Door To The Heart
Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S
Sermon translation in French: 58-0302 - Shp
E-1 Only believe, only believe,
All things are possible, only believe.
I just love that song. There's something about it, no matter how many times I sing it, or hear it sung, it just stirs me. I've heard that in so many different languages, I'd be afraid to say just how many languages. I've heard the people who didn't even know which is right and left hand, Hottentots out of the African jungles, way into India, the different religions, standing by the hundreds of thousands, singing, "Only Believe" with their hands up. Tell you, it's wonderful, to see when people come together in unity, what the Lord our God can do for them.
We know that He is great. And we love Him with all of our heart.
E-2 And now, tonight, being the closing night of the service for this campaign,--and I believe that there's another brother going to continue the campaign, Brother Cernell? Cerrell? Cerullo. Brother Cerullo, excuse me.
I don't speak good English. And I never knew that so well, as till I got to England, then I knew I didn't speak English. I needed an interpreter in England worse than anywhere I was ever at. That's right. I thought I spoke English, but I didn't.
He's to continue the revival at a--the theater building where you've having the afternoon services.
E-3 I want to express our thanks to each one of you, and for your fine cooperation. This is from myself, Brother Vayle, my wife, Billy, Brother Goad, Brother Mercier, and all those who are associated in our party. We certainly thank you, friends, for everything that you have done and your sincere prayers to make it a successful meeting for the glory of God.
And I pray that God will give you the exceedingly abundantly. I pray that the revival spirit will never leave your city till Jesus comes.
E-4 I understand that just... I was waiting outside. Billy, my boy, come down. He said, "Not yet, daddy. They're taking up an offering for you."
Wasn't necessary to do that. I never took an offering in my life. My expenses are not too heavy. When I... My office expense at home runs me about a hundred dollars a day. That's about what I have to have besides my campaign. God has met that in each campaign, in each time. And I certainly thank Him, thank Him with all my heart. And I thank you.
I was just comparing that with Brother Roberts, Oral Roberts. Best of my... Last time I heard of him, he had to have seven thousand a day. Quite a difference. But you see, he has a great program: television, radio. And it takes a lot to run his program, besides an office, and I don't know, four hundred and something in there, I think and--and so... The least paid person, I forget what it is. It's just a whole lot of money to run that business.
E-5 I--I'm certainly thankful to the Lord, He--He never put all that on my shoulders, 'cause I couldn't do it. You'd have to beg, bum... I--I... When it gets like that, I--I'm--I'm going back home. See? I quit right then. I just don't do it. When... I've never taken an offering in my life, as I said. There's been some taken for me, each meeting. And then, if people didn't send me a little something besides what I'd--the meeting here, I'd--I'd have to fold up the first week. And so, but I've just got a little business that the Lord has 'lotted me with for His... There's four in the office. There's cloths, there's stamps, about a, I think it's a hundred and fifty, two hundred dollars worth of stamps alone, each week, just stamps. And some of them, overseas, sometimes it takes as much as two and three dollars to send a bundle of handkerchiefs, and so forth. And remember, around the world, and I've been in contact with over ten million people. And you can imagine what it does. We have to make every nickel count, to--to make ends meet. But we're happy to do that for the Lord.
I'm happy for this offering that you gave me tonight. I pray that God will bless you exceedingly, abundantly. And to the best of my knowledge, I'll spend it to the--for the glory of God. And God will reward you for it, I pray, in this world a hundredfold and in the world to come, Eternal Life. May it go to make them golden bricks that's in your great home that'll never perish.
E-6 And we thank Brother Darnell, Brother Littlefield, all these other ministers, how they've cooperated so nicely. Thank you, very kindly.
And now, I suppose, tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, I will be on my road back home.
And now next Sunday night, I'm at my tabernacle, to you people from up around in home. I'll be at the Tabernacle next Sunday morning, it is, in a healing service: Eighth and Penn Street at Jeffersonville. We've been having some wonderful times there, just when I drop in four or five times a year is all I get to be at our little Baptist church there. And so, if you're passing by sometime, we'd be glad for you to knock on our door. Be glad to see you.
E-7 I used to say, the rain don't fall too hard, or the night never gets too dark, but what I would come to you. I wished I could do that, but, my, you'd be surprised how many calls there is comes per hour. I think my wife... On all the phones that can I be called on, four phones, I think, they run around, I think it was thirty-seven long distance calls per hour. Now, you can imagine what it is. That's the world over. See? And you couldn't answer it all. Everyone begging... I've had little mothers to get on the phone and say, "Brother Branham, just wait. I--I'll just pray. The Lord, I know, wants to bring you here."
Here's a great big pile of airplane tickets laying here: "Come here." "Come here." "Come here." You know how it is. But there's never a one call that I can get a hold of, but what, sincerely, I pray for them. The Lord gives visions, sends me places. I just go that way as I'm called. God bless you.
E-8 These handkerchiefs are laying here, are from you sick people or going to some of your loved ones. Sincerely I pray over them. And after service, you can have them.
And now, if you didn't get your handkerchief up here, and you wish we would pray over one, just write me: Jeffersonville, Indiana. I'll send you one absolutely free and postpaid. You just, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and--and just my name, and I'll send it to you. We send out thousands of them a month. And so all over the world. And great signs and wonders has taken place by the people's faith.
E-9 Here recently, in Germany, there's a little woman... Show you how simple it is. She'd been crippled for seven years with arthritis. And so, when she got the little handkerchiefs...
I've got a ch--a prayer chain, according to central standard time, the world around. People have to get up at midnight to go into prayer for one another. And they have instructions.
So the little mother pinned the little handkerchief on her underneath garment and she said, "Now, you devil, that's had me bound seven years, you just get away from me." Up she got, and down through the floor she went, after being setting in a wheelchair seven years. Just that simple child-like faith, that's all it takes. You look a way out there for God, and you look over the top of where He's standing. He's just right by you. Just as simple as it can be...
E-10 Now, let us bow our heads and pray before we minister to the Word. And I want to thank also, the custodian and the people, let us have this building, and for everything. If I've left anybody out, I don't mean to. The organist, and the pianist, and the song leader, and everybody: God bless you all is my prayer.
Gracious Father, we approach Thee now, in that all-sufficient Name of Thy dear loving Son, the Lord Jesus. We thank Thee for every soul that was saved during the time of this revival. And maybe out of that, may come ministers and missionaries that'll help take the Word to the foreign fields across the world before the coming of the Lord.
Maybe it's some little housewife that will lead her entire family to Thee, or some husband that might lead every man that he works with in his factory, to Thee. We don't know, Father, but all that's been accomplished, we praise Thee for it.
And we ask You, Lord, to bless these who we have just mentioned and many others who need to be mentioned that we could not mention. We pray that You'll be with all.
E-11 And now, bless these handkerchiefs, Lord. They're laying here, representing sick and afflicted people. And Lord, we're taught in the Bible that they taken from the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons, and they were sent to the sick and the needy. Unclean spirits went out of them, and great wonders were performed.
And Father, we realize that we're not Saint Paul, but You're still Jesus. And I pray, Father, that You'll honor the faith of the people that's put these handkerchiefs here and may everyone of them be healed.
E-12 One writer said, when Israel was backed into the corner and the desert on both sides, and the mountains, and the Red Sea had cut them off in front of them, and Pharaoh's army coming, pursuing them, that God looked down through the Pillar of Fire. And the sea got scared and opened up, because the path of God led through the wilderness to the promised land.
God, when these handkerchiefs are placed upon the sick bodies of those who are suffering, may the God of heaven look back through His own Son's Blood, and may the sickness of these people depart. And may they pass to that good promise of health and strength.
Grant it Lord. Minister to us, tonight, through the written Word, by the preaching and the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Save sinners. Bring backsliders back to the saving grace of God in a--the home place, where they really belong. Heal the sick and the afflicted and get glory to Thyself. Make every demon to leave the building. Give freedom of the Spirit that Your worshipping children might have the privilege tonight, to enjoy the deep rich blessings of the Holy Ghost, which the Father has in store for them. This I ask, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.
Now immediately after this service you can come and get your--your handkerchief.
E-13 I wish to read from the Bible tonight, in the book of Revelations, you who are taking the text down each night.
And now, we will not be letting the tapes go tonight, but you may obtain the tapes if you wish, just--I think they sell for about three dollars apiece. Is that right? And you know how cheap that is. I just sent to another evangelist, and bought a tape, and it cost me nine dollars for the tape. We've got the same tape for three dollars, just a little bit over the cost. And if you don't know the boy's address... What is your box number there? 315 Jeffersonville.
Write to Leo Mercier, 315, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and they'll send you any tape that they want. And they have some--oh, hundreds of sermons, on tapes and prayer lines and so forth, you'd like to check back to see what the Lord said to you in the prayer line.
E-14 Now, the Book of Revelations. And the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse, I wish to read for a text.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: and if any man hear my voice, and will open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
May the Lord God add His blessings to the reading of this Word.
Now, this is rather an unusual Scripture for a--a healing campaign. And when I first read this, it brought something to my mind: a picture of someone standing, knocking at the door.
And I'm a great lover of art. I believe God is in art, real art. God is in music. God is in nature. God is in His church. God is just all around. And I love art very much.
E-15 Today, I was--had the privilege of eating a little bowl of salad with a friend at a restaurant, and I could hardly listen to what the waitress was saying, while I was admiring the pictures on the wall.
I love to go into a Christian's house and--and see the pictures of Christ on the wall. Now, I've been into some mighty humble homes. And I'd rather go into a home that had Christian pictures on the wall, a little sign up there, "God Bless Our Home." And no matter if they didn't even have a carpet on the floor, or a floor to put a carpet on, I'd feel more at home there, than I would in a great swanky place with a lot of pin-ups on the wall.
It goes to... Let me see what you look at, what you read, and let me set around your place a little while and see what you read, and what kind of a music you listen to: I can tell you what you are, tell you what your spirit feeds on.
So that's the reason, this week, I have certainly hit down on lot of this here television stuff of non-censored programs. They used to not have them, but they're surely wild today in America.
E-16 And I found a picture once, that was striking that... Just can't think of the artist who--who painted the picture, but it was of Christ knocking at the door. And he was, I think, a Grecian artist. And while He was knocking at the door... All famous pictures, first, has to go through what's called the hall of critics, before it can go to the hall of fame.
That's a beautiful thought. Did you know, all great things has to pass through the critics. God's blessed Church has to go through the critics and stand the criticism before it could be took to the hall of God's immortal fame. The Scripture says, "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions." So if you're not persecuted for righteousness sake--not something you brought on yourself--but for righteousness sake, there's something wrong somewhere.
E-17 And this picture hangs in the hall and the critics pass by it, I mean critics who really know how to criticize. And they criticize the picture to everything they can find. Then if it passes through the critics without being criticized, then it's a famous picture.
And while this picture was in the--its procedure through the critics, there was one critic said to the painter; he said, "Sir, you have a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus. And you have your door just wonderful; and the little vine over the door, which is very homey looking..." But said, "There's one thing you failed to do."
And he said, "What is that, my good man?"
Said, "You never put any latch on the door. And how is He going to get in if there is no latch on the door?"
And the artist said, "That's the way I intended to paint it, because on this door, the latch is on the inside." That is right. Christ knocks, but you are the one who opens to Him. "Lo, I stand and knock at the door; if any man will open..." The latch is in your hand; the knocking is up to Him.
And now, what would a man be knocking on a door for? What business does a man have of knocking on another man's door? It's because he wants to gain entrance. He has a message, or a present, or something that he wants to talk over with you. And that's the reason that people knock at your door.
E-18 And there's been many great men, down through the ages, that's knocked on doors. For instance, the great Augustus Caesar, what would have taken place if he would've went down to a peasant's house in the days of his noble reign? And he would've went down there and knocked at the door of a peasant, a poor person. The great emperor of Rome, coming down to a peasant's house, that would've been a most unusual sight, to see the great mighty Caesar knocking on a little peasant's door.
If that peasant would've went to the door, and a opened and seen the great Caesar, he would've fell on his face and would've said, "Oh, great Emperor of Rome, what do you want here at my humble abode? Enter in, kind sir. And all that I have belongs to you." Oh, what a great honor it would've been for this peasant to have entertained the Emperor of Rome.
E-19 Or what if in Germany, a few years ago, if the late Adolf Hitler, the fuhrer of Germany, would've went down to one of his foot soldier's door, and have knocked at the door, and the soldier would have opened the door, and there stood Adolf Hitler, the fuhrer of Germany--the greatest name in Germany standing at his door?
Why, the little soldier would've quickly come to attention, and with his German salute, and he'd said, "Great fuhrer of Germany, enter into my house. You have paid me an honor above all men. Think of me, just a soldier, and here stands the chief general, at my door. Oh, great Hitler, what could I do for you?" It would've been a honorable thing to entertain Adolf Hitler. That would've been one of his footmen.
E-20 Or I'd say this: It would be an honor for the President of the United States, President Dwight Eisenhower, our beloved President; it would be an honor for him to come to you, for him to come to your place. Though you might be the best Democrat there is in Chattanooga, you might differing with him in politics; but it would be a great honor for President Dwight Eisenhower to knock on your door and pay you a visit. Certainly. He's one of the greatest men in the United States, President Eisenhower. It would be an honor for you to entertain President Eisenhower, for any of us to do so.
And just recently, the Queen of England made a visit to the United States. What little woman here in this city, but what would have been a great honor if that queen would've went to your door and knocked at your door? And when you ask her who she was, and she'd said, "I'm the Queen of England," oh, you'd have been happy. The newspapers would've packed it. The radio would've broadcast it, that the queen, so humble that she brought herself down to a--a little shack somewhere, or to my door, or to your door, though she has... We're not her subjects, but she's a great woman. She's the greatest queen on earth, the most powerful queen on earth. Though we're not her subject, she has no jurisdiction over her, but she's an important woman. That's what makes the difference. And the newspapers would've been glad to have picked it up.
E-21 But you know what, the most important Person in all of eternity is the Lord Jesus. Who's more important than He is? And who's more turned away than He is?
Oh, you would take the queen in quickly. Or you'd take the President quickly. And the papers would pack it, and the radio would pack it. They'd be glad. But Jesus can knock at your heart's door, and you shut the door in His face, and say, "I don't want nothing to do with you. It'll spoil my society. It'll spoil this, that, or it'll make me and my husband different with each other. Or it'll make me and my boss different with one another."
I'm so glad that the Gospel of Jesus Christ does make you different, for there is a vast difference when you serve the Lord. When Jesus once comes into your heart, you're a changed person from then on.
But think of it: If you knocked on somebody's door and tried to get in, and they shut the door in your face, you wouldn't go back anymore. But not Him: He will come night after night, day after day. That's what makes Him God, is because He's so humble. He continually, constantly knocks at your door.
E-22 I've had the privilege of visiting some great men: King George of England, the late king; King Gustaf of Sweden; and many other great men. The late Willy D. Upshaw, Congressman from the south, here, he was healed in my meetings after being a cripple for sixty-six years; the Lord healed him. And I've had the grand privilege of meeting great men.
