Greatest Battle Ever Fought #25

Shall we pray.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we just approach your throne of grace and mercy tonight, asking for your help Lord. Knowing that you are here, and this is your Word, and you will do with your Word, whatsoever you desire, it will accomplish whereunto it was sent. And it will accomplish in them, to whom it was sent Lord.

We’re praying now Father that you’ll teach us thoroughly, in the truth of your Word, to understand the doctrine, to get it right Lord, because we know that when your time comes, you will dynamize that Word within the believer. And there is going to be dynamic changes within the believer Lord.

Even unto immortality, but we believe even before then, as the prophet said, that sweet Spirit comes into the church. The Spirit of Jesus Christ, and the sick are healed Lord. We’re looking forward to all the blessings that you have for us at this time.

But we want them Lord, in the way that you want to give them. The way the Christian should receive them. Father we pray you’ll help us therefore, to be fully amenable to your Word.

What all it takes Father, we just humble ourselves before you in faith, now we ask these mercies in Jesus name. Amen.

You may be seated.

Now tonight we are going to finish off on the series of, The Greatest Battle Ever Fought. And to do that, I’ll be reading certain portions that we read before, and comment briefly upon them. They are the portions I think that may be, not just the most interesting, but the most necessary.

Now, concerning the Message itself, of which this one Message, “The Greatest Battle,” is a portion. We would say this, that the dynamic manifestation of God, which manifestation, proving it was God manifesting Himself, was signs and wonders. With the categorical, explicit demonstration of “Thus Saith the Lord,” by the prophet, according to Deuteronomy 18, and it brought forth this Message.

Now that sounds kind of involved, that it is, and I can just break it down by saying this, and putting in two phrases. And that is, the dynamic manifestation of God brought forth this Message.

And the dynamic manifestation was that God proved that it was He Himself doing it by signs and wonders that only God can do, with the explicit demonstration of “Thus Saith the Lord,” by the prophet, according to Deuteronomy 18.

So what we’re seeing here is what we have been looking at continuously for years, is that we have a Message, which is demonstrably correct. God Himself demonstrating that this is the correct Message, and the truly revealed Word of God.

Now God Himself, visited by grace, His Church, and He brought forth a power in her, that in turn, brought forth a Message, which is the Word of God.

And you understand by that, that Brother Branham had said, “If God ever visits His power in the Church, it will be by grace.” And the power I am speaking of here is the manifestation of the signs and the wonders. The mighty miracles wrought by the prophet, who always had “Thus Saith The Lord.”

So by grace, God brought forth a power in the church, and that power in the church, in turn, brought forth the Message of this hour. Now this is known as the Bride Message.

And so this Bride Message, in turn, will bring forth a power in the Bride, wherein death is swallowed up in a victory. Now this is categorically, explicitly, Ephesians 1, and beginning at verse 15, where Paul is speaking to a Spirit-filled church.

Now, Paul is speaking from experience, and that experience is in 1 Corinthians, where, and we could turn to it,

That whatever you believed, was based upon the demonstration of power, which would give authority to the Word, what Paul spoke. And it’s going to be, absolutely, when this comes, the revelation will have to be based upon a dynamic authority. It can’t be otherwise. Because that’s how God did it and that’s how He continues to do it.

Now the revelation of Him is that you’ll know that God is doing it. And it is fully revealed, that it is God who is doing it, He Himself, and therefore He is using somebody to give the revelation of Himself to. And notice what takes place.

Now first of all, there has got to come a power into the church, to manifest itself, proving that the Message that follows is of God. And then from that will come forth another power. See? Verse 19-20.

Now what you’re seeing here is the full manifestation of Christ, who has risen from the dead, is now here in the form of the Holy Spirit, doing the mighty works of God, proving that it is God on the scene, bringing us the Word. Which in turn from the Word, a power is released, which will raise the dead and transform us.

And then it says, take us up,

Now that’s categorically the truth. Now, it is now exceedingly evident, that the Messenger, and the manifestation of Himself, that’s the Messenger Himself and the Message are all One. Or they are all One, and of One, and that One is the living God.

And if you go to Psalm 42, you will notice that Brother Branham loved this Psalm very, very much, and used it on the occasion of “Deep Calleth Unto Deep.”

All right,

Now you’ll notice in here that most everybody likes to read this as a sort of a bit of emotional poetry, where David is wrought up because of circumstances, and he is hoping that somehow he might have some type of visitation from God.

He might have some solace, might have something that will help him. But you read this the way Brother Branham read it, and you’re going to bring it into a very personal understanding.

As he said, “God did not only go down to Egypt with Moses and appear in signs and wonders, but He Himself appeared in a Pillar of Fire, and so today.” So here, what you’re looking at here is the cry of the heart for an unfulfilled promise that was given to a prophet.

Psalms 42:

In other words, give me some demonstrable proof. Show me something that you can put your hands on. Give me some evidence.

And he went through all the exercises that people go through, religiously and spiritually. But also, verse 5.

So, he’s looking at the fact here, that you can take religion, you can take spiritual enjoyment in the worship, and all of those things. And you still cannot come to the place where you want to be. You simply cannot do it.

Again, verses,

And I see here, that this great man David, the great Psalmist, poet, prophet of Almighty God, knew and understood this hour, of which Brother Branham spoke, where “Deep is calling unto Deep,” where you simply cannot be satisfied with what Christianity has been satisfied with previously.

It won’t work, and it’s not working, and we ourselves need a real revival in our souls, and our lives, as we see this here. Because we are in that very hour. Because Brother Branham categorically took the text, “Deep calleth unto Deep,” and then he spoke of,

Now I want to rephrase my opening remark, where I said, “The dynamic manifestation of God brought forth this Message.” It should really be, “The dynamic God of Hebrews 13:8 brought forth this Message.”

And this in turn, fulfills as we said so many, many times, 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Now you may wonder why I’m belaboring the point. Look, I can go through this in five minutes flat, where it may take you an hour and a half.

