Sermon Texts (Adding Now)
Sermon Texts Beginning With F
Faith Cometh By Hearing (54-0320)
| Faith Cometh By Hearing (54-0320) |
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E-1
Only believe, only believe,
All things are possible, only believe.
Thank you friends. You may be seated if you will now. This is indeed a privilege to be back here at Chicago, at the Philadelphian Church again tonight to minister in the Name of the Lord.
E-2 I never run away from Columbus to come back, but I'm glad I'm back here. I told Brother Boze, (when he was down to see me the other night) he called me as soon as the... Well, I called him because there was a group coming to Columbus... and I... he... I just kindly felt like he was going to ask me to come back here. And everybody called, why, I just said, "Well, I'm tired. I'm going to rest." But he talked me out of it (to come back). So it's his fault. E-3 But we're very happy to be here, serving the Lord Jesus. And we've had great success, by your prayers, helping us in many places across the nation, since we've seen you (a little over a month ago, I suppose... ), at Wood River, Illinois, and down to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and on into Shreveport, Louisiana. From there on to Phoenix, Arizona, and we just had a wonderful, glorious meeting. E-4 I was to go on to the west coast to the--a certain denomination over there, and I... a fine church with fine people... But I come to find out that they were trying to... reason coming there, was to pull a group of people from another church. And what little influence I have, I want to use it for the glory of God and not to--to hurt churches. You see? So I said, "Well, being that the churches are having this little time like that, I'd rather not be into it. Just wait till it's over, then I'll come over it." I said, "Get them all together and set them together and say we are brethren, one on one side and the other. I'll come on." But I like unity, don't you? Friendship, fellowship, there's nothing like it. E-5 Then coming back, I'd made the error myself, many of you would be asking perhaps or seeing it pretty soon--about leaving Columbus. Wasn't nothing wrong, but it was just a... When I got there, they was to have a coliseum, and the services was to be with all the Full Gospel ministers and all ministers of all phases of faith, if they--as many as would cooperate, to be in. And (which I kind of made that a policy)... So, you know, I believe Jacob dug a well, and the Philistines run him away from it. And I believe he called it "Malice" or something. He dug another one, and he... They run him away from that one. He said it was "Strife." And he dug another one and he said, "There's room for us all." So let's all come drink, and so... I like to drink at that last well, you know, where there's room for everybody, room for the Baptists to drink, and the Methodists, and the Pentecostal, and the--all of us, just drink from the same fountain. I kinda like that.
E-6 So it was... When I got over there, there was not... It was just one man. Many of the other churches was kinda, oh, I don't know... The brother was all right to me, but it was just a little misrepresented to me. And I--I didn't want to cause hard feelings among the churches, so he just went ahead praying for the sick and I prayed for what was there. Then I--I come on back.
E-7 When I was in Phoenix, I've never met him in Jeff. My mother and them knew him, but... So I was in Phoenix. I found out that he was there too. So I was at Madison Square Garden and he was out at some school auditorium or something. So I called him up, and I got a hold of where he was staying at. And one of the managers found him, Mr. Moore. And so, then he called me back is the way it was. E-8 And so he was a--he's a minister; his father's a minister and his grandfather's a minister. And I think the old man can out-preach the other two, the old grandfather. But that's mighty nice to have a family like that, don't you think so? E-9 I hope, if Jesus tarries, that my boy's a preacher, and his boy's a preacher, and just keeps on like that. I'd rather him be a preacher than the President of the United States. Although, as honorable as it is to be the President, I'd rather him be a minister of the Gospel, preaching the truth. Even if he was so poor he had to drink branch water and eat soda crackers, I'd rather him be a real preacher of God, sent of God.
E-10 But, so... He said... I said, "Well, I come just to preach, Brother Schuller." I said, "But it looks like it's going to turn to be a healing service...?... One night we tried it and didn't get by, there's so many cases, the ambulance cases and things there."
E-11 So this other lady had been in the institution many... I believe, if I'm not mistaken, it was ten years. She had a phobia; when she'd get in her room, they'd turn her loose, she'd run jump through her windows, like that. She jumped out of a two story window and almost taken her life. So all of them knew her around there, so Mr. Schuller said (or Brother Schuller, rather) said, "I went down and got her and brought her up on the platform to testify." He said, "Now, do you know this woman, where she was and know what she is now?" Said, "I don't want to hear you say one more thing about Brother Branham while I'm here." He said, "It wasn't nothing else but that done, it's been marvelous."
E-12 Frankly, I think Brother Schuller studied to be a... He went to Bob Jones College or somewhere to study to be a... take Shakespeare or something like that. And they said, "We teach it here." But he got saved while he was there. So he was to be a movie star or something. So he puts all of his--his sermons in drama. And he said...
E-13 When a certain, well known, internationally known man, lovely brother from the west coast, spoke to me one day at the beginning of my services on the west coast. I was to be in the same auditorium where he was. He said, "Brother Branham, they won't go for that fanaticism out here: Divine healing."
E-14 So when we went down that day, here he had about sixteen, eighteen hundred people, and they all went out, and nice, well dressed people. He asked for the altar call; one woman come down, shook hands with him, accepted Christ. That's fine. But there went his crowd out, and here come mine in with wheelchairs, straitjackets, crutches, beds, cots. Well, it's different when your faith has to buck that. You see? That's right. He just dropped his head and walked out.
