Putting On The Whole Armor Of God

Thank you very much. You may be seated, friends. Thank you, Brother Vayle. That's ... not worthy ... a little introduction like that. But I sure appreciate them fine words. I'd have to live a big life to live to that. And so, I'm happy to be here tonight in Southern Pines, North Carolina. I always get that mixed up, see, with North Carolina. [A brother says something about Aberdeen] What did you say? Aberdeen, Aberdeen. When I get that Southern Pines it seems like it ought to be in South Carolina. But it's Southern Pines in North Carolina. I get it all mixed up. I'm just glad to be here though, and to have this time of fellowship with my precious friends, Brother Parker, Brother Lee Vayle, all of them—and all those that are sojourning here, waiting for the coming of the Lord. And I've....

I really didn't know Brother Parker as well as I wanted to. One day I was reading an article in a magazine, and I said, “Thomas Parker. I ought to know that name.” And just a little while, oh, I'd say a day or so, Brother Lee Vayle come in, said, “Why, you know who that is. That's our friend up there.” And so we tried to get him on the phone, and I wanted to thank him for a comment that he had passed in the magazine. And so then, that's how we come to get connected for me to be here tonight to help him in this convention.

So glad to be here, Brother Thomas, and meet all these fine friends and everybody again, and to have a time of fellowship. But you can imagine how I feel to stand here tonight to speak a Bible message, and men like that sitting behind me.

Really, I feel something.... Maybe I better do like Dwight Moody ... they said he did when he was in England. He was speaking one night before the Cockneys, who really pronounce their words real right. And Mr. Moody didn't have education, so he tried to read a scripture and he mispronounced three or four words; and he went back and tried it again and mispronounced it worse than ever. So he just closed the Bible and looked up towards heaven and said, “God, help me.” And he shook the country. So that's it. Just look to Him. That's what we have to do.

And the convention, I guess it's all been announced. It's going on up here at the Tabernacle, the Bible Tabernacle, I believe it's called. And I'm sure if you'll go up there, friends, you'll certainly hear something. I've read many articles, but Brother Thomas happens to be among one of the great writers, I think of the day—his hold on the Word of God. And then, I'm sure it will do you good to go there.

I'm ... may look a little butchered up tonight in the face, and my eyes. I guess you've already heard that I was shooting a rifle about four weeks ago, and.... My recreation was always fishing, hunting, or something, and like that—the outdoors. I never did play golf, or ball, or horse racing, anything. I just love the outdoors. And I loved it so well....

While I was in Africa I kind of fell in love with Roy Weatherby's rifles. But I never could think I could afford one of them. And so they was.... Some of my friends would've probably got me one if I'd have let them. But I couldn't.... As I told Brother Thomas this afternoon, I couldn't think of letting some of my friends buy one of those expensive rifles for me, when I know missionaries hasn't got shoes on their feet. I couldn't feel right with the rifle.

So a friend of mine came. And I had another rifle there that a man gave Billy Paul. And he run the Weatherby Company in Indiana. And he said, “Let me have it bored out for you, and make a Weatherby rifle out of it.” Well, happened to be, he never bored it right, and I put the shell in to fire. About six tons of explosion right in my face, and about as high as these curtains—just red fire. The barrel went on the fifty-yard line, the stock went this way, and the gun melted in my hands. And I couldn't see and hear nothing for a few moments.

And when I could pull my hands open like this, to get my eyes open, this eye on this side, I could see blood shooting out like that. And I held my hand up like this, and this tooth was knocked off here where a piece of shrapnel went in—sewed a big ring around my face. And fifteen pieces just made a half-moon right under my eye and went all the way to the back of the eyeball, but never touched the sight.

And so when the doctor examined me, when he took me over there, he said, “Only thing I know, the good Lord must have been sitting there with his servant or you wouldn't even have a head and shoulders on, all that explosion.”

So, these are all good days and good times for me. I'm glad to be here, just.... So I feel by that, that the Lord wasn't finished with me yet. He maybe wants me to try to speak a little bit more for his people, and to try and help. And I'm here to do all I can to make life a little easier for you—try to help the best that I know how. So you will pray for me, I'm sure.

And.... Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Brother Vayle was just telling me that the amplifier here, it's only ... it's got just a small mike. Can you hear back there all right? You can hear. That's good.

So, I never lost my sight, nor my hearing. I got a whistle tied down out here somewheres yet. And this right eye has got astigmatism in it. I suppose that's the way you pronounce it, it's nervous, shakes. But it'll be all right, it'll be just fine. So everything will be just fine and dandy. And I know it was for some purpose. We know that our Lord is always true, when He said He'd make everything work that way. So I'm just trusting it to be that way.

He has told me many things, and let me bypass many troubles. But, you know, He can't let me bypass them all. We got to ... we ministers have to suffer as well as you people there. The Lord sometimes speaks and lets us know how to bypass troubles, and do things. But remember, we get right into those places, too, where we have to suffer right along with the rest of them. And it's really more hard on us then it is on you, seems like. He just holds off a long time for us. Doesn't answer all the time. So, but we're thankful that He always comes riding in on the wave. And so we're thankful for that.

Everybody feel good? Sounds like a convention all right, everybody right in tune. Pray now. And tonight, I drew a little context here from what might be called a text I want to read. And I've got some scriptures and little notes wrote down here, and I'd like to make a little Sunday school class out of it, like.

And then I'd just like to ask.... 'Course, usually at the beginning there's not too many here. I could probably ... when there's sick people to be prayed for, could run a prayer line and catch them every one in one night. So maybe I'll sort of ask tonight, and see how many was here to be prayed for; and kind of come to the convention, you want prayer for your sick bodies and would like to have us pray for you. Would you just raise up your hand say, “I come with that intention.”

Well, that's wonderful. That's fine to see that the first night. Usually the people kind of wait till last, then it's kind of hard. Wonderful to see you here with faith in God, that you believe that God will answer. And He will. He doesn't fail. He just won't fail. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but God delivereth them out of them all.” So as long as we get deliverance is the main thing. And we get between straits sometimes as Paul and those others who have gone on before us, the great saints and elected men of God. And we're ... no, we can't ask to be immune from troubles, but it ... always something behind it that God makes it work just right for all of us.

I believe a few moments ago ... I'm not mistaken, I see my good friend, Brother Sullivan, sitting down here, too, all from down in Kentucky. Glad to see you, Brother Sullivan. And Brother Iverson, Florida. Oh, everywhere. How many's here from out of town? Let's see your hands. Well, say, is there anybody here from town? Let's see your hands. From the city, from around the city? Oh, what do you know. About twelve, fifteen, people I see. That's a good representation from out of town here. That's right. That's usually what conventions draw.

Well, my wife used to sing a little song for me,

“They'll come from the east and west,

They'll come from the lands afar,

To feast with our King, to dine as his guests;

How blessed these pilgrims are!

Beholding his hallowed face

Aglow with love divine;

Blest partakers of his grace,

As gems in his crown to shine.

You know the song?

Jesus is coming soon,

Our trials will then be o'er.

Oh, what if our Lord this moment should come

For those who are free from sin?

Then would it bring you joy,

Or sorrow or deep despair?

When our Lord in glory comes,

We'll meet Him up in the air.

That's our purpose of being here. Now, I'm not a singer, friends. I couldn't sing. I ... you know, I've always wanted to sing, brothers. So I'm going to tell you all, sometime you can hear me sing when I can sing. When you get up to heaven, and it's all over, and in your great mansion.... I've always loved the woods so well and everything, maybe I got a little cabin down in the corner of Gloryland somewhere. You walk out on your big mansion patio some morning, or porch, and listen. Way down there in the woods you hear a voice coming up, singing “It's amazing grace, how sweet the sound.” You say, “Brother Branham made it.”

When He can even take a wretch like me and save me, why, then there's hope for all of us. And you'll say, “Brother Branham made it, 'cause there he is still singing ”Amazing Grace.“ I always wanted to sing that. I can just hum it in my heart, but I hope some day I can really sing it.

Let's turn to Ephesians, the 6th chapter. And here it is almost time to let out, and we're just getting started. Ephesians, the 6th chapter. We'll begin with the 10th verse and read a portion of the Word.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of ... darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having ... the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

And above all, taking the shield of faith, which ye shall be able to quench ... the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching there with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I would like to take a text from that from “Putting on the Whole Armour of God.” And I was thinking awhile ago that this might be appropriate to kind of wedge in a little for the message for tomorrow morning, and for the following days at the convention; because it's usually at a convention that these great men, who are called for this teaching, usually get the Word out to the people.

And so, Paul here is speaking of a soldier dressing, going to war—a soldier getting himself in armor, preparing for a battle. And I kind of like the way that he places it—preparation.

You know, I believe it was Lincoln that said one time, “In the time of peace, prepare for war.” Or it might not have been he, but it sounds like ... seems to me rather, it was he that made that statement. “In time of peace, prepare for war.” And that would be a good thing for us to think about. In time while everything is running smooth, you better get ready, for Satan isn't going to let it run smooth very long. You're in a convention now, and everything'll just pour along fine. But you're going to leave here in a few days, and you're going to meet the enemy. He might not even wait till you get ready to leave. He just might attack any time. So he's wicked and ruthless. He just carries on whenever he can. Whatever he can say or do he does it right now, he.... So it's best to be dressed all the time.

You might meet him out on the street. You might meet him in your ... in the car. It's hard telling where you'll meet him. Or he'll meet you right in the seat there. Or right at the pulpit here—anywhere. He's just wicked. He doesn't care. So we want to be prepared for it. And this great teacher, St. Paul, was teaching the church how to put on the armor, and he was likening it to a soldier getting ready for the great battle ahead.

Now we find out about, in nations.... There is many times that nations, no matter whether they're friendly or not friendly, each nation has its spies. Now we have our spies all over the world. And every nation in the world has their spies here, whether they're friendly or not friendly. They're kind of a little suspicious, you know. Now, England is one of our sister nations, but yet we got spies in England. England's got spies here. We have them everywhere. So they make their rounds. And they're friendly, nice people; there's really nothing you could say against them. But they're just on the alert, watching, seeing what's going on, and watching for some new weapon that's going to be developed.

And they'll slip right in and see how that weapon is, and then they'll send it to their own country, and they'll prepare for a counterattack. Whether ... if we would use this weapon, why, they could counterattack it to us. Or if we should use their weapon, or they use their weapon on us, our spies.... And we'll build up some weapon to combat the weapon that they're planning on using. Or some secret—a secret service or some secret thing we are planning on doing. And they'll make ready, because they got spies here for that purpose, to spy and see what we're doing. We got spies there, spying out, seeing what they're doing. Seems like we just can't really trust one another. Just, it just looks like there's something in human beings that just goes so far and that's all the farther it can go.