So I want everybody to learn by the repetition I am giving, you can follow along and understand, because this is what it is all about. There is a certain pattern we follow, that if you are familiar with, you don’t need to worry about your understanding and your faith. You’ve got it down right.

All right. Now he says here,

All right, we know that we have had for a previous six Church Ages, we’ve had six portions of the Word of God, six measures of the Holy Spirit, six measures of faith.

We’ve had come right up to the very end, and the last one brings forth Christ Himself, completely revealed, spiritually speaking now. The Presence of Almighty God, in the form of the Holy Ghost.

Now then remember, that’s exactly what happened. Now just keep in mind what I said, but remember, we go back to Calvary. All right. They put at naught the Corner Stone, which was the Headstone. They killed Him, God raised Him.

Now, the Holy Spirit descended, being the Corner Stone. The One that was here came back in the form of the Holy Spirit, and He is the Corner Stone. All right now, remember the Corner Stone is also the Headstone or the Capstone.

So now we have the return of the Holy Spirit at the end of the age, and the spiritual Capstone is down.

All right. The physical Capstone cannot come down until the Bride is completely ready to meet Him in the air. So all right, you see here, we have had the Holy Spirit coming up through the ages in the measure of which the Word was given.

Seven messengers, Seven Messages, Seven Ages. And when that’s over, there is at the Seventh Age. Then the Capstone that was the Cornerstone, spiritual, must appear. Which He positively has, and proven to be, He Himself.

All right now, we knew in part, but now, and they prophesied in part, but now, the part will be done away. And the apostle Paul let us know in Ephesians the 1st chapter, that a part was missing.

And that missing part, could not come until the end of the Age. The 10th chapter of the Book of Revelation proves something is missing. The Seven Thunders. And that could not happen until the end of the age.

So therefore, we have, as Brother Branham said, “A perfect revelation of the Word for this hour.”

And so now with this Message, which is the Seven Thunders, the Seven Seals completely fulfilled, we have then this complete revelation. Which in turn brings about a perfect faith in the Bride, and fulfills Ephesians the 5th chapter, and verses 25 to 27 and 30.

Now you notice here, though he does not bypass the Blood, the Blood is not mentioned. This is a process of the Word. And you notice it’s a process of the Word that is necessary for the Seventh Church Age Bride to put on immortality, because it’s at the last trump. See?

And remember, it’s the Seventh Church Age messenger, and the Voice of the Seventh messenger, when he shall begin to sound, that’s a trumpet. The mystery of God should be finished, as God had declared the Good News of the Gospel by His servants, the prophets.

So you find here then, which this, “Invisible Union of the Word and the Bride.”

Now you notice in here, when he says this: of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.

He said,

So you’re looking at the literal transformation at the end time, which takes place under this great Message and ministry. Now, let us make some pertinent observations about the manifest appearing of the Great God in the Bride, because He appears in the Bride, and to the Bride.

Number one: This appearing can, and will have no more effect than when God went down to Egypt with Moses. Now people say, “Well, if this is going to happen, it’ll turn the world upside down. You got to be insane.” You don’t even know what you’re talking about.

You’ve read the Bible, but you don’t even know what the Bible talks about. When Moses went down to Egypt to get to Israel, he couldn’t even convince his own brethren. No siree. They were against him.

He couldn’t do a thing with the Egyptians either. Nor will this one be received any more than when God indwelt the Son. How many people believed when God came down and indwelt the Son? Hardly a handful. Nor will it be received any more than when God appeared to the apostle Paul.

They said, “You’re crazy.”

Number two: the Prophetic Message will have no more effect upon us than it had upon Babylon when Daniel prophesied the fact of the fallen empire. He said, “The kingdom is now wrenched out of your hand. There’s not even a kingdom; it’s all over.”

They said, “Hey, look at this great guy. Bring in a robe, put a chain around his neck, and make him the third ruler of the kingdom.”

There wasn’t any kingdom to rule. And that’s what the Churches are doing right now. They got nothing to give you, they’re boasting, you’re not going to die. Listen to us. And the Church world is being sucked in a hundred percent, and don’t you ever believe otherwise.

All right, the manifested Message, this manifested Message, will not bring the world to God. It was sent only to make ready the Elect. It will, however, condemn the world, because that’s exactly what happens.

Number three: the manifestation and the Message will bring forth a mixed multitude. This is difficult to say, but it’s the truth. Every church in this Message will entertain three kinds of believers.

That’s believer, make believer, and unbeliever. The true believer is the one who receives not only the supernatural vindication and the Message, but has an understanding of the Message that he says that he believes.

Now there’s a lot of talk going around, because they are taking what Brother Branham said in just one place. “You don’t have to understand, just believe it.” But he turned around and said, “Hearing is understanding.” And so they try to pervert it.

And yet the same people are deliberately trying to ensnare you into a false understanding of what Brother Branham actually taught. And always looking down the road. Oh, the great looking down the road. “Souls in Prison,” and this, that, and the other thing.

They fail to realize what we know; White Throne is on now. Now if you don’t understand that statement, you just stay with it, till something happens in your heart to get it.

Because I’m telling you what the prophet said, and if you say opposite, or you try to rationalize, or you try to figure it out, you’re sitting here as hypocrites. I just tell you to your teeth, because it is White Throne, and I’m not going to stand here and be made a fool of by anybody.

That’s exactly why Brother Branham said, “Leaving neither root nor branch. It’s all over, the souls are in prison. The division has been made. The last elected ones are coming in, and being child trained.”

Let me show you the truth. It’s right here in the parables of Matthew the 13th chapter. I’m not steamed up; I’m telling you the truth. That’s what it’s all about. All right,

That’s going to be the Lake of Fire. If you haven’t got the seed in your soul, it won’t do you any good.

There’s the Word again. No understanding. Don’t know what it’s all about.

That’s a properly fertilized ground of the Lord, and in it is the seed sown. And the rain and the sun will bring it forth. Notice,

You’re going to find Brother Branham [we’ll quote him right tonight in his sermon,] where he says that He is going to bring forth of Himself. We’ve been saying that for years. All right.

