The Mighty Conqueror
Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio, U.S.A
Sermon translation in French: 58-0329 - Shp
E-1 ... Standing just a moment while we pray.
Our gracious God, we are thankful tonight for the time and the privilege of coming together again to serve Thee. We do not know what this night will mean to us, but we are trusting in Thy grace to supply to us all that we have need of. We would ask You to be merciful to those who are so in need of salvation tonight. May they come to that fountain that's filled with Blood, drawn from Emmanuel's vein. May the sick and afflicted come also to the healing waters, leaving their crutches, and their stretchers, and their sicknesses, and their diseases at the pool tonight. Trouble the water, Lord, and give grace unto Thy people to believe Thy Word and Thy Presence.
And when we leave tonight, may we say like those that come from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spoke to us along the road?" For we ask it in Jesus' Name, Thy Son. Amen. You be seated.
E-2 The boys now have the tapes, and this will be the last night that they'll be able to sell them. Anything to be sold has to be finished tonight, because we don't sell on Sunday. We just make... I've always made that a policy, that we would not sell on Sunday. All the tapes... They have some five hundred messages from sometimes when we wasn't hoarse in great healing lines.
Mr. Mercier has them back there at the stand wherever it is. I said back there--at the front. And you may obtain them. They sell them real cheap.
I ordered a tape here some time ago from an evangelist, and it cost around nine dollars. The boys sell theirs, I think it's for three. And they just barely make enough that they can stay out in the service with me.
This Mr. Mercier and Mr. Goad, one of them was Catholic, and the other one I don't know... I don't believe he belonged to any church, Gene. And they formed themself a little FBI to come down and find out whether those visions happened at home or not. You only see one side. You see the little side of it here. It's home when the real visions take place. This is what you're doing here with your own faith. At home is what God does. Out somewhere when we are to ourselves, or out fishing, or somewhere when we have a little time of recreation.
E-3 We had books, but I never wrote one, but Mr. Lindsay writes them, or he wrote it, rather. Mr. Stadsklev wrote the other. But we're completely out of both. We will get some more soon.
Now, tomorrow is the Sabbath, and there's fine ministers here that believe in this type of ministry. They're sponsoring, cooperating in this meeting. And they'd be very happy to have you in their churches. And I say that I would that you would attend some of these good churches, tomorrow if you are here visiting. I'm sure you'll have a warm welcome, and perhaps they've already took care of this.
And then tomorrow afternoon there is to be another service here at two-thirty. And then tomorrow night, the closing service at seven-thirty. We'd be glad to see you again at those times, trusting and believing that tomorrow night, as always, the greatest night for healing. For it is always the--that great anticipations of waiting, it's either get in now or not.
E-4 That usually sets up... Sometimes usually twenty times more gets healed on the last night, because they just built up and watched and waited, then they put their--exercised their faith. Now, if your church is having church tomorrow night, you sick, just ask your pastor; I am sure he would excuse you to come if you don't get into that line or get prayed for tonight.
If there is any credit to be given to the Branham family, it's my wife. She's the one who stands between me and the public. I went down and got her today. I thought I was bashful; she's worse than I am.
I was talking to her, what I said to you last evening, that after being born in 1909, I'd be about twenty-five. But I believe I have to make that twenty-seven, because I been preaching twenty-seven years, and the rest of them didn't count anyhow; just those who I preached and served the Lord.
I said to my wife, "Honey, would you walk up on the platform?"
She said, "I'd faint." But I'm going to ask her just to stand up just for a moment, and let you know the sweetest woman in the world, my wife, Mrs. Branham. [The congregation applauds--Ed.] Thank you. She's sure bashful. I will hear about this later on.
E-5 Brother Vayle said, "I want to call you on the platform, Sister Branham." She said she was even scared to come to the meeting, afraid he would do it, so she waited to come with me.
Now, tonight we want to read some out of the Scriptures, of the Book of Revelations the 6th chapter, and we--just for a text. I want to read the first two verses.
And I saw and behold a Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard a voice like a thunder, and one of the four beasts said, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat thereon was given unto him a bow; and a crown: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
I wish to take the subject for just a few moments on "The Mighty Conqueror."
E-6 About three years ago Billy and I stepped off at Lisbon, Portuguese, and we went up to the old slave gallery. And some of the writing was in English that we could understand. So we seen there where some great hero (I could not call his name at this time.) who took it. And then after the Turks had had it for several years, then along come the Spanish, and another hero come in. He took it and all the glory. The heroes and the conquerors, and the heroes and the conquerors... It's been down through the age. And one... The word "conqueror" means "one that has overcome." It's a great word, and it's a--a notable word.
And some time ago I was standing where Constantine was on his road to Rome, and he was troubled about this battle that was coming up. And some of his soldiers, of course, was Christians, and the Christians was all bound down in under the Roman Empire. And that night while he was asleep, the Lord must've appeared unto him. And he dreamed that he saw a white cross. And a voice spoke to him and said, "By this you shall conquer."
E-7 When I first read that it just thrilled my soul. "By this ye shall conquer." And he roused up all of his soldiers at twelve o'clock at night, and had them to paint white crosses on their shields, for it was by the cross that they were going to conquer. And they did.
And then about three years ago, it was my privilege to be in Belgium. I'd stop there for a little while at Brussels, just not far from Waterloo.
And there I picked up a little book, and I was reading of Napoleon, of what a great warrior he was. And really he wasn't a Frenchmen. He despised French to begin with, but he come over to get even with them, and then become a great soldier and a conqueror.
And just a few miles from where I was standing was part of the old relic. And I read of his life. That how he longed and desired to do something great. And he went by the signs of the moon and the stars. And when he was a young man, he was a prohibitionist.
E-8 And at the age of thirty-three he had conquered the world. And because there was no more for him to conquer, he set down and wept. No one else to whip, he'd done whipped the world. And he had conquered the people until you could even call his name and the people would faint.
He was so feared, until when the mothers would go to put their babies to bed at night, instead of saying, "If you don't be good, the old boogie man's going to get you," they would say, "If you don't be good, Napoleon's going to get you." They'd duck their little heads under the cover right quick. He wanted everybody to be afraid of him. But such as that, and fear will never conquer the right thing.
E-9 I'm thinking of a great hero that's too often forgot about in our reader. Many of you men and women about my age will be able to remember him. It happened in Switzerland many years ago.
Switzerland was some Germans that went up there in the mountains. They didn't want any war. They just went up to be a peace-loving people. And they are still a peace-loving people.
And one day when the aliens come in, and were going to take their land from them, the Swiss left their home and come down into the--the valleys to meet their oncoming army.
And oh, it must have been one pitiful sight that day to see a handful of little Swiss backed up against the mountains with clubs, and sticks, and--and rocks, and old scythe blades to fight with.
And coming to meet them, come an army so great that it was so perfectly trained till it looked like bricks in a wall: every man fully covered by armor, great long trained spears in the front of them, every man perfectly in step.