I'm glad there's something we can put complete trust in, aren't you? Something that's ... we don't have to wonder, think about, just know that we could just rest like little children. I think that's the way we should be, especially Christians. We should be like.... In the beginning you notice, man is trying to find that place, because when he was first made in the image of God he didn't have to shift for himself, and God taken care of him. But since he become an alien, a wanderer, then he has to shift for himself and he's suspicious of everything. He's just (if you excuse the expression) kind of spooky. Everything ... looks a little leery, he's gone, he don't want to wait for it.

Now nations do these things. They spy out. And they're constantly.... Because that they have to do this, is because their old weapons that they used to use become obsolete. Now what would we do with a bow and arrow that they once used? Or what would we do with the old weapons that they used in the first world war? The old Krag-Jorgensen rifle? Or what would we do with the Springfield? That's been replaced. The last war was a Garande. This war ... with an atomic missile in it. See, it becomes obsolete.

The old airplane that we used to ... air knocker, that went across in the first world war, why, they used a three or four-engine plane in this last war. And now it's just junk, no good, it's obsolete. Spend millions of dollars to make them up, then throw them in a big molding pot and mold them out again, because that the enemy, and our spies reporting, has brought in news that they got a greater plane.

Now we go by jet. Now they got it so they can time it to a star, pull one lever and the whole world goes into a cloud of dust. So it's just about the end of this thing. And there is hardly anything they know what to do now. All the old weapons have been changed and become wreckage.

I was thinking, the old ... a coal-burner train that used to take ... come down through Jeffersonville there by the depot. And they'd have great lines of guns (and taken it over to Fort Knox where they'd been made), and tanks. That old steam engine that was ... not any of them on the tracks no more. They're all gone. And they're sitting around as relics. They used them in this last war. But now she's a diesel. In just a few days she'll be an atomic-driven affair. So they just all have to junk it and start over again.

And you know in this warfare between nations, there's a great warfare going on beyond that. And that's the warfare between God and Satan, a great warfare. That was the first warfare and it's still raging. But, oh, I'm so glad it'll soon come to an end. Then it'll all be over. Satan has his agents out everywhere, watching, spying out on God's people, God's move. The enemy is sitting everywhere, watching, to see what he can do. And God's got some out, too. So, we're thankful for that.

And each nation equips its army with the best and the latest equipment that it can find. That's the reason our old equipment becomes obsolete, is because that we find ... like Germany on the radar, and different things that we pick up from other nations, and something that we invent ourself. Now they got a man whirling around in space. They all holler about that you know: “We got a man in space.”

Why, that's nothing. We Christians have had one in space for two thousand years. That's right. They're slipping—hollering about that. That's nothing new. That's old to us; we knowed that all along. So see, that's just how far ahead we are. They just don't realize it. Yes, building great big roads and super things like that and trying to make the earth a better place and so forth, they don't realize that the meek's going to inherit it. So, there you are. So, just ... see, God's got it all figured out for us. That's ... only thing we have to do, is just hold onto Him and just go right on believing. That's all He asked us to do. He'll take us right through.

So we find out that these secret agents of the enemy that sits around.... Each nation now, will equips its men with the latest equipment, the very latest. And they study, and they do everything.... They're trying to counteract the other fellow's weap ons, and to get a little more modern weapon, a little ... something with a little more punch to it. From the bow and arrow to a musket, and from a musket to a modern rifle, and from that to an atomic—they just keep building. It keeps them busy all the time. And it's the nation's business. If they want to survive, they want to equip their soldiers with the best equipment that there is.

Well, God ... you know He's infinite. See, He don't have to think anything better. He just got the best to begin with. So can't improve on it. Nothing to be done about it. He just give us the best—that's his Word. Amen. That's right. That's his Word, the best that can be given. God gives his people the very best. And that's what He chose for his children, the very, very best. I'm so glad of that. I see God, our Father, and the kingdom that we are delegates of. He's infinite.

Now these nations keep building, and studying, and working and probing in science, and everything like that. But you see, God being infinite, therefore He knows the end from the beginning. And before it ever happens He knows how, when, and where. So we can rest assured that as long as we're in Him everything's going just fine. No need of being scared about anything. There isn't anything can bother us. So we're just resting peacefully like little children, and nothing can harm us. So, the infinite God....

You see, that's the reason I believe his Word, don't you? is because that that Word is He. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” Now. So therefore, God knew that Himself couldn't fail because He was over Satan. So He just give Himself, see, his Word. So that's the defeat.

Now God cannot make a decision today, and tomorrow come back and make a better decision, see, because his first decision is perfect. He never has to change it. So therefore we can rest upon whatever God says. That's the reason that I believe the Bible is God's Word.

Now, the reason I believe that, God has to judge the world by some standard. And if it's by a church, which one is it? See, there's hundreds of them, and the different churches and organizations. All right. But you can't ... the Lutherans say, “We have it.”

And the Baptists say, “No, we got it.”

The Presbyterians say, “We got it.”

And the Pentecostals say, “No, this is it.”

The Nazarenes say, “No, this is it.”

You'd be confused. But you see, it's the Word. I just believe it's the Word, see. Just take it the way it's wrote and believe it. And it's of no private interpretation, it says. It's just written there.

And then if He's got to judge the world by some standard, why, this ... He's watched over it, so it's just the way it ought to be. So I just believe it like that. Just read it, say, “Yes, Lord.” Now I believe when we believe God, every time God says anything we punctuate it with “Amen.” That's right, whatever God says. He said, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Now somebody would say, “Well, in a way....” Uh-huh.

“Amen.”

If He said, “Repent and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost,” “Amen,” see. He said, “The just shall live by faith.”

“Amen.”

And He said, “I'll come again.”

“Amen.” And whatever He says, the Holy Spirit inside of us just punctuate with “Amen,” see. Then look for the next thing, see. Now that's wonderful that we can have a faith like that.

Now the reason I know it's right because God said over in the book of Revelation, “Whosoever shall take one part out of this book, or add one part to it....” Oh, my, that must be what He's going to judge the world by then.

Oh, you say, “He's going to judge it by Christ.” He is the Word. Can't get away from it. Now it's right back again, He is the Word. So now ... so we know that Word is true. And if you say you have Christ and don't believe this Word, there's something wrong with what you've got. The Word is right. It's got to be the Word.

Now we find out that God gave his children the best. And therefore He don't have to improve it. He just ... He never changes. He hasn't changed one bit since the first time He gave for his children's protection. Now when He knew ... the war in heaven, He had to kick out Satan. Then He came down on the earth and fortified his children with his Word.

Now I want to ask you something. Just think, that.... Now Eve did not, while she's standing in this great fort ... fortress of his Word.... Now Satan was on the outside trying to use some kind of a technique to get her out of there, for as long as she stayed behind the Word, everything was fine. That's where we make our mistake. We make our mistake when we get from behind the Word. Well, I believe all Bible believers think it that way. We get from behind the Word, then we're in trouble. But as long as we keep the Word ahead of us.... Don't get ahead of the Word; let the Word get ahead of you, see. You just let it go first, and you just live right behind it. It plows the ditch, and you just walk in it, see. And that's the way it goes.

Now, we find then in this great time of the beginning, when God fortified his children in this fortress of his Word, and told them now that was it.... Now just think, Eve didn't just turn the whole thing down. She didn't say, “Well, God, I guess, is altogether wrong. I don't believe a word of it.” No. “I believe half of it, Lord.” No. Satan just misconstrued a little bitty fraction of it—not all of it—just a little bit of it. And because that she listened to that one little term, it caused every funeral procession, made every grave, made every gray hair, every sick baby, every sin that was ever committed—because of just taking one little speck of God's Word and just misplacing it.

Now, if the infinite God, a God full of love.... To misconstrue his Word, just don't believe all of it (just part of it), would let all this happen because of just misbelieving a little bit of it, I believe we're going to have to take every bit of it back again—'cause just misturning it, saying, “The Bible says this, but honest it doesn't mean that....” It does mean that, see. It means that just that way. So we must keep it that way, and the way He said it.

But then Eve would.... Now we're going to find out as soon as she had to get ... Satan had to get her attention. Now remember, he's in warfare with God, and men and women is his children. So He's in warfare with Satan. So now remember, Satan comes down to use a tactic to try to counteract God's warfare, his protection. He's trying to find something that he can ... a better weapon. So there is no better weapon that he could find. So then the only tactic he could use would be reasoning. Oh, when you stop to reason anything....

“The Word says....”

“But let me see. That doesn't mean.... By his stripes we were healed—that doesn't, that....” It does mean that too. That's right. “Whosoever will.”

“Well, I know the Holy Spirit was for them back in the early days, but it ... just reasons tell us that we....” Oh, no, don't you do that.

“Whosoever will.” “...to you and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call,” see. No reasoning. Don't stop to reason. Just keep believing. Just believe Him what He says.

“Well, Brother Branham, I've sought the Holy Ghost for ten years.” What're you reasoning about? If you've carried out his plan, then just go on. Then just believe it, see. He laid down the plan and just follow that plan. Then it's got to come out right. If it isn't, then He told something wrong, see. So He can't tell us nothing wrong and still be God. So you see, you got to believe it's his Word, or you don't believe Him at all. So it's strange, isn't it? But it's really true. It really is the truth.

Now we find that this great enemy of God thought, “Now as long as they will believe that Word I can never get to them. As long as that little family in Eden keeps behind that Word I could never touch them.” Neither can he today. Amen. He's still blocked off, right. “But if I can use some real good strategy and just reason out.... I'd give some human reasoning, because she's human. And if I can just get human reasoning, then we'll win the battle,” Satan and his angels. But ... then Eve gave a way.

So therefore we know our enemy by his attack. Maybe you didn't get it just right, the way I said it. We know our enemy. When anyone, any spirit, any person, tries to disagree with God's Word, remember, that's your enemy. That's your enemy. We know his old attack. That's the one he broke the human race down, and that's the way he breaks them down yet today. And that's the way he gets you away from God, is to disbelieve his Word. And the only way that you can ever stay in fellowship with God, and talk to Him in the cool of the evening, is stay fortified in the Word. That's right. Let the curtain of God's Word drop all around you, and you be a drop right in the middle of it. That's right. Then you're fortified.

Now in order to do this he has to make it very appealing, reasoning. And that's the way Satan does. He's good at the job. And he's a good adversary. And he makes it appealing. He had to make it appealing to Eve. He said, “Now, look, dear, you know ... you don't know what's right and wrong. And you must remember that it's ... this fruit is pleasant to the eye. It'll make one wise, and all....” Oh, if that isn't a good bait. “Just get your PhD, or LL, double LQUSTD, or something like that. You'll be wise.”

