Tested Faith Produces Goods

Let us remain standing if you will, just for a moment for prayer. Will you bow your heads now while we meet the Author before we read His book.

O God, we come into Thy presence again tonight with thanksgiving in our hearts. And we thank Thee for all that our eyes have seen and our ears have heard: the great, mighty living God making Himself known to the sons of men in this day just before the arrival of Jesus in a corporal body. And when we see Him we shall love Him and be caught up in the air with Him—to meet the Lord, and forever be with Him. That's the great anticipations of our hearts as we wait; daily praying, longing, working, until the setting of the sun.

And Lord, as we have tonight gathered here in this building on the Sabbath evening, we would ask that You would give us a special blessing tonight, that You would send the angels from heaven that they might take their positions at every aisle and every row. And may they minister Thy Word, Lord, to the hearts of the people. Circumcise the ears that they might hear. Circumcise the lips that shall speak. And then, Lord, circumcise the eyes that shall look. And give us outstanding faith that the great power of the living God might surge through us tonight; and may there not be one feeble person in our midst, spiritually or physically, when this service shall end.

O Lord, grant these things because we love You; and we love to worship Thee, and adore Thee, among Thy people. We have one objective, Lord, that is to serve Thee. One motive, is to do it in the way that You'd have us to do it. So grant unto us Thy Holy Spirit for these things. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Just a very few announcements, and to hurry right straight to the service because of ... or the message, because of many standing. Tomorrow night, if the Lord willing, we wish to have a Gospel message for you. And the subject will be “The Mighty Conqueror.” And then on Tuesday night, if the Lord is willing, I want to speak on “When The Eagle Stirs Her Nest And Hovers Over Her Young.” Then Wednesday night we expect to have a great climax in the service.

And praying that sometime along this way, that something will happen to the people that'll set their hearts afire for God, that an old-fashioned revival will break out in New England. It's tried on the West Coast, it's tried in the Middle East, tried in the South, but seemingly that this is our last place to try, New England. Here's where our forefathers landed for this freedom of religion on Plymouth Rock; is from these sacred soils here that praying men and women went forth to establish this great spiritual economy that we're privileged to serve today.

No American could be ashamed of their forefathers who landed in this country, who went to church packing guns, who came here for freedom of religion. Went on horseback, covered in old wagons, fought the Indians and so forth, to get to go to church. Those bloods bathe this soil. If we'll be sincere and believe in the God that they believed in and serve Him with the same reverence that they served Him with, we'll see a revival again. And I believe it will start in New England. God's willing to do it, if we're willing to carry it.

We shall now turn to the Scriptures to read just for a little text to find a context. Saint Mark the 11th chapter and the 22nd verse. Just one verse of Scripture.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Have faith in God.

I wish to take that for a text tonight, “Have Faith In God.” And the subject would be this, that “Tested Faith Produces Goods.”

And now, you say, “Brother Branham, for a meeting, and here where several hundred people have gathered, do you not think that you read too small a text?—for the size of this audience tonight, just four words, 'Have Faith In God.'”

No, that's plenty. That's enough. If we'll just believe what we have read and act upon the same, it's enough to convert the whole world. It's enough to heal every sick person that's sick in the whole world tonight. “Have Faith in God.” It's a pardon to all those who want to be pardoned. But if it must be a pardon, it must be received as a pardon.

Sometime ago (a few years ago, in the early days of our young America), I'm told that there was a man who committed a military crime, and he was found guilty and was sentenced to be shot by a firing squad in so many days. But a good man who was acquainted with the President—I believe being Lincoln at the time—they went to Mr. Lincoln and pleaded for the life of this dear person; saying, “Mr. Lincoln, maybe he has done the crime, but you have the power to release him or the power to kill him.” And said, “He's a mortal being, he was raised in a good home. Why don't you give him a chance?”

And Mr. Lincoln, kind-hearted, generous Christian gentleman as he was, he said, “I'll do that.” And he wrote on a little piece of paper, “Pardon So-and-so. Abraham Lincoln.”

And the man rushed as quick as he could to the prisoner; and he said, “Sir, I have your pardon.” And he laid it before him.

“Oh,” he said, “that's not a pardon. That's just a piece of paper.”

“But” he said, “it's your pardon. There's Mr. Lincoln's name on it, and he's the President of the United States.”

He said, “If it was Mr. Lincoln's correct paper, it would be gold-trimmed, it would have a seal, and so forth.”

He said, “But, sir, that's the President's signature.” And he refused to receive it, thought the fellow was only making life more miserable. And the next morning he was shot at sunrise. And then there was a signed declaration from the President of the United States that this man was pardoned the day before, and here he was shot. Now what? It was tried in the federal courts of our land, and here was their decision: “A pardon is not a pardon except it be received as a pardon.”

And that's what every word of God is. It's salvation to those who receive it that way, and it's healing to those who receive it as healing. It's just five little words, but what does it mean? “Have faith in God.” Or four little letters—words.

A little story that always struck me so outstanding was a little boy that I knew of in Louisville, Kentucky. One day he was up in the old garret searching around in some old relics; and there he found in a trunk a little postage stamp, just about one half inch square. It had turned yellow, the paper was no good. But the little fellow thought, “You know, I might get a nickel out of that to get an ice cream cone.” So down the street he went to a stamp collector, and he said, “Sir, how much will you give me for this stamp?”

The collector put the glass on it, he said, “I'll give you a dollar bill.” Quickly the trade was made, and the little fellow rushing to the ice cream stand to get all the ice cream that he could hold. And the stamp collector sold that stamp two weeks later for five hundred dollars. A little later it was sold for five thousand dollars. The last I heard of the stamp, it's worth a quarter of a million dollars. It wasn't the paper, it wasn't the size, it's what's on the paper that counts.

And it isn't the size of the text that I have read, neither is it the paper that it's wrote on. It's what it is that I have read. It's the Word of the eternal God. Heavens and earth will be no more, but that Word will remain through all ages, and through eternity. It can never change, it's God's Word. And let's approach it just as reverently as we know how.

Jesus saying, “Have faith in God,” the book of Hebrews the 11th chapter said that, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” Now, remember, it's just not an intellectual conception of something, it is a substance. It's something that you possess.

Come here just a minute, sir. How many has ever heard the old saying, “Seeing is believing”? I want to show you how foolish that is. There's five senses that control the human body: see, taste, feel, smell, hear. We know that's right. Everybody puts so much confidence on what they see, but that isn't just exactly right.

I'm looking at a man standing before me. He's taller than I, and he's quite a lot ... bit larger than I am. He's got rather a dark suit on, with little flowers-like in his tie. How many believes that's the truth? Because you see it. (Step behind me. I want your hand.) Now I do not see that man; but yet I know he's there. Would you like to argue with me? How do I know? It's impossible for me to see him. But I have another sense. That sense is feeling. I feel him now; I can't see him. It's the same man because he had a round wrist watch on his left arm when he come up here. So it is the same man. My sense of feeling declares him just as much as my sight would. Then seeing is not believing. Feeling is believing now. (Now, step back just a moment.) Now, I cannot feel him now, but seeing is believing. Now feeling is believing. You see the difference? Thank you, sir.

(Play a chord. Some familiar something.) How many believes that music's playing? Put up your hand. Now put your hand down. Thank you. How many seen it? I thought seeing was believing. This time I do not see it, neither do I feel it, but yet I have a sense of hearing. Hearing says so.