Now, when Brother Branham first came on the scene and preachers saw the Word of God, the majority took to the idea that here was an example to all of us to do these same works of God. They had no time for a Message, but set out to do the works and they did them.

They settled for Mark 16, instead of going all the way to Hebrews 13:8. And this immediately qualified them to stand in the same place where Israel stood, with the veil upon their minds, and nothing could be done.

The same place as Hebrews 6, they turned down the Word of God, though they had all the signs and wonders, and therefore they go into the darkness of eternity.

Now in our churches, who understand the truth as Brother Branham brought it, we believe in Hebrews 13:8, which encompasses Mark 16.

And since the greater contains and exceeds the lesser, we are now facing a step where we ought to be coming soon to the place where the Love of Christ who is the Word, is so great in our midst that the gifts of the Spirit are on the shelf as it were, and the sick amongst us are all healed by the power of released faith, which is in the Word.

Since the last trumpet Message swallows up death and transfigures the Bride, it ought to be no great thing to believe for the Word to heal us.

As it says in,

And that’s right. There’s destruction going on right now through the processes of sickness, which we know AIDS is the paramount one. Cancer is there too. Tuberculosis and things like that, heart trouble, but it’s nothing like this one.

Surely rapturing faith, as we have it now, encompasses healing for our bodies, and although it does not mandate it, it is ours for the taking, as are all other promises which are contained in the whole.

Now this is what Brother Branham was trying to get to us in ‘The Greatest Battle’. He was showing us how the Living Word becomes operative in us, through the processes that God has laid down. Some of which we have a lot to do by, you know, our own mental exercises which are set before us.

Now, we’re going to read then on page number 15, beginning at the top of the page.

[15-1]  Therefore Satan began at the principal part to cause the spirit of man, [it could be the soul of man, either one, but it’s the spiritual part] to doubt God’s Word. Actually, [the decision had to go down to the soul by way of the spirit.]

God began at the principal part to lay His Word in that (soul) spirit. [Now the Word has got to get down past the spirit into the soul. Now it’ll come from the mind to the spirit, down to the soul.] There you are, that’s what it does. He wants this Word then, to get down in the place where the real life is.

That’s why Paul said,

So now you have got the two natures, you got the two lives, the two fights, going on now. All right.

[15-2]  If this Church right now could be put together, and knitted together, in such a way that every person would be in one accord, with not one shadow of doubt anywhere, there would not be a feeble person in our midst in another five minutes.

There would not be anybody here desiring the Holy Ghost, but what would receive it. If you could just get that certain thing fixed. [Well, what would be the certain thing fixed?]

Well, number one: you’d have to be fixed on the fact that he was the Prophet of God with the Word of Almighty God, and what he said was right. We never did get a hundred percent that far, but we’re getting there.

[15-3]  Now, there’s where the battle begins right in the mind. Now you remember, it’s not Christian Science, mind over matter. The mind accepts the life, that which is in the Word.” [In other words, the mind accepts a living Word which we know to be living because it’s demonstrated. And it’s the Word of God that brings the life.] Just your thought doesn’t do it, but the Word of God, brought in the channel of your thoughts.

Or in other words, you utilize your thinking capacities for the Word. That’s what does it, see?

[15-3]  It’s not the thought as Christian Science makes it, mind over matter, no. That isn’t it. [But it’s your mind accepts what does have power over all matter, which is the Word of God. And not just the Word of God, but the living, manifested Word of this God.]

But your mind accepts it and grasps it. What is your mind controlled by?” [Well it’s controlled by the spiritual part of you, which is the spirit and the soul, which all depends on which way you’re moving.]

And your spirit catches the Word of God and that’s the thing that’s got life in it.” [ Now not your spirit got life in it, but the Word of God has got life in it.]

So that’s what you’re trying to do, is get a hold of something that is apart from you, that you can utilize, or becomes useful of itself within you. Like a reflex. You practice, and practice, and practice till the reflex comes. You see? Okay.

[15-3]  It brings life into you. 

[15-4]  Oh, brother, when that takes place, when life comes down through that channel into you, the Word of God is manifested in you. 

 In other words, he says right here now, when you come to the place where your mind will actually take the Word of God, and take It above all else, take It right down into your soul, so the life can be released.

[15-4]  He said, When life comes down into that channel into you, the Word of God is manifest. Which is what? “If you abide in Me and My Word abides in you, then ask what you will and it shall be done.”

Now here is the utilization of the living Word, in which we have our supreme faith. That’s what you’re looking at.

[15-5]  Then what does that do? From the middle of the heart which is the soul, [now that’s absolutely correct], there goes forth the living Word, feeding every channel. [It feeds into every channel and It feeds every channel. See?] The trouble of it is, we’re standing in here with a lot of doubt, trying to accept what’s out there.

In other words, Brother Branham is telling them, look, everything is manifestly true in this Message, and you’re having a job grasping it. You’ve got to stop that, and come down that channel with the true Word of God, and then It goes out itself automatically.

Now once then, the Message is absolutely believed as “Thus Saith the Lord,” and this is it, and there’s no more doubts, and you’re not fussing about it. But you say look, live, die, sink, or swim, I believe it, and really mean it; something has got to begin to happen.

And it goes the same way with what you’re talking about. “I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

Romans 4:

And he didn’t give two bits what anybody else said. He said, God said it, God said it, God said it. And after a while the life in the Word, in his soul, took control. And you couldn’t have stopped that guy with a bulldozer. There’s no way, because there was a transformation.

So he says, “You’ve got to stop that.” Looking around things out here, and comparison, making invidious comparisons. And wondering about this and wondering.

You say, look, I don’t care what anybody else says, or whatever happened to any other person, or what happened to even me. The Word of God is true. And the more you begin to see It, the more that Word can come down, until then It begins to come out. See?