Remember now, that isn't what is it. It's faith in God that does it. You might have enough degrees to plaster that wall with them and still not know God, see. You know God by faith. Nothing else. How by faith, what? Faith in his Word. That's the only way He recognizes faith. “Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God.” That's how it comes by hearing the Word of God.

Now, Satan made it appealing. He still makes it appealing. Now I'm not belittling anything. I hope you don't get me like that, I ... if I do I don't mean it that way. But Satan tries to make theology and education an appeal. Why, we've been trying to educate the world for two thousand years and getting worse off than it ever was. You can't bring people to Christ by education, by denomination. They try to make it pretty. Sin is beautiful. Certainly, it's pretty. Now if you take in the Bible, we find out....

I was speaking here few nights ago somewhere upon the subject of Noah and his days. Take Genesis 6, when the sons of God saw the daughters of men. And once I was studying history and I was listening to what ... the historian was giving his ... or no, I beg your pardon, it was a commentary, on what he thought the sons of God was. He said it was fallen angels that pressed themselves into human flesh and seen women, and how appealing that women was. And these sons of God become flesh.

“If you take it that way,” I thought, “my precious brother, you're more smarter than I. But if you do that, you make the devil a creator then.” So the devil cannot create. He just perverts what God's created. There's only one creation. That's God—one creator. A wrong is a right perverted. A lie is the truth misused, see. Adultery is the right act misused, see. All wrong is a right made ... perverted. And that's all Satan can do, is just pervert what God's already done, see—a perversion. All right.

Now we find that ... many times Satan makes it so appealing that you'd be more popular. Now that's what he did to Eve—wise, smart, rich. Today he's made it so appealing till people want to put millions of dollars in buildings; and then preaching the coming of the Lord is at hand, see. The churches are building greater auditoriums, and buying up more land and everything; and then preaching the coming of the Lord is at hand—and missionaries on the field trying to get the Word to the poor people that haven't heard it one time, and have to suffer for it, see. Don't look right to me. But Satan tries to make it appealing. He fixes the churches. Makes it an intellectual church, fine, intelligent.

I live close to a certain organization. It's fine, wonderful people, I suppose. And a man ... an old man, sitting outside, trying to wait to be prayed for, because this minister didn't believe in prayer for the sick, I wasn't at the place at the time. The old man was waiting—storming, blowing. And because the old fellow was kind of, looked like a tramp (poor old fellow didn't have much shoes on his feet, and his old coat was all ragged and torn). But this minister wouldn't even let him come on the porch, get out of the rain. And I just wondered if when we get up to heaven if there's just going to be a special little place for the intellectual, and the poor, and everything, somewhere else. No.

I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of disappointments at the judgment, because you know.... Paul said over in Hebrews the 11th chapter, “They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; was destitute, and afflicted.” Look at Elijah in his cave, and how that.... We'd see him come to our door today, with beards all out on his face, and his bald head shining, a piece of sheepskin draped around him—we'd probably run him out of the yard, some of our intellectual brethren. That's right.

But you don't know what's beating beneath that little old skin there, see. The Holy Spirit may be tabernacled there, see. You must never do that. We must be brothers! Treat a man.... No matter if he's in wrong, still treat him nice. Be nice to him. If you haven't got that Spirit, then there's something wrong. Jesus was nice to those who were ugly to Him, see. You must be Christians, full of love, ready to help—any race, color, creed, anywhere, any time, see. We must be that way. That's Christians. That's the way Christ would have us. And to be a Christian is to be Christ-like.

Now, Satan making everything so appealing you know, and sitting people aside and, “You must believe this creed and that's all you have to do.” And, “You must say this prayer,” and cut out things and so forth. It looks like ... and the people continue on living, they still gamble, smoke, drink. Women wear immoral clothes, and they go to shows, dances, and play cards, just like they always did, see. But yet they belong to a great, high, intellectual group of people. See, Satan makes it real appealing. That's not it!

Did you notice Cain's sacrifice, how appealing it looked, beautiful—the fruits of the field and the flowers. But Abel's wasn't appealing, killing a little old lamb with a piece of (I don't guess they had hemp in those days) ... might have been a grape vine wrapped around his neck. And he took him up there and chopped his little throat with a rock until he bled to death. Wasn't very appealing, but it was righteousness answering for sin.

But God just brings his Word more positive all the time. He don't have to refortify it, and bring something else up. He just makes his Word more real all the time. And the Bible said, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God raises a standard against it,” see. Now what is.... Then if the enemy comes in like a flood and God's fortification to his people to fortify them is the Word of God, so He just raises the Word—a standard against him. Amen.

Now He's raised it three times. Did you know that? God's always in threes. Don't ... that's God's perfect number. Like God, the very essence of love ... spirit covers all the solar systems, eternity (if there was such a way) to eternity. All love, all power, real power. Now that love there is not phileo (the Greek word puts it “love”), but ... fellowship love; but it's agapo, godly love. And He's the fountain of all of that.

And now when all that ... He anointed prophets, sexual-born men; but it wouldn't work. Now one time, then, God became man. And Jesus was that man, and He was the expressed image of the Father, see. In other words all this great purity of love, great purity of power, all this great thing was manifested in Him. Now therefore, He went down to the grave and died for us for our sanctification and justification, and then brings back the Holy Spirit, see, for us. Now therefore, we are the justified. Christ was the sanctification of God. We are the justification, Christ the sanctification, and the Father, head, see.

Just like the Word in the beginning was spoken to us in the garden of Eden, spoken word. And the second time it was made flesh and dwelt among us. And the third time it become part of us, and the Holy Ghost dwelling in us, God coming into the man. First spoke the word; the enemy tore it down. Then the Word was made flesh; He was crucified. But now (Amen), there's a difference in the Word. The Word is become the church, and the church is the Word—God. All that God was He poured into Christ. All Christ was poured into the church—the Holy Ghost. Now the enemy's got something. See, then he isn't fighting something back here.

Many people just taken the letter. “The letter killeth. The Spirit giveth life,” see. And they take these creeds and so forth, still killeth. But when you are taking the Spirit, that's God, Himself. How do you know it's God? Because He's taking the Word and manifesting it, see. Then it's God, Himself. Oh, my, spoken Word. Yes, sir. Oh, my!

I think of back in the days of Noah. Jesus compared it with today. “As it was in the days of Noah....” Genesis 6. I'll hit that scripture again right here. Did you notice, when the sons of God, which was the sons of Seth that come from Adam, and from Adam was God—son of God, son of Seth. Then the other side come from Cain, which was believing Satan's lie—sons of Satan.

Now when the Canaanite women—right at the end time before the destruction, they were very beautiful. Have you noticed the difference in the looks of women, some of you older men and women, for the last few years? I was reading the other day where Pearl White.... Many of you old timers remember one of the most beautiful women the nation had. And when Scott Jackson stabbed her to death, her silent lover, secret lover, rather.... And her picture, why, she wouldn't stand on the street with anything that looks pretty today. But you see, we're coming closer to the end. Women are disguising themselves in a dress that makes themself, see. That is Canaanite. I better stop right there and move over here now, see, 'cause I said I wouldn't hit them again.

All right, Satan has his intellectual giants. You remember they said there was giants in the land in them days. Giants. He still has them, intellectual giants. Oh, my, see. In them days when Noah spoke about, “There's coming a flood,” see, they didn't believe that, yet they were religious. But they ... it didn't stand up to their specification of science: how that it's going to rain down there, when there's no rain up there. Prove it by science, there's no rain up there.

Like that Russian fellow the other day in that orbit said he flew all around over there seventeen times around the world. He didn't see no God, no Holy Spirit, no angels. Poor ignorant man. Yes. That's the same thing as their science, it just.... They get so scientific they get dumb, see. Or excuse me, I oughtn't to've said that. I mean they just overlook the real things, you see. Now, all right.

But today Satan's got his intellectual giants. They can explain every bit of it away. Sure. “No such stuff. Aw, there's.... Divine healing? ah!—mental,” see. The spirit of the Lord to.... The Bible said, “The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword. [Hebrews, the 4th chapter.], ”Sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting to the marrow of the bone, and the ... and even a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.“ That's Spirit of God, when Jesus stood and perceived what they were thinking about—when He was the Word.

When Philip came to Him, and brought Nathanael with him, He said, “Behold an Israelite in who there's no guile.”

He said, “Rabbi, when did you ever see me?”

He said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree I saw you.”

What was that? That was the Word. The Word—sharper ... piercer. When the woman at the well come and said.... When He asked for a drink and she said, “Why, it's not customary. There's segregation here. We ... you are Jews and we're Samaritans.”

But He said, “If you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask me for a drink.”

And the conversation went on till he found ... that Word begin to find its place. Said, “Go get your husband and come here.”

She said, “I don't have any husband.”

Said, “You said the truth. You've had five, and the one you're living with now is not yours.”

She said, “Sir, I perceive that thou art the anointed one—the Christ. I perceive that you are a prophet,” she said. “And we know when the anointed one comes [is going to be the Word], he'll tell us these things.”

He said, “I'm he that speaks with you.” See, see, there was the Word. Oh, that Word! My! Yes, sir. All right.

Now. See, the word don't have to be scientifically proved as long as it's the Word. If it can be scientifically proved, then chances are it isn't the Word. You say, “If it isn't scientifically proved, it isn't the truth.” Then if you got a mind.... You believe you got a mind? Then scientifically prove you got one. Do you love? How many loves? Well, wonder if I could buy some down at the drug store. I need a whole lot of it, see. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, such, meekness, gentleness, patience, and faith: those things are ... cannot be proved scientifically. And they're the only lasting things that we have. That's right. Not a thing lasting but that, see, and not scientifically proven. All right.

Now. But today.... In Noah's time they had those great giants, and today they got those great intellectual giants in the land, too. That's right. I hate to say this. If there's one here, I hope I don't hurt you. But it's Satan's spies again. What? Sure. Intellectual giants, come around to prove that all the shouting, and saying “Amen,” and going to the altar, and breaking up because of your sins—then, “Aw that's just emotion.” See, that's the scientific giant. That's the intellectual giant. “There's no such a thing.” Walk up dry-eyed, and oh, just say, “Well, I'll join this church. And, oh, my! ”Well, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.“ Satan does too—no sign that he's saved. It takes more than that. It takes a new birth. That's right, that's right. So it takes ... see, the Word. It takes a new birth. Not just saying that, it takes something that happens in here, and makes you different.