Now, that shirt is white. And everyone here that's not colorblind knows it's white. Faith is what? The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things you don't see, taste, feel, smell, or hear. It's another sense, that's called “faith.” The senses of the body declares two senses. The soul decl... I mean five. The soul declares two: faith and unbelief. Now, if your faith says tonight that you're going to be healed, and you know it and your faith declares it just the same as your sight says that that's white, it's finished. You've got it. You see what I mean? “It is the evidence of things not seen.” People who have faith are not afraid. It's said that cowards die ten thousand deaths, when a hero never dies—somebody who's got faith and believes.

Now, if faith being the substance of things.... It's just like this. What if I'm standing starving to death; and you come to me and say, “Mr. Branham, what could I do to save your life?”

I'd say, “If I had one loaf of bread, my life would be saved.”

You'd say, “All right, Mr. Branham, a loaf of bread cost twenty-five cents.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Here is your twenty-five cents.”

Now, the twenty-five cents is not the bread, but it's the purchase power of the bread. And as soon as I get the twenty-five cents in my hands, I can be just as happy about my life being saved as I could eating the bread, because I've got the purchase power of the loaf of bread. And when you believe that God sent Jesus to heal you, and you have accepted it, you're just as happy before you quit hurting as you are after you—I mean you're just as happy while you are aching and hurting as you are after you've quit hurting. More so. If I had the twenty-five cents, it wouldn't mean that I got the bread; but I know as long as I get to the grocery, I'm going to get the bread.

Now, I may have to go a long time. I may have to go through briar patches and over gates and down over across the mountains and through the valleys, but all the time I'm rejoicing, holding my twenty-five cents. I'll get the bread, because I've got the purchase power. Now, that's what faith is. Faith is something you can show and prove that you've got it. It's just not an imaginary mind worked up in a mental state, it's something that you have in your possession. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for,” the evidence of things you don't see“—taste, feel, smell, hear.

Now, many times.... If there was anybody that should be equipped to have faith, is a scholar of the Bible—someone who has read the Bible, taught the Bible. That should be the person that has faith. But sometimes it's very much contrary. I've seen on the platform sainted people who lived a good life walking before God walk across the platform and not be healed, and a prostitute follow them and be healed. God doesn't heal you upon the merits of your salvation, He heals you upon the merits of your faith. You must believe Him. Because the Christian sometimes thinks that God owes it to them, that “I'm a good person, I've done so and so.” When you get that in your mind, you'll never get anything from God till you get it out of your mind. You owe God, not God owing you.

And notice. Let's call a few Scriptures now, or characters, to back up just this little thing that we have said. One time Israel was in war with the Philistines. And this Philistine army had gathered themselves on one side of the mountain, and Israel had gathered on the other side. There left a valley between them. And just like the enemy, when he thinks he's got the upper hand on you, then he can show off. But let him get in the corner one time!

Now, they had a great big almost a prehistoric giant among them. And his name was Goliath. His fingers was fourteen inches long. And his spear was like a weaver's needle, perhaps long as halfway of this hall. And look what a mammoth big fellow he was. So I want you to notice how cunning unbelief can get. He said this way, “Gentlemen of Israel, why should we have blood shed? Why should there be such things as all of us getting chopped up? Let us make a bargain with you. You pick you out a man and send him over here. If he kills me, we'll serve you. If I kill him, you serve us.” Sure, the upper hand. Great big giant. You know, one with a Ph.D., LL.D. Oh, he was really all fixed up and ready. And he made that challenge.

Just like today they've tried to bring Christ to the nations by education, by better communities, by YMCAs and so forth. Those things are all right, they got their place, but it will never take the place of the Holy Spirit.

Captain Al Ferrar, one of the FBIs of the juveniles, one night in Tacoma, when he had followed me for three or four weeks, when I made statements that every penny of money went straight to the right purpose, taken up in my own campaigns.... And they had a ... some man there that had a little boy, and they sent him in the meeting with a hip—the doctors x-rayed, he had no hip bone. And when the little fellow was brought in, laying on a cot, the Holy Spirit told him who he was, what had happened, his little faith, and asked him to rise from the cot. And the little lad obeyed and jumped. His mother said, “He can't, he's got no hip bone!” And he jumped plumb out of his mother's arms and ran down the street screaming to the top of his voice. His mother fell in the cot the boy was laying in. And they took him down then to the doctor to have an x-ray, Captain Al Ferrar. And the doctor says he has a perfect hip bone.

Captain Al Ferrar taken me down into the basement where they trained those young policemen to shoot. Standing down there he said to me, “Brother Branham, I'm a Baptist; but I would like to know about that Holy Ghost that you're talking about.”

I said, “Well, Captain, it's for Baptists the same as it is for anybody.

And he said, “Brother Branham, you reckon He would give me the Holy Ghost?”

I said, “'Whosoever will, let him come.'”

He said, “I'll get a nice suite of rooms somewhere, and you meet me there, and maybe He will give us the Holy Ghost. I'll get the best rooms there is in the city.” Tacoma.

I said, “Isn't necessary, Captain.”

He said, “Well, where can I go that He would meet me?”

I said, “Right here.”

He said, “In this shooting galley?”

I said, “He went in the belly of a whale for one one time. And in a fiery furnace for one, and in a lion's den for one. He'll come right here to you, Captain.” And there on his knees he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus, become a blessed man. Living today, praising God. All of his force, nearly, has received the Holy Ghost since he did. Oh, there is something real. Men crave for it.

And this big Goliath said, “Let's have it like that.” Now, if any man in the whole army of Israel was able to do it, it was Saul. The Bible said that he was head and shoulders above every man in his army. He was closer to Goliath's size than any man in the army. And then again, he was a warrior. He knowed how to fight. He knowed how to maneuver a spear, how to raise a shield, and knock a lick off. He trained men. He was a bishop. He knowed what he was doing. But yet with all of his schooling and all of his training, he was a coward. Because he believed God, but he had never seen God in action, an experience. That's the reason you can't have great meetings in America on divine healing, it's lack of experience. People don't know what God is; they just take him from some kind of a historical something. He's a present-day God.

So one day while Goliath was making his big boast, there was a little old drawed-up, knotty-looking fellow with a little sheepskin coat on. His pappy had give him some raisins and (to make some raisins pies) and had sent him up in the army to meet his brothers. His name was David. And about the time David arrived in the camp, Goliath come out and made his boast again, “Why don't some of you come out and fight me?” He said it at the wrong time. There happened to be a little knotty-looking fellow that maybe didn't have much education, but he knew God. He didn't have the training Saul had, but he knowed a God that Saul knowed nothing about!

And he said to the men of Israel, “Do you mean to tell me that you'll stand and let that uncircumcised Philistine defy the armies of the living God? I'll go fight him.” Oh my! A little bitty drawed-over, knotty-looking thing. The Bible said he was ruddy. Just a little old boy about seventeen, eighteen years old; kind of, maybe, stooped in his shoulders from hard work. “I'll go fight him.” Why, he could have took one finger and wrapped it around his waist. But he had courage!—for he knew he was right.

And when a man knows you're right, nothing can move you. A man don't look like Moses did, this way and that way. A true servant of God never has to look this way or that way. He don't care: the frown of the enemy or the pleasing applaud of some man. He enjoys the fellowship of the Lord God who sent him, if he knows where he's standing. He don't care whether his enemies like it, or whether his friends smile on him, that doesn't make a bit of difference to a true servant of Christ. He's got a job to do, and he don't have to look and see, “What do you think about it? Is this pleasing you?” He looks that way, and enjoys the presence of the living God. That's the trouble today, we have to see if our denomination believes it. God have mercy. If I ever get to that place, I'll fold the Bible and leave the field. I want to please God, got a commission.

David said he put his brothers to shame. His brothers said, “Oh, we know your mischief, you're trying to do something. Trying to show off.”

