Be Not Afraid

The Lord bless you, brother. Thank you very much. I wish to say thank you, my fine brethren, for this introduction. I could have no more liberty and feel no more at home than if I was in my own pulpit at home. God bless you. I'm here for the purpose to put my seine in with yours to help for all we can for the kingdom of God, to catch every soul that's straying away from God. I sure thank you for that, and trust that you'll be praying for me as I minister. And there's nothing any better than a good background when you're ministering to the people all the time.

Good evening, friends. So happy to be here again tonight in this big auditorium of this livestock or exhibition place here. I think this is about my third time to be here, and each time has always proven such a blessing to be here, to meet the people here of California.

I bring to you tonight great wishes and blessings from the eastern brethren, and the church in the East, to say to you that they are faring well under God's great provisions, and trusting that God will give you all a great meeting while we're here together on this West Coast.

I wish to thank my brethren here for this great privilege of sponsoring the meeting here, as I felt that, once more before going overseas, it would be a great privilege to me to visit my friends up and down this West Coast. And we're here tonight in the name of the Lord Jesus to minister, and to do all that we can to help everybody to know Him better than what they do now. I hope that when the meeting is over I know him a lot better than I do now, because each day we're all living for that purpose—to try to know Him a little better.

You know, someone said to me not long ago.... I was speaking on something (and my grammar is pretty poor anyhow), and so, someone said (it was a great theologian to begin with), he said, “You just don't know your Bible.”

I said, “But I know the author real well.” To know Him is life. And if He be the author of the Word, He'll always back up his Word to be true. I believe that. And there's much that He can do, and does do, that's not written in the Bible. But as long as I see it just unfolding in the pages, I feel that—what would you call it?—that assurance, you know, that everything is running all right, because it just looks like it's running right through the pages. So that makes it ... makes us feel better.

We are on our road now up towards Anchorage, Alaska, up the West Coast, beginning here in California. Just come from Green Lake, Wisconsin, where the Full Gospel Businessmen that.... The last two times being here I was with them. And we had the regional convention in Green ... I believe it was Green Lake, Wisconsin. And then we came down to Chicago for some fellowship there with the Christians. Had a wonderful time—great gathering, many people, and the Lord blessed us together on our feeble efforts trying to minister to his people.

Then, from there we went over to Southern Pines, North Carolina. I always want to call that ... Southern Pines ought to be South Carolina, but it's in North Carolina. And we certainly had a time of fellowship there with the convention of the Interdenominational Brotherhood—such a wonderful time. And then, on from that down into South Carolina, to Columbia. And there we met the people, and knowing that we were coming here to the West Coast. Oh, it's sojourning there, as we all are pilgrims who profess this great hope that we have in Christ.

We do not profess this to be our home. We are pilgrims and strangers. We're seeking a city whose builder and maker is God. That was Abraham's attitude—he was looking for a city. And we are the children of Abraham. Being in Christ, we are Abraham's seed. 'Course we know that Isaac was the natural seed, and the natural seed all look for that city. How much more should the royal seed look for it, the royal seed of Abraham? And I believe the church today, the called-out, is the royal seed of Abraham.

We are professing that this is not our home, for we have no anchor here on earth. And if we have, I trust we cut it loose right quick, so that if He would come tonight we would be taken up, not anchored down to the earth.

So thankful for this opportunity. And now ... I know it gets a little late so quick. So much to be said, seems like such a little time to say it in. But ... makes you kind of nervous, like the whole world—under a pressure, trying to hurry and do something. But I trust that we'll not do that during the time of this campaign, that we'll just be like we used to be a long time ago: just kind of let off the pressure, and let down, and just be ourselves—just be Christians and fellowship one with another, while the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all uncleanliness.

Now, I also come to throw my net in with these brethren. Now you know each one of us are fishermen, in order.... The Lord told a fisherman one time, He said to follow Him and be fishers of men. And that's what's here on the platform tonight, is fishers of men.