And how glad we are tonight we got it! How many's glad you got a new birth? Oh, I'm so happy. Let's take a little step. I say a lot of things ... just like any other man, you know, I get all mixed up and everything. But once in a while the Lord gives me something and I, well, I like it real good. And you know, reading.... Every time I read his Word I always ... that, because that's perfect. But sometimes He lets me say something, you know, it sounds real good to me. And He let me say something the other day, it just helped me so good. Oh, my! It sounds almost profound, if it's not irreligious to say it, or not right to say it.

I tell you what it was. I was thinking about our guarantee. How do we know.... There's so many different things, how do you know you're right?—so many religions in the world and things. Look. One time Israel was way down in Egypt, and as God's people, they'd been down there for hundreds of years. And they were slaves, drove around any way. And the enemy would come out, and basket full of old molded bread, and pitch it out. They had to eat it or die. And their young daughters was ravished. Nothing they could do about it. Nothing. Wanted to kill their sons, they just killed them, that's all. What a horrible thing it was.

So coming down out of the wilderness come a prophet, with a pillar of fire, they said, was following him. He was coming to bring them a message that “There's a land that God has for you.” And they listened to this prophet.

Out of the ... Egypt they went by the hand of God. They came to a place called Kadesh-barnea. Kadesh-barnea was a judgment seat, a great judgment seat, one time, in the world I'm told. And there they had one among them by ... a great warrior, by the name of Joshua. I believe it means “Jehovah-saviour,” or “Jehovah-saviour”—Joshua.

This great warrior, you know what he did? He wanted to show the children that that seat.... No one had ever been over there, they didn't really know that land was there. They just believed it. That's it. That's it. Just what ... this prophet brought them the Word of the Lord. 'Course the Word comes by the prophet, you see. So then they ... so they come.... And the Word of the Lord came to this prophet, and he brought it to them and said, “There's a land flowing with milk and honey where you can have your own farm, raise your children and feed them, and live in peace.”

So when Joshua got close there at the judgment, great Kadesh-barnea.... And we all know the story. That's where Israel had her judgment, too. So then Joshua crossed over Jordan, went over into the promised land, and come back with the evidence that the land was real. He had grapes. He had grapes that they could taste, that the land was real. You could reach and taste the grapes. Why, they was so big that two men packed a bunch of them on their shoulder. “Oh,” he said, “the land is real.”

So the people crossed over. They made their homes, they had their own nation, they lived in peace. God's hand was upon them and blessed them, and give them mighty men, and to think.... but after awhile ... when they'd get old, they'd finally come down and die. And they'd die. And the first thing you know, the hillsides begin to be covered with graves, tombs, of the righteous men, the prophets, and the sages and kings, and righteous men.

So then another great warrior came down. Oh, he was king of all of them, called [the Frenchman call, him Jesu] Jesus, the warrior. Jehovah! And He came down and He loved them. But He said, “You know, you have to get old to die. But there is life after death [life after death]. For in my Father's house is many mansions: if it wasn't so, I would have told you.” See, what's He doing? Telling us old people that there is a land ... after we get through here, there is another land. Not only was the pillar of fire following, He was the pillar of fire. He was the angel of the covenant.

So here He was. And He said, “After man is finished here and you've lived your time out.... This is seed time, but there is a land beyond this that a man lives.” He came to his Kadesh-barnea. It's called Calvary. There not only was He judged, but He was judged for you and I. He took the sins of Adam. And there He stood the judgment, crossed over the river of Jordan of death. But on the third day He come back. What was He? Bringing the evidence! Like Joshua, He brought the evidence that the land's real! A man lives after death! Hallelujah! Man lives after he dies!

Job said in Job 14: “If a man dies, can he live again? Or shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes. I know my redeemer liveth,” Being a prophet hundreds of years before.... When Elihu talked to him and the Spirit of God came up on this prophet, broke out in boils, and in a terrible shape.... He'd lost everything he had but his life.

And he was sitting there, and the Spirit come upon him. He looked down through the stream of time for four thousand years, and he saw the coming of the Lord. He said, “I know my redeemer liveth, and at the last days he'll stand on the earth. Though the skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: who I'll see for myself, ... mine eyes shall behold, and not another.”

Here He was—crossed over Jordan after He stood the judgment for the world. And crossed over Jordan, and He come back! Some of them said, “It's a spirit.” “Just handle me. Does a spirit have bones and flesh like I got?” “And by the way,” He says, “have you got something to eat?”

“Yes.” And they give Him fish and bread. And He eat it!

He said, “Now, spirit don't eat like this!” Amen!

But He said, “Children, you go out here and be baptized in my name now. And I want you to confess your sins. And you go and you wait up there at the city of Jerusalem, and I'm going to give you the earnest of that. I'm going to give you the earnest of your salvation.” You know what the earnest is. It's the down payment. It's some of ... it's just a little bit of the real. “Now I'll give you the earnest of it.” And then they waited until the day that it came, and they received the earnest of their salvation.

Now, think of it friends. There's no more.... We're on our road. Where? To a promised land. Journey—with what? The evidence. Our Joshua has come back. Glory. And we have the evidence! For once we were in sin and trespasses, but we died to the things of the world. And we're buried in Him and raised with Him in his resurrection. And now we're up above those things, passed from death unto life! We're living in it, the evidence. How do you know He lives? Well, I'm living above that, already raised up from that, done tasted the first fruits of the resurrection. That's it. That's what I'm talking about.

Now. Yes, sir. The spies come in, these intellectual spies to spy out. And they find where something starts here, and they turn these guns in on it and make all their women go to dressing evil; make all the men start hating and lying. Oh, he'll just pour it on them, you see, 'cause they're real giants. But you know, that's too much for the poor, humble, children of God. Yes, that's right.

You know, these people creep in, leading them away. You know Jude said, over in the book of Jude, he said, “They creep in [slip in]. Men of old times was foreordained to this condemnation.” You don't believe it, what about that? Yeah. “...foreordained to this condemnation.” What? Come in—these intellectual giants coming in, creeping in, “turning the grace of God into lasciviousness,” you see—turning away the faith of the people. Oh, my. What do they do?

What do they do when they come in? They try to cause you.... They're Satan's spies, telling you that “The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing as the Holy Spirit.” Oh, they come too late for that. We know better. Yes. Bless your little heart, we know better. Yes, sir.

Well, what did they do? They're trying to cause you, just like Satan did, to lose your faith in the Word. They're trying to say, “The days of miracles is past. That's just mental work-up. There's nothing to it, and all these things here.”—trying to explain all the glory away, all the good away. “Oh, there's no such a thing as divine healing. Oh, God don't mean....”

Listen brother, I'll show you, and you can show me, where God promised it to the church. And now, what I'm wanting you to do, is show me where He took it away from it. Now, He don't do that, no. If anything else, He'll just add a little more to it, see. He don't take it away; He just puts more to it like He did his Word. He said his Word; that's it.

If the Old Testament, the old covenant, the old atonement had healing in it, how much is this better one? Sure. Got more than healing. Got healing soul, body, mind, spirit, everything. It's got eternal life in it, sure it has, because it's the life of God made manifest in his Word by believing it.

Now they creep in. All right. And they try to spoil your faith. They just try to take it away, see.

By their polished seminary reasonings, you know, they come in and reason out, “Now looky here, isn't it reason now...? Could you just imagine in the days of Jesus they'd do the same thing? They'd come and say, ”Now, isn't it reasonable...?“

I can imagine.... I've always tried to dramatize, thinking of Philip when he come with Nathanael, and Nathanael said, “Now let's reason, Philip. Now you know the Messiah would come, he'd come right down the corridors of heaven. And you know what he would do? He would walk right down upon the temple yard where Moses dedicated. [That was Moses' time. That's right.] And he'd be up there and Caiaphas the high priest would know all about it.” See, that's only reasoning.

But how did He come? Not walking down the corridors of heaven; but up the muddy bank of the Jordan. Not to Caiaphas; but a fuzzy-looking preacher come out there, piece of sheepskin wrapped him, just a-blasting out them organizations of that day, tearing them to pieces, saying, “You generation of snakes in the grass. Who warned you to flee from the wrath of God?” What a difference. But just exactly the way He said He would come. But they just over-read it. Their intellectual giants had been reading to them, you see. You must just let God read it to you. The Holy Spirit wrote the Word, so the Holy Spirit interprets the Word.

Now, all right. They tried in their days to tempt Noah not to believe the Word of God. I can see Noah going into that ark, you know. He preached, he said, “There's coming a rain, that's all there is to it. It's coming down.”

Giants said, “Oh, my! Pay no attention to that old fogey. Why, he's off at his mind,” see. But he went ahead, and in 120 years built this ark.

Now I can just imagine seeing.... After God said, “All right, Noah. I've heard the last giant I'm going to have. Go on up in the ark.” And Noah looked going in there, and there went the lion, the leopards, two by two.

And I can hear all the people say, “Go on up there, you holy roller, with your stinking animals,” you see. “Go on up there with all those old stinking beasts, if you want to.”

But you know, he didn't stay with the stinking beasts. He just kept on climbing till he got up to the top. Then God shut the door.

And then you know what? Noah had a trial of his faith. Yes, he did, see, 'cause you know he went in there the 17th of February. But you know what? It didn't rain for seven days. The first day passed. I imagine some of the borderline believers come up and said, “Well, you know, the old man could have been right. You know, it might be there might be something up there we can't even find. Maybe science didn't look high enough. So we'll go up and stand around, just hang around the meeting awhile—see what takes place.”

Oh, my. It hasn't changed. They just want to find one mistake. It sure looked like they had it, 'cause the first day they come, said, “Well, we'll get up there. If it is, we'll call Papa Noah, and tell him to come on down—let a ladder down and pick us up.” So all of them come around, The borderline believers. The rest of them went on jawing and laughing. Those others kind of hung around, listened to Noah once in a while, said, “Might be so, so we'll stand around. Even if the door is closed, we can go in. Noah's goodhearted. He'll let us in.” But you know, God closed the door. Noah had nothing to do with it.

And then the first thing you know, the first thing Noah said, “All of you all get ready now. All you children get ready now. You're going to hear a clap of something, and it's going to be something you know nothing about. Never heard such a noise. Going to be worse than the blast. And it's going to come out of the skies, and great darkness, I saw it in a vision. And water's going to pour out there like fountains.”

First day the sun come up, they said, “Hey.” Ten o'clock, twelve o'clock, three o'clock, five o'clock—no rain. Noah thought, “Wait a minute.”

All of them said, “Aw, wasn't nothing to it. Well, let's try another day.”

Second day. “It'll be here in the morning. It's a little late, that's all. It'll be here.”

And the next morning, nine o'clock, ten o'clock, eleven o'clock—no rain. Five days passed. Six days passed. He had to sweat it out. That's right.