So the news got around to Saul. Saul said, “Bring that little stripling here.” Said, “What do you mean, boy, making such a remark as that? You're nothing but a youth, and he's been a warrior from his youth. Why, you don't even have a chance!”

David said, “Sir, just let me go.” See, he knowed that God had promised to bless Israel. When God promises, He'll stick with His promise. God promised to heal His children, and He's got to stay with that promise. God promised to send us the Holy Ghost, He's got to stay with that promise. Don't be scared. No matter what the other world says, what the neighbor says; what did God say?

And Saul believed it from a intellectual stand, but David had an experience. Saul said, “But before you can do this, you'll have to get a college education. You better put on my degrees. I'll give you my degree.” So he put his armor on him, and his helmet on him. Could you imagine a man head and shoulders above all of his army putting a helmet on a little bitty guy that wasn't over about this high? It went over head, ears, shoulders, and all, I guess. And his great big wide shoulders.... What did David look like standing there all dressed up like that and his knees bowed together?

He said, “Take this stuff off of me. I don't know nothing about it.” Saul found out that his ecclesiastical vest didn't fit a man of God. “I don't know nothing about your Ph.Ds and so forth,” he said. “But let me go with what I've had an experience with.”

Amen. I feel real religious, honest I do. You may think I'm acting silly, but if you felt the same way I did, you'd maybe act that way too. I feel like David when he danced before the ark of the Lord and his wife laughed at him. Said, “You didn't like that? Watch this.” God said, “He's a man after my own heart.” He knowed what he was talking about.

And he said, “Why, you can't fight that giant!”

He said, “Just take all these degrees off of me and all these church papers and everything. Let me get free once.” Said, “Let me tell you something. Back yonder when I was herding my daddy's sheep, there was a bear come in one day and grabbed one. And I picked up my slingshot and knocked him down. And I took the kid and brought it back. And a lion come in and grabbed one and run out. I knocked him down too. And when I got to him, he raised up against me; and I killed him.” He said, “The God that delivered me out of the paws of the bear and the lion, how much more will he deliver me out of the hands of that uncircumcised Philistine who's defying the armies of the living God.”

See, he had faith because he had experience. Men and women who's never knowed God, no more than just to read about Him, they don't have much experience, they don't know what to do. But a man that's ever met God and had an experience, that settles it.

David said, “If He did that to save a lamb's life, how much more His people's life?”

And he said, “How you going to do it?”

Said, “I'm going to take this little slingshot.” And he picked up five rocks. Put them in five fingers, the slingshot. You know what it is; we boys used to sling them.

And when he started to meet him, and the old giant laughed at him, said, “Boy, you haven't even got an education. You don't even speak good grammar. How are you going to do it?” But what did he have? He had five stones, J-e-s-u-s, wrapped in his arms of f-a-i-t-h. Something had to take place. He had an experience with faith in Jesus. God directed the stone just right, and down went the giant. And the rest of them took courage.

A few years ago when the churches, Full Gospel churches, said, “The days of miracles is about sewed up”; but somebody stepped out one day. Now they've all took courage, and we've fought the enemy to the wall, cut and slicing. It's time for David to act again, a man with faith.

It was Abraham, called from the city of Ur, the land of the Chaldeans, the Gentile, down in the valley of Shinar. Just an ordinary man, but God spoke to him when he was seventy-five years old, and his wife, Sarah, sixty-five. Been married since they were ... she was about eighteen, no children; and God told Abraham they were going to have a baby. And Abraham believed God! And he called anything contrary to what God had said as though it was not, believing that God was able to keep His promise.

Could you just imagine? An old man seventy-five years old and an old women sixty-five years old, think of it now, going down to the doctor and say, “Doc, we want to get a room ready at the hospital. My wife's going to have a baby.”

“What? About twenty-five years past menopause?”

“Yep, she's going to have a baby. We just been downtown and got all the Birdseye we could get ahold of and all the pins and the booties and everything. We're going to have the baby.”

“How do you know, sir?”

“God said so! That settles it. God said so.”

“Why,” they'd say, “the poor old fellow's just kind of off at his head. There's something wrong with him.” And every man that's ever stood for God has been considered a neurotic or something wrong with him. It is something wrong. He's changed his position: from a dying sinner to a everlasting living saint, calling those things which were not as though they were, 'cause God said so.

Could you just imagine after the first twenty-eight days? I can see Abraham go up and say, “Sarah, honey, how do you feel?”

“No different.”

“Well, bless God, we're going to have it anyhow.” Sure. A year passed. “How do you feel, Sarah?”

“No different.”

“Praise God, we'll have it anyhow.” Twenty-five years passed. He's a hundred and she's ninety. Little old grandma, with a little shawl. “How you feeling, honey?”

“No different.”

“Bless God, we're going to have it anyhow!” Why? He endured, and believed that what God said, God could keep His promise. And you are children of Abraham—supposedly. Don't get healed the first night when you accept your healing, “Well, I guess there's nothing to it.” No matter what there was to it, God said so and that settles it. Just keep on going. Abraham believed Him.

Moses, after having forty years of theology, very best training that could be given a man, why, he couldn't have brushed up on any of his mathematics or any other study that he was studying in Egypt, upon his medicine. Why, the Egyptians had medicine and stuff that we don't have today. They built pyramids that we couldn't build. They dyed clothes that the dye still looks natural. They embalmed bodies, made mummies; we couldn't make one today. They were smarter than us. And Moses was trained in all the Egyptians till he could teach their masters.

But he got out in the wilderness one time with a bunch of men, and over two million people, led them forty years; and come out of the wilderness without one feeble person among them. Wouldn't some of you doctors like to know what Dr. Moses had for a prescription? How many babies was born each night? Dr. Moses had a prescription in his briefcase. I got a little secret. You want me to read it to you? Here it is, all you doctors: “I'm the Lord that heals all your diseases.” That was his prescription. It worked for forty years with several million people without one feeble one among them.

For one day on the back side of a desert God came to him, and he had an experience. When he killed the Egyptian, he looked this way and that way. Killing one man, he was scared. He'd never met God. But after meeting God, he went down and sunk the whole Egyptian army and never did look back. He had faith. He knowed what it meant. Sure, he believed God. “And he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” After he had found God and met God and had an experience, he had faith in Him.

It was Philip, after he heard Jesus tell Simon what his name was and what his daddy's name was, that he could say to Nathanael, “Come and see who we found.” It was after Nathanael had walked up in the presence of Jesus, and Jesus said, “Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile.”

He said, “How did you know me?”

Said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree.”

It was after that that he could say, “Thou art the King of Israel; thou art the Son of God.” After he'd had an experience.

It was after a prostitute, standing at a well, that she seen a Jew and this Jew asked her for a drink. And He said, “Ask me for a drink.” And He found her trouble and told her that she was living with her sixth husband, which was not right. And it was after that, that He told her her sin, that she could run into the city and say, “Come, see a man, that told me the things I've done: isn't this the Messiah?” It was after she had seen it, after it had worked on her. Something genuine takes place.

It was after the woman had touched His garment and had been made whole that all the audience wanted to touch His garment. It was after her blood issue stopped that she could give the testimony. After.

And in our Scripture reading tonight Jesus said, when He said to that tree, “No man eat from thee from henceforth.” And the next day it was withered, and Peter noticed it. What is He doing? Teaching His disciples.

And he said, “Behold, the tree's withered, where you cursed yesterday.”

He said, “Have faith in God.” After Peter had seen a miracle that He had done, He said, “Say to this mountain, Be moved; and don't doubt, but believe that what you said is being done; and you can have what you said.” Something genuine follows an experience.

