmospheres that was filled with the devil's power above, that angels, or nothing could come down... There could not be no intercession because the blood of goats would not take away sin. But his own blood took away sin, and He ascended on high, led captive captive, and give gifts unto men.
Now, every one of Abraham's seed that's willing to pay the price, to come down and repent of their sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, be filled with the Holy Ghost, and stand the test...

92 And when you get the world out of you, the things that's gone ... everything that's wrong, everything that seems wrong---like the women with their hair, the men with their carrying on, and the churches with their organizations, and a pastor that'll cater to his deacons, and all those kind of things... Some worldly bunch of something another get in there, and cause the poor pastor---kick him out of the church... Go on, pastor. God bless you. Stay right with the Word.

93 He ascended on high. What did He do? He cut a hole, a gate, that the prayer of this seed of Abraham... Why? Why? If we be the body of Christ... If we are dead ... we reckon ourself dead, and buried in Christ, and raised with Him in resurrection, He is the head of the body. Where the head is, the body's with it. And then this morning, where... Every one that's did that is seated with Him in heavenly places with the royal seed. Praise God!

94 No gates.
You can't pray this far, and say, "Oh, oh. There's a word..." Uh, uh. It closes you off right there. But if our heart condemn us not, if we know that we're walking in the commandments of God, we see our lives cleaned up. We see it. Every word that God commanded, we keep it. Then the gates of every enemy is possessed. Then ask what you will. It'll be done for you. He shall possess the gate of his enemy.
Oh, brother! What a church that would be. When I come back again to Phoenix, if the Lord permits me, I hope when I walk into this tabernacle that these pews will be lined, and every pew in the Full Gospel movement in this city will be lined with saints of the living God---look like Christians, talk like Christians, act like Christians with the Spirit of God moving among them, where if one would sin, the Holy Spirit'd call it out right then.

95 It'll do it. You've seen it in the prayer lines up here on the altar, where say, "You go back there, and make that right with your husband." "Go tell your wife that you was out night before last with that woman, sitting on a certain-certain place."
If it will do it here by walking in the Word, listening to that still small voice, it'll do it in you. You're Abraham's seed. Then no sin... Preacher, wouldn't you like to see that in the church? walk into church, look down along through here, and see both men and women, godly, saintly, sitting there, just charged with the power of God?
Sin could not walk in. A man walk in, and sit down, the Spirit raise up and say, "John Jones, you come from so-and-so city, a certain-certain place." He's here to find healing for his body, see. "He did a certain thing at a certain place, he did this, he has to take this back, and make this right. Then God will heal him of that cancer. Thus saith the Lord."

96 Give me a church, give me ten men filled, really jewels of God, the royal seed. Put them men together, and watch what will take place. Give me this little houseful of people like that, and I'll show you a light that the world will run to it. That's right. That's what God wants us to be. You're a city sitting on a hill. You're royal seed of Abraham. It shall possess the gate of its enemy. Sickness, there's a cause for sickness. There's a cause for these things. And God, the Holy Spirit, is here to reveal that thing, to tell you why you don't get it.
What's the matter with us? We don't have to wonder will it do it; it's already doing it. What do you do? Watch that prophet. He listens not to the rushing wind. "Glory to God! Hallelujah!" That's good. Now, remember. I'm not condemning that. I hope everybody understands that.

97 Somebody said, "Brother Branham don't believe in saying 'Glory to God, hallelujah!' "
Well, look at me up here now. I believe in shouting, speaking with tongues, dancing in the Spirit. But, brother, when you fail to hear that still small voice of the Word, that's the thing that gets you. That's the thing.
Elijah knowed all this revival was going on outside, but he was... It never attracted him outside to it. But when he heard that still small voice of God, then he was attracted. And he veiled his face and come out. Why? Elijah was a seed of Abraham following the Word. "If ye abide in me, and my words in you, then ask what you will. It'll be done for you."

98 Let's bow our heads just a moment for prayer. Oh, church! How ... when I get through preaching like that how I feel. The Spirit drops away from me, and I look back. I see people that would actually go down in their pocket, and take food from their children to give it to me. I see little women here, maybe with short hair. What would they do? They'd do anything in the world for me that they could.
Man living with a wife like that, and me just cut him to pieces with that Word, hurt him. His conscience is dropped down. And yet, that man would go out here and slave and send me his tithes. That's right. That makes me feel sick, drop back to the flesh then. You feel, "What did I say? I don't mean to hurt." It's not that.
But oh, brother, and my darling little sister and brother! If that be God's Word, and this be his Spirit making that Word come to life to you, what will it be at the day of the judgment? I'm trying to get you ready for that day, people.

99 Please, please just take his Word.
If I ever preach anything that's not the Word, a promise of God, then you've got a right to come to me. But that's the Word. And it's because I love you. It isn't because I don't want you in the boat; it's because the boat won't pack you through. You're going to crash up one of these days, and you've got to come to judgment. And guilty of the least is guilty of the whole.
And when you know anything is right to do it, and it's the Word of God, and the promise to do it, and then you don't do it, then what about it? You'll be asked to give a reason. What then? When this message this morning faces you, yonder on the screen at the day of judgment, what about it? Think of it, friends. You may die before the day is over. All of us may. And one thing sure, you're going to die.

100 I stood the other day watching my mother, me holding her on my arm. I held my dad a little before that, and watched him go. I seen them come down at the end of the road who thought they were really all right, say, "Oh, Brother Branham. Oh, if I could only live a little longer." Too late then.
And remember, death doesn't change the soul. It only changes its dwelling place. And if you see that something within you (be reasonable now), if you see that something within you is making you act that way, and feel that way like you ought not to feel, repent this morning, will you, friend? Come be... You don't have to be like that. You're a miserable person. Live a true, royal seed life. God wants you today.

101 Will you raise your hand while your head's bowed, and hearts, say, "Brother Branham, I raise my hand to God. Honestly, from my heart that's what I want to be. That's really what I want to be. I've got messed up out here, and everything else, but really I want to be like that. I want to be what you've been talking about this morning.
"Pray for me, Brother Branham. I'm raising my hands to God---not to you, Brother Branham, but to God. And in my heart (He knows my heart), I long to be the kind of Christian you're talking about---a royal seed of Abraham through Jesus Christ." Raise your hand now, and say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham." God bless you. God bless you. Surely He'll do it for you.

102 Our heavenly Father, in the light of thy Word, in the power of thy resurrection... And I realize, Lord, that poor people many times got twisted up out here through different... The people hardly knows what to do---one coming saying one thing, and one coming saying another.
Here in Phoenix, this great city of ... well, tourists, where everything from across the nation drifts into it, both physically and spiritually...
Standing on the mountain the other day, and thinking how many times God's name is used in vain in a day down here; how many adulteries that's committed; how much sin is mucked in the streets here in barrooms, and barflies, and everything; many of them professing to be believers, Christians; women going down the street with a cigarette in their hand, walking with immoral clothes on when You said it stinks before You...
It's an abomination, like an old dirty, filthy, stinking urinal somewhere. O God, how could a woman that claims to have the Holy Ghost do such a thing, and know that in the Saviour's nose that smells like that, stinking. How could He have such a thing as that in his kingdom? Father, if they only knew they're a million miles from it.

103 I pray, God, have mercy! No one wants to go to that regions of the lost. No one wants to go down there, Father. Far be it from any of us going. Yet, down in there is a good heart in that person, that man, that woman---a man or woman that's charitable, and nice and kind, and has just been deceived by the devil. The devil done that.
Satan, I'm against you because you're an enemy of my Lord. You're an enemy of his Word. And I charge thee by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as a mortal being knowing that I have no power within myself... I haven't power to stop you. I haven't power to make any of these women clean up, any of these men that's listening to this tape, or wherever. I have no way of making them clean up. I'm powerless. But I do have the authority of God's Word as a servant to preach it, and duty bound to that authority.
Neither does the policeman out here have power to stop a car. But he has authority to do it.

104 And Satan, you might as well go to squeaking your brakes, 'cause I charge thee by Jesus Christ that you turn these people loose throughout the world, wherever this message may go. Turn them loose. I claim them, that they are bought. They're not their own. They're bought with a price of the royal seed of Abraham, the Lord Jesus.
Thou filthy, dirty, stinking hypocrite, deceiver of men, leading them blindly into the ditches of hell, turn them loose. I charge thee by the living God, by the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus, that you turn them loose, that their souls may be charged with his blessing and with his presence; that they might possess the gate of every enemy.
You've got them waiting for this, that, or the other, or some holy touch, or something else. But I'm saying, you're going to lose your hold.

105 How could sickness stand in an anointing like this? Only when they refuse to look yonder at the promise like father Abraham did, when he could see Him in a figure hundreds of years away coming.
Turn them loose. In the name of Jesus Christ, let them people go. May the power of God, the understanding of the Word as they're washed this morning by it... May the understanding of keeping God's Word and his promises true, a hold that cannot be broken by Satan... May each one lay a hold of that promise saying, "This is it. I'm holding to it. God made the promise. I'm the seed of Abraham. How can I doubt his promise?", and move right on through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
I love Him, (It's been cutting this morning,
friends. Let's worship now, sweetly.)
Because He first loved me;
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.

106 Would it be possible, not sacrilegious, certainly not... This is religious. Let's raise our hands to Him we love, and say,
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me;
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, to every woman or girl in here this is my hand. God love you. To every man or boy in here, God love you. I love you. Now, I can't reach out and get each one of your hands, but God express to you what I mean. While we sing that again, just turn around and shake hands with somebody. "... this will all men know that you're my disciples, when you have love one for the other."
I ..................
...................
... purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me;
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.

107 Don't you love Him? That sweet feeling of the Holy Spirit... The Word is a cleansing process, just scours you out, makes you a new creature, takes away all... The Word is sharper than a two-edged sword circumcising, cutting away all the things of the world, see. Then we feel clean, scoured out, accepting Him, believing Him. That's how we can sing, "I love Him, I love Him, because He first loved me; and purchased my salvation on Calvary." Isn't that beautiful? I just love it with all my heart, see. Let's try it again, everybody now, real, to the top of your voice now.
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me;
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.