Perseverance

Thank you, Brother Parker. It's a privilege to be here. I'm sorry that I was a little late, but a very serious case of sickness just behind the curtain. I was ministering to the little baby. And I'm so glad to be here again tonight, and I trust that I won't keep you like I did last evening. I kept you so long. And I went home, and I kind of felt ... or, I went to my motel, and I kind of felt bad about ... when I seen what time it was. I was speaking here for about an hour and forty-five minutes.

And of course, that's a short one for me. The other day I spoke six hours. See, if a fellow knows a whole lot, he don't have to talk so long. But when he don't know so much, you just have to fill in so, I guess. It's ... see, I just wait on Him. And when I feel like that He gives me something to say, well, then I say it. And I just kind of have to stumble along until then.

I was trying to speak last night about reasoning. Now, when anything reasons against God's Word.... I don't mean reason, just any reasoning, because Paul reasoned with the people. And trouble today, people just take anything that comes along, and don't reason it out with the Scripture. But when it's reasoning against God's Word, then stay away from it. That's the enemy, see. But when it's reasoning with God's Word, that's God, see. That's right, the two reasonings. So we believe in reasoning with the Word, believe that the Word is right.

Now, you cannot scientifically prove the Word, because it's ... and you never will, because it's so contrary to science. If it's scientifically proven, then it isn't any more faith, see. You've got to have faith, and faith is contrary to scientific proving. So you must believe it. Not prove it; believe it. That's the idea.

Some time ago I was talking to a man. I was at Toronto, Canada. We was having a great meeting there. The Lord was blessing in such a marvelous way. I was across in.... It wasn't in Toronto, now. I take that back. I forget the name of the place in Canada we were having the meeting, and.... I'll pick it up in a few minutes. I've traveled so much till I can't think of the names of the place sometimes. And it ... right across from Detroit. What's the name? Windsor, correctly. Windsor, Ontario.

And there was a ... had a television set sitting on the street, some kind of a screen-type, and there was a cowboy there playing, strumming on a guitar, over ... broadcasting from the United States. And the man come out, and was talking to me.

Said, “I'd like to sell you that.”

Said, “No, sir. Was just passing by.” Said, “I don't believe I want it.”

And he said, “Well, I'll make it to you real cheap.”

I thought ... I explained it to him. I said, “I'm a tourist.” I said, “I'm....”

“Oh,” said, “you're just passing through, I suppose?”

I said, “No, I'm down here in a motel.” And I said, “I'm just here for a few days.”

He said, “You're not with that meeting over there?”

I said, “Yes, sir.”

He said, “I don't want to hurt your feelings, but,” said, “you're listening to a quack.”

And I said, “Oh?” And I said, “Mister,” I said, “you think so?”

He said, “Yes, sir,” he said, “I do.”

And I said, “Well, why would you draw an opinion of that?”

He said, “Well, because the man's talking about something that he doesn't know nothing about.”

And I said, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he said, “for instance, last night, that soldier there that had been in the army, and laying on this cot, and had ... supposed to be paralyzed.” He said, “I got up and walked around there.” Said, “That was just ... that was an act.” Said, “That man knew the man all the time.” Said, “He was just laying there acting like that.”

I said, “Why didn't you go to the man that was on the cot and check up, and see who he was, where he come from? If you were really deeply interested don't you think you should have done that?”

He said, “Well, here's the whole thing.” He said, “I ain't trying to discourage you.”

I said, “Oh, you won't.”

So he said, “I think that I believe in science.”

I said, “So do I.”

He said, “Well, anything that cannot be scientifically proven is not right.”

I said, “I don't mean to be different, but I just say that vice-versa.”

“Anything...” he said, “is not real.”

And I said, “Anything that can be scientifically proved is not real.” I said, “It's the things that cannot be scientifically proved that's lasting and real.”

“Oh,” he said, “that's wrong.” And he said, “Looky here what science has done.” First he said this. He said, “Well,” he said, “I do not believe it.”

I said, “Well, I want to ask you something. Are you a married man?”

He said, “I am.”

I said, “You love your wife?”

He said, “I certainly do.”

I said, “So am I. I appreciate that. But....” (Am I doing... ? [Someone says something to Brother Branham.] Oh. All right now? I'm sorry. I can't tell it here, you see.)

So they.... Said, “Anything you cannot scientifically prove is wrong.”

I said, “Well, now. You love your wife different from any other woman?”

“Yeah.”

I said, “What is that? See? Got children? What makes them children different from any other children?”

And when he had talked, in just a few moments.... And he said, “Well,” he said, “now, for instance this.” He said, “You see? There's not a wire around us anywhere.”

I said, “That's right. There's a great thing.” I said, “Now, here it is. That man's over in the United States. And without a wire, or anything connected to it, to the United States, through a wave—some kind of electronic wave of whatever it is—brings that man's picture here just as perfect, and reflects it on there.”

He said... he just said he couldn't understand how ... that discernment. He said, “I think it's just a put-up piece of business.”

I said, “Oh?” So, I said, “Now that's not a put-up piece of business. You wouldn't say that,” I said, “because it's absolutely there's a wave coming through here, and we're taught that that same picture's coming right through us. And that messages, and songs, and everything's going right through us. But then it's hitting a certain crystal, or something in there, that's ... or tube, that can reflect that picture, and the picture of the man, that's traveling through the ether waves of the air. And we don't know where it comes from. It just ... we know where it comes from, but,” I said, “we can't see it. And it passes through, and reflects it there.”

I said, “That's the way God.... See,” I said, “that's how that fellow knows those things.” I said, “See God, see, sends the ether wave down.” And I said, “It might pass through thousands, and millions of people until it comes to that spot. And then it reflects it.”

And so, he said, “Oh,” he said, “That's all right.” But said, “Look. See, we've got a sending station. We've got a sending station that sends that.”

I said, “So have we. We got a sending station. That is right—a sending station, and a receiving station.” So He's still our heavenly Father, isn't He? And we love Him because that He loved us first, and sent Jesus Christ that He might die in our stead, that He ... we might be the righteousness of God through Christ. So glad.

Those visions sometimes are ... they kind of stumble people. They don't understand. Sometimes people thinks it just goes on only right here in the meeting. Oh, my! This is the little part of it. It's out there's where it really happens.

Today I was sitting in the room. We had a.... Usually Friday's a fast day for me. I don't eat on sometimes Tuesdays and Fridays, till sometime in the afternoon, just a little.... That's not a regular fast. That's just a couple of days a week to fast. So, a long fast comes in more days, when the Lord puts it upon you. But that's just in respects and honor of God's great memorial to us, the fasting command. And so, after three o'clock, usually I have a little something light.

Somebody told me where you could buy a little steak down the road here, for about ninety cents—just about right for you to eat. In preaching and these things you have to keep kind of emptied-up. So we were planning on going down there. And my son and my nephew wondered why we didn't go down there, but we turned and went to another restaurant.

And then, sitting in there, I noticed....

In a few moments we were talking, and some people were there—there was always ... grand to meet my friends, you know, and talk with them. And so I'd shook hands with some of the folk.

In a few moments, two ladies came in. The Holy Spirit said, “The one with the white hat on....” Moved around. Never seen them in my life. And it's strange. When one woman was going to sit like this, she turned around and was facing right at me. That's grace, see, knowing just.... Nothing happens by chance. So she was looking right at me. Strange.

My own son, who's stood with me here on the platform for years.... But he asked me a question, something about the great millennium, or something. And, “Oh,” I said, “Billy, I don't understand those things.” I said, “I just got my ideas about them.” I said, “I don't teach them, because I might be a million miles wrong in it, see.” I said, “I just got my ideas.”

And he said, “Well, I'd like to know about this,” and something another. And then, all of a sudden he didn't catch it. And he doesn't know I'm say ... about me saying this now, if he's present. But if Charlie and Billy's close, did you notice, Charlie? All at once Billy changed to grace right quick, about the grace of God keeping.

See, he didn't realize that that minute, the Lord had given me contact with that woman's spirit. And there she was. She wasn't too sure it was me, because she had only seen me last evening. I thought, “Lord, I see the woman, the condition she's in, and what's happened. Maybe she's with the meeting.” I knew she needed help.

And just then, after we'd finished our dinner, some ... before finishing, some sweet little sister from down somewhere come along and paid for my dinner. So then ... she and her husband, and children.

And so, then I got up to go pay for the dinner. And I guess Billy and Charlie noticed. I let them go on, because I knew the lady was coming somewhere, because I knew she was behind me. In a few moments she spoke to me. And there I was able to tell the lady just what had happened, what had taken place, and not by chance; but that was the beginning for her healing.

Long years ago.... She was a woman, I suppose around close to sixty or something. And in the time of menopause she had gotten extremely nervous, and she wasn't able to pull from it. And she said, “I only heard you once. I come from way away. And last night,” she said, “that remark you made about breaking through that sound barrier, so you could get free,” she said, “all day I struggled at that sound barrier.”

I said, “Don't struggle no more, see. It's over now, see. Go through it.” And I said, “The sound barrier is the barrier between faith and disbelief. When you get beyond that unbelief of a shadow of doubt, you're free then, see.”

And the lady had ... during that time she'd got ... how menopause sometimes, especially either coming in, or going out, makes the people so nervous. And she'd never been able to pull through that. The woman thinks sometimes that she's lost, and she goes off. And she's a Pentecostal believer. I think so. But the lady had wore ... wearing make-up, and short hair, and everything. But the reason she had did that, she was trying to shake from that, see, trying to shake away from that horrible feeling.

And we just got to talking about.... See, that's how ... Billy don't know now that I'm saying this, or Charlie. That was what grace ... the reason you were feeling that, Billy, talking like a blue streak, you know, “Grace, how come is this? And how come is that? And how do you know so-and-so?”

I said, “It's the grace of God. Those who He foreknew He called; those who He called He justified; those who He justified, He's glorified already. It's all God.” And that was it. And she don't have to worry about that.

She was trying to shake from that thing. She'd go out, and she'd do this and do that, trying to get away from it. But today that poor little woman struck the key. She'll get all right now. And she may be here tonight. I don't know, or she might have went home. But she might be here yet tonight, in the meeting.

But just goes to show that how the grace of God will do things. It's exceedingly abundantly above all that we could do or think, isn't it? Wonderful.

Now tomorrow morning is breakfast, and I asked Brother Parker if I was to speak at that breakfast—and trying to get away from it. But he said no, that I was supposed to say a few words. And then, tomorrow night, I want to try, the Lord willing, to preach, to bring a little message.

And I don't think I'll try again like last night, because I felt real bad: sitting here before teachers, and renowned teachers, and those theologians like Dr. Lee Vayle, and all these other brethren here who I know, and oh, my! graduates, and so forth, that's studied the Bible, and trained in that—and then me standing here try to bring a message of that type. I thought I'd come to pray for Brother Parker's sick children; I'd better stay on that line. So, we're here to help.

Now tonight I want to try to speak and read some scriptures, so that it won't take me too long, about thirty minutes or something. Then I want to pray for you sick people tonight. Just believe. Now anybody knows that human beings can't do these things. It's impossible, see. And it's got to be the Spirit of God.

And so we ... the only thing we can do is pray for the sick. I can't heal anyone because you're already healed. If anybody tells you that they can heal you, that's wrong, see. If anybody tells you they can save you, that's wrong. You're all saved anyhow, see. The only thing you have to do is just accept it. You accept what Jesus did for you. He was wounded for your transgressions. With his stripes you were healed. You were healed—it's already past tense.

The only thing you have to do is accept what He done for you. That's all. And you're under the blood, every one of you, or God would destroy the whole thing. You're still under the blood as long as there's a bloody sacrifice laying there for our sins. And then one day.... When you leave this world without accepting that sacrifice, then you stand for your own sins. And you're condemned already, you see, so you can't stand.