Now, if a man is great, when you talk to him, he will make you think that you are the great one. But you take a man that just thinks he's somebody, he's tries to blow hisself up all the time, when he's nobody. Just give him a change of clothes and he's a changed person. But a real big man makes himself small. That shows that the God of heaven made Hisself a foot-washer to mankind. The way up is down. "He that humbles himself shall be exalted."
That's what's the matter with we people today; we don't want to accept that humility of the Gospel. We want to think we're just a little bit too good: we know a little more than someone else.
E-23 And Jesus knocks at the door and He's turned away. "Oh," you say, "Brother Branham, just a moment. Not me. I accepted Him a long time ago. He came into my heart." Well, I am very happy about that, that He did come into your heart.
But then, what would happen if the queen come into your house or the President come into your house, and you had a little treasure setting up on the wall (a little--a little something, a little thing that you thought lot's of), and what if they desired that? You'd say, "Oh, Queen of England, you just take anything that's in my house. It's yours. You're welcome."
E-24 And if you invited me to your house, shook my hand at your door, and said, "Brother Branham, come in, set down, make yourself at home," why, I'd just feel very well, and go, and take off my shoes, and lay down across the bed, and take a nap. If I was hungry, I'd go out to the icebox and fix myself a sandwich. I'd feel like that I was a brother, and that I was welcome anywhere in your house.
But we let Jesus into our door to be our Saviour, but we got a lot of little bitty doors that we don't want Him fooling with. Now, I'm going to just skin down just a little bit. I don't mean to hurt, but look. That's right. You'll let Him be your Saviour, because you don't want to go to hell, but will you let Him be your Lord? "Lord," is "rulership, ownership." Can He come into your heart and govern your life?
E-25 Oh, there's a little door, just as soon as He steps in the heart door... You say, "Now, Lord, You can save me. I appreciate that. I'll be baptized and go to church. But you see, that little door over that? That's my private life. And I don't want You dealing anything with that." That's the attitude of Christians today, too many of them. "Don't you fool with my private life, now, because I've got my own little group that I run around with, my own little associates; and I don't want You tampering around with that." Then He's not welcome. Then He... Don't worry; He won't stay very long if He's not welcome. (You remember in Gadara? He wasn't welcome, so He didn't stay.)
E-26 So, you say, "Now, my private life, now I've got own little click that I hang with, and that's up from the Joneses; and we just don't want anybody else fooling with our lives. We have our little bridge party, and--and we a... Suzy and I, we showcase shop every Tuesday afternoon and Thursday, and I just don't want you fooling with that."
"Oh," you say, "I--I wouldn't say that, Brother Branham." But you do it anyhow.
"Now, we've got our little society down at our church. And we stitch and sew, and sew and stitch, and stitch and sew, and talk about Miss So-and-so; and I--I--I just wouldn't have anything to interrupt that." No wonder we can't have a revival: professed Christians without possessing Christ.
E-27 "Oh well, I tell you; I've thought it all over, but I do smoke cigarettes. I know I oughtn't to do it." Well then, stop it! If there's a question in your mind on anything, don't do it. Any time there's a question, you're wrong. Stop it! Causes more death than anything I know of: cigarettes. "Oh," you say, "they sell them on the television." What else do they do on the television? Let me say this with a good sweet, humble feeling in my heart: a real borned again Christian knows better than to do it.
When I was a little boy, and I first was ordained in the Missionary Baptist Church, I got a little Bible. And people kept saying to me, "Brother Branham, is it wrong to smoke? Is it wrong to drink?" And I was looking at that little Bible the other day. I wrote a little thing in the back; I said, "Don't ask me foolish questions. Make this up in your mind: If you love the Lord with all your heart, you won't smoke, chew, or drink any shine." And I think that's pretty good to stay by. Questionable...
E-28 And my son was at a certain Baptist church, here not long ago, right in Tennessee. And the preacher had to let out the Sunday school early so all of them could stand out and smoke before they come back into the classroom. That's one man that's packing the name of a Baptist, who don't deserve to be called that.
That ought to be my class once. I tell you; I'd rather preach to four pillars on the wall and tell the truth. I'd oust that bunch of hypocrites, or they'd go to the altar and make things right with God. So you see, you don't want to never vote me down here in your church.
I believe that the time has come when people won't... Oh, they say, "Brother Branham, just a minute. My pastor smokes." Well, he needs the altars like you do. That's right. If he was right in his heart, he wouldn't do it.
Oh, that little private life that you have of your own, that little door that you don't want nobody fooling in... Then there's another little door over there that's called pride. Oh, how you love to hold your little nose up in the air: pride. You think you're somebody.
E-29 Here some time ago, I was standing with some boys. I wasn't with them, but I was watching them. And they were looking at a great coliseum we were in, and it was telling what the estimation that a man weighing a hundred and fifty pound was worth in chemicals. You'd be surprised what a man's really worth. He's got just about enough whitewash in his body to sprinkle a hen's nest, a little bit of calcium, two ounces; and when it's all balanced up, a good strong hundred and fifty pound man's worth eighty-four cents. And a woman's worth less. She doesn't have the chemicals a man does.
And then you'll put a five hundred mink coat around that eighty-four cents and stick your nose up in the air. If it would rain, you'd drowned. And then think you're somebody, because you belong to a church somewhere. That's right. What is it? Eighty-four cents.
And one of those boys said to the other one, said, "Well, John, we're not worth very much are we?"
And I put my hand on both their shoulders, and I said, "I have no question to that. Scientists who has analyzed that, made that statement. But boys, as a minister of the Lord Jesus, you've got a soul in you that's worth ten thousand worlds.
E-30 If you went down here and got a bowl of soup, and you started to eat, and you found a spider in it, oh, my, you'd throw that soup out and sue the restaurant. You're sure taking care of that eighty-four cents, but you'll let the devil put ten million times that much poison of cigarettes down you, and pay for it. Or a drink of whiskey or a card party...
I may never see you again in this life; this may be my last visit: perhaps is, 'cause I'm heading for the fields overseas. But I want you to know what is truth. That little door of pride, oh, it's so... Today, I tell you; if you want to do something, you paint your steps red next week, and you see if the people living next door to you don't paint their steps red. You buy a red car, and your neighbor just can't stand it; he's got to have a red car. It's a day of impersonation, matching.
E-31 I guess, here some time ago, a few weeks ago, I was wearing a pair of dark trousers, and I had on a pair of green socks, and a red tie. And my wife said to me, she said, "Billy, that don't match."
I said, "But it's clean." I don't care whether it matches or not. I don't care whether my socks match my trousers, or my trousers matches my coat: I want my experience to match God's Bible. That's the kind of a matching we ought to do.
But oh, that little life of pride. The preacher can preach against immorals as much as he wants to, and you'll let it run off of your back, like the duck's back and water running off of it. You just know so much that the Gospel can't penetrate anymore. Talk about breaking down the middle walls of partition and the people coming together with one heart, cooperating, great meetings, and for the glory of God, just let a revival start: "That has nothing to do with our denomination." There you are. Oh, that little life of pride.
E-32 Then there's another door in there: selfishness, "what I can get out of it, me and my family. Oh, we couldn't join that little mission down there because that... Well, I... My social standing with the people, I've got a dry goods store in the city. I run a filling station. If they knowed I went to that mission..." Oh, my.
In my travels, I find the best spiritual meetings that I find, is in little bitty missions, where half a dozen people are seated together in heavenly places. Got the most the demons on the outside, shut in with Christ.
E-33 Then there's another door that I like to have Christ to knock at tonight. That's the door of faith. That's a real needy door. I want to toil just a little on that. You've come into the church. And perhaps you have accepted Christ as personal Saviour, but you just don't have any faith, you say. No wonder, you won't let Him take over. Oh, your pastor says the days of miracles is past. Then that blocks Christ from your door. The Bible said He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And when Christ comes in, He wants to be ruler. He wants to be the Lord of your faith.
That's the reason people don't get healed. That's the reason they don't have the faith that brave out. They're stand back behind something: "Touch me," or "Do some little hocus-pocus over me."
E-34 Let me say this, my brother, any man, whoever he is or what church he belongs to, that tells you that he can heal you, is absolutely teaching something contrary to God's Bible.
Healing is a finished work: Christ did it on Calvary. And if He can only come into your heart and open your heart, you can see the finished work, it's finished when you accept it.
Salvation is the same. If there's power to heal men, there's power to save a man. Man's both saved and healed when Christ died at Calvary: "For He was wounded for our transgressions and with His stripes we were healed."
E-35 Therefore, that little door that's faith... "Oh, I'll--I'll give a try." Faith doesn't try. Oh, blessed be His Name. Faith knows where it's standing. Faith's got big muscles and a hairy chest. And when he raises up with his big muscles, everything contrary sets down. He lets out a scream, and it sounds like a panther screaming. And every jack rabbit takes to his den. Faith's the boss. All things are possible to them that believe: all things. "Well," you say, "I might ask God too much, Brother Branham." You can't ask Him enough. He loves to do it for you.
Could you imagine a little fish about a half inch long, out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, saying, "Well, I better drink of this water sparingly; I might run out some day." That would be nonsense. And it would be more nonsense to think you could ever exhaust the Father's good will to do things for you.
Could you imagine a little mouse about so long, under the great garners of Egypt, saying, "Now, just a moment. There's only a four hundred and fifty billion tons in this garner, so maybe I better just eat one grain a day, 'cause I might run out before springtime."
E-36 Oh, that's the way some Christians think God is: trying to allowance yourself: just joining the church, just doing this. "Oh, if I just do the best I can..." If you do the best you can, you'll believe every promise God's made. It's--it's for you. You can never ask Him too much. He loves to give it. "Ask much that your--abundance, that your joys might be full." Just ask for great things and believe for great things.
But the reason you can't do it, you say now, "Jesus, You saved me. Don't You let me go to hell, but don't fool around, because maybe Dr. Ph.D. Calhoun is right. It might be that the days of miracles are past." It might be. It is for you. You just make that up--it is.
E-37 A man come to me sometimes ago, and he said, "Mr. Branham, I don't care what you do or say, I don't believe in miracles."
I said, "It wasn't for you unbelievers. It was for those who believe." That's just the only question. Jesus said, "He that believeth, all things are possible." It's for those who will believe and will pay--place their unadulterated faith in the finished works of Christ. God's there, obligated to do it.
The door of faith... If Jesus could stand at the door of faith--and now, no criticism against the doctor. I believe in doctors. If a doctor... You know what? I have found more believing doctors, in Divine healing, than I have preachers. That's right.
The trouble of it is, is the motives behind it. You go to the surgeon; the surgeon will say, "Don't you go to the medical doctor; you don't need sugar pills. You need an operation."
And the surgeon will say, "You don't..." Or the medical doctor, say, "You don't need that butcher on you; you need some pills." And they'll both say, "Don't you have nothing to do with the chiropractor or the osteopathic." And they'll all say, "Stay away from the preacher." And when men think that...
We know that surgery has done great things; medicine's done great things, osteopathic and chiropractic. If there wasn't a selfish, greedy motive behind it, we'd all join arms together for the better of mankind. And so would churches and preachers, if they wasn't so selfish in their hearts. Amen. They won't let Christ take the door.
E-38 I've knowed a many a man that'd been helped by chiropractic, osteopathic, operations, and medicine. Certainly, I do. I believe it's God's program. And everybody that ever was healed, was healed by the power of God. There never was a medicine ever healed and never will be. You can't have a doctor to tell you that medicine heals. If he does, he's wrong.
Healing is building tissue. Medicine only keeps the thing clean, so God can heal. That's right. It's an aid, not a cure; or that's what Mr. Mayo said, at the Mayo Clinic, that "We don't claim to be healers; we only claim to assist nature. There's one Healer, that is God. That's the best that we have." But there's selfish motives behind it. The objectives is wrong. We ought to try to get together and put our arms together, doctors, and ministers, and all different types of things that can help our fellow man make life a little better for him--a little more pleasure. Help him get rid of his aches and pains and let him be happy as God really intended him to be. That's what we need. But how can you expect the doctors to do it, when the preachers don't even do it? That's the reason Christ has to have the right-of-way in our heart.
E-39 If Christ can come into the heart of a doctor, he will work day and night to try to save that patient, whether he gets a penny for it or not. And he will cause every minister... He will do everything he can, if he's got that patient at heart. Certainly. Any man that's got his heart right with God tries to help the fellow man. That's what we're supposed to do. If we let Christ stand in our heart of faith, open the doors and use every effort, praying, "God, let us know where move next."
Then there's one more door we want to open before we start praying for the sick. And that is, the door of your eyes. Did you know the Bible said that this age would end up naked, miserable, poor, wretched, blind, and wouldn't know it? "I counsel of you to come and buy eyesalve from Me, that ye might anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you could see." The door of the soul is the eye.
E-40 Well, we was raised up in the mountains of Kentucky. And my grandpa used to hunt raccoon. And he would take the grease, and render it up, and make some kind of a little lard out of it. And mama used to keep that raccoon grease setting around, when us kiddies got cold in our eyes, sleeping in an old house with clap-board shingles on it, and a piece of canvas over the top of the bed, keep the snow and rain off of us. No floor, just a stump sawed off at the top for a table, a little old bed with a fence rail around it and a piece of canvas tacked on it and shucks for a bed... Don't know what hard times is...
And our eyes would get cold in them, and they'd shut up, swell shut. And little, mama called it, "matter" would get in our eyes. And she'd go get this old bowl of coon grease, and grease up our eyes and make them soft, so that we could open our eyes and see daylight again.
E-41 But you know what? The church of the living God has caught a spiritual cold and almost froze to death. And their eyes has gone blind to the things of God. And it'll take more than a dish full of scho--coon grease to do it any good, or a little bit of theology from some cemetery, or seminary. All about the same! All right. It'll take the anointing salve of the Holy Ghost to open our eyes that we might see the goodness and the mercies of God. God will send signs and wonders among us; we'll say, "Oh well, it could be telepathy. Oh, Dr. Jones said not to pay any attention; that it might be so-and-so." Oh, God open your blinded eyes. How that God wants to anoint your eyes with eye salve and grease them up right good, so it'll get all the cold and indifference out of you, and you can open your eyes and see His Presence.
E-42 Listen America. I say this, not to individuals, but to America in full: Your hour of judgment is near at hand. You're just as sure this nation will be judged by God. If it isn't so, I'm a false prophet and a liar at the pulpit. Just watch for it; it's coming! Mark it in your books and say, "Brother Branham said so, in the Name of the Lord." And you're going to see that it's going to be just that way, because God's Bible said so.
The other day, I made this statement to you: I said, "If God doesn't judge this nation for it's sin, He's obligated to raise up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize for sinking them." Certainly. God's obligated. He's just, and He's honest, and He's true, and His judgments are true. And God's no respect of person. And we've weighed in the balances and found wanting. (I wanted to preach on that this week, but it just--the week ain't long enough--on: "Weighed in the balance" and then, "The Handwriting on the Wall.") We're at the end time and our eyes are blind to it.