We have to sweat it out, too. But if God said anything, stay with it. It's “By his stripes we are healed!” And we take his Word. Sweat it out! God promised the Holy Ghost. Be like old Buddy Robinson, said, “Lord, if You don't give me the Holy Ghost, when You come back you'll find a pile of bones laying right here.” That's it. Sweat it out. Stay there. “God said so.” Abraham sweated it out for twenty-five years for that baby. But it got there. What difference? Just so it arrives. That's all that's necessary. He promised it, so stay with it.

And after seven days, then that morning he got up, he said, “Oh, oh, there it is.” Oh, what a feeling. My, could you imagine! He knowed that the promise was close. Why? He could feel.... That morning before anything taken place, he could hear it way in the distance, a roar ... that window open in the top, maybe twenty foot across or whatever it was, that big window up there. You know, that hot parched ground and that hot sun, that.... You know when you get a real dry spell for a long time, then in the distance you can feel that cool wind coming in from that rain? He knowed it was coming!

That's what's the matter with the world today. You know the people look around, say, “Oh, the atomic bomb. We're going to build a fall-out shelter, we're going to do this....” Nonsense. Nonsense. What you so scared about?

Noah said, “I ... it just feels like what He told me.” That's the same now. It feels just like what He told me. Yes, He changed me. And I believe that the coming of the Lord is so close we can just feel the breeze off of it. That's what's scaring the people and making the church get ready for the rapture to be caught up. Sure, we're at the end time, sure.

So the first thing you know, the rains began to fall and the floods began to rise. The streets got full of water, day after day after day. And finally it went twenty feet over the highest mountain and they perished in the water, all the unbelievers. But Noah floated right through it. Amen. Yes. All....

Believe God's Word. No matter how unscientific it is, believe it; 'cause if it can be proved, then it can no more be faith. You've got to believe it when it can't be proved. You got to believe it. 'Cause you to lose faith in the Word, in God's Word, but they want to take their intellectual part and do it. All right. They say, “This is it.”

We ... the Bible says that we don't wrestle with toe holds, flesh and blood; but we wrestle against spiritual powers. Now if you'd only realize it, as I said awhile ago, we are risen with Him now. You're not going to die. You're already dead, see. But our Spirit is alive in Him. So we're not wrestling against natural, scientific things; we're wrestling against spiritual power.

You know, wrestlers—they practice on breaking toe holds and things. But you don't break these toe holds. No. Could you imagine a wrestler come out now. My, with his fingernails polished, trunks on with all kinds of gold beads around it. Look like a pretty good wrestler, but that's only intellectual. If he hasn't got a hidden strength there, that when the enemy gets a toe hold on him that he can pull him out of it (Hallelujah), his intellectual beads around him, and everything don't make much difference. All that intellectual means nothing if there isn't a hidden power of the Holy Spirit there (Hallelujah), to break the hold of the devil!

But we're in a wrestling match. We're wrestling not with fine-dressed intellectual psychology, but we're wrestling with the power and the promise of God which can break any hold on any devil at any time. Jesus, our Lord, proved it when He was Emmanuel, God Himself made flesh among us. And when He met Satan, to show that Satan could be defeated by the Word, every time Satan would come to Him He said, “It's written! It's written!” Oh, how I'd like to take time here on some note I got wrote here, on the things that He said—how many times that He broke Satan's power with “It's written!” (oh, my!), showing that that fortified person behind the Word of God can scream out, “It's written, turn him loose. Turn loose, Satan, for it is written,” if you're staying behind the Word. “If ye abide in me, and my words in you, ask what you will.” It can't be wrong; it's got to be right.

Yes, we need that hidden strength like Samson had. I've seen the intellectual picture of Samson somebody drawed. He had shoulders ... honest, I don't believe the man could've stood on the platform. I never seen such shoulders. That'd be no mystery, how he could pick up a lion and tear him apart; or pick up the gates and walk up on the hill with it, or something like that. It'd be no mystery, a man that size.

But he was a little bitty, curly-headed shrimp, about like that. Mama's little boy, little curls hanging down. But what the thing was, they couldn't understand where that ... how he could take the jaw bone of a mule and ... upon them helmets about an inch and a half thick.... And that old jaw bone would've broke with the first lick, that old powdered, dry jaw bone. But he just knocked those Philistines right and left with it. What was it? It was a hidden power. Didn't know where it was at, see.

That's what the church today ... it's got a hidden power (oh, my), something that fortifies them. What is it? It's the Word, the manifestation of God's grace with his people. Yes, sir. Yes, if you don't have the hidden power.... Today we study in schools. We send our children to Bible school. That's all right, nothing against it, not a thing. But that's not what counts.

You know, Peter that night, oh, how he had.... When the high priest come up (his servant), he pulled out his sword. He could duel. He pulled out his sword and chopped his ear off. Yeah, he had a lot of strength in his arms; but when he come to spiritual courage, he didn't have it. He denied the Lord's Word—because Christ was God's Word made manifest. So he denied it!

Oh, how I'd like to linger on that a few minutes! How that that Word.... He said, “If I do not the works of my Father, then don't believe me. But if I do the works of my Father, then believe the works.” He said, “You hypocrites, you can see the signs in the sky (about, you know, rain coming and so forth), but said, ”The signs of the time you can't discern. For you ... if you'd have knowed me, you'd have knowed my day.“ You find it?

And Peter seen all that, heard all that. And with an arm that could cut off that priest's servant.... He must have been a real swordsman because he was a servant to the priest, and he was a guard. He came out there, could use his spear. But Satan was so ... or Peter was so much better with the spear, or with his sword than he was with a spear, he chopped his ear off.

But when it come to real down-inside-of-him courage, he didn't have it. No, he didn't have it. When he had seen that Word.... Now I'm going to get religious. When he had seen that Word made manifest, and knowed that that was the day for it to be there, and seen it proved exactly what God said it would do, and then with all of his intellectual strength, with all of his physical being....

That's the way it is today. Men who just walk up and put their name on a book, those who shake hands with a minister.... And when it comes to standing in the office and the boss passes a drink, they'll take it! They're afraid of their job.

It comes to paying your tithes into your church, you're afraid to do it because you're afraid you'll starve to death, even though, God's made the promise that He'd take care of you. All these things!

And when you come to the church, and the Holy Spirit falls amongst the people, and something in your heart tells you, “This is it! That's the Word.”—when you see the baptism and everything else brought out in the Word, you're afraid to take it. What's the matter? You're lacking courage, spiritual courage to stand up.

So he didn't have it. He could duel. He could say, “I belong to So-and-so, I give you to understand.” But that wasn't what it was. But when he seen the Word manifested, and then denied it, oh, what a horrible thing that was.

But, brother, after Pentecost he went up and put on the whole armor of God. He sure had courage then! Look at that same guy: a believer on Christ, followed Him hour by hour; but he'd only had seen the Word by letter, he'd only seen it manifested. But now it was in him! Glory! Hallelujah! The Word of ... God's fiery Word was burning in his own flesh! What was it? God in him. Amen. God—Christ, the hope of glory—made manifest in a man! God knew what he was doing. Yes, sir! It was no more trust to this or that or the other; it was God Himself. Amen!

Then he stood up there and he said, “Ye men of Israel, ye that dwell in Judea, hear my voice: These are not drunk as you suppose. This is that which was spoke of by the prophet Joel; it will come to pass in the last days, saith God, I'll pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters.... Upon my handmaids and maidservants will I pour out my Spirit.” The only direction about that, he had something!

What was it? He had the whole armor of God on. Not so much as the high priest's dress; but he had something inside of him! The armor of God comes inside—the spiritual hidden power of God that the intellectual eye doesn't see at all.

Jesus never did say, “Did you see it?” He said, “Did you believe it?” Oh, my!

I've often made a little rude mistake. Maybe ... I didn't mean to do it, but maybe I said it wrong. But I always said.... Peter said then, “This is that.” And if this isn't that, I want to keep this till that comes. I believe this is that, though, 'cause it took a little sinner like me and done something to me. It put a love in my heart that's burning. Oh, my! It's been ... and it's been burning for thirty years and it's still burning, getting brighter all the time as I go towards that place. Yes, sir. Oh, my, his Word.

Peter standing there denied Him, but just a few days later stood before the whole multitude. Why? Then he had the intellectual side, the sword. “We had a million more last year, we had so many in our organizations.” But now he's got something inside. Oh, my. Got the whole armor on. Oh, my. How wonderful. Oh, yes. All right.

Oh, God makes Himself present in his army then. Do you believe that? Now God said, “I sent them the Word. Eve just walked over the top of it, disbelieved it. I made it manifest, and they crucified it. I'm just getting tired. I'm coming myself.” So here He come —God in you. God above us—the pillar of fire; God with us—in Jesus Christ; God in us—the Holy Spirit. What is it? The same Word, the same God! Amen.

No more trusting in anything else, God come Himself. This was a man-sized job, so He just brought it on down and come down Himself. They didn't have to do nothing about it. He said, “Surrender to me and I'll walk in them, talk in them, speak in them, work in them.” Oh, my. That's it. “I'll do the work. Just let them humble themselves. Let them just empty up. I'll just beat my enemy out there through them.” That's it. You can't do it in yourself now; you're not a match for him. But if you'll just let God do it, get the Word in you, then it'll all be taken care of.

Now God fortified his army. What with? Himself, in the form of prophets, apostles, teachers, pastors. What did He do? What was God doing? Listen, did you ever think what that offices of the church is? It's God's dress, inside dress—an apostle, a prophet, a seer. Foresee, before Satan ever gets to it, done told it. What is it? God dressed up in his church. These offices is God's dress-wear. When you see those offices—pastors, teachers, evangelists—what is that? That's God's dress-wear, God's presence, God's Spirit in a ... working through man.

And if that office denies any of this Word, then it's not God-dressing. No, not that. It's that wolf in sheep's clothing. Watch that fellow. Beware of him. But when he just takes what the Word says, remember, that's God, 'cause He's speaking his Word, see. But if He says, “Well, it isn't....” Oh, oh, oh, my. Get going, sheep. Get going.

What did He do that for? Now the world wouldn't believe that man rose again. They didn't believe it in the first place. They said, “Well, why, they stole him away. His disciples come stole him away.” Yes. They didn't believe it. They seen that.

God said, “Now wait a minute, I'm going to come and be in it myself. I'm going to meet my enemy in my church. I'm going to beat him on his own grounds.”

He did that once. Yeah. You know what He did? He took Moses and set him right under the enemy's nose. Let the enemy feed him and raise him up right, like that. Went down, defeated the enemy and sunk him in the bottom of the Red Sea. That's right. Sure it is. Then to think, “Oh, infinite God!” What we got to worry about? He's God. Just go ahead and believe Him. Sure.