And your healing is just ... God makes such a beautiful way. See, faith cometh by hearing. Preach divine healing. Believe it, accept it. If that would be me, that's the way I'd do it. If you couldn't believe my word, all right. And you'd be the same way about anyone else. But not God. After He sends his Word, then He puts in the church different gifts and things, just to try to get it to the people. He's so loving, and full of kindness.

Let us turn now in the book of St. Matthew, the gospel of St. Matthew, the 15th chapter, 21st to the 28th verse. St. Matthew, the 15th chapter, the 21st to the 28th verse. Listen closely the reading of the Word:

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me.

But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat ... the crumbs which fall from the master's table.

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Let us just bow our heads now, while we talk to the author of this Word. Gracious heavenly Father, we are now approaching thy holy sanctuary in the name of the Lord Jesus. And it's all-sufficient, all that we have need, because He said, “If you ask the Father anything in my name, I'll do it.”

Therefore, we could not come in our own name, or the name of a church, or any congregation, or any nation or race. We just come simply in the name of the Lord Jesus. And we know that You'll hear us, because He said You would. And we're not asking tonight to stand at the throne of thy judgment, for we would be condemned; but we're asking to stand at the throne of mercy, to which we all seek refuge.

Now, Lord, I realize the tremendous weight of the meeting, and how that it must have poured from You—this virtue—as You looked upon the multitudes of sick, lame, halt, blind; as You stood at the pool of Bethesda and seen that great multitude. Yet, there was just one man that You were led to, and You said You knew he'd been that way a long time, and You healed him, or asked him to accept it.

And then being questioned, You said, “Verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what he sees the Father doing.” Lord, won't You show us the will of God tonight for this sick, waiting, multitude? We are waiting the moving of the water that the sick might get in, and be made whole.

I pray thee, God, forgive our sin of unbelief, long as we have been following Thee. And we confess, Lord, that we're a way short of the requirements as ministers, and as Christians. So be merciful to us, O merciful God.

And as a man cried one day with a boy with epilepsy, said, “Lord, help my unbelief,” we cry to Thee tonight, Lord. After we read the promises of this precious Bible and see what could be done, then we cry, “Help our unbelief.” Send the presence of the Lord Jesus in our midst tonight as we speak on the Word. And may the Word become flesh, and our spirit catch it, believe it.

May we see the returning approaching of the Lord Jesus, as He promised—as the days are drawing out now into minutes and hours, or maybe hours and minutes. And we don't know just how close we are, Lord, but we see things are getting ... looking ripe. So help us tonight.

We present the Word to you tonight, Father, that You'll bless it. Get honor to thy name, to which name we ask it in, the Lord Jesus, and for his glory. Amen.

I would try to draw from this little text tonight, or this scripture, for just a few moments on the subject, a word called “Perseverance.” I draw that from the verses that I have just read. Perseverance: it's to make a goal, be persistent. I like the word, and it's very fitly to the church of this day, or it should be—that the church should be perseverant.

Men of all ages that has faith in what they're trying to achieve has been perseverant. No matter what you're trying to do, you've got to believe in what you're doing.

A man once said to me, a doctor, he said, “Oh, I believe, Brother Branham, if the people would believe that they could go out and touch that tree and would be healed, I believe it would happen.”

I said, “But my precious brother, men can't have faith in touching that tree. Faith has got to be based on something. And therefore, when a person can base their faith upon the Word of God, then you can be perseverant because it's the Word of God.”

As the old brother said, colored brother, down in the southern states, he said he would rather be standing on the Word than in heaven.

And someone asked him why. He said, “Because both heaven and earth'll pass away, but my Word shall not.” So that's right. Standing on the Word. Then you can have something—not what someone else said, what some school taught, what some minister said, what some doctor said; but it's “thus saith the Lord.” Then you can hold on.

And anybody doing anything, if they're trying to achieve something, they must first have faith to believe it. Like the father of our nation is called ... our first president, George Washington. Just up the coast a little bit.... When I was reading here a few years ago about Washington, I'd seen them ... where they had that coat that the bullets went through.

And we're told that the night before (Valley Forge) when he crossed the river, praying all night, till plumb above his hips was wet where he'd knelt in the snow, he was seeking the will of God because the opposition looked great. The Delaware was full of ice. About half of the American soldiers had shoes on their feet. Looked like he was crippled, but he sought refuge in God.

And the next day he crossed Valley Forge. He was perseverant. Bullets went through his coat and never touched him. He was trying to achieve something, so he sought God, and got the answer. Then he could be perseverant.

That's what we do. You must first find the will of God before you can do the will of God. You must first know what his will is in the matter, and then don't turn it loose. And as the lady said today, she was trying to get beyond that sound barrier. Then the plane just picks up speed and goes on unlimited, when it passes the sound barrier.

Well, when you can pray until you've passed the doubt barrier, then you're running free. You can go on. And then ... there's nothing can bother you then, because you're running free. You're past the unbelief. It's done been settled. It's all over. When you get the assurance in your heart that it's going to be that way, you're just as happy as if it had already happened.

For instance, perhaps a loaf of bread.... If I was starving and a loaf of bread would save my life, and I would ask for the bread and some man would give me 25 cents (and that's the purchase price of a loaf of bread), I can be just as happy holding the 25 cents in my hand as I can with the loaf of bread, because it's the purchasing power. Amen. Then I've got it. I haven't got the bread, but I've got the purchasing power. Well, that's faith.

When you can pray until you've got the assurance, you can be just as happy as if the cancer's gone, shout just as loud, because you've got the purchase power, the faith that moves the thing. Then you're perseverant. No one can tell you anything different. Doesn't matter what anyone says then. You've done crossed over the sound barrier. You're free then, purchasing ... and being persistent.

Noah, as we talked on him last night, or about him, when he heard the voice of God speak to him, and told him of the oncoming judgment.... After he heard the voice of God give the witness to him what was going to happen, and constructed him—or instructed him, rather, pardon me—on what to do, he was very perseverant.

Scoffers had nothing. No matter how many ecclesiastics stood up and said, “Noah, you're wrong,” he pressed right on. He built the ark anyhow.

The scoffers could have come around by the thousands and said, “Look at the old fogey. Look at him.”

The scientists could have stood there, and said, “Noah, looky here, fellow. We love you, but you've lost your mind. We've got a instrument here that can shoot all the way to the moon. And we can prove that there's no rain, or water between here and there that would drown the earth. Look in this instrument. It'll prove it.”

Noah would've ... might've said something like this. “I don't care what your instrument says. You're looking at that instrument. I'm looking to God, and what He promised to do.” That's it. It depends on what you're looking at, where your faith is. Now, if the instrument declares it, that's all the farther you can go if your faith is in the instrument.

Like a precious old brother.... I was called about fifteen years ago to pray for a boy dying with black diphtheria. He had heart trouble, and they'd took the cardiograph, and it showed that his heart was way down. I forget what the beat was, but he was going.

The old mother and dad called me from the meeting, and they sat on the steps for two or three days, and said, “If you don't come....”

I said, “Well, get someone.”

He said ... I said, “God's got his men everywhere.”

He said, “But, Brother Branham,” said, “you don't understand.” I ... He said, “Can I explain it?”

I said, “I'll try to understand it.” And I said, “I'm tired, and it's not right for me to go one place if I cannot go another.” He said.... But I said, “Unless the Holy Spirit would tell me to go.”

He said, “But look.” He said, “We've sat in that meeting for a week.” Said, “We know that it's impossible ... for our own people in our neighborhood has sat in that meeting, of different denominational churches, and the Holy Spirit has told them exactly what to do, and how to do it, from the platform. And it's been exactly what the Spirit said.” They said, “Brother Branham, we know that you could not do that.” Said, “It has to come from God.” Said, “Therefore, if you'll come and pray for my boy,” the old dad said, “he'll get well.”

Well, he was perseverant. Very persistent. So I got my coat, and took off. We went to the hospital. And doctor met me and he said, “I wouldn't bother him.” Said, “The boy might die at any minute.” And the doctor belonged to another denominational church, because I questioned him.

I said, “But, sir, the boy is dying.” I said, “Are you a Christian?” He said he belonged to another church, a certain denomination. I said, “Well, if your priest would come, and that boy belonged to the same denomination that you do, and that priest wanted to give him the last rites, would you let that priest go?”

He said, “Certainly.”

I said, “Well, if this father believes that just as much if I can pray for that boy he'll get well, as you believe the boy'd be saved if the priest give him the last rites...?” I had to be a little persistent, too. So he let me in.

The little nurse turned up her little nose, and went back. So, we knelt across the bed. The boy was unconscious.

So I put my hands upon the boy, and prayed just a few words of prayer. And I said, “Father God, I do not understand, but this poor old man is crying out. And he asked me to come here. And only thing I know to do is ask You.” And I said, “I pray that You'll spare the boy's life in the name of the Lord Jesus,” and got up.

And the old father turned around to the mother, put his arms around her neck, and they began to hug one other and wipe the tears from their eyes, and saying, “Isn't it wonderful, mother?” And I looked, and that little nurse turned her head and looked.

And said, “Think of it. Bob's going to be well. Oh, we praise the Lord,” they said.

And the little nurse.... They reached across the boy, and shook my hand, and said, “Thank you, Brother Branham, for obeying the Lord to come pray the prayer of faith for our boy.” I never said no more than the prayer.

And then the nurse said, “Sir, I don't believe you understand.”

He said, “Oh, yes, I do.”

Said, “You claim you love the boy.”

Said, “Certainly we love the boy.”

“Well,” said, “you see....” He said.... She said, “How can you act like that when the boy is dying?” Said, “Now in all medical history when this [certain thing ... I don't know what it was] instrument goes down that low, the boy cannot pump back again.” And said, “You see, the boy could die at any minute. His heart's only beating....” I forget what his respiration ... it was very bad, and his heart was so bad. He had open valves, and everything ... in it; and one of the valves was blocked or something. And said, “He's unconscious now. He's even too weak to know anything.” And said, “Then you can stand there and laugh, and carry on like that [she didn't know what kind of carrying on that was], and say ... act like that, and your son dying.”

And the old gentleman (I'll never forget him), he turned and put his hand as a father upon the little lady's shoulders—was about eighteen years old, little snicklefritz, you know ... you know, little Annie, and said, “Listen, honey.” Said, “You know, you are looking at that instrument, see.” And said, “That's all you know about.” But said, “I'm looking to a promise in the Word of God.” Said, “My boy is going to live, for He said the prayer of faith shall save the sick. And that's been prayed over my boy.”

Well, that's about fifteen years ago. The boy's married, and got two children. See, the persistency, that he will believe no matter what instrument says anything. His faith wasn't in the instrument; it was in God's promise.

Noah, after he'd heard the promise of God, he could be persistent, be perseverant.

Moses, he'd knowed intellectually by his godly mother, our beloved sister Jochebed.... He'd heard her teaching in the intellectual manner, how that his life had been spared from the crocodiles, and how that God had made him a proper child, and he was born for a deliverer; and how that Miriam, his sister, the prophetess, had followed him down to the bathing beach, where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing; and how that God had brought him right up and nurtured him right in the palace of Pharaoh; and how he was going to deliver the children. Now, intellectually he knew that. But, you see, the first little mistake....

Oh, don't miss it, church. You might know it from a Word standpoint. You might know that the Bible said the prayer of faith shall save the sick. But you pray until God says the prayer of faith saves you. That's the difference.

Moses knew intellectually that he was a deliverer. But when he thought the children of God would understand him when he slew the Egyptian, the first little rumor come up he wasn't perseverant at all. Just before it even got to Pharaoh, he took for the desert, because he wasn't perseverant. He wasn't too sure. He just knowed it from the Word standpoint, the promise.

But one day he saw a bush that was afire, and it was burning and it did not consume. So Moses took ... went up the mountainside. And sitting back in that bush was that big pillar of fire that was to lead him the rest of his days. And in this pillar of fire spoke out a voice: “I have seen the afflictions of my people. I've heard their groanings and I remember my promise to Abraham, and I'm come down to deliver them. Now, go down there.”