E-15 Just left a meeting down there where I had two thousand that afternoon (about a week before that), and as many as thirty thousand at a time. So but... I just don't sound a trumpet about it. I want it sound it up there, so where it goes up there, just let... The Lord said...?... would see it, knock, you know, and so forth. E-16 And we just love our Lord and all of our little frail mistakes He forgives us, and probably laughs at us, for us, and so... We're just happy to know that we got a Lord Jesus like that, aren't we? Aren't you happy to know that you got someone tonight Who's considerate, and knows us, and loves us, and looks over our mistakes and so forth? E-17 I believe Brother Joseph here gave out that we was to have... I was to speak tomorrow afternoon (and when I was standing there), I believe at four o'clock. Is that right? Now, that will--that will be when I'm supposed to come on to speak--at four. All right. I'll try to come speak for you about a half hour, let you out at four-thirty, in time to get your supper and get back for tomorrow night's services. The good Lord bless you all.
E-18 And I--I... If there's any people that's got a lot of patience and believes in grace, and... I'm almost the associate pastor here, I believe. I just come so much. But your little pastor here, Brother... I call him "Joseph" for I like that name. See I...
E-19 I want to read some now, just for a few moments, maybe till--speak up till about nine, so we can have our prayer line. And my boy just met me down there, and said he'd give out a few prayer cards here. And we'll call them up and pray with them and, but... Whoever the Lord, we don't know, might be wherever out there. You don't necessarily have to have a prayer card; you just have to have faith.
E-20 Now, in the Scriptures... I love to read the Word, don't you? Just love it with all my heart, because it's His Word. Now, in Romans the 10th chapter... Was just laying at the hotel a few moments ago, resting a little after driving three hundred miles today, and I was resting, and I thought, "Well, what must I read tonight, Lord Jesus?" And I just happened to open up the Scripture and read here. And I thought, "Well, maybe perhaps for a little something. If I can just speak some of His Words. If I can speak His Words, then I know that part won't fail." E-21 Now, friends, you surely know me well enough. Many of you might disagree with me in these meetings and things. But there is one thing that I am very happy about: that our Lord Jesus has did this. He was the One Who sent me to do this. I never come on my own. See? And He has always, for these going in nine years now, has He never failed me one time, but has always did just what He said He would do. See? And I--I do know my Lord Jesus. I might be--not be as--as an eloquent speaker, or I might not have a lot of theology of the Scripture, but I do know the Lord Jesus, in pardoning of my sins and accepting Him. And I have Eternal Life, and I believe that. And I know that when He speaks, I--I believe those visions. I've never seen one fail and It never will fail. Now, I can say anything, but when you hear Him speak, remember that's the Truth.
E-22 Brother, sister, I'd lay my life, just at any moment, on it. I know it's the Truth. For I... Since a little, bitty, baby boy, the first thing I can almost remember was a vision. And see, "Gifts and callings are without repentance." We realize that. God sets in these things. How many believes that? Just say, "Amen." I won't ask you to have...?... [Congregation says, "Amen"--Ed.] Well, that's good. I'm in a Calvinistic group here tonight, I believe. So anyhow, this, you see, that God by sovereign grace and election and foreknowledge, knew before the foundation of the world, that these things would be happening the way they are right now. He ordained it to be that way. You believe that, don't you?
E-23 Now, to His Word, to you who have it.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall we call on him in whom we have not believed?... how shall we believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias said, Lord, who has believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
E-24 Now, shall we bow our heads just a moment. Kind heavenly Father, we approach Thee tonight in the only--by the only Mediator between God and man, Thy Son, Christ Jesus, and knowing this, that what we ask in His Name, He has promised, "That will I do." Now, we know that that is the truth, and not through the Church or through any other avenue, but through the Name of the Lord Jesus. He promised if we asked You anything in His Name, He would do it. Therefore, Father, we ask for mercy tonight in Jesus' Name, that You'll be merciful to every sick person in this building. May they all be healed tonight. And may every person that kindly got the spiritual being, as their spiritual arms hanging down, may they be lifted up tonight. May the head that's drooping low be raised with laughter towards the heavens and rejoice, go from here tonight, saying as those who came from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us because of His Presence?"
E-25 I'd just like to speak a moment on "Faith Cometh By Hearing." And so... I love this Word, and the Word of faith. Now, we think of faith, what it is. Paul first speaking to the Romans, which was--had been heathens--idolaters, and had just come over into Christianity... And Paul here is the greatest missionary the world has ever had since Christ.
E-26 And he's sending the letter now to the Romans, getting the Church in order. And he's speaking to them about faith. On the 1st--the 4th chapter of Romans he speaks of Abraham being justified by faith. Then on the 9th chapter of Romans, he's speaking on the election of God, how God called Isaac, or I beg your pardon, called Esau, Jacob, and ordained them; or He said, "By election He chose (by His own choosing) chose Jacob instead of Esau." Though Esau being rightly to the birthright, then He chose Jacob instead of Esau.
E-27 Now, hope will agree with the Bible. Hope will say, "It's True." Hope will say, "I believe every bit of It. I believe that that's the Word of God. And I--I--I believe that God will keep His promise." Hope believes all of that. But hope then says, "Now, I believe that God will heal, but look at my condition." E-28 I'm telling you, faith... But you've got to have hope and charity. If you've got real burly faith and no love with it, you've ruin your influence before the people (if you haven't got love mixed with it). See? You seen people, a real burly, what we would say (excuse the expression) a bulldog faith, to grab a hold, but is so rough with it. Then you see when you do that, it doesn't--it hasn't got the kindness here to move with it. So what we need is hope, faith, and charity. Isn't that right? Hope, faith, and charity, together. God help our church to have it like that, the people, to have that combination.