Now. He said He would ... what He would do? He would come and vindicate Himself in his church, and they would vindicate his resurrection by his works. See? Yeah, John 14:12. I think that's right. Yes, John 14:12. Jesus said, “He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

See, what is it? Now you say, “I believe.” That's just a word. But if you truly believe, that's this! If He is the Word then you got to believe all the Word. “He that believeth all of me [just don't believe part of it, believe all of me], then the works that I do shall he do also,” for He is still the same Word. So if it's the same Word, it would do the same works.

If this Holy Spirit that's here today, if it isn't the same Word that it was in the beginning.... If it is, it'll do the same works. That's the reason Jesus said, “He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also.” Oh, I'd like to stay on that a little while, but getting too late. Why? The same Word, same works, see, 'cause Jesus was God's works, we know that.

Matthew 28 said, “I'll be with my army. Not only that, but I'm going in my army.” Oh, my. Think of it! Our great warrior, great triumph, Word-general in us. The Word who was made flesh and triumphed over every devil, every sickness, even death, hell, and the grave—that same general is in us, with us. How long? “Till the end of the world,” right on down. Think of it—the one that's leading the battle.

Every power of the enemy's defeated! When He was here on earth, He took the Word and triumphed over everything Satan had. He triumphed over death. He triumphed over hell. He triumphed over the grave. He rose up on the third day, and He's come back and now is living in his church—this great Word warrior!—the warrior that was the Word. And that same warrior that is the Word is in us, living Himself, punctuating every sign of his resurrection and his coming. Amen! He's doing it today, in this evening time, when the great evening lights are beginning to shine. Hallelujah! Great warrior—Christ—already triumphed. Ain't a thing for me to do—just follow. Amen. Every power defeated. (Dodging a lot of scriptures here.) I like that.

I think of that.... One time here a few years ago, down in Jeffersonville, the Pfau Oil Company caught afire. And we got a bunch of little fire engines down there, and they come around looking like a kid with a hose out in the yard. The fire chief was running around there, you know, saying, “Uh, sprinkle a little bit up here,” chewing on that cigar like a dehorned Texas steer. Going here, “Sprinkle a little bit over here.” One little fireman'd run around pull the hose, “Yes, sir, your Honor, sir,”—fire burning right on, burning right on down.

After awhile they called Louisville. Across the bridge came the big fire engine. No more than they stopped, they had a folding ladder. Who was standing... ? Before the ladder started, the chief was on the front. When the ladder went up, the chief was at the top. When he got to the window he didn't stand there, “Squirt a little water here, squirt a little water there.” What did he do? He took the axe and throwed it through the window and said, “Come on, boys!” Glory! That's what our chief done. Hallelujah!—led the way to death, hell, and the grave, and said, “Come on, boys!” Not some kind of a creed. Oh, come on—He leads the way. Hallelujah! In a few minutes the fire was out.

Let Him break the windows and walls of your creeds down, and come in one time. All the superstitions and devils will fly away! Glory! Things will change. We need no great intellectual giants; we just follow the chief. Chief come right down, and took the Word of God and broke right through it, said, “Here you are!”

You know, I'm told that a jet plane ... after it goes so fast it gets to the sound barrier. And then it just has to quiver and shake until it gets through that sound barrier. And after it gets through there, she just runs free. Well, that's the way it is with the church. You just die out to everything, till you get through this sin barrier. That's the unbelief. Get through that, and everything will run fine!

When you take God at his Word you can shake every devil away from you and run free, everything. Amen! Put on your full armor. Yes, sir.

The chief is leading, leading us home. Amen. Come on home! “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it wasn't so, I'd have told you.” “I'll not leave you comfortless: I'll come again and be with you, even in you till the end of the world. The works that I do shall you do also. A little while and the world shall see me no more; but ye shall see me: for I'll be with you even in you to the end of the world.” Chief, leading on. Amen.

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness. All I have to do is follow. Amen. Hear the tramp, tramp, tramping of the army, marching on into victory, not paying any attention to all this unbelief and old crows and buzzards hollering around here. We're eagles. Let's soar out of everything.

Here some time ago, in the army.... When the nation first provided a helmet (oh, my!), that little rookie didn't want to wear that—it seemed unnecessary. But when he got in battle he needed it. God don't provide anything 'less He has need of it. Everything that He provides for you, you better take it 'cause you're going to have need of it.

A little rookie with a ninety pound pack on his back in a training.... He's got his new suit on, you know, and he don't see any necessary packing that ninety-pound pack with all these picks, and shovels, and hand grenades, and everything else. But let him get in battle once. Time will come when you must have it. That's right.

That's why the all-wise God equipped his army with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He knowed these intellectual giants would stand in these last days. Hallelujah! He knowed they'd stand, and they'd be able to explain by their great wisdom, powers of Satan. Peter said, “They're like a roaring lion, devouring what he will.” Yes!

But He said, “I'm not going to leave you comfortless. I'm coming again. I'm going to be with you.” He equipped his army with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Said, “Go up there, every one of you and wait. [Luke 24:49] Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ... until you're endued with power from on high. After this, the Holy Ghost is come upon you, then you shall be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea [Acts 1:8], plumb on down to the utmost parts of the world.”

When the Holy Ghost fell and the fire began to fall upon them they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And out into the streets they all run together. They said, “What meaneth all of this here? Why do we hear every man in our own language wherein we were born?”—went ahead and called the different languages they were speaking.

And others mocked said, “These are full of new wine.”

But Peter stood up in the midst of them and said, “You men of Jerusalem, and you that dwell in Judea, let this be known unto you, and hearken unto my words: These are not drunk like you suppose it is. Why, it's only the third hour of the....” Nine o'clock in the morning, saloons ain't even open yet, see. “This is it.” Yes, sir. “This is not that, but this is that which is spoke of by the prophet Joel,” coming back to that Word. And he hewed it, and he cut it from side to side. Amen!

And them elders was pricked to their heart, and said, “Men and brethren, what can we do?”

He said, “Repent, every one of you, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission for your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Yes, sir. There's the pattern, what He said do. Follow it once and see if it's right. Amen! Yes, sir. I like that, 'cause it's a promise.

In the Old Testament when the manna fell.... The first manna that fell, God told them to go out there and get an omer full of that—omers full—and put it in the holiest of holies. If you tried to keep it over, it got little termites, wiggle-tails in it. You know what little wiggle-tails ... we call them down south there. They get in the cistern and everything, you know, and ... little ... little bugs.

That's what's the matter with too many people's experience. Got some bugs in it, see, trying to keep it over—what they had two years ago. My, let's get it right now again, see.

That manna fell every night, and that manna was Christ. See, you can't keep yesterday's experience. Got to have one right now, see. That's right, today. But there was some of it kept back in the holiest of holies, which stayed. And He said, “All the generations that follow after you, when they become a priest in the priesthood they can take a bite of the original manna that fell at the first,” see.

Look, now Peter said the same thing. They said ... he said, “This is that, this is it.” He said, “Now, repent all of you, and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you [now we're royal priests], and to your children, and to them that's afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

Every one ... will come through this formula, come up and really repent, and be baptized, look up to God. He'll give you not a mouthful, but a heartful. Not a something, not some emotion or some psychology, but the real Holy Ghost, the original that fell on the day of Pentecost, just the same thing. Yes, if you follow the prescription—just like giving medicine.

So many doctors today.... What if you took a druggist and didn't fill out the prescription the way the doctor wrote it. You know what'd happen? It'd kill you. That's what's the matter. You got so many dead church members. Glory! Brother, don't tamper with it. That's what the doctor wrote. Just take it the way it is! That's all. Got too many quack druggists. Yes, sir.

He knowed what his army needed. That's the reason He equipped it with the Holy Ghost. They knew they'd have to ... He'd have to have them, they'd have to have Him. Yes, sir. He knew if they'd be an effective witness, they ... to witness his resurrection they would have to have the Holy Ghost.

Now He said, Mark 16, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel. [In other words, demonstrate the power.] And these signs shall follow them that accept the gospel,” see. Not just say intellectual words—no, no. They couldn't do that with intellectual words. That Word has to be made flesh, manifested, see. “These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly things, lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Demonstrate the power of the Holy Ghost, the Word made manifest. “These things I'm telling you will come to pass [that's quickening Word], come to pass.” You have the power of the Holy Spirit in you. It's not you; it's the Holy Spirit doing it, see.

Now to be an effective witness of God you have to have the Holy Ghost, because without the Holy Ghost you can't make that live. And you know what you'll do? You'll take some intellectual giant's idea about it, and bypass it and say, “That was just for the apostles.”

Oh, there are people almost everywhere,

Whose hearts are all aflame

With the fire that fell on Pentecost,

That cleansed and made them clean;

Oh, it's burning now within my heart,

All glory to his name!

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them!

(Aren't you glad of that?)

Though these people may not learned be,

Or boast of worldly fame,

They have all received their Pentecost,

Baptized in Jesus' name;

And are telling now both far and wide,

His power is just the same,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Oh, I'm glad of that. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You'd have to have the Holy Ghost to manifest these evening lights. That's right. To make Mark ... Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, real. That's right. Put on the whole armor of God. Don't use it for a dress, or just to parade up and down. But what is it? Put on the whole armor of God, and ... so that when you got the armor of God on, you can take the sword of God with faith and cut your way through to any promise that God made you.

If sickness stands in your way, cut it out of the way—God's promise. If sin stands in your way, cut it out of the way. That's right. The whole armor! If the devil shoots a dart at you, knock it off and keep on cutting. That's right. “Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.” Hallelujah!

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them:

(Hallelujah!)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them;

Aren't you glad of that?

They were gathered in the upper room,

All praying in his name,

They were baptized with the Holy Ghost,

And power for service came;

Now what He did for them that day

He'll do for you the same,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them;

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

In Memphis one day.... You've heard me tell it, I guess. I just thought of it. I was coming ... singing that little song. The airplane had stopped. A storm come up the night before. And I was coming from over at Dallas, Texas, and stopped at Memphis. Storm brought it down. They put me up in the big hotel. Told me next morning they'd call me at seven o'clock. And I was going to mail some mail real early, about five o'clock. I didn't sleep too much. And on the road down the Holy Spirit said, “Turn and go back the other way.”

I walked a little farther, and there was some reels and guns and things sitting in a shop, a big old Irish cop standing there. I walked over to ... this reels, and looking up and down, and I thought, “He's quit looking at me.” I said, “Lord, was that You?” Don't you believe sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.

Said, “Turn and go back the other way.” I just started and went back. And I went across, went way down in south Memphis there, got amongst where the colored people live.

And I was going along there, thought, “My,” looked at my watch, “It's time for the plane to leave.”