Now talk about perseverant, he walked right up in the face of Pharaoh, said, “Let them go.” Why? He'd talked face-to-face with God till he had his commission. I think if minister brethren today would just not take it from an intellectual standpoint; but would find them a place on the backside of the desert on those sacred sands where Satan cannot place his dirty feet of unbelief, and stay there until a message comes from God and positionally places you in the ministry, then all the devils out of torment could not shake you from it. You know you're called.

I think each Christian ought to do that. Before you come out and confess the Holy Ghost, confess that you have the baptism, there ought to be such a personal contact with God until all the intellectuals in the world couldn't explain it from you. You know. You've been there. You've had the witness. You know it's so. That's a requirement.

Jesus told the disciples. “You wait. You know the intellectual part. You know the Word. But you wait up there at the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power from on high.” Then they knew. Oh, my.

How little David, way back on the backside of the desert—little, ruddy, stoop-shouldered fellow herding his sheep out there for his father—one day a bear come in and got a lamb, and he took off after him. And took his little slingshot and killed the bear.

And then again, a lion come in and got one, and he run out with the kid. And little David ... that was his father's sheep. And he took after him with the little slingshot. Not with a magnum rifle now; with a slingshot with a rock in it. But his trust was in God. He slung the rock, struck the lion, knocked him down. And when the lion rose up he slew him, brought the sheep back. He was persistent, because.... Why? He had a charge for his father's sheep.

I think that ought to be the feeling of every clergyman. We got a charge from God for the father's sheep. The old devil of sickness has struck among you Christians. He's trying to take you out. I ... having no education I know nothing about medicine. But the only thing I got is this little slingshot of prayer. I'm coming after you tonight, going to bring you back. He promised the prayer of faith shall save the sick.

Maybe the great intellectual, the great scientific medicines and things, might laugh at it. I don't know nothing about that. As David, when he tried to take up a sword and put on Saul's ecclesiastical jacket, it didn't fit him. Never does fit a real man of God. But he picked up.... He said, “Let me go with what I've proved.”

That's the only thing I know, Christians: is to go with what I've proven to be truth. That's God's Word. His Word. Standing on faith, come after his sick children. Let's bring them back to shady green pastures and still waters, and good health, strength.

Little old Samson standing out there, and called up ... as we spoke of him the other night. The Philistines all around him, he had nothing but the jawbone of a mule. But when he could reach back to feel those seven little locks, he was very persistent.

Shamgar, many people never read of him in the Bible. He was one of the judges of Israel. Just one little paragraph wrote of him in the whole Bible. But when he was standing there, after his harvest was over.... His little children was thin and poor, his wife—maybe the sleeves out of her dress. The Philistines would come right in, take everything they had as soon as they got it all worked up. Got up to a good place, then the Philistines would come in and take it away from them.

So, about time he got all of his grain thrashed out in the barn, thought, “Well, maybe we can live. I can sell a little of it, and get some little dresses for my girls, and some shoes for my boys; maybe be able to get a little cheap dress for the wife this year,” he heard something. Pulled back the barn door window and looked out there (the barn door, rather, and looked out). Here come a thousand Philistines—armor, spears, swords, trained men—tromp, tromp, right up the highway. There they'd pack away his grain.

He stood there. Now, he wasn't a fighter; he was a farmer. He didn't even have a sword, as far as we know. But he happened to remember, “I'm a Jew, and I'm circumcised. I'm a child of God. I've got a right. I've got access to the same God of David. I've got access to the same God of Moses. I've got access to the same God of Daniel.” And he.... The Spirit come upon him, and he grabbed that oxgoad and went out there, and was persistent. And he slew a thousand Philistines with an oxgoad—a stick, what they punch the ox with. Slew a thousand Philistines.

I was one time going into a stadium where I was to preach, and there was great field of people, many thousands, waiting. And I read a little something over that stadium that always.... It was a football stadium. It always encouraged me. It was a little sign there that said, “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” So I think that's a whole lot of it. It's got a lot of real Christian come-at-it persistency. “God promised it, and it's mine.” That's right.

John the Baptist was very persistent. They'd say—maybe Caiaphas or some of the priests would come out and say—“Here's Rev. Dr. PhD So-and-so. Don't you think he fits the Messiah?”

John said, “It's not Him.”

Brought another one. “Here's a good man. What about him?”

“That's not Him,” for he knew when he saw that dove descending from heaven, that would be Him. Then he was persistent. Oh, it's so much in the Bible to talk about, I never get to it.

Let's get to the Greek woman. First place, she was a Greek. She wasn't a Jew; she was a Gentile. But she had heard of the fame of Jesus. She'd heard of the critics also, how they criticized Him. But she didn't pay attention to the critics. She was listening at the fame. She, being a Greek....

You know, you always got something to hinder. But, you know, somehow or another faith finds a source that people don't see. Faith finds its source. People don't see that. So it must have been with this little woman, that faith had found a source. The Word of God, the Bible said in Hebrews 4:12, is a sword, the sword cutting the marrow to the bone, to the sunder, to the spirit; and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. That's what the Word is.

That's the reason Jesus could discern what was in the people's thinking, because He was the Word. And if the Word abides in you.... And then it isn't you; it's the Word that goes out and discerns. And there's only one thing that can handle that, that Word. It isn't an education. I'll assure you of that. Faith is the only thing that can wield that sword of faith. As I said the other night, faith in God's Word will cut a hole through any difficult. But you got to believe it.

She had many hindrances. She did herself, but her faith didn't have any hindrances. No. Faith don't have any hindrance. Faith just believes it. It don't have a hindrance at all. You're already past the sound barrier, as the lady was talking of. Faith don't have a hindrance. You might have it, but your faith doesn't have it. Your faith has no hindrances at all.

She might.... They might have said to her, “You are Greek. You shouldn't go over there. That's a Jew. That's a Jew that they're claiming all these things about. You're a Greek.” But, you see, they was trying to have a race barrier there; but faith don't know a race barrier. Doesn't know it at all. No, 'cause she might have thought this: “If He is who I believe He is, He's God. And if He's God, He's the creator of every creature. If He's God at all, He's God of the whole creation. And if He isn't God of the whole creation, then He isn't God.” That's a good way to look at it.

Well, no matter if she was a Greek, she was still persistent. She had perseverance. Then somebody might have come up with this old proverb, you know (They still have it today.): “The days of miracles is past. There is no such a thing.” But no matter how many hollered at her, “the days of miracles is past,” she still was persistent. That might have been for them who believed it, but not for her. Something had already happened inside that let her know that it wasn't past.

Until you get past that barrier, you'll never do no good. You've got to come apast that barrier: “God was, but isn't now.” He's still God if He ever was God. If He isn't the same God today, He never was God, see. That's it. It's man lost his faith; not God lost his power. God went back on his promise? It's man went back on the promise to believe.

She was still perseverant. If the days of miracles was past for all of them, it wasn't for her. Why? She'd struck apast that sound barrier. She got a hold of something. Something had struck her.

Well, there's always another group to a little lady like that. Some of them might have said, “You know what? Your husband is a businessman. He belongs to the big church over here on this side. And if you go down there to that group, your husband will leave you.”

Now, that's a great big barrier to pass. I tell you, if you ever get a hold of faith like she did, that won't make any difference. That didn't make any difference to her, husband or no husband. She was on the road to meet Jesus. She was perseverant.

And then there might've been the group that always stands around, says, “But wait a minute. If you go down there, Lydia [or what her name was], you know you'll be the laughing stock of our nation, because you know there's no such a thing down there. And you know that's just a Jewish fable. They've had all that kind of stuff that we've heard about it, but it's nothing but just a proverb, a song that they sing.” You know, they still got that group. Yeah. So, but when she got to that group—she'd be the laughing stock, and so forth—she was very perseverant. She went right on apast them.

All right. Then there come the ministerial group. Oh, my! That's a bad one to pass. “Now looky here ....” (I've called her Lydia. I hope there's not a Lydia here, but it might be all right. I hope you have the same faith she had.) So then, when Lydia got to the ministerial association they said, “One thing to it. You know you're a member up here of our church, and that's a Pentecost...,” or some kind of a group down there, you know.

Anyhow, said, “If you go down there we're going to give you your church record, your letter. We're going to take you right off the book. You cannot come back to the church anymore. We're just going to send you away, and you'll be a laughing stock. Your husband will put you away in divorcement, and he'll marry a better looking woman than you are,” and all these things.

But that didn't stop her a bit. Church letter or nothing else didn't stop her. Why? She had heard. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the Word of God. She was perseverant. She crowded right on through every barrier.

Now she arrives at Jesus. Now she thought, “It's all over now.” That's the way some people think when they get the Holy Ghost—“It's all over.” It's just beginning. That's when you need to be perseverant, when you arrive. When she arrived at Jesus, Jesus said ... give her a real hard shaking. I believe He knew she was coming. So when she arrived, He turned around to her, and let her know that He wasn't sent to her race. Oh, my! What a letdown that would have been. Oh!

But what did it do? That didn't stop her a bit, not at all. Still she called Him Son of David. Of course, the Gentile has no hold on Christ with the name of Son of David. No, no. See, the Son of David was under the kingship, and Christ is the king of the Jews. But to the church, He's not the king; He is the Lord. Amen. He's the husband, as Sarah called Abraham her Lord. He's Lord of the church, but king of the Jewish race.

So when she worshipped Him, and said, “Lord, help me,” Jesus said, “But you know, it's not meet for me to take the children's bread and cast it to you dogs.”

Oh, my! If that would have been a modern Pentecostal, she'd have turned that little nose up and said, “I'll never go to a meeting like that again.” Why? They don't have the hope that she had. That's right. She had the hope. She had heard, and faith had caught it. She had a reason; she had a need. She just wasn't going to turn loose. That's right. I like that. Yes, sir. Still she held on, although she was called a dog, and a race that was lower than a dog.

Said, “I'm not sent to your race. I'm only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

And she said, “Lord, help me.”

He said, “It's not meet for me to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs.” Oh, my!

She wasn't a hotbed plant, to have to be babied. No, no. No, no. She wasn't a hotbed plant that had to be babied. She wasn't a modern hybrid, so-called believer of the crop today. She had a hold of something. Not, “Well, I'm Methodist, and I don't have to take that.” “Bless God, I belong to the Assemblies. I belong to the Church of God. I don't have to take that.” No, no. That's a hybrid type. You're bred into some organization. But a real true, thoroughbred Christian's born of the Word of God and holds on, no matter what takes place.

Anything that seems to be dumb to me is a mule. A mule don't know where he come from. He's not mule, nor he's not horse. He's a mix between a mule and a horse. He's not gentle; he's mean. He's low-down. He'll wait all of his life to kick you just before he dies. You can call him, he'll just stick them big ears up. “Haw, haw,” see. He doesn't know. That's right. He's hybrid.

That's what's the matter with the church today—too many hybrid so-called Christians. That's right. They stick their ears up, say, “Haw! The days of miracles is past. Haw, haw!” You don't know whether you're a Christian or a sinner. You don't know whether you're a believer or an unbeliever. Hybrid.

Anything's hybrid is off the real main beaten road. We ought to have a little time to talk on the original seed, see where it comes from. Hybrid don't know where it belongs. Don't know who his papa was, who his mama was, or nothing. No, he don't know. He has no pedigree. He can't have a pedigree. He can never breed himself back.

That's what's the matter with the churches today. They can't breed themselves back. They're hybrid. They don't know whether they belong to God, or some denomination. Only thing they can produce is a member, not a Christian, I believe. Maybe I oughtn't to have said that, but it's already said. That's right. He don't know what he belongs to. He just knows he's Methodist, Baptist, or Pentecostal. That's all he knows.