E-10 And here the little Swiss stood not knowing what to do. And finally there was a young fellow stepped out by the name of Arnold von Winkelried. And he said, "Man of Switzerland, this day I'm going to give my life for my nation." He said, "This morning over across the mountain, I kissed my wife good-bye and my three little children for the last time. I'll never see them again." And he said, "I want you all to look after them, but this day I must give my life for Switzerland."
They said, "Arnold von Winkelried, what will you do?"
He said, "You just follow me and fight with all you've got." And he looked around until he found the very deepest spot of the spears. And he raised his arms towards heaven, and screamed to the top of his voice, "Make way for liberty." And he started running. And he screamed again, "Make way for liberty."
And as he rushed towards the army with his hands up, and his open bosom to the spears, more than a hundred spears reached for him. And he grabbed them with his arms and throwed them into his bosom, and there died with those spears in his bosom.
Such a gallant display of heroism routed the aliens, and they went to pieces. And the Swiss run in with their clubs and sticks, and beat the army out of the nation, and they've never had a war since. It was a real victory, a real conquer. It seldom ever compared and never exceeded such a display of heroism.
E-11 And today when man love to talk about heroes, and how they liked to worship heroes... And we appreciate that, but, oh, brother, there never was a hero like the Lord Jesus.
One day when Adam's race stood in the corner, backed up by the powers of the Devil, all great units of spiritualism, and all kinds of isms had Adam's race in the corner. Sicknesses, diseases, and every enemy of the human race had Adam's race backed into the corner. But there was One Who spoke in heaven and said, "I'm going down to the earth to give My life for Adam's race." And He came to the earth, and He found where the deepest of the spears was: death. There He rushed and grabbed the spear of death into His precious heart at Calvary. He conquered death.
E-12 And when He went back up into glory, He sent down the baptism of the Holy Spirit to his subjects and said, "Take This and fight with all your strength."
Oh, brethren, what man tries to pick up something else, let's take what Christ sent us and fight with everything that's in us. We don't have to be trained men. We don't have to be trained people. We have to be willing people. God wants willing workers.
Napoleon at the age of thirty-three had set down and cried, and was a alcoholic, defeated, and before his kingdom went. But Jesus at the age of thirty-three had conquered death, hell, and the grave. Oh, He was the mighty Conqueror. When He was here on earth, sickness faced Adam's race.
And one day immediately after His ministry had started, He came into the house of Simon Peter. And his mother-in-law laid sick with a fever. He just merely touched her hand, and the mighty Conqueror had conquered that fever, and it left her.
E-13 One day a group of devils met Him in a man by the name of Legion. And they had been used to overcoming everybody, so no one could even pass their way. They would go out, and so possess this poor man, until he would beat and break chains in two. And the law could not do nothing with him. And when those devils come on him, he could even break chains, because that the devil give him that kind of a power.
I wonder tonight, you in the cots and in the wheelchair, if a man so anointed by the Devil has three or four times his own human power, what could a man do anointed with the Holy Ghost? He could...?... them closed wheelchairs, and get going for the glory of God if the anointing of the Spirit of the living God comes on him.
And this Legion that would possess that man... "Do you say then, Brother Branham, is there legions that come to the righteous?"
The Bible said that, "The Angels of God are encamped about those who love Him."
E-14 One day down at Dothan, an old prophet was down there by the name of Elisha. And Gehazi, his servant, woke up one morning, and the whole Syrian army was around him. And he said, "My father, we are encamped around, the whole Syrian army." And that old prophet wakened up just as cool as he could be, looking around over the great tens of thousands of soldiers. And he said, "Why, there's more with us than there is with them." And the young fellow could not understand that.
He said, "God, open this boys eyes that he can see." And when God opened his eyes, the mountains was on fire, the chariots of fire around that old prophet.
And the Spirit of the Lord God is in this building tonight to set free and give liberty. For the mighty Conqueror has paid the price, and men are at liberty to be healed and to be set free. Oh, how precious His Word is to us. Devils was conquered. Sickness was conquered.
One night on a storming ocean when all hopes was gone, and the little boat was about to sink, and the disciples saw Jesus coming walking on the water, and they got scared because they thought He was a spirit. Isn't that just like people today? He was the only thing that could help them. It was their only hope. And yet they were afraid of Him.
E-15 And today... Oh, listen to me. The only hope there is today is the thing that people are afraid of. That's an old time Saint Paul's revival, and the Bible Holy Ghost back again. Don't think it'll make you misbehave yourself. That's the Devil's business to keep you afraid of Christ. But it's the only salvation left for any nation, is the Lord Jesus and the power of His resurrection. But people are afraid of It.
But did you notice, no matter how much they were praying, how well they were organized to pull their boat, how well they could set their sail, for they were sailors and fishermen, but when the mighty Conqueror stepped into the boat, the winds and the waves ceased immediately.
E-16 Something changes when He comes in. You're never the same again when He comes in. You never felt anything that'll take Its place. No pleasures of the world or nothing can ever take the place of the mighty Conqueror.
I believe Alcoholics Anonymous is all right. But it'll never take the place of Jesus Christ. I believe doctors and hospitals are fine. Medicine's all right. But it'll never take the place of Jesus Christ. I believe churches and denominations are all right, but it'll never take the place of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It just can't do it, has nothing in it to do it with, for men who do it in their own power. It takes the blessed Holy Spirit to do it.
E-17 When He was on earth, He was a great Conqueror. And then He conquered something else. That was the cross. And the cross was death. It was a symbol of public execution. And there He goes. Let's take a look at Him just a moment. And oh, you, my friend, tonight, you who are standing till your feet's a hurting, you who've been setting in here for hours, let's take a look.
There He goes up Golgotha. There's a noise in the street. I can hear some of them say, "There goes that religious fanatic. Thus goes the one who broke up our churches." Listen at them. And I can see Him as He's going up the hill, and His little old pale face all swollen, and gobs of mockery spit hanging from His beard. A crown of thorns has been placed on His head, and Blood, and hot tears of sorrow dripped off His cheek. Isn't that some way to conquer?
E-18 Men and women are not willing to suffer to conquer. But it's only suffering that you can conquer by.
There He goes. Every time the cross hits the old cobblestone, His little shoulders were hurting. And I noticed His robe has little red spots all over it. And further up the hill He goes, those little spots get bigger, bigger. After while they all come to one great big bloody splotch. And His load beating against His legs... And the bee of death has begin to hum around Him. The sting of death He must taste. And when that bee begin to hum around Him, He knew that death laid just ahead of Him. But He must conquer. That was the purpose He was born for was to conquer, not with an atomic bomb, but with a sacrificed Life to Jehovah God.
On up the hill He goes, and the bee gets humming louder and louder. And finally it sinks its stinger in the most precious flesh that ever lived on earth. He was God. Listen, friends. When a bee or a insect that's got a stinger, if that bee ever stings right deep, it pulls its stinger out; and it can't sting any more.
E-19 And that's why God was made flesh. Jesus Christ was more than a prophet. He was God manifested in the flesh, and the sting of death rested in His flesh, and He pulled the sting out of death at Calvary. Death has no stinger no more for a believer, for the mighty Conqueror conquered death at Calvary.