Something just kept saying, “Go on, on.” The sun was up big, you know.

I was going along there, and directly I looked, and hanging out over a little gate.... And there stood a typical colored sister, looked like one of these Aunt Jemimas. Her big fat cheeks hanging there, tears was running down her cheeks. she said, “Good morning, parson.”

I said, “Good morning.” I said, “Auntie, how did you know I was a parson?” Now, down in the south that's what a minister's called. I said, “How'd you know I was a parson?”

She said, “Aw, I knew you was.” Said, “But there's one thing I just missed.” Said, “You was supposed to have on a little gray suit, and a little hat put on the side of your head,” said, “but where's that brief case you had?” I'd just set it down.

I said, “I left in the hotel.”

She said, “I knowed you was coming.”

I said, “My name's Branham. Did you know?”

Said, “No, sir. Parson Branham, I don't know you.” She said, “Did you ever hear in the Bible about that Shunammite woman?”

I said, “Yes.”

Said, “You know, she had a baby. She was too old to have a baby, and yet she had one.” And said that “Elisha, that prophet, went and told her about that baby 'cause she was kind to this prophet.”

I said, “Yes, I know the story very well, Auntie.”

She said, “Well, I was that kind of woman.” And she said, “I prayed to the Lord, me and my husband, to give us a child. I said I'd raise him like she did.” And said, “He gave us a fine boy.” And said, “But my boy took the wrong road.” Said, “He got out amongst sinners, and so forth, and went the way of the sin.” And said, “He's laying in there dying. He's caught a venereal disease.” And said, “He's in there dying.” And said, “We didn't know it, we Christians here.” And said, “It went so long till it turned into syphilitic.” And said, “He's dying.”

And said, “The doctor come and said that they couldn't do nothing for him. His blood was 4-plus, and they'd give him silver 606, and mercury, and everything, but it didn't do no good. And it was too far advanced. Done eat holes in his heart.” And said. “He's dying.” And she said, “I just couldn't, Parson, stand to see my baby die.”

Said, “His father went on to work this morning.” And said, “All night long I was up and I prayed. I said, 'Lord God,' said, 'You're the same God was back in the days of Elisha.' And said, 'Now I was the kind of a woman she was, and You give me my baby here.' And said, 'He's took the wrong road, Lord. But I've washed over boards and tried to serve You, and went to your church, and listened to your parsons.' And said, 'I tried and done everything I was told to do.' ” She said, “ 'I don't want to see my baby die like that.' ” She said, 'If....?'

“And I said, 'Lord, what can I do?' ”

And said, “I fell asleep, and I dreamed I seen you coming down the street. And when I woke up He said, 'Go out there and stand by the gate.' ”

And her back was still wet. She had a man's shirt tied around her head. And I looked down there, I looked at her. I thought, “My!”

She said, “Won't you come in?”

Oh, my. I opened that old gate back, a little old plow point hanging there for a gate weight. You know what they are. And then went on the inside. I been in kings' palaces, you know, but never was I any more welcome then I was in that little colored house that morning—little old floor, and that little old iron bedstead there, poor. But laying on the bed was a great big, fine-looking boy. Looked to be about 190 pounds—just strong, husky. And he had the sheet in his hand, or the little thing over him, going, “Uh, uh, uh.”

I said, “Good morning, sir.”

“Oh,” she said, “Parson, he hasn't knowed nothing for three or four days.” Said, “He thinks that he's out in the ocean or some big place.” Said, “He talked about it being dark. And he's in a boat, and he can't find his way back.” And said, “That's what breaks my heart.” Said, “If I could just hear him say he was saved.”

I said, “Auntie, I pray for the sick.”

She wasn't interested in that. She wanted to see that boy saved. That's what she wanted to see, that boy saved. She knew she would see him again on the other side then. She said, “Now he's took the wrong road. Won't you pray for him?”

I said, “Well, let's pray.” I said, “Well, let's pray.”

So we got down, and I said, “Auntie, you pray first.” Oh, my! When that dear old saint went to praying, you.... It wasn't something new with her. She talked to Him like she'd talked to Him before. Yes, she did. I just felt chills run all over me like that. I thought, “O God, how did You ever lead me down here like this?” I thought, “O God, You're so wonderful.”

I'd watch her ... and I raised up, and watched her. And she'd ... tears run down. She said, “Lord, here I am.” Said, “I prayed, and You give me a dream,” and said, “this parson was coming. And I waited right there.” I believe God works on both ends of the line. [Unclear words.] Said, “I waited right here till he come.” And said, “Now here he is.” Said, “Lord, if I could just hear my baby say 'I'm saved,' ” said, “it'd be all right.” And she prayed, and then she stopped praying, said “Amen.” She said, “Would you pray, Parson?”

I said, “Yes ma'am, sister.” I put my hands over on his feet, cold.

She raised over and wiped the tears off her cheeks, like that. She kissed him on the cheek. No matter if he was a disgrace, she said, “Mama's baby.”

Now see, that.... No matter what he was, it's still her baby, see. No matter. See, that's it. You think of a mother's love. Now, but God said, “A mother might forget her baby, but I can't forget you,” see. “Your name's engraved on the palms of my hands.” He loves you, don't worry. If you're taking his Word, just keep on.

She knelt back down. And I put my hands on his feet. He kept saying, “Uh, uh, it's dark in here. Uh, uh, dark in here. Oh, Mama.”

I said, “Can't you talk to him?”

Said, “No, he don't know where he's at.” Said, “He's just been going like that for days.”

And I said, “Heavenly Father, I don't understand why that plane come down. Now I'm too late. I won't catch it. And here You had me come down this way. And this sister standing out here, this little humble house. I come here just to ... I don't know why I'm here, Lord. I just kept on following....”

He said, “Oh, Mama. Oh, Mama.”

And I said, I listened a little bit, she said, “Yes, Honey.”

Said, “Mama, it's getting light in the room.”

A little while ... about a year after that I was going to Phoenix. I come on a train. You know how sandwiches are on train—they're so high, and little bitty things. So we pulled into Memphis, and I jumped off, get me a sack full of hamburgers to last me till I got about to Phoenix. And so ... we'd be that day and that night. And I could get them there for about fifteen cents apiece, you know. And I go get me a sack full of hamburgers.... And I went to get me ... run down like that. And I heard somebody or another, “Hello there, Parson Branham.”

I looked right over, a little redcap standing over there. I said, “Hello, there. How are you, brother?” Kept on.

He said, “Wait a minute!” Said, “Don't you know me?”

And I said, “No, I don't believe I do, brother.”

He said, “You 'member one time,” said, “you come down to my house,” and said, “my mama was standing out at that gate waiting down there for you to come?”

I said, “You're not that boy?”

Said, “Yes, I am.” He said, “I got ... I's healed.” Said, “The doctor done said I's well.” And said, “not only that, but I'm saved now.”

Oh, listen, friends. God works on both ends of the line. That same God who could say to that woman, that Shunammite, the same God who could speak and say to that woman at the well, “Go get your husband,” that same woman ... could touch his garment to turn Him around in that midst of that people.... He's God.

Let me show you something. I have ... I've noticed some colored people back there in the back, I believe, and two, three brethren sitting here. I don't say this now, see.... But look, any grace of God (not to the potentates and monarchs), but to a poor, illiterate colored woman living in a little hut down there, the grace of God that could hold that plane down there....

And listen, after I left that house I went out and caught a cab to go back. I was about two and a half hours late. And I said, “Drive me on over to the cab station.” I was going to ... not cab station, but airport. I said, “I've got to catch a plane when I can.” Now it was back there right after the war and you couldn't hardly get a plane. When I walked in, got inside, said, “Last call, Louisville, Kentucky.”

What was it? God, for the faith of that woman that maybe didn't know her ABC's.... Yet she knowed her ABC's: always believe Christ, see. For that woman—poor, illiterate woman—hardly knowed where the next meal was coming from. But her sincerity to the God that she loved could ground that plane, and hold that plane until the prayer of faith was prayed over her boy; and could take a man and move him so he couldn't go up in the plane; the Spirit of God turning you around. No matter how you try to go, it turns you back. You get God in you, brother, you can't walk that other road. He turns you around! Held that plane there for that. That's the same God that's in this building tonight. You believe it? “Put on the full armor of God.” You believe Him?

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Because He first loved me.

How many Christians in here, raise your hands. Then say this:

I'll never forsake Him,

I'll never forsake Him,

I'll never forsake Him,

Because He first loved me.

“It shall be light in the evening time.” Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. The bride tree—it come up at Pentecost. There's a tree that David saw. It's planted by the river of waters: one river, the Holy Spirit; all these waters flowing into ... gifts, spiritual gifts, flowing into it. Its leaves can't wither. It'll bring forth its fruit. Is that right? Remember, it'll bring forth its fruit in its season. That perfect tree, Christ, came. And when He came, what happened? They cut Him down, and put Him on.... (Maybe I miss ... here I done something. Here, Ben, I think, right here, brother.)

They cut Him down, hung Him on a Roman tree. But He raised up again. That's right. He's here today. That's right. When He was here on earth He stood, looked out upon the audience. A little woman passed by one day when He was going through a crowd of people. They said, the doctors of that day, the philosophers and the priests said, “He's a telepathist. He's Beelzebub, a fortune-teller.” They still live, the spirit does. But the Spirit of God still lives too, see. He's coming for his bride. “The works that I do shall you also.”

How many people in here's sick that don't know me, and know that I don't know nothing about you? Raise up your hands. All around everywhere, just everywhere. If this comes to a person from Jeffersonville or somebody that I know, forget it. Get away from it. Hold your hand up and say, “No.” Get away.

I haven't had ... I just feel his presence. I know He's here. Listen. Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man,” see. What was it? A time like in Sodom. Look at perversion, like it was in Sodom, the sin of Sodom. Look at this nation. Look at other nations.

I was reading a newspaper here some time ago in Los Angeles. It's increased 40% in the last year—Sodomite. Why? Women has exposed themself in such... , the natural source of man's been changed. Sodomite. “... was in the days of Sodom.” Look. When Lot, the righteous man, and his family was down there, He become mayor of the city, or sat in the gate and was a judge, great intellectual. But the sins vexed his righteous soul each day.

One day, just before the end time, Abraham, the elected church, was called out. It didn't go in Sodom; it was out of Sodom. Now watch the three classes of people, always. There's always a believer, a make-believer, and a unbeliever, amongst the people. That's Abraham, Lot, and the Sodomites. Now watch. Each had a message. There was three angels came to Abraham, the church elected. Two of them went down in Sodom and brought out Lot and his wife and daughters. She turned around. Sodomites burned.