We stand on the corner somewhere in our church, we cast out the net through the neighborhood, and gather with all that we can, bringing in every sinner. No matter what position he's in, we try to bring him to Christ. Well, then there comes a time when we want to reach away out. So we put all of our nets together so we can go way out, and get a big rake. And that's what we're here for tonight. And I just knitted my net in the fellowship of love around my brethren, and their net the same—way out through Los Angeles, and around, and see how many souls we can get in for Christ. That's the purpose of being here.

Now, of course, we know in the seining you get everything coming, but there's some there that's going to be fish as sure as the world, and God will take them.

Now, you pray for me as I speak, and pray for the sick. And I'm not a healer. I've been called that, but I'm not. I'm your brother, just your brother here praying for the sick.

And so, I know that testimonies give a great push, and just.... Something happened last night, or next to the last night in Columbia, made some news up in the country there. They couldn't get the little baby in the prayer line. It was a waterhead child, its little face narrow, and its head way out. Looked to be about a year or two old. And its eyes was done ... you know how they do, and great veins in its head. And the doctor (earthly physicians) had to give it shots every day to keep it alive. And they couldn't get the little fellow in, so they had it behind the curtain, and I went back to pray for it.

Because, they pray for them as they come with prayer cards, and get the cards, and they give them out each day. And so, the little fellow didn't have a card, and the mother could not stay no longer than that one night. So we prayed for the little fellow behind the platform.

And the next morning it was astounding thing. All those big veins were gone, and its little head was practically normal. So they took it down to the doctor, not saying anything, and the physician looked it over, and examined it. Something in its blood—they had to take these shots. And he said, “The child don't even need any shots.” He said, “I have never seen anything like this before.”

And so, it just made a great rumor through the neighborhood. As it was in the Bible times, it was spread abroad everywhere—the love and fame of our Lord Jesus, how He still can heal the sick. Regardless of what it is, He still can heal it.

He has ... the power has been deposited in the box, and He's given us each a key. That's his name. And if we're not afraid to sign it, why, He'll certainly make the check good when it arrives if He's got his name behind it. “Ask the Father anything in my name, I'll do it,” He said. And I believe that. Whatever you ask in his name, believing you receive it, you shall do it.

Now, I think tomorrow morning is the ministerial breakfast, I think. I'm always happy for those, to get to meet my brethren. I'm looking forward to seeing you brethren tomorrow morning at the breakfast.

And I suppose that the Businessmen here may have the Saturday morning.... Is that official now? Saturday morning, at Clifton's. Well, I'll get some more of that good porridge they have down there then. That's really good. I like that. So we'll be looking for ... up there, to see you up there.

Now been ... a lot of water has went over the dam since (that's a Southern expression) since we met before. Come pretty near getting killed recently by a gun exploding. You can see it across my face. But the Lord spared my life, and I'm thankful to be here.

I was shooting a gun that had been rebored by Mr. Weatherby up here, and had been give to me as all right. And I had shot it a couple of times, and noticed the swelling around the ring, and put another shell in. And they don't know yet what happened. The gun exploded, and blowed the barrel fifty yards ahead of me, and blowed the pieces of the gun through the trees. And all I seen was just red fire fly up.

And when ... they thought I'd.... 'Course, pieces stuck into my skull. Just ... fifteen pieces went just below the sight of my eye. And one went through here and knocked the top of the tooth off, and cut me through the face. When they ... I didn't know where I was at for a few minutes, of course, and I couldn't see nor.... Just like you threw hamburger in my face—about four weeks ago.

I'd pull this eye up, and I ... look around, and I seen the man that had went down there with me to the range, where I shoot this target shooting. He was going out to the target. And I couldn't hear, couldn't speak, couldn't hear or see. And finally I got his attention. He come up there, and I stopped the blood with my hand. And we prayed, and the blood all stopped. And I was soaked all over.

They taken me over to the doctor, and he said, “Oh, my!” (I forget how many tons of pressure they say that gun would stand.) Said, “When the man come up and found you, he should have just found a leg down here, and no head or shoulders. The burst of that steel that's here ... blowed the whole body up.” And it was just that close to my eye when it went off. So I'm thankful to be here, very grateful.

The physician that looked at the place, he said, “Well, there's only one....” Said, “There's nothing could be done,” he said, “because the steel went all the way back in the eye.” And said, “It never touched the sight.” And said, “The only thing that I know that ... can say, the good Lord must have been sitting on the bench to protect his servant that morning, or he wouldn't have had....”