E-29 But if you just rely on hope, you hinder faith. Now, hope looks for something, way off. But faith claims it right now. See? Faith says, "God said so and it's mine." That settles it. See? "I don't care if I'm still crippled, I'm still blind, if I'm still sick, that don't have nothing to do with it. I believe it anyhow. It's mine right now. God said so and that settles it." See? That's faith.
E-30 These little, old sicknesses, burling it around like this, and little, old things, saying, "Well, the days of miracles is past." and this, that, the other." But let faith step up one time, pull up his muscles, and say, "I'll take over." I tell you the rest of them keep still when faith does it. That's the fellow we want to deal with. Is that right? E-31 Be an old colored friend one time (I see these colored people sitting here), he said, "I had rather be standing on the Word of God than to be standing on the world." Said, "Uh-huh, what about that?" Said, "You're..." He said, "It's stronger than the world." Said, "I'll stand on the Word of God when there ain't no world." That's right. He said, "For heavens and earth will pass..." Oh, I... He said "I'd rather be standing on the Word of God than standing in heaven," (that's what it was), "than standing in heaven." He said, "For the heavens and the earth both will pass away, but the Word of God shall not pass away." So that's right. When God said so, that settles it. Now, you got your faith based back. E-32 Now, I'll admit that there's great powerful gifts in the Church, to influence and help people. That's right. But many people preaching Divine healing, like, they go through the country and they say, "Well now, Brother so-and-so is in the city. Oh, my. Now, I'll get well." No, no. Not a bit more...?... It isn't the Brother so-and-so in the city; it's Jesus Christ in the city, is what. See? That's it. Now, and His Word...
E-33 Now, I have tried my best to give that type of--of speaking to the people that their faith... Now, this true, that I will admit this is... Just while we're small tonight, I want to tell you little secrets and things as I go along. Now, there's--there's things that... This is truth. And you all have followed my meetings place after place, and (many of you), and you've never seen one time, sincerely, on a platform that anybody ever was brought there but what something happened to them right there. That's exactly right. E-34 When you're standing before the people, and God will show a vision, just what's going to happen, then you know what's going to happen, whether it's death or life, or what they got to make right, or something like that. Sometimes I see it turns dark around the people; that's death. And I just don't say nothing, go ahead. But when I see the procession, I know it's over. You see? So then you've heard me times... And you just watch any time (That isn't me.), but you watch any time whatever He says on "THUS SAITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (or) THE LORD," you watch and see if that ain't just exactly that way. It'll be that way.
E-35 Now, faith first has to be based on the Word. The Word of God produces faith. Now, if God said so, then I'd believe it. I'd believe it with all my heart. Now, it's just not because Brother Branham. "Brother somebody else laid hands on me, I believe it was that." That doesn't have... That's obeying orders. But my hands to be laid on you is no more than Brother--Brother Joseph's hand, or any other minister, or any other lay member of the church. Everybody that believes in Divine healing, and is a Christian, has a right to pray for the sick. That's exactly right. "Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed." E-36 By the way, (she isn't here) my wife was on the platform in Phoenix, Arizona, the other night for (and we've lived together for eleven years now), and the first time she ever stood when the anointing was on me. She couldn't open her mouth; she just stood there. And people would say... I'd say something to her; she just there. Her eyes looked real funny, and the babies... she... about two little, one little girl eight and the other one three, yesterday. And we--and they just stood there. They couldn't say a word, walked off the platform crying. And I hadn't noticed it, I... They called them. She's very bashful (you that know her). And so, she wouldn't come to the platform as we just said. And Billy Paul back there, my boy, he said, why, after I'd done begin praying and stopped preaching, and the anointing had struck me, I said... Billy said, "Mother had... She promised to come to the platform," (and she had the children dressed in their best and so they was sitting down there, you know, to come to the platform). And I--we got them up there. And when she did, she just stood there. And she said--she said (going home), she said, "Honey, I--I wouldn't, couldn't... Don't ask me up there like that again." You see, you just don't realize. See?
E-37 There is a anointing, a personal... Now, there is such a thing as maybe, you know, like one time there was... Wasn't Moses made fun of by his sister and his brother one time because he married a colored girl, Ethiopian girl? And didn't they make fun? And God happened to be present and heard it. Was that right? He just was present and heard it. That's right. And when He did, He said, "Bring them in here." Said, "Don't you fear God? Knowing, see what I've done for that man and showed him the favors." He said, "If there be one who's spiritual or a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself known unto him in visions and so forth. But for My servant Moses, not so." He said, "I speak lip to ear with him." He said, "Don't you fear God, seeing that I've chosen this man?" And Miriam was broke out with leprosy. And that's right. And--and there... She had to stay out of the camp seven days, and Moses fell on his face and prayed for her.
E-38 Now, Abraham, when he was called out of Chaldea, the city of Ur... Who was Abraham? Just a man walking out there one day. Oh, I just love that. That just makes me feel good, when I think He... God's voice spoke to him and said, "Abraham, separate yourself from your people." Isn't it strange that God makes us separate ourselves? Today the world wants mixers, is that right? But God wants separators. Yeah, the world says, "Oh, well, we don't want that old pastor. He's an old fogy. He don't believe in letting us do this, that, or the other. We want a young fellow, who--who's a mixer." But God wants separators. Separate yourself. The Holy Spirit said, "Separate Me, Paul and Barnabas."