E-43 A certain minister said to me, sometime ago, said, "If you'd be a--a servant of Christ and you have the Holy Ghost, strike me blind. Strike me blind." Said, "Paul struck a man blind; you strike me blind."
I said, "Brother, I can't do what the devil's already done. You're blind now, and don't know it."
"Oh," he said, "when the Bible speaks "blind," it means physical blind."
I said, "Elisha struck the whole Syrian army blind, and said, 'Are you looking for Elisha?'"
"They said, 'Yes.'"
"Said, 'Well follow me, I'll show you where he's at.'"
Gehazi was blind, standing there, and couldn't see the Angels of fire and the mountains on fire around that prophet, until God opened his eyes.
Spiritual blindness is ten million times worse than physical blindness. If I have to go blind in my eyes or go blind in my spirit, God take my eyes, before my spirit. Let my eyes be open to see His glory. Anoint my eyes, O Lord, with Thy eyesalve. Don't let cold come in and set up an infection. And coldness, indifference, denominations, creeds, doctrines, and so forth, that's give you the pneumonia, and your eyes have been all mattered and swelled up, until now, God can show His glory. You can hear somebody enjoying it, "So-and-so got healed. Why can't I?" Just open your eyes to see His glory. He's here. Christ still lives.
E-44 We are so stupid in our ways, all of us. We don't realize the good things that God does for us. You let take place in Africa, India, Europe, Asia, anywhere, the things that's happened on this platform this week, God will have over a hundred thousand souls in His Kingdom without one-third the effort.
But the things that you now have been privileged of God to see, it's going to be taken from your eyes. Just mark my word and see if that's right or not. This is the last night of the service. See if that's right. Then tell me whether I'm a false prophet or not. For the hour is at hand.
It passed its crisis two years ago. And they made their final choice. Oh, there'll be great efforts put forth, little spurts up here and there, but the great revival is ending. I know you don't believe that, 'cause I feel your spirit, but it's so anyhow. You just watch and see how close it is in being wrong. Next thing this nation gets is judgment; it's spurned mercy; it's judgment. Open your eyes. Look around. How can it keep from happening? If there's a true God in heaven He's obligated to do it.
E-45 Now, we don't ever notice the good things that God has given: a free nation, a free speech. And it's the things that we've had, and the great revivals that's went through the country. Great signs and wonders has been done. Billy Graham, Jack Schuller, Oral Roberts, and many of the great ministers, that's passed through the land, back and forth, back and forth through America, and we just say, "Well, if He belonged to our denomination, but it'd be different."
And then all the holiness in the Bible that's been preached and what you've been taught, you still, you women strip yourselves and go half naked.
You men do just as contrary. You set around, let your wife act like that, and dress like that, and say nothing about it. Well, you puppet. How would you ever make a preacher? How would you make a deacon? If you can't control your own house, what are you going to do in the house of God? That's the reason the house of God's in the shape it's in today. We need men with brass knucks to preach the Gospel, to uncover sin and show where it's at, not some little petty thing. We need an old fashion breaking up, tearing down, molding over. We need a old time Saint Paul's revival and the Bible Holy Ghost back into the church again, instead of a bunch of little isms.
E-46 Baptist, Methodist, and they all culted down. You Pentecostal went after a little sensations, a little funny feeling, or a little oil or blood in your hands and face. And what did you get to? You see where you're setting tonight? Come back to Christ and open your eyes, men.
It's the love of God that's absolutely pure and sure. And how can you prove you've got the love of God, and fussing, and fighting, and stewing, and acting the way we're doing? That's hard, but it's truth.
Someone said to me a few days ago, after the first sermon here at the church on that, said, "Brother Branham, you'll never be popular preaching that."
I said, "I don't want to be popular. I want to be honest." Don't care about popularity. I want to be honest before God. I could have compromised with it a long time ago, but God give me a heart to stay true to Him. I don't care what happens. If I don't have a friend left on earth, I want One in glory. When I cross the river of death, I want to meet Him there. Certainly...
E-47 I'm only saying this, not prejudice; I'm saying this to stir your hearts, to some of you people stop this little face around here, and get back to an old fashion prayer meeting in each home around here. You'll make preachers ashamed of themselves. The laity can do it if you'll just do it. If the preachers can't get to do it, gather; you get together. Have a revival.
Not indifferent, making it different from somebody else, but making for the church of the living God. All these good blessings, we never appreciated them. Night after night, hour after hour, God puts His blessings down. But soon they'll be lifted.
E-48 Closing, I'll say this: you know what's the matter with America? You've seen too much.
No long ago, I was in a city, about six weeks ago, Waterloo, Iowa. And someone come told me, said, "Well, all of our people there; they've already been to your meeting, Brother Branham." Said, "There's no need of going down to Brother Branham's meeting." Said, "If you go down there, the only thing you see, people come up on the platform, and it's told them what about themselves, and so forth like that. Oh, we believe all of that." Don't you see how cruel the human heart can be? That ought to thrill the human heart in such a place, it would start prayer meetings everywhere, but they're so cold, so indifferent. Just what the Bible said they'd be, the Laodicean church age. But those who He loves, He chastens, rebukes: those who He loves. Certainly, He does.
That was His message to the Laodicean Church, and remember, this text that I'm reading tonight, is to the Laodicean church. "I stand and knock at the door." [Brother Branham knocks--Ed.] Certainly.
E-49 We've seen so much and so much of God's glory: Oral Roberts, all the rest of them, their meetings seems to go, be going down. Sure. Even Billy Graham's. Lot of them. You don't have it no more like you used to. What's the matter? The little going over is just about finished. It don't excite the people anymore to see good meetings, great revivals. They don't care for great preachers and so forth, that the Lord has sent them like those men.
Here, sometime ago, I made a remark about a man that was starting a little sensation. I said, "Don't do that, Brother. If I could preach like you did, I'd never mention such a thing as that." Well, you try to get something a little different from any other bunch, so you can draw this bunch over this way, and this bunch over this way. My, point them up "that way." That's where we go.
E-50 Now, one time there was a man going down to the seashore. He was tired. He said, "I'm going down to take a little rest. I've never seen the sea."
And on his road down, he met a man coming back, an old salt, an old sailor. And he said, "Where goest thou, my good man?"
He said, "I'm going down to the seashore. I long to see the great briny waves leap. I want to smell the salty air. I want to hear the sea gulls as they scream. I want to see the heavens reflected into the salty water."
The old sailor said, "I was borned on the sea. I've been there for forty years. There isn't nothing thrilling about it that I can see." That was it. He'd seen it so much, till it become common to him.
That's what's the matter with the church tonight. You've seen God's blessings, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and those things, which has been going for years in the church, till it's become a common thing to you. Your fathers and mothers rejoiced when God begin to pour out His Spirit upon the church.
E-51 What about you Church of God? What about you Assemblies of God? Why, you stood on the corner, a little tambourines and everything else, and would've died for the cause. And now you won't walk across the street for the cause. Amen. What's happened? You did run well, what hindered you? It's become so common to you. You believe it all, sure, but it doesn't thrill you any more. It's so common. God's so good to you, and you don't realize it.
Down here, in the south, an old colored preacher friend of mine, he told me a little story. And he said, one time he had an old colored man there. His name was--we called him "Gabe." His name was Gabriel, but we called him Gabe just for short. And he tried his best to get old Gabe to come to church, and he wouldn't do it. His wife prayed for him. He done everything, but old Gabe just wouldn't go to church. And he wouldn't get right with God. And the preacher liked to hunt and so did old Gabe.
And they went hunting. And Gabe was a poor shot; he couldn't hit nothing, but he liked to hunt just the same. So one day when he was out hunting--both of them--on the road coming back, when the sun was setting, both of them loaded so full of game they could hardly walk. Oh, it'd been a real field day for them. They had birds, and rabbits, and squirrels, and all that they could pack, just loaded down.
E-52 And the sun was going down. They was coming along a little old familiar pathway, and the preacher walking in front, just with all the game that he could pack. Old Gabe, behind him, cripping along, all he could pack. After while, the preacher felt a hand on his shoulder patting him. And as he looked around, old Gabe was looking him right in the face and the tears running down his black cheeks. He said, "Parson, you see that sun setting yonder?"
Said, "Yes, Gabe. I see the sun setting."
He said, "That's the way the sun's setting in my life." He said, "Parson, in the morning (which was Sunday morning) you're going to find me down at the mourners bench. And as soon as I can straighten up there with God, I'm going right back and get myself a seat, and I'm going to remain in the church until death sets me free."
E-53 And the old colored pastor, loyal to his post of duty, he said, "Gabe, you know I'm happy about that." Said, "Your wife has prayed for you for years, and your children has prayed for you. I've prayed for you. I've hunted with you. I've talked to you. Why the sudden change, Gabe?"
He said, "Parson, you know, I's one of the poorest shots in this country." And he said, "Looky here, I'm loaded down with game." Said, "He must have loved me, or He wouldn't have give it to me."
How true that is. He stands at the door and knocks. He sends His Spirit, His blessings, His Word, His everything; sends it to you, and you're loaded down. And you don't deserve it. Surely you let God open up the doors of your heart tonight and stand there in faith and loyalty. Say, "Come, Lord Jesus. Don't only be my Saviour, but be my Lord. Take my pride. Take my selfishness. Take my unbelief. Take my blinded eyes and open them, Lord, and stand in my heart as King of kings and Lord of lords." Surely we appreciate Him that much, of the goodness that He's did for us.
E-54 While we think about that, just a moment, let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. Oh, hasn't He been good to you? Hasn't our blessed Lord been so good to you to give you so many good things? And yet, look how we treat Him. Is there one of... There is, plenty in here tonight, we not going to bring you up here to the altar, but I wonder if you'd just like to say, "Lord, You've been so good to me, and I've been so unlovely to You, but I want to raise my hands and say, 'God, forgive me. From this night on, I mean to serve You with all my heart.'"
On the bottom floor, how many's going to put up their hands? God bless you, sir. God bless you, you, you, you... Oh, my. Just look at the hands.
E-55 The balconies to my right, raise your hands, saying, "Oh, God, You've been so good to me. And I'm undeserving, but from this night, henceforth, by Your grace, I'm going to try to prove myself to be a real servant to You. Here's my hand, Lord." Will you raise your hands, the balconies to my right? God bless you. That's good.
The balconies to the rear, would you raise your hands and say, "Christ, from tonight on...? Don't be ashamed, back there, children. Little boy, put that cigarette out back there. All right. Shame on you, coming in the church of God. Did your mother raise you like that? If she did, she needs a whipping. This is not an arena; this is the house of God, and you respect it. Put your hands up. Say, "God be merciful to me." That's the way to do it. God bless you.
Balconies to my left, would you raise your hand? God bless you. That's right. Plenty of them all around.
E-56 Heavenly Father, just a little bit now, and we'll say farewell. This great meeting will close, or my part of it. The seining that I've been doing on this corner will close. And here is at least two hundred hands or more. Yes, more, I'm sure, went up tonight; that they're sorry that they have treated You the way they have. You've been so good to them, and they've been so unlovely in Your Presence. Forgive them, Lord God. And may they, like old Gabe (the little story just told, of the old colored man down here in Georgia)... I pray, Father God, that they'll find their place at the Church of the living God, and their place at the altar, and there serve God until death shall set them free.
We see You each night, with a great wondering sign, come down here and manifest the resurrection of Christ. And we walk right out, say, "Well, that was very nice." We might not say it in so many words, but Lord, in the heart they say it. And You don't pay so much attention to the lips; it's the heart.
E-57 God, we pray now, that those who have been so loyal and so real, believing every word and rejoicing over everything that You've done, strengthen their experience now, Lord. Grant it. May they put on the full armor, go out to fight likewise into the battle, for the battle's about over. We can hear the victory cry, "Fear not, little flock. It's your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom."
Bless all together now. We ask that You'll take these dear children into Your arms. They've been sweet and kind. And we pray that You'll bless them abundantly, Lord. All these fine pastors that's been on this platform here during the week, some of them out into the meeting here, has dismiss their churches and things: God be with those men. Oh, strengthen their experience, and may they go forth like burning torches through this city and around about. Give great revivals, Lord. Grant it. You'll send your preachers until the last soul is in the Kingdom. I know You will. And I pray my blessings be upon them, Lord. Grant it.
And I ask now for Divine Presence of God to come now and manifest the Lord Jesus in the power of His resurrection once more, before we say farewell to each other. We pray that we'll meet many more times on this earth. But if not, may we meet in that great Kingdom of which we're trying to represent tonight, God's Kingdom. Keep us safely, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, under the Blood. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-58 How many really loves the Lord, just really loves Him? I don't care what church that's...?... Isn't that wonderful. At least ninety-five--maybe better--a hundred per cent; I trust it is, that we love Him.
What is God? God is love. He that loveth is of God. Now that isn't what we call "free love." That's Agapao love. There's two different kinds of love. One of them is the Greek word is phileo. "Phileo" means "friendship, the kind you have for your wife, love, that kind of love." That kind of love is not a true love. Oh, I know you little teen-agers want to believe that, but it's wrong. That kind of love will make you jealous of your wife; you'll take a pistol and blow a man's brains out because of her. That ain't real love. That's phileo love.
But Agapao love will make you get down and pray for that man's lost soul. That's Agapao love. That's the kind of love the church needs, what we all need is that kind of love. God, give me that love. It--I'd rather have that experience of love than have all the gifts that God's got in His heaven. For you can have every gift God's got and still be lost. How many knows that? That's exactly right. It's love, the love of God. "Where there's tongues, they shall cease. Whether it's prophecy, it'll fail. Where there's knowledge, it'll vanish; but when that which is perfect shall come, it endureth forever" Love, love one another, that's a great saying.
E-59 Billy, how many cards? One hundred. Wonder if there's...? How many in here's... I don't know what to do. It's late. I just take so much time. I'd like to run a fast line, just bring the people through. I'm 'fraid I can't get them all through. Oh, let's try. We--we'll do--let's--Well, I'll tell you, who's got number 1? What is that... "M"? "Z." Let's start with number 1. Who has "Z," prayer card Z, like X, Y, Z? Who has Z number 1, raise your hand? Anywhere in the building, prayer card...? The lady way over here. Come over here, sister. Z number 2, raise your hand. Look around now, see who it is. Raise your hands real high.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Believe Him and see if He won't speak right back and do. If He's the same, He will speak the same. Now, you have faith and believe. I'm going to try, if the Lord willing, because the newcomers...
E-60 I suppose the lady here's a stranger to me. I don't know you. That... We're strangers? If the Lord God will reveal to me what you're here for... Just make another picture, just like the well at Samaria: a man and a woman. Here's our first time ever meeting. The woman's a little older than I am. She may be born miles apart, few years apart, and here we are standing here for the first time in life, meeting. Now, if that woman... I don't know; I never seen her. But if Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, if she needs healing, God's already done it. If she needs salvation, Christ already prepared it. If she needs--anything she has need of, Christ is our Portion. Is that right? But now, for me to give it to her, I can't. I couldn't do it, but Christ can, on one basis: if her faith will believe it.
Now, the first place, and the real true and only... The real way to believe it, is take God's Word for it. But then He set offices in the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelists, all for the perfecting of His Church. Now, if He will do that... (Now engineers watch this, when the anointing comes, I don't know how loud I'm speaking. See?)
E-61 If the Holy Spirit will reveal to me what you're standing here for, you will accept it as you will receive it? How many audience will do the same? I wished you... I--I--I want to say, "You mean that." I--I want to say, "If you did, and the Lord turns and does this, then there'd be no need of a prayer line anywhere." Did you ever think of that? You said you'd believe it. Here's this woman and now; we've never met in our lives.
Here's our hands, both of them up; here's God's Bible; this is our first time meeting. I have no more idea what that woman's standing there for, than--than any strange person to her. I could not tell you. But I'm a minister; I believe that Christ promised this. It was a gift that He's made known the entire world around, for millions of people. He promised it. He don't have to do it. He didn't have to heal when He was here, but He did it, that it might be fulfilled. He does it now that it might be fulfilled that His Word to the Gentiles, the promise, just the same today as it ever was.
E-62 Now, if He does it, then everyone of you can just walk right away and say, "Thank you, Lord. I accept You in my heart. You're the King of my heart. My faith doors are open. You're standing at the door. I accept my healing. Thank You, Lord," and go along rejoicing; it'd all be over. That's just exactly the Gospel truth. That's according to the Word; that's according to your testimony; that's according to your witness. Now, it's up to God to prove whether it's right or not. God grant it, is my prayer.
Speaking and then coming in to start this type of praying for the people, it's hard, changing yourself right back, waiting for an anointing.
E-63 Did you ever see that picture out there of the Angel of the Lord? Oh, you have one? All right. Now, do you believe that's the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel? See? It was a Pillar of Fire. And when Jesus was here on earth, He said, "I come from God, and I go back to God." And when He was here on earth, He said He was that Pillar of Fire. He said that. He said, "I AM THAT I AM. Before Moses was, I AM." He was the Pillar of Fire that was in the burning bush. He said... Now, He's here in flesh, "I've come from God (the Pillar of Fire); I go back to God, the Pillar of Fire."
And when Paul met Him on the road to Damascus, He was that Pillar of Fire again. Paul fell down. Them people by him didn't see it, but it--it put his eyes out. He said, "Who are You, Lord?" that great Pillar of Fire.
He said, "I am Jesus, Who you persecute."
And here's His picture on paper. By the FBI fingerprint and document, it's true. George J. Lacy said, "The Light struck the lens, Mr. Branham. This mechanical eye of this camera won't take psychology." So there, it's absolutely proved by scientific that It couldn't be psychology. Shamed if I'd be here in psychology, as a minister of the Gospel. Not me, sister. I think too much of my Lord for that. I'm here to help you, to do everything I can to get your faith in Christ.
E-64 The woman, I see the Spirit of the Lord, as It was moving like a Light, coming right in between me and the woman. She's suffering with an extreme nervousness. That's right. And you got a goiter. That's true. Do you believe now? 'Course the goiter doesn't show; it's a inward goiter, but it is--it's a choking spirit. (There's more of them in the meeting.) You wanting prayer for somebody else. It's somebody that's not here. That's your husband. Got trouble with his head. It's over now. Both of you is healed, so you can go now and be well, in Christ' Name. God bless you. Go, and touch your hand.
E-65 Do you believe, lady? Are we strangers to each other? We are. If the Lord Jesus will do for--between you and I, as a brother and sister, like God did for the woman at the well, you'll accept it and believe it? That's awful headache isn't it? That sinuitis makes an awful headache. That's what you have: sinuitis trouble. See you holding your head like that many times, up above, in your eyes and things. It's very bad. Tried everything; nothing works. But you are believing that you'll be healed.
Now, here's another thing, that you might know I be God's servant. You want prayer for somebody else, and that's your son. You believe that God will tell me what's wrong with your son, it's going to take every bit of the shadow away from you? He's got trouble with his back. And he's got trouble with his head. And another thing you're praying for, for his salvation of his soul. He's got a dark shadow over him and he's shadowed for death, for he's a sinner. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. There's not a way in the world for that to be known outside of God. Is that right? If that's right, if you believe that, raise your hand. Now, go find it just the way you've believed it. It'll be just that way. God bless you. God bless you, sister. I just want to touch your hand. Now, don't doubt, have faith.
E-66 Is that two or three? Two? Three's a confirmation. Now, if I can, I'm going to start the fast line just a minute, if we can. It's hard when that anointing is pitching like it is now, and to start a line like that.
Are we strangers to one another, I suppose, lady? I don't know you, but God does know you. Do you believe the Lord Jesus could reveal to me what your trouble is? Uh-huh. You want prayer for your eyes. That's right. 'Cause you're wearing glasses; that's...?... that eye that's going bad. But do you... There's more than that you want prayer for. You've had an--you've had an operation. That's right. And they removed a kidney. I see them take it from your back, your side. That's exactly right.
And you're praying for somebody else. And that is a relative by marriage, a sister-in-law. And she's not here. And she's shadowed for death with a cancer. And she lives in a big city. It's a place called Atlanta, Georgia. You're from Georgia, too, but not from Atlanta, just outside of Atlanta. Do you believe? Your name is Mary. Your last name's Louey. Go on your road. Believe what you've heard. Believe it comes from God, and you can have what you ask for, in Christ' Name. Go rejoicing...?... God bless you, sister. [Someone says, "That's the third one. You want to start a fast line?--Ed.]
Let's see if I could, just a minute. How you do. (Can't do it. Just--just let her go.) There it is already moving. See? Just stand there a minute. Oh, the woman is powerfully in trouble. That's it. See? The woman's suffering with an extreme nervousness, and she's lost one of her senses. I see you trying to... It's smelling. You've lost your sense of smelling. That's what you wanted prayed for. I know that. You're going to receive it, so don't worry. You can smell now. You can smell right now. See? Her hand go up... I seen that Light...?... That's right. And you want prayer for that son too, don't you? It's mental trouble. And he's unsaved, and you want prayer for him. You're going to receive it. Go on your road rejoicing and thank God for His goodness. All right.
E-67 Come, sir. (It's all right. Just have to let it go. Too weak to bring myself back again.) How do you do, sir. I am a stranger to you. Do you believe God? You believe that God that we stand before will judge us in someday if we're not under the Blood of His Son, Jesus. You're suffering with an extreme nervous condition. You're very nervous. It's a mental nervous. You're weary, cross bridges before you get to it, always counting something that never happens. Stop doing it. Nothing going to bother you.
Another thing, you got trouble with your head. Your ears...?... also you have trouble. You got trouble in your chest. You got sinus trouble. That's the truth. You got a habit you want to quit; that's smoking cigarettes, yet you profess Christianity. I don't unchristianize you about it, truly, but that's what's causing a lot of your trouble. That's the blackness that hangs over you. Will you forsake the things? IF you believe that God sent me? God will let me tear up the thing from you right now.
You got a wife who you're praying for too. You believe God can tell me what's wrong with your wife? Will you accept it? She's got a lady's trouble, female trouble. And she's also got heart trouble. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Now, you're healed there, sister, and you're healed too. The thing's gone from you. Go in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Have faith. Don't doubt. Be quiet. Don't move around.
E-68 I suppose we're strangers to one another. It's our first time meeting.
Now, please, please, friends, be reverent just a little longer. I thought I could start the fast line too, 'cause the anointing's already struck the building and people are praying. I just stand as long as I can.
How many has went through the line? Unless there's quite a bunch. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus is present, sir? We're going to stand in His Divine Presence someday, to give account of our lives. If the Lord God will reveal to me what your trouble is, you be the judge. If I told you you were sick and you're going to be well, you'd have a right to doubt that, 'cause that's something to be in the future. But if I told you something that was in the past, you'd know whether that was true or not. You're all tore up. You're nervous, upset. You got trouble in your chest. And you got an inward condition, internal condition that you don't know what it is. What difference does it make, what it is, as long as you're now in the Presence of God Who heals it? You believe it? You're not from the city here. You've come from somewhere else. That's Georgia. Alma, Georgia. It's exactly right. You're Mr. Levy. Go back down there and be healed. Jesus Christ makes you well. Amen.
Have faith in God. Don't doubt. You believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son? Now, be reverent.
E-69 How do you do, sir. Suppose our first time meeting, sir? In the Presence of His blessed Being, if I could help you, sir, I would do it. God knows my heart, I would do it. But we're both going to stand in His Presence someday to give an account of our lives and what we've done here on earth. If the Lord God should reveal what's on your heart that you want from Him... You're here for some purpose; I don't know. Would you accept It as coming from Him? You would. You're suffering in your stomach. You got stomach trouble. And you got gall stones, gall condition that's going into your stomach, which is upsetting it, throwing into spasm; sour belches and so forth, bitter, comes up from it; cramps on the right side. I see you somewhere by a pul... You're a preacher, a Baptist preacher, at that. You believe you're healed? Go on, preach the Gospel, brother. God bless you. Have faith.
E-70 Don't move. Please don't. Maybe the people are getting tired.
You can't get over the back trouble, you would? Go off the platform, rejoicing, saying, "Thank you, Lord."
Come near me Please set still just a few minutes longer. You're young to have that. That's a female trouble, but you have it just the same. You believe the Lord our God could heal you? Go then and believe it. You do? I just want to touch your hand as you go by.
God can cure diabetes. It don't mean anything to Him. He can make you well. Do you believe that with all your heart? You believe He will make you well and heal you too? All right. Then, go off the platform, say, "Thank you, Lord." Believe it with all your heart; you shall have what you've ask for, sir.
God bless you, mother. Be...?... one time. But Christ lives in the heart. You believe He will heal your heart and make you well of that heart trouble? Go, believing it then and don't doubt. You can have what you ask for, if you'll just believe it and don't doubt with all your heart.
E-71 You believe, lady. You're young for this, but you got arthritis. You believe that God will heal you? Go on your road and rejoice and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
What give you your stomach trouble is a nervous condition. But you have a stomach trouble that you want me to pray for. Go believing now, and then eat and enjoying yourself like you used to. Just believe with all your heart as you go.
What if I didn't say a thing? Would you believe me anyhow, as God's servant? Then raise your hands in praise, and walk off the platform, saying, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
If I don't tell you nothing, would you believe anyhow? Then your heart trouble's left you. Go on, believe with all your heart. Have--have faith in God.
Strange you've had a...?... a little stomach trouble. Do you believe God's going to make you so you can eat? All right. Go on your road and rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
You're nervous too, with stomach trouble also, and lady's trouble which is normal for your--a woman your age. You believe God healed you? Go on your road, rejoicing then.
E-72 Young lady, you think Christ heals that back trouble for you? Go on your road, rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus," and you can be well.
Anyone can see he's got a trumpet in his ear. Let's get rid of that. Just a minute, bow your heads everybody. You believe? Lord God, in Jesus' Name, remove this power of the enemy, as I take this from his ear. Give him perfect deliverance and make him well. Let these ears come open for the glory of God. Amen.
How long they been that way, sir? About ten year. Ten years in that ear? Well, you're just hearing me whisper and talk now. You're healed, and all the asthmatic trouble and things you have, the trouble, has all left you now. Go, rejoicing and thank God and be well. Say, "Thank You, Lord." God bless you...?... overnight, miss, see how much different you feel. All right. Your back trouble's over...?... Jesus' Name. Amen. Just go rejoicing, praising the Lord.
A shadow of darkness follows the woman--cancer. Well, do you believe that God healed you, sister? Go on your road, the darkness has left you. Be well in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
E-73 Come now. You think that lady's trouble will leave you? Female trouble. Just keep on walking now, and be made well, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Are you believing? How much more?
You believe that you're healed, lady? Just start rejoicing. Go on off the platform, saying, "Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord."
Do you believe that you're healed? Just start rejoicing, but... All right, sir, believe it with all your heart and you shall have it.
Come now. You believe, sir? The old heart's going to beat good from now on. Just keep on moving now. God bless you. Say, "Praise the Lord."
Same is for that too. Go on your road, rejoicing; it leaves you. That was just a nervous condition, anyhow, it was. See?
Let's say, "Thank the Lord" everybody. Do you believe with it all your heart? You believe God's going to make him well? If I pray for you, you think you'd get all right? Come here, young man. Thank you.
Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, cursed be the disease on this boy and this affliction. May he get well. I ask it as Jesus said, "Say to this mountain, 'Be moved.' Don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you said was coming to pass. You can have what you say.'" This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen. All right, son. Don't you doubt: you're coming out of this now, and be well. You believe with all your heart. Amen. Do you believe it with all your heart?
E-74 If you're disturbing... Someone's doing and moving around like that, please be quiet just a moment. Here, let's turn to the audience, just a minute. How many in here without a prayer cards? Let's see your hands. Let's come from right to left across here now.
Lady, setting out there on the end of the row, with the stomach trouble, you believe God makes you well? If you can believe it with all your heart, you can have what you ask for, if you can believe.
Down here, not upstairs, down here on the floor, accept it and believe it with all your heart. Yes, ma'am. It's all over now. Have faith in God. I challenge you to believe the Son of God.
What about this row? Somebody in this row wants to believe, raise your hands, somebody that wants to believe? Here's the closest lady to me. I can't say He will, but if He will, will you believe me, lady, right there? Then your back trouble will leave you, and you'll get well. Do you believe He will make you well? All right, you can have what you ask for.
E-75 What about this row? Are you believing? What about you, the elderly lady setting here with the... You believe that God will heal you of that arthritis, make you well? Raise up your hand if you believe it. All right, you can have what you ask for.
What about over in this row here? Anybody believing the Lord still heals? What of that little girl with her hand up, down there? Do you believe, sweetheart? You do? There's two little girls setting there, and both of them has diabetes. That's right. Raise up your hand right there and show that's right. All right. Go home and be well honey, Jesus, Christ heals you. Amen.
Somebody else, somebody in the balcony, somewhere... What about you with your hand up, down there, lady? You believe that God will make you get over that nervous trouble? You got an unsaved son you're praying for too, haven't you? All right. It's over now. Jesus Christ heal you of every...?...
E-76 Are you believing? Are you every one believing? He's here. Why do we sit numb? Let's believe God. Do you believe Him with all your heart? Then let's stand to our feet just a minute, everybody. Raise your hands up to God. Promise God, "Lord God, I now believe." (I just can't go any farther. My feet's giving out from under me.) I--I--I know that the Son of God is here. Don't doubt any longer, friends. Raise your hands, and praise Him, and give Him thanks. You are everyone healed. I pronounce it in the Name of Jesus Christ; by His stripes you're healed. Raise your hands now and give Him praise. All down this little line here, give Him praise. And God bless you.
Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, here's my prayer, Lord, the final prayer for these people. I condemn every disease that's in the building. I condemn every affliction in the building. And Satan, you're exposed. The Son of God has raised from the dead to confirm His Word, and you have lost the battle. I charge thee, Satan, in the Name of Jesus Christ, come out of this people and turn them loose, so that they can be in the Kingdom of God henceforth.
All things are possible, only believe.
I just love that song. There's something about it, no matter how many times I sing it, or hear it sung, it just stirs me. I've heard that in so many different languages, I'd be afraid to say just how many languages. I've heard the people who didn't even know which is right and left hand, Hottentots out of the African jungles, way into India, the different religions, standing by the hundreds of thousands, singing, "Only Believe" with their hands up. Tell you, it's wonderful, to see when people come together in unity, what the Lord our God can do for them.
We know that He is great. And we love Him with all of our heart.
E-2 And now, tonight, being the closing night of the service for this campaign,--and I believe that there's another brother going to continue the campaign, Brother Cernell? Cerrell? Cerullo. Brother Cerullo, excuse me.
I don't speak good English. And I never knew that so well, as till I got to England, then I knew I didn't speak English. I needed an interpreter in England worse than anywhere I was ever at. That's right. I thought I spoke English, but I didn't.
He's to continue the revival at a--the theater building where you've having the afternoon services.
E-3 I want to express our thanks to each one of you, and for your fine cooperation. This is from myself, Brother Vayle, my wife, Billy, Brother Goad, Brother Mercier, and all those who are associated in our party. We certainly thank you, friends, for everything that you have done and your sincere prayers to make it a successful meeting for the glory of God.
And I pray that God will give you the exceedingly abundantly. I pray that the revival spirit will never leave your city till Jesus comes.
E-4 I understand that just... I was waiting outside. Billy, my boy, come down. He said, "Not yet, daddy. They're taking up an offering for you."
Wasn't necessary to do that. I never took an offering in my life. My expenses are not too heavy. When I... My office expense at home runs me about a hundred dollars a day. That's about what I have to have besides my campaign. God has met that in each campaign, in each time. And I certainly thank Him, thank Him with all my heart. And I thank you.
I was just comparing that with Brother Roberts, Oral Roberts. Best of my... Last time I heard of him, he had to have seven thousand a day. Quite a difference. But you see, he has a great program: television, radio. And it takes a lot to run his program, besides an office, and I don't know, four hundred and something in there, I think and--and so... The least paid person, I forget what it is. It's just a whole lot of money to run that business.
E-5 I--I'm certainly thankful to the Lord, He--He never put all that on my shoulders, 'cause I couldn't do it. You'd have to beg, bum... I--I... When it gets like that, I--I'm--I'm going back home. See? I quit right then. I just don't do it. When... I've never taken an offering in my life, as I said. There's been some taken for me, each meeting. And then, if people didn't send me a little something besides what I'd--the meeting here, I'd--I'd have to fold up the first week. And so, but I've just got a little business that the Lord has 'lotted me with for His... There's four in the office. There's cloths, there's stamps, about a, I think it's a hundred and fifty, two hundred dollars worth of stamps alone, each week, just stamps. And some of them, overseas, sometimes it takes as much as two and three dollars to send a bundle of handkerchiefs, and so forth. And remember, around the world, and I've been in contact with over ten million people. And you can imagine what it does. We have to make every nickel count, to--to make ends meet. But we're happy to do that for the Lord.
I'm happy for this offering that you gave me tonight. I pray that God will bless you exceedingly, abundantly. And to the best of my knowledge, I'll spend it to the--for the glory of God. And God will reward you for it, I pray, in this world a hundredfold and in the world to come, Eternal Life. May it go to make them golden bricks that's in your great home that'll never perish.
E-6 And we thank Brother Darnell, Brother Littlefield, all these other ministers, how they've cooperated so nicely. Thank you, very kindly.
And now, I suppose, tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, I will be on my road back home.
And now next Sunday night, I'm at my tabernacle, to you people from up around in home. I'll be at the Tabernacle next Sunday morning, it is, in a healing service: Eighth and Penn Street at Jeffersonville. We've been having some wonderful times there, just when I drop in four or five times a year is all I get to be at our little Baptist church there. And so, if you're passing by sometime, we'd be glad for you to knock on our door. Be glad to see you.
E-7 I used to say, the rain don't fall too hard, or the night never gets too dark, but what I would come to you. I wished I could do that, but, my, you'd be surprised how many calls there is comes per hour. I think my wife... On all the phones that can I be called on, four phones, I think, they run around, I think it was thirty-seven long distance calls per hour. Now, you can imagine what it is. That's the world over. See? And you couldn't answer it all. Everyone begging... I've had little mothers to get on the phone and say, "Brother Branham, just wait. I--I'll just pray. The Lord, I know, wants to bring you here."
Here's a great big pile of airplane tickets laying here: "Come here." "Come here." "Come here." You know how it is. But there's never a one call that I can get a hold of, but what, sincerely, I pray for them. The Lord gives visions, sends me places. I just go that way as I'm called. God bless you.
E-8 These handkerchiefs are laying here, are from you sick people or going to some of your loved ones. Sincerely I pray over them. And after service, you can have them.
And now, if you didn't get your handkerchief up here, and you wish we would pray over one, just write me: Jeffersonville, Indiana. I'll send you one absolutely free and postpaid. You just, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and--and just my name, and I'll send it to you. We send out thousands of them a month. And so all over the world. And great signs and wonders has taken place by the people's faith.
E-9 Here recently, in Germany, there's a little woman... Show you how simple it is. She'd been crippled for seven years with arthritis. And so, when she got the little handkerchiefs...
I've got a ch--a prayer chain, according to central standard time, the world around. People have to get up at midnight to go into prayer for one another. And they have instructions.
So the little mother pinned the little handkerchief on her underneath garment and she said, "Now, you devil, that's had me bound seven years, you just get away from me." Up she got, and down through the floor she went, after being setting in a wheelchair seven years. Just that simple child-like faith, that's all it takes. You look a way out there for God, and you look over the top of where He's standing. He's just right by you. Just as simple as it can be...
E-10 Now, let us bow our heads and pray before we minister to the Word. And I want to thank also, the custodian and the people, let us have this building, and for everything. If I've left anybody out, I don't mean to. The organist, and the pianist, and the song leader, and everybody: God bless you all is my prayer.
Gracious Father, we approach Thee now, in that all-sufficient Name of Thy dear loving Son, the Lord Jesus. We thank Thee for every soul that was saved during the time of this revival. And maybe out of that, may come ministers and missionaries that'll help take the Word to the foreign fields across the world before the coming of the Lord.
Maybe it's some little housewife that will lead her entire family to Thee, or some husband that might lead every man that he works with in his factory, to Thee. We don't know, Father, but all that's been accomplished, we praise Thee for it.
And we ask You, Lord, to bless these who we have just mentioned and many others who need to be mentioned that we could not mention. We pray that You'll be with all.
E-11 And now, bless these handkerchiefs, Lord. They're laying here, representing sick and afflicted people. And Lord, we're taught in the Bible that they taken from the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons, and they were sent to the sick and the needy. Unclean spirits went out of them, and great wonders were performed.
And Father, we realize that we're not Saint Paul, but You're still Jesus. And I pray, Father, that You'll honor the faith of the people that's put these handkerchiefs here and may everyone of them be healed.
E-12 One writer said, when Israel was backed into the corner and the desert on both sides, and the mountains, and the Red Sea had cut them off in front of them, and Pharaoh's army coming, pursuing them, that God looked down through the Pillar of Fire. And the sea got scared and opened up, because the path of God led through the wilderness to the promised land.
God, when these handkerchiefs are placed upon the sick bodies of those who are suffering, may the God of heaven look back through His own Son's Blood, and may the sickness of these people depart. And may they pass to that good promise of health and strength.
Grant it Lord. Minister to us, tonight, through the written Word, by the preaching and the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Save sinners. Bring backsliders back to the saving grace of God in a--the home place, where they really belong. Heal the sick and the afflicted and get glory to Thyself. Make every demon to leave the building. Give freedom of the Spirit that Your worshipping children might have the privilege tonight, to enjoy the deep rich blessings of the Holy Ghost, which the Father has in store for them. This I ask, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.
Now immediately after this service you can come and get your--your handkerchief.
E-13 I wish to read from the Bible tonight, in the book of Revelations, you who are taking the text down each night.
And now, we will not be letting the tapes go tonight, but you may obtain the tapes if you wish, just--I think they sell for about three dollars apiece. Is that right? And you know how cheap that is. I just sent to another evangelist, and bought a tape, and it cost me nine dollars for the tape. We've got the same tape for three dollars, just a little bit over the cost. And if you don't know the boy's address... What is your box number there? 315 Jeffersonville.
Write to Leo Mercier, 315, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and they'll send you any tape that they want. And they have some--oh, hundreds of sermons, on tapes and prayer lines and so forth, you'd like to check back to see what the Lord said to you in the prayer line.
E-14 Now, the Book of Revelations. And the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse, I wish to read for a text.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: and if any man hear my voice, and will open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
May the Lord God add His blessings to the reading of this Word.
Now, this is rather an unusual Scripture for a--a healing campaign. And when I first read this, it brought something to my mind: a picture of someone standing, knocking at the door.
And I'm a great lover of art. I believe God is in art, real art. God is in music. God is in nature. God is in His church. God is just all around. And I love art very much.
E-15 Today, I was--had the privilege of eating a little bowl of salad with a friend at a restaurant, and I could hardly listen to what the waitress was saying, while I was admiring the pictures on the wall.
I love to go into a Christian's house and--and see the pictures of Christ on the wall. Now, I've been into some mighty humble homes. And I'd rather go into a home that had Christian pictures on the wall, a little sign up there, "God Bless Our Home." And no matter if they didn't even have a carpet on the floor, or a floor to put a carpet on, I'd feel more at home there, than I would in a great swanky place with a lot of pin-ups on the wall.
It goes to... Let me see what you look at, what you read, and let me set around your place a little while and see what you read, and what kind of a music you listen to: I can tell you what you are, tell you what your spirit feeds on.
So that's the reason, this week, I have certainly hit down on lot of this here television stuff of non-censored programs. They used to not have them, but they're surely wild today in America.
E-16 And I found a picture once, that was striking that... Just can't think of the artist who--who painted the picture, but it was of Christ knocking at the door. And he was, I think, a Grecian artist. And while He was knocking at the door... All famous pictures, first, has to go through what's called the hall of critics, before it can go to the hall of fame.
That's a beautiful thought. Did you know, all great things has to pass through the critics. God's blessed Church has to go through the critics and stand the criticism before it could be took to the hall of God's immortal fame. The Scripture says, "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions." So if you're not persecuted for righteousness sake--not something you brought on yourself--but for righteousness sake, there's something wrong somewhere.
E-17 And this picture hangs in the hall and the critics pass by it, I mean critics who really know how to criticize. And they criticize the picture to everything they can find. Then if it passes through the critics without being criticized, then it's a famous picture.
And while this picture was in the--its procedure through the critics, there was one critic said to the painter; he said, "Sir, you have a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus. And you have your door just wonderful; and the little vine over the door, which is very homey looking..." But said, "There's one thing you failed to do."
And he said, "What is that, my good man?"
Said, "You never put any latch on the door. And how is He going to get in if there is no latch on the door?"
And the artist said, "That's the way I intended to paint it, because on this door, the latch is on the inside." That is right. Christ knocks, but you are the one who opens to Him. "Lo, I stand and knock at the door; if any man will open..." The latch is in your hand; the knocking is up to Him.
And now, what would a man be knocking on a door for? What business does a man have of knocking on another man's door? It's because he wants to gain entrance. He has a message, or a present, or something that he wants to talk over with you. And that's the reason that people knock at your door.
E-18 And there's been many great men, down through the ages, that's knocked on doors. For instance, the great Augustus Caesar, what would have taken place if he would've went down to a peasant's house in the days of his noble reign? And he would've went down there and knocked at the door of a peasant, a poor person. The great emperor of Rome, coming down to a peasant's house, that would've been a most unusual sight, to see the great mighty Caesar knocking on a little peasant's door.
If that peasant would've went to the door, and a opened and seen the great Caesar, he would've fell on his face and would've said, "Oh, great Emperor of Rome, what do you want here at my humble abode? Enter in, kind sir. And all that I have belongs to you." Oh, what a great honor it would've been for this peasant to have entertained the Emperor of Rome.
E-19 Or what if in Germany, a few years ago, if the late Adolf Hitler, the fuhrer of Germany, would've went down to one of his foot soldier's door, and have knocked at the door, and the soldier would have opened the door, and there stood Adolf Hitler, the fuhrer of Germany--the greatest name in Germany standing at his door?
Why, the little soldier would've quickly come to attention, and with his German salute, and he'd said, "Great fuhrer of Germany, enter into my house. You have paid me an honor above all men. Think of me, just a soldier, and here stands the chief general, at my door. Oh, great Hitler, what could I do for you?" It would've been a honorable thing to entertain Adolf Hitler. That would've been one of his footmen.
E-20 Or I'd say this: It would be an honor for the President of the United States, President Dwight Eisenhower, our beloved President; it would be an honor for him to come to you, for him to come to your place. Though you might be the best Democrat there is in Chattanooga, you might differing with him in politics; but it would be a great honor for President Dwight Eisenhower to knock on your door and pay you a visit. Certainly. He's one of the greatest men in the United States, President Eisenhower. It would be an honor for you to entertain President Eisenhower, for any of us to do so.
And just recently, the Queen of England made a visit to the United States. What little woman here in this city, but what would have been a great honor if that queen would've went to your door and knocked at your door? And when you ask her who she was, and she'd said, "I'm the Queen of England," oh, you'd have been happy. The newspapers would've packed it. The radio would've broadcast it, that the queen, so humble that she brought herself down to a--a little shack somewhere, or to my door, or to your door, though she has... We're not her subjects, but she's a great woman. She's the greatest queen on earth, the most powerful queen on earth. Though we're not her subject, she has no jurisdiction over her, but she's an important woman. That's what makes the difference. And the newspapers would've been glad to have picked it up.
E-21 But you know what, the most important Person in all of eternity is the Lord Jesus. Who's more important than He is? And who's more turned away than He is?
Oh, you would take the queen in quickly. Or you'd take the President quickly. And the papers would pack it, and the radio would pack it. They'd be glad. But Jesus can knock at your heart's door, and you shut the door in His face, and say, "I don't want nothing to do with you. It'll spoil my society. It'll spoil this, that, or it'll make me and my husband different with each other. Or it'll make me and my boss different with one another."
I'm so glad that the Gospel of Jesus Christ does make you different, for there is a vast difference when you serve the Lord. When Jesus once comes into your heart, you're a changed person from then on.
But think of it: If you knocked on somebody's door and tried to get in, and they shut the door in your face, you wouldn't go back anymore. But not Him: He will come night after night, day after day. That's what makes Him God, is because He's so humble. He continually, constantly knocks at your door.
E-22 I've had the privilege of visiting some great men: King George of England, the late king; King Gustaf of Sweden; and many other great men. The late Willy D. Upshaw, Congressman from the south, here, he was healed in my meetings after being a cripple for sixty-six years; the Lord healed him. And I've had the grand privilege of meeting great men.