Two of them—a modern Billy Graham and an Oral Roberts—messengers went down into Sodom, preaching the Word, blinding them with the Word. To disbelieve the Word, you are blind. The preaching of the gospel blinds the unbeliever. And that's what Billy Graham and those great evangelists are doing. Blinding.

But there was one that stayed with Abraham, the elect. He gave him a sign. You remember, he had been Abram a day before that or two. And Sarah'd been S-a-r-a-i. But now it's A-b-r-a-h-a-m and S-a-r-a-h, see. So this one sitting there, the speaker, He said, “Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah [princess]?”

Said, “She's in the tent.” And the tent was behind the angel.

He said, “Abraham [Now remember, Sarah was ninety and Abraham a hundred, ninety-nine.], He said, ”I'm going to visit you. [I, personal pronoun there.] I'm going to visit you according to the time of life, the promise that I told you.“ In other words, Sarah's going to bring this baby.

And she laughed in the tent. See, she was old. She said, “Me have pleasure with my lord [Abraham, her husband]?” And said, “He's old, too.” Why, she ... they was ... as husband and wife maybe they hadn't been husband and wife for twenty years, see. They was that old, past. Said, “Me?” And she laughed.

And the angel, with his back turned, said, “Why did Sarah laugh?” What about it? Is that telepathy? “Why did Sarah laugh?”

Sarah run out and said, “I didn't.” 'Course she was scared.

He said, “Yes, you did.”

She'd have perished right there if it wouldn't have been for Abraham, her husband. She's a part of it. And the church would perish right now, if it wasn't a part of Christ—for its unbelief. Can't do it. He couldn't take Sarah on account of Abraham. He can't take the church on account of Christ. The blood's still there, see (that's right), part of it.

Now notice. Jesus ... and watch what he called this man. Lot ... them angels led Lot out. Watch. Abraham went out to worship, for this angel, and he called Him Elohim. What was it? That man eat veal chops, a lamb ... or, a calf. And He drank milk and eat bread—probably corn meal, made hoe cakes out on the hearth. Sarah made them. And He eat bread, drink milk from the cow, and eat the cow's calf (That's right.), and standing there. Abraham ... and Abraham called Him Elohim. He ought to know—he's the one talked to Him. See if that isn't right. Elohim, capital L-o-r-d, same as the beginning.

What was it? Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” Elohim, the Word, in the beginning, will be manifested in human flesh like He was there. Hallelujah! Elohim! Not I was; I AM, see.

He's here tonight, same way. You believe it? Really believe it? If somebody in this building that I know not, if the Holy Spirit, if you'll just.... How many believes that that woman touched Jesus, not physically, but her faith touched Him? see. What was that? Garment, sure. Blind Bartimaeus, the same thing, see. Her faith stopped Him. I want to preach 'fore I leave, “Then Jesus Stood Still.” And now ... if the Lord willing.

This big garment, Palestinian garment.... She pressed through, this little weak woman, and touched his garment. She said, “If I can do it....” And all of them saying, “Rabbi” (prophet, deceiver, whatever more they was calling Him).... You know, mixed multitude.

So He was going along there and He said, stopped, said, “Who touched me? Who touched me? Said, ”Somebody touched me.“?

Said, “Oh, everybody's touching.” Peter rebuked Him, said, “My, a man of your caliber, and say, 'Who touched me?' ”

Said, “But I perceive that I got weak.” Virtue went from Him. He looked over the crowd and He found the little woman, and He said, “Thy faith has saved thee.”

Now the Bible said in the book of Hebrews that Jesus Christ, right now, is a high priest (that right?) that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Is that right?—a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. How would He act if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever? Act the same way He did then, if He's the same high priest. The Bible said He's the same. Do you believe it? Well, then, you can't bypass the Word. The Word said so.

Now have we ... have you enough faith to touch Him? If you could touch Him, then I'll yield myself to Him, and let Him use me and use you, to bring faith to the rest of the audience. That's a challenge, isn't it? You believe it? Do you believe it? Would you ... would it strengthen your faith to see the Elohim! Not you, not me, but Him! What is it? The Word. What is it? The protection, the armament, the armor of God, the Word of God made manifest in human flesh—your flesh, my flesh—to see the works of God. Amen. I believe it.

Heavenly Father, maybe I did wrong. Maybe I made a wrong challenge. If I have, Lord, You forgive me. I didn't mean to do it. But seems like it's something leads me to do it. And if that's you, Father, which I'm sure it is, make yourself known, so the people'll know these things that I speak, being yet uneducated, yet they're truth. They're your Word. Grant it, Father. [Prophecy is given: “Yea, I have spoken unto thee this night. Yea, I say unto thee: ”Hearken unto my Word. Yea, ye shall live. Yea, ye shall find rest unto your souls. Seek unto me. Yea, ye shall find me.“] Amen. Hear that?

Remember when.... The army was coming up one time and the Spirit of God fell upon a man, and told him how to go down there and set in the way, and how they would beat that army. And they did it. I believe it was David, was it? Or one of them? And the Spirit fell upon one of the men and told them how to escape. Hear what that said? [Unclear word] seek me! He is the Word. Stay with the Word. The Word promises this. Now what am I trying to do? Take God to his Word.

Now I don't ... I know some of you people here, but you pray. If it comes over any of you people that I know, please, the people from Jeffersonville, around that I know, don't pray. Just let it go this time. Let it be people that I don't know. See, you just pray for me. I need you.

Just a moment, quickly He comes. Be reverent. There's a little lady sitting over here to my right, got a handkerchief up to her mouth. We are strangers to one another, I suppose. I don't know you. He knows you. All right. Here's a woman that's in contact with God that I don't know. She don't know me and I don't know her. But the Holy Spirit knows us both. Now. You was praying for something. If the Holy Spirit will reveal to me what you were praying for, like He did the woman with the blood issue, see, would you believe you'd be free?

It's a spiritual problem that's bothering you. Isn't that right? If it is, raise up that hand. It won't bother you no more. You believe God knows who you are? Would that help you? Mildred Rose. Have faith in God. See, just believe. You're not from here even. You're from South Carolina. That's true. Just have faith, don't doubt, see.

That struck a lady sitting right behind her. She also is a stranger to me. But God knows both of us. You're in trouble; there's a dark shadow over the woman. I don't know her, she's a stranger. The next lady, has her hands up like this, yes. You believe God can reveal to me what your trouble is? Would you believe me to be his prophet, or his servant? You would? Yours is a nervous condition. That's right. If that's right, raise up your hand. It won't bother you no more now. Your faith has saved you. You are from this country. You're from a place called Fayetteville. That's right. You believe me to be his prophet? You believe God can tell me who you are? Mrs. Harrison. Then you can go home be made well. Do you believe?

Here sits a lady sitting right here looking at me. I'm a stranger to this woman. You a stranger to me, sister? All right. You believe me to be his prophet, or his servant? You believe it? If God will reveal to me what's your trouble, will you believe with all your heart? You have lots of things wrong with you. You have high blood pressure for one thing. You have heart trouble for another thing. You're almost in a nervous breakdown for another. And you're praying to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That is true. If that's right, raise up your handkerchief. You believe God knows you? All right, sir. Mrs. Jackson, go home and be made well.

You believe it? Here sits a little lady sitting up here crying. She's kind of heavy set. Got her hair done up like this and wearing a white dress, sitting right up there. I'm a stranger. You're praying for something. That's right. The little lady there. I'm a stranger to you. I don't know you. God knows you. You believe me to be his seer, or his servant? Do you believe that with all your heart? You want to go back to Charlotte, be made well? Mrs. Hines? And you're wanting a baby, aren't you? You believe it with all your heart, you can have your baby.

You believe with all your heart? How many of you believe?

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Are you glad of it? Oh, my. What is it? The Holy Spirit! It's here with you. There it is again. Let's just believe. Take hold of one another's hands. Take hold ... make a contact, hold of one another's hands. Just so that you'll know that the Holy Spirit's here....

Now listen, friends, there's not a person in here that's got any spiritual understanding but what knows now that a little strange feeling's going through you. What is that? That's the Word of God! That's God in the form of a Spirit—the Word—the Word-God fortifying you, see. Don't disbelieve now. Believe!

I seen a man just healed back there with prostate trouble. God bless you, brother ... it's ... diabetes, that lady, forget about it. Go home, we're well. It's just going everywhere, all over the building. Do you believe?

Now, the Bible said.... Listen. The same Bible that promises, “The works that I do shall you do also ...” This is what He did. Well, the same Bible said this, that, “If they ... signs shall follow them that believe; if they lay their hands....” You're all believers. You've got your hands on one another. “If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover.”

Heavenly Father, we know that Satan is defeated! Our great chief captain, Jesus Christ, is present. Here's his Word made manifest. It's made manifest by the presence of the Holy Ghost. It's the Holy Ghost working in us—the same Holy Ghost who brought us down Pentecostal fire; brought us down Pentecostal tongues; brought us down Pentecostal interpretation—that set in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists. And here's this big convention going on, where teachers, evangelists, and gifts, are operating everywhere!

We see You, Lord. We know we're at the end-time, and the people need strength. Satan is charging at them. And I'm putting the Word of God in their hands right now, in their hearts! We defeat Satan with this Word. Come out of these people in the name of Jesus Christ! Look at their hands! Look at their faith. Satan, you're defeated! Leave them, in Jesus' name. Come out! I adjure you by the living God.

I love Him, I love Him,

Because He first loved me;

Do you believe it? Do you believe He loves you? Put your hands up as you....

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

I love Him, I love Him, (Oh, praise God.)

Because He first loved me; (What did He do?)

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

I can, I will, I do believe

I can (Get away, Satan!), I will, I do believe,

I can, I will, I do believe

That Jesus heals me now.

A brother the other day said he had a dream. He seen a little bitty old devil standing out there. And the little devil was all jumping up and down. He said, “Boo!” He jumped back. Every time he jumped back, he'd get littler and the devil'd get bigger. And every time he'd holler “Boo,” he'd jump back, and the devil would get bigger. And he knowed he had to fight him.

So he thought, “I've got to find a chair or something.” He found a Bible. And the devil went, “Boo!” And he went “Boo!”, right back; and the devil got littler. And he went, “Boo, boo, boo, boo, boo!”, and he knocked him on down.

That's it, the Word of God! When he hollers “Boo!”, you holler “Boo!” When he says, “You're sick,” say, “It's written: by his stripes I am healed!” Amen! Glory! I feel religious. It isn't even midnight yet. Amen.

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

(Hallelujah!)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Come, my brother, seek this blessing

That will cleanse your heart from sin,

That will start the joy-bells ringing

And will keep your soul aflame;

Oh, it's burning now down in my heart,

Glory to his name,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

I'm one of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.