And brother, the world tonight is looking for something genuine! The people of this nation, and of the rest of the world, is looking to the church for something genuine. Science has brought us death. Society has brought us corruption. Church organization has brought us fusses. The people want something real. When they see that display, they're ready. God's got it. We talk about a God; where is He?

Sometime ago, it brings me to relate an experience. As you know, I like to hunt. I don't go so much to kill game, I go just to be alone with God. And I used to hunt up here near New England state, over here on Androscoggin River, around Lake Umbagog, Moosehead, when I was just a little boy, down around the White Mountains. And I remember a hunting partner I had there. He was one of the best hunters I ever hunted with. A typical little Yankee. And a very fine man. You'd never lose him in the woods. You didn't have to worry about him, let him go. And he knowed his business, but he was one of the meanest men I ever seen. Oh, he was cruel in his heart. He used to shoot little fawns just to get me to feel bad.

Now, if the law says you can shoot a fawn, that's all right. Now, it isn't the size of the deer, but there's no need of killing just ten or fifteen to be mean about it. Abraham killed a calf and God ate it. So the fawn didn't make the difference; it's just being mean and wanting to show off.

And that's the way with many people today. They just want to act smart when they know better. They'll call you “holy-roller,” or they'll call you “fanatic” or something another like that, when they just want to be smart. They don't realize they're not hurting you, they're hurting God. “Did you attend that revival? Shame on you.” Blessed are your eyes.

But this man, he would shoot those little deer just to make me feel bad. And I said, “What do you do that for?”

“Oh,” he said, “preacher, you're just chicken-hearted. That's what's the matter with you preachers, you're just chicken-hearted.” Said, “I like to hunt with you, Billy, but you're too tender-hearted. You shouldn't do that, you should be a man.”

I said, “Burt, man's not measured by how much brute he's got in him; a man's measured by character.” I've seen men that was six-foot tall, weighed 220 pounds, and all muscle; and didn't have a ounce of man in him. That's right. A man's measured by his character. I mean that'd throw a baby out of a mother's arms and ravish her—you don't call that “man.” Principle. Christ wasn't very big, and no beauty that we should desire Him; there's never been a man equal Him. It's measured by character, what you are inside of you.

And so he said, “Oh, get next to yourself.”

And one year when I went up he had made himself a little whistle. And he could make that little whistle go just like a little baby fawn crying. I said, “Surely you're not going to use that.”

“Oh,” he said, “there you are. You're chicken-hearted, boy.” We went hunting that day, and come a little snow (as you brethren who raised your hands the other night, you were deer hunters). Just tracking snow, about six inches. And we went all day, deer was scarce down in the country, and so we hadn't even found a track. Hunting season comes in, deers hide. And it was late in the season, almost the end. And I'd come up late to see if I could find a big roaming buck somewhere, or to get into the woods. And we'd hunted all till noontime, never seen a track. Then we hit a little opening about the size of this auditorium, and I noticed him just scoot down; and I thought he was going back into his coat to get his lunch. Usually that's the way we would do. We'd carry our lunch, noontime we'd eat, and then separate and hunt back towards the camp at night—going a different way, through other sections and so forth, maybe to spook the deer one to the other.

And when he sat down, I thought he was reaching back for his lunch, but he was getting out of his pocket this little whistle. And I thought, “Surely he won't blow that.” But he put it up to his mouth, and he let out a blow; sounded just like a little baby crying. And just across the opening a great big beautiful doe raised up, oh, so pretty, great big ears, the veins in her face, and the big black eyes. She was graceful-looking. Now, a doe is the mother deer. She raised up—she'd been hid under some brush—and he looked back to me with them sheepish-looking eyes. I thought, “Surely, Burt, you won't do that.”

And he blew it again. And she stepped right out into the opening. Now, you brethren know that that's unusual for a deer, come out in a opening like that in the middle of the day, hunting season, snow on the ground. She stepped right out. What was it? She was a mother, she had something genuine. A baby was crying; and by nature, she was a mother. She come out in the opening.

I seen him pull the lever up on this rifle, that 30.06, and throw this 180 grain soft point bullet in there. And he was a dead shot. That scope went down, them cross hairs across her loyal heart. I thought, “O God, he'll blow her precious heart plumb through her,” standing not twenty yards away. When the lever went down, the deer turned. It knowed the hunter was there, but her baby was in trouble. She wasn't just putting on; she was a real mother. She had something real. She wasn't a hypocrite, she was real. And she walked farther out. And I seen Burt as he leveled down to blow her heart out. I turned my back, I said, “I can't watch this. How can he blow the heart of that precious mother hunting for her baby? How could he blow her heart out?” I thought, “O God, don't let him do it!”

I turned my back, listening any moment for the roar of that rifle, but it didn't fire. I turned to look, and the rifle barrel was going like this. I looked at him, he threw the rifle on the ground. He grabbed me by the pant's leg and he said, “Billy, I've had enough of it.” He said, “Lead me to that Jesus that can produce love.” What was it? He saw real love displayed. He saw something real. And there on that snow bank, I led him to the Lord Jesus, because he'd found something real. That mother, she wasn't putting on, as a church member. She was real.

Friend, that's what the world wants to see today in you and me. They want something real! How can you get it until you're born of the Spirit of God and have an experience of it? How can you have faith unless there's something in you to give you faith? Real. Would you like to have that kind of love of God in your heart like that mother deer had for her baby? To display that kind of a love with no selfishness, no greed, no nothing, till when you walk down the street the neighbors would say, “If there ever was a sainted godly woman or man, there it goes.” That's what they want. It's better to live me a sermon than it is to preach me one. Let us bow our heads just a moment.

O God, as I think back of experiences, how that I've seen great brutal men, ungodly, indifferent, made sweet humble Christians in just a moment of time, because they seen something real. God, grant tonight that every man and woman, boy or girl in here that has not got that real experience so they can have real faith, may they accept You tonight as their personal Saviour and receive the Holy Spirit—what gives faith. “We being dead in Christ,” says the Scripture, “we become Abraham's seeds, and are heir according to the promise.” And Christ was Abraham's seed. And the Holy Spirit has brought us, being dead with Him, brings us into the relationship; and by the Holy Spirit, gives us the faith that Abraham had. God, grant tonight that we'll have that faith and that love, that something that Christ means so much to us till it's more than church membership, it's more than hiding behind a religious cloak, or more than anything. As blind Fanny Crosby said, “More than life to me.” Grant, Lord, this hour, that Your Holy Spirit will speak to hearts.

While we have our heads bowed (And your head is bowed to the dust where God taken you from; and someday you'll return back to that dust, which way you got your head bowed now.) would you love to have, sinner friend of mine, or backslider, or indifferent, cold church member—it's all sin—would you love to have the love of God in your heart just as rich as that deer had the mother's love in her heart? Would you like to have an experience like that, would let you stand when the last heart beat's going from your body, and still with loving arms look across Jordan for the angels to come pack your souls home? Think of it just a moment. It's your soul. God's here that will give you that type of love.

If you want it, would you just raise your hands quietly to Him while I offer prayer for you. All over the building. God bless you, you, you, you. Up in the balconies to my right.

Ladies, you know how you love your babies, don't you. The Bible said, “Would a mother forget her little suckling baby? Yes, she might forget it, but never can I forget you. For your name's engraved on the palms of my hand.” You know how you love your baby, don't you. God loves you more than that. Why would you walk beyond the boundaries between mercy and judgment, when He loves you like that? “O what love that Father had for Adam's fallen race; gave His only Son to suffer and to redeem us by His grace.” Look what a love He displayed for us. Can't you display a little love for Him? Would you raise your hand, that much love, and say, “God, here I am. I know that my heart's wrong with You. I profess to be a Christian, but I know right down in my heart that's wrong. I've just a profession; I do not have faith. I want You to be merciful to me, God.”