So I feel that He kept me here to minister to you, and to help you; and you help me, and we're all here together to help each other.

And now, we want to turn to his Word. I just love his Word. And it's a little ... we always, on the first night, get a little late start, but we hope to get away on time. And we'll try to pray for some sick people. Billy told me he gave out some cards. And now, if we don't get them all in tonight, just hold them. We'll get them. And don't be in a hurry. And now, let's ... before we read his Word, let's just speak to Him just a moment by prayer, as we bow our heads; and I trust that our hearts will be bowed also.

Now, as you have your heads bowed, your eyes closed, and your heart centered towards God, I just wonder if there's any requests would like to be remembered. Just raise up your hand. And by that you're saying, “God, you know what I have need of now tonight.” God bless. That's good.

Our heavenly Father, we are now approaching thy throne of grace. We would not desire to stand by the throne of justice, because we would not feel that we could stand there. But when we come by the way of grace, You've bid us to come. And we're so happy that we have the privilege of approaching Thee, the great mighty Jehovah, in the way of the grace of Jesus Christ.

Now we come in his name, knowing that He said that “Wherever two or more are assembled in my name, then I'll be in the midst of them.” And again, He said, “If you ask the Father anything in my name, it will be granted.” And we have the assurance, now, Lord, that by these precious promises of the Word of God, that you are here to listen.

Father, first we would say, “Forgive us of our trespasses, as we have forgive others that trespass against us.” And we pray, Lord, that you'll lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And may the kingdom of God come down upon us, and bless our gathering together. Bless the reading of the Word, and do all things, Lord, to the glory of thy kingdom, for we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, you that like to kind of take down a little text, I'd like for you to read with me tonight in St. Matthew 14, beginning with the 22nd verse, for just a few moments if you'll bear with me.

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves: for the waves were contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

I want to use this tonight as a form of a testimony meeting.

Must have been around about the time the sun was going down, and it had been an awful day. There had been much activity in the services that day. They'd seen some terrific things happening. You know, along when you're in the presence of Christ, you always see miraculous things taking place. That's the reason I love to live in his presence, is to see his great tender hand going out to minister. I would have loved to have walked with Him in those days.

But I think today it's maybe a greater privilege because He's walking inside of us. Then He was on the outside pointing; now He is on the inside, pointing to Himself what He is doing. And I'm so glad for the privilege.

Now I would think, maybe, it was one of the larger men of the group. We'd call him Simon, maybe, that had been one of the converts to the Lord Jesus, was pushing the boat off of the bank, where they had pulled it up after they had been journeying and preaching along the coast. And the day had been hot. He was tired, and he pushed the boat out into the water, and climbed in, sat down by the side of his brother, Andrew, and picked up the oars in the little ship.

Now the ships of those days wasn't like the ships of today. They wasn't propelled by jet, or by electrical power. They were pulled by hand, many of them kind of like a fisherman's boat today. They had long oars, and there would be a man on one side with a oar; right across from him would be another man. Then they had a sail. When the wind was right, they'd hoist up this sail, and catch the wind, and it would blow them to their places, destination where they were determined to go. Then if the wind wasn't very good, they'd pick up the oars. And there would be two men in each seat pulling on the oars.

And I can see Simon as he climbs into the boat—great strong-looking fellow, perhaps bald-headed, and sits down by the side of his brother Andrew, picks up the oar. They make a couple of strokes, and then wave back; and the people standing on the bank waving at them. Quite a dramatic sight, because they were bidding them come back.

There's something, you know, when you meet up with people that you have things in common, your talk is common. Your fellowship then becomes wonderful, when you can have things in common. That's why we're here tonight, because we've got things in common. We like to talk with each other. We talk about the same things.

And that's the way they were. They had been talking that day about God, and about his great power, and seeing his power working among them. And the meeting was over, and they were going home, or across the other side of the lake for the next campaign. And I can imagine how their hearts felt as they waved good-bye to those precious people of that day, after they had fellowshipped around the great works of Christ. Now, what a blessed time it is, how you hate to leave one another. It's a love that ... it happens in the heart. It is too bad that much of that is missing today in our gatherings, is that real love that the church should have one for another.