[15-5]  It’s what’s on the inside, that’s the thing that counts, is the inside. [In other words, get the Word down in there regardless. In other words, what’s out here is going to fight you, so forget it. Get the Word down in here.] Satan’s approach is from the inside.

In other words, he wants to get you all messed up on the inside, then he’s got everything in control on the outside. But you get cleaned up on the inside, the things on the outside are in control.

[15-6]  Now you see, I don’t steal, I don’t smoke, I don’t do such things. That’s got nothing to do with it; it’s the inside. No matter how good you are, how moral you are, how truthful you are.

Those things are respected, but Jesus said, ‘except a man be born again.’ There’s got to be something happen inside. If you don’t, that’s artificial put on, of down in your heart. But you’ve got to desire it anyhow.”

In other words, we don’t go for the artificial put on down there, but we’ve got to have a real desire for the Living Word of the Living God, and then we’re going to get somewhere.

[16-1]  It can’t be artificial, it’s got to be real, and there is only one avenue, that, that can come down, and that’s by the way of free moral agency, come into the soul by your thoughts. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So if you say to this mountain, move, and don’t doubt in your heart, believe then, what you have said will come to pass, you can have what you said.” 

All right now, that reminds me then of Laodicea, and the message at the end time is repent. See? Repent, repent. In other words, change the mind, change the mind, change the mind.

And so what Brother Branham is giving us here is the complete changed mind, which will determine the influence of all the thought and theology, and all the goings on around about us. The same as it did with Abraham.

All right now.

[16-2]  If you’d only get that started first, we’re so anxious to see things done. We’re so anxious to do something for God. This little lady is so anxious, no doubt to live; she wants to be well.

Others are here who want to be well, and when we hear about that case like the doctor, the resurrection of the dead, the great mighty things that our God has done. Then we’re anxious, and the thing of it is, we try to reach through the senses to grab a hold of something here like conscience.

Now Brother Branham said, “Look, we positively know manifestation there. We saw God raise the dead.” I was there on two occasions out of the five.

All right, we see all of these things going on, and we see all right, we know people are being healed, the power of God is in Brother Branham. “Thus saith the Lord,” and all these things.

Now they get nervous, trying to reach out and get it. He said don’t do that, just relax and let the Word of God that deals with you and the subject get down in here. Because you see, all that God is doing in Brother Branham’s ministry out here, is demonstrating the Life that’s in the Word.

Now that’s very wonderful, to demonstrate the Life that’s in the Word. But what if the life is not in you? See, that’s the thing you want. So he said, just cut that all out, relax, come right on down, and just begin to study the question here.

Now, on page 20, paragraph 1. 

[20-1]  You can have little conscience and be conscious of things and aware of things, little feelings, little sensations and all these things, that has nothing to do with it. See, they’re just little sensations and things. But when it comes to reality, your mind opens it up. 

Now the mind cannot fathom and understand a miracle. There is no way. All you can say is, God did it or something stepped in and did it. Well, let’s find out how to get to what does it. Now Brother Branham tells us,

It’s the opening of the mind to the Word. Your mind either accepts it, or rejects it, that’s it friends. God let none of them miss it. See, it’s your mind that opens up the door or closes the door, and listens to your conscience, or your consciousness, listens to your memory, listens to your affections. But when your mind closes itself to these things, and let God, the Spirit of His Word come in, it blows the rest of that stuff out. 

Now how are we going to get rid of doubts and fears, and all the things that plague us, to stop us getting our healings and our answers? It’s to cause the mind to deliberately blank out to them, and open the mind to the Word of God, because truly no person can really think of two things at one time.

Now to really get the mind centered on God,

To get the mind truly fixed upon God, absolutely must be done by the Word. And then in turn, there must be an absolute effort on the part of the individual, to close his mind to the clamorings of those things that would dislocate or hinder the Word of God. Now that’s the tough one.

That’s the tough one right there. That’s why most people cannot fight themselves out of a wet paper bag when it comes to faith. Because they have never practiced getting quiet before God. They’ve never practiced fighting their way through. They’ve never learned to stand still. Now I’m telling you the truth.

Now let’s let it sink in, because you’ve got to learn to do it. It may be with your home life, it may be with your job, it may be with your actions, it may be for your inactions. I don’t know what it’s all about. Maybe because you need healing. But it tells you right here, you must put aside, and I must put aside the sensations. The memory of things.

Never mind what it is, good, bad, indifferent. Open up the mind to the Word of God. Page 20.

[20-1]  But when your mind closes itself to all of these things. [That’s everything that’s outside of the Word of God. Everything that’s in your life.] And let God, the Spirit of His Word come in, it blows the rest of the stuff out.

Every doubt is gone, every fear is gone, every sensation and doubt is gone, every feeling is gone. There’s nothing standing there but the Word of God, and Satan cannot battle against that. [And if you don’t believe that’s the truth, you read the life of Job on the ash heap.] No sir, he cannot battle against it; Satan cannot touch that. Now we know that that is the Truth. 

[20-2]  And these battles have raged since the day of the Garden of Eden, the battle of the human mind.

So page 22, paragraph 6. 

[22-6]  There it is right there, those channels. If you just get them opened up, don’t want to just bypass them. 

Now Brother Branham tells you something right there. All of these channels that are good in the daily realm of necessary living. Say okay, it’s a hot stove; don’t put your hand on it.

There’s a snake there; don’t try to cross over him. All of these things are good; you don’t try to emasculate yourself. Because your eye offends you, don’t pluck it out.

That means stop looking in the wrong direction. If your hand offends you, that means get it out of somebody else’s pocket.  You know, pretty well. That’s about all it amounts to, if you want to know the truth of it. So, you got to watch those things.

Now he said here, “Those channels.” Now they’re perfectly legitimate in every human being. See? And you don’t want to bypass them, but you want to start using them for a higher purpose.

Which was the original purpose in the garden of Eden, before Satan tricked her mind all up. So now we got to work the mind back to the place where we begin to allow the input from God.

Page 22. 

