Easter Seal #08
Equipped To Go In; Back To Pentecost#2091
Shall we pray.
Heavenly Father, we’re grateful to understand and know Your Presence from the fact of vindication, we appreciate that so much, knowing that You have appeared to us not only in signs and wonders, but You Yourself Lord manifested in the Pillar of Fire, and that taken by camera, Lord, proven authentically Who it is Lord, at least we know by the fact of a prophet telling us the truth, which we do believe and partake of tonight.
And we know Lord in spite of what we know, what is assuredly the truth in this perfect faith of this hour, it’s not that we have reservations, it’s simply that we do not know Lord all what we’d like to know, perhaps we never will know, and we’ll just have to wait until moment by moment You bring those things to us we need to know, and then finally Lord, Word upon Word, come to a full maturity, and that is really fine by us knowing that’s how You did work it out in days gone by, will no doubt work it out the same way today.
In the meantime help us to possess our souls in patience by believing and waiting on You, not moving from anything whatsoever that lies in Your Word, but to stay with it, knowing that You have proven it to be correct, You have vindicated it, surely it will come to pass, not one jot or tittle missing, and not one of Your children missing, giving us this faith as we’ve never had it before.
Grant a real blessing to us tonight as we study Your Word. We give You the glory, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
You may be seated.
Now tonight we’re on number eight of looking at Brother Branham’s message, and up to page 20.
And Brother Branham in bringing this Message Easter Seal has taken us back to the resurrection of Christ, that is the first half of the first resurrection, wherein the Old Testament Bride, the Old Testament saints, which would be the Old Testament Bride, came forth with Jesus and both He and they who came forth from the graves and were then in immortal flesh were seen by many in Jerusalem, and also Jesus Himself was seen by about five hundred for many days.
Now then in this Message Brother Branham clearly teaches that the same Spirit that raised Jesus and also raised the saints came back at the feast of Pentecost and baptized His children, that’s the new Bride, that started the new Bride, with the same Holy Spirit.
And when these were Spirit filled they began to do the same mighty works that Jesus did, such as healing the sick and raising the dead. Now you’ll notice he specifically brings that to our attention, and he doesn’t wander a-field as though he were going to make a most explicit and exact duplication of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Seeing it was the same Spirit of God in the saints as indwelt Jesus, it was certainly true that the Spirit would perform in one or many or one and the many the works that Christ had performed, or the Holy Spirit had performed when He indwelt Jesus.
Now that’s very logical because you’re back to genetics. And you’ll find that in species there has to be the innate intelligence, which has to work then according to that particular life.
Then if that particular life is in the particular vessel that’s designated, it just simply stands to reason that the same thing is going to occur. You know, let’s face it. It has to run true to form because seed runs true to form.
As Brother Branham said, and here’s what he said:
Easter Seal, 04-10-65
[20-4] If one Spirit makes a man act this way; it makes the other one act that way.
Notice he brings it down to one Spirit, he doesn’t say two spirits now, there’s where people go astray, and they think the devil can do the things that Jesus does. Most people forget a little simple statement in the Bible.
There all power is of God, and there is no power that is not of God. So therefore every bit of power, which is ‘dunamis’, an actual ability to perform, to work, and ‘exousia’, which means authority, there isn’t anything the devil has but actually came from God and is in a state of perversion.
See you got to remember that or you will never understand the Bible. Like it says, “All things are pure to the pure in heart.” Now that’s because there’s nothing that God made that wasn’t good.
See, that’s why I’ve said on different occasions here, the devil does not have a word of his own. There’s not one thing the devil has that is not of God in the first place. That’s why Brother Branham could say, “What is a lie? It is the truth perverted.” See?
Now you haven’t come that far yet to where it is common to us in the sense that it’s all back to God and His original plan and purpose, but we are fast approaching, as Brother Branham held his hand up and he said, “See the light now. More I press this toward the wall the more it is no longer a shadow, a negative, it is getting truer and truer to form.”
He said, “How ridiculous it would be,” he said, “if you had an elephant and the shadow of a spindly little man.” Well you can’t do it. You’ve got to see where you have the generic and the genetic. And it simply runs true. Like he said, “Spoken Word is original seed.”
So all right, he says here then:
[20-4] If one Spirit makes a man act this way; it makes the other one that way.
Now there again, unless you realize that every sermon Brother Branham is preaching, he is always speaking of himself on the grounds of the individual vindicated by the Presence of God, and the manifestation being absolutely of God and not of a man, and you know in Scripture he brought out very carefully how that anybody who came against Moses was not tolerated by God.
And so you can’t run with this statement here like the Pentecostals, and say, “If the one Spirit makes a man act this way, it makes the other one act that way.” See there’s where I don’t have a beef with Tommy Osborne, because I mention his name, look the man means nothing to me.
He’s in Europe, he speaks French, he’s having a great time maybe on the – you know – the West Bank, or God knows where he is, and that’s fine. But he’s the one who said, when he saw Brother Branham, the Holy Spirit spoke to him, and said, “That’s the way it’s done in the Bible, you can do the same thing.” Hogwash.
See what I’m trying to tell you? The hand is not the head, the nose is not the eye, and the foot is not the arm, period! Exclamation with it.
So when Brother Branham makes statements like this, you can’t take it out of context of the man and the Message being one. See? Now remember if one person does it, the body does it. How many prophets does God have at one time? One major at a time. So you see we must watch the statement.
All right, let’s read it again.
[20-4] If one Spirit makes a man act this way; it makes the other one act that way.
Now in there you can see a continuity. The continuity is when God establishes a church order, and He puts men in the church, like a five-fold ministry, which is under a prophet. And that would be a true Word prophet.
Then you see in the congregation there can rise up people who complement the ministry and they have gifts. And if that’s set in the church, then it is absolutely true, that there never should have been a lack of the manifestation coming from the truth in the church. What happened? A perversion set in. Death set in.
And when you have death setting in, then it’s like the tomato plant that is perfectly healthy, it cannot be attacked by insects. Now you let that tomato plant begin to die, which it will begin to die, it can’t help itself, it’s not immortal, then you watch the bugs begin to come.
Now you apply that to mankind, go back to the Garden of Eden, come to the church.
[20-4] If one Spirit makes a man act this way; it makes the other one act that way.
So therefore what happened at Pentecost, and was established in the church, delineated upon in Ephesians, and especially in Corinthians where errors were corrected, how they were using gifts wrong, it is absolutely sure and certain that it should be within the church even to this day.