Now, if a man is great, when you talk to him, he will make you think that you are the great one. But you take a man that just thinks he's somebody, he's tries to blow hisself up all the time, when he's nobody. Just give him a change of clothes and he's a changed person. But a real big man makes himself small. That shows that the God of heaven made Hisself a foot-washer to mankind. The way up is down. "He that humbles himself shall be exalted."
That's what's the matter with we people today; we don't want to accept that humility of the Gospel. We want to think we're just a little bit too good: we know a little more than someone else.
E-23 And Jesus knocks at the door and He's turned away. "Oh," you say, "Brother Branham, just a moment. Not me. I accepted Him a long time ago. He came into my heart." Well, I am very happy about that, that He did come into your heart.
But then, what would happen if the queen come into your house or the President come into your house, and you had a little treasure setting up on the wall (a little--a little something, a little thing that you thought lot's of), and what if they desired that? You'd say, "Oh, Queen of England, you just take anything that's in my house. It's yours. You're welcome."
E-24 And if you invited me to your house, shook my hand at your door, and said, "Brother Branham, come in, set down, make yourself at home," why, I'd just feel very well, and go, and take off my shoes, and lay down across the bed, and take a nap. If I was hungry, I'd go out to the icebox and fix myself a sandwich. I'd feel like that I was a brother, and that I was welcome anywhere in your house.
But we let Jesus into our door to be our Saviour, but we got a lot of little bitty doors that we don't want Him fooling with. Now, I'm going to just skin down just a little bit. I don't mean to hurt, but look. That's right. You'll let Him be your Saviour, because you don't want to go to hell, but will you let Him be your Lord? "Lord," is "rulership, ownership." Can He come into your heart and govern your life?
E-25 Oh, there's a little door, just as soon as He steps in the heart door... You say, "Now, Lord, You can save me. I appreciate that. I'll be baptized and go to church. But you see, that little door over that? That's my private life. And I don't want You dealing anything with that." That's the attitude of Christians today, too many of them. "Don't you fool with my private life, now, because I've got my own little group that I run around with, my own little associates; and I don't want You tampering around with that." Then He's not welcome. Then He... Don't worry; He won't stay very long if He's not welcome. (You remember in Gadara? He wasn't welcome, so He didn't stay.)
E-26 So, you say, "Now, my private life, now I've got own little click that I hang with, and that's up from the Joneses; and we just don't want anybody else fooling with our lives. We have our little bridge party, and--and we a... Suzy and I, we showcase shop every Tuesday afternoon and Thursday, and I just don't want you fooling with that."
"Oh," you say, "I--I wouldn't say that, Brother Branham." But you do it anyhow.
"Now, we've got our little society down at our church. And we stitch and sew, and sew and stitch, and stitch and sew, and talk about Miss So-and-so; and I--I--I just wouldn't have anything to interrupt that." No wonder we can't have a revival: professed Christians without possessing Christ.
E-27 "Oh well, I tell you; I've thought it all over, but I do smoke cigarettes. I know I oughtn't to do it." Well then, stop it! If there's a question in your mind on anything, don't do it. Any time there's a question, you're wrong. Stop it! Causes more death than anything I know of: cigarettes. "Oh," you say, "they sell them on the television." What else do they do on the television? Let me say this with a good sweet, humble feeling in my heart: a real borned again Christian knows better than to do it.
When I was a little boy, and I first was ordained in the Missionary Baptist Church, I got a little Bible. And people kept saying to me, "Brother Branham, is it wrong to smoke? Is it wrong to drink?" And I was looking at that little Bible the other day. I wrote a little thing in the back; I said, "Don't ask me foolish questions. Make this up in your mind: If you love the Lord with all your heart, you won't smoke, chew, or drink any shine." And I think that's pretty good to stay by. Questionable...
E-28 And my son was at a certain Baptist church, here not long ago, right in Tennessee. And the preacher had to let out the Sunday school early so all of them could stand out and smoke before they come back into the classroom. That's one man that's packing the name of a Baptist, who don't deserve to be called that.
That ought to be my class once. I tell you; I'd rather preach to four pillars on the wall and tell the truth. I'd oust that bunch of hypocrites, or they'd go to the altar and make things right with God. So you see, you don't want to never vote me down here in your church.
I believe that the time has come when people won't... Oh, they say, "Brother Branham, just a minute. My pastor smokes." Well, he needs the altars like you do. That's right. If he was right in his heart, he wouldn't do it.
Oh, that little private life that you have of your own, that little door that you don't want nobody fooling in... Then there's another little door over there that's called pride. Oh, how you love to hold your little nose up in the air: pride. You think you're somebody.
E-29 Here some time ago, I was standing with some boys. I wasn't with them, but I was watching them. And they were looking at a great coliseum we were in, and it was telling what the estimation that a man weighing a hundred and fifty pound was worth in chemicals. You'd be surprised what a man's really worth. He's got just about enough whitewash in his body to sprinkle a hen's nest, a little bit of calcium, two ounces; and when it's all balanced up, a good strong hundred and fifty pound man's worth eighty-four cents. And a woman's worth less. She doesn't have the chemicals a man does.
And then you'll put a five hundred mink coat around that eighty-four cents and stick your nose up in the air. If it would rain, you'd drowned. And then think you're somebody, because you belong to a church somewhere. That's right. What is it? Eighty-four cents.
And one of those boys said to the other one, said, "Well, John, we're not worth very much are we?"
And I put my hand on both their shoulders, and I said, "I have no question to that. Scientists who has analyzed that, made that statement. But boys, as a minister of the Lord Jesus, you've got a soul in you that's worth ten thousand worlds.
E-30 If you went down here and got a bowl of soup, and you started to eat, and you found a spider in it, oh, my, you'd throw that soup out and sue the restaurant. You're sure taking care of that eighty-four cents, but you'll let the devil put ten million times that much poison of cigarettes down you, and pay for it. Or a drink of whiskey or a card party...
I may never see you again in this life; this may be my last visit: perhaps is, 'cause I'm heading for the fields overseas. But I want you to know what is truth. That little door of pride, oh, it's so... Today, I tell you; if you want to do something, you paint your steps red next week, and you see if the people living next door to you don't paint their steps red. You buy a red car, and your neighbor just can't stand it; he's got to have a red car. It's a day of impersonation, matching.
E-31 I guess, here some time ago, a few weeks ago, I was wearing a pair of dark trousers, and I had on a pair of green socks, and a red tie. And my wife said to me, she said, "Billy, that don't match."
I said, "But it's clean." I don't care whether it matches or not. I don't care whether my socks match my trousers, or my trousers matches my coat: I want my experience to match God's Bible. That's the kind of a matching we ought to do.
But oh, that little life of pride. The preacher can preach against immorals as much as he wants to, and you'll let it run off of your back, like the duck's back and water running off of it. You just know so much that the Gospel can't penetrate anymore. Talk about breaking down the middle walls of partition and the people coming together with one heart, cooperating, great meetings, and for the glory of God, just let a revival start: "That has nothing to do with our denomination." There you are. Oh, that little life of pride.
E-32 Then there's another door in there: selfishness, "what I can get out of it, me and my family. Oh, we couldn't join that little mission down there because that... Well, I... My social standing with the people, I've got a dry goods store in the city. I run a filling station. If they knowed I went to that mission..." Oh, my.
In my travels, I find the best spiritual meetings that I find, is in little bitty missions, where half a dozen people are seated together in heavenly places. Got the most the demons on the outside, shut in with Christ.
E-33 Then there's another door that I like to have Christ to knock at tonight. That's the door of faith. That's a real needy door. I want to toil just a little on that. You've come into the church. And perhaps you have accepted Christ as personal Saviour, but you just don't have any faith, you say. No wonder, you won't let Him take over. Oh, your pastor says the days of miracles is past. Then that blocks Christ from your door. The Bible said He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And when Christ comes in, He wants to be ruler. He wants to be the Lord of your faith.
That's the reason people don't get healed. That's the reason they don't have the faith that brave out. They're stand back behind something: "Touch me," or "Do some little hocus-pocus over me."
E-34 Let me say this, my brother, any man, whoever he is or what church he belongs to, that tells you that he can heal you, is absolutely teaching something contrary to God's Bible.
Healing is a finished work: Christ did it on Calvary. And if He can only come into your heart and open your heart, you can see the finished work, it's finished when you accept it.
Salvation is the same. If there's power to heal men, there's power to save a man. Man's both saved and healed when Christ died at Calvary: "For He was wounded for our transgressions and with His stripes we were healed."
E-35 Therefore, that little door that's faith... "Oh, I'll--I'll give a try." Faith doesn't try. Oh, blessed be His Name. Faith knows where it's standing. Faith's got big muscles and a hairy chest. And when he raises up with his big muscles, everything contrary sets down. He lets out a scream, and it sounds like a panther screaming. And every jack rabbit takes to his den. Faith's the boss. All things are possible to them that believe: all things. "Well," you say, "I might ask God too much, Brother Branham." You can't ask Him enough. He loves to do it for you.
Could you imagine a little fish about a half inch long, out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, saying, "Well, I better drink of this water sparingly; I might run out some day." That would be nonsense. And it would be more nonsense to think you could ever exhaust the Father's good will to do things for you.
Could you imagine a little mouse about so long, under the great garners of Egypt, saying, "Now, just a moment. There's only a four hundred and fifty billion tons in this garner, so maybe I better just eat one grain a day, 'cause I might run out before springtime."
E-36 Oh, that's the way some Christians think God is: trying to allowance yourself: just joining the church, just doing this. "Oh, if I just do the best I can..." If you do the best you can, you'll believe every promise God's made. It's--it's for you. You can never ask Him too much. He loves to give it. "Ask much that your--abundance, that your joys might be full." Just ask for great things and believe for great things.
But the reason you can't do it, you say now, "Jesus, You saved me. Don't You let me go to hell, but don't fool around, because maybe Dr. Ph.D. Calhoun is right. It might be that the days of miracles are past." It might be. It is for you. You just make that up--it is.
E-37 A man come to me sometimes ago, and he said, "Mr. Branham, I don't care what you do or say, I don't believe in miracles."
I said, "It wasn't for you unbelievers. It was for those who believe." That's just the only question. Jesus said, "He that believeth, all things are possible." It's for those who will believe and will pay--place their unadulterated faith in the finished works of Christ. God's there, obligated to do it.
The door of faith... If Jesus could stand at the door of faith--and now, no criticism against the doctor. I believe in doctors. If a doctor... You know what? I have found more believing doctors, in Divine healing, than I have preachers. That's right.
The trouble of it is, is the motives behind it. You go to the surgeon; the surgeon will say, "Don't you go to the medical doctor; you don't need sugar pills. You need an operation."
And the surgeon will say, "You don't..." Or the medical doctor, say, "You don't need that butcher on you; you need some pills." And they'll both say, "Don't you have nothing to do with the chiropractor or the osteopathic." And they'll all say, "Stay away from the preacher." And when men think that...
We know that surgery has done great things; medicine's done great things, osteopathic and chiropractic. If there wasn't a selfish, greedy motive behind it, we'd all join arms together for the better of mankind. And so would churches and preachers, if they wasn't so selfish in their hearts. Amen. They won't let Christ take the door.
E-38 I've knowed a many a man that'd been helped by chiropractic, osteopathic, operations, and medicine. Certainly, I do. I believe it's God's program. And everybody that ever was healed, was healed by the power of God. There never was a medicine ever healed and never will be. You can't have a doctor to tell you that medicine heals. If he does, he's wrong.
Healing is building tissue. Medicine only keeps the thing clean, so God can heal. That's right. It's an aid, not a cure; or that's what Mr. Mayo said, at the Mayo Clinic, that "We don't claim to be healers; we only claim to assist nature. There's one Healer, that is God. That's the best that we have." But there's selfish motives behind it. The objectives is wrong. We ought to try to get together and put our arms together, doctors, and ministers, and all different types of things that can help our fellow man make life a little better for him--a little more pleasure. Help him get rid of his aches and pains and let him be happy as God really intended him to be. That's what we need. But how can you expect the doctors to do it, when the preachers don't even do it? That's the reason Christ has to have the right-of-way in our heart.
E-39 If Christ can come into the heart of a doctor, he will work day and night to try to save that patient, whether he gets a penny for it or not. And he will cause every minister... He will do everything he can, if he's got that patient at heart. Certainly. Any man that's got his heart right with God tries to help the fellow man. That's what we're supposed to do. If we let Christ stand in our heart of faith, open the doors and use every effort, praying, "God, let us know where move next."
Then there's one more door we want to open before we start praying for the sick. And that is, the door of your eyes. Did you know the Bible said that this age would end up naked, miserable, poor, wretched, blind, and wouldn't know it? "I counsel of you to come and buy eyesalve from Me, that ye might anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you could see." The door of the soul is the eye.
E-40 Well, we was raised up in the mountains of Kentucky. And my grandpa used to hunt raccoon. And he would take the grease, and render it up, and make some kind of a little lard out of it. And mama used to keep that raccoon grease setting around, when us kiddies got cold in our eyes, sleeping in an old house with clap-board shingles on it, and a piece of canvas over the top of the bed, keep the snow and rain off of us. No floor, just a stump sawed off at the top for a table, a little old bed with a fence rail around it and a piece of canvas tacked on it and shucks for a bed... Don't know what hard times is...
And our eyes would get cold in them, and they'd shut up, swell shut. And little, mama called it, "matter" would get in our eyes. And she'd go get this old bowl of coon grease, and grease up our eyes and make them soft, so that we could open our eyes and see daylight again.
E-41 But you know what? The church of the living God has caught a spiritual cold and almost froze to death. And their eyes has gone blind to the things of God. And it'll take more than a dish full of scho--coon grease to do it any good, or a little bit of theology from some cemetery, or seminary. All about the same! All right. It'll take the anointing salve of the Holy Ghost to open our eyes that we might see the goodness and the mercies of God. God will send signs and wonders among us; we'll say, "Oh well, it could be telepathy. Oh, Dr. Jones said not to pay any attention; that it might be so-and-so." Oh, God open your blinded eyes. How that God wants to anoint your eyes with eye salve and grease them up right good, so it'll get all the cold and indifference out of you, and you can open your eyes and see His Presence.
E-42 Listen America. I say this, not to individuals, but to America in full: Your hour of judgment is near at hand. You're just as sure this nation will be judged by God. If it isn't so, I'm a false prophet and a liar at the pulpit. Just watch for it; it's coming! Mark it in your books and say, "Brother Branham said so, in the Name of the Lord." And you're going to see that it's going to be just that way, because God's Bible said so.
The other day, I made this statement to you: I said, "If God doesn't judge this nation for it's sin, He's obligated to raise up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize for sinking them." Certainly. God's obligated. He's just, and He's honest, and He's true, and His judgments are true. And God's no respect of person. And we've weighed in the balances and found wanting. (I wanted to preach on that this week, but it just--the week ain't long enough--on: "Weighed in the balance" and then, "The Handwriting on the Wall.") We're at the end time and our eyes are blind to it.