E-39 Faith cometh by what then? [Congregation says, "Hearing."--Ed.] Hearing the what? Word of the Lord. The Word of God settles it. Abraham believed faith--believed God by faith, because God's Word said so. He never reasoned; he never questioned; he just believed God's Word. Is that right? Well, that's the same way we get faith tonight, is believing God's Word. That's it.
E-40 Look at up there... Many times in meeting, when Jesus met him, he knowed who, He was more than matched right then when he met the Son of God. When he met Moses, he said, "Now, get--get your temper up, Moses, and break them commandments." He did it. E-41 Now. Then along come... Now, the only thing that Sarah had to do, was to believe what Abraham, her husband, said. Now, she said... Abraham told her he was going to have the baby. What a beautiful picture there... I won't keep you too long. But what a beautiful picture there of the Church and Christ. Now, God spoke to Abraham and told Abraham--and Sarah was Abraham's bride, wife. And God speaks to Christ, and we are His Wife, His Bride. Is that right? What a beautiful picture. Now, I don't understand it; neither did Sarah. But Abraham heard the Word of God. So Jesus heard from God and He told us what to do, and we believe Jesus. Is that right? And we believe the things that's impossible, unreasonable, we believe it anyhow. 'Cause Christ said so. If God said so, that settles it. We just believe it.
E-42 Now. Here comes Sarah, and she believed the impossible. Wasn't it easy then for--for Hagar when she come along--Hannah, rather--at the temple. And she walked in one day. I can imagine seeing her going up to Shiloh to worship the Lord. And when she was on the road up, I can see everybody going along, the women saying, "Well, looky there. See, Miss Jones got a new hat on. Isn't it beautiful?" The other say, "There's Mrs. John Doe again, that same old veil she's wore for the last ten years." That's about what they... But Hannah was going up for another purpose.
E-43 Now, let's stop here a minute. If Mr. John Doe, out here, had cancer and was healed, so can you have it and be healed. See? Faith cometh by hearing. Is that right? If this man was blind and can now see, then you can see if you're blind. If this person is crippled and couldn't walk, then you are, you can be. That's the way Congressman Upshaw (who preached, I believe, from this pulpit here), when he read of Florence Nightingale and her trouble... He'd heard of this shoemaker down here who had been paralyzed (a Baptist deacon), laying in his chair for about ten years, wheeling him up and down the floor to give--do his work--his office at the Baptist church. And when a vision appeared over him and saying he was bound in that wheelchair for those years with his back broken, and up and down in this place here, had sprints in his back, until he couldn't even move; and the man was made perfect whole. Congressman Upshaw said, "If that can happen to him, it can happen to me." E-44 If little Georgie Carter, at Milltown, laying there nine years and eight months couldn't even move her hands, couldn't raise her sputumin cup, TB run all the way through her, give up five years before, left by the doctors, never had even seen the trees or nothing for nine years and six months, in one moment's time was made perfectly well eight years ago. Is a piano player in a Milltown Baptist church tonight. If she can be healed of that, of TB, so can you, every case. E-45 Hannah said, "Looky here. If Sarah, being nearly a hundred, could receive seed (Hannah was probably around, oh, maybe forty, fifty, sixty, somewhere along in there.)," she said, "so can I." Faith cometh by hearing. Here she goes to the temple. She's going up there to--to worship God. She didn't pay any attention to what anybody else said, what... some of them going along talking about this, that, or the other. She went for one alternative, that was to get her prayer answered. If that's the way you're here tonight, you're going right back with the same kind of blessing that Hannah had, with THUS SAITH THE LORD.
E-46 Look. No matter what the preacher, what this or that, you're coming to the house of the Lord with faith. Hannah walked in; she run down to the altar, and fell down, raised up her hands and begin to scream till she interrupted the whole service. Even the priest thought she was drunk. That's the way... She was all right. That's the way of a whole lot of people that get sincere. They're just misunderstood. She wasn't drunk; she was misunderstood. And many men and women who are really from the core of their heart, really fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ, they're not crazy; they're misunderstood. That's all. The world knows their own. So does God know His own.
E-47 Easy was it for little Mary then, when the Holy Spirit met her out there, overshadowed her. And the great angel, Gabriel, stood in the way, and said, "Hail, Mary. Blessed art thou among women. I'm going to tell you something that never did happen, that's going to happen now." Amen. Look what she had to believe. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word of God.
E-48 It wasn't an easy thing for me, when that Angel appeared to me, told me these things that was going to take place. But what I did? Why, even the--the overseer of the church said, "Billy, you had a nightmare. Better go back over in Jeffersonville." Said, "Sleep it off, boy."
E-49 I can think of one time in Jesus day, when there was a man who probably heard down there Jesus could make a man with palsy stop shaking. Why, some fellows went out there and got him, picked him up and put him on a cot, got over to somebody's house, over there where He was having a little healing service. And why, they couldn't even get around the door. There was probably many people as here (maybe one of them little huts that they had there in Palestine) standing around, how could he get in? But brother, he said, "Take me up on the roof." And they tore the roof up.