But the gifts should be in the place where they’re supposed to be. Otherwise you run a perversion. So all you got to do is go back there to the Alpha, and it never changes, it ends up Omega, and Omega is exactly like the original. Hey, God doesn’t lose any sleep and lose a trick. No.
Let’s read further then.
[20-4] If one Spirit [and one Spirit only now,] makes a man act this way; it makes another one act that way. So how can anyone say he has the Holy Spirit and deny the works of God?
That is absolutely what Jesus said. He said, “If I had not done the works no other man did, they’d not sinned, but now they’ve both seen and hated both me and my Father.”
And people right today blaspheme the Holy Ghost, call it the devil, deny that God heals, says the devil can heal, and they’re absolutely serpent seed, and they’ll swear – hey listen, they’ll even prove they love God by lifting your head off your shoulders.
The Bible says they will do it! And they’re going to do it. They’ve been doing it all along.
And yet then Brother Branham distinctly says anybody who claims to be born again, because that’s full of the Holy Ghost, and denies the works of God, and you’re going to start right from the beginning where God is dealing with the people.
And that’s what the Psalmist said, Moses knowing, he said that Moses understood the way of God, he knew it, but all the people saw was the works! Now if you can’t put understanding with works, or revelation with manifestation, then you will draw your own conclusions. And when you draw your own conclusions, you are finished!
Now listen, I’m just talking plain straight and it’s just so sweet I’m almost sick of myself.
Now let me read it again:
[20-4] If one Spirit makes a man act this way; it makes the other one act that way. So how can anybody say he has the Holy Spirit and deny the works of God?
See that’s where the Trinitarians go completely off balance, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Well you say, “What is the Father?”
“Well He’s Holy Ghost.”
“Well what’s this Holy Ghost business then?”
“Well that’s Holy Ghost Spirit is what comes out of Him, so now it’s just like a Spirit coming out of Him.” That isn’t true! When you say the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water, you cannot simply take that statement and run with it!
Let’s go just back in the Bible and show you what I’m talking about. Yeah, we’ll get to talking later on about this message, but I feel I should say this.
All right:
(01) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Now that tells you exactly that God did all the creating, period. And there’s not one single solitary thing said here about evolution. Now watch:
(01) The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Now right away they’re thinking, “Well a Spirit went out of God and did so and so.” What He’s doing, is He’s talking about creation. Then notice:
(02) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Now look it, that’s identifying the nature of God. So therefore when you see creation, God has got to be behind it. When you see a healing, God has got to be behind it. In other words, it’s the definitive!
How do I know it’s the Spirit of God and not the spirit of hell? Because ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD’ is what the prophet has and the manifestation comes forth giving him the right to declare the Word and a man say that’s not God, call it the devil?
That man is serpent seed, he’s blasphemed the Holy Ghost, he’s blasphemed God, he will go to hell! I will see him there at the White Throne!
Well you say, “Brother Vayle, you’re vehement, you’re just judgment.” Well what are you? Huh? What are you? Hey, I’ll get into that before the nights over, by the grace of God. Forget the hour tonight, we may go two hours.
All right, now this statement or question has a far greater reach than if Brother Branham is simply speaking of signs following the Word. It goes to John 14:7-12 and Mark 16 and don’t get the two mixed up!
So let’s go to John 14, hey just open up right on the dot.
(07) If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Now that’s definitive! Right there definitive. You cannot see God, you cannot see the Father, but under certain conditions you do see, which means you understand because you can identify! All right.
(08) Philip [said], Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
(09) [And] Jesus [said], Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
In other words, this is the manifestation and this is the conduit, and here is where Israel went haywire, they could not believe that God would do this!
I want to ask Israel one question: how did they get to be sons of God? How were they the chosen ones? If they couldn’t go back to Adam through Abraham, they’re serpent seed, let’s face it, and they understood serpent seed.
In other words they knew something about the nature of God, but they denied it when it came to the showdown, showing when they denied the nature of God, they themselves did not have the nature or life of God! Come on, that’s all there is to it, it’s no big mystery, I’m not teaching anything hard.
(09) …he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
(10) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, [now notice,] he doeth the works.
The authority to speak the Word was by the work, which only God can do! Like Brother Branham quotes Nicodemus, “We know you’re a teacher sent from God; no man can do the works that you do.”
“Well Who’s doing them?”
“Well God’s doing them!”
“What part of you got with God?”
“I’m the Son of God.”
“Kill him!”
You talk about idiots! I don’t understand it. Listen, they knew in that day what I’m preaching here tonight, and don’t think they didn’t, otherwise they wouldn’t have been condemned by Christ. They knew the truth.
Now he said:
(11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
He said, “You’ve got to start somewhere, and the place that you start is works!” Just like you know its God based upon the work of what? Creation! And that’s exactly what the Book of Genesis said, “God ceased from His works”! That’s right.
Now I’m going to tell you what, he said, “My Father worketh hitherto and I work.” He said, “Now you’ve seen back here and you know the Word, now watch what’s coming out of it.” Since he died upon Calvary, rose again, then you watch that.
These signs follow them that believe, and Brother Branham is talking about the very thing I’m talking about, is that which followed, which is quickening, which is resurrection, which we are in now as the second half of the first resurrection, now don’t forget that as we read this message. But you’ll be prone to do it.
Yeah, how would you like to be one of these guys that works on the high steel girders? I understand Aaron had an almost a little old get together with death. What was he seven stories up Joe, when he blacked out or something? Could have been killed.
See listen, don’t you know the secret of saving your life in a dangerous place is always being aware, constantly, of where you are and what you’re doing and somebody else is doing? Absolutely. See we’re looking at this here. And people don’t want to take it to heart.
Now watch:
(12) Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me,
Now that is in the singular. This is John 14:12; this is not Mark 16. Over there it’s ‘they’, but here it is a singular person.
(12) …[He will do even] greater works than [I] do; because I go to my Father.
Now you can put that down as the Person of the Holy Ghost, and that is absolutely wonderful, and I say it is correct. But remember Jesus had to manifest the Holy Ghost; he had to be a conduit! Everything that lies in Rhema has got to come to Logos! And when it comes to Logos, God has got to have somebody there to explain!
Oh they didn’t want to hear Brother Branham explain anything. They didn’t want to hear Jesus explain anything. They didn’t want to hear Moses explain. They didn’t want any prophet to explain. Except the little seed that wasn’t serpent.
Okay, different from Mark 16, all right.
Now going to page 20, paragraph 99, and reading further Brother Branham again takes his place as a vindicated prophet with the right to reveal the Word of God, and challenges the people as to the true evidence of the baptism with the Holy Ghost, the reality of the hour of the resurrection.
Now remember that’s what this sermon is about, so don’t let your minds wander. See that’s the value of what we do here in this church and I’ve been doing for years.
And you notice it gets simpler all the time and the simplicity lies in the fact that William Branham is standing there as a vindicated prophet, absolutely vindicating himself in the sense he’s explaining what it’s all about, then taking the Word and revealing it.
And this by the way is the ultimate, which comes to the third pull under the Seals. Remember the sign in the hand was little teeny birds, number one, the discerning was number two, bigger birds, and the end time was the large birds, which headed back East, which was the opening of the Seals.
Which was identical to the sword in the hand, where he screams out, he said, “Why that’s the sword of the King,” then bring on your holy vesture with the holy Word of God standing by, dress a Bride with the sword?
Why sure, because he cuts out all the denominational creeds, we’ll get into that too. And now the Word of God can take effect.
All right, we said we’re going to start here on page 20 and number 99. Now I just read what he said here in the previous part about:
[20-4] One Spirit makes a man act the way; it will make another. How can you say you got the Holy Ghost and deny the works of God? Can’t be done.
[20-5] Notice, God’s life, which is in the Greek was called Zoe…
Now remember when you are talking of God’s life and that life is being introduced to mankind, and mankind cannot see that, then you will find which is in the Greek, the Zoe, which is like Zoology, refers to all kinds of life.
So if God’s going to come down, He’s going to do something for us, and we can’t see Him and we can’t hear Him, but we know He’s out there some way on the grounds of nature, then He’s going to have to work with us in the realm of which we are, and in Him was that Zoe, the ability to come right down and work with us!
See, and show Himself. And that’s eternal life, because these bodies will be eternal. All the birds and beautiful things are going to come back.
[20-5] Notice, God’s life, which is in the Greek was called Zoe, moving through them and in them, quickens their mind to His Word. Now, let me say this real quietly now. The Spirit of God that moves among the people, [the Spirit of God that moves among the people, moves among the people, among, among, among, not in, in, in, but among. Otherwise why did he say it? Let me say this now, among the people,] quickens the mind of the person to the promise of God.
Now he doesn’t say minds, he says mind.
So all right, the Spirit of God that’s manifested, that’s moving amongst the people as Brother Branham said, “When you see God come down from heaven, stand before groups of men and declare Himself as ever He did,” you couldn’t hide if you tried, positively manifesting God.
He’s letting you know, as the Apostle Paul said, “We have the mind of Christ,” and he’s talking about himself! And anybody else can have the mind of Christ, on the grounds that he’s got the Holy Spirit to recognize the Word! Now that’s real Zoe!
“Well Brother Vayle, I’ve been healed, and Brother Vayle I shouted, I did this.” Hey, praise God, I’m glad you did! I’ve got no fault there, we should do more of it here, if it was in order, and we know it’s real! Who’s got discerning of spirits?
If you’ve got it, we’ll build a building on there… we’ll pay, I don’t care how much we got to pay, we’ll raise the money, we’ll build a little room in the back here somewhere.
I’m not being derisive now I hope, but the point is Brother Branham said, “Somebody’s got to have a discerning of spirits before he can operate those gifts.” You know, church has got an order.
Now he said right here:
[20-5] Let me say quietly. The Spirit of God that moves among the people, quickens the mind of the person to the promises of God.
In other words there is somebody here that’s got the ability to have contact with God, to know what God wants, what He wants to do, what He wants to give, what He wants in return, and if you can’t see that in Moses, standing by the burning bush, there is something wrong with you after all of these years.
You’re just sitting here, and you better shake yourselves. Absolutely and truthfully. See it does it.
[20-6] Look [what] I’m trying to show you [something]…
Now remember paragraph 100 follows 99 that says here, God comes into Zoe.
God is able, as Brother Branham brought in revelation, and I put a whole sermon on it, God forming Himself in human flesh, God coming right down here conversing with men, doing it by way of the prophet, coming to us, becoming flesh that it might be done, and remember that is Holy Spirit, eternal life.
The eternal life in there.
Now he said here, based upon this:
[20-5] Let me say real quietly now. The Spirit of God moves among the people, quickens the mind of the person to the promise of God.
Here he stands right there like the Apostle Paul, “Just think the same Pillar of Fire that brought the Word to Paul is here revealing it.”
[20-6] Look… I’m trying to show you [something,] realize that I’m speaking now of the church…
“I’m speaking now of the church.” And remember, when he talks of church, you’ve got wise and foolish virgin, you’ve got make-believer and unbeliever. You say, “Well what would an unbeliever do there?” Well come on man, there’s money in the church!
You can do good business by going to church. You’re smart like a fox, you’re stupid to stay away from church, there’s where the good gullibles are. Most of them think anything goes, you know. Oh come on, this is too late in the day to be fooled.
Now he said:
[20-6] [Listen,] I’m trying to show you [something here,] realize I’m speaking now of the church, [now listen, it recognizes, it] also quickens to life in Him.
What he’s trying to tell you here at this point is what he’s been saying all along, when that Word comes forth vindicated, and even when the Vindicator is not there with the vindicated prophet, but already vindicated with life, and you hear it, something within you quickened to it!
I remember Brian Kocourek went out there to Minneapolis, and he was playing football that time with whoever they are out there, that team out there in Minneapolis, he was their kicker, and he came to church because he’d been hearing something.
And he came in his shorts and what have you, so they took him aside and got him a pair of pants on, I wouldn’t have cared if he had sat there with shorts on, didn’t bother me, and he didn’t understand anyway. But he said, “You know,” he said, “I never understood one word, but I knew it was truth.”
And that’s right, I’m not trying to give myself and himself credit, just trying to let you know what Brother Branham is said is absolutely truth here.
And I’m trying to show you something, when you really understand here what we are talking about, that the power of God, it was the resurrection of Jesus Christ that brought about the fact of Pentecost, there was something there. Now that showed the whole world.
And Peter went out and opened the door to the Jews and to the Gentiles. Then the Holy Ghost came back and He came to one person called the Apostle Paul, who received the revelation!
Now he went forth and before he said one word to anybody, he demonstrated in the power of God that he had the God given authority to bring that Word. After him there were signs and wonders.
Now I want to ask you a question. The Gentile knew nothing about God! He went down there to Mars Hill or somewhere it was one time, and he saw this strange altar to the unknown God, he said, “I see,” he said, “you’re great worshippers.”
Now he said, “There’s an altar here to the unknown God, Him I’m going to declare unto you.” And you know something? They listened.
And the miracles that attested to the power of God, because it says in Corinthians and Romans and right through the whole book that he was a vindicated prophet, there was something at that time that was quickened toward what he was bringing and to Him Who gave it, which is Christ, to His messenger.
Right back to the eagle scream! The little eagle heard the scream. It didn’t matter where he was and what was going on. It didn’t matter anything. What mattered was, was he an eagle? And he was.
Now:
[20-6] Although they were only His attributes to begin with…
Now he’s talking about the church! This is to the body, this is to the Bride, there’s everybody sitting there, all hodgepodge.
[20-6] They were only His attributes to begin with…
Now he’s showing you the Genesis where they were, bringing out the genetics. Eagle will hear eagle and a chicken will squawk and run.
Boy I’ll tell you, he’ll leave the manure pile in a hurry and run for their own little denominational shelter, but if an eagle ever hears it, a little baby eagle, he’s on the manure pile, he’ll leave that manure pile so quick they won’t know what hit him.
See, now listen. Now watch:
[20-6] …but God said in this day [back in the beginning], “John Doe will be My servant,” millions of years ago… Now, John Doe [listen] was born in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies, because he is mortal;
What brought death? Sin. So every single person is mortal. What’s he full of? Sin! What’s he going to do? Lie, cheat, surfeit, go so far as to murder. In my flesh there dwelleth no good thing.
Now he’s talking about the flesh, he’s not talking about the soul, the soul and the flesh are two different things, there’s a gene in your soul.
So all right. Now watch:
[20-6] He maybe get a little religious feeling. He’ll join a church. Maybe a Pentecostal church; I don’t know. [But he’ll join one. Now if he hears the eagle scream he’ll leave the church.] He might join anything. But let him get under the atmosphere of God once.
Now what is the atmosphere of God? It is absolutely the Word and the life that comes from that Word. So he’s getting under the atmosphere. And also you know he heals, raises the dead, does all these things.
[20-6] John Doe is bound to recognize Who his Father is. Just as that eagle recognized who the mother was.
Now what is the recognition of your Father and His of you? Now let’s get it down pat! The Word of the hour, which in our day has been vindicated, do you believe it? I say that’s your standing. Your body’s full of sin, full of mortality.
Like one fellow said, “Write over your mirror, born to die.” The minute you come in this world, in your flesh, your flesh is heir to all diseases and all problems, that’s going to go, but there is a soul which can be immortal in the sense of whether you’re seed or not.
Now let’s just run this down here and remember it is resurrection, it is Easter, we are resurrection, we’re talking about it. This is the vindicated prophet, the hour in which we live.
And remember the Spirit of wisdom and revelation comes into the church and lets the church know the hour in which it is living and the deep secret things of God is what Brother Branham said about Ephesians 1:17 and Daniel Seventieth Week.
Now watch:
[21-1] It has got to realize it.
Now the word ‘realize’ means it brings it to a reality. To realize means that you can discern. It means that you’ve got it figured out. See? Well you say, “Do you realize this was Mr. Henry?”
“Oh is that Mr. Henry?” Oh that’s a whole new ball of wax. You though it was Mr. George or somebody.
See realization has the word ‘real’ in it. R-e-a-l. Which has truth in it! So you’re talking about here it has got to come to the truth! “I’m the way, the truth and the light.” The God of the Amen is Isaiah, God of the truth. So at this end time, this little seed, this little John Doe has got to come to reality, the truth.
[21-1] Only that John Doe is God’s attribute that is become a Word spoken, and then the Holy Spirit [speaks] that Word out.
All right now here he’s back there like a Rhema, but the Rhema was produced by the Spirit. So therefore you cannot separate Rhema and Spirit.
Now then when it becomes Logos and it’s that Spirit doing it, you cannot separate Logos and Rhema! I don’t care about this guy up there in Chicago and places, I’ve no time for that nonsense and these preachers around here are fooled by him. See?
Now look:
[21-1] Only the John Doe is God’s attribute [but he’s going to come to reality,] that is become a spoken Word, [in this hour you have the man that was foreknown, elected, predestinated and he stands there,] then the Holy Spirit [speaks] that Word out.
Now you can take this to Brother Branham himself, and you can take it to each individual. But if the Word is being spoken out, then you’re going to take it directly to Brother Branham.
Then when you in turn become a witness and you speak it, you’re not a prophet, but it shows you’re a true child of God. Now watch:
[21-1] Here it is. He calls him, gives him Everlasting Life, and brings him into the Presence of God, God’s Word.
Now that’s, you could say, “Well he means God’s Logos there.” No! He’s telling you flat that if you understand the nature of God, you will know exactly what is Word and what isn’t Word.
You’ll know when God’s operating. And if it’s God’s operating, then it’s got to be God’s Word. You got to know the Spirit of God’s doing it. Okay.
So you see here that in the church, he has become knowledgeable. This person. He might not even be born again. He can be knowledgeable, concerning the things that he’s taught. And he might know a lot of things that are right. But there’s still error there.
So now when the truth comes, he will begin to change and build Word upon Word.
Now look in paragraph 102:
[21-2] Look, God had to [see Him] when He saw Jesus. It was a finished work that God finished with Jesus when He said, “It’s finished.” All the plan was finished. And when the Spirit of God comes upon you, and you truly are one of God’s attributes that He spoke of…
Doesn’t say that when He comes upon you, you become one. It says when the Spirit of that comes and you are one of those attributes standing there. And let’s face it, the Word of God isn’t going to come unless there are attributes there.
So the Word of God is come and you are an attribute, because that’s what we’re looking at. See?
[21-2] …spoke of… Now, if you’re not, [an attribute, and that Word comes,] you’ll wonder [you’ll fluster,] run here, [run] there, and everything else, and never come to the knowledge of the Truth.
See? If you’re not a seed, you aren’t going to get it, period! You can’t! He said of those Pharisees back there, he said, “There’s no place in you for the Word.” See? It’s like those poor foolish virgin. The oil had gone out of the Word they had, so now what happens? There’s no Word! No oil, no nothing.
Now they’ve got to get oil. By the time they get oil, remember the Bride has gone in, and they’ll say, “Wasn’t this supposed to happen? Wasn’t that supposed to happen?” Hey, ah, they got it too late.
Now you see there’s no Holy Ghost for their Word. So what happens? They die! But they come up in the second resurrection. Do you follow what I’m saying? It’s not hard to understand.
Now these others won’t come to the knowledge, see? Only the foreknown, elected and predestinated get to be Easter! Get to be resurrection! Get to be seen in Christ of whom God said, “My plan is finished, it’s all wrapped up in this!”
And He had to bring him forth from the dead. And the proof of it is the baptism with the Holy Ghost, that great Comforter, which Brother Branham now says is your abstract. The proof positive. Nothing can be done about it. Taken from it; added to it.
Every single child of God will be absolutely redeemed, as Paul was able to say, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive, but every one in his own order.” And remember there’s an order for the wise virgin, there’s an order for the foolish virgin. There’s an order right down the line.
Now we could read 2 Timothy 3:1-9. Maybe we will.
As I say we don’t worry about time because the main thing is to get across what Brother Branham is trying to bring, because this sermon can be heard by a Pentecostal, and it doesn’t mean anything, “But hallelujah, whoopee, we’re going just the way we are, the prophet told us we could.”
It won’t work! Every message was a corrective teaching message! And in it there had to be the substance of truth, which had gone awry. Bringing us right back to the first church age.
All right, you understand what I’m saying? So keep your mind on this message. That was 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
(01) Know [this] also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(02) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [if that isn’t this generation, what’s going on now.]
(03) Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(04) Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;
(05) Having a form of godliness, [now they got religion! But they deny the source of what religion should come from! They’re putting God to one side, they don’t care about him.] from such turn away.
(06) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, [now watch:]
(07) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
(08) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do [they] resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
(09) But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all, as theirs also was.
Now he tells you right there that at this particular hour there’s learning, and learning, learning, learning. That’s why they believe in evolution. Do you know that it was said years ago there would come a time, and I think the time has come now, that every six months knowledge will double itself?
And how does it double itself? It does it by the computer. It does it by scientific research. Men will write whole books, maybe six hundred pages, having studied what? The wing of one butterfly. What do they do with their knowledge? It doesn’t matter; it’s no good, because the knowledge of the most High isn’t in it!
Now you’ve got your Shelly Winters, and all these goof balls, with their reincarnations, and all the stupid stuff that’s going on. Unmitigated hogwash, ever learning, ever learning, but they can never come to the knowledge, because you can’t learn truth!
It’s no way; it’s got to be given to you. It’s got to be something like the eagle in there, there’s a response, because you see if you’re a seed of God, you’re absolutely quickened to that Word and in being quickened to the Word, you immediately swing right to the Author.
Because remember there’s an Author and Finisher of our faith, there’s an Author and Finisher of revelation, and Alpha is Omega. So therefore the finish of your revelation must be a hundred percent with revelation number one that starts back in the Garden of Eden and you’ll walk right to the Tree of Life!
He said, “You mean to tell me a mortal man like I am, dying in sin and so on,” the Blood of Jesus Christ scatters sin till there be no evidence of it. How can you make a man a sinner? “The Blood perfects the Bride.” All of these things the prophet said and you’ve got to put them in their proper context.
Now listen, in 103:
[21-3] If you are one of those, the old things pass away right quick…
What old things? What’s he talking about? He’s talking about revealed Word, the eagle scream! The old word you have, the old creeds, the old dogmas, all of that stuff is passed away. See it’s all gone. No way do we want to fool with that.
Now:
[21-3] … you become new, [be renewed in your minds,] and the plan of salvation is finished.
See? Now look, when you come to this place of the eagle scream and you have responded and God has responded, you are now one with the Word, the Word is one with you, you are that Word, God in you, Christ in you, all one, coming to the end. Now he said:
[21-3] …the plan of salvation is finished. [It said:] You’re ready to obey every Word that God ever spoke of you [now obey every Word that God ever spoke of you. How are you going to obey that? The obedience of faith. Now he didn’t say to, he said of. Now I got to give the man credit for being intelligent. And knowing what he’s doing. See? For] you’re submissive to His Word.
All right, what is that all about? It’s all about Easter, Resurrection, you, me, the people in the Message.
So all right, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,
(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, [with a command, a Message, a revelation, putting the church in order,] the voice of the archangel, trump of God: and dead in Christ rise first:
And there isn’t anybody understands what that is, they have no way of knowing it. In other words, God is bringing forth a passive faith, which is a revelation, and because you are seed you will believe it.
And everybody else will say, “Well I don’t see that,” they don’t have to, because they don’t even believe in vindication.
And when they do believe in vindication, they’re like the Pharisees that said, “Hey, what you did was really good, but now you give us the kind of sign that we want you to give.”
Like the Church of Christ said, “Well, oh well, no doubt the kid was healed, but what we really meant was that we’ll come here with this little girl, and we’ll cut her wrist, and when it bleeds, you heal her.”
Brother Branham said, “You’re of your father the devil.”
“Oh he shouldn’t say that, that’s not nice.”
Well if he’d have said anything else, he’d have been a liar! Who needs a prophet that lies to you? Shee. You might as well say, “Hey, you’re an ugly bird if I ever saw one,” not “hey you’re the sweetest nicest looking person, I’m sure that you could compete with Ronald Coleman.”
Well take a good look. I compete with Ronald Coleman? I think he’s dead, the only way I compete with him, the fact he’s dead. Because he hasn’t got a nose now and I got one.
What do you want a prophet that lies to you for? Come on, you don’t want that. You are in the Presence of God and His vindicated truth. See? And that’s exactly where 1 Corinthians 15 comes in, and it tells you, at the time of 1 Corinthians 15:
(20) Now is Christ risen from the dead, become the first-fruits of them that slept.
(21) For since by man came death, by man came also resurrection of [amongst] the dead.
(22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall be made alive. [Now watch.]
(23) But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his [presence].
It tells you there’s an institution of church order brought in. And I like that, because God is working in His church to bring everything into submission to Christ, which means the physical headship can come!
The Spirit is here, and the physical we will meet! That’s marvelous, just have to believe that and understand that to that degree.
Now notice, he said:
[21-3] You’re submissive to His Word.
Now they came to Jesus and said, “What are the works of God? What do you do?”
And He said, “To believe on Me is the work of God.” You start there or other works don’t mean anything.
Like James said, “I’ll show you my faith by my works.”
Paul said, “There ain’t no such thing as justification by faith,” and that’s exactly true. By works rather, justification by works. It’s justification by faith; Abraham believed God, what else could he do?
And God gave him the Holy Ghost, then you watch that man move forward. The Bible doesn’t contradict itself. So Brother Branham says here you’re submissive to His Word.
Now what is the Message of the last hour that you submit to? The age of the mind! Repent, repent, repent! And I wouldn’t give you two bits for your feelings, that you get all woozy and gushy, and you stand up here, and say, “Well Brother Vayle, I just felt bad against Brother so and so.” I said, “Get out of this church now.”
If you feel bad against, then you go to him outside of these walls. Because you’re hundred percent off the Word to stand up and say one thing. I’ve seen churches do it, and every time they do it they get into sin!
Why? Because they’re off the Word, they’re already in sin. Sure. That’s not hard to understand, that’s simple as ABC.
So therefore we become submissive to His Word. What is His Word? “I’m outside the church, I’m standing at the door and knocking, come on out and listen to Me. Come out of her, My people.”
“Oh no, no, it’s great in here. We’re rich, increased in goods,” so we make Him a liar! See here’s the vindicated God, you say, “I worship God, I love God!” But you’re saying, “Hey liar! I hate to say this, but you’re of the devil. Because I’m a nice guy and I don’t like to make anybody the devil, but you’re of the devil.”
“How so?”
“Why, you’re healing the sick.”
If this isn’t a sick depraved world, brother/sister in the church, I don’t even know why I’m here. Nothing wrong with us, it’s wrong with them. See?
Now, submissive to His Word. Come under divine order, come under the truth.
Now 104:
[21-4] The contract, exactly, the abstract to the contract, the title deed belongs to you. The debts are all paid. It’s all struck off, as it was at the day of Pentecost.
Now what’s he telling you about? He’s telling you at this very hour the Presence of the Holy Ghost, people being baptized, and there is a prophet revealing the Word, shows you the abstract has come in view, the plan of which is said it was finished, salvation is completed, you are standing right here, and he said, “You’re the sinless, righteous, perfect Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, didn’t even do it, you got trapped into it.” See?
People want to tell you we’re going back to Pentecost, then they want gifts and this, and I’m not against those things, but going back to Pentecost is repent! And be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for remission of sins. Yeah.
Remember Brother Branham in the Seals said, “This is ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD’, if you haven’t been baptized correctly, you’re going to get baptized again.” You take that step you’re in good shape. But then from then on you’d better believe that Word, because anybody can get baptized in water. And anybody can talk in tongues.
And anybody can heal the sick and raise the dead, just like Judas. But everybody doesn’t come to the Word. That’s the criterion. The gifts are bringing the churches together; the Word of God is driving us out! And driving us to Christ. It’s the only criterion you got, do what you want.
105.
[21-5] Now, let us notice the quickening–the quickening Spirit on other people.
Well, he’s talking of evidently then about a Bride church and other people. Now listen:
[21-6] This quickening [Spirit] that comes… Now, there’s a lot of mockery of it. There’s a lot of people that really think they got it when they haven’t. A lot of people do it because they’ve got some false impression of what they’ve seen other Christians do.
In other words they simply watch what the church is doing, and they say, “I’ll do what he says,” and that’s it. But it won’t work. Can’t work.
Now watch, 107:
[21-7] Satan can impersonate any of that.
Any of what? That other people are doing. Other people. But he also spoke of one man. When the Holy Ghost is amongst the people, when he said, “You see God descend from heaven, stand before groups of men and declare Himself as ever He did.”
And he said, “God not only went down to Egypt with Moses and manifested Himself in signs and wonders, but He Himself appeared in a flame of fire upon Mount Sinai, so today we have His picture.”
Do you understand that?
Now he said, “These other people out there, you can sell out to the group, the organization or the independents, and not sell out to God.” And you sell out to God on one condition the end time, “He that believeth on Me, greater works than these shall he do, because I go to My Father.”
And Brother Branham stood right there and he said what even Christ did not dare to say, except in the general terms of the end time, Brother Branham said, “If He told me to go and raise Abraham Lincoln or George Washington from the dead, I’d go and stand there by his grave and raise him the next morning or the armies of the earth could shoot me down.”
That’s perfect faith, brother/sister.
You know your God in a way that nobody else knows Him and you’ll speak in a way that nobody else could speak, but they’ll say, “Hah there’s nothing to it, nothing to it.” Isn’t that the stupidest thing you ever heard in your life?
Here’s a guy that can buy out Rockefeller, make all the Jews look sick with their lousy paper, and Rome look like a two bit piece that isn’t even there, “But we got more than him, we got more than him.”
Can you understand the audacity? Can you understand the stupidity? Can you understand the veracity of those people? Can you understand Satan? You cannot understand God except He manifest through the prophet and His people, neither can you understand the devil except you see him manifest through his people. You just think you can.
Now his picture’s right in this Bible here, I read part of it. What his gang’s like. Never come into the knowledge of the truth. And they’ll hold the truth back in unrighteousness.
[21-7] Satan can impersonate any of that. Missionaries, [you know,] can see it impersonated: shouting, dancing, speaking in tongues, and all these things, they can see it impersonated anywhere, [now he said Satan can get into people and manifest himself! Yeah,] absolutely, among the heathen, who even deny there is such a thing as Jesus Christ being the Son of God.
And you got that right here amongst the Christian Scientists and the Methodists and a whole bunch of others! And if you could give a good sign that Jesus wasn’t the Son of God, you could make it stick with the Pentecostals, I’m almost positive. I said I’m almost.
Now from here on Brother Branham begins to teach what error abounds in the churches. And he starts to go to the Word for illustration. So let’s read 108, and you’ll see the third pull in here.
[21-7] They do all those things themselves.
[21-8] But the real true quickening Spirit that comes to a believer quickens him to God’s Word. That’s back to eagle food again, right back to where he lives. [That] “Man shall not live by bread [alone], but every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Now that statement can be used by anybody. Any big mouthed hypocrite. Any lying deceiver. Any Bible student that wants to trick people and take them for a loop.
And any sincere person who’s absolutely convinced that he is right, he will say, “Man shall not live by bread alone,” and he’s absolutely true in what he says, but let’s go to the Bible and read it.
And see why Brother Branham is saying it. Matthew 4, of course. That’s exactly where it is.
Now:
(01) Then was Jesus led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And when was that? When the manifestation came down according to Matthew 3, when Jesus was in the water and He was completely filled with the Holy Ghost, and is now sent on His mission to both do and to teach! This is what happened.
(02) He fasted forty days and forty nights, he was an hungered.
(03) And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones be made [into] bread. [Now watch.]
(04) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
What is he saying here? He saying, “Listen to this. You’re the prophet, if you’re the Son of God; you’re that Son of Man, you’re that prophet Moses spoke of.” Now he said, “Being that, let me tell you what to do. You will turn the stones into bread, because you are hungry!”
Now notice he was attempting to take the ministry of Almighty God, God in Christ, and turn it to his own personal advantage, rather than that he should bring the living Word vindicated to the people according to Almighty God.
What’s the first thing that Satan wanted? To dispose God and get worship. Why do you think the churches want big churches and everything else? “A million more in ’54,” as Brother Branham kept telling us about the Baptists.
And he said, “Methodists want the Baptists, the Baptists want the Presbyterians,” and he said, “the Pentecostals want them all.” And in a few years they just about had them.
Because just about everybody’s Pentecostal, whether they want to agree it or not, because they now agree with the doctrine, it is not a Scriptural doctrine and that is the so-called evidence.
Now, in here with this here, he said, “Now if you’re the Son of God, you have the ability to prove that you are, that you are the legitimate one, and your words are the correct words by having the great tremendous miracles that set you forth as that one.” And so Satan said, “Now I’ll tell you what to do.”
And Jesus said, “It’s written.”
And he said, “Well all right.” He said, “Get up in the temple and do some great big circus act, this stupendous thing, really show something to the people.”
He said, “It is written.”
Well he said, “Fall down and worship me, we’ll just remove all of that.” And he said, “You can have it all.”
He said, “It is written.”
Now what are we looking at here? Brother Branham quoting this very thing shows you that Jesus himself was tempted, that he would not veer to the Word!
In other words he wouldn’t zero in on it. So therefore the whole key is, as it always was the key, vindication points to the Word! So if you take vindication and you move it into any other area, you are not the seed of God, you are not the prophet of God! What did Balaam do?
He never had any signs and wonders, but he prophesied. And he prophesied correctly, then he took the very prophecy that was correct, and spun it in order to captivate the children of Israel unto himself and to try to destroy them as a nation. What do these men do? Pervert the Word of God, they cannot do it.
Now listen, let me show you at the end time, over here in Hebrews 6, go to perfection. All right, what is it?
(03) This will we do, if God permit.
(04) It is impossible for those who were once [for all] enlightened, [that’s the last time there’ll ever be a revelation,] taste the heavenly gift, partake the Holy Ghost,
(05) Taste the good word of God, the powers of the world to come,
(06) If they shall fall away…
Now let me tell you something. Before this can ever happen there has got to be a vindicated number one prophet. Because how in the world are you going to get they knowing enlightenment. Because enlightenment does not come except from one person. That’s right, he must be the vindicated prophet.
And this is the last time men can change their minds. This is exactly the Book of Revelation 3:14-21.
When he gives, he said, “I’ve got one message for you, and that is repent, which is to change your mind,” and the changing of the mind is the renewing of the mind that brings about the metamorphosis and it is a ministry, which is a ministry of the Word, which is vindicated proving the Word is going to do it to you! But if you can’t see vindication, you’re never going to get the Word that’s going to do it to you.
Now that’s 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 4:1-5.
So you understand what I’m saying here. Hebrews 6 parallels exactly over here in Matthew 4. That’s why I believe Brother Branham took Matthew 4 as it goes on and talks about Isaiah, when the Holy Spirit comes back and deals with the Gentiles. That’s right.
Because the Holy Spirit does come back in a form of a Pillar of Fire, completely invades and takes over William Branham, so that the acts are of God and the words are of God and the people have the last chance to repent.
Now, hey come on, look at this thing here. In Hebrews I showed you this before but let’s look at it again. What’s happening? We are on our way to perfection; we’re on our way to immortality. And at this time they’re enlightened:
(04) …taste the heavenly gift, partake the Holy Ghost,
(05) …taste the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Now look, when you begin to understand what Brother Branham was able to do, that is God did through him, as he said, “He had more success in my ministry than He had in His Own,” and you see what false anointed ones can do, you are literally looking at the future Millennium!
You are already being equipped to going in! And if you are not equipped to go in you are not going in! And there isn’t one seed that’s not equipped to go in.
Now he tells you here:
(06) [Having fallen] away…
Now who falls away? There’s a mixed multitude! See?
And as they fall away from the truth, and Brother Branham was so sincere and so scared, he said, “I’ve got one fear,” he said, “that you, the people I leave behind me,” he said, “they will let carelessness and the things of this life come in and take away from the Word.”
And I’ve got the same fear here and I got it for you and I got it for me, because it’s so easy.
Now, so you’re looking at this thing.
(06) …they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
Now where did the crucifixion of Christ start? The crucifixion of Christ started immediately by Satan who tried to crucify his mind! To take it over, and to come against God, but he wouldn’t allow it.
So now we have at this end time here, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” And remember Jesus absolutely said, “The words that I speak are not my own,” and people marvel at that.
But that’s the simplicity of an ordained Word prophet! Moses was no different, Isaiah was no different, Amos was no different, Hosea was no different, Ezekiel was no different, Jeremiah was no different, Paul was no different, there is no Word prophet who is different!
Now you can do what you want about it. Every one of those prophets were a part of Him, and He was the whole of it, because each one had a part of the Word. So you’re looking at this thing and Brother Branham is now talking about the truth at the end time.
[21-8] “…every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” [Now 109, on page 22.]
[22-1] Let us now notice this quickening Spirit as it comes upon other people, like it did on the day of Pentecost. [Now he’s going back in history, the other people. Like Pentecost. See? Now, in spite of the unreal there’s a real. Because right at Pentecost Peter admitted down the road the Spirit would fall upon anybody and everybody. And he said, “Your sons and your daughters prophesy, my sons and my daughters. Now.] Let us notice Pentecost, how they acted, and see if they were quickened by this quickening power we’re talking about.
And listen, I’m going to add to it, “And now is here.” Because it’s true! Because he equated the resurrection literally to the baptism. Because without the Holy Ghost Presence, God being there, then God actually quickening that body, it would not have come back.
It wasn’t just enough that God stand there, just any more than you can have the electricity out there and the pole out there and you get lights in here. You better hook up. And it takes a direct charge. So God actually charged the atoms of Jesus Christ. He literally raised him from the dead.
Now:
[22-2] On the day of Pentecost they were all waiting there. In themselves they were afraid. [Of the Jews.] And what they were going to do to them, so they got scared. What happened? When this quickening power fell from heaven, there was a bravery [he calls it bravery, a braveness, a fearlessness,] set upon them. There was something, an understanding, where they were not too sure of it a few hours ago.
In other words, in spite of what they knew of Christ being raised from the dead, in spite of consorting with him, and knowing all those things, that in itself was not the answer, they themselves must have the quickening power of the Holy Ghost in their own lives.
Now he said here, “That which they were afraid of they were no longer afraid.” Now listen, watch carefully these words as I read them all.
[22-3] They knew that He’d died; they knew that He’d risen; they’d talked to Him on the way; but was that thing for them, or was it just for them, or for Jesus Himself?
[In other words, is this something just for Jesus? Is it something for them only? Is it for somebody else? What’s the scope of it? What is it all about? What’s the scope?] But here on the day of Pentecost, the Holy [Ghost, the Holy] Spirit, the Abstract, fell upon the believers…
Now he’s making the Holy Spirit and the Abstract one and the same and that’s true. Because it’s all bound up in the Holy Spirit and if you have the Holy Spirit you got it all.
Listen, he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, and my question for many years has been this: when God joined His Spirit to your spirit, did your spirit get dirty? No, it got clean. Then did it make God’s Spirit dirty? No way. But you got to make up your mind.
Now how do you get joined to God? The Holy Spirit falls upon your soul. That goes back upon the spirit and the person becomes one before God, don’t worry about your flesh, it’s going to die anyway. I don’t care if you got the Holy Ghost forty times over, you’re going to die.
Unless it’s time for immortality, the Bible says so, that’s Romans 8. Body’s dead because of sin. Spirit is life because of righteousness. Spirit is life because of righteousness. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. He that hath not the Spirit of God is none of His. See? You got to understand.
All right, now:
[22-3] …the Abstract, fell upon the believers that made them part of His resurrection, made them part of His fellowship.
What is His fellowship? With the Father and with His children. In the midst of the church singing praises unto God. If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanses us. You can’t have it without the baptism.
The Holy Spirit came and confirmed to them that they would be raised up, because they were potentially raised then from cowards to brave men.
Now let’s get this flat. When these people at Pentecost, Peter, James, John, performed the great miracles, which they did by the power of the Holy Ghost, the people said, “A notable miracle has been done, we cannot deny it. So bring those boys in and beat the tar out of them and shut their mouths!”
So they said, “I’ll tell you what gang,” said the priest and his cohorts, like they’ll do today. “You got something, but saying not too much. But tell you what, shut your mouths or we’ll get you.”
Why they said, “Just a minute, just a minute. You mean to tell us we’re going to shut our mouths when God said open them? Drop dead.”
Brother Branham talks of being ashamed of the Word, that’s we’re talking about right here.
At one time they had not the true answer, but when the Holy Spirit came and quickened to them the Word that they already had received and had been manifested, and remember Paul down the road got way more.
He got the whole thing, they stood up there and they said, “What we know is that this Jesus that David spoke of, and our forefathers Moses and the prophets spoke of, you killed him by wicked hands and God raised him, and this is the evidence, and we’re going to preach it!”
And they said, “You do and you’ll die.”
They said, “Well we’re going to die.”
I ask you a question, why did they kill Polycarp? For preaching. Why’d they kill Paul? For preaching. Why’d they kill Peter? Preaching. Why’d they kill Jude? Well they couldn’t kill John, they tried to boil him to death, he died naturally, they had to let him go.
What about the rest of the folk? Preaching. Why’d they kill Stephen? Preaching. Time over? Hmm. That’s about time to go is right. Well we’ll read this last bit. Now look, they became very brave, they were no longer cowards.
[22-3] They were afraid of the very Word that they thought. Don’t let this pass over you. They were afraid.
[22-4] Now they knew that he was the Word. [Even Logos.] Even the Jews had to admit it. “Rabbi, we know that you’re a teacher that come from God. No man could do the things you do except God be with Him.” [They recognized that.]
[22-5] So the disciples… Peter had even swore in His Presence. All of them had forsaken Him at the crucifixion, but here they are now up in this upper room in the Presence of God.
[22-6] Then all of a sudden, here came the Holy Spirit down from heaven, and It quickened them. When the quickening took place; they were not afraid to make a witness of the message that they believed and knew to be the truth. Otherwise they [would have been] afraid of it.
The same thing holds today! How can a man say that he’s got the Holy Ghost and be ashamed of this Message or be afraid of it?
Now I’m supposed to be like these other guys out there and so are you! And if you’re like them, be my guest, be that way! It’s your privilege. But I got one prayer, not to be the sweetest guy in the world; I wish I were.
Brother Branham said I wouldn’t be. But I hope I’ve got the guts, I don’t know if I have or not, because I can’t boast, that I’ll give tit for tat, they take me down one side, I’ll take them down the other and stand with this Word, because this Word is vindicated and there’s no place else to go unless you want to go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank You again for Your love and grace and mercy and all those things You load upon us, enduring mercies, abundant, eternal and infinite, that’s the word we’re thinking of.
Brought about through Your omniscience, devolving upon us by Your omnipotence, so we can say, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Paul was exactly right. It wouldn’t matter.
The love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, the conduit being the Word Lord, I believe it will make us stand there, be it persecution, famine or death, there’s got to be somebody, and if there’s not somebody in this church here, it’s going to be somebody out there, I know that.
If we end up acting like chickens because we are chickens, we know there’s going to be eagles out there Lord, that’s for sure, it’s been demonstrated. I hope at least then we can stand by as friends of the Bridegroom.
I believe Lord it goes beyond that, I believe somehow You give us that which is in Your Spirit Lord, Your nature, the way You do things, to help a people to stand there with that Word.
That Word that Brother Branham described so perfectly, those people knew but they didn’t know that they knew, and yet people today believe this Word but they don’t know that they know and some will never know, because they turn down a revelation. But Father, we’ve tried.
Like Brother Branham said, “Against my better judgment.” He just wanted to be a trapper, but his judgment said, “Hey trap.” But Lord You stepped in. He just stood there and told us what he was as a man, Moses; they’re all the same way.
You’re the only one, Jesus, that ever stood there perfect, and You were perfection for us and now help us to believe, that’s all. Because we can believe, You’re the perfect One that performed it, and we can believe in Your performance.
We really can, we know we can, if we’ve got that little seed of life in us, absolutely it’s going to be that way Lord, whatever part we are in the body we’ll manifest it, to Your honor and glory.
Help us tonight Lord to be the way You want us to be, we give You praise. Help us Lord the remainder of this service, the Communion and foot washing, we give Thee praise even greater measure, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
[Brother Vayle continues with the communion service]