But, oh! How beautiful is a thoroughbred! Oh, my! He can tell you who his pappy was, his mammy was, his grandpappy, and grandmammy, and great-grandmammy, and all the way back. He knows. He's gentle, kind. You can talk to him; he listens. Put his head on your shoulder, he's full of love. Why? He's thoroughbred.

So is a thoroughbred Christian that's borned of the Spirit of God. They don't go into any denominational arguments. They know who their Father is. They know where they come from. They know where the Spirit come from. They know who they're borned of. They don't argue your creeds. You can talk to them about love, about divine healing, all these things because they're borned of God. Persistent? I should say. You don't have to beat them. They'll pull the load anyhow. Right. Oh, my! How wonderful. Hybrid Christians, that's ... got today.

Not her. No, sir! Watch. When Jesus said, “I'm not sent to your race,” giving her a test.... She'd had an awful time getting to Him. But when she got to Him, then she had a disappointment. “I'm not sent to your race.”

But when she said, “Lord, help me,” He said, “It's not meet for me to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs.”

Listen to this. “Lord, that's true. [Oh, my! Faith will always admit the Word right. Yes, sir.] True, Lord. But I only want crumbs.”

That ain't a modern believer today. “You'll come right down and do it the way I want you to, or I just won't receive it.” That's the way Naaman was, trying to get rid of his leprosy.

But you have to take it the way He brings it. And when faith gets a hold of it, you'll go on with it. Yes. She was only hunting crumbs. Remember, this woman had never seen a miracle. She was a Greek. But she believed it anyhow. She was like the harlot, Rahab.

The harlot, Rahab, when she heard.... When she hid the spies she was a Gentile, an outcast, a prostitute. But she heard. She didn't say, “You bring Joshua up here, and let me take a look at him. Let me see how tall, how handsome he is, how he combs his hair, how he grooms himself, how big he is, how bigger shoulders.” She didn't care what he looked like.

She said, “I've heard what God did for you. [There you are.] I don't care what Joshua looks like. I don't care whether he's got a PhD, or LLD, or hasn't got nothing. I know God's with you, and I want protection.” Amen.

“I don't care whether they call them holy rollers, Pentecostal fanatics, Full Gospel, whatever it is—I want God. I want his grace, I want his power, I want his love, I want his forgiveness. I don't care what you have to be called. I don't have to see this, that, or the other; whether He's big or little, or whatever He is. I just want to see Him. I want to have his grace and mercy with me.” That's what we need.

Watch. This woman had the right approach to God's gift. How much different it was to them Pharisees. How much was it to them Jews, the rulers. Said, “We would see a miracle from you.” Oh, the ecclesiastical side.

This poor little ignorant Gentile said just, “Lord, I'm just wanting the crumbs.” Said, “You know the dogs do eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table, and that's all I'm asking for.” She didn't say, “You have to come down to my house and lay your hands on my child.” She didn't say, “If you'll come down and speak in another language out yonder, and tell me all about it, I'll believe it.” She said, “I only want the crumbs. Just the off-falls is all I'm looking for.” See, she had the right approach. She had the right approach to God's gift. She was the first Gentile that Jesus ever done a miracle on, first Gentile.

Faith always admits the Word's right, and faith always acts humble. Faith always admits the Word right, and always acts humble. Look at Martha and Mary. When little Martha had been made fun of so much, or been talked about being so much about keeping the house clean.... But when Lazarus died she went to Him. Look how persistent she was. Perseverant.

She had to pass through all the critics that said, “Where is that holy roller preacher that was around here, claimed he loved your brother so?” see. Jesus knew [The Father had told Him, “Go away and wait till Lazarus dies, and I'm going to bring you back”], because He said so. He said He didn't do nothing till He seen the Father show Him first. That's right.

So He went away, and they sent for Him, and He didn't come. I imagine she got laughed at then.

“Where is he? Uh, huh. He run.”

Then sent again, and He run again, went to another city. Then finally He turned and said to his disciples, “Lazarus sleepeth.”

Said, “Well, he's doing well.”

Said, “He's dead. And for your sake I'm glad I wasn't there. But I'll go and wake him.”

But little Martha didn't hear Him say that. Here she come, persistent. She said, “Lord, if thou would have been here, my brother would not have died. But even now whatever You ask God, God will give it to You.”

I like that. Oh, I love that. “Even now. Even now.”

You might say, “Brother Branham, the doctor told me I....”

But even now.

“I've been sick for forty years.”

But even now, Lord. Oh, my.

“I've been seeking the Holy Ghost for a long time.”

But “Even now, Lord, while I'm in your presence....”

“Whatever you ask God, God'll give it.” And He turned with not very much encouragement. See, He tries you, see how persistent you are. Don't give up. And if faith really gets a hold, it won't give up. Said, “Even now, Lord, whatever you ask God, God'll give it to you.”

Jesus turned and said, “Yes,” said, “Martha,” said, “your brother shall rise in the resurrection. He will rise at the last day.”

Said, “Yea, Lord. He's a good boy. I knew he was a good boy. All that I believe.”

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Now what did that get to her?

Now she had a right to upbraid him, and say, “Why didn't You come? I called You. I left my church. I left my organization. I left my friends. I quit the card party. I didn't go at the bunco game no more. I left it, every bit. I come believing in You.” Remember the Holy Spirit hadn't come yet now, teaching different.

But said, “I left everything, and followed You. And when I needed You, You didn't come. When I sent, You ignored me and went on. I sent again, and You ignored me.” Looked like she could have had an argument with Him, but she forgot all about it. She wanted to get to Him. That's the reason she got what she asked for.

Like the Shunammite woman before Elisha. She was persistent. She come up and fell down at his feet, and she said ... Elisha said after he found out what her trouble was, he told Gehazi, he said, “Take my staff. Go lay it upon the baby.” And he girded up his loins, and went on.

But she was persistent. Her faith wasn't in the staff; it was in the prophet. And she said, “As the Lord God lives, and your soul never dies, I'll not leave you.” She was persistent. He couldn't get away from it. So he girded up his loins, and took off. Amen. That's what it is.

If the Shunammite woman could have that much faith in a prophet, if Martha had that much faith in Jesus, how about today when we've got two thousand years of miracles constantly pouring? When around the world, and around the clock twenty-four hours, the people are being healed and filled with the Holy Ghost the world around; miracles of healing and raising the dead, and casting out devils; can't we be persistent to hold on to the Word of God, knowing He's no respect of person nowhere? Persistent until He comes? Sure. Persistent. Certainly.

Like the woman ... come down to the tabernacle about three years ago. I was in there for one night. A woman was in there had a tumor weighed fifty pounds. She was out like this. The woman may be here tonight. I come in through the back door, and went into the little old tabernacle there, and was preaching. So I turned around and went back. She was from California, and she couldn't walk. And she was persistent, though. They said ... she said, “I come for Brother Branham to pray for me.”

And some of the elders said, “He announced that he wouldn't be praying for the sick tonight.”

She said, “Which way does he go out?” Not me; she had faith in God.

So two of the elders of the church, or three, got this big heavy lady, and packed her around to the little door where I go out the back of the tabernacle, not knowing myself she was there to be prayed for.

And I got through preaching. I started out, and she caught me by the trouser leg, and she held there. She said, “Brother Branham, I won't take your time to pray for me, but just lay your hands on me.” That's it. She was determined.

About six or eight months later ... the lady standing there that night was swollen out like that. The doctors wouldn't touch her for nothing.

She's been back in my meetings down through California; will be there again now. She's been to the Tabernacle since, just as flat as I am. And said, “Any of the women can come and examine me. There's no mark of knife upon me. The thing left me.” Why? She was persistent. Amen. Her faith was set.

My faith is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood with righteousness;

When all around my soul gives way,

Then He's all my hope and stay.

For on Christ, the solid rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

Persistent. Their faith had a hold of his Word and they wouldn't let go.

Like Micaiah was down there before Ahab and Jehoshaphat. There was fifty ... or no, four hundred, I guess, fine cultured men come out, well fed, dressed—Ahab's prophets. They come out there prophesying. Jehoshaphat, being a righteous man, there was something didn't hit just right. See, he didn't have no faith.

All them fellows standing there, the whole seminary was out. Said, “Looky here. Go up, Ahab [because they was judging]. The land belongs to you, Ramoth-gilead. It's yours, so it belongs to you. Go up and take it. The Lord's with you.”

A guy had a great big set of horns, like this. He said, “By this you're going to push them all the way out of the land.”

Jehoshaphat looked around and seen there was no faith. “No matter,” he said. “Here,” he said, “haven't you got another one?”

He said, “Another one? There's four hundred of the best. They're educated, they're trained. They're men of God.”

But you see, there was no faith there. He said, “Surely you ought to have another one somewhere.”

He said, “I got one, but I hate him.” He said, “He's always bawling me out.”

“Oh,” he said, “let not the king say so. Go get him.”

Says, “That's Micaiah, the son of Imlah.”

So, you know what? The deacon board went over and met him. Said, “Now looky here, Micaiah. If you want to come back into the organization again, all you said against them, it will be forgiven you—if you'll just say the same thing they say. You say the same thing.”

Micaiah, I like that man of God. He said, “I'll say only what God puts in my mouth.” So he got over before him, and he said, “Give me tonight.” And he must have prayed all night. Along about daylight he saw his vision. When he saw the vision, he compared it with the Word.

That's the way to check whether your vision's right or not. Not all kinds of visions is right. But if it's contrary to the Word, you leave that vision alone. But if it's with the Word, stay with it.

So Micaiah gave his prophecy, that he saw Israel scattered like sheep. Now four hundred ministers standing there, all of them well..., all them prophets, great men, ecclesiastical force. But Micaiah was persistent. He had checked his vision with the Word. He knowed it was right. He knowed what that real prophet.... Elijah had prophesied evil against Ahab, and how could he say good when the Word said evil?

How can you bless what God has cursed, or how can you curse what God has blessed? It must be with the Word. Sometimes you have to stand alone, but stand there. Right. Be persistent. Stay right with it. No matter what anybody else says, stay with it. Micaiah stayed right with it. And of course, we find out ... and it proved out that he was right.

Faith never denies the truth of the Word, but holds to it no matter how ridiculous it might seem. Faith holds right on to the truth of the Word. Peter (in closing).... Oh, my! Why didn't somebody pull me? I didn't know it was getting that late! Excuse me, friends. I'd better stop right here. I'll say just a couple of more little comments here, see, and then we'll go. Let's change it just a minute. All right. Notice. (Thank you.)

There was Peter, the apostle. We'll bring it down home just for a moment. Peter, the apostle, he had a good old father. His name was Jonas. And I can just imagine Peter and Andrew, and Jonas—they were fishermen. And I can see old Jonas, about eighty years old, out there as the little old feeble arms, helping them pull them nets in. He sees he's losing his strength, knowed it wasn't going to be very long till he was going to go away.

I can see him sit down on the side of the boat after a good catch that day. He'd prayed that morning. He said, “My sons, come near me.” He might've said it like this: “You know, we people have looked for a Messiah, and we know He's coming. I've so longed to see Him. I thought surely He would come in my generation. But it seems like I'm going to go before He comes. I'm getting old.

“But, my sons, don't be disturbed now. Just before his appearing there's going to be all kinds of fanaticism raise up around it.” Always is.

It's the devil, trying to put a scarecrow out, scare you away. But remember, the scarecrows is always at the good tree. Just remember that—not out on the old sour apples, no. It's always where good eating's at.

So, he said, “Just remember. Now, there'll be some raise up saying they're this, and some saying they're that, and some are saying they're so forth, and claiming messiahs and everything else. But don't you believe it. Now the only way to be sure is take what the Word says.

“Now the Word said Moses, the prophet of God....” And the Word always comes to the prophet. He said, “Now, Moses said that 'the Lord your God shall raise up a prophet liken unto me.'

“Now, it's been hundreds of years since we've seen a prophet. But remember, when the messiah cometh, he won't be saying he's that. But when he comes, he'll be a prophet, and you notice him.

“Now our Bible tells us if a man claims to be a prophet, and what he says comes to pass, then listen to him because ... you can fear him because he's from God. But if what he says doesn't come to pass, don't pay attention to it. Just go on, see, because it's not right. So now you boys remember that.”

Andrew, you know, was the first one to find him. He said, “Hey, Simon. Come on, go down to the meeting in the morning. He's going to be down here. The churches won't have him, so he's down here in another place. So you came down here.”

And, “Oh,” Simon said, “now remember. We're Pharisees, and we've got to stay....”

“But I just want you to come. Just sit down and listen for a few moments, watch it.”

So the next morning.... I can see after they got through pulling the nets, why, Jesus came down to the coast. And the first thing you know, Simon must have come up in the audience. And when he come walking up through there, Jesus looked over at there, and said, “Thy name is Simon. And you're the son of Jonas.”

Now you talk about a persistent boy, he was, from then on. Nobody could make him doubt it then. He knowed it. Because why? He'd saw that sign of a Messiah. He saw the Word. He knowed that the man didn't know him, didn't know his name, didn't know nothing about him; and here He told him, not only him but who his father was, and what his name was, the very one that told him to look for this sign. He was persistent.

Little old Philip, when he heard this story he didn't have to see it. He believed it, for he was looking for a messiah. He was so persistent till he went around the hillside, about fifteen miles, and he found a guy named Nathanael. He didn't have to go back, and say, “Now wait. Let's sit down and calculate this.” He said, “Come see who we have found, the one that Moses spoke of.” Amen. I can hear him tell the story about Simon.

Oh, Philip ... or, Nathanael might have said, “Now wait a minute, Philip. You've gone off on the deep end.”

“Just come see. See if I'm on the deep end.”

So, when he walked up in the prayer line, or in the audience, wherever it was, I can see Nathanael begin to look around, say, “Kind of a good feeling here tonight, somehow. Looks pretty good.”

And Jesus caught his eye and He said, “Behold. There is a Israelite indeed in whom is no guile.” That took him off the rocker.

He said, “Rabbi, when did you know me?”

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

And he looked around, and he saw all of his pastors, and the deacons, and the presbyters, and the bishops, and all of them standing around. But, brother, he got very persistent right then. He said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God.” Hallelujah!

There you are. He was persistent. Why? He saw something. He heard something. He realized that it was scriptural, so he could stand persistently, regardless of what the rest of them thought. He seen something. He had a hold of something. He held on to it.

The little woman at the well, ill-famed. She'd seen so much bogus amongst the people professing.... One day (it must have been about eleven o'clock) they went into Sychar to get some food, the disciples, and Jesus ... left alone. The Father had sent Him up there because He had need go by. He was going to Jericho, but He went up around the mountain because He had need. One soul, and her a prostitute. Oh, amazing grace! One soul out of the whole thing, and her an ill-fame, calling off of his regular journey plumb up here.

She might've been ... about eleven o'clock she come out to get some water. She might've started to let the bucket down, and her curls dropped down over her face. And she started to let the bucket down. She heard somebody say, “Bring me a drink.” She looked over quickly, and there sat a Jew.

She said, “It's not customary for such a thing, a Jew to ask a Samaritan anything.”

He said, “But if you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask me for a drink.” What was He doing? Contacting her spirit. Father had sent him up there. Now, the subject is there. Hallelujah! I saw something then. O God! Father sent him up there, and now here's the subject before Him. He don't know what to say, but He carries a conversation. He said ... talked about worship at Jerusalem, and the Jews and so forth, and the well they talked about. After awhile He found where her trouble was.

Said, “Go get your husband and come here.”

She said, “I have no husband.”

Said, “That's right. You've had five, and the one you've got now is not your husband.”

She said, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. We know that the Messiah is called the Christ. He's coming, the anointed one. And when he comes, he'll be a prophet. He'll tell us those things.”

He said, “I am He that speaks to you.” Talk about persistence!

You know, it wasn't actually.... If you know the Oriental custom, a woman of that type should never approach a man in the market place. That's right. Not till this day in India, and different places. No, sir. The men wouldn't even hear her. Look at her. She's marked a prostitute. They'd turn their back, no matter what she said.

But what? They couldn't ignore her. They couldn't ignore the woman. Why? She had a hold of faith. She had a message. They couldn't stop her.

She said, “Come see a man who's told me the things that I've done. Isn't this the very messiah? Isn't this he?” And the Bible said the whole city believed because of the woman's testimony.

The little woman with the blood issue, she was persistent. I imagine she seen all the denominations standing there, and she pressed right on by them. One said, “Wait a minute. Where're you going? Aren't you John Doe's wife? up there on the hill, that he just swapped that team of horses the other day to pay the doctor.”

“Yeah, but he couldn't do me no good.”

“Well, you're too frail. You'll get tramped on down there in that bunch of people. Listen at them. They're nothing but a bunch of fanatics that's Galilean backwash. They don't even belong to an organization. All he does is tear up our churches. Go on back up there. I'll call your pastor.”

She just ignored it. She was persistent, and went walking on.

“Well, you're too weak to go to the meeting.” That didn't stop her a bit. She was going anyhow. Little pale cheeks. She's going anyhow. Going anyhow.

Maybe her husband said, “Get back up there on the hill where you belong,” see.

“You are my husband, and I love you. But I must touch Him.” Walked right on past him.

Here stood a.... “Step out of the way,” and she passed another line of people.

They said, “The days of mir....” [Blank spot on tape.]

And the bishop come around like this, said, “Hey, we heard you done miracles. Let's see you do another one.” Another one stepped in this way, that way.

Finally she thought, “How am I going to do it?”

But you know, faith always finds a way to do it, like the Syrophenician woman. Faith finds a way to touch Him. If you don't believe it, you get to praying right now, and see if your faith don't find a way to touch Him. Faith finds the way. And after awhile....

Reminds me of Abraham Lincoln. They'd shut him out. Great man. Said, “How you going to get in?”

He said, “I'm going to trust God.”

Said, “They're going to close the doors in your face.”

He said, “I'll still trust God.”

So when all the senators answered.... They were going throw him out on this measure that they was trying to vote against. And so.... They knowed Abraham Lincoln was for it. He had such a pressure, and such a status before the people that he could put his point over. And they wouldn't let him in the door.

And when they got up, and began to call the names, they called different ones and different ones, and there was Lincoln's seat empty. Said, “Abraham Lincoln?”

Down through the chimney, said, “Present.”

Faith finds a way. It might be down the chimney, but it'll get there. What difference does it make, so it arrives? Faith finds a way. It may be crawling, may be singing, may be shouting—whatever it is, it finds its way, moves right on.

She'd try to touch, and blocked off and blocked off. Finally, she just stooped down and reached over and touched his garment. Jesus turned and said, “Who touched me?” Why? She had perseverance. She touched Him.

I must close. I just feel so good, I hate to do it. But we've got a big prayer line coming up. Listen. I was in Mexico about four years ago, and they told us we could have the bullring. General Valdina had brought me down, first American non-Catholic that had ever been brought down. When the bishop of the Catholic church went up before the president, and said, “Your honor, sir, this man is coming in here non-Catholic,” and said, “he gets government support, from General Valdina, military support.” Said, “Our nation doesn't stand for that.”

And so the president sat back. He said, “The man's a reputable man.”

Said, “Oh, he's just a renegade.”

Said, “I don't think tens of thousands of people would go out to hear a renegade.”

And he said, “But you see, sir,” the bishop said to the president, “you see, sir, only the poor and illiterate is the only thing that goes to hear him.”

He said, “You've had them for five hundred years. Why are they poor and illiterate?” That was a good question.

They wouldn't let us have the bullring, so we got a great big place out there. And those poor Mexicans. Thinking: we sit in here listening for an hour and a half, and get tired. Many times those people come there at eight or nine o'clock in the morning—no seats. They stood up leaning against one another all day. I wouldn't be in the pulpit until about eight or nine o'clock that night. But they stood there so they'd get a place to stand, about thirty thousand. And there they was, all leaning against each other.

I was just to be there three nights. And I remember one night there (second night), coming across the platform ... I seen him standing on the platform. Billy had let him up, an old Mexican man. His feet was callused all over, and his pants all ragged, no shirt on—just a coat wrapped around him, it ragged —an old hat tied up with strings. He was blind. He kept saying something. When he got close to me, took out little beads and went to saying a “Hail, Mary.” I had him put it up.

So, I put my arm around him. I looked, and me with a good pair of shoes on and a suit of clothes. Got just as much right to have a pair of shoes and suit as I have. Yes, sir. So, I thought, “I'll give it to the old man.” His feet was much bigger than mine, his shoulders way out like that. I looked at his gray hair, blind. I thought, “If my daddy would've lived, he'd been about that age. He may be somebody's daddy.”

I put my arms around him, started praying. And when I opened my eyes like this (they don't interpret the prayer), I seen the old man going around looking as well as ... you know, he could see, and everything, in the vision. I just held real still. Directly I heard him holler, “Gloria a Dios”, means “Glory to God.” He could see as good as I could. Oh, down through there he went lippity, clippity, hard as he could. The amazing grace.

The next night there was a rick much longer than this platform, piled that high, of old shawls and coats laying up there to be prayed over. And when I got on the platform that night.... It'd been raining since about ten o'clock in the morning. Those people stood right through the rain, them Mexican women with their hair all down in their face, and just soaking wet.

And I had to get on a ladder and come down a wall. They picked me up in a car, and let me down on these ropes on a ladder, to get on the platform right beside the wall where I had to come around the wall in a car.

And I was speaking. And Billy come over to me and said, “Daddy....” A Mexican man.... (I don't know what his name was. I called him “Mañana,” which means tomorrow. He was so slow. And so he was always.... He'd come and get me, and they was about.... They brought him because that he couldn't talk to me. Nobody talks to me when we're coming to the meeting. And he couldn't talk English, so I just called him Mañana. And so he would blabber off something. I didn't pay any attention because I didn't know what he was saying.

So, he got me on the platform that night, and I was speaking, and Billy come running up. He said, “Daddy, Mañana give out all them prayer cards.” And said, “There's a little woman down there's got a dead baby.” And said, “I've got over a hundred and fifty, two hundred [forget what it was] ushers, and they can't stop that woman.”

Said, “She's got that dead baby on her hip, and she'll run between their legs and run over their shoulders, and everything else with that dead baby.” And said, “She ain't getting no prayer card.” And said, “We done give them all out. And if I put her in line ahead of them people that come and got a prayer card, there'll be a riot as sure as the world.”

And now, Brother Jack Moore.... Anybody ever know Brother Jack Moore? Many of you ... he was with me. So, I said, “Brother Jack, she don't know me from you.” I said, “Go on over there, and pray for the baby, and it'll be all right.”

And these ushers would take and hold her back, and she'd stand there. And as soon as they'd turn their head, she'd run right between their feet like that, hard as she could. And she'd upset four or five of them. They'd shove her back again. They couldn't keep her off the platform. Oh, persistent! My!

And so, Brother Jack started over to pray for the little baby, Billy was taking him over. And I said, “As I was saying....” Then Brother Espinoza, a Pentecostal brother from California, was giving the interpretation. I said, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen.”

And when Brother Espinoza started to say that, I looked right out here, about two or three feet from here, and there was a little Mexican baby in a vision—little old ... no teeth, just gums, just laughing at me. And I rubbed my eyes. I looked again, and there it was. Little bitty fellow. He was just laughing, them little black eyes just staring.

And I thought, “Wonder if that's that baby.” I said, “Hold it just a minute, Brother Espinoza.” And Brother Jack was going off the platform. I said, “Tell the ushers, Brother Espinoza, make a way and let the lady come up.”

She was standing about the distance of this building out there, still pressing her way with this dead baby in a blanket. It died that morning about nine o'clock. The doctor pronounced it dead. Died with pneumonia. So, she ... they made a way, and here she come up to the platform. She fell down, and began to holler, “Padre.” It means “Father.” I tried to get her to stand up.

When she stood up, Brother Espinoza said, “Has she got a prayer card?”

I said, “No. But, Brother Espinoza, don't say this. I don't know. I seen a little Mexican baby in a vision right out before me here.” And I said, “It may be her baby. I'll just pray and let it go on like that.”

He said, “All right.”

I said, “Don't interpret the prayer.” And I told her to stand up, and Espinoza told her in Spanish to stand up. She stood up. I said, “When did your baby die?”

“Nine this morning.” It was about ten-thirty then, that night.

And I said, “Do you believe?”

With all her heart. There wasn't a doubt in the little thing's mind—pretty little woman, looked to be about in her early twenties, twenty-two or twenty-three—typical little Mexican señorita.

So she had this little baby and a little blanket over it. There it was laying there, just soaking wet, that blanket. She'd been standing out there since that morning. She'd seen a piece in the paper about that old man getting his sight, so she was ready to bring that baby. And so, I asked her if she believed. She said, “Yes.”

So I laid my hands over on the little baby. I said, “Heavenly Father, now, I don't know. I just saw the vision. And upon the basis of that vision, it may be the baby. That's all You said to me. I'm just going to put my hands on it, commit it to You.”

And the little baby went “Whaa!” and began to kick its little feet, like that. And I looked around. She jerked the blanket off of it, and people begin screaming, and I said, “Now don't you say nothing about this, Brother Espinoza. Get a runner, get somebody on that case, and go and get a signed statement from the doctor before you say anything, because if you're going to say anything about it, it's got to be authentic.” So, she ... he got a runner.

And the next day he himself.... They went to the doctor, he signed the statement that the baby died that morning at nine o'clock. And that was that night at ten o'clock, and the baby as far as I know is living in Mexico tonight, happy. Why? Because the woman ... like this little Syrophenician woman, she was persistent. She knew she had a hold of God. Catholic, or no Catholic; priest, or no priest; church, or no church; excommunicate, or no excommunicate; laughed at, or no laughed at, what was she? She was perseverant. She knew that there was a God.

Listen. Bible-promised signs proves He keeps his Word. Bible-promised signs, we can read them and be persistent, and know that He keeps his Word. Let us pray.

Before we pray, is there some in here tonight that would like to be remembered in this prayer? Whatever you have need of, just raise your hand, and say, “God, make me persistent, Lord, till I can get the desire of my heart. It's for your glory. Lord, stay right with me. Let me stay with You. Give me a hold on You tonight.

“I'm going to watch. I'm going to listen. I'm going to believe. When others are being prayed for, I'm going to believe tonight. I'm going to be persistent that I'll never leave this building until I've got a anchor in my faith. My faith is anchored in me, rather, that I am going to be very perseverant, because I believe. I want to get a hold of your Word right now for my case.”

Our heavenly Father, You see the hands. The story of this little Gentile woman, how that she was persistent.... She was very perseverant because faith had come by hearing, and hearing of God's Word. And with all of her hindrances ... and here we sit tonight with not one third the hindrances she had.

Her daughter was an epileptic, and she was a Gentile, which God had not promised to visit. She was turned down by her friends. She was turned down probably by all that we spoke of tonight. But we know that even Jesus tested her faith, told her that He wasn't sent to her. And said that she and her race was dogs.

And the truth was, Lord, when faith gets a hold of the Word, it admits the truth. Said, “But the dogs get the scraps.” And that touched the heart of our Master. He said, “Oh, woman, great is your faith. Be it unto you as thou hast believed.”

And when she got home, the fit was off of her daughter and she was lying across the bed. The devil had left her.

Heavenly Father, give us that faith tonight. May we come, and after tonight be perseverant in our faith; because we can have faith if we know You've promised it in your Word. Anything that You promised, and our faith takes a hold of, it belongs to us. You told Joshua, “Everywhere the soles of your feet sets, that I've given you.” And we realize that footsteps meant possession. Father, if some of them tonight has never walked high enough up into the kingdom of God to receive the Holy Ghost, may they receive it tonight. May they make footsteps tonight, footprints.

And then them who have never been able to reach up high enough and walk up there and possess the blessing of divine healing, may they walk up tonight, be persistent. May faith catch a hold of them right now by these remarks from these others.

Those who've never accepted You as Saviour, may they reach up tonight, and get a hold of You, and accept You. The Bible said, “As many as believed was baptized.” Grant it, Father. And may they be baptized also in water, and also in the Holy Spirit. Grant these blessings, and help your poor, humble servant, as I minister now in the name of thy Son, Jesus. Amen.

Now, I believe that Billy Paul, if he's in the building said that he gave out prayer cards. And I think he said fifty. Is that right? Fifty prayer cards. And we want them to stand up. Now, don't race at it. Just come one by one.

Who has prayer card number one? Some one? What did you say? A1. All right. A1, is it the gentleman? A2. Would you raise your hand? All right. A2? Did I see the hand of that person? A2? All right, sister. A3? 3, all right. 4, 5, raise your hand. I didn't see 4 even. 4? All right, next in line. 5, raise your hand. Prayer card 5.

Now, Billy comes down to the audience, gets up here, shuffles the cards up together, gives the people a card, anybody that wants them. Anybody have to be here to get them, of course. Now I think if they come early and got a prayer card, they ought to have right to be first up here, don't you think so? That's right. And now ... but Billy don't know who's going to be first on the line, because the prayer cards are shuffled up. That makes it to him.

Then sometimes, I start vice-versa, backwards, upside.... You've seen it done. That's right. Last night we didn't even have any prayer cards at all. See, that isn't the idea.

All right, 5, 6? Raise your hand. 7? All right. As I call the number you stand up. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11? Just make your way over here and get in the line right along here. 12?

Now if you can't raise up, some of the brethren will come and get you, pack you. You're going to get up here, yes, sir. All right. 12? Did I see 12? Prayer card 12? All right. 13, 13, 14, 15. Be watching your card now. 15? 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18, 18, back, 19. Thank you, Brother Vayle.

19, 20, 21, 21? I didn't get it. 21, 22, 22, prayer card 22? Thank you. Let me know, you know, because it might be somebody deaf, and they miss their place, you see, or somebody can't get up. Somebody watch the other's prayer card, and then be looking at your prayer card.

What was that 22? 23, 23, prayer card 23, 24, 25, 26. Good. 27, 28, 28, 29, 29, 29, 30. Thank you. 31, 32, 33, 33. I didn't see it. 34, 34, 35, 36, 36, 37, 37? I didn't get it. 37, 37. Look around at your neighbor. He might have a prayer card. 37. He might be deaf, might be able ... can't get up, see. He's paralyzed, and can't move. 37.

Somebody must've got it, and went out. If they come in, put them in the line, position them in their place now. The ushers will be there to help. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 47. That's good. 48, 49, 50, 50, the man back there.

Now is all the people that has prayer cards up? Has anybody else got a prayer card? All prayer cards standing in the row? I want to be sure of this now. We called one, 37. I seen a couple of brethren come in since then. I just wonder. I've called prayer card 37, and it didn't answer. That's the only one that I seen myself that didn't answer. Prayer card number 5. Did it answer? Brother Vayle said he didn't notice prayer card number 5. Number 5, is it there? and 37?

Now, if you'll just give us a moment or two, friends. Now we'll ... someone coming in with a baby. Maybe it might be some of the women and brothers has to step out with their little ones. And if they're out now and that number comes in, put them right in line, right in their place, put them where 37 and 5 belongs. And that makes everything just right then. 37 and 5. Everybody now be alert, be ready, be willing.

Now. Thank you. Hear that better now? Reason they are doing this is because under the anointing I don't talk very loud. Now, while they're getting them together I might say this. I want it from your heart. If you don't believe it, don't raise your hand. But if you do believe it, I want you to raise your hand.

Now. We know that Christianity has been growing in the grace of God through the years. Martin Luther was the first reformer from the Dark Age, and he preached justification by faith. How many knows that? Then the church was like a pyramid. It was down here, great.... Anybody even professed to be a Christian, it was dangerous, could be killed.

Then along come Wesley with the message of sanctification, then become more in the minority. Then after Wesley come the Pentecostal group. Then it become up. And anyone knows ... not teaching pyramid doctrines now, or anything. I'm just giving an example. But the headstone was never put on the pyramid. Why? It was rejected, see. So, if the headstone would come to the pyramid.... If anyone's ever been in Egypt, those stones are so closely fit together till you can't place a razor blade between them. That's where's the mystery. How'd they get them up there? They fit perfect.

Now, the headstone ... it'll have to be the stones that's made up here at the top, already part of the headstone. It'll have to be honed so perfectly, until when the headstone comes it'll have to fit just exactly with it to make the building complete. Is that right?

So the church.... Now, if the headstone come in Luther's time, look what a out-of-the-way place it would have been. Look if it come in Wesley's time.

It'll come in its own predestinated time. But the church will be honed in such a condition until the church's ministry will be so close, and be just exactly the same kind of ministry that Jesus had, to make it all fit together for the rapture. Like, the head knows more than the feet, see. The eyes are more use than the feet. The eyes is a prophet of the church. It foresees, see. And all these things come in the head, the head part.

Now, I want to ask you a question. Excuse me, brethren. This may be off the beaten path. But if I'm wrong, you forgive me, and you brothers out there. I believe that the church will have to come to that spot for the rapture to be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. I believe that we're living in that day, that when the church will certainly be in a minority. It'll be a small group.

You know, when Jesus preached, there wasn't one percent of the one millionth of the people on earth ever heard Him. Look what heard John to make preparation, see. It's the elected that hears it. That's all. That's right. “No man can come to me except my Father draws him first. And all the Father has given me will come.” That's right.

Now, I believe that there's a church coming into that perfection, that ministry of perfection, where the offices, where apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists for the perfecting of the church, them pastors, and teachers, and so forth—will be so with the Word until the whole thing will work right up to the coming of the Lord. I believe that, and I believe we're nearing that time now. I believe it's so.

Now we know that Jesus said, and taught us all through the Scriptures, that the works that He did would be done also. Now, my brethren, I hope that if you disagree with me it'll be on a friendly basis.

Did you know that the Bible speaks of the appearing of the Lord, and also the coming of the Lord, and it's two different words? Search it and find out if that's right. The appearing and the coming is two different things. The appearing of the Lord is now. He's appearing amongst his people. We see Him in his same works, the appearing, his Holy Spirit. But his coming will be in the physical being. It'll be to catch the church up.

But see, we've been down through the Word, justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost. And now the church is getting in such a condition, ready, waiting. The offices ... and the offices of the church is coming into its place. The teachers are placing the places. The gifts are manifesting themselves.

Oh, there's a lot of impersonations. That's right. We expect that. But there's real, too. Before there can be a bogus dollar there has to be a real one for it to be made off of it. That's right. We have all those carnal comparisons, but that don't take away from the real. It only makes the real shine out.

So, the Lord is now appearing among his people—great signs and wonders, raising the dead, healing the sick, and doing the very same things that He did that hasn't been done for two thousand years. See, the church is honed up through that, brought up until it's right at the time that headstone is coming to meet the church. And then, it'll all go together, and be raptured. The ones fell asleep in the first watch, second watch, third watch, on to the seventh watch. The appearing of the Lord. Last night I touched it, how He'd come.

Now remember, not the man. That's a office in the church. Not the marvelous teacher man; it's the marvelous Holy Ghost teaching in the man. Not the marvelous man with the gift of discernment; the marvelous Holy Ghost in there using the man, see. Always said like.... Peter referred to it one time on Mount Transfiguration: the holy mountain. It isn't the holy mountain; it's the holy God on the holy mountain. It's not the holy church; it's the holy God. Not the holy people, but the Holy Ghost, see. It's the Holy Spirit in these last days.

Now when that angel of the Lord came to Abraham, there in the time before the destruction, now, that was God appearing in human flesh. And Jesus said “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man.” As it was in the days of Lot ... He give the morals of what they were doing in the days of Noah.

In the days of Lot, watch that messenger to Abraham. Watch the messengers to Lot in the nominal church. Just, “Come out, come out,” and Abraham pleading for them. Notice. The angel, God, Elohim, appearing in a form of human flesh shows that Elohim in the last days will appear—not the coming of Christ, but the appearing of Christ in human flesh—in his church, making his same signs and things that He did, and hasn't done it in the church for two thousand years, see—the appearing of the Lord.

Now. Is all the prayer cards in the line? How many's sick out there, and hasn't got a prayer card? Raise up your hand. Do that again. Raise up your hands, all that's sick, all that's praying, believing. All right. The woman that touched the border of his garment, she didn't have no prayer card either, but she touched his garment. And the Bible said that He right now is a high priest (Is that right?) ever living to make intercession, a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Is that right? And the Bible said in Hebrews 13:8, “He's the same yesterday today and forever.” Is that true?

Well then, if He's the same high priest, if you touched Him like that woman did.... Not physically; her faith touched Him, because He said virtue went. Everybody was touching Him physically, but her faith touched Him. And He turned around, and knowed her blood issue ... and said her faith had saved her.

Don't you believe He's the same high priest tonight? And if these words are true, He's appearing in human flesh. Then you let Him appear in your flesh, giving you faith in his promised Word, St. John 14:12, “... the works that I do shall you also.” Then I'll.... If there's offices in the church, then let me relax myself before Him, and William Branham part go away, and let the Lord Jesus speak through me—appear in human flesh like He appears in yours.

So there'll be a witness of two, and two's a confirmation in God's Word. Two is a witness. Then you have faith to touch Him, and I have faith, and through both of us confirms his Word that it's the truth.

Now, you sick people again out there, now, I can't go down through that ... discernment through that line. You know it would take me right off the platform. One little woman caused the Son of God to say He got weak, and Him the Son of God. What do you think I would be, a sinner, saved by his grace? I couldn't even stand one of them if He didn't say, “The works that I do shall you also, and more than this shall you do.”

I know the King James says greater but it's actually more, see. Greater, He couldn't do no greater. He raised the dead, stopped nature, and done everything, see. So, it's just more of it, because there'd be more people. The Spirit was just in one man there. Now it's universal around the world in all of his people. Believe.

Let's just take for a start these crowded in this way. How many there that doesn't know me, and I don't know you, and you're sick, and you believe that God can reveal to you your trouble? Raise up your hands. All you there that hasn't got prayer cards, and you want something from God, raise up your hand. In here? You pray.

Let me turn my back. You pray. The angel that appeared in human flesh had his back turned to the tent where Sarah was, and He told Sarah what she did. Is that right? That same angel was God. And the same God that was there was promised by Jesus, who was God, to appear in these last days before the burning of the earth, just like He did in the days of Sodom. Do you believe?

Of course it's a vision. There's people standing there I don't know. It'll be up to Him. Here it is, if I can find where it was. Yep. The lady sitting right here, heavy-set, did you raise your hand a few minutes ago? You believe God'll heal that rheumatism for you and make you well? If you do, raise up your hand. All right. You can have it. What did she touch?

The man sitting next to her, what do you think, brother? Do you think that comes from God? You do? You believe God can tell me what's your trouble? Would you believe it? Would you accept it if I could tell you through God's Spirit? I'm talking here, sitting close to me. Do you believe it? Will you believe it? All right then, your high blood pressure will leave you.

That man sitting next to you had the same thing, a little thin man there. He had high blood pressure, too. If that's true, raise up your hands, both of you. Hallelujah! Go believing. Don't doubt.

What did they touch? They never touched me. I don't know the people. I've never seen them in my life. You're all strangers to me. That's right. If you just believe, that's all you have to do.

Here's a little lady sitting right back here, looking right at me. She's just tearing into the kingdom of God. She's praying for her unsaved sons. If you'll believe with all your heart, they'll be saved. Will you believe it? You can have it. You believe, all of you?

You believe God'll heal that nervousness for you, sir, sitting there? You was asking to do it right then. It's all over. You have it.

The little lady sitting back there, praying for that grandchild, do you believe that God'll make it well? Retarded, but you believe that God'll make it well? You believe it with all your heart? Planning on bringing it to church tomorrow night. You won't have to. God'll make it well, and you can bring it. How about it, lady? You believe it? All right. You can have it.

I'm a total stranger to the woman. I don't know her at all. Never seen her in my life. Are we strangers to one another, lady? If it is, raise up your hand. Wasn't that what you was praying for? If it was, wave your hand like that. Don't you see? Elohim, God. How can you doubt? Can't you be persistent?

Just to start it here in the line. Now you have a prayer card. They didn't. Do you believe me to be his servant? Do you believe I've told you the truth tonight on God's Word? I don't know you, never seen you in my life. We're strangers as far as I know. But do you believe if God can tell me what's wrong with you, or something you ... something that you ... you'll know whether it's the truth or not. You know what ... if I can tell you what has been, and then tell you what will be, well, you know that will be right.

You're not here for yourself; you're standing for somebody else. And that person's not here. That's your wife. She's in another state. She's in Georgia. She's got kidney trouble. She's very sick, got complications. That is right, isn't it? Do you believe with all your heart now? Go home and find her the way you believe it. Amen. Don't doubt. “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to those who believe.” Amen.

Now, that was a man. Here's a woman. Let's have just one more, and then we'll start just praying for the sick, see if we can get down that line. Come near me, sister. I believe we're strangers one to another. We don't ... we're just two people that met here, the very same way in a panoramic like this at Sychar there, where Jesus met the woman at the well. Here we are, man and woman, met first time in life.

Oh, my! I wish that.... I could see the power of Satan moved away. How can we stand and see this, and then not believe?

Here's a man and woman. We've never seen one another. She's just a woman standing here. I don't know one thing. I've never seen her in my life. Now. What about it? I don't know one thing. Well, what is it? God promised it. God's Word says so.

He promised me that one night up yonder, many years ago. Said I was born for this. I believed it. Tens of thousands of times, around the world, and not one time it's ever failed. What is it? It's showing you that the time is at hand. It isn't me; it's Him. How do I know this woman?

Little old brother had his son healed. He said, “I know it has to be God, Brother Branham. People in my neighborhood I know, they said....” I know it's a promise for the last day, and it's here. The Bible in Malachi 4 promised it. Said it must come to pass before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come, that shall burn the earth. And we know we're living in that day.

Here's two people standing here. I don't know the woman. 4, 5, 6, 7, or what ... everwhat it was out there, and there's a whole line, if I can only stand here long enough. And that's what I'm trying to do now, get myself shook away enough that I can go on with the prayer line. Does something to you, and it's a constant ... like a throb out there in that audience. It's faith.

Oh, if you could just ever just break through that little barrier there, get free, like a bird getting out of a cage: he's got the wings—just get out the door.

Lady, just to talk to you a minute now, I don't know you, but God does know you. Then if something you'll have to say that ... if He will tell me something about you, what you're here for, like the woman touched his garment or something on that order, some Bible sign to show that.... You know it has to be something, because I don't know you. Then, if you ... you'd know whether it'd be truth or not, 'cause you know about it. And then, if it is the truth, my! wouldn't that be wonderful? My! Certainly would.

Now. The lady's very sick. I see it now. I see her at the doctor's. She's been turned down by the doctor. She's suffering with all kinds of complications. One thing, you've got a hernia, and you're supposed to have an operation. And you've got such a bad heart until there's no doctor'll take the case. That's “thus saith the Lord.” But there is one here will take the case. Glory! Don't doubt. Glory! Believe Him with all your heart. Do you believe?

Now you know I know what's wrong with you. Whether I told you or not, if I pray for you, you know there's some kind of anointing here. Is that right? Do you believe it? Our heavenly Father, heal my sister tonight, and make her completely free, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Prayer of faith shall save the sick. God shall raise them up.

You're conscious that I know what's wrong with you. Would it help if I told you? or would you just...? If I prayed for you, you'd know there's some kind of anointing here that knows you've got heart trouble. Excuse me. Go ahead.

Now, when you were standing right out there a few moments ago, and I asked anybody that had a need raise up their hand, you raised up your hand. And when you raised up your hand a real strange feeling hit you, wasn't it? Because, that's when your nervousness left you. Go on your road.

If I prayed for you, you'd get well anyhow, wouldn't you? But would it help you if I told you what you were here for? It was female trouble, lady's trouble. You believe now? Go and be well, if you can just believe with all your heart.

Now what if I just put my hands on you, prayed for you. You'd believe me? Heavenly Father, grant it in thy name. Jesus, You said how much greater is their reward who has never seen, yet believe. I pray that You'll heal him, Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus.

You're conscious that I know what's wrong with you. Don't do any good, though, if I tell you. You believe if I just prayed for you? Heavenly Father, may he cough no more. May it be over. May it leave, in Jesus name. You believe it?

Come, sir. If I could heal you, I would do it. I can't heal you. I can pray for you. Will you believe He'll hear me? Come here. Our heavenly Father, I bless my brother in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son. Grant his healing. Amen. Believe it. Don't doubt.

Come, sir. You believe He'll hear our prayer? If I could heal you, I'd do it. I can't. I can only pray. You believe it? Heavenly Father, as the Syrophenician woman, may he get his desire tonight. Go home and be well in Jesus' name. Amen.

You believe if I'd pray for you, you'd get over it? Be a great relief, wouldn't it? They've tried everything [unclear words] and everything else, but it didn't do you no good. But God is a healer. You believe that, don't you? All right. Heavenly Father, I pray in Jesus' name that You'll heal the woman, and make her well. I lay my hands upon her, O, Lord. I believe that your Spirit is here. It's got us anointed. I pray that You'll heal her. The prayer of faith will save the sick and God shall raise them up. Yes.

Now be real reverent. Sit still. Now, see, He might call something out there. And if you're moving around I can't catch it, you see, 'cause each one of you is a spirit. And if you're in contact, you see, when you do, when you move it upsets me, you see. You understand? See? Jesus took a man and led him plumb out of the city, away from all the unbelief, see. Sit real still, be in prayer.

Here's a lady. You believe God will tell me what your trouble is? Would you accept it? Look at me. You got a growth. You believe God can tell me where the growth is? It's in the intestines. That's right. You believe that God'll heal it? Then go. As you have believed, so will it be to you, and that's all. All right.

God is no respect of persons. If He healed that lady going down there with the female trouble, He can heal you, too.

How do you do, sister? You believe if I ask He'll make you well? I can't heal you, but I can ask Him, and He can do it. I believe you're already healed. Don't you think so? All right. That's the way to do it. God bless you. That's the way.

Do you believe if we'll ask God...? Jesus said this: “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover.” You believe that I believe Him? Then, in the name of Jesus Christ, I obey his commandment for laying hands on the sick. Will you also believe it, sister?

You believe, passing through here? You're not coming just to come by Brother Branham, because wouldn't do you no good. But you're coming believing that Christ is standing here somewhere, and we don't see Him. Is that right? Come. Heavenly Father, I bless this woman in the name of Jesus Christ. May she be healed. Amen.

Do you believe, sister? Our heavenly Father, I pray in Jesus, name that you'll heal this sister, and make her well. God bless you, my brother. [Unclear words.]

Do you believe that God'll make you well? Our heavenly Father, only You can heal this man. I pray for him, with my hands upon him, and asking if he wilt be made every whit whole. Grant it, in Jesus' name. God bless you, my brother. Go believing. You believe, too, sister. Heavenly Father, I ask for her healing in the name of Jesus Christ. God bless you.

Come right along, both of you? Well, bless your heart. My, this is sweet. I hope some day to see my papa and mama come down through the kingdom of God. If I pray for you, you'll believe that He'll make you well? Our heavenly Father, this little couple, I lay my hands upon them with all the reverence and respect that I know how. If it laid within my power I would make them whole. I cannot do it, Lord. But I believe in You who will. I ask it in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Go now, both of you. Be well, and live a good, happy, long life for the kingdom of God.

That's the most hardest thing. No one knows about it, see. Everybody tells you get next to yourself, and how can you? see. Nervousness. Ooh, my! That old dark shadow following you all the time, nothing you can do. Everything's gone wrong. That's it. You believe He'll let me cast it away from you? Satan, come out of her. In the name of Jesus Christ, leave this poor little woman. Shame on you. I adjure thee by the living God, whose presence is here now, whose servant I am, let it be from this night on. God bless you, lady. With all my faith and hope, you're free. Go on your road rejoicing.

Do you believe, my brother? Let's pray. Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, let the power that raised Jesus from the grave quicken this body, and make him well. Amen. Lord bless you, my brother.

You believe, sister? Our heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, your Son, I lay my hands on this woman while we're in the presence of this ... shrouded presence of Jesus Christ. May she be healed. Go. Bless you, sister. Go just rejoicing happy and believing.

Come, sister, you and brother. Let's have your hands. Heavenly Father, I bless them. In the name of Jesus Christ may they get their desires tonight, be made perfectly whole, and live for the kingdom of God, in Jesus' name. Go believing, now. Don't doubt. Just believe.

Can you believe? Everybody believe? Many times people thinks you have to ... everybody has to be told. You don't have to be told. I know it. And if I go to talking about it, it just gets more, and more, and more. And see, and then get weaker, weaker, and weaker. And that line is still long. But God knows everything. Don't you believe that? Certainly He does. How many believes, whether you say anything or not? Amen.

Now He didn't leave me, when I just started that. He's still here. He's here. You believe it? What about you? You believe it? I don't know you. God knows you. But you believe He can tell me what's wrong with you? If I tell you, you'd be surprised. You just get real weak. Got weak spells. That's right. You believe that He can make you well from that? A preacher who wants to preach the gospel? You are a minister, and you just get so weak you can't preach. Isn't that right? But you can be strong from now on. You believe you are? Then go on your road, and say, “Praise the Lord.” Hallelujah! Amen.

Oh, America, America. How oft would I have hovered you. How oft [unclear words].

Something strange about you. Oh, I know now. Here it is. You're the lady that I met in the restaurant. It's over. In the name of Jesus Christ, let this woman go home now, being well. Lord, let her recover from this. I believe You will, because today, that great mysterious leading into that restaurant, knowing what's caused this.... The poor woman's tried to shake from it for a long time. But now she's coming free. Go in Jesus' name, and be well, and happy.

All right, sir. You believe if I ask Him you'll be made well? In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, grant the healing of my brother, as I lay hands on him for the glory of God. Amen. God bless you, my brother. Go.

God bless you, my brother. Many days—it's been long here. Let's pray. Our heavenly Father, oh, if I could only hold my daddy tonight like this. But it's hers. Help him, God. Bless her, too, Father. May they have the healing, and live a long life. And some day in glory, when we're all turned back to young people again, may I meet them again with the testimony of Jesus Christ. I ask this blessing. Amen. God bless you. Go believing. You'll be all right. Just have faith in God. God bless you. Isn't that sweet?

You believe, young man? In the name of Jesus Christ, I obey his commandments by laying my hands upon yours, and asking that the devil depart you, and be made well.

Do you believe, sister? Then, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “These signs shall follow the believers,” let her be well. Amen. Don't doubt. Just go now. Be perseverant. Believe it.

How do you do, sister? This is the hour of deliverance for you. Do you believe it? In the name of Jesus Christ, may she be set free right now. God bless you, sister.

Brother, I know what that old stick means, to be hobbling around on it. This'll be the hour of deliverance. Are you going to be perseverant in the presence of God now? Not in our presence, but his presence that I'll pray for you, and you're going to get well. Do you believe it? Our heavenly Father, I bless our brother in the name of Jesus Christ, and may the power of God make him well. Believe it. Now go on your road.

May the little fellow be set free. In the name of Jesus Christ, may it be from tonight on. In Jesus' name. Now watch what happens to him.

How do you do, sir? I wish you could stretch it out to the Lord Jesus tonight. Let Him bless you, make you well. Heavenly Father, I pray for this boy. I pray that the power that can make him well, Jesus Christ, will heal him. May he turn so the blessings of God could come upon him in Jesus Christ's name. Thank You, Lord. God bless you, boy. Go believing now.

How do you do, little fellow. [Someone speaks to Brother Branham] I believe he will, don't you? The little boy can't talk, you see. But just believe. Now we're going to pray and touch God. I believe that little boy will come back well, don't you? He's got a bad [unclear words]. My, my! Heavenly Father, may the dumb spirit upon this child depart, and may the child talk. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Just receive it now.

Gracious God, who brought back Jesus from the dead, heal this sister and make her well, as I lay my unworthy hands upon her, but believing in Christ, the worthy One. I ask for her healing. Amen. Bless you, sister. Believe it now.

How do you do, sister? Our heavenly Father, as this woman crosses the platform humbly, reverently, knowing that healing is something that's already been done. The people believe it, then.... As I said tonight, be like that woman of long ago, persistent, perseverant. They believe it. God shows them his sign—they accept it, they believe it. May she be healed in Jesus' name. Amen.

Do you believe, sister? Our heavenly Father, the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and God shall raise them up. I pray that you'll grant this blessing to our sister, that what she asks for, in the name of Jesus Christ.... I'll lay my prayer with hers, my faith with hers, and may it be granted. Amen. God bless you, sister.

How do you do, sister? You believe that He'll make you well? I'll put my faith with yours and we'll lay our prayer on his altar, and believe it in his presence. Our heavenly Father, I pray that this dear woman as she stands here tonight, crippled, all these things, Father, I pray that you'll grant her recovery, God. I'm laying my prayer upon the altar with hers, placing my faith upon the sacrifice, Christ Jesus, and asking that she will be made well. Amen. Believe now, with all your heart.

How do you do, brother? Do you believe that God will make you well? Our heavenly Father, this young gallant-looking man stands here before me. We're standing in your presence as brothers. I ask You, Lord, as I lay my prayer with his, grant it, Lord, that he will be given his request. In Jesus' name, amen. Believe it now. Be persistent. Go on. It's been asked, so let it be done.

How do you do, sir? You believe with me now that you can go back down this aisle well? Our heavenly Father, I pray that You'll grant his request. I lay my prayer with his prayer, my faith with his faith, all in your Bible and in the blood of Jesus Christ. We ask it in his name. Amen. The prayer of faith shall save the sick and God shall raise them up.

My brother, you're going to believe with me, aren't you? Heavenly Father, as I hold his hand may the power of almighty God come upon our brother, and may every frail doubt that's trying to hang on be broken loose. May he pass that sound barrier and on, buzzing out through yonder, through the kingdom of God, persistent, claiming his healing through the stripes of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless you, brother.

How do you do, sister? I believe this is the hour. I lay my faith with my sister's upon God's holy altar with my prayers, and my faith with hers. I ask God in the name of Jesus Christ to give her her request. Amen. So shall it be.

Our heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, may my prayer that I lay with my brother's, my hopes with his hopes, my faith with his faith upon your holy altar. Receive it, Lord. I offer this in his behalf, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Be persistent now. Hold right on to it. God bless you, my brother.

Our heavenly Father, they said the prayer of faith saves the sick. I offer mine with my brother. I feel for him. Lord, I pray that You'll heal him. Hear us, Lord, as I ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Bless you, brother. Be persistent now. Believe Him.

Come, my sister. Our heavenly Father, as I stand here in thy presence, and in the presence of this congregation, in the presence of this woman, I ask as I lay prayer with hers upon the altar, receive it, Father. I offer this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. God bless you. Be persistent now. Don't cut it out.

Come, sister. Would you like to go home and eat your supper, be made well? Just go ahead. Do you believe, sister? Heavenly Father, I pray that you'll heal her, as I offer my prayer with hers, in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

Bless you, brother. Our heavenly Father, I lay my hands upon brother. In the name of Jesus Christ may he be healed. I offer my prayer with his, Father, upon your holy altar. In Jesus' name let him be healed. Amen. God bless you, brother.

Now to the audience Jesus said these words, Mark 11:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you say to this mountain be moved, and don't doubt in your heart; but believe that what you have said will come to pass, you can have what you say.” Do you believe it? All right. Then lay your hands on one another, bow your heads. Lay your hands upon each other. Don't doubt. “Now if you say to this mountain be moved....”

Yes, ma'am. Lord Jesus (now while you're praying, I'm praying, for a lady brought a little boy up here). Father God, I pray that you'll grant the healing of the little boy. Now I lay hands upon him, and believe in Jesus' name that it shall be done, as I put my faith with this loved one here, upon your altar. And may he recover, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Now believe, sister. Be persistent.

I just don't know. Praying for the sick has been something I have never been able to understand. Before I ever went out with discernment, or anything, somehow I'd just go pray for the sick when I was just a local Baptist minister down there. Somehow or another they just got well. I don't know.

Many of you has read the stories about ... even God sending the animals in; how people has come through dreams and revelations; people who never heard before has come from miles across the sea to be prayed for. I just pray a prayer of faith, is all I know, and I believe it. I believe it. God promised it. And then if He promised that, now you don't have to take my word for it; you take his word for it. And then you would have to take my word about Him calling me to pray for the sick, but I think that he's proved that.

Looky here. Years ago when I told you about this great light, pillar of fire, told you how it looked, before any scientific picture was ever taken of it—now look at the pictures they've got of it.

Now that same light is standing right here where I am right now. I'm looking right straight at it, right here, an emerald-colored light. Now that mechanical eye of that camera don't take psychology, you know. The light was there. Here it is, doing just exactly what it said it would do.

Jesus said, “I come from God, and I go to God. A little while the world won't see me no more; yet you'll see me.” Now here. What was He? The pillar of fire that led the children through the wilderness. It was made flesh in the form of a man, Jesus Christ. He died, buried, rose up into heaven, and on the road to Damascus Paul met this same pillar of fire.

You say, “Oh, that's wrong.”

Oh, no. He said, “Lord, who are you?”

He said, “I'm Jesus.” Now. Now, none of the rest of them saw it. Paul saw it.

Nobody else saw that dove, but Jesus ... over Jesus but John, because he knowed he was going to see it, because God told him he was, see. That's it. He was persistent. He knew it. Now, here it is.

Now. I prayed for each one of you. I prayed for each one. Jesus said, “If you say to this mountain be moved, and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you have said will come to pass, you can have what you say.” Now I have said it; now let it be done. It's written to be spoken. I have spoke it; let it be done.

Now, let us pray, with our hands on each other, as believing children of God. If you ever was persistent ... how can you keep from being persistent?

If these mighty signs would have been done in Russia, it wouldn't be communist today. These mighty signs had been done in China, it wouldn't be communist today. Oh, America, America! How oft has God visited you, and how much longer will He permit it? The end time is here. The evening lights are shining.

Now, Lord, I love these people. They are your people, and together we are brothers and sisters in your Son, Jesus. And now, Lord, as I spoke tonight of David with the little slingshot, he was interested in the father's sheep. And no matter how little it was, he was ready to display and to conquer with what little he had to conquer with. And You was with him.

Lord, I'm coming after these sheep tonight. They've been sick. I've obeyed your commandments. You've showed your presence, your willingness. You've healed them with cards, without cards, showing that You are here. You never fail. You're the omnipresent God. And I'm coming to challenge the devil that would keep them behind the sound barrier of unbelief. Now that I prayed them through tonight, I break the way with the Word of God and set them free. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bring them back to the faith. Come out, Satan.