E-50 And I can see a woman one day, setting up there doing her knitting. She'd spent all of her money with the doctors, and years that she'd had a blood issue and nothing could stop it. And the first thing you know, she heard that Jesus... The little, old boat pushing into the willows down there, and away she went. I can see the man standing there, the priest of the temple saying, "Now, looky here, sister. If you fool with that fanatic, when your doctor has told you nothing else can be done, that settles it. Now, the days of miracles is past. That guy is nothing else but just a... He's Beelzebub. He's a fortuneteller. And here you are running to such a thing as that. Now, you know, we'll have to put you out of the church." She just pressed right on by. E-51 I can imagine little Moses, when he was down there, brought up... Although they had took him over there in the Egyptian palace, by the Pharaohs, and all the scholars, and the art, and everything... And they were real physicians. You all know that; the Egyptians. Some of their things yet, is never compared with in our modern day of science. They still can't find things like those Egyptians had. And they--they couldn't understand it.
E-52 Would you like to find out? Look at. Moses had two million people out in that wilderness. Now, he had old men; he had crippled; he had blind people; he had little babies; he had young mothers; he had old widow women. He had everything out there in that wilderness. And he was taught in all the art of the Egyptians. I'd just like to look into his medicine chest one time and see what he had for them cures, wouldn't you? Would you like to look into it? I'll show you in a few minutes. Would you like to see what Moses had in his medicine chest? It cured all the blindness. It cured everything they had. And when they come out of the wilderness, there wasn't one feeble person among them. Is that right? E-53 How Moses... How could he, after being indoctrinated down there, and all that stuff poked into him, by those Egyptian scholars (how to embalm the body, and how to do this, and eat garlic, and everything else they had down there, and all the cures, and put-ons they had down there in Egypt), how could he ever get that, all of that out of him? You know why? Because he had a godly, little mother that set him on her knee, down there off from one side, from all them scholars, and said, "Moses, you are chose of the Lord. God gave you to me, and your promise. We see God on you. And someday, you will deliver your brothers." Hallelujah. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing from the Word of God. And he did it? E-54 How little Samson... I can imagine seeing little Samson out there, with his seven little locks hanging down. Oh, some people picture him like he had door--shoulders like the doors back there, great big brute of a man. That wouldn't be mystery to see that man kill a lion, or slay a thousand Philistines with a jawbone of a mule. There wouldn't be no mystery to see him take the city gates and walk away with it; a man that size. But Samson was a little, bitty, curly-headed shrimp, just about like that. Little, bitty fellow. But he was just a little, bitty fellow. We'd call him a little shrimp today, little, sissy boy, seven little mommy's--little golden locks hanging down on his head, walk around, little, sissy fellow. But to see him slay a lion... Hallelujah. E-55 Oh brother! It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight that's in the dog. That's right. That's what it takes: It's somebody who's got that courage and faith in God to stand there and say, "THUS SAITH THE LORD." Faith moves in and everything else takes its place (Amen.) when faith moves in. But faith cometh by hearing. E-56 I can see that little, curly-headed shrimp walk down there, going to see his girlfriend. Walking down through and a lion run out, he was helpless. And the Spirit of the Lord come on him; he just took the lion, tore it in pieces and throwed it down. Oh, that was the mystery. Yes sir. Why? What made the difference in that man? The Spirit of the Lord come on him. E-57 Let me see a little, old, cowardly church that's afraid to trust God, or a family, and let the Spirit of God strike that family, or that individual, or that church, and watch what takes place. Brother, I'm telling you, skeptics fly like roaches in the summertime when you turn the light on them. That's exactly right. Yes sir. Everything moves out. Faith comes in and "I'm the boss," said faith. The rest of it moves out. Make any difference what anybody said, God's Word is eternal, right.
E-58 I can hear Samson say... I can hear his mother say, "Samson darling, what... I know you've got... You--you're just an ordinary boy now, but you're a Nazarite to the Lord. The Lord before the foundation of the world has ordained you for this ministry." E-59 I say tonight that every man or woman here that'll take Jesus Christ as their Healer tonight, or as their Saviour, and accept the Word of God, when God sees His promise, He will keep it. Amen. I don't care how much the devil's beat you down with sickness, with leukemia, with cancer, with tuberculosis, or crippled, or whatever he's done, you just take that promise of God, the Word of God, and say, "I believe it." Hallelujah. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing the Word of God. E-60 For God looks down and sees that promise applied by the Blood of Jesus Christ, something's going to happen. Samson was down there grinding. He was blind, and he reached up. He couldn't feel it yet. He said, "Someday it'll be there." Yes, sir. One day he reached up, said, "There it is." Amen. "There it is. God will see my seven locks again." Yes, sir. "When God sees my seven locks, He will see His promise to me." E-61 And when God sees you accept His Word, unadulterated, and say, "It's Your Word, Lord." Then God will see His promise. When He said, "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe you receive it and you shall have it. It'll be granted to you." Brother, God will keep His Word.
E-62 I met every kind of an opposition, I guess, that a human being could do. I've met maniacs at the platform; I met witch doctors; I met fortunetellers, all kinds of devils, and everything. But when I'd meet that, I remember God said, "I'll be with you." The Angel said, "I'll be standing near." And I've never seen a time but what God walked right out victorious. Said, "You get the people to believe you and be sincere when you pray and nothing will stand before your prayers." E-63 Brother, if ministers won't take it, God will rise up stones to take the place of it. God will do something. He'd make the... He could make a fish preach the Gospel. Amen. That's what I believe about God. He's Almighty. I believe the birds of the air would preach the Gospel, if man didn't. God's determined this to be. And when He sets His will for something to be done, the stones are going to cry out or something. E-64 And when God seen His promise, He seen Samson's hair growed again, that was God's promise to Samson. That's right. And when God seen Samson with His promise, God was obligated to Samson. He put his arms around them big old pillars, like that, and pulled her right in. His strength had come to him again.