One, thirty some odd years later, coming to his death, on the mark he said, "Oh, death, where is your sting? Where is your stinger at?" He took the stinger out of death. He conquered the stinger at Calvary. Blessed be His holy Name. He took the sting of death for you and I. In His death and in our death it cannot sting us any more.
Oh, he can buzz and put up a big fuss, but he's got no stinger. His stinger... I can point to Calvary and say, "There's where your stinger was conquered in the flesh of the Lord Jesus." Oh, I love Him. There He conquered death. He wasn't finished.
They pulled His little body with a stinger in it and laid it in Joseph's grave. But the Bible said that His soul descended into hell. He still had to conquer. And He went and preached to the souls that were in prison, that repented not in the days of Noah.
E-20 Let's you and I follow Him for a few minutes. Now, you get a view of what He was. We see Him at Calvary conquer death. Here goes, His soul down into the regions of the lost to men and women. He opens the door of that black prison, and there was beautiful young ladies who danced themselves into the place. There was preachers in there that turned down the message of God. There was church members, atheists, Gentile, and Jew, all in that prison, that refused to hear a righteous man's message.
And I can see Him as He knocked at the door, and He said, "I'm He, that Enoch spoke of, and said that I would come. I am the virgin born Son of God. I've just died on the earth, and I have to witness to you that I'm the fulfilling of that Word."
E-21 No mercy could be granted and the doors was shut. His soul descended down to the very bottomless pit of hell. And there comes a rap on the door. And the Devil opens the door. And he said, "Oh, there you are. I thought I'd got you when I had Ada--Abel slayed. I was sure I got you when I got the prophets. And when I got John's head cut off, I was almost positive. But finally you've arrived."
I can hear Him say, "Satan, you've made your last bluff. I'm the Conqueror. My Blood is still hot on Calvary's cross. You're not going to bluff them any more. I've come down to say I've paid the price for their sins and their sicknesses. For the prophet said I'd be wounded for their transgressions, and with My stripes they'd be healed. I've come to tell you that you've lost the battle. The debt's been paid." Take the keys of death and hell off of his side and kick him back into the furnace where he belongs...
E-22 There's someone else waiting. There's a place called paradise where some more people were. And they were people who died under good faith. They loved God, but they couldn't go to the Presence of God because it was under the sacrifice of the animal. And animal blood could not atone for human blood.
Do you see that when life is formed, it's a spirit in the blood cell. And when the worshipper offered the blood of the lamb and that cell was broke, it was just only acting in the place of the real. Then when the worshipper put his hands upon the little lamb, and its throat was cut, and his hands was bathed red, as the little lamb kicks, dying, finally straightened out and was gone, the worshipper went right back out with the same desire to commit adultery, lie, steal, that he ever had. Why? The blood cell, when it was broke, the life in the blood cell was a animal's life. It cannot come back to human life.
But when the Son of God, when that Blood cell was broke, the Holy Spirit that was in Him comes back upon the worshipper, and there's no more conscience to sin. He's perfectly cleansed and set free. And He said, "Satan, I've overcome."
E-23 On up He goes to paradise. Let's watch Him a moment. He's got to conquer paradise. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they're running around in paradise. And after while, a strange rap comes on the door. Abraham opens up the door, and he stands amazed. He said, "Sarah, come here just a moment. Do you know Who that is standing there?"
Why, she said, "Abraham, my lord, that's that same Man that come up to the tent that day, that had His back turned to me, and I laughed in my heart, and He turned around and told me that I laughed."
Oh, my. Just about that time the curiosity of Daniel couldn't stand it any longer. He runs forward. He looked over Sarah's shoulder. He said, "There is that Stone that I saw cut out of a mountain without hands."
E-24 Ezekiel couldn't stand it any longer. He said, "What's going on, brethren?" And he looks over Daniel's shoulder. He said, "Brethren, there's that Wheel in the middle of the Wheel that I saw turning way up in the middle of the air.
He said, "I've conquered. Let's go out. The next conquering I got to conquer is the grave. Come, go with Me, children."
I can hear Abraham say, "Can we make a little whistle stop?"
"Yes, I'm going to just talk with My disciples for forty days."
On Easter morning He conquered the Roman seal. He conquered Joseph's grave. He broke forth the seal and destroyed corruption, and He rose triumphantly.
E-25 Here He goes up in the air with His disciples, with the Old Testament saints, goes on beyond the moon, beyond the stars, beyond the spheres and the spheres. And after while they come in sight of the city. What do you think took place?
Let's look in the Bible and see what took place. I'm going to quote David's prophecy. The Old Testament saints, when they see the city in sight, and Jesus at the Head of the army marching on, the Old Testament saints screamed out, "Lift up, ye everlasting gates, and be ye lifted up, and let the King of glory come in." And all the Angels begin to gather on the top of the building.
You know, they said when Nero had conquered a city that the people fainted, and screamed, and called him a god. When Adolf Hitler went into France, he stood at the Arch of Triumph, and for hours, the whole sky was dark with airplanes, and goose-stepping soldiers...
And when Stalin come into Germany after Russia had won, how the tens of thousands of Russian soldiers crossing their legs and giving the victory salute as Stalin stood for hours. Oh, it must have been a great thing.
E-26 I talked not long ago to a soldier. He said, "Billy, after I'd been fighting so long, and when our ship sailed into the New York harbor..." Said, "I'd been overseas for four years. All I'd seen had been hell and death." He said, "Some of the soldiers was crippled, some with no legs, some with no arms. They rolled us all up on the deck."
He said, "When I seen the Statue of Liberty standing there, and I knowed I was going under her arm... Just behind there was everything that was dear to me: my mama, my father, my wife, my children." He said, "Soldiers fell on the deck weeping."
And if it'll make a man out of four year's of battle act like that to come back home, what would it be when we go under the old rugged cross, when the last battle is fought, and we've conquered? Oh, what a time it will be.
E-27 And as they hollered back to them, "Who is this King of glory?"...
And the Old Testament saints screamed, "The Lord of hosts, mighty in battle." You know the Scriptures. The great Angel, Gabriel, must have pressed the button. Those great big doors folded back. Right under the arch of the old rugged cross went Jesus and the soldiers of the Old Testament. Right down through the streets of Jerusalem they went with Angels, singing and screaming (What a welcome home.), right down through to the great white throne. And He said, "Father, these are those that believed on You. I've conquered both death, hell, and the grave."
And I can hear the Father say, said, "Set on My throne here, Son, until I made the last enemy Thy footstool." And Jesus climbed up at the right hand of the God of heaven on His throne on high. There He stands tonight. A few hours ago:
Lo, behold the Man of Sorrow,
Lo, and behold Him in plain view,
But here He stands the Mighty Conqueror;
Since He's rent the veil in two.
E-28 He pulled back the curtain so that we could look a past the curtain of time. He pulled back every bluff the Devil had, fully paid the price, and tonight He's the Conqueror. And the Bible said that we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.
So the Christian in here tonight has the thing under control. We've conquered sin; we've conquered death; we've conquered hell; we conquered the grave; we conquered sickness, because Jesus is our mighty Conqueror.
This Word is a Pardon. This Word was written for a pardon. To know that He is a mighty Conqueror is a pardon to each one of you, if you receive it as a pardon.
Some time ago, there was a man going to be shot. He had committed a crime in military. And he--he was sentenced to die. And some good friend went to Abraham Lincoln which was President of the United States at the time. And he begged for mercy for his friend.
And Mr. Lincoln, being rather in a hurry, he grabbed up a piece of paper and a quill, and he wrote, "I, Abraham Lincoln, pardon this man." And the man thanked him and rushed back to the prison.
E-29 He said, "Oh, I don't believe that. That don't look just right. It should come in some great classical thing. It should come with great gold seals on it. I don't believe it's a pardon." And he could not persuade him to believe it. He could not believe it.
And the next morning he died under a firing squad. And then here's a dead man, and the President's name signed on a paper the day before that he was pardoned. That was tried in Federal Court. And here was the decision: A pardon is not a pardon, unless it be received as a pardon.
And the Holy Spirit, It may not come in classical places; It may not come through great denominations; It may not come through well trained and polished preachers; but It's a Pardon. It's salvation that's freedom from sin. It's a ticket to heaven. It's healing for the sick to those who will receive It as a pardon.
E-30 Now, if you've never did that, I want you to think of it for the next few moments while we bow our heads reverently in the Presence of God.
Have you, my bewildered friends, have you never tasted the Lord's goodness to you? Do you not know that it's nothing you can do in yourself? If salvation come by works, then Jesus died in vain.
You may belong to the finest church there is in Ohio and still be just as far away from God, as that drunk laying across the floor in the barroom, just a religious sinner. And what is the word "sin?" "Unbelief." "He that believeth not is condemned already."
E-31 You might stand right in the face of the Holy Spirit and say, "It's a bunch of holy-rollers. Oh, if it was anything of God, it would come through the Catholic, or the Presbyterian, or the Methodists, or the Baptists, or some great denomination." All right. It's a pardon and healing for you if you want to believe it. It's sent by God, the Father. And Satan has been stripped of every power that he ever had. It all belongs to you tonight. Won't you receive it?
Now, we have not room here for an altar call, but I would like to know in your hearts, with every head bowed, and every eye, closed... While Christians are praying, you who know that you're not right with God, would you raise your hand to God, by doing so saying, "God, be merciful to me. I now want You to pardon me. And I accept You as the Conqueror of my own life, my sins, and my disobedience"?
E-32 God bless you, young lady. Bless you, young fellow. God bless you back there, sir. Any more on the bottom floor? Way back, yes, many of you back there, eight or ten hands. Over here to the left... Yes, God bless you here, sir, you over here. Way back in the back again... Yes. To the balcony, the first balcony to my left, how many in there would say, "Brother Branham, I know I'm wrong. Why, I still love the world just as much as I ever did. I still love the things of the world." Then the Bible said my friend, "The love of God's not even in you."
"But, Brother Branham, I belong to a church." That doesn't matter. Satan did too, the greatest church that there was.
Judas belonged to a real organization, a real church. He was the treasurer in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But his heart wasn't right with God. Why didn't he confess his sin? Because Satan had him overcome.
E-33 Are you in that fix, tonight, my decrepit, friend? Would you just raise up your hand and say, "God, be merciful to me," balconies to my left. God bless you. Way up high on the top balcony. God bless you all along there. That's right. Just raise up your hands; see what a difference. It's God speaking to you. Don't--don't turn His Spirit away. God bless you. That's right. Some thirty or forty up there...
The balconies to the back, both lower and upper balconies, would you just raise your hands, while everybody's praying? Say, "God, be merciful." God bless you. That's right. Way up high, that's right. God sees your hand way back there in the shadows even.
All right, balconies to the right here, both upper and lower, would you raise your hands and say, "God, be merciful."? God bless you right up here. That's right. God bless over here, all up-and-down the row there. "I know I'm not right, Brother Branham, and God knows my heart. I'm not right, so I'm asking God to be merciful to me."
E-34 Standing in the vestibules and out in the aisles back in the back, would you raise your hands, and say... God bless you that's good. That's right. Way outside, God will see you even outside the building. He will see you. It's not necessary that I do, but He will. "I now accept my pardon."
You say, "Brother Branham, what good does it do me to hold up my hand?" Oh, my friend, this religion of the Lord Jesus has been taken to slightly. If you really meant that from your heart, you've passed right now from death to Life.
Let me quote you the Scriptures. Jesus said, "He that heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Everlasting Life, and shall not come into the judgment; but's passed from death unto Life." That's what it means.
E-35 Would there be some more would just raise your hands? God bless you, sir. God bless you. That's good. Yes, someone that hasn't yet... God bless you up there at the balcony again. That's good. "Be merciful to me, God. I now accept Christ. He's the Conqueror. I can't do it. I got habits and things I can't overcome, but I'm expecting Him to do it for me now." He will do it. Just give Him a chance. Will you raise your hand? God bless you way back. That's right. One. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
How many in here that really has... You have received Christ as your personal Saviour, but you have never yet been able to overcome the flesh. Would you raise your hand, saying, "God, be merciful to me." That's right. God bless you. Oh, yes. Groups of hands everywhere. God will see every one. If He knows the sparrow that falls in the sea, how much more does He know you're raising your hand.
How many that has not received the Holy Spirit, as yet, and would like to receive It tonight, would you raise your hands to Him, saying, "God, be merciful to me"? Yes. Hundreds everywhere. Now, let us pray.
E-36 Merciful God, I now bring to You in the Presence of the Angels of God and this company, literally thousands of hands that's needy tonight, many of them accepting Christ for their first time. Many of those who have joined church, but never have been able to overcome or crucify the flesh, and needing the baptism of the Spirit, many are here.
I pray God, that You'll supply every thing they have need of. I am just Your servant, and I commit them to Thee now, Lord. You know them everyone. Forgive them of their sins. Fill them with Thy Spirit.
And now, may their precious eyes be open to behold the Man of Sorrow. Behold Him in plain view. Now He is the Mighty Conqueror. He's conquered the ages. He's conquered death and still alive, and will be forever. May they see Him in the power of His resurrection standing there glorious in His Majesty as He did in Galilee. May He perform and do the things that He did many years ago.
E-37 Oh, Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, Author of Eternal Life, and Giver of every good gift, send to us tonight as this dying age and this dying nation, just with a few more breaths left, give to these children tonight the Bread of Life that they might see that You still live and are still the mighty Conqueror. Grant it, Lord.
And now, they are the fruits of the message, and You give them to Your Son a love gifts. No man can pluck them from Your hand. May they find a good church, be baptized in Christian baptism, and then may they live faithfully to You, until they face You yonder at the great coming of Christ. Grant it, Father; they are Yours now. In the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
I love Him...?... Raise it up.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Oh, don't that just do something to you? Let's do it again and raise our hands, everyone now, everybody.
I love Him, (Look at that.) I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
With our heads bowed now, altogether on the model prayer.
Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thine will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Our gracious God, we are thankful tonight for the time and the privilege of coming together again to serve Thee. We do not know what this night will mean to us, but we are trusting in Thy grace to supply to us all that we have need of. We would ask You to be merciful to those who are so in need of salvation tonight. May they come to that fountain that's filled with Blood, drawn from Emmanuel's vein. May the sick and afflicted come also to the healing waters, leaving their crutches, and their stretchers, and their sicknesses, and their diseases at the pool tonight. Trouble the water, Lord, and give grace unto Thy people to believe Thy Word and Thy Presence.
And when we leave tonight, may we say like those that come from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spoke to us along the road?" For we ask it in Jesus' Name, Thy Son. Amen. You be seated.
E-2 The boys now have the tapes, and this will be the last night that they'll be able to sell them. Anything to be sold has to be finished tonight, because we don't sell on Sunday. We just make... I've always made that a policy, that we would not sell on Sunday. All the tapes... They have some five hundred messages from sometimes when we wasn't hoarse in great healing lines.
Mr. Mercier has them back there at the stand wherever it is. I said back there--at the front. And you may obtain them. They sell them real cheap.
I ordered a tape here some time ago from an evangelist, and it cost around nine dollars. The boys sell theirs, I think it's for three. And they just barely make enough that they can stay out in the service with me.
This Mr. Mercier and Mr. Goad, one of them was Catholic, and the other one I don't know... I don't believe he belonged to any church, Gene. And they formed themself a little FBI to come down and find out whether those visions happened at home or not. You only see one side. You see the little side of it here. It's home when the real visions take place. This is what you're doing here with your own faith. At home is what God does. Out somewhere when we are to ourselves, or out fishing, or somewhere when we have a little time of recreation.
E-3 We had books, but I never wrote one, but Mr. Lindsay writes them, or he wrote it, rather. Mr. Stadsklev wrote the other. But we're completely out of both. We will get some more soon.
Now, tomorrow is the Sabbath, and there's fine ministers here that believe in this type of ministry. They're sponsoring, cooperating in this meeting. And they'd be very happy to have you in their churches. And I say that I would that you would attend some of these good churches, tomorrow if you are here visiting. I'm sure you'll have a warm welcome, and perhaps they've already took care of this.
And then tomorrow afternoon there is to be another service here at two-thirty. And then tomorrow night, the closing service at seven-thirty. We'd be glad to see you again at those times, trusting and believing that tomorrow night, as always, the greatest night for healing. For it is always the--that great anticipations of waiting, it's either get in now or not.
E-4 That usually sets up... Sometimes usually twenty times more gets healed on the last night, because they just built up and watched and waited, then they put their--exercised their faith. Now, if your church is having church tomorrow night, you sick, just ask your pastor; I am sure he would excuse you to come if you don't get into that line or get prayed for tonight.
If there is any credit to be given to the Branham family, it's my wife. She's the one who stands between me and the public. I went down and got her today. I thought I was bashful; she's worse than I am.
I was talking to her, what I said to you last evening, that after being born in 1909, I'd be about twenty-five. But I believe I have to make that twenty-seven, because I been preaching twenty-seven years, and the rest of them didn't count anyhow; just those who I preached and served the Lord.
I said to my wife, "Honey, would you walk up on the platform?"
She said, "I'd faint." But I'm going to ask her just to stand up just for a moment, and let you know the sweetest woman in the world, my wife, Mrs. Branham. [The congregation applauds--Ed.] Thank you. She's sure bashful. I will hear about this later on.
E-5 Brother Vayle said, "I want to call you on the platform, Sister Branham." She said she was even scared to come to the meeting, afraid he would do it, so she waited to come with me.
Now, tonight we want to read some out of the Scriptures, of the Book of Revelations the 6th chapter, and we--just for a text. I want to read the first two verses.
And I saw and behold a Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard a voice like a thunder, and one of the four beasts said, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat thereon was given unto him a bow; and a crown: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
I wish to take the subject for just a few moments on "The Mighty Conqueror."
E-6 About three years ago Billy and I stepped off at Lisbon, Portuguese, and we went up to the old slave gallery. And some of the writing was in English that we could understand. So we seen there where some great hero (I could not call his name at this time.) who took it. And then after the Turks had had it for several years, then along come the Spanish, and another hero come in. He took it and all the glory. The heroes and the conquerors, and the heroes and the conquerors... It's been down through the age. And one... The word "conqueror" means "one that has overcome." It's a great word, and it's a--a notable word.
And some time ago I was standing where Constantine was on his road to Rome, and he was troubled about this battle that was coming up. And some of his soldiers, of course, was Christians, and the Christians was all bound down in under the Roman Empire. And that night while he was asleep, the Lord must've appeared unto him. And he dreamed that he saw a white cross. And a voice spoke to him and said, "By this you shall conquer."
E-7 When I first read that it just thrilled my soul. "By this ye shall conquer." And he roused up all of his soldiers at twelve o'clock at night, and had them to paint white crosses on their shields, for it was by the cross that they were going to conquer. And they did.
And then about three years ago, it was my privilege to be in Belgium. I'd stop there for a little while at Brussels, just not far from Waterloo.
And there I picked up a little book, and I was reading of Napoleon, of what a great warrior he was. And really he wasn't a Frenchmen. He despised French to begin with, but he come over to get even with them, and then become a great soldier and a conqueror.
And just a few miles from where I was standing was part of the old relic. And I read of his life. That how he longed and desired to do something great. And he went by the signs of the moon and the stars. And when he was a young man, he was a prohibitionist.
E-8 And at the age of thirty-three he had conquered the world. And because there was no more for him to conquer, he set down and wept. No one else to whip, he'd done whipped the world. And he had conquered the people until you could even call his name and the people would faint.
He was so feared, until when the mothers would go to put their babies to bed at night, instead of saying, "If you don't be good, the old boogie man's going to get you," they would say, "If you don't be good, Napoleon's going to get you." They'd duck their little heads under the cover right quick. He wanted everybody to be afraid of him. But such as that, and fear will never conquer the right thing.
E-9 I'm thinking of a great hero that's too often forgot about in our reader. Many of you men and women about my age will be able to remember him. It happened in Switzerland many years ago.
Switzerland was some Germans that went up there in the mountains. They didn't want any war. They just went up to be a peace-loving people. And they are still a peace-loving people.
And one day when the aliens come in, and were going to take their land from them, the Swiss left their home and come down into the--the valleys to meet their oncoming army.
And oh, it must have been one pitiful sight that day to see a handful of little Swiss backed up against the mountains with clubs, and sticks, and--and rocks, and old scythe blades to fight with.
And coming to meet them, come an army so great that it was so perfectly trained till it looked like bricks in a wall: every man fully covered by armor, great long trained spears in the front of them, every man perfectly in step.
E-10 And here the little Swiss stood not knowing what to do. And finally there was a young fellow stepped out by the name of Arnold von Winkelried. And he said, "Man of Switzerland, this day I'm going to give my life for my nation." He said, "This morning over across the mountain, I kissed my wife good-bye and my three little children for the last time. I'll never see them again." And he said, "I want you all to look after them, but this day I must give my life for Switzerland."
They said, "Arnold von Winkelried, what will you do?"
He said, "You just follow me and fight with all you've got." And he looked around until he found the very deepest spot of the spears. And he raised his arms towards heaven, and screamed to the top of his voice, "Make way for liberty." And he started running. And he screamed again, "Make way for liberty."
And as he rushed towards the army with his hands up, and his open bosom to the spears, more than a hundred spears reached for him. And he grabbed them with his arms and throwed them into his bosom, and there died with those spears in his bosom.
Such a gallant display of heroism routed the aliens, and they went to pieces. And the Swiss run in with their clubs and sticks, and beat the army out of the nation, and they've never had a war since. It was a real victory, a real conquer. It seldom ever compared and never exceeded such a display of heroism.
E-11 And today when man love to talk about heroes, and how they liked to worship heroes... And we appreciate that, but, oh, brother, there never was a hero like the Lord Jesus.
One day when Adam's race stood in the corner, backed up by the powers of the Devil, all great units of spiritualism, and all kinds of isms had Adam's race in the corner. Sicknesses, diseases, and every enemy of the human race had Adam's race backed into the corner. But there was One Who spoke in heaven and said, "I'm going down to the earth to give My life for Adam's race." And He came to the earth, and He found where the deepest of the spears was: death. There He rushed and grabbed the spear of death into His precious heart at Calvary. He conquered death.
E-12 And when He went back up into glory, He sent down the baptism of the Holy Spirit to his subjects and said, "Take This and fight with all your strength."
Oh, brethren, what man tries to pick up something else, let's take what Christ sent us and fight with everything that's in us. We don't have to be trained men. We don't have to be trained people. We have to be willing people. God wants willing workers.
Napoleon at the age of thirty-three had set down and cried, and was a alcoholic, defeated, and before his kingdom went. But Jesus at the age of thirty-three had conquered death, hell, and the grave. Oh, He was the mighty Conqueror. When He was here on earth, sickness faced Adam's race.
And one day immediately after His ministry had started, He came into the house of Simon Peter. And his mother-in-law laid sick with a fever. He just merely touched her hand, and the mighty Conqueror had conquered that fever, and it left her.
E-13 One day a group of devils met Him in a man by the name of Legion. And they had been used to overcoming everybody, so no one could even pass their way. They would go out, and so possess this poor man, until he would beat and break chains in two. And the law could not do nothing with him. And when those devils come on him, he could even break chains, because that the devil give him that kind of a power.
I wonder tonight, you in the cots and in the wheelchair, if a man so anointed by the Devil has three or four times his own human power, what could a man do anointed with the Holy Ghost? He could...?... them closed wheelchairs, and get going for the glory of God if the anointing of the Spirit of the living God comes on him.
And this Legion that would possess that man... "Do you say then, Brother Branham, is there legions that come to the righteous?"
The Bible said that, "The Angels of God are encamped about those who love Him."
E-14 One day down at Dothan, an old prophet was down there by the name of Elisha. And Gehazi, his servant, woke up one morning, and the whole Syrian army was around him. And he said, "My father, we are encamped around, the whole Syrian army." And that old prophet wakened up just as cool as he could be, looking around over the great tens of thousands of soldiers. And he said, "Why, there's more with us than there is with them." And the young fellow could not understand that.
He said, "God, open this boys eyes that he can see." And when God opened his eyes, the mountains was on fire, the chariots of fire around that old prophet.
And the Spirit of the Lord God is in this building tonight to set free and give liberty. For the mighty Conqueror has paid the price, and men are at liberty to be healed and to be set free. Oh, how precious His Word is to us. Devils was conquered. Sickness was conquered.
One night on a storming ocean when all hopes was gone, and the little boat was about to sink, and the disciples saw Jesus coming walking on the water, and they got scared because they thought He was a spirit. Isn't that just like people today? He was the only thing that could help them. It was their only hope. And yet they were afraid of Him.
E-15 And today... Oh, listen to me. The only hope there is today is the thing that people are afraid of. That's an old time Saint Paul's revival, and the Bible Holy Ghost back again. Don't think it'll make you misbehave yourself. That's the Devil's business to keep you afraid of Christ. But it's the only salvation left for any nation, is the Lord Jesus and the power of His resurrection. But people are afraid of It.
But did you notice, no matter how much they were praying, how well they were organized to pull their boat, how well they could set their sail, for they were sailors and fishermen, but when the mighty Conqueror stepped into the boat, the winds and the waves ceased immediately.
E-16 Something changes when He comes in. You're never the same again when He comes in. You never felt anything that'll take Its place. No pleasures of the world or nothing can ever take the place of the mighty Conqueror.
I believe Alcoholics Anonymous is all right. But it'll never take the place of Jesus Christ. I believe doctors and hospitals are fine. Medicine's all right. But it'll never take the place of Jesus Christ. I believe churches and denominations are all right, but it'll never take the place of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It just can't do it, has nothing in it to do it with, for men who do it in their own power. It takes the blessed Holy Spirit to do it.
E-17 When He was on earth, He was a great Conqueror. And then He conquered something else. That was the cross. And the cross was death. It was a symbol of public execution. And there He goes. Let's take a look at Him just a moment. And oh, you, my friend, tonight, you who are standing till your feet's a hurting, you who've been setting in here for hours, let's take a look.
There He goes up Golgotha. There's a noise in the street. I can hear some of them say, "There goes that religious fanatic. Thus goes the one who broke up our churches." Listen at them. And I can see Him as He's going up the hill, and His little old pale face all swollen, and gobs of mockery spit hanging from His beard. A crown of thorns has been placed on His head, and Blood, and hot tears of sorrow dripped off His cheek. Isn't that some way to conquer?
E-18 Men and women are not willing to suffer to conquer. But it's only suffering that you can conquer by.
There He goes. Every time the cross hits the old cobblestone, His little shoulders were hurting. And I noticed His robe has little red spots all over it. And further up the hill He goes, those little spots get bigger, bigger. After while they all come to one great big bloody splotch. And His load beating against His legs... And the bee of death has begin to hum around Him. The sting of death He must taste. And when that bee begin to hum around Him, He knew that death laid just ahead of Him. But He must conquer. That was the purpose He was born for was to conquer, not with an atomic bomb, but with a sacrificed Life to Jehovah God.
On up the hill He goes, and the bee gets humming louder and louder. And finally it sinks its stinger in the most precious flesh that ever lived on earth. He was God. Listen, friends. When a bee or a insect that's got a stinger, if that bee ever stings right deep, it pulls its stinger out; and it can't sting any more.
E-19 And that's why God was made flesh. Jesus Christ was more than a prophet. He was God manifested in the flesh, and the sting of death rested in His flesh, and He pulled the sting out of death at Calvary. Death has no stinger no more for a believer, for the mighty Conqueror conquered death at Calvary.
One, thirty some odd years later, coming to his death, on the mark he said, "Oh, death, where is your sting? Where is your stinger at?" He took the stinger out of death. He conquered the stinger at Calvary. Blessed be His holy Name. He took the sting of death for you and I. In His death and in our death it cannot sting us any more.
Oh, he can buzz and put up a big fuss, but he's got no stinger. His stinger... I can point to Calvary and say, "There's where your stinger was conquered in the flesh of the Lord Jesus." Oh, I love Him. There He conquered death. He wasn't finished.
They pulled His little body with a stinger in it and laid it in Joseph's grave. But the Bible said that His soul descended into hell. He still had to conquer. And He went and preached to the souls that were in prison, that repented not in the days of Noah.
E-20 Let's you and I follow Him for a few minutes. Now, you get a view of what He was. We see Him at Calvary conquer death. Here goes, His soul down into the regions of the lost to men and women. He opens the door of that black prison, and there was beautiful young ladies who danced themselves into the place. There was preachers in there that turned down the message of God. There was church members, atheists, Gentile, and Jew, all in that prison, that refused to hear a righteous man's message.
And I can see Him as He knocked at the door, and He said, "I'm He, that Enoch spoke of, and said that I would come. I am the virgin born Son of God. I've just died on the earth, and I have to witness to you that I'm the fulfilling of that Word."
E-21 No mercy could be granted and the doors was shut. His soul descended down to the very bottomless pit of hell. And there comes a rap on the door. And the Devil opens the door. And he said, "Oh, there you are. I thought I'd got you when I had Ada--Abel slayed. I was sure I got you when I got the prophets. And when I got John's head cut off, I was almost positive. But finally you've arrived."
I can hear Him say, "Satan, you've made your last bluff. I'm the Conqueror. My Blood is still hot on Calvary's cross. You're not going to bluff them any more. I've come down to say I've paid the price for their sins and their sicknesses. For the prophet said I'd be wounded for their transgressions, and with My stripes they'd be healed. I've come to tell you that you've lost the battle. The debt's been paid." Take the keys of death and hell off of his side and kick him back into the furnace where he belongs...
E-22 There's someone else waiting. There's a place called paradise where some more people were. And they were people who died under good faith. They loved God, but they couldn't go to the Presence of God because it was under the sacrifice of the animal. And animal blood could not atone for human blood.
Do you see that when life is formed, it's a spirit in the blood cell. And when the worshipper offered the blood of the lamb and that cell was broke, it was just only acting in the place of the real. Then when the worshipper put his hands upon the little lamb, and its throat was cut, and his hands was bathed red, as the little lamb kicks, dying, finally straightened out and was gone, the worshipper went right back out with the same desire to commit adultery, lie, steal, that he ever had. Why? The blood cell, when it was broke, the life in the blood cell was a animal's life. It cannot come back to human life.
But when the Son of God, when that Blood cell was broke, the Holy Spirit that was in Him comes back upon the worshipper, and there's no more conscience to sin. He's perfectly cleansed and set free. And He said, "Satan, I've overcome."
E-23 On up He goes to paradise. Let's watch Him a moment. He's got to conquer paradise. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they're running around in paradise. And after while, a strange rap comes on the door. Abraham opens up the door, and he stands amazed. He said, "Sarah, come here just a moment. Do you know Who that is standing there?"
Why, she said, "Abraham, my lord, that's that same Man that come up to the tent that day, that had His back turned to me, and I laughed in my heart, and He turned around and told me that I laughed."
Oh, my. Just about that time the curiosity of Daniel couldn't stand it any longer. He runs forward. He looked over Sarah's shoulder. He said, "There is that Stone that I saw cut out of a mountain without hands."
E-24 Ezekiel couldn't stand it any longer. He said, "What's going on, brethren?" And he looks over Daniel's shoulder. He said, "Brethren, there's that Wheel in the middle of the Wheel that I saw turning way up in the middle of the air.
He said, "I've conquered. Let's go out. The next conquering I got to conquer is the grave. Come, go with Me, children."
I can hear Abraham say, "Can we make a little whistle stop?"
"Yes, I'm going to just talk with My disciples for forty days."
On Easter morning He conquered the Roman seal. He conquered Joseph's grave. He broke forth the seal and destroyed corruption, and He rose triumphantly.
E-25 Here He goes up in the air with His disciples, with the Old Testament saints, goes on beyond the moon, beyond the stars, beyond the spheres and the spheres. And after while they come in sight of the city. What do you think took place?
Let's look in the Bible and see what took place. I'm going to quote David's prophecy. The Old Testament saints, when they see the city in sight, and Jesus at the Head of the army marching on, the Old Testament saints screamed out, "Lift up, ye everlasting gates, and be ye lifted up, and let the King of glory come in." And all the Angels begin to gather on the top of the building.
You know, they said when Nero had conquered a city that the people fainted, and screamed, and called him a god. When Adolf Hitler went into France, he stood at the Arch of Triumph, and for hours, the whole sky was dark with airplanes, and goose-stepping soldiers...
And when Stalin come into Germany after Russia had won, how the tens of thousands of Russian soldiers crossing their legs and giving the victory salute as Stalin stood for hours. Oh, it must have been a great thing.
E-26 I talked not long ago to a soldier. He said, "Billy, after I'd been fighting so long, and when our ship sailed into the New York harbor..." Said, "I'd been overseas for four years. All I'd seen had been hell and death." He said, "Some of the soldiers was crippled, some with no legs, some with no arms. They rolled us all up on the deck."
He said, "When I seen the Statue of Liberty standing there, and I knowed I was going under her arm... Just behind there was everything that was dear to me: my mama, my father, my wife, my children." He said, "Soldiers fell on the deck weeping."
And if it'll make a man out of four year's of battle act like that to come back home, what would it be when we go under the old rugged cross, when the last battle is fought, and we've conquered? Oh, what a time it will be.
E-27 And as they hollered back to them, "Who is this King of glory?"...
And the Old Testament saints screamed, "The Lord of hosts, mighty in battle." You know the Scriptures. The great Angel, Gabriel, must have pressed the button. Those great big doors folded back. Right under the arch of the old rugged cross went Jesus and the soldiers of the Old Testament. Right down through the streets of Jerusalem they went with Angels, singing and screaming (What a welcome home.), right down through to the great white throne. And He said, "Father, these are those that believed on You. I've conquered both death, hell, and the grave."
And I can hear the Father say, said, "Set on My throne here, Son, until I made the last enemy Thy footstool." And Jesus climbed up at the right hand of the God of heaven on His throne on high. There He stands tonight. A few hours ago:
Lo, behold the Man of Sorrow,
Lo, and behold Him in plain view,
But here He stands the Mighty Conqueror;
Since He's rent the veil in two.
E-28 He pulled back the curtain so that we could look a past the curtain of time. He pulled back every bluff the Devil had, fully paid the price, and tonight He's the Conqueror. And the Bible said that we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.
So the Christian in here tonight has the thing under control. We've conquered sin; we've conquered death; we've conquered hell; we conquered the grave; we conquered sickness, because Jesus is our mighty Conqueror.