Keep your heads bowed while.... The balconies to my left, would you raise your hand and say, “God, be merciful.” God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady, you, you, you, all down. Balconies to the rear, would you raise your hands? God bless you. Young folks up there, just at the turning stop of life. Little ladies here, when you're right at the most dangerous hour. Tomorrow night I want to speak concerning that. You're on the crossroads, honey. I got two little girls at home too. God be merciful, child. Take Jesus as your Saviour tonight before something happens. That precious soul of yours that Jesus died for, won't you receive Him? Just raise up your hand. Little boys, raise your hands. God bless you.

Any others, anywhere in the building, say, “Brother Branham, remember me.” God bless you down here, sir. And God bless you over here. Way back in the back, the Lord bless you. Standing around the sides, would you just—somebody in need of God, just raise your hand and say, “God, be merciful to me. I now here want to take Jesus.” God bless you, little one. God bless you, sir. All right, while we remain with our heads bowed.

Lord, Thou has said in Thy Word, “No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him first.” Then there's been many hands that's went up in here tonight of men, women, children, teenagers. Then it shows that the Father has been drawing His people. And “All that comes to Me, I will give them everlasting life,” You said, “and they shall not perish.” Oh, how we love to quote Your Word! You said, “He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has eternal life, and shall not come to the judgment; but has passed from death to life.” Then what kind of a character would that be? If many has that profession and don't have the fruits of the Spirit to follow it, then they're deceived. “If you love the world, or the things of the world, the love of God is not in you.”

Lord, each man knows his standing, each person tonight; and they've raised their hands, some of them, that they've been wrong and they want a real love in their heart. Now, Holy Spirit, whether they come here or sit out there, it takes Your Spirit to do it. And if You're close enough to them, and if their heart is still soft enough that You could make them raise their hands, how much more can You take Your abode? Grant it, Lord. I commit them to You now, as love gifts and little tokens of this message tonight. In the name of Jesus Christ, may they receive Your Spirit; and live more gallant, and more real love to display, than the old mother deer that I told about a few minutes ago. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Oh, doesn't the Word just do something to you? How many loves the Word? Sure. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Wonder if you know that chord, you could give us now. I'm not a singer, but I like to—after the Word's went forth, you've been so reverent—I like to worship Him in old-time songs. Don't you like that, real sweet? Do you know that song, “I Love Him, I Love Him, because He first loved me”? Did you ever hear it? Let's see your hands. All right, give us the chord. If somebody could help me here, if you will. All right. All right, give us the chord.

I love Him, (Let's raise our hands

while we're doing it.) I love Him

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Oh, doesn't that do something to you? Let's do it again. Come on, everybody, right to your place now.

I.... (Just look up to Him and

believe Him.) I love Him

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

O God, oh, from the depths of my.... [Blank spot on tape.] ... O Lord. And from the depth of the souls of these hands that's been raised, we love You, Jesus, because You first loved us when we were unlovable. You came and redeemed us by Your blood, and washed us from our sins, and made us white in the blood of Thy own precious body; and has granted us the privilege by the Holy Spirit to be sealed into the kingdom of God, and called sons and daughters of God. It does not yet appear what we shall be at the final end, but we know we'll have a body like His own glorious body, for we shall see Him as He is.

O God, my heart jumps when I think of someday when You come, and those who have eternal life awake from the dust of the earth. Just can't hide life. O God, I'm thinking you can put a little seed under a rock, put the rock on top of it, but just as sure as the warm sun goes to bathing the earth, that little germ of life will work its way around that rock and stick its head up. You can't hide life. We may be buried under stones, and bogs, in the bottom of the sea, wherever it may be; but when the Son of God comes, and the warm breezes of eternity begins to bathe the earth, His blood-washed children will raise their head and give praise to God. We thank Thee for this, for it lives within us now.

And we thank Thee, holy God, we love You; and we pray that You will come into our midst now in a audible, visible way. Not because we have to have this, Lord, but to encourage those who have just received You as Saviour, and to encourage the sick people to believe You. Many of them here tonight believes without they've seen one thing. Philip, as I said, after he heard You tell Peter what his name was, he believed You. After Nathanael, when You told him who he was and where he come from and where he was when the apostle found him, he believed after he heard that. The woman, after she was told what trouble she had, she believed after that. But Lord God, we believe before we seen any of it. Said, “How much greater is their reward.”

But, Lord, according to Your Word You're duty bound to declare Yourself as You did in the early days. This is a dying Gentile race. The church is chosen, taken out, many thousands are sleeping in the dust down through the ages. This is the end time. Come, Lord Jesus, and let the people know that this God that we worship is not a historical God; but He's present tense, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Praise shall all be given to Thee. Amen.

The best of my knowledge, this is about three nights or so for us. I think this is the third night, Thursday, Friday, or Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The first night I think we give out prayer cards, and just called the people by their numbers to come up to the platform one by one. Last night there seemed to be such a great anointing, till we didn't even take the prayer cards. The Holy Spirit just went over the building, called them anyhow.

And tonight, being that we have just a little bit of time—it's yet quarter to nine, we can be out by quarter after. You see, all that I could say, that's all right. But all the preachers in the world might preach, we could listen, but just one word from Jesus would mean more than all of us could say. See, they could say, “Oh, yes, that was back another day”; but He's here today just the same as He was then.

How many in the building tonight has never been in one of our services before? Let's see your hands. Not too many, that's good. Glad to see the crowd maintaining their position. I don't like to see people just come and fill up one night, and go back and say, “Oh, that's enough for me.” Shows something's wrong. See? Oh, if I eat a cracker day before yesterday, that might be all right, but I got to have one every once in a while. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.”

To you that's here for your first time, I do not claim to be a healer, my dear friend. No one else is a healer. God's the healer. I believe that divine healing is something that God did for us through His Son Jesus when He was sacrificed at Calvary.

This just comes on my mind, I must say it. Some time ago I was with a studio where Charles Fuller, and Stuart Hamblen, many of them, had been in there to have their picture taken. And I happened to be called by ... to the same studio. And so this young fellow in there had just come out of a fundamental school, and he certainly had the education. And he said to my manager, he said, “I would like for you to leave Mr. Branham here.” I looked over, because when I go to breakfasts, they use them great big words, I don't know what they're talking about. I sit next to the manager. If I don't know what they're talking about, I kick him with my knee and he talks from there on. So he said, “I'd like you to leave Mr. Branham here.” Something in me told me he was going to put me to questions.

So finally Mr. Baxter said, “All right, but you have him there in thirty minutes.”

Said, “I want to take some side views.” I knew that wasn't exactly right. So as soon as he left, he said, “Mr. Branham, I want to tell you, as a man I respect you. But your theology is wrong.”

I said, “What's wrong with it, sir?”

He said, “Well, the first thing,” he said, “do you teach divine healing by the atonement?”

I said, “Every redemptive blessing comes from the atonement.”

“Well,” he said, “Mr. Branham, if divine healing was in the atonement, there would be no more pain.”

I said, “Is salvation of the soul in the atonement, sir?”

He said, “Yes.”

I said, “Is there temptation?”

“Sure.”

I said, “Then there's pain.”

He went to using some great big words. I said, “I've been among the Pentecostal people for a long time, but I've never got the gift of interpretation. Speak to me in King James.” See? I said, “I don't know what you're talking about.” I said, “You're talking in another tongue to me, sir. I'm just a hillbilly. But I do know the Lord Jesus. I may not know the Book too well, but I know the Author.” And I said, “Just talk to me in plain words.”