E-43 A certain minister said to me, sometime ago, said, "If you'd be a--a servant of Christ and you have the Holy Ghost, strike me blind. Strike me blind." Said, "Paul struck a man blind; you strike me blind."
I said, "Brother, I can't do what the devil's already done. You're blind now, and don't know it."
"Oh," he said, "when the Bible speaks "blind," it means physical blind."
I said, "Elisha struck the whole Syrian army blind, and said, 'Are you looking for Elisha?'"
"They said, 'Yes.'"
"Said, 'Well follow me, I'll show you where he's at.'"
Gehazi was blind, standing there, and couldn't see the Angels of fire and the mountains on fire around that prophet, until God opened his eyes.
Spiritual blindness is ten million times worse than physical blindness. If I have to go blind in my eyes or go blind in my spirit, God take my eyes, before my spirit. Let my eyes be open to see His glory. Anoint my eyes, O Lord, with Thy eyesalve. Don't let cold come in and set up an infection. And coldness, indifference, denominations, creeds, doctrines, and so forth, that's give you the pneumonia, and your eyes have been all mattered and swelled up, until now, God can show His glory. You can hear somebody enjoying it, "So-and-so got healed. Why can't I?" Just open your eyes to see His glory. He's here. Christ still lives.
E-44 We are so stupid in our ways, all of us. We don't realize the good things that God does for us. You let take place in Africa, India, Europe, Asia, anywhere, the things that's happened on this platform this week, God will have over a hundred thousand souls in His Kingdom without one-third the effort.
But the things that you now have been privileged of God to see, it's going to be taken from your eyes. Just mark my word and see if that's right or not. This is the last night of the service. See if that's right. Then tell me whether I'm a false prophet or not. For the hour is at hand.
It passed its crisis two years ago. And they made their final choice. Oh, there'll be great efforts put forth, little spurts up here and there, but the great revival is ending. I know you don't believe that, 'cause I feel your spirit, but it's so anyhow. You just watch and see how close it is in being wrong. Next thing this nation gets is judgment; it's spurned mercy; it's judgment. Open your eyes. Look around. How can it keep from happening? If there's a true God in heaven He's obligated to do it.
E-45 Now, we don't ever notice the good things that God has given: a free nation, a free speech. And it's the things that we've had, and the great revivals that's went through the country. Great signs and wonders has been done. Billy Graham, Jack Schuller, Oral Roberts, and many of the great ministers, that's passed through the land, back and forth, back and forth through America, and we just say, "Well, if He belonged to our denomination, but it'd be different."
And then all the holiness in the Bible that's been preached and what you've been taught, you still, you women strip yourselves and go half naked.
You men do just as contrary. You set around, let your wife act like that, and dress like that, and say nothing about it. Well, you puppet. How would you ever make a preacher? How would you make a deacon? If you can't control your own house, what are you going to do in the house of God? That's the reason the house of God's in the shape it's in today. We need men with brass knucks to preach the Gospel, to uncover sin and show where it's at, not some little petty thing. We need an old fashion breaking up, tearing down, molding over. We need a old time Saint Paul's revival and the Bible Holy Ghost back into the church again, instead of a bunch of little isms.
E-46 Baptist, Methodist, and they all culted down. You Pentecostal went after a little sensations, a little funny feeling, or a little oil or blood in your hands and face. And what did you get to? You see where you're setting tonight? Come back to Christ and open your eyes, men.
It's the love of God that's absolutely pure and sure. And how can you prove you've got the love of God, and fussing, and fighting, and stewing, and acting the way we're doing? That's hard, but it's truth.
Someone said to me a few days ago, after the first sermon here at the church on that, said, "Brother Branham, you'll never be popular preaching that."
I said, "I don't want to be popular. I want to be honest." Don't care about popularity. I want to be honest before God. I could have compromised with it a long time ago, but God give me a heart to stay true to Him. I don't care what happens. If I don't have a friend left on earth, I want One in glory. When I cross the river of death, I want to meet Him there. Certainly...
E-47 I'm only saying this, not prejudice; I'm saying this to stir your hearts, to some of you people stop this little face around here, and get back to an old fashion prayer meeting in each home around here. You'll make preachers ashamed of themselves. The laity can do it if you'll just do it. If the preachers can't get to do it, gather; you get together. Have a revival.
Not indifferent, making it different from somebody else, but making for the church of the living God. All these good blessings, we never appreciated them. Night after night, hour after hour, God puts His blessings down. But soon they'll be lifted.
E-48 Closing, I'll say this: you know what's the matter with America? You've seen too much.
No long ago, I was in a city, about six weeks ago, Waterloo, Iowa. And someone come told me, said, "Well, all of our people there; they've already been to your meeting, Brother Branham." Said, "There's no need of going down to Brother Branham's meeting." Said, "If you go down there, the only thing you see, people come up on the platform, and it's told them what about themselves, and so forth like that. Oh, we believe all of that." Don't you see how cruel the human heart can be? That ought to thrill the human heart in such a place, it would start prayer meetings everywhere, but they're so cold, so indifferent. Just what the Bible said they'd be, the Laodicean church age. But those who He loves, He chastens, rebukes: those who He loves. Certainly, He does.
That was His message to the Laodicean Church, and remember, this text that I'm reading tonight, is to the Laodicean church. "I stand and knock at the door." [Brother Branham knocks--Ed.] Certainly.
E-49 We've seen so much and so much of God's glory: Oral Roberts, all the rest of them, their meetings seems to go, be going down. Sure. Even Billy Graham's. Lot of them. You don't have it no more like you used to. What's the matter? The little going over is just about finished. It don't excite the people anymore to see good meetings, great revivals. They don't care for great preachers and so forth, that the Lord has sent them like those men.
Here, sometime ago, I made a remark about a man that was starting a little sensation. I said, "Don't do that, Brother. If I could preach like you did, I'd never mention such a thing as that." Well, you try to get something a little different from any other bunch, so you can draw this bunch over this way, and this bunch over this way. My, point them up "that way." That's where we go.
E-50 Now, one time there was a man going down to the seashore. He was tired. He said, "I'm going down to take a little rest. I've never seen the sea."
And on his road down, he met a man coming back, an old salt, an old sailor. And he said, "Where goest thou, my good man?"
He said, "I'm going down to the seashore. I long to see the great briny waves leap. I want to smell the salty air. I want to hear the sea gulls as they scream. I want to see the heavens reflected into the salty water."
The old sailor said, "I was borned on the sea. I've been there for forty years. There isn't nothing thrilling about it that I can see." That was it. He'd seen it so much, till it become common to him.
That's what's the matter with the church tonight. You've seen God's blessings, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and those things, which has been going for years in the church, till it's become a common thing to you. Your fathers and mothers rejoiced when God begin to pour out His Spirit upon the church.
E-51 What about you Church of God? What about you Assemblies of God? Why, you stood on the corner, a little tambourines and everything else, and would've died for the cause. And now you won't walk across the street for the cause. Amen. What's happened? You did run well, what hindered you? It's become so common to you. You believe it all, sure, but it doesn't thrill you any more. It's so common. God's so good to you, and you don't realize it.
Down here, in the south, an old colored preacher friend of mine, he told me a little story. And he said, one time he had an old colored man there. His name was--we called him "Gabe." His name was Gabriel, but we called him Gabe just for short. And he tried his best to get old Gabe to come to church, and he wouldn't do it. His wife prayed for him. He done everything, but old Gabe just wouldn't go to church. And he wouldn't get right with God. And the preacher liked to hunt and so did old Gabe.
And they went hunting. And Gabe was a poor shot; he couldn't hit nothing, but he liked to hunt just the same. So one day when he was out hunting--both of them--on the road coming back, when the sun was setting, both of them loaded so full of game they could hardly walk. Oh, it'd been a real field day for them. They had birds, and rabbits, and squirrels, and all that they could pack, just loaded down.
E-52 And the sun was going down. They was coming along a little old familiar pathway, and the preacher walking in front, just with all the game that he could pack. Old Gabe, behind him, cripping along, all he could pack. After while, the preacher felt a hand on his shoulder patting him. And as he looked around, old Gabe was looking him right in the face and the tears running down his black cheeks. He said, "Parson, you see that sun setting yonder?"
Said, "Yes, Gabe. I see the sun setting."
He said, "That's the way the sun's setting in my life." He said, "Parson, in the morning (which was Sunday morning) you're going to find me down at the mourners bench. And as soon as I can straighten up there with God, I'm going right back and get myself a seat, and I'm going to remain in the church until death sets me free."
E-53 And the old colored pastor, loyal to his post of duty, he said, "Gabe, you know I'm happy about that." Said, "Your wife has prayed for you for years, and your children has prayed for you. I've prayed for you. I've hunted with you. I've talked to you. Why the sudden change, Gabe?"
He said, "Parson, you know, I's one of the poorest shots in this country." And he said, "Looky here, I'm loaded down with game." Said, "He must have loved me, or He wouldn't have give it to me."
How true that is. He stands at the door and knocks. He sends His Spirit, His blessings, His Word, His everything; sends it to you, and you're loaded down. And you don't deserve it. Surely you let God open up the doors of your heart tonight and stand there in faith and loyalty. Say, "Come, Lord Jesus. Don't only be my Saviour, but be my Lord. Take my pride. Take my selfishness. Take my unbelief. Take my blinded eyes and open them, Lord, and stand in my heart as King of kings and Lord of lords." Surely we appreciate Him that much, of the goodness that He's did for us.
E-54 While we think about that, just a moment, let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. Oh, hasn't He been good to you? Hasn't our blessed Lord been so good to you to give you so many good things? And yet, look how we treat Him. Is there one of... There is, plenty in here tonight, we not going to bring you up here to the altar, but I wonder if you'd just like to say, "Lord, You've been so good to me, and I've been so unlovely to You, but I want to raise my hands and say, 'God, forgive me. From this night on, I mean to serve You with all my heart.'"
On the bottom floor, how many's going to put up their hands? God bless you, sir. God bless you, you, you, you... Oh, my. Just look at the hands.
E-55 The balconies to my right, raise your hands, saying, "Oh, God, You've been so good to me. And I'm undeserving, but from this night, henceforth, by Your grace, I'm going to try to prove myself to be a real servant to You. Here's my hand, Lord." Will you raise your hands, the balconies to my right? God bless you. That's good.
The balconies to the rear, would you raise your hands and say, "Christ, from tonight on...? Don't be ashamed, back there, children. Little boy, put that cigarette out back there. All right. Shame on you, coming in the church of God. Did your mother raise you like that? If she did, she needs a whipping. This is not an arena; this is the house of God, and you respect it. Put your hands up. Say, "God be merciful to me." That's the way to do it. God bless you.
Balconies to my left, would you raise your hand? God bless you. That's right. Plenty of them all around.
E-56 Heavenly Father, just a little bit now, and we'll say farewell. This great meeting will close, or my part of it. The seining that I've been doing on this corner will close. And here is at least two hundred hands or more. Yes, more, I'm sure, went up tonight; that they're sorry that they have treated You the way they have. You've been so good to them, and they've been so unlovely in Your Presence. Forgive them, Lord God. And may they, like old Gabe (the little story just told, of the old colored man down here in Georgia)... I pray, Father God, that they'll find their place at the Church of the living God, and their place at the altar, and there serve God until death shall set them free.
We see You each night, with a great wondering sign, come down here and manifest the resurrection of Christ. And we walk right out, say, "Well, that was very nice." We might not say it in so many words, but Lord, in the heart they say it. And You don't pay so much attention to the lips; it's the heart.
E-57 God, we pray now, that those who have been so loyal and so real, believing every word and rejoicing over everything that You've done, strengthen their experience now, Lord. Grant it. May they put on the full armor, go out to fight likewise into the battle, for the battle's about over. We can hear the victory cry, "Fear not, little flock. It's your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom."
Bless all together now. We ask that You'll take these dear children into Your arms. They've been sweet and kind. And we pray that You'll bless them abundantly, Lord. All these fine pastors that's been on this platform here during the week, some of them out into the meeting here, has dismiss their churches and things: God be with those men. Oh, strengthen their experience, and may they go forth like burning torches through this city and around about. Give great revivals, Lord. Grant it. You'll send your preachers until the last soul is in the Kingdom. I know You will. And I pray my blessings be upon them, Lord. Grant it.
And I ask now for Divine Presence of God to come now and manifest the Lord Jesus in the power of His resurrection once more, before we say farewell to each other. We pray that we'll meet many more times on this earth. But if not, may we meet in that great Kingdom of which we're trying to represent tonight, God's Kingdom. Keep us safely, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, under the Blood. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-58 How many really loves the Lord, just really loves Him? I don't care what church that's...?... Isn't that wonderful. At least ninety-five--maybe better--a hundred per cent; I trust it is, that we love Him.
What is God? God is love. He that loveth is of God. Now that isn't what we call "free love." That's Agapao love. There's two different kinds of love. One of them is the Greek word is phileo. "Phileo" means "friendship, the kind you have for your wife, love, that kind of love." That kind of love is not a true love. Oh, I know you little teen-agers want to believe that, but it's wrong. That kind of love will make you jealous of your wife; you'll take a pistol and blow a man's brains out because of her. That ain't real love. That's phileo love.
But Agapao love will make you get down and pray for that man's lost soul. That's Agapao love. That's the kind of love the church needs, what we all need is that kind of love. God, give me that love. It--I'd rather have that experience of love than have all the gifts that God's got in His heaven. For you can have every gift God's got and still be lost. How many knows that? That's exactly right. It's love, the love of God. "Where there's tongues, they shall cease. Whether it's prophecy, it'll fail. Where there's knowledge, it'll vanish; but when that which is perfect shall come, it endureth forever" Love, love one another, that's a great saying.
E-59 Billy, how many cards? One hundred. Wonder if there's...? How many in here's... I don't know what to do. It's late. I just take so much time. I'd like to run a fast line, just bring the people through. I'm 'fraid I can't get them all through. Oh, let's try. We--we'll do--let's--Well, I'll tell you, who's got number 1? What is that... "M"? "Z." Let's start with number 1. Who has "Z," prayer card Z, like X, Y, Z? Who has Z number 1, raise your hand? Anywhere in the building, prayer card...? The lady way over here. Come over here, sister. Z number 2, raise your hand. Look around now, see who it is. Raise your hands real high.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Believe Him and see if He won't speak right back and do. If He's the same, He will speak the same. Now, you have faith and believe. I'm going to try, if the Lord willing, because the newcomers...
E-60 I suppose the lady here's a stranger to me. I don't know you. That... We're strangers? If the Lord God will reveal to me what you're here for... Just make another picture, just like the well at Samaria: a man and a woman. Here's our first time ever meeting. The woman's a little older than I am. She may be born miles apart, few years apart, and here we are standing here for the first time in life, meeting. Now, if that woman... I don't know; I never seen her. But if Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, if she needs healing, God's already done it. If she needs salvation, Christ already prepared it. If she needs--anything she has need of, Christ is our Portion. Is that right? But now, for me to give it to her, I can't. I couldn't do it, but Christ can, on one basis: if her faith will believe it.