This Word is a Pardon. This Word was written for a pardon. To know that He is a mighty Conqueror is a pardon to each one of you, if you receive it as a pardon.
Some time ago, there was a man going to be shot. He had committed a crime in military. And he--he was sentenced to die. And some good friend went to Abraham Lincoln which was President of the United States at the time. And he begged for mercy for his friend.
And Mr. Lincoln, being rather in a hurry, he grabbed up a piece of paper and a quill, and he wrote, "I, Abraham Lincoln, pardon this man." And the man thanked him and rushed back to the prison.
E-29 He said, "Oh, I don't believe that. That don't look just right. It should come in some great classical thing. It should come with great gold seals on it. I don't believe it's a pardon." And he could not persuade him to believe it. He could not believe it.
And the next morning he died under a firing squad. And then here's a dead man, and the President's name signed on a paper the day before that he was pardoned. That was tried in Federal Court. And here was the decision: A pardon is not a pardon, unless it be received as a pardon.
And the Holy Spirit, It may not come in classical places; It may not come through great denominations; It may not come through well trained and polished preachers; but It's a Pardon. It's salvation that's freedom from sin. It's a ticket to heaven. It's healing for the sick to those who will receive It as a pardon.
E-30 Now, if you've never did that, I want you to think of it for the next few moments while we bow our heads reverently in the Presence of God.
Have you, my bewildered friends, have you never tasted the Lord's goodness to you? Do you not know that it's nothing you can do in yourself? If salvation come by works, then Jesus died in vain.
You may belong to the finest church there is in Ohio and still be just as far away from God, as that drunk laying across the floor in the barroom, just a religious sinner. And what is the word "sin?" "Unbelief." "He that believeth not is condemned already."
E-31 You might stand right in the face of the Holy Spirit and say, "It's a bunch of holy-rollers. Oh, if it was anything of God, it would come through the Catholic, or the Presbyterian, or the Methodists, or the Baptists, or some great denomination." All right. It's a pardon and healing for you if you want to believe it. It's sent by God, the Father. And Satan has been stripped of every power that he ever had. It all belongs to you tonight. Won't you receive it?
Now, we have not room here for an altar call, but I would like to know in your hearts, with every head bowed, and every eye, closed... While Christians are praying, you who know that you're not right with God, would you raise your hand to God, by doing so saying, "God, be merciful to me. I now want You to pardon me. And I accept You as the Conqueror of my own life, my sins, and my disobedience"?
E-32 God bless you, young lady. Bless you, young fellow. God bless you back there, sir. Any more on the bottom floor? Way back, yes, many of you back there, eight or ten hands. Over here to the left... Yes, God bless you here, sir, you over here. Way back in the back again... Yes. To the balcony, the first balcony to my left, how many in there would say, "Brother Branham, I know I'm wrong. Why, I still love the world just as much as I ever did. I still love the things of the world." Then the Bible said my friend, "The love of God's not even in you."
"But, Brother Branham, I belong to a church." That doesn't matter. Satan did too, the greatest church that there was.
Judas belonged to a real organization, a real church. He was the treasurer in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But his heart wasn't right with God. Why didn't he confess his sin? Because Satan had him overcome.
E-33 Are you in that fix, tonight, my decrepit, friend? Would you just raise up your hand and say, "God, be merciful to me," balconies to my left. God bless you. Way up high on the top balcony. God bless you all along there. That's right. Just raise up your hands; see what a difference. It's God speaking to you. Don't--don't turn His Spirit away. God bless you. That's right. Some thirty or forty up there...
The balconies to the back, both lower and upper balconies, would you just raise your hands, while everybody's praying? Say, "God, be merciful." God bless you. That's right. Way up high, that's right. God sees your hand way back there in the shadows even.
All right, balconies to the right here, both upper and lower, would you raise your hands and say, "God, be merciful."? God bless you right up here. That's right. God bless over here, all up-and-down the row there. "I know I'm not right, Brother Branham, and God knows my heart. I'm not right, so I'm asking God to be merciful to me."
E-34 Standing in the vestibules and out in the aisles back in the back, would you raise your hands, and say... God bless you that's good. That's right. Way outside, God will see you even outside the building. He will see you. It's not necessary that I do, but He will. "I now accept my pardon."
You say, "Brother Branham, what good does it do me to hold up my hand?" Oh, my friend, this religion of the Lord Jesus has been taken to slightly. If you really meant that from your heart, you've passed right now from death to Life.
Let me quote you the Scriptures. Jesus said, "He that heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Everlasting Life, and shall not come into the judgment; but's passed from death unto Life." That's what it means.
E-35 Would there be some more would just raise your hands? God bless you, sir. God bless you. That's good. Yes, someone that hasn't yet... God bless you up there at the balcony again. That's good. "Be merciful to me, God. I now accept Christ. He's the Conqueror. I can't do it. I got habits and things I can't overcome, but I'm expecting Him to do it for me now." He will do it. Just give Him a chance. Will you raise your hand? God bless you way back. That's right. One. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
How many in here that really has... You have received Christ as your personal Saviour, but you have never yet been able to overcome the flesh. Would you raise your hand, saying, "God, be merciful to me." That's right. God bless you. Oh, yes. Groups of hands everywhere. God will see every one. If He knows the sparrow that falls in the sea, how much more does He know you're raising your hand.
How many that has not received the Holy Spirit, as yet, and would like to receive It tonight, would you raise your hands to Him, saying, "God, be merciful to me"? Yes. Hundreds everywhere. Now, let us pray.
E-36 Merciful God, I now bring to You in the Presence of the Angels of God and this company, literally thousands of hands that's needy tonight, many of them accepting Christ for their first time. Many of those who have joined church, but never have been able to overcome or crucify the flesh, and needing the baptism of the Spirit, many are here.
I pray God, that You'll supply every thing they have need of. I am just Your servant, and I commit them to Thee now, Lord. You know them everyone. Forgive them of their sins. Fill them with Thy Spirit.
And now, may their precious eyes be open to behold the Man of Sorrow. Behold Him in plain view. Now He is the Mighty Conqueror. He's conquered the ages. He's conquered death and still alive, and will be forever. May they see Him in the power of His resurrection standing there glorious in His Majesty as He did in Galilee. May He perform and do the things that He did many years ago.
E-37 Oh, Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, Author of Eternal Life, and Giver of every good gift, send to us tonight as this dying age and this dying nation, just with a few more breaths left, give to these children tonight the Bread of Life that they might see that You still live and are still the mighty Conqueror. Grant it, Lord.
And now, they are the fruits of the message, and You give them to Your Son a love gifts. No man can pluck them from Your hand. May they find a good church, be baptized in Christian baptism, and then may they live faithfully to You, until they face You yonder at the great coming of Christ. Grant it, Father; they are Yours now. In the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
I love Him...?... Raise it up.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Oh, don't that just do something to you? Let's do it again and raise our hands, everyone now, everybody.
I love Him, (Look at that.) I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
With our heads bowed now, altogether on the model prayer.
Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thine will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.