He said, “Do you apply the divine healing in the atonement that Isaiah said back there?”

I said, “Yes sir, that's it exactly.”

He said, “I believe that you're a conscientious man, Mr. Branham.” He said, “If I prove to you by the Bible that that was done away with, will you be man enough and gentleman enough to accept it?”

I said, “Certainly, I certainly do.”

He said, “Matthew, I believe the 8th chapter, they brought to Him them that was sick and afflicted, and He healed them that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, 'He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'”

I said, “Then you mean that the atonement that He was speaking of, Isaiah, was fulfilled there?”

He said, “Certainly.”

I said, “Then who was the man at the gate healed by, and the rest of them?” I said, “Sir, that was a year and six months before the atonement was ever made. Then the atonement had more power before it come into effect than it has after it's come into effect.”

Then he went off on his big words again. I said, “Just a moment.” I took this Scripture that I just used, “Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe you receive them, you shall have them.” I said, “Did that include divine healing, 'whatsoever'?”

He said, “Well, whatsoever....” I said ... he said, “That wasn't divine healing.”

I said, “But Jesus said, 'whatsoever thing.' You said, 'excluding this'; but Jesus said, 'whatsoever.' Now, who's right, you or him? He said, 'Let every man's word be a lie and mine truth.' Who's right?” I said, “Will you admit, sir, it was in the Word?”

He hung himself there. He said, “It was in the Word, but not the atonement.” Uh-oh. Then he said something wrong.

You know the old saying, “Give the cow enough rope, it'll hang itself”? It will. That's a Texas expression, but it's true. I said, “Stay with that.”

I said, “One time there was a king who was a just man, honest, and kept his word. He was a honest man. He made his rules of his kingdom.” And I said, “One day there was a slave committed a crime. He was brought before the justice of the king, and the king read his penalties. There was no atonement for it; the man had to die. So he said, 'Sir, we have no pardoning for this sin. You must die. I must have your head chopped off on this block of execution.' And he started trembling. He said, 'Wait a minute, straighten up.' He said, 'What can I do for you before I chop your head off?—or have it done.'

“He said, 'Give me a glass of water.' And he couldn't hold it. He was going to have his head cut off; he just couldn't hold it.

“And the king said, 'Wait a minute, straighten up. I'm not going to cut your head off till you drink the water.' The slave threw it on the ground.”

I said, “He's a just man, he keeps his word. His atonement says, 'The man has to die,' and his word he can't keep.”

“Oh,” he said, “that was a slip up on the king.”

I said, “Then God made a slip up to put it in His Word without allowing it in the atonement. No way, brother.” I said, “Your argument is thinner than the broth made out of a shadow of a chicken that's starved to death. You know better than that.” Yes, sir, that was it. God has got every redemptive blessing in the atonement when Jesus died. “He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity: the chastisement of our peace upon Him; and with His stripes we were healed.” It's for you to look and live. It's you; it's nothing I can do.

A preacher, if he come here preaching divine healing by laying on hands, he'd have to preach that to you out of the Word. His hands laying on wouldn't be no more than baptism or anything else. You have to have faith. If you haven't got faith, you just go down a dry sinner and come up a wet one. You're still a sinner, if your heart hasn't been changed. The baptism means nothing. Just an outward expression that an inward work of grace has been done. And no matter how many times preachers lay their hands on you, how much they do this, it doesn't mean a thing till you really believe it.

And then Jesus, when He was on earth, He just performed a little sign to show the people that He was the Messiah. And they believed it. And He promised He was the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He remains that way. And we're ending this age now, the Gentile age. Jesus is come in the form of the Holy Ghost to take out the people, the remnant of the people, the Gentile, for His name, before the sputniks goes to bursting. This week, hope to get on to it.

All right, let us ask another word of prayer, while you with the prayer cards make yourself ready. We'll call the prayer cards. Night before we used them, last night we did not. Tonight we'll call the prayer cards. Where's Billy? Ask him where them cards are, what he give out, and how many. S-1 to 100.

Lord, Thou art Jehovah. There's a hundred prayer cards laying in here. They're all of them is sick, Lord, or they wouldn't have the card. I don't know just where to start, but Thou does. Help me, God. Bless the people. Speak to those out in the audience. Let them know that the same Jesus—the High Priest that the woman touched by the feeling of her infirmities—remains the same today, and acts and does the same as He ever did. Let us see You tonight, Lord.

And when our hearts are made glad, we'll feel like those who came from Emmaus. When You got them shut in, and You were in with them, You done something just the way You did it before Your crucifixion. They knowed that was the same Jesus because He acted the same. He first went straight to the Word to show that He was the Christ. Then He performed something to show that He had raised from the dead. They run and said, “Truly, He's raised from the dead. And did not our hearts burn within us, as He talked to us along the way?”

Grant those same things tonight. Do the things tonight just like what we talked about that You did before Your crucifixion. And we'll know by that, Lord, and the people that's here, that You're still alive. Let the church humble themselves, with Thy servant. We submit ourselves to Thee that Thou would work through us altogether tonight: to get glory to Thy name, to strengthen the heart of the feeble, to save the sinner, and to bring faith to the fainting. We ask in Christ's name. Amen.

Where did we call? The first part, we called number 1, didn't we? Didn't we call from number....

[Blank spot on tape.]

And He looked around till He found the woman. And He told her her condition had been healed, her faith had made her whole. Is that right? The Bible said (This is for the newcomer.) the Bible said that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that He is a high priest, right now, that can be touched by the feeling our infirmities. Is that right? Well, how would He act if He's the High Priest, the same yesterday, today, and forever? He'd have to act in the same way. Is that right? Then you look to Him and believe and see. Just say this in your heart: “Lord God, Brother Branham doesn't know me. He doesn't have one idea about me. But You know me, Lord, so You help me; and let me touch Your garment. And confirm it to me by speaking through Brother Branham just like You did to the woman.” See if He's the High Priest. I challenge your faith to believe it.

Now, if the Lord willing, Wednesday night I'm going to try to come to the pulpit without speaking. Just come, let Brother Vayle or someone speak so we can just.... I like for you to see the difference in the meeting. See, preaching is under one anointing; this is a prophetic gift, something altogether different. Same Spirit, but a different anointing. See, preaching, you're blessed, and you're giving out. You love that. I could do that all night. But one vision will take more out of you than eight hours of preaching. How many understands that by the Scripture? Certainly. Jesus, one woman touched Him, He got weak, the Son of God. Daniel saw a vision and was troubled at his head for many days. You remember that? Sure.

Now, as far as I know there's not a person before me that I do know, except Mr. Goad here, taking tapes, Mr. Vayle here, my son and Mr. Sweet standing there, brethren there. But before me, balcony and everywhere, all that's strangers to me, raise up your hands, everywhere. All right. But you realize that God knows you before you ever come on the earth. You believe that?

How many believes that gifts and callings are without repentance? The Bible said there's five gifts in the church, God has set in the church: apostles, or missionaries ... apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. True. If there's a apostle, there's a prophet. If there's a prophet, there's a teacher. If there's a teacher, there's a pastor or a evangelist, see. You can't just say there's a pastor and evangelist, and no prophet or apostle. God still sets.... As long as He's got His church, He's still got His church setting. Certainly.

Now, you don't lay hands on one another for them gifts. God has them set in the church. Jesus Christ was the Son of God from the garden of Eden, predicted the seed of the woman. John the Baptist was the voice of one crying in the wilderness 712 years before he was born, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. How many know that? Sure. How many knows that Jeremiah 1:4 says, “Before you was even formed in your mother's womb, I knew you; and I sanctified you, and ordained you a prophet to the nations”? Gifts and callings are not what somebody's done, it's what God has done. They're born, they're raised up with them; it's what God has done.