[22-6]  Then if Satan can get through there, [by these various precepts and perceptions we have,] all other things, it gets right down in the soul, you get right through the mind to the soul. 

Now, he wants to get us like he did Eve. And he says here, “You must never look at one of his, what Satan represents.” You got to leave that and you got to look at what God has said.

Because if you let Satan in, by just actually looking away from the Word of God, to the things of this life, that are just used out here and pass away when we die, then he said, “Satan becomes in control.”

So therefore, he’s telling us there is only one way for God to be in control in our lives, and that’s by filling the mind with the Word. It cannot be by any other effort. It’s got to by the conscious effort of filling the mind with the Word. That’s why I said some time ago, it’s a very good thing if a person really wants to be healed, is to study divine healing, very, very hard.

And every facet he can, and just dwell on it, and wait before God. And as he waits before God, anything that is in his life that God might bring to his attention, he’ll know what to do about it. But particularly, to believe the Lord in this particular strait that he is in.

All right, on page 27, I want paragraph 4. I got mine marked here.

[27-4]  [He said,] I’ve seen it many times, when you see the Spirit of God strike a place, and that place gets under the anointing. If this little group in here this morning could just take this mind here, and get every doubt out of the way. How can you doubt any more when you see the dead raised up, the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear? 

Now you see, you’re going right back to the major premise of believing the Message, which is the signs and wonders and “Thus saith the Lord.” Now the application to the healing, because he’s preaching on healing in this Message, is you have seen all of these things in a vindicated Message. Then you understand that healing is part of the Word that Brother Branham has brought us.

So that’s why he said one time, “If you only knew who I am, you’d all be healed.” So he said, “God sent me to heal the sick, to pray for the sick,” and that’s why at all times he prayed for the sick. So what he’s saying, “I’ve seen it so many times, when you get the people in a place all under an anointing.”

Now, back in 1957, when Brother Branham came to Lima for us there, and I was in the Baptist church there, and to the Allen county auditorium. We had a group of people there who came from many areas, and of course, I taught every single day on faith.

We had prayed for many… we had prayed literally for months. Hour after hour, we had set our hearts to see God move in a way that we so desired it. All right, that little hard core group of people, so believed the Lord that the gift of healing went into operation for the first time in five years.

So therefore you see, we started here, trying to get everybody to understand what this Word really is all about. Now you’ve got to trust me. There’s nothing you can do about it. If you don’t trust me, that’s fine. I can always go someplace else, or you can go someplace else. But you got to come some place where you trust somebody, to set the tenor of the Word.

That’s why I constantly say all the time, look, you can fool with anything else except my ministry. The minute you do, I’m gone. You understand what I’m saying? I’m not trying to be hard and dirty, I’m letting you know something. Get your minds lined up with mine!

I’m going to answer to God for you! But I won’t answer any other way. I won’t answer for your morals; do what you want. Live like a pig! It’ll come back on you. You’ll find out what it’s all about. Don’t kid yourself sitting here. You can lust after the flesh and all these things. But this Word is what counts.

Now we’ve got to come to the mechanical understanding of It. If you have questions, ask them. That’s what talking the Word is all about. Now it’s not going to make you explosive or tremendously dynamic. It’s not going to do a million things that you might think It’s going to do.

But Brother Branham categorically placed it here, “Open the mind to this Word, because there is life in this Word.” Now, if I’m giving you a true understanding of what the prophet taught, there is life in this Word! If it isn’t the true understanding, there is no life in the Word, it’s death.

And if you don’t understand it, you got a problem.

Now it doesn’t mean you are defeated entirely, but it means you better start looking to see what the question is. Where are you stumbling? Why are you stumbling? What can’t you take? Can’t you take God in the prophet? Well then throw your Bible in the gutter.

Forget it, because the Bible said so. God in the prophets. It’s the strangest thing, everybody can take it, especially Pentecostals, and God knows who else. A Baptist, a whole bunch. Oh, Christ is in me. Christ is in me. Christ is in me.

And they wouldn’t know Him if they met Him in a pound of butter, or in their morning porridge. Christ in you, the hope of glory? Hogwash. You got no more Jesus Christ than a jackass has.

That’s right. How can the Holy Ghost be in a person, and then turn down the very Word that the Holy Ghost brought? And claim this Bible is written by the Holy Ghost. And then see it manifested, demonstrated. See, you’ve got to come to a zeal. There’s no zeal, it’s a pretty bad situation. See?

Now, there is an anointing comes with the constant presenting of anything. You can get any kind of spirit on you. Now, how in the world is anybody going to get the Spirit of God moving in any meeting? Like only by the Word of God, because that’s the conduit. The person is not it.

The person God has to use, because the ultimate of God is His purpose in His Elect. So He’s going to use somebody. But the point is that is merely the bag that carries the treasure, and the treasure is the living Word.

Well, you can hide the Word of God in your heart, and it won’t do for diddlies for you, unless there’s life in it. Well, it’s the living Word then that’s coming to our minds and in our souls. And that’s what we’re failing to realize, that this Word has Life. See?

Now don’t try to feel it, and don’t try to guess it, and don’t try to think something of it. Just realize this Word has Life! You bet It’s got life; It raised the dead. Because I say I saw it on two occasions myself. I know what it is to see that happen.

Now you see the Spirit of God strike a place, that place gets under the anointing. Now there’s anointing; the Holy Ghost anointing can encompass everything. It can encompass the new home for you.

It can encompass a new set of eyeballs if you are blind, or haven’t got any eyeballs either, or new eardrums. It can encompass a new job. It can do every single thing in the Word of God that has to do with creation, because the same God that made all creation maintains all creation.

And the same God that said, if a man doesn’t work he doesn’t eat, has got lots of jobs out there for those that need jobs. Now that’s all there is to it. Now the anointing can strike that and anything can happen in that group.

See, now you’re into Mark 16, but let’s get back to where the anointing strikes, that this Word is the real Truth. Where something really begins to take place, and it’s beginning to take place. We’re piling Word upon Word.