E-65 And when... Maybe sickness has beat you down to a place, you hardly haven't got strength anymore. Maybe there's something that you just can't... Maybe you're so blind you can hardly, can't see. Maybe you're so sick you can hardly get up. But just apply that promise: THUS SAITH THE LORD. "You said whatever things I desire, when I pray, believe I receive it. For me to receive it and accept it as if it was already done." Believe it now. "For I have faith, and 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' I believe it, Lord." E-66 I've got to perform an act, if God will grant it. Now, in a few minutes, right here after speaking like this. God promised me these things. Said, "You would know the secrets of the people's hearts; you'd do these things. He'd put His Spirit..." How do I know? Here I am standing here speaking. I don't know what He will do. But I believe that He will. For He said that He'd do it. That's right. And what is it? It's His grace to you. "I, the Lord hath spoken it. I, the Lord will perform it." And it's not me to worry; it's--that's God's business. God's business is to take care of His Word. He's--He's to take care of His Word to each individual. And He will do it. May the Lord bless you now while we bow our heads just a moment.
E-67 Kind Father, oh, we may be speaking too long. I pray that Your Spirit will now move out over this audience, feeling that You're here and You're near. And I pray, now, that Your great blessings will rest upon all these people. And may the Holy Ghost come now, and may He just confirm this Word. I have tried, Lord, in my poor, ignorant way, and all that I know how, to tell the people that faith cometh by hearing Your Word. "And in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." The Word went back up into the heavens. The Word come again in the form of the Holy Ghost, and will be with us forever. He said, "When He, the Holy Ghost has come, He will bring these things to your remembrance and will show you things to come." Lord, You promised it and You've done it, and You've kept Your Word. And we're thankful for it tonight, to be standing here in this little church.
E-68 Excuse me, friends, for being so long. I said... I looked down at this watch, and it's gotten almost away from me. The Lord bless you. [Brother Branham speaks to someone on the pulpit--Ed.] Where's Billy, is he here? All right. Prayer cards, let's line up a few of them. Who has prayer card number 1?
E-69 Church tomorrow, wherever it is. Attend your church. Then tomorrow afternoon, if your church is not having service, come over to our little service here. I'm just here to--for the glory of God, trying to help you, and praying, and asking God to bless you, and to keep you all healthy, and full of His glory and power. And I--I know He will do it. And so... Greet your pastors. I don't care whether he's Presbyterian, or if he's a Catholic priest. Whatever he is, that doesn't matter to me. If the man is born again and believes God, he's my brother. No matter what he's branded at. He's a Christian. E-70 Taking all that time too. I didn't mean to take that much time like that. Now, let's just kindly sing if you will just for a minute. Let's see. Let's sing Down From His... or... Anybody here knows that song "Down From His Glory?" I'd like to hear some good soloist sing it tomorrow afternoon, if he would, for me. That's one of my favorite songs. And... All right. "Only Believe" then, brother, if you will, just a chord, just for a few moments.
E-71 Now, don't no one be upset; just set quiet now. 'Cause, you see, that upset... If everything is quiet... Now, how many of you in this building here that has no opportunity to get in this prayer line tonight... I don't know how long we can pray, maybe till we get everybody in here prayed for, as far as I know. But you don't have to be in the prayer line. But you haven't got a prayer card, yet you're sick and you want God to deliver you, would you raise your hand so I can just kindly have a general idea? Why, it's just... He must just give out prayer cards all over the building or wherever the people are. But anyhow... God be with you now.
E-72 Now, how many ever seen the picture of that Angel of the Lord (that I had taken, you know, that they taken up there)? We had some here, and Billy forgot to bring them in tonight. Maybe if I get to come again sometime, I'll bring them. We won't sell on Sunday. No. That's nothing to me anyhow; we just buy them and send them right back the same thing. You see? 'Cause they belong to the--the Douglas Studios at Houston, Texas. So I just buy them and bring them to the people. But I like for people to have them, so they can see and see that our Lord is real. E-73 But now to this Divine messenger, which is a part of God. It's a gift of God. And now, if He comes... Now, how many knows, that when Jesus was here on earth, that He did not claim to be a healer? Does everybody know that? (I think I've came here so many times and told you.) He didn't claim to be a healer. Who'd He say done the healing? [Congregation says, "The Father--Ed.] The Father. That was where? In Him.
E-74 The only thing He could do, when He passed by that gate where all them sick people and crippled and all, by the pool of Bethesda (lame, halt, blind, withered), He never healed any of them, went over to a sick man laying on a pallet, oh, maybe oh, prostate trouble, or something, or diabetes. He... It wasn't going to hurt him; it wasn't going to kill him; he'd had it thirty-eight years. And He healed him and went on about His business. E-75 As with the resurrection of Lazarus--all that. Read the Scriptures. Find out. It's exactly what... Before He knew what was going to take place... He said the grave; He said, "I thank Thee Father that Thou hast already done this," you know, "But I... just for these who stand by, I said it." You see.