Now, He calls some of us to preach, some of us to teach, some of us with different spirits of operation. Now, there's twelve ... or nine spiritual gifts in the local body, see. Now, there's a gift of prophecy. That could be on any person in here tonight, and maybe never on them again. That just comes and goes. There's quite a difference between a spirit of prophecy and a prophet. A spirit of prophecy is to be judged by two or three that has discernment before it can ever be given to the church. Don't ... when the old prophets stood, Isaiah and Jeremiah, they had “Thus saith the Lord.” They were born from cradle up.

Pastors, teachers. Not what some seminary sets you in order, but where God puts you out there as a pastor or a teacher. That's the difference. You might've went out for money if the seminaries sent you. You went out for God, you went out for the good of the church and the glory of God. If you had to drink branch water and eat soda crackers, didn't make any difference to you, you preached just the same. Criticized or not criticized, popular or not popular, makes no difference; you go anyhow. God bless those men.

Many of them sitting here tonight, warriors, that's paved the road that I'm running over freely. You stood on the street corners and preached and prophesied and said it was coming. Here it is. You're the ones that made the road, brethren. Wait till the rewards is give out, and see who gets the rewards. It's you men. Yes, sir. You was the one who laid the foundations in this last day for the church. Now God's begin to move in on that foundation that you've laid. How wonderful it is. I love that song, “How great Thou art, How great Thou art.”

Is this the first woman? All right now, I'm asking your undivided attention for just a few minutes. Now, don't move around, sit real still. Be reverent. Now, here, all the preaching that I have done and all the rest, this Bible declares Him to be the same today as He was then. Now, if that isn't so, then what good is that Bible? If it is so, let's embrace it and die with it, for He's still God. If He is God, He keeps His promise. If He doesn't keep His promise, He isn't God. So, I know He's God. Now, here's where I stand, by a divine gift to represent Him, to represent Him. Not represent myself, I have nothing to do into it.

If you didn't believe what I was saying, I could stand here hour after hour and nothing would take place. It's you doing that, it's not me. It's your own faith. “Why do you bring people up here?” Well, this way I've got a person singled out to me. Last night there was a great group, hundreds, come to Christ. Then there was such a blast in the meeting, visions begin to break over the meeting before it ever started. See? But here tonight.... I combed through that crowd last night, we didn't get too many tonight. So being just a little weary, I called a prayer line to get a person standing here so the anointing could get started first—then it'll go out through there. First.... It'll bypass one right on the platform, go way back yonder up in the balconies and get it. How many's seen that done? Sure. God, You just move right out from the people. People standing here on the platform, never get healed; them out there getting healed. Depends on what you believe.

I'm getting the woman here. I've never seen this woman. She might be a hypocrite, she might be an infidel, she might be a deceiver; I don't know who she is. She might be a saint, I don't know. But this is a picture just like it was at the well, a woman and a man meeting for their first time. I suppose this is our first time meeting, is that right?

Now, if the Lord Jesus remains the same yesterday, today, and forever, if He stood here with this suit on that He give me down in Africa.... And if He was standing here with this suit on, and the woman said, “I'm sick. Will You heal me, Lord?”; I want to ask you now, (be careful) could He heal her? No, sir. He can't do what He's already done. See? He's already did it.

She'd say, “I'm a sinner, save me.”

He said, “I've already did it. You want to accept it?” Is that right?—when you accept Him as your personal Saviour, as emancipator.

Now, if I said to the woman, as God's servant, “Lady, you're sick. I lay my hands on you, you're going to get well,” that could be true. She could wonder about that.

She'd say, “Yes, I believe Brother Branham might be a good man. But that was Brother Branham.” But now what if something happens here and goes back in her life and brings her cause out here, that I don't know, and tells it? Then that takes more than Brother Branham. Is that right? It takes a supernatural being. The Pharisees said, “It's Beelzebub”; the real believers said, “He's the Son of God.” Would you believe it was the Son of God? The Lord bless you. Now, in the name of Jesus Christ I take every spirit in here under my control for the glory of God. Be reverent.

Now, lady, here we are again, the first time we've ever met in life. If that's so, raise up your hand. We were probably born years apart, miles apart—great deal older than you. This is our first time of meeting. But if the Lord God, the Lord Jesus that talked to a woman at the well until He found where her trouble was and told her her trouble.... Did you ever read that story? And she had ... was living in adultery. And when He told her that, she recognized ... she didn't call Him Beelzebub. She said, “Sir, you must be a prophet. We know when the Messiah cometh, He'll tell us these things.”

He said, “I am He that talks to you.”

And she ran into the city and said, “Come, see a man, that told me the things I've done: isn't this the Messiah?”

Now, if He's the same yesterday, today and forever, He'd have to act the same; because I've made it clear that He's already done the healing. Now, if He was standing here, then it's already healed—if you're sick, I don't know if you're sick. But if you are sick, or if you're in financial need, if it's spiritual need, if it's, oh, anything, He could reveal it to you, being the Son of God; if the Father would reveal it to Him, because He said, “I do nothing till the Father shows Me first.” If He will do that, you will accept it? Will the audience do the same? The Lord bless you now. Be reverent.

You say, “Brother Branham, you're stalling.” Yes, sir, I'm waiting for that anointing. If it doesn't come, I just have to, well, dismiss the audience and go home. It's all I know to do. But it did come. All right.

Now, if the audience can still hear my voice, the woman seems to be going from me. She's aware that something's going on, for her spirit knows that standing before a man wouldn't make her feel like that. That Angel of light that you see on the picture is right between me and the woman. And the woman's suffering. What she wants me to pray for is an extreme nervous condition that she's suffering with. And she has a goiter, inwardly like, that she wants me to pray for. That's the truth. If that's right, lady, wave your hand.

Do you believe? Now, whatever it was, I don't know. It's on the tape. But let her be the judge. Now, the same Lord Jesus that knowed where a woman's trouble was in the days gone by, the first time they met, here He is tonight working through His church. “I'm the vine, you're the branches.” The branches bear the fruit. “Little while, the world won't see Me no more [that's this church age], but ye shall see Me [the church in the end time], for I'll be with you, even in you, the end time.”

Now, you say, “You guessed that, Brother Branham”—whatever it was. Just disease or something, affliction. All right. I asked the tape boy, if it's just affliction or disease. Let's talk to the woman, see then, so it'll take all the superstitions from you. There might be something else wrong with her, I don't know. If there is, don't think of it. Just go ahead, be yourself. Just believe that you're in His presence.

Yes, the woman has a nervous goiter. She's extremely nervous too. She's always dropping things. And she's got someone on her heart. That's an elderly woman, she's got cataracts on her eyes. That's her mother. And besides that, she's got a child she's praying for. And that child has some kind of spells, kind of passes—it's convulsions. That's “Thus saith the Lord.” That is the truth, lady, isn't it? Wave your hand if that's true. Do you believe that Christ answers your request now? Go find it. The way you believe, it'll be that way. God bless you.

“If thou canst believe.” Everyone reverent now, be reverent. Just don't know what could happen. I wonder if the audience is aware that what's here. Now, you'll have to admit that's a miracle. How many knows that's a miracle? Does He still perform miracles? Now, it could only come from two resources: the devil or God. I want anybody to tell me where they ever heard a devil preaching the Gospel and asking sinners to come to repentance. When did you ever see it work? It doesn't. The Pharisees thought it was. And Jesus said to speak against it, when the Holy Ghost was doing it, would be unforgivable. How many knows that? So be reverent.