Now, the first place, and the real true and only... The real way to believe it, is take God's Word for it. But then He set offices in the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelists, all for the perfecting of His Church. Now, if He will do that... (Now engineers watch this, when the anointing comes, I don't know how loud I'm speaking. See?)
E-61 If the Holy Spirit will reveal to me what you're standing here for, you will accept it as you will receive it? How many audience will do the same? I wished you... I--I--I want to say, "You mean that." I--I want to say, "If you did, and the Lord turns and does this, then there'd be no need of a prayer line anywhere." Did you ever think of that? You said you'd believe it. Here's this woman and now; we've never met in our lives.
Here's our hands, both of them up; here's God's Bible; this is our first time meeting. I have no more idea what that woman's standing there for, than--than any strange person to her. I could not tell you. But I'm a minister; I believe that Christ promised this. It was a gift that He's made known the entire world around, for millions of people. He promised it. He don't have to do it. He didn't have to heal when He was here, but He did it, that it might be fulfilled. He does it now that it might be fulfilled that His Word to the Gentiles, the promise, just the same today as it ever was.
E-62 Now, if He does it, then everyone of you can just walk right away and say, "Thank you, Lord. I accept You in my heart. You're the King of my heart. My faith doors are open. You're standing at the door. I accept my healing. Thank You, Lord," and go along rejoicing; it'd all be over. That's just exactly the Gospel truth. That's according to the Word; that's according to your testimony; that's according to your witness. Now, it's up to God to prove whether it's right or not. God grant it, is my prayer.
Speaking and then coming in to start this type of praying for the people, it's hard, changing yourself right back, waiting for an anointing.
E-63 Did you ever see that picture out there of the Angel of the Lord? Oh, you have one? All right. Now, do you believe that's the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel? See? It was a Pillar of Fire. And when Jesus was here on earth, He said, "I come from God, and I go back to God." And when He was here on earth, He said He was that Pillar of Fire. He said that. He said, "I AM THAT I AM. Before Moses was, I AM." He was the Pillar of Fire that was in the burning bush. He said... Now, He's here in flesh, "I've come from God (the Pillar of Fire); I go back to God, the Pillar of Fire."
And when Paul met Him on the road to Damascus, He was that Pillar of Fire again. Paul fell down. Them people by him didn't see it, but it--it put his eyes out. He said, "Who are You, Lord?" that great Pillar of Fire.
He said, "I am Jesus, Who you persecute."
And here's His picture on paper. By the FBI fingerprint and document, it's true. George J. Lacy said, "The Light struck the lens, Mr. Branham. This mechanical eye of this camera won't take psychology." So there, it's absolutely proved by scientific that It couldn't be psychology. Shamed if I'd be here in psychology, as a minister of the Gospel. Not me, sister. I think too much of my Lord for that. I'm here to help you, to do everything I can to get your faith in Christ.
E-64 The woman, I see the Spirit of the Lord, as It was moving like a Light, coming right in between me and the woman. She's suffering with an extreme nervousness. That's right. And you got a goiter. That's true. Do you believe now? 'Course the goiter doesn't show; it's a inward goiter, but it is--it's a choking spirit. (There's more of them in the meeting.) You wanting prayer for somebody else. It's somebody that's not here. That's your husband. Got trouble with his head. It's over now. Both of you is healed, so you can go now and be well, in Christ' Name. God bless you. Go, and touch your hand.
E-65 Do you believe, lady? Are we strangers to each other? We are. If the Lord Jesus will do for--between you and I, as a brother and sister, like God did for the woman at the well, you'll accept it and believe it? That's awful headache isn't it? That sinuitis makes an awful headache. That's what you have: sinuitis trouble. See you holding your head like that many times, up above, in your eyes and things. It's very bad. Tried everything; nothing works. But you are believing that you'll be healed.
Now, here's another thing, that you might know I be God's servant. You want prayer for somebody else, and that's your son. You believe that God will tell me what's wrong with your son, it's going to take every bit of the shadow away from you? He's got trouble with his back. And he's got trouble with his head. And another thing you're praying for, for his salvation of his soul. He's got a dark shadow over him and he's shadowed for death, for he's a sinner. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. There's not a way in the world for that to be known outside of God. Is that right? If that's right, if you believe that, raise your hand. Now, go find it just the way you've believed it. It'll be just that way. God bless you. God bless you, sister. I just want to touch your hand. Now, don't doubt, have faith.
E-66 Is that two or three? Two? Three's a confirmation. Now, if I can, I'm going to start the fast line just a minute, if we can. It's hard when that anointing is pitching like it is now, and to start a line like that.
Are we strangers to one another, I suppose, lady? I don't know you, but God does know you. Do you believe the Lord Jesus could reveal to me what your trouble is? Uh-huh. You want prayer for your eyes. That's right. 'Cause you're wearing glasses; that's...?... that eye that's going bad. But do you... There's more than that you want prayer for. You've had an--you've had an operation. That's right. And they removed a kidney. I see them take it from your back, your side. That's exactly right.
And you're praying for somebody else. And that is a relative by marriage, a sister-in-law. And she's not here. And she's shadowed for death with a cancer. And she lives in a big city. It's a place called Atlanta, Georgia. You're from Georgia, too, but not from Atlanta, just outside of Atlanta. Do you believe? Your name is Mary. Your last name's Louey. Go on your road. Believe what you've heard. Believe it comes from God, and you can have what you ask for, in Christ' Name. Go rejoicing...?... God bless you, sister. [Someone says, "That's the third one. You want to start a fast line?--Ed.]
Let's see if I could, just a minute. How you do. (Can't do it. Just--just let her go.) There it is already moving. See? Just stand there a minute. Oh, the woman is powerfully in trouble. That's it. See? The woman's suffering with an extreme nervousness, and she's lost one of her senses. I see you trying to... It's smelling. You've lost your sense of smelling. That's what you wanted prayed for. I know that. You're going to receive it, so don't worry. You can smell now. You can smell right now. See? Her hand go up... I seen that Light...?... That's right. And you want prayer for that son too, don't you? It's mental trouble. And he's unsaved, and you want prayer for him. You're going to receive it. Go on your road rejoicing and thank God for His goodness. All right.
E-67 Come, sir. (It's all right. Just have to let it go. Too weak to bring myself back again.) How do you do, sir. I am a stranger to you. Do you believe God? You believe that God that we stand before will judge us in someday if we're not under the Blood of His Son, Jesus. You're suffering with an extreme nervous condition. You're very nervous. It's a mental nervous. You're weary, cross bridges before you get to it, always counting something that never happens. Stop doing it. Nothing going to bother you.
Another thing, you got trouble with your head. Your ears...?... also you have trouble. You got trouble in your chest. You got sinus trouble. That's the truth. You got a habit you want to quit; that's smoking cigarettes, yet you profess Christianity. I don't unchristianize you about it, truly, but that's what's causing a lot of your trouble. That's the blackness that hangs over you. Will you forsake the things? IF you believe that God sent me? God will let me tear up the thing from you right now.
You got a wife who you're praying for too. You believe God can tell me what's wrong with your wife? Will you accept it? She's got a lady's trouble, female trouble. And she's also got heart trouble. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Now, you're healed there, sister, and you're healed too. The thing's gone from you. Go in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Have faith. Don't doubt. Be quiet. Don't move around.
E-68 I suppose we're strangers to one another. It's our first time meeting.
Now, please, please, friends, be reverent just a little longer. I thought I could start the fast line too, 'cause the anointing's already struck the building and people are praying. I just stand as long as I can.
How many has went through the line? Unless there's quite a bunch. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus is present, sir? We're going to stand in His Divine Presence someday, to give account of our lives. If the Lord God will reveal to me what your trouble is, you be the judge. If I told you you were sick and you're going to be well, you'd have a right to doubt that, 'cause that's something to be in the future. But if I told you something that was in the past, you'd know whether that was true or not. You're all tore up. You're nervous, upset. You got trouble in your chest. And you got an inward condition, internal condition that you don't know what it is. What difference does it make, what it is, as long as you're now in the Presence of God Who heals it? You believe it? You're not from the city here. You've come from somewhere else. That's Georgia. Alma, Georgia. It's exactly right. You're Mr. Levy. Go back down there and be healed. Jesus Christ makes you well. Amen.
Have faith in God. Don't doubt. You believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son? Now, be reverent.
E-69 How do you do, sir. Suppose our first time meeting, sir? In the Presence of His blessed Being, if I could help you, sir, I would do it. God knows my heart, I would do it. But we're both going to stand in His Presence someday to give an account of our lives and what we've done here on earth. If the Lord God should reveal what's on your heart that you want from Him... You're here for some purpose; I don't know. Would you accept It as coming from Him? You would. You're suffering in your stomach. You got stomach trouble. And you got gall stones, gall condition that's going into your stomach, which is upsetting it, throwing into spasm; sour belches and so forth, bitter, comes up from it; cramps on the right side. I see you somewhere by a pul... You're a preacher, a Baptist preacher, at that. You believe you're healed? Go on, preach the Gospel, brother. God bless you. Have faith.
E-70 Don't move. Please don't. Maybe the people are getting tired.
You can't get over the back trouble, you would? Go off the platform, rejoicing, saying, "Thank you, Lord."
Come near me Please set still just a few minutes longer. You're young to have that. That's a female trouble, but you have it just the same. You believe the Lord our God could heal you? Go then and believe it. You do? I just want to touch your hand as you go by.
God can cure diabetes. It don't mean anything to Him. He can make you well. Do you believe that with all your heart? You believe He will make you well and heal you too? All right. Then, go off the platform, say, "Thank you, Lord." Believe it with all your heart; you shall have what you've ask for, sir.
God bless you, mother. Be...?... one time. But Christ lives in the heart. You believe He will heal your heart and make you well of that heart trouble? Go, believing it then and don't doubt. You can have what you ask for, if you'll just believe it and don't doubt with all your heart.
E-71 You believe, lady. You're young for this, but you got arthritis. You believe that God will heal you? Go on your road and rejoice and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
What give you your stomach trouble is a nervous condition. But you have a stomach trouble that you want me to pray for. Go believing now, and then eat and enjoying yourself like you used to. Just believe with all your heart as you go.
What if I didn't say a thing? Would you believe me anyhow, as God's servant? Then raise your hands in praise, and walk off the platform, saying, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
If I don't tell you nothing, would you believe anyhow? Then your heart trouble's left you. Go on, believe with all your heart. Have--have faith in God.
Strange you've had a...?... a little stomach trouble. Do you believe God's going to make you so you can eat? All right. Go on your road and rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
You're nervous too, with stomach trouble also, and lady's trouble which is normal for your--a woman your age. You believe God healed you? Go on your road, rejoicing then.
E-72 Young lady, you think Christ heals that back trouble for you? Go on your road, rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus," and you can be well.
Anyone can see he's got a trumpet in his ear. Let's get rid of that. Just a minute, bow your heads everybody. You believe? Lord God, in Jesus' Name, remove this power of the enemy, as I take this from his ear. Give him perfect deliverance and make him well. Let these ears come open for the glory of God. Amen.
How long they been that way, sir? About ten year. Ten years in that ear? Well, you're just hearing me whisper and talk now. You're healed, and all the asthmatic trouble and things you have, the trouble, has all left you now. Go, rejoicing and thank God and be well. Say, "Thank You, Lord." God bless you...?... overnight, miss, see how much different you feel. All right. Your back trouble's over...?... Jesus' Name. Amen. Just go rejoicing, praising the Lord.
A shadow of darkness follows the woman--cancer. Well, do you believe that God healed you, sister? Go on your road, the darkness has left you. Be well in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
E-73 Come now. You think that lady's trouble will leave you? Female trouble. Just keep on walking now, and be made well, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Are you believing? How much more?
You believe that you're healed, lady? Just start rejoicing. Go on off the platform, saying, "Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord."
Do you believe that you're healed? Just start rejoicing, but... All right, sir, believe it with all your heart and you shall have it.
Come now. You believe, sir? The old heart's going to beat good from now on. Just keep on moving now. God bless you. Say, "Praise the Lord."
Same is for that too. Go on your road, rejoicing; it leaves you. That was just a nervous condition, anyhow, it was. See?
Let's say, "Thank the Lord" everybody. Do you believe with it all your heart? You believe God's going to make him well? If I pray for you, you think you'd get all right? Come here, young man. Thank you.
Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, cursed be the disease on this boy and this affliction. May he get well. I ask it as Jesus said, "Say to this mountain, 'Be moved.' Don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you said was coming to pass. You can have what you say.'" This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen. All right, son. Don't you doubt: you're coming out of this now, and be well. You believe with all your heart. Amen. Do you believe it with all your heart?
E-74 If you're disturbing... Someone's doing and moving around like that, please be quiet just a moment. Here, let's turn to the audience, just a minute. How many in here without a prayer cards? Let's see your hands. Let's come from right to left across here now.
Lady, setting out there on the end of the row, with the stomach trouble, you believe God makes you well? If you can believe it with all your heart, you can have what you ask for, if you can believe.
Down here, not upstairs, down here on the floor, accept it and believe it with all your heart. Yes, ma'am. It's all over now. Have faith in God. I challenge you to believe the Son of God.
What about this row? Somebody in this row wants to believe, raise your hands, somebody that wants to believe? Here's the closest lady to me. I can't say He will, but if He will, will you believe me, lady, right there? Then your back trouble will leave you, and you'll get well. Do you believe He will make you well? All right, you can have what you ask for.
E-75 What about this row? Are you believing? What about you, the elderly lady setting here with the... You believe that God will heal you of that arthritis, make you well? Raise up your hand if you believe it. All right, you can have what you ask for.
What about over in this row here? Anybody believing the Lord still heals? What of that little girl with her hand up, down there? Do you believe, sweetheart? You do? There's two little girls setting there, and both of them has diabetes. That's right. Raise up your hand right there and show that's right. All right. Go home and be well honey, Jesus, Christ heals you. Amen.
Somebody else, somebody in the balcony, somewhere... What about you with your hand up, down there, lady? You believe that God will make you get over that nervous trouble? You got an unsaved son you're praying for too, haven't you? All right. It's over now. Jesus Christ heal you of every...?...
E-76 Are you believing? Are you every one believing? He's here. Why do we sit numb? Let's believe God. Do you believe Him with all your heart? Then let's stand to our feet just a minute, everybody. Raise your hands up to God. Promise God, "Lord God, I now believe." (I just can't go any farther. My feet's giving out from under me.) I--I--I know that the Son of God is here. Don't doubt any longer, friends. Raise your hands, and praise Him, and give Him thanks. You are everyone healed. I pronounce it in the Name of Jesus Christ; by His stripes you're healed. Raise your hands now and give Him praise. All down this little line here, give Him praise. And God bless you.
Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, here's my prayer, Lord, the final prayer for these people. I condemn every disease that's in the building. I condemn every affliction in the building. And Satan, you're exposed. The Son of God has raised from the dead to confirm His Word, and you have lost the battle. I charge thee, Satan, in the Name of Jesus Christ, come out of this people and turn them loose, so that they can be in the Kingdom of God henceforth.