In the early days of my ministry, I pastored a church. And we used to get together at night in a little homemade way, and put our hands together, and we'd sing that song:

Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above.

When we asunder part,

It gives us inward pain;

But we shall still be joined in heart,

And hope to meet again.

Many of those precious old faces is done in the presence of God, and that song still echoes down in my soul, that we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again. I've helped direct tombstones over many of their graves, and seen them throw the dirt back in when I return the body, ashes to ashes and dust to dust. But “dust thou art, to dust returneth” was not spoken of the soul. That's right. It's gone on in the presence of God, that fellowship.

Something ... ministering brethren would come in, and say, “How's it done, Brother Branham?” We would just ... couldn't hardly get away from each other, just wanted to shake hands again. And sometimes we would just walk out to the car, and pat one another on the shoulders—just not as a make up, or put on, but something that was really coming from our hearts.

I just wished all the church of the living God could feel that way about it tonight. We'd just be in such a grand unity for the coming of the Lord, which I believe is near at hand, now. I believe we're living in the very shadows of it.

And if He doesn't come today, I'll be looking for Him tomorrow. And if He doesn't come this year, I'll be looking for Him next year. Just whenever ... I want to be looking every minute for Him coming, carrying on, just doing what I can; but still believing that He's coming any time, being prepared for it. And I think the preparation of the church should stand in that status at all times, that we should certainly be watching for the coming of the Lord.

And now as such fellowship had been enjoyed, these disciples going out at sea now, or going across the lake, I'd imagine the sun set about like it did this afternoon, beautiful out across the sea, and the water was calm. And they'd make a couple of strokes with their oars, and stand up, and wave good-bye. And I'm on the banks waving good-bye, “Come back, and see us again.”

And as the little boat pulled out, dimmer and dimmer the little line got on the bank, of the people waving. And finally they disappeared. They may have pulled for quite awhile, and working up kind of a sweat, you know, when you're pulling those big heavy oars. Many of you people who've pulled boats know what that means.

And after they'd.... Must have been young John who kind of give out first, you know, being a young fellow—might have stopped and wiped the perspiration off his forehead. Says, “What do you say, brethren? Let's stop for a few minutes, and catch a little breath,” as they ... being young. So they pulled their oars in.

After they coasted a little bit he said, “Why not have a testimony meeting, while we're waiting here to rest up a little?” And you know, it's kind of ... when you got a lot of things on your heart, and you just can't keep it still, you got to say something about it. So I'd imagine that young fellow ... just something boiling down in him. He had seen something that day that had convinced him. And a man when he's thoroughly convinced of anything, he can't hold his peace, that's all. He has just got to do something about it.

And when the church becomes thoroughly convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He's here present with us today in the form of the Spirit, I'm telling you, there is going to be a revival strike the land that'll burn the nation up—when all church members are fully convinced. But they have to be convinced first, before they can be sincere about it.

So young John said, “We'll start a testimony meeting while we're waiting. I'd like to be the first one to testify,” 'cause it was just burning in him.

I remember a sister, used to be in our church. She'd sing a little song: something—I forget what you call it—but something another, “Running, running, running, and can't stand still,” or something like that; “just got over, and can't stand still,” or something. But she certainly had a real jubilee all to herself with it, whether the rest of them did or not. She was having a great time with it. That must have been the condition that John was in. Let's just stop now, and listen to them testify.

John said, “Brethren, there's one thing that I'm thoroughly convinced in. We can tell the world from today on that we're not following some kind of a quack. We're not following some false prophet, some puffed-up something that knows nothing, but we're following God. We're not following some false prophet.

“I can call back the days when I was a little boy. I used to play in the springtime on the hillside. I remember my pretty Jewish mother used to call me in, and sit me on the porch that looked out towards the Jordan, rock me to sleep in her arms. And she would tell me the Bible stories. And she'd show me where Joshua, the great warrior, crossed the river, under the power of Jehovah rolled back the waters. In the springtime the big muddy flood stood still, while