E-76 So, it's all by vision. It's never by man. It's by God. Always. Now, to heal people, as far as I know... Where is the first patient? I can't see her. Oh, oh, excuse me. All right. There's a... I thought maybe you was one of the musicians here or something. Excuse me. There's--there's not no people that I know of in that line; I guess we're all strangers. And as far as I know, in the building, I don't know anyone. I just see my friend from Louisville, that's just come up. I didn't think he was coming. Mr. O'Bannon, a businessman, in Louisville, setting there. I was glad to see him. E-77 Now, we have to... There might be some of you... I don't want to hurt your feelings when I said, I--maybe I might say, "Well, I've seen that person somewhere. But to know who they are or what they, I--I don't. I haven't never seen them, in that manner."
E-78 All right. Now, let's just be in prayer. Wait now and see what the Holy Spirit will say to us. Now, may He bless. I'm going to ask the lady to come here just a moment, and just talk to her just a moment.
E-79 And He said, "But if you knew Who you were speaking to, you'd ask Me for a drink. I'd bring you water, or give you water you didn't come here to draw." And the conversation went on. After while, He found where her trouble was. He went right straight and told her where her trouble was.
E-80 ...?... Does the church understand that? Say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen"--Ed.] Now, if this woman here, a perfect stranger, I've never seen her in my life. Now, if He will come and say something, I don't say He will. But if He will tell her, maybe, where her trouble was (like the woman at the well), then that will prove that Jesus Christ (Who I'm trying to represent here) is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Is that right? It'll make Him the Lord Jesus. E-81 But now, just to speak with you, and I waiting for His anointing. You know I'm stalling for that, or something. And that's what it is, for His Presence. 'Cause you're just--we're just standing here like this. If this isn't a perfect example... You're standing here just as helpless as can be. I never seen the woman. Could you want to put yourself in this position once? I wouldn't either, friend, if that Angel hadn't stood out by me, and said He would do it. Now, I believed Him. I believe Him.
E-82 If this woman's sick and I could heal her, I'd be a brute if I didn't do it. But I couldn't heal her. God's already did that. If she's sick, if it's something else, why then, God can correct all wrong. If anything's wrong, He can make it right. If--if she's not a Christian, God knows it. I don't. If she is a Christian, God knows. I don't. And now, He's here.
E-83 Now, you're conscious that something's going on. Now, isn't that true? Right now. If that--that's right, raise your hand, show the people. Something's going... You're in Presence. Just what I said about my wife the other night. See? You know that something happened just then. That was Him. Now, it's coming to me and you; you are a Christian believer. That's right. The Lord bless you. Your trouble--your trouble's in your stomach. It's a, some kind of a growth in there, lump in your stomach, a growth, tumor. You're in need of an operation. But only God alone can make it for you. Is that the truth? Now, ever what taken place just now, whatever it was, that's on me now, knows your life. Is that right? Ever what's on me now, knows you, and It knows me. And I'm so submitted to It till I have no control of my own self. It controls me now. You believe that's the Lord Jesus? God bless you. Then if you're that close and present to Him, where these--miracle is just now taking place. That was a miracle. I don't know now what it was. But I seen something, and ever what He spoke, it's the truth. He just used my voice to speak His Word. E-84 Now, let the audience be as reverent as possible. For I say to you in Jesus Christ's Name, that you're under the Presence of the Holy Spirit. E-85 Lady, with a little, red jacket, setting there, you're praying to get rid of a sinus trouble that you've been having. You were praying then that God would do it, is that right? Yes, sir. That, sure. It left you then. See? Now, may your faith always be that way. And may you never be bothered again through Jesus Christ's Name. May God grant your healing. E-86 Oh, if this audience would only knew. I wished I could explain this, my Christian friend. I can't. When I spoke that, there was another little lady set to praying, setting there with a little white hat on with sinus trouble, also. You believe the Lord Jesus? You believe that He makes you well of sinusitis? You accept it, with your white gloves on there, little lady looking to me? Yes. You believe that He heals you now? All right, say, "Praise the Lord for healing me now." Go home and be well. God bless you. E-87 Oh, if you can only... See? You just have to have faith. Now, this man setting here with the trumpet in his ear. He struck God just then. Now, just be in prayer. Moved over him, then moved away. Have faith in God. And may God make you well. E-88 How do you do, lady? You believe with all your heart? Well, that cancer you've been fearing about... See? You're nervous and upset, afraid of that cancer; it's gone from you now. You can go home and be made well. God bless you and be made well in Jesus Christ's Name. E-89 You ought to know now that the Lord Jesus Christ... I have told the truth. I've told you the truth. E-90 See the man praying? His words has come to the heavenly Father, that God would heal him. He's setting with his hands folded; he's in prayer. He's touching the Holy Spirit. Sir, you have high blood pressure, don't you? Isn't that right? It just dropped from you just then. Stand up to your feet. He heard your prayer. God bless you. Go home, believing, now, and you shall have what you've asked for.
E-91 All right, come. How do you do, sir? You believe me to be His servant? You do. Well, I'm a stranger to you, but God knows us both. We got to stand in His Presence. Isn't that right? E-92 You believe, sir? With all your heart. That's very fine. I like to hear you say that. God be with you, young man. You have heart trouble, don't you? You have sinus trouble too, don't you? I see. And here's something too. On your left leg there's a growth on the thigh. Is that right? Is that true? Do you believe your in His Presence, not the presence of your brother, but of your Maker? You believe that? Go, and may the Lord Jesus make you completely whole, my brother, and use you for His glory. E-93 Come. You had heart trouble too, didn't you? You believe that God will make you well of it? You believe He will heal you? You do? All right, stand up and accept it, the lady right there with the blue dress on. God bless you. E-94 What did you say, "Praise the Lord" for, right behind her? You was healed of heart trouble the same time. Lay your hand over on your husband there for that internal trouble he has, and Jesus will make him well.