Page 27,

[27-4]  [And I say to] this little group in here this morning, could just get this mind there. Get every doubt out of the way. How can you doubt any more when you see the dead raised… [and so on].

[27-5]  The Angel of the Lord, even His picture hanging there on the wall has got science stumped everywhere. [See, Brother Branham standing on the vindication theorem principle.] What does he do? Stay right with the Word, Amen, it cuts every devil. That cuts every devil. 

How many devils does it cut? Then they say, “Well, I don’t know, we’ve seen a lot of things you know. Well, that was authenticated by George J. Lacy, the head of the FBI, the Bureau of Documents, and so on.” Well, he could make a mistake. Skeptics.

Got science stumped. What does it do? Stay right with the Word, that one stays right with the Word, Amen. Cuts every devil. [What cuts every devil? The fact that he is there with His Word.]

The ministering Spirits sent from the presence of God to anoint the speakers of the Word that stay with the Word. And He confirms the Word with signs following, brings Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In other words, we see actually Hebrews 13:8, when you see someone like him, so anointed by the Holy Ghost, and doing the things that the Word of God says. Confirming the Word, that shows that Hebrews 13:8 is here.

Now to really understand that is what we are striving for now. To bring everything into captivity: the cares of the world, unbelief, this, that, and the other thing. To stop it right now. Stop those channels and plug the channels with Hebrews 13:8.

[27-6]  How could we doubt, when He’s both scientifically proven, materially, spiritually, every way that can be proved? He’s proved to be here. What’s the matter? It’s in our minds, we open our minds to other things, and say, well, I really don’t know.

All right, page 29, paragraph 1.

[29-1]  God calling every Seed of Abraham this morning to the same kind of life. The great battle in on now, worldwide. God wants His children separating themselves from what? See, taste, feel, smell, hear, imagination, conscience, memories, reason, affection, everything. 

In other words, every single thing that lies within mankind that has taken on a twist, from the Word of God, must be put under the control of the Word of God. How? Open up their minds, and let the Word come in and march with the Word. That’s the real soldiers with his orders. See? So we’re looking at that.

Every message Brother Branham involves these channels, and he tells us we’re involved in a wrong way. He said, “We must look to the Word of God at all times, for all things, and never mind what this says.”

Now this is the tough battle here. And I’ve been suggesting continuously, and I’ll continue to do it, that if we once get our hearts and our minds completely settled on the understanding of the Message Brother Branham taught, it isn’t so hard to begin to go back, and put the things of our mind in their relationship to the world in order.

Because why? The first thing that Satan got to was deceiving Eve on the doctrine, and on the truth. From that time on, nature was no longer under her control. Now we’re going to get back to nature, and nature is waiting for it.

Remember, Jesus had nature under control. Brother Branham could take nature under control, and we in a measure take nature under control. And the control has got to start in the mind to believe God period, in the Word that we have for this hour. That’s the big thing.

Because look, if I preached and got you into the realm of healing only, and everybody in this room gets healed by anointing on the congregation, strictly for healing. You’re all going to die anyway if Jesus doesn’t come and get you out of here.

Then what good’s your healing? It’s only temporary. We’re trying for higher stakes. See? So that’s what you’re looking at here, we’re looking at this thing together. Okay, page 29.

[29-2]  That’s the way the stars stand, the solar system, and so on.

In other words, everything is in divine order and God wants our mind in the divine order of what He said is to be that divine order. Begin to put everything in here by the Word and begin to force out everything that’s against it.

Now page 47, paragraph 1-3.

[47-1]  Now, there are two great forces that are coming together right now. They’re battering, they’re battling right here in the building right now. They battle day and night with you. Every force, Satan following you along, with that great big, kingly, priestly Goliath trying to scare the liver out of you, that he’s right, [by hitting at the Word here see, the Message. By God Himself,] you’re fortified (Amen!).

[That’s the one right there that gave the Word, backed it up.] With the Gospel, with the Word of truth around your loins. Glory. Preacher, that’s what it is, helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the Sword waving in your hand. Satan, I’m coming to meet you, you meet me in the name of science, you meet me in the name of culture,… you meet me in the name of organization, you meet me in the name of this, that, or the other. But I meet you in the name of the Lord God of Israel! I’m coming after you. Give away! Even death itself can’t stand there. Chop a hole right through it. That’s right.

Now you notice in here that Brother Branham is now actually telling the people to not only to receive the Word in the mental capacity, and take it down within the soul, but he’s already told us it’s life, and it’ll come forth.

So therefore, what is going to come forth? The Word will come forth in an action against the perverse, the perverted, and whatever the problem is, disease or anything else. See? That’s what you’re looking at here.

Now notice the next paragraph.

[47-2]  Satan’s army brings diseases, and God’s army is commissioned to cast them out. Amen! There you are. Every time Satan throws anything off onto you, God’s army is to cast him out. Amen! Cast out, that’s the very tactic that God used. Satan used the army of destruction to disbelieve God’s Word, and set him up a better kingdom than Michael had, and what did God do? Cast him out. 

[47-3]  God’s method is to cast out the evil. Now how’s he do it? Casting down reasoning. Casting down superstitions. Casting down weary. Casting down diseases. Cast down sin. Amen! You’re above it, resurrected in Christ Jesus, sitting in Heavenly places with every devil under your feet. You know you’re dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.

What is dead? You are dead to your senses. You are dead to your conscience. [Your intelligent part of you,] in your reasoning. Dead to all of those things and you’re buried in the Name of Jesus Christ and you’re raised with Him. And wherever He is, there you are also.

Now, that’s where Brother Branham is looking at the status of a Christian. Now that status of a Christian is known in the old vernacular “State and standing.” Now your standing before God is one of complete perfection.

That’s an old Scofield doctrine, and old Baptist doctrine, Puritan for all I know. But it’s one of the great doctrines of all time, and it’s very simple. Your standing before God is perfect. God does not see you. He only hears your voice through the Blood, and He looks on your representative, which is Jesus Christ the Lord.