We are strangers to each other; I do not know you. If the Lord our God will reveal what you're standing here for, would you believe me to be His servant, and that He is risen from the dead and lives tonight? You're here for me to pray for a place that should be operated. It's a growth. That is right. If God will tell me where that growth is, will you believe me to be His prophet? It's in your right side. That's right. Go believe now, you won't have to have your operation.

I suppose we're strangers, sir. The Lord Jesus one time in His ministry after such had been done, there was a man by the name of Philip who went and found Nathanael and brought Nathanael to the meeting. And there was two men met, Jesus and Nathanael. First time they'd ever met. He said, “You're a good, honest man.” He could have been a hypocrite, he could've been a Mohammedan, or been a worshiper of some idol. Jesus knowed he was an Israelite. Told him where he was before he'd come.

This is our first time meeting. If Jesus remains.... Be real reverent. The vision left the man, was coming on him, the light. Now, be reverent, please don't move around, see. Each one of you is a spirit. We're not dealing with the natural now, we're dealing with spiritual. Each one of you has a soul. You've got a spirit. Just one little unbelief, you can feel it, just one little move. Just seems like everything's set. “Oh,” you say, “Brother Branham, when was that in the Bible?” When Jesus went to raise Jairus' daughter, and they were all carrying on, He put them all out of the building; led a man on the outside of the crowd, out of the city even, give him his sight.

Left for some reason, sir. But He's good, He will return. If God will reveal to me what you're here for, you believe me to be His servant? You will? Here it is again. You're aware that something's going on now. You're suffering with something in your back. It's a spinal condition. And it's caused you to be extremely nervous. And you're getting up at night with a prostate trouble it's causing you. There's the seat of your nervousness. That's “Thus saith the Lord.” Besides that, you're a preacher. Correct. And you're praying for someone, a grandson, case of polio. Do you believe with God? Then find it the way you believed it. God bless you.

We're strange to each other? Coming from this section. Be real reverent. Don't doubt, but believe everything. Here it is. It's an old couple sitting right here. That darling old mother looking at me, she's suffering with a gall bladder trouble. That's her little husband sitting next to her. And he has a bronchitis. And that man's been a soldier, for I see him in battle, wearing a little round helmet. It's gas that caused you to have bronchitis, and you're a soldier from the First World War. “Thus saith the Lord.” Have faith in God. “If thou canst believe.”

Sitting right back behind there, gall bladder trouble, you believe that the Lord Jesus makes you well too, lady with the little green-looking shawl? You had a real funny feeling struck you when I said “gall bladder” to that lady, didn't you? There's a dark streak between you both, and it's both left now. Your faith has made you well. God bless you.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today.... You people, ever who you was that was called, if I don't know nothing about you and never seen you in my life, raise up your hands, if that's right there. There you are. What is it? I never seen the people. What does it represent? Jesus, the One that died and rose again, and promised to be in His church and do the same thing. Here He is. Their faith healed them. You have faith and believe.

You're the lady that's to be prayed for? I don't know you. No way of me knowing you. This is our first time to meet. But God knows your life and your heart. If He will reveal to me something that you know I know nothing about, would you accept it?—knowing that you and I are going to stand in His presence some of these days to give an account. You had a lot of up and downs in life all right, trying hard to overcome. Black streak behind you. But now that's not what you're standing here about. You've confessed your sins, they're under the blood. But you're standing here for a friend. And that person's in the hospital, just had a baby. And she's had some sort of attack. That's a asthmatic condition, almost took her life, and you want prayer for her. You believe she will be made well? Go, find it that way. God bless you. Be reverent.

How do you do, sir? The Lord God knows us both. You're a man much older than me. I suppose this is our first time meeting. Would I be hypocrite enough to stand here to a man your age, if I didn't think I could do something, by Christ helping me, to help you, sir? If my old daddy would have lived, he would have been about your age, I guess. I'd give anything tonight to see him. He's passed beyond the veil. You'll go someday, and so will I. I'd only do something to serve, the best that God could give me ability to do, to help you.

If God will reveal to me, and tell me something that's in your life, or something that you're here for that you know that I know nothing about, would it make you feel like you could accept it? If He knows what you have been, He certainly will know what you will be. If I'd say, “Oh, you're going to be this, that, or the other,” you'd have a right to doubt that. But if He tells you what was, if He knows what was, then He surely will know what will be.

You got heart trouble. And I see you trying to do your work, and you get down with your hand on your knee. You got arthritis. Exactly right. Heart trouble and arthritis. You believe me to be His prophet, or His servant, sir? There's somebody else on your heart. Believe the Lord God could make your wife whole too, that's here with you? She's got a severe back trouble. That's right. That's true. Mr. Barker, you believe that God can make you whole and heal your wife too? Then go find it that way. God be with you.

“If thou canst believe.” What if I didn't tell you a thing, and told you while you're sitting in a church you was healed, would you believe it? You believe it with all...? Just go on your way, because you are.

What if I told you you could eat your supper, your stomach trouble was gone, would you believe it? Go eat.

You believe that God could heal diabetes and make you well? Just keep going, saying, “Thank You, Lord, make me well.” You can have it. Have faith in God.

Nervous and stomach trouble too. You believe that God make you well? Go on your road rejoicing, saying, “Thank You, Lord.”

Come, sir. Heart trouble and suffering, a little arthritis. Do you believe that God will make you well? Just keep walking.

Do you believe that God will heal that diabetes for you? Then just rise up and keep going on, keep moving, believe.

Look here, young lady. You believe God will heal that female trouble for you? Just keep going.

Heart trouble and nervousness, just keep moving on.

Asthmatic condition, just keep going on, believing God.

Come, sir. Diabetes is nothing for the Lord God. Just keep going, believing with all your heart.

What do you think, lady? You believe God would heal you? You believe it with all your heart? You believe me to be God's servant? I don't know you, do I?

Now, just a moment, please. Something happened in the audience. That man. Was you on the platform just now, sir? A light's around.... No, it's the lady right behind him on the end back there, suffering with internal troubles. You believe that God will make you well, lady? Stand up to your feet and accept Christ then. God bless you. Let it go and be over then. That elderly lady sitting there next to you, she's troubled with arthritis. Would you lay your hand over on her, lady, the one that was just healed? Believe it now, lady; you'll be made well. While the blessing's on the woman, she'll pass it to you. “If thou canst believe, all things are possible.” Do you believe that?

What about you, young lady, sitting there with your hand up to your mouth? Do you believe God can heal that goiter for you and make you well? Raise up your hand if you believe it. I challenge your faith. The lady sitting next to you crying there, she's got ulcers on her, and leg trouble, and heart trouble. That's right, lady. You believe God will heal you? Raise up your hand. Pray. Some of you touch Him.

Here's a little old woman, sitting here with these flowers on her hat, hand down, praying. You believe God can tell me what she's praying about? Darling-looking little old mother. She's praying for her boy, grandson's got polio. That's right, isn't it, lady? God bless you.

You believe God can tell me what you're praying about? He's God!

Is this lady...? If God will reveal to me what your trouble is, you believe me? Thank you. You got little cysts all through your body. That's right. Yes. And He'll tell you, so that you'll be sure to know: You got someone here with you that has to leave, cousin, got chest trouble. Tell him it's over. He can go home anyhow. Lady, you're a Canadian, from New Brunswick. Right. Say, you're Miss Ashfield. Go on your road and rejoice.

Do you believe God, with all your heart? Then stand up on your feet and give Him praise and glory, and every one of you can be healed at this very time. Raise your hands and sing, “I will praise Him, I will praise Him.”

Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth....