Letting Off The Pressure

Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be back here again tonight at the great rally convention. It's been a great day for us all, I'm sure. Had a great time this morning in fellowship around the Word of God, and with the people down at the ministerial breakfast. Oh, we wish you could've all been there. They didn't have, I think, room for the people but ... to accommodate them, but we just had some grand fellowship, and thank you. Such a grand time among the brethren.

Then today's kind of been a day for me just to see many of my friends, and visit around. And they've been seeing the Holy Spirit revealing, and showing, and making things right.

Someone was telling me .... Supposed to be a little string laying here, or something, of a little baby that had a waterhead last night, that was prayed for. And, oh, it was a mammoth big waterhead, and it was laying there behind the curtain.

When we come in, the little mother.... And we went over, and it kind of touched me to think of the poor little fellow—not a chance. Just a little thing, and its little head was swollen, great big veins sticking out, and its little chin and face about that wide, and its head about like this. And somehow, or another, just kneeling there and offering the prayer of faith, and laying hands upon the little fellow, and challenging the devil that done the work, I said to the little mother, “Do you believe?”

She looked up and she said, “I do.”

I said, “There's something happened to the baby. Now I want you to know this. You go home (she lives away from here),” and I said, “When you get home I want you to take a measurement of the baby's head. Then, tomorrow take another measurement. And if you can't get back, send it back.”

Billy just was telling me a few moments ago that they brought the string, and the baby's head had shrunken three quarters of an inch. They taken it to the doctor today. And they've been giving it shots, I believe, every day, and the doctor said it's so much improved they don't need any more shots. And the big veins that was in its head has done gone down, not a vein to be seen.

And it just goes to show that He lives. So wonderful! I'm so glad that He answers prayer. So happy for that. And we just know that anybody that will believe it, just believe the Lord, it will happen, the same thing, to you.

See, the head has to ... as it goes back, it has to get its position as it shrinks down. And now, if the people's here that has the little one, well, just be faithful to God, and the baby'll get all right. That's a sign that God heard our prayer. And I'm grateful to God, and I'm thanking God for you, mother and father, and relatives and all, of the little one. I know how I'd feel if it had been my child. And I can't feel to yours like it would be mine—I'd be telling something wrong, 'cause I couldn't feel that—but I do feel for the child with all my heart.

... we just had time I'd like to tell something that happened one time concerning ... that a vision that has never come to pass yet. And it will, though.

Today I went into a room where there was a precious man, the father of five little children, lay dying with a great big cancer. And looking at him, I.... He said the doctor says there's nothing can be done. He's got a little baby just a few months old, his little wife standing there looking at him—a fine looking little fellow, her husband. And the little baby, I didn't see them. I think they'd come all the way from somewhere.

So just ... you've got to feel for those people. I think of that, little children, five of them now, to be without a father. That's the work of the devil. So we ... I said, “I'm going to take you by faith to God's operating room, and I'm going to take God's operating knife, sharper than a two-edged sword. We're going right down where that devil's a-laying, and cut him out with the Word.” I think the man went on home. Oh, God is so good! It was my neighbor, right where I'm staying.

So now, tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, I've been given the privilege over all these fine ministers and teachers to have the Sunday school lesson. And if the Lord willing, I want to speak on, in the morning, the restoring of the bride tree. And so, if you're not in your own church, why, we'd be glad to have you out, nine-thirty or whatever time it is in the morning.

And then tomorrow night, we're expecting God to do again the exceedingly abundantly, above all that we could do or think. And then we're going down to Brother Bigsby down in South Carolina, for two nights, Monday and Tuesday. And then from there, we'll have to go then home in order to get over to the Cow Palace at the West Coast, where we go next.

And now just before we approach the Word, let's approach the author while we bow our heads just a moment for prayer. I wonder tonight with our heads bowed, and I trust our hearts are, too, in his presence, how many in here has something on your heart you'd want God to remember you? Just lift your hand up, and say, “God, remember me.” It's almost 100%.

Heavenly Father, it's so good to come to the living God, knowing that He is our great counsellor, the Prince of Peace, the mighty God, everlasting Father. And we come in his name, tonight, before the throne of his grace, to ask for all these hands that went up, down beneath the hand in the heart of the human being. You know what was there, Father. And it goes to show they have a need and a faith, or they would not raise their hands. But they believe, Lord, that the great unseen One is with us. They believe that You would see their hand, and know their request. And I'm sure You did, Lord. And behind that request was a prayer. And I'm laying mine with theirs upon your altar, and praying, Lord, that You'll answer each and every one of them.

I pray for all the ministers here, their congregations. And we're giving thanks, Lord, for the testimonies already from that one night of prayer for the sick begin to come in; and the little baby, Lord, oh, a testimony to the physician. Christ is the head physician. He heals all of our diseases. We're so grateful for that.

Now, heavenly Father, we pray that You'll continue to be with the family, be with all that's been prayed for, and let them just not be nervous and upset; but just wait, and remember that ask, and then know that it'll be given. God said so. It just can't fail. Grant it, Lord.

Bless thy Word tonight as we read it, and the context of the Scripture may be given to us in the power and demonstrations of the Holy Spirit.

And when we leave tonight to go to our separate homes and places of dwelling at this time, I pray that it'll be noised along the street and in the cars, like those who came from Emmaus when they seen Jesus, what He done after the resurrection, knowed that He done the very same thing after the resurrection that He did before the crucifixion. They knew it was Him, for no one could do it like that. And they said, “Did not our hearts burn within us?”

Grant tonight that the Holy Spirit, the resurrected Christ, will talk to every heart, and may He perform and do the things tonight that He did before his crucifixion, that the church may have another assurance that He is risen from the dead, and lives forevermore. We ask it in his name. Amen.

I have two scriptures tonight in mind, like to call your attention to. One of them is Proverbs, 18th chapter, 10th verse; the other one's Isaiah, 32:2. And in Proverbs, the 18:10, I would like to read this:

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe.

And in Isaiah, the 32nd chapter of Isaiah, and beginning with the 1st and 2nd verse:

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, a prince shall rule in judgment.

And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; a river ... as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

And I draw from this a little context that I was going to use this morning at the ministers' breakfast; just a little context that I would ... thought might help us all, because I think it's fitting. I'm calling it “Letting Off the Pressure.”

I've been thinking that ... you know, we're living in a day when there's a lot of pressure, and I try to always think on something that would help the people that come to listen to the Word.

If I just stand here ... and I have no eloquence of speech. I'm not an educated person, and I have no ecclesiastical training. Therefore, the only thing I can do is study and pray, and just follow the leading of the Spirit, asking God to do something for us that would help us. That's why we're all here tonight—not to be seen, but to be helped. And that's our purpose. That's what the convention's purpose is, to be ... is to help someone, make life a little easier.

And this great day that we're living where there is so much pressure, everything seems to be pressurized. Such a hard time. Everybody's hurrying just as fast as they can go, down the street at ninety miles an hour through every speed zone. If it's twenty, they go ninety anyhow. Shouldn't do that, Christians shouldn't. They must give Caesar what's Caesar's; God, what's God's. But here we go, just as hard as we can, rushing just....

And we're so nervous. I don't believe real Christians do this, but many of them just light one cigarette after another. What's the matter? You think that helps you? It only makes you more nervous. But you do it. The doctors will write articles, and put them in the magazines, and say, “Cancer by the carload,” telling you how danger it is to smoke them and.... But you do it anyhow. What's the matter? You're trying to let off the pressure.

We find people drink. Get out, run around, carouse around, and then try to drink it off. I guess they think that's the thing they should do. That don't let off the pressure; that builds up the pressure, going at the wrong thing, wrong way.

Then they'll go out, and do everything they can to ... whether it's right or wrong, and sin and try to hide from it, and think you're doing something great. What you trying to do? You're trying to hide from something. You know you're wrong. No man can do wrong but what he knows he's doing wrong. Very nature in him. Though he be a fallen man, he's a fallen son of God. There's something in him that tells him that it's wrong.

No man can run with another man's wife without he knows it's wrong. No man can get drunk 'less he knows it's wrong. No woman can wear immoral clothes but what she knows it's wrong. You can't do those things.

But what do you do? You're trying to let off a pressure, all twisted up, wound up.

It's just simply a neurotic age that we're living in. It's a ... it's the time that we're living, pressure.

I was speaking about, here not long ago, being in Africa, watching a little lamb out from where the natives had a little corral. And they'd let the little fellow out, and he was grazing. And all at once he got real nervous, and I thought, “What's the matter with the little guy?”

But as I watched, he couldn't see it but in the distance there was a great big, yellow-mane lion, slipping up through the grass. He'd smelled the little lamb, and was making his way to him. See, he was just nervous. He didn't know why. Sometimes we call it premonition. Now the reason he was nervous ... he didn't see the lion, but just something ... he knowed that death was lurking near.

The world seems to be in that same condition, know that something is lingering near, something's fixing to happen. It builds up a pressure, of course, to the sinner. But the Christian who's instructed in the Word ought to know that that's the coming of the Lord. It ought to build up a glorious jubilee in the Christian, knowing that the end is nigh. Someone said not long ago to me, said, “Brother Branham, you scare the people when you talk about He might come in the next hour.”

I said, “Scare what people? Not his people,” see. That's the greatest note that we can sound. That's what we're looking for. “Behold, the bridegroom cometh.” Why, that's what we live for. That's the hour that we're all living for. I know of nothing could be greater than that hour. But to the sinner, of course, it's a terrible thing.

I was talking.... Sometimes I'm in and out different places, preaching, but somewhere I must have made this remark, might've been here. But when a storm is coming up over a parched land, and we can feel that cool breeze, we know that rain is fixing to come. It ought to make us happy to breathe, because that air has come through the rain, and it's just the fore announcement of the coming rain.

And when Christians see the things today happening that's happening, it's the fore announcing of the coming of the Lord. We can feel the breeze off of it, it's so close. What a refreshing feeling to those that's not scared of a storm to have a abiding place.

Yes. Drinking, hiding, builds up pressure. It doesn't let it off.

A few days ago I was in our city, and our pastor.... I've been looking for him—he's supposed to be here. Brother Neville. Fine brother. We love him down our way. And he was a Methodist, come from the Methodist school. And he invited me about twenty years ago down to preach for him one night at the Methodist church in a city below us.

And standing there preaching, and talking to him.... I come back. I said to the church, “You know what? I'm going to baptize him one of these days, and God's going to give him the Holy Ghost.” And He did. Now he's a pastor up there.

He wasn't sick. He was just so wore out he couldn't go no further. And I was trying to make my calls. And so, I happened to pick up some of his.

The office called and said, “Go by the hospital, and ask for a certain, certain woman. Brother Neville would have to drive about thirty miles down ... or twenty miles down, twenty miles back. Go make these certain, such a calls.”

I went out to the hospital, and they give me the lady's name, and her ... said supposed to be, they thought, on a certain floor. That was on the third floor of the hospital. I walked out the hospital and started down.

There was a nurse standing there with a little mask hanging down. I said, “Good evening,” and she never said a word. I said, “Could you tell me where ... if this lady is in this place or not?” I said, “They told me she was to be in room 331.”

She said, “Then, go look!”

I said, “Thank you.” Pressure.

I went down to the room, and there was about four people in there, and I said, “Is Mrs. So-and-so here?”

“No, sir, she isn't.”

Well, I thought maybe they might've meant 231, so I went to 231 ... or I mean 321, instead of 31. They knowed nothing about her. I went back up, and there was a little doctor sitting up there then, real.... If I ever seen a man that was as broad as he was high, it was that little fellow, and he was writing. And I come by. Looked up, he kind of raised his eyebrow, and looked. I thought, “I'd better not say nothing.” So I went on up. I seen they was all under pressure for some reason.

And so, I thought maybe it might be on the second floor, instead of the third. So I went down to three ... or second floor, and I went to the nurse there, and I said, “Lady, I'm a bit confused. I'm trying to make a sick call. I'm a minister.” I said, “Could you tell me if this lady is in ... they said 331. But maybe it's 231.”

She said, “Then go find out.”

And I said, “Yes, ma'am. Thank you for your information.”

I went on down there. They said, “No, she isn't here.”

So I come back. And I come back again, and I thought, “Well, I'll go back upstairs again.” I went back up to the third floor, and I started down. And I thought maybe that that could be in ... maybe it was 320, or something. Well, I couldn't find where 320 was. And so, coming down the hall was this little doctor with his stethoscope, swinging them around. And I walked by and I said, “Good evening, sir.” He never said a word. I said, “Could you tell me where 2, or 320 is?”

He said, “This way, and that way.”

I said, “Thank you for your information.” What is it? Pressure.

I went back down to the desk, and there was another nurse. I thought, “I'll try it once more.” I was a little shaky by that time, and a little reluctant to ask. And I said, “Lady, could you tell me some information?” And I went through it again with her.

And she said, “Just a moment, Reverend. I'll look on the chart.”

I thought, “Praise God!” I let off some pressure.

She looked down and she said, “Oh, she's been changed. She's over in such-and-such a room.”

I said, “Thank you, very much.”

See, full of pressure.

Doctors are that way, nurses are that way, psychiatrists are doctoring psychiatrists. Pressure, something wrong. Just seems to be so strange, the whole world going some way. They're nervous doctoring the nervous.

But, you know, in all of it, the doctors doesn't have the answer. The hospital, the medics, they don't have the answer, 'cause they're nervous, too. But there's only one that has the answer. That's God. He has the answer.

Tension has always been with people. In the Old Testament, when Israel came over into Palestine and inherited the land, Joshua built houses which was called “house of refuge.” That was where the people could go if they had killed someone. Or ... their enemy was chasing them, they could go to this house, or city of refuge, and could stand at the gate and could plead their case.

And now, if they had did this on purpose, well then, there was no hope for them.

It's just like today. Man is on a run, and what's he running from? What's the matter with him? He has no rest. He's just going like a mad man.

And in this Old Testament, if this man had did this on purposely, then he had no chance. But if he had not done it purposely, it had been an ... accidentally.... And there's so many people today that accidentally ... they don't mean to do wrong. Now, there's a hope for that person. If you want ... if you are doing wrong, and you don't mean to do wrong, there's a chance for you. There's a place for you. But if you just deliberately sin willfully, and don't want no place of refuge, then there's nothing for you.

When this man in the Old Testament ... his slayers was after him. And the relatives of these people knew that if they ever could catch him they would kill him, because the law was tooth for tooth and eye for eye. So they had a right to kill him because he had done wrong. And, if they ever caught up with him.... Of course, he was under pressure and he would run for his life, and he would take towards this place, or city of refuge.

And when he come to there, and if he went in, and he had told them a lie at the gate, the one who was after him could come and pull him away from the altar, and slay him. But they ... he could plead his case. And if he didn't mean to do it, then the pursuers had to stop at the gate. They couldn't come any farther.

I'm so glad today that there is a place of refuge, where in all this rush, and hustle, and bustle, we can let off the pressure, and go in, get out of it all.

People are afraid of atomic bombs. They're afraid of fallout. When I was nearing your city down here, down here in this state, great big signs up, “Warning, fallout.” Everybody's scared, trying to dig down in the ground to get away from it.

You know, the only farther you have to go down is just to your knees. You're sure to get away from it, if you just got that far. You don't have to be a mole, go beneath the ground. Just go to your knees. That's all the farther you have to go.

Now. But this man who comes must be willing first to accept the refuge. Now, if he doesn't care about the refuge, there's no place for him. But if he's willing to accept the refuge, then there is a place provided for him.

And so is it today. If you're sick, the doctor says you're going to die—same thing said about that baby, others, cancer, whatever it is—and now, if you don't believe in divine healing, well, then, I don't know of no place for you to go. But if you believe there is a fountain open, if you believe there is a place, then I can tell you where there's a refuge, a house of refuge. No man wants to die. Nobody does. You want to live, and there is a place of refuge for you. God provided a place for you, a place of refuge where you can let off your worries, let off your strains, and be safe.

Now. He must want to stay in this refuge. Now, when he gets in there, he doesn't ... must not complain. He mustn't get in there and walk around, say, “Oh, I wish I was out of here.” If he does, he gets put out.

You know, since I come into my Lord, I love Him so much I never want to go out. There's something about this salvation, that since I come into Him He's my refuge. And when I come into Him, I've never wanted to go out. I have no complaints. If I knowed I was going to be put out, then I'd have a complaint. But I have no complaints.

I love Him. I love his fellowship. I love those who have taken the same refuge. I love to fellowship with these that's in this refuge. Such a glorious fellowship around the Word of God.

He mustn't want to go out, for outside he'll die; inside he's alive. Amen. I'm so glad that I'm inside. Oh, it's so good to be in here, for you're safe from death. Death cannot touch you in Christ. He's alive. And it's so glorious that we're baptized into that. I'm so thankful for it, a baptism in the refuge.

Then when you come into the refuge, the one that was pursuing, he has to stop at the gate, because the one that he was pursuing is safe. So no matter how fast he's running, when he gets into the refuge he can just sit down, and let off the steam. That's all. Let it off. He's safe. He don't have to worry no more. He's on the inside then. The gates are closed behind him.

I'm so glad that we can be dead, and our lives hid in God's refuge, safe forevermore. The poet said:

I've anchored my soul in the haven of rest,

I'll sail the wild seas no more;

The tempest may sweep o'er the wild stormy

deep,

But in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

The waves can beat, and baffle, and sickness can come, death can come, or anything else. But you're safe evermore—Christ our refuge, God's provided place of safety. Christ is the only place of safety for those who wants to live. He's the only one that has eternal life. There's no church, no denomination, no president, no king, no pope, no bishop, no minister, no nothing can give you safety but Jesus Christ. He's the only place that can give you safety. And He's God's provided safety.

Oh, we can provide this and provide that, and it'll fall. But when God provides anything it's eternal. And that's God's provided way for our safety in Christ. I love it. When you're in Him, when troubles come—like sickness, or worry, disappointments.... He bore our sorrows. With his stripes we were healed. Everything that we have need of for the rest of the journey is right here in the refuge.

How do we get in this refuge? By one Spirit we're all baptized into this refuge, and we become a member of this refuge. We are a citizen of this kingdom with our great provider with us, that provides all we have need of. Just trust his Word, and while we're in here we're in his presence. I like that.

Now we don't have to hurry, and scuffle, and act like the rest of the world. Quieten down. What's the matter with the Christians? The spirit of the world today is neurotic. But that's not the Spirit of Christ. Did you ever see Him get excited about something? Just as calm as He could be. He knowed exactly where He was standing.

Oh, what a blessed assurance it is—just like a baby—to lay your trust upon Him, and let Him take all your cares; for He cares for you. Don't try to do anything about it. He'll do it already. He's promised He would do it. It's his business. As long as you're fooling with it, well, then, He can't have it. But when you turn it loose, and let Him have it, He'll take care of it for you. Yes, sir. Oh, I like that. What a perfect calmness the Christian ought to have.

Let's take a look now at Israel for just an example. (Now I promised myself not to stay here a long time tonight at the platform, like I have been doing.)

Let's take a look at Israel, the night of the Passover down in Egypt. That was the most horrible night that Egypt had ever saw. The night of the Passover the death angel was in the land. Screams were coming from everywhere. People in the streets, screaming mothers pulling their hair, their youngest ... their oldest child had just died. Big black wings of the death angel was floating through the land.

But Israel could sit just as calm as they could be. Why? They were people just like the Egyptians, but they had walked in God's provided way. They had accepted God's way of refuge. They had applied the blood to the door. And as long as they had walked in this way, God's provision, they didn't have to worry about any kind of a death angel or anything else, because they were ... had the promise of God that the death angel would pass over them.

I can see a little boy as he looks out the window. And he runs back to his father, sitting reading the scroll, and saying, “Daddy, little Johnny Jones down the street, that I played with, he's dead. His mother is in the street. And I looked, and the great wings of the killer is coming this way.” I can see the old dad, just as calm, look at the son. And he said, “Daddy, I'm your firstborn, and our house is next. How could you sit like that when you know that I'm the next one?”

I can see the old dad lay the scroll down, pick the little boy by the hand, walk over to the door, and said, “You see that blood?”

“But Daddy, what power has that blood against that great black wings of death?”

“Son, it's God's promise that He ... 'When I see the blood I'll pass over you.' The only thing we have to do is apply it.”

Now, there could be a barrel of blood sitting at the door, and if it's not applied it won't work. It had to be applied in God's provided way. That's the same as it is tonight. You don't apply the blood by talking about it; you apply the blood by accepting it, and get it on the lintel post of your own heart. Then you are free.

The old dad wasn't scared. I can hear him say, “Son, just sit down. Let off the pressure. Nothing's going to harm us.” Just as calm as he could be. “He promised that He ... when He seen the blood that He would pass over.”

He said, “I've followed every instruction that the Word of the Lord that came to the prophet told us to do. I've followed that instruction just the way the prophet told us to do it. And I know that God's with the prophet, because he's God's man, and the Word of the Lord comes to our prophets. And therefore, he told us to apply this blood. He had 'thus saith the Lord,' and I've done it, and I believe it, and I'm resting in it.” Hallelujah!

They might want you to join this, and join that. That's all right. But to me, I just want the blood applied, applied according to the instruction. If you'll just do the same thing now, then you can sit down and let off the steam. Yes, sir.

But the people of this day, this uncertain age, run from one church to another, one denomination to another, proselyting, oh, my! everything else. What are they doing? They're only building up a pressure.

Some church can have a little meeting, and a speaker comes there, and they take their paper out of this church, and take it over to that one. Another one comes along, has another kind of a little meeting, and they take it from that church over to this one here, just packing it around.

Why don't you just take the Lamb's blood and apply it the way that God said do it? Then you won't have to fool with the letter. Is this right? or is that right? God's right. And if you've got the appropriated blood upon your heart, then you're right with God.

Build up pressure—what makes them do it? Because they left Him. They left his Word. They accepted creeds, and all these things, dogmas. Got away from the Word. The Word of the Lord is a ... name of the Lord is a mighty tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe.

The thing of it is, we don't try to run into the name of the Lord, but we try to run into the name of the church. And that's the reason we're sweating it out, but ... and building up pressure all the time, because we're.... New denomination, new something, and we take off for it. And the first thing you know we're all built up, and don't know where we're standing.

But the name of the Lord is a mighty tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe. It's the place of refuge. You don't join into it; you're borned into it. You don't pack a letter into it; you're initiated by the Holy Spirit, for you're circumcised from the things of the world, and they are dead, behind you. And you are risen with Him in his resurrection as new creatures in Christ Jesus. They left the Word.

When you're just having ... joining a church, well, of course, you can build up a pressure. But when you have been born into the kingdom of God, the pressure is gone, you see. Oh, yes! His name is a tower, a great mighty tower of refuge—such a tower that when we come into it He gives us this assurance: “Ask the Father anything in this great name of the tower, it'll be given to you.” Watch it. Come into it. Be borned into it. Then ask the Father anything you want to in that name, and watch Him honor it.

What a consolation it is in this hour, that when the peoples of the world, church members, running from place to place trying to find a refuge.... And they say ... well, this one'll say, “Well, you have to recite our creed”; this one say, “You have to join our church.”

But for that believer who comes into Christ calmly, and receives the Holy Ghost, and watch the very promise of God be made manifest among them, they don't have to run from here to there. They can just let off the steam. That's right. Sit down. It's all over. Got it made then. Let off the pressure, because you don't have to go running from church to church any more because you are in it.

The name of the Lord is a mighty tower, when the righteous run into it are safe. What kind of a tower? It's a tower of refuge, where we can go in there. And that ... the Word ... the Lord is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

Again, “If ye abide in me (the tower), my words abide in you....” Now that's when you're on the inside. Not when you're out there looking in; but when you're in here looking out, see. When ... “If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask what you will, and it'll be done for you.”

Now, if you don't believe that's the truth, come in one time and find out. Come in, and be satisfied with what the Holy Spirit does. Don't find fault with it, wanting to get back out again. Just come in and abide with Him. The name of the Lord.... The Bible said, “...and whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord.” That's right. And the Bible said, “There's not another tower under heaven whereby you must be saved—not another tower, name, not another refuge, or churches, or organizations, or societies. They're all all right. I have nothing against them. They do a great work. But when it comes to salvation, there's not another name under heaven given but this great name of Jesus Christ.

That don't mean just call it; that means come into it, be in it. We're baptized into it by one Spirit. I Corinthians 12, “We're all baptized into one body [which is Christ Jesus].” Amen. I like it. It's been a great thing to me.

Then, while we're in this great tower, the fellowship we have, isn't it wonderful to have fellowship with Christ? What more could we ask for?

Now, Isaiah described Him as a great rock in a weary land. That's this land—a weary land, or a weary time. We're living in a weary time, when people are trying to dig holes underneath their house, put a big tank in there.

Well, don't you know if an atomic bomb would ever blast this place, well, that would go so deep into the ground it'd break every bone in your body? Why, some of them bombs will blow a hole a hundred and ... or a hundred and fifty, or two hundred feet, maybe, deep; and kill everything on top of the earth for a hundred and fifty, two hundred miles around. It'd blow a hole two or three hundred feet deep, maybe, and for a hundred miles around take everything, just make it into volcanic ashes. If you were plumb down to the center of the earth in the volcanic, it would still kill you.

There's no escape, only up, get away from it. Yes, sir. How do you get up? Go down first. That's right. How? Go down, confess your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, be buried in baptism with Him, and rise in his resurrection, with the Holy Spirit that lifts you up above the cares, and worries, and unbelief of the world. Yes, that's it. The name of the Lord is a mighty tower, a mighty rock in a weary land. The righteous run into it, and are safe. How we thank God for that!

I was reading not long ago, and I like to read about wild life. I was a conservation officer for years, and I've studied wild life. Most all of you know about a rifle blowing up on me, the other day. If it hadn't been for God, it would have killed me. Now, I'd just like to say something about that. That was too much pressure. That's what done it.

Let me give you a little lesson here. You know, the rifle was not original Weatherby rifle. As I've said that ... I had friends would have bought me one. I always wanted one, but I wouldn't let them do it because it cost more than any other rifle. And a fine Christian businessman gave my boy a model 70 Winchester; and Billy is left-handed, and it's a right-handed bolt, and he couldn't use it. So I give him my old Savage 300, and I took his rifle 'cause I was right-handed. And so then ... it was a 257 Roberts, to you brothers who hand load and know guns.

And then a friend of mine come along, said, “Brother Branham, you never would let us buy you a Weatherby. Now, Weatherby can bore that out, and make it a Weatherby, for just a little bit of money. Cost you thirty dollars.” Cost me about ten or fifteen. Said, “Let them bore it out. Let me have that gun for you.”

Well, he's such a wonderful brother, I said, “Go ahead, take it.”

Well, he went and bored it out. When I put a shell in it, and shot it, it liked to killed me.

Now here's what it was. If that would've been a Weatherby Magnum to begin with, it never would've blowed up. For why? It at the beginning would have been started on those dies. It would've correctly been a Weatherby Magnum. But, being it was something else, and tried to make something out of it that it wasn't, it blowed up.

And that's what's the matter today with the Christians. That's exactly. There's so many people that tries to impersonate Christianity. They get excited. They go out and try to act like a Christian. What happens? The first little pressure comes along, you blow up.

But if you'd have went back to the beginning, and been borned again of the Spirit of God, you can stand the pressure, because it was sent to you. You must start from death to life. You must die, go into the scrap heap, and be molded over. If you don't, you're going to blow up somewhere.

I was reading here not long ago. I preached a subject called, “The Eagle Stirreth Its Nest” in Chicago. I was reading about a certain kind of an eagle. There's forty different kinds of them, they claim—means a ripper with the beak. God always likens his people to eagles. He calls Himself Jehovah-eagle. And his little eaglets, that's those who are borned of Him. And I made a little rude illustration many times on that, how that ... how the eagle gets her little ones ready to fly, and takes them up in the air, and turns them loose.

And if a crow tried to get up there, every feather would fall out of him. He's not pressurized to it. See, he couldn't stand the pressure. But the eagle is the only bird that's born with that kind of a feather, that can go so high till a hawk couldn't even come around him. And he's got eyes ... the higher you go the farther you can see. And what good would it do him to get up there, if he didn't have eyes to see way away? He couldn't see back where he come from.

And that's the way with the Christian. Some of the people maybe got a buzzard disposition, eating the things of the world—and the vulture—and try to fly up there with an eagle, why, he blows up. There's too much pressure. You got to be made for it.

And this certain kind of a eagle, when he begins to get old, he gets weary, like all of us old people, and he gets a crust over his head. And he gets so weary he don't know what to do. And now, the Bible said that the eagle renews his youth. So I studied about this fellow. And when he gets old and weary, and that crust all over his head, he flies just as high as he can go till he finds a great high rock. He sits down by the side of this rock, and he sits there and beats his head on this rock.

What's he trying to do? Beat the crust off, all the crust. And the blood will fly out of his head. He goes through all kinds of torture. But as long as he can feel some of the crust on him, he's got to get that off. So he beats it on the rock, just keeps beating till all the crust is off his head.

And as soon as all of his crust is off his head, though he's bleeding, wounded, he just screams to the top of his voice. He lets off the pressure. Why? Because, as soon as all that crust is off, then he renews his youth. It's sure to come, so as soon as all the crust is gone, he can start screaming, because he knows that he's got rid of all the crust. So his youth is sure to be renewed, so he can just let off the pressure and start screaming, because he's going back to a young eagle again. That's wonderful. I'm glad for the eagle. I'm glad for that bird.

But you know, I know a rock where that we can go, and beat in prayer till all the crust of the world is beat away from us, till all the unbelief in God's Word is beat away, till we enter into a place where all things are possible. And as soon as we got all the world and unbelief in God's Word beat off of us, then we can scream and shout because eternal life is sure, just as certain as anything. Certainly, because all the world is beat off.

If you keep the world onto you, keep loving the world and the things of the world, you're sure to die. But if you can get away from all of that, then your youth will be restored. You'll have eternal life. So glad of that.

I was reading some time about the Emancipation Proclamation, when the slaves, colored brethren and sisters in the south, when they used to have slavery. And when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed .... They'd been whipped, and beat, and so forth, and been slaves, and we know what happened. They said, “A certain morning [I don't remember the date just now], but that's the morning that you're going to be free, and you'll be free at sunup.” When the sun rises all the slaves could go free.

Those poor, decrepit, hard-beaten slaves were so anxious to be free, till the strongest of them climbed way up to the top of the hill. The women and the weaklings come on down. Ones not quite so strong climbed down a little farther; and the women, then the children. And the great big huskies that was able to go all the way to the top, they stood there before day. And they looked, and they looked, until after awhile they begin to see the streaks of the sun rising. It was still dark in the valley.

They relayed it down. One hollered from the top, “We are free!” The next one hollered down, “We are free!” All the way down to the valley, “We are free! The sun's up.” They could let off the pressure, and scream and shout to the top of their voices, because they were free. The sun was up.

That was the s-u-n. But, oh, brother, now the S-o-n is up. We are free! Hallelujah! The signs of his resurrection is right among us, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is not dead, but He's alive forevermore. The Son is up! We can shout and praise God, the Son is up! And we live. He's with us, in us, vindicating his presence with his great resurrection signs and wonders.

The S-o-n is up! The slaves to sin, and church denomination, churchanity, and all those things, you are free. The Son of God has raised with healing in his wings, and the Son is up. I'm so glad of it.

One time up in Kentucky, up in the mountain country where I come from, I was preaching. And early in the afternoon I was preaching on hellfire and brimstone for the unbeliever. There was an old logger sitting back there, and I said, “All you drunkards [and he was one],” I said, “you better repent. Get right with God.”

There'd been a fellow come in the night before that was cutting corn, and he had a big nail sticking in his overalls. He said, “We'll go up there [I'd been preaching for about a year.],” said, “We'll throw that little preacher out the window.”

So he come at the door. Someone come told me, said, “That's the roughest bunch there is around here.” Standing there, great big burly-looking fellow, his arms crossed, beard hanging on his face, about thirty years old—oh, he was a mean-looking man. And he kept looking at me. I just kept preaching right on, “Repent or perish.”

He stayed a little too long. The Holy Spirit got a hold of him. He fell on the floor; he couldn't get to the altar quick enough. He come with his hands up over his head crying, “God be merciful to me.”

The next night his little child sat back there. His little girl handed me a little bunch of flowers when I come in the door. She said, “Brother Bill, we've got a new daddy at home. I want to show you that I love you for coming up here, and letting Jesus make a new daddy for us.”

And this old drunk sitting there.... And I said, “All you drunkards, all you sinners, repent!” And he got angry, and he got up and went home. He went to bed.

I was staying down to my grandfather's house. And so then ... while I was having the meeting. And up there, we'd ... you go across the hills with a lantern in your hand.

And so then, along about midnight this old fellow come down. He was beating on the door. And I said ... opened the door. He said, “Brother Branham, I want you to pray for me.” Said, “I had the awfullest dream awhile ago,” and he said, “I just can't stand it through the night.”

I said, “What's the matter?

He said, “I dreamed that I was a rabbit.” And he said, “I was sitting out in the field, just eating clover and having a big time, and was doing as I pleased.” And said, “After awhile I heard a bawl of a hound and,” said, “the hound was right on me.” And said, “I took out to run but,” said, “the hound was faster than me.”

And said, “I happened to turn and look, and there was a big rock that I'd heard about.” And said, “In that rock was a hole.” And said, “I knowed if I could only beat that hound to that hole, I'd be safe. But if I couldn't beat it, he would have me.”

And said, “Brother Branham, as I was running for all that was in me, knowing any minute I'd be gobbled up, because I could feel the hot breath of the hound as he jumped on my heels,” and said, “all at once when he made the grab, I slipped in the hole.” And said, “When I got in, I sat down, let off the pressure.” That's it.

He is a rock in a weary land. There's a cleft in the rock for sinners, unbelief. Just run into the rock and be safe. Christ is our rock. People today run after everything else but Christ. They run after denominations, they run after sensations. Everybody's got blood, fire, smoke, or something, and people run after it.

Why don't you take his Word? for He is the Word. Run into that, and you're safe, 'cause heavens and earth will pass away; but my Word shall not pass away. Yes, sir.

Today it's always something they got to do. They'll run to a creed. They'll join and unjoin, and everything else, from one to another; but they won't try to take Christ. Watch Him as He vindicates Himself. That all builds up pressure. You must let it off. Just believe his Word.

How do I get it, Brother Branham? St. John 5:24, Jesus said, “He that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me has everlasting life; shall not come into the judgment, has passed from death unto life.” That's what Jesus said.

Acts 2:38, Peter said, “Repent, every one of you. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. [You shall receive refuge.] You shall receive the Holy Ghost, for it's for you and your children, and them that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” That's the place to come.

Mark 16 said, “These signs shall follow them that believe....” You know what's on the inside of there. You know what the results is. When you do this, you've passed from death unto life, and you have eternal life, and you can let off the pressure.

Why not let it off? People so upset, so bothered —just let the pressure off. There's a land beyond the river. There's a refuge, and that refuge is Christ. Today, we don't have to wonder about it. We know it's the truth. When God makes a promise in his Bible, and we see it fulfilled, then we know that it's the truth. There's nothing more can be done.

Now how do you know that this day, when the great conglomeration of everybody's got this, and that, this and that? But we know that God gives signs. There's signs on the road. If you didn't have a signpost, you wouldn't know where you were going. You can't take a road map and go, unless you got a signpost to see where you're going. This is the road map. This is the one what tells us whether we're right or not.

Jesus said, “These signs [in Mark 16] will point the way.” Jesus said in John 14:12, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also. More than this shall he do, 'cause I go to the Father.” That's the refuge. In other words, if you come into Him, his nature and his life will be in you, and you can feel it. You can see it. And it'll produce just exactly the life that the Bible said it would produce.

If you bought a vine and it was a grapevine, and that grapevine went forth and produced a branch off of it, and that branch had grapes on it, now, how you going to get the next vine with a pumpkin on it? And the next vine comes off of it is going to have something else—if it is, it's a grafted vine.

And that's what's the matter today. We got too many grafted things called the church of Christ. We got too many grafts. It only bears the record of itself.

Here a few weeks ago I was speaking on the international broadcast for the Full Gospel Businessmen in California. And when I did, I was speaking on a tree that I'd saw at Brother Sharrit's ranch in Phoenix. I think it had nine different kinds of fruit on it, and it was an orange tree. And I said, “I want to ask you something, Brother Sharrit.” I said, “Now, there is a grapefruit, and there is a tangerine, a tangelo, and a lemon.” Oh, I don't know how many citrus fruits was on that tree. And I said, “That tree ... how did them get there?”

He said, “Well, I grafted them. They're all citrus, so I grafted them.

I said, “Now, next spring, or the next time it bears, it being originally a orange tree, then it will bring forth ... all these branches will bring forth oranges?”

He said, “No, no. No. It'll bring forth what kind of branch that's in it.” Said, “If it's a lemon branch in a orange tree, yet it'll bear lemons.” And said, “If it's a tangerine branch, it'll bear tangerines living on the same life.”

I said, “Then it'll never bear no more oranges?”

He said, “Oh, yes. When the original tree puts forth one of its original branches, it'll bear oranges.”

I said, “Praise be to God, that's it!

Jesus said in John 14, 'I am the vine. Ye are the branches.' And the first branch that come forth out of that vine they wrote a book of Acts behind it. Right. And today, we have denominations living on the name of Christianity, but only bearing denominational fruit. That's right. But if that vine ever puts forth another branch, you'll write a book of Acts behind it, because it'll bear the original life.

If the Spirit of Christ is in the church, well, it'll do the works of Christ. Jesus said so. Then we can let off the steam, let off the pressure. You don't have to run from church to church. Just come to Christ. What did He do? How did we know Him? What would He be, if He was here in the city tonight? What would He do if He stood here? He would tell you of a place. “Fear not [the first thing after the resurrection], fear not. Don't be all upset. I'm He that was dead, and is alive again. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.” We would know Him.

And that's how we know Him today because.... He walked one day after the resurrection down a road, or with some friends going to Emmaus, Cleopas and his friend. And He talked to them all day long. They didn't know Him.

But when He got in the building that night, in the little inn, when He sat down.... And their eyes were blinded to it, and then He did something just like He did before his crucifixion. And by that sign that He did, the same way He did it before He was crucified, they recognized that it was Him. That's what brought their eyes open.

Now isn't that just the same today? Now we're at the end time, when He promised that this vine would bring forth another branch. He promised it at the end time, and here we are at the end time. (I'm going to get to the budding of that branch in the morning, the Lord willing.) But here we are at the end time with the same Jesus.

Now one'll say, “Join this.” The other'll say, “Go this,” and everything. You're still building pressure, you don't know where you're at. Why not just come to that refuge? Why not just come to Him, and see if it's right? Take Him at his Word. Believe Him.

There is Christ in the building tonight. Christ promised this, “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I'll be in their midst.” Is that right? Well then, if that isn't right, then the Book is wrong. It told something that He didn't say. But now, how would you place your confidence then, whether the Book was right? If the Book's right, and says that, then take Him at his Word, and the Holy Spirit will vindicate that that's the truth.

That's ... God said something; God come prove something. Any man can say what he wants to, but that doesn't make it right. But when God comes around and proves that it's right, that makes it right. Amen.

Do you believe? Are you in that refuge? You have a right to every privilege that God has, if you're in there. You believe that? Are you happy to be in this refuge? Can you just sit back and let off the pressure? Say, “Thanks be to God, I finally made it. I am here by the grace of God. I'm in the safety zone. Nothing can harm me now. I'm protected by the blood of Jesus Christ. A company of angels are around me.”

The angels of God are encamped about those (They don't leave; they stay there day and night.), are encamped about those who fear Him. And you have a refuge. You can come into it, and every privilege.... And what a time it is to be in this refuge, and have fellowship with Him.

I believe if we would ask Him, tonight, if we could have a little fellowship with his presence, I believe He would do it for us. Don't you? I believe He would.

Now to you that has that desire awhile ago, that you raised your hand, I wonder tonight if you would just fellowship with Him with that desire for a few minutes. If you're in that refuge, you can touch Him, because He's the high priest that can be touched by the feeling of your infirmities. If you're in that refuge you can do it.

Now I believe last night we come down and give out prayer cards. How many's here sick, wants to be prayed for? Let's see your hands. Raise up your hands. Everywhere. Oh, we couldn't run a line without cards. That's ... see. We couldn't do it, because it'd be a-scrambling over one another, but let's just stop a minute. Remember that little baby, we just prayed for. In less than twenty-four hours God had come on the scene, till he even astonished the doctor. Sure. He's God. He heals the sick.

Now, if you knew that Jesus was standing right by the side of you, do you believe if you'd touch Him that He would heal you, like the woman did that had the blood issue? Do you believe that?

Well now, if the Bible here tells us that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, let us just pray, and say, “Lord, I've come into this refuge. I am your servant. And now I am afflicted with something, or there's something wrong with me. Can I touch You? If it's my faith ... if I got faith enough to touch You, then speak back to me. Now, Brother Branham doesn't know me, and I don't know him; but You know both of us. And I believe that the Bible says that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. And if we're baptized into You, and in there You have offices to operate your great church for the perfection, to get all the doubt....

“I'm going to be the eagle tonight. I'm going to sit against this rock, and beat till all the unbelief's gone from me, see. When I feel all the unbelief is gone, confess all my sins, say, 'Lord God....'”

Now you say, “Brother Branham, I don't smoke, drink, chew, commit adultery.” That ain't it. That's not sin. That's the attribute of sin. That's the attribute of unbelief. See, if you believed, you wouldn't do that, see. No, that ain't what sin is. People can.... Unbelief is sin. “He that believeth not is condemned already,” see. That's just a attribute of unbelief.

But if you can beat all that away from you, say, “Lord God, I believe just exactly what your Word says, and I believe [as we preached last night] that the appearing of the Lord comes before the coming of the Lord,” for it's just two different words altogether, see. Now's the appearing, as He promised in the last days that He'd be with us.

And what a refuge, and what a consolation it is, Christians, that we can stand here tonight in the presence of God, in the face of his Word, and the impossibilities that He's promised in here we can see manifested right before us. What a wonderful thing! If that isn't a refuge, if that isn't a haven of rest, I don't know what would be—to see Jesus, who said, “The works that I do shall you do also.” Oh, what a promise that is! Now. How many believe that that's the truth? All right. Now let us pray.

Our heavenly Father, Thou art God. I pray that You will grant tonight the things that people are asking for. And I pray that You will show Yourself alive, to give consolation.

Awhile ago when I asked for believers to raise their hand, Father, as far as I could see it was one hundred percent, that all of them was believers. Many ... most all of these people I am a stranger to. But Lord, You know them.

Now, I have told them that there is a refuge, a tower, a rock in a weary land, a place in a weary land now, that where we can come to and be safe. The Bible said, “The name of the Lord is a mighty tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe.” Now, to assure the safety, Lord, when the people will know that it isn't denominational safety; it's the Holy Spirit the blood safety, that we come into, let this be known tonight, Lord, that You're still Jesus, that You've raised from the dead, that You are now a great high priest that's making intercessions for anything that we ask for.

We believe that You promised us that if we would ask anything in your name it would be done. You promised that if we would abide in You, and your words in us, then we could ask what we wanted to, and it'd be granted to us.

We know that Thou keepest thy promise, Lord. And I pray that You will vindicate your presence tonight. And we ask You, Father, to grant the same things to happen here tonight before the people, just like it did before your crucifixion; that they might know after two thousand years that Jesus is not one day older. He's the same Christ that He always was. He can never fail, or never change.

I pray that You'll give them consolation. And grant tonight, Father, that them knowing that we're just human beings, and these things would be impossible for a human being to do. But God promised to do it to his church, his called out, the ones that were under the blood. Grant it, Father.

And if there's some in here tonight that's not under the blood, may ... quickly and sweetly may they ask for that privilege. And I'm sure it will be granted. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, church, you who are sojourning, I don't speak of denomination. I speak of you people in the denomination which is the church. I ask this, that a man can come by and say anything he wishes to. But unless it comes from the Bible, I'd be a little skeptic of it.

Now, God can do anything He wants to do. He's God. I'm no one to say that He doesn't do it. He takes care of his own business. I can't even take care of mine, but I depend on Him. But what ... if He promises, and it's a Bible sign, like, “In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; if they would take up serpents or drink deadly things, it would not harm them; if they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover.” Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. “A little while, and the world seeth me no more. Yet ye shall see me, for I [personal pronoun], will be with you; even in you, to the end of the world.” And, “The works that I do, shall you do also.” Them's Bible signs, friends. That's believers that's passed from death to life.

The Bible says that He is a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Now if you have infirmity tonight, or you know someone who has infirmity tonight, if you just pray and believe God, you just ask right now. I believe God's by his Holy Spirit in the midst of us here.

Now friends, we see this ... many of you've seen it done. But the trouble with the American people, we've seen it too much. It's too common to us now. An old sailor was coming from the sea one day, and he met a man going down, a poet who had wrote about the sea, but he had never seen it. And he said, “Where goest thou, my good man?”

He said, “I'm going to the sea.” Said, “Oh, I've wrote of it, what I've read.” Said, “Now I'm going to learn of it.” He said, “I'm going down to experience it. Oh, my heart is thrilled.” He said, “I want to smell its briny waves. I want to see its licking waves in the air. I want to hear the gulls holler, and see the blue skies reflect themselves in its water, in its whitecaps as it dances.” He was a poet, so he could really express it.

And the old sailor said, “I don't see nothing so thrilling about it.” Said, “I was borned on it, more than forty years ago.” See, he'd seen it so much, till it become common to him.

That's what's the matter with the Full Gospel people. But the hour will soon come where you'll cry for it, and then won't see it. Let it never become old to you. Let not the Holy Spirit ever become old to you. May it always be fresh and new.

May every act of God thrill my soul. I'm amazed each night, each day, as I walk along and see Him as He tells things, and see it happen just the way that He says it will happen; how that He'll predict it months before it comes to pass, and watch it just exactly, never one iota fail.

His Word cannot fail. He's God. And what a refuge that is! What a consolation to know that we're not children just tossed about, not knowing where we're going. We know where we're going. God promised it. He vindicates his promises.

And people might tell you that we're just too emotionally. It isn't emotion. 'Course, in one way it is emotion. But anything that hasn't got emotion is dead. So if your religion hasn't got a little emotion about it, you'd better bury it, 'cause it's dead. So it certainly is thrilling.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the people screamed and shouted until people said, “Make them hold their peace.” He said, “If they hold their peace, the rocks will immediately cry out.” The Son of God was on the road, and something has to come out in its presence.

Now the Son of God is here tonight. I believe that. I'm not no son of God. I am adopted son of God, like you are. I'm a portion of his Spirit. And if his Spirit is in me.... If I told you I had the spirit of John Dillinger, you'd expect me to have guns, and be an outlaw. If I told you the spirit of an artist was in me, you'd expect me to paint the pictures. If I told you the spirit of some great soldier, you'd expect me to know all the arms and everything, 'cause his spirit is in me. If I tell you the Spirit of Christ is in me, then I should do the works of Christ, live the kind of life that He lived, a sacrificed life for the people. That is right.

I think of the time when the prophet went to the people, when they wanted to make themselves like the rest of the people. That's where they made a sad mistake, when they wanted a king, wanted to act like the rest of the people. It's too bad that we ever put denomination in Pentecost, breaking down the bars, and things. It's too bad—it cut off the other fellow. And we oughtn't to want to act like the rest of the churches. We are a borned-again group of people. We are free. We are bound down by no man's creeds. We are free in Christ.

Now. But it was too bad they did it, but we're still free by God's grace, and He's with us tonight. We don't have to be tossed about, saying, “You have to do this, and you have to do that, and do that.” We just see Christ come among us. And what a consolation it is to see the very same Christ that promised “I'll be with you, even in you to the end of the road, end of the world,” and come right down and prove Himself among us. Isn't that wonderful? Making Himself the same yesterday, today, and forever.

There's not many people in here that I know. You sick people, or you that have a desire on your heart, and know that I don't know you, or know your desire, raise up your hand. Well, it's just everywhere. All right. I don't have no control of this; it has control of me. But if it would happen to come over somebody that does know me, and somebody that I have met or something and know them, and they're from Jeffersonville, or somewhere, then you mention it.

But I want to ask you something. When our Lord Jesus stood here on the earth and looked over his audience, a little woman touched his garment one day. And He turned around and said, “Who touched me?” He didn't know who it was. The little woman might have been sitting down, like you are out there. And what did He do? He said.... He found her. See, He....

She could not be hid, and He said, “Thy faith hath saved thee,” told her her blood issue had stopped, because she had touched Him. Now, she did that herself. Now the Bible said that He's the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities.

When St. Peter came to Him, just an old rude fisherman, we're told He didn't even have enough education to write his own name. But yet it pleased God to give him the keys to the kingdom (That's right.) because of his faith. He had a revelation of who He was. He said, “Upon this rock I'll build my church.”

Now Jesus is not dead. He's living, a high priest. And if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He's the same high priest, if you touched Him He'd act the same way. Is that right? Now He promised these things would be did.

I believe in the Bible. I believe that that is the complete Word of God. I don't believe we have to go out of that Bible to get anything; that every divine promise is in there. Why, I believe it with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength and all that's in me. I believe it. I may not have faith enough to make every promise come to pass. But I certainly won't stand in the path of those who does have the faith that believe it. I want you to believe it with all that's in you.

Now. Each and every person, if Christ will come into our midst by the Holy Spirit, and will have you.... You're his children, the blocks that's in the temple. You know today, we hear so much about.... Just like it was in the early days. There's so much membership. We got to draw so many members. [Blank spot.] ... the Word, and to sons and daughters of God. That's it. We need the masonry of God's Holy Spirit.

The Bible says that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, Hebrews 4:12. “The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword.” Listen, the Word. How many believes that in the beginning was the Word? That's, first it was a thought. And it has to be a thought; then, when it's expressed, it becomes a word.

And then, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [when He spoke it] ... and the Word become flesh and dwelt among us.”

Now, that was Jesus. When He was here on earth, He discerned the thoughts of the people. That's what made all true believers know that He was the prophet that Moses had spoke of ... would be raised up. They hadn't had a prophet for hundreds of years.

I believe it's time again; that the Bible promises that in the last days that Spirit will come upon the earth, and will restore the faith of the children back to the Pentecostal fathers again, back to the original faith. I believe it's the evening light. I believe that it's here.

I believe that Spirit of God, that Christ is here tonight. And I ask you as my friend, and my brother and sister, you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is present. And when you believe that, touch Him with your infirmity, by your faith to believe it, and say, “Lord God, if that man.... He doesn't know me. I don't know him; he doesn't know me. But if he's told me the truth, then let your Spirit speak through his lips, and let me touch You, and You confirm it through his lips.” Like the woman did when she touched the hem of his garment in that day, you touch his garment, for He can be touched by your faith, like that woman. Maybe not physical, but like that woman. Would it make you have joy and be happy in the refuge if you would see Him do it? Raise your hands if you believe He'd do it. Thank you.

Now, Father, that's all I know to say. I'm trying to tell them of a safe place where they can just rest. And, God, in here is healing. In here is a rock that all the unbelief can be beat off with, the rock of the Word. And may the Word come forward now, and be made flesh among us. And it said, “It's sharper than a two-edged sword. It pierces down into even the ... asunder, and a discerner of the thoughts of the heart.” A discerner of the thoughts of the heart.

“If ye abide in me, and my word in you, then ask what you will.” Lord, I've been turned out, run over, run down, but I've tried to stand faithful. I'm happy to do it by your Word. Let it ever abide in my heart. And before this audience tonight—which I'll stand again at someday; if no more on earth, at the day of that great day when Jesus comes—I know that your Word is truth.

Help me, O Lord, that I might be able to be used tonight. And I know I'm not a theologian, Father. You never called me for that. But I pray that You'll let the ministry that You gave me to bless the people with, come forward now. In the name of Jesus Christ, may the Word come, and pierce down into here, and discern the thoughts of the heart; that the people might know that the Word of God is abiding in us. In Jesus' name I ask it, for God's glory. Amen.

Look this way. Now I'm saying this like Peter and John, that passed through the gate Beautiful. He said, “Look on us.” That's what I'm asking you to do, look this way—not at me, but what I've said. Whatever that you have a desire in your heart for, you believe that God'll give it to you. And you say, “Lord Jesus, let me touch You.”

How many in this building has ever seen the picture of that light, the angel of the Lord, what hangs here at Washington? I am your brother. That light, if you can see it, is hanging not two feet from me right now. Just believe. If you cannot see it, see, pray, and see if God won't vindicate. That light.... If that light is that same light that met Paul on the road down to Damascus.... He said, “I am Jesus.” He'd returned back to God, back to Spirit. The Word was made flesh. He come back to the Word. If that's the same light, it'll produce the same kind of a life, same act. See it?

This lady sitting right here. Are we strangers to one another, lady? I don't know you. I've never seen you. Do you believe me to be his servant? You believe the Word that I have preached is the truth? And we're total strangers to one another. You're just.... As far as I know, a woman's walked in and sat down here. But you was believing for something. You're trying to find something from God. And if I be a servant of God, and I've told the truth of God, and God's Word and truth's abiding in here, it'll produce itself. It'll declare it. You'll know whether it's the truth or not.

You're praying for some one. It's your child. It's that little girl sitting right there. And that little girl, you believe He'll tell me what's wrong with her? Would it help you? She's got heart trouble. If you will believe with all your heart, and walk down there and lay your hands on that child.... Go down now, lay your hands on the child. The womb that bore her to this earth, the hand of the mother lays on the child.

Lord, if she had faith enough to touch your garment, then I come with the sword of God by the Word of God to perform an operation. Come out, Satan. I cut you free with the Word of God, and a promise that these signs shall follow them that believe. Leave the girl, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. You believe she'll live, and be well? As you have believed, so will it be.

Now I ask somebody to question the woman. Ask her if every word was said is true. I know not the woman. I've never seen her, know nothing about her. But what was said is true.

What about somebody through here. How about you believing? Let's get at least two or three for a witness. I'm happy to be in this refuge. I'm safe forevermore. I love Him. How sweet it is to trust in Jesus.

What a challenge to a people. He promised it'll be light in the evening time. There'll be a day that won't be day nor night. It's been a day of gloom, just enough to walk and accept. But in the evening time it shall be light.

Little lady, you're just as conscious as you can be that something happened. I'm looking right at it. That light settled right over you. I'm looking at it. I've never seen you before. I guess we're strangers to one another. If that's right, raise up your hand.

There's a dark shadow around you. It's a shadow of death. You're suffering with tumors, and that tumors is on your breast, both breasts. A great percent of your breasts are covered with tumor. You have one hope, if you have faith enough to touch Him to do a thing like that. You're a fine person. I have a good contact of the Spirit with you. You believe me to be his prophet? You know I don't know you, and you know there's.... You're conscious that a real sweet feeling's all around you. That's that light, that glow of light.

You're not from here. You're from away from here. Birmingham. I see that banana market there. Your name is Miss Vincent. That is true. Have faith in God. Now at this time, lady, it's gone from you. That shadow that was over you has left. Now don't you doubt. You'll get well. Now I ask anybody to come question the woman. Find out. If there would be a doctor present, why not come ask, and examine if you're a little skeptic? Which, I know it's present, so why not say it? I used to call that out, but it hurts too many feelings.

What about somebody in here, some of you way back somewhere? Have faith. I cannot do this; you do it. I'm only trying to represent Him, reflect Him, like in a mirror to you, making my life his mirror that He might reflect Himself. You know I don't know these things, and couldn't do them. You just have faith, and don't doubt, believe.

Right back here. It's a man. It's over a man. He's suffering with a nervous condition. I hope he don't miss it. He's from Pennsylvania. God, help me. Mr. Carnes, stand up on your feet. I'm a stranger to you. I don't know you. If them things are true, raise up your hand. Go home; you are well. Jesus Christ makes you well.

Do you believe in God? Believe also that I've told you the truth about Jesus Christ, his presence.

I believe that's three rows. We got one more. Let's get over here. How about some of you in there. Will you believe? How many is suffering, needs help from God, and you believe that...? You don't know, and you know that I don't know your condition, raise up your hand, say, “It's me. I'm believing.” Just everywhere. Have faith now.

This little fellow sitting here with his hand up, didn't know you had that much faith, did you? If you've got faith enough, in your condition, to call God on the scene, don't you never take another drop of whiskey as long as you live, and don't never smoke another cigarette. Believe God, and you'll be made well. Will you accept it? Will you believe it? All right. Then go, and God make you well.

Let's say, “Praise the Lord.” Do you believe He's here? How many of you would like to confess your unbelief, and would like to say, “God be merciful to me,” in the presence of the Holy Ghost? “I know that there's no man on earth could do those things. Be merciful unto me.” Confess your wrong, say to God, “I've been unconcerned, Lord. I now want to enter into this great fellowship. I want to enter into this refuge. I'm going to believe You with all my heart.” Raise up your hand and say, “God, it's me, it's me. I'm at the end of the road. I want to be made right.” Do you believe it? Confess your sins now. Let's pray. Each one of you pray in your own way.

Lord Jesus, we are human beings, Lord. We are ready to confess our sins. I'm confessing the sins of this people. I'm confessing my own sins. We have disbelieved too much, Lord. The hours are growing dark. The Son of God is soon to arrive. And I pray, heavenly Father, that You'll forgive our sins. Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit will now take every unbelief away from us.

Oh, if He could only get into our heart, there'd be another day of Pentecost. There would be such a condition in this church, and this group of people, tonight, till it'd be noised abroad all around the country by morning.

Holy Spirit, break every barrier of sin. May it come through like the jet plane beyond the sin barrier, and shake every shackle of unbelief. May every eagle beat his head against the Rock of Ages until the Holy Ghost takes complete control.

Satan, you are lost. You've lost the battle, and in the name of Jesus Christ leave this audience. Come out of them, for the glory of God.

Now that you have confessed your sins, now that you believe, do you believe that you have beat every shackle off of your understanding, that nothing hinders you? There's not one thing in your way, but you believe you're free? You believe that all the unbelief is gone from you? You believe that you're now in that haven of rest? You believe all the pressure.... “Will I be healed? Can I be healed?” You're already healed.

“Brother Branham, if you'll lay your hands on me....” My hands ain't got nothing to do with it! It's his hands. If you're a sinner, you've already been saved. Just believe, and accept it, and act on it. If you're sick, you're already healed.

Would God stand here and do a thing like that, and let a hypocrite that somebody don't know what they're talking about, come here and would vindicate a liar? would vindicate a hypocrite? God doesn't deal with sinners. God deals with truth, and his Word is the truth. And I've told you the truth.

Friends, I say tonight if you'll believe what I've told you, there won't be a feeble person among us. Every one of you are healed. By his stripes you are already healed. “By his stripes we were healed.” Do you believe it?

Now you that believe in the laying on of hands, you raised your hands you was believers. Then lay your hand on somebody in front of you in the seat. Lay your hand over there, if you want....

The Bible doesn't say the hands of William Branham; the Bible doesn't say the hands of Oral Roberts. The Bible says, “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover. Now you pray. You pray. You confess. Confess your wrong. Tell God that you believe Him, and you can every one be made perfectly whole at this hour. Believe.

Hallelujah! Hold on to it. Don't turn it loose. Stay with it. It's a promise. God said so. Don't be tossed about with everything. Believe it right now.

I love you. You're my friends. I'm not trying to talk rude to you, but I'm saying it. I've got to nail it down or Satan's going to rob you from it, from this great display of the presence of the Holy Ghost here tonight—beyond a shadow of doubt, Bible evidence what God said would take place. There's a mighty rushing wind trying to get into the audience, and to still every soul here with the presence of God. Don't let Satan take it away from you. Hold on to it, till you've passed the barriers of unbelief. Amen.

I don't care how crippled you are, how sick you are, who you are, or where you're from. I challenge you in the name of Jesus Christ if you meant that from your heart, stand up on your feet and accept it. No matter who you are, or what you are, stand up! That's it. Get up. That's the way. Amen. Rise up every one. There you are, a perfect whole audience everywhere.

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Oh, Saviour divine (Let's raise our

hands, now and sing it to Him.);

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my guilt away,

O let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!