That’s why the Blood has scattered sin, there’s no evidence of sin. How can you make a sinner, and He said, “You are the virtuous, righteous, sinless Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, you didn’t do it at all, showing complete justification.

That is our standing. What is our state? Our state is down here, how we are using or not using the things of God. How we are yielding to or not yielding to the Word of God.

How we are pressing our state of mind, and faith in Christ, as to what He said who and what we are. In contradistinction to who, and what the devil said we are, or we ourselves think we are, or somebody else thinks we are.

Now you see, you can see that we have not come very far. And if God is getting a Bride ready, it looks like it’s kind of slow. And if anybody thinks 1988 is going to do it, there’s going to be some miracles take place in the mind. I can tell you that.

Because we are simply back in Pentecost yet, brother/sister. We are dealing with too many sensations, and wonderments, and this and that and the other thing. There’s not a complete pressing in. And there’s got to be a complete pressing in, because that’s what it’s all about.

All right, let’s go to page 55 and that’s my final reading. Page 55, paragraph 4-5. And Brother Branham brings up the thought now, and this here has to do with the doctrine. And I’m enclosing it in, because it’s very important.

[55-3]  In Russia, I’m going to say this for the benefit of the veterans, and so forth, you Bible students. Why are you fussing and hollering about Russia? [Now there you are. Prophet of God said don’t do it.] You don’t hear me telling you to build a bomb shelter do you? [Then why are they spending all these billions on missiles, everything else.] Russia isn’t anything, she’s not going to win any wars, she isn’t going to conquer any world. 

No, because the minute she fires her bombs on America, and the Vatican, God comes down and wipes the whole thing out. Communism is nothing more nor less than one of the feet of religion, which came down from Rome. When the pope took over the titles of the Babylonian kings, and they became vicars, and so on.

You can read the history itself, it’s in Hyssops book. Nobody can confute it or refute it, it’s absolutely true. The history and the records are there. You can actually buy a book today, the records of all the popes, and you can get all the records any time you want, of all the Protestants.

And you’re going to find right here in America, that America has made the image to the beast. Absolutely. American money went to Europe, took pretty well over where the old Roman empire was, where Rome was for centuries. Got the whole thing back into the net.

America with the Marshall Plan and everything else. America’s built the image, and America will extend the invitation to the pope, as they are doing now to take it over, and the pope will take it over. I don’t blame him one bit.

He’s destined to do it, let him do it. But America’s done it. The Protestants have done it. The very trap they come out of, they’ve gone right back in, which is organization.

You cannot listen to God and man at the same time. And said, “Cursed is man who makes flesh his arm.” You can’t do it, “Cursed is the man who goes back to Egypt.” You can’t do it.

[55-3]  She isn’t going to conquer any world. Communism isn’t going to conquer any world. What’s the matter with people? God’s Word. Can God’s Word fail? 

 [55-4]  Listen, it’s on tape now. To the world I speak where these tapes go. You people here, no matter what happens to me, you believe this: Russia, communism isn’t going to conquer anything. God’s Word can’t fail. Romanism, it’s gonna conquer the world.

Now, right now, brother/sister, because of the political system, because of the tax situation, everybody’s worrying. What about the Stock Market? Well fine, what about it? What about the Social Security? What about it? I admit these things, these are causing great concern in the world, as though they meant anything.

What really means one thing is this. Romanism, through the image that the Protestant’s built, all the Churches getting together, are going to condemn billions to the Lake of Fire. What are you going to worry about Social Security?

Let me tell you something. I’ve had to face life without money many times, under conditions you know nothing of here. I’m still here and I’ll be here. These things are problems, fear gets in on every side. But have you really begun to fear organization?

Why do you think I lash out about these preachers that got their people organized? I’ve said time after time, I say it again, it’s on tapes, and I care less who hears and fusses at it. They say, we believe what Lee Vayle believes. Hogwash they do, because they’ll have you hanging onto their skirts and believing them.

You, I, tomorrow morning, I could leave you flat here with one confidence. I have pointed you to the Word, and to the Christ of the Word. You no more need me than nothing. It happens I am here, that’s all, preaching because I got a ministry.

It all works together by the Grace of God. But you sticking to me, it isn’t going to do you one bit of good. You listening, isn’t going to do you one bit of good. It’s only if you understand what is being said, and you have the headship totally in Jesus Christ the Lord.

And that Word gets in you, and releases that Life. Why, they got it all figured out now. That when Brother Branham comes back, he’s going to be the main one.

They’re going to be under him, and you’re going to be under them. I have no plans of being in the Millennium under Brother Branham and you under me. If it happens it happens without my knowledge. I’ve got nothing to do with it, brother/ sister. But I got news for you.

This Word that we teach here, and believe here by the Grace of God, gets us ready for that Great Day. There’s something going on. It’s not with you and not with me as people, as though we produce something. But it’s what has already been produced for us. Demonstrated and manifested.

So it’s perfectly, it’s more apt, it’s more appropriate, it’s more wonderful to know.

We can hear Brother Branham say, “Romanism is gonna conquer the world. Watch out for organization, it’s an Ecumenism. That’s the thing. Nicolaitanism, ministry, the hierarchy, organized to suppress the people.” Yeah.

And a man comes along and tells us. Say, “Well you see, he was my pastor from before the foundation of the world, I just got to be there.” You just don’t got to be with me kid, I can tell you that flat. I don’t just got to be with you either, and it’s not that we hate each other.

It’s not going to work brother/sister. We will not build on lies, and any ideas. Oh, we’re not going to do that. “Where we go,” he said, “I speak to the world,” he said, “where the tapes go,” he said, “it is not Russia.”

Yet how many of us are thinking about Russia today? Why bother? Why give it a thought? Not realizing that there is going to be a fallout because of Ecumenism. Why do you think he warned us? Because he had to warn us what the big danger was.