E-95 Your stomach trouble, you can go eat what you want to, brother, if you want. You believe that God will make you well? Go eat your supper then in the Name of the Lord Jesus and be blessed. God bless you. E-96 You believe He made you well, setting there, with all your heart? He did. You can go on your road rejoicing and saying, "Thanks be to God." E-97 Come, lady. Awful nervous, aren't you? And through this nervousness has caused many things to happen to you. One of the main things that's bothering you right at the present time, is a stomach trouble, an ulcer in the stomach. But if I'd tell you that you were going to be well, would you believe it? You are. Go, and Lord Jesus make you completely whole and bless you. E-98 Nervous, upset, heart trouble, mainly caused from a nervous condition, which cause when you eat, makes it worse than ever. Go, accept your healing right now and say, "Jesus Christ, I thank Thee for my healing." Base your faith upon His Word, on His revelation just now, and it'll never bother you no more. God bless you. Be made well. E-99 Come, lady. You believe? You're praying for that baby, aren't you, lady? I seen you come here before me just then with this lady. You want to get over the female disorder that you have? You believe that He heals you now? I bless thee, my sister, in the Name of Jesus Christ. May you receive your healing. Amen. God bless you, lady. Go, rejoicing now, being happy and thankful, and God will make you well. E-100 How do you do? You believe with all your heart? If I didn't even say nothing to you, just laid hands on you, you know that His Presence is here. You believe He'd bless you? Because I'd be doing what He said. He said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they'll get well." You believe that? Then if I'd lay hands on you, you'd never go blind; Your eyes would start getting better right now. Is that right? Then in the Name of Jesus Christ, may you receive it, Amen. Go, thanking God and being happy, rejoicing. E-101 You believe with all your heart? Don't you want your kidney trouble, be made well? You believe it was healed while you was standing there? You--you were. God bless you. God bless you. May you go and receive what you have asked for for God's glory. E-102 How do you do, young lady? Nervous, upset, heart trouble, that's what. It's a so nervous, heart is what's done it. You've had it for years. And you believe that He... Will you surrender your life completely to Him and serve Him the rest of your days with all your heart, soul and mind, if He will make you well? Come here. Father, I bless this young woman, who Satan has determined to take her life, young. I pray for her and bless her in Jesus Christ's Name, that she will be made completely whole. Amen. God grant it. Amen.
E-103 How lovely you are to wait. I believe that our Lord is here to--to make you well tonight, do you believe that? Before we offer prayer for this woman, I want to pray for something right here now. I see something.
E-104 I've often wondered for something to happen once more, that happened here at Vandalia, Illinois. Certainly, God knows every one of you, every person in here. He knows everything about you. Isn't that right? Now, I--I don't want you to think that this is like a show. It isn't--it isn't a show. It's the Holy Spirit preaching the Gospel, confirming the Word that has been preached before. See? The Word that was preached before, the Holy Spirit's here confirming that to be the truth. E-105 Look. When God told Moses, "Go, take the land, it's yours. But it's all fenced in with Philistines." But said, "Everywhere you set the soles of your feet (He said to Joshua) is your possession." Now, why don't you do that tonight? E-106 If one person in this building... One supernatural thing could take place, it would confirm and would proof, that the Word of God that I have spoken is the truth. Now... And if I have told the truth in the preaching of the Word, surely, God wouldn't let a man that was a deceiver of the Word go forth and do the same signs that the Lord Jesus did. If he didn't, with all of his soul and heart, give credit to Almighty God and say it's the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and tell the truth, God would have nothing to do with it. Is that right?
E-107 Then when I've told you this and God has said it's the truth, I say that every person in here... If there's sin in your life now, get rid of it now. But accept Jesus tonight as your personal property, as Jesus Christ (your personal property), to heal you right now, and there will not be one feeble person leave this building. That's right. Every one of you will go home with a faith sticking here, no matter what you feel like. You'll go home well because God has said so. It's yours. "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word." It's yours right now, to every one of you.
E-108 Now, bring the patient. How do you do, lady? I suppose we're strangers to each other, not knowing one another, but Jesus Christ knows us both. Is that right? And if we being, you and I, just strangers to each other, but standing in His Presence... He's here. If I could heal you, I would certainly do it. But I can't. But your life, you couldn't hide now. That's right. You couldn't hide it, not because it's me, but because it's Him. And His promise, He told me to--that I could--I'd do this. So if He would reveal it to me, then... Just like if one of them men there were standing here and God would reveal it to them, they could tell you just exactly. See? But He has to do the revealing. See? That's exactly right. E-109 Is--is that the end of the prayer line? All right. Now, I tell you what let's just do. Let us lay our hands on one another now, for this prayer, somebody. Now, just be as reverent as you can. Now, as we are praying, everyone with one accord. I want you to repeat this prayer after me. I'll repeat it; I'll say it and you pray it from your heart.
E-110 Dear Lord Jesus [Congregation repeats after Brother Branham--Ed.], I now believe with all my heart, that You're the Son of God, raised from the dead and living among us tonight. And I accept Your sacrifice that You gave for me at Calvary. For there You were wounded for my transgressions and by Your stripes I am healed. O, God, grant that now. |
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