So all right, “The Greatest Battle” we have, is absolutely what? Taking the Word that the prophet brought us. Casting down every thought that is contrary to It. If he says a certain thing is it, and it’s done a certain way, then that’s the way it is. And that’s a toughie.

Now that makes good tough soldiers. But you know something? If you’re really trained in the marines, and the army, or the air force, I don’t care where you’re trained. If you’re really trained, as a truly valuable soldier, you know only one thing.

To follow commands, that’s all you know. By the Grace of God, we’re going to follow His commands. We’re going to try to get more and more into this Word, brother/sister.

We read the parable. We heard what Brother Branham said about it. It means more and more, application of the Word. Not trying to live it per se, but to get the true Word in us, so that the life in us becomes a compelling factor.

You say, how’s it going to be done? By chopping off these other channels. Until the exercise of faith, cutting them off leaves nothing in here, but the Word of Almighty God. See?

Can it happen? It’s going to happen. It’s going happen. Going to be a church get out of here brother/sister. I believe with all my heart. The great battle’s on in our minds. I can’t tell you more about it. If the Lord gives me more, I’ll tell you.

I’m in a battle just like you are. Just like you are. I cannot say that, look, I’ve overcome here and overcome there. You listen to me, I’m going to give you clues and keys. I can’t do it. I present it the best I can, what the prophet said, and there is a battle going on now, and it’s in the mind.

What will we suffuse our minds with? The Word of God? Or everything else? Now in other words, we have the ability, we have the choice, we can do something about it.

What stops us? Laziness. Yup, pure, mental laziness. We’re busy with a lot of mental gymnastics, like a bunch of jack rabbits running around with bees in our bonnet. But to bring the mind into control to Christ.

Brother Branham said, “All my thoughts are of God.” Say I’m not going to; I can’t be a mystic like Brother Branham. That is true. You can’t be a mystic like him, but you can be a mystic like yourself, and what you’re ordained to.

Now there’s a lot of things in the congregation going on right now. People pulling this way and that way. You know it, as well as I do, and I’m not going to worry about names or anything else. It’s just human nature.

Until we settle down to the Word of God, my brother, my sister, this church will be sitting here. That’s honest. You just can’t buzz around. I can’t buzz around. You can’t do it. Now there’s growth. There’s been lots of growth.

But in some areas there’s, well, this area here we’re talking about. There is infinite growth needed, and no matter how much growth we have, we will still need growth until we’re transformed. That’s the picture.

The Lord Bless you.

Let’s rise and be dismissed.

Gracious Heavenly Father, again we want to thank you for your kindness tonight. We know Lord that you alone are able to, were able to bring us this Word, by your chosen method, which you gave us. And you alone are able to impress upon our hearts and minds the Word of Truth.

And Father, if as we said tonight, that we believe correctly and understand at least many of the things that are set forth, so that we are walking in the light. Therefore Lord, we ought to be having real fellowship one with another, with the Blood of Jesus Christ cleansing us.

And Lord, furthermore, we ought to be literally building dams in the channel of our minds that go down to the spirit into the soul. So that we can cut off the thoughts, Lord, which are not of you.

As Paul himself said, “Bringing into captivity every thought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” And then being very happy that that can be done, and is done.

Now, Lord, we know is this age, that this is a mental age. And we know Lord, that we could use that as a thought by saying, well it’s got to be a tough age mentally. But, Father, when we know we’ve had the eye age that preceded it in order to bring the mental age into fruition, then we know, Lord, if we’re a part of it, positively, absolutely, being a part of it, we can come into the control of the Word of God in this hour.

And Father, I want it. And I believe everybody in this building wants it. So help us Lord, to put aside all laziness, and mental inertia, and those things, my God, which are full of doubts. And wanderings of the mind and many discordant thoughts, Father, that rise and would be critical in our minds against the Word, and wonder what you’re going to do.

Father, we would pray now, that because of the power of that Word, we will be sensitive, and sensible to the point of gladly receiving the Word and nourishing it. Piling Word upon Word, until there just isn’t room for the other.

Father, you didn’t make Abraham that way just in order to say, “Well, look, I did it with one person.” We don’t believe that’s true. We believe you did it, and he’s in the Bible as Paul told us, as an example to us. And Job was an example also of faith. And so were all of these people examples to us, and we saw also a prophet.

Though we don’t aspire to be prophets, we saw him as an example and heard his Word. And I know Lord, he told me personally, “All my thoughts are of God.” And those thoughts coming in Lord, putting aside everything else that those thoughts come in, brought him to that place where he could stand forth in a manifested victory.

Now Lord, as we say again, we’re not desiring to be people manifested as prophets. But Lord, we are desirous of seeing people manifested as Christians. Christian believers in this Word, Lord, that understand Hebrews 13:8, Lord God. Who really understand Lord, what is at this end time here, Father. And we’re praying for it now.

So Lord, where we’ve been remiss, and where we have been disobedient, and where we have been childish, Lord, or picky in any way, shape, or form, and been conforming Lord, to easy ways which tend to gravitate toward unbelief, Father, we pray that, because we saw your power here, that you will help us with that same power to straighten us right up, as soldiers fully equipped, and go marching down the road to battle.

In the meantime, Lord, fill our hearts with great love for each other. So that we can encourage each other, and not look at each other, but encourage each other no matter what is going on. To tell each other to take a hold. Press the battle to the gate and not give up. But to just look at life, no matter what it is bearing upon each one, the pressure.

You have told us, “Not one of us will suffer beyond what we’re able to bear, but You make a way of escape, giving us strength so that we can bear it,” Lord, and your people, though many times might be misunderstood, we believe your people also, Lord, care for each other and help each other.

So, here we are tonight, Lord, asking for your help. And somehow, Lord, we’re believing that we’re also giving ourselves up to more dedication to you. Because the more we want this help, it means, Lord, the more we’re dedicated to your help.

So dismiss us now with your rich Presence, your blessing. Bring us together again on Sunday morning, Lord, with the Word of God, the blessing of God, and a step further in our Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

‘Take the name of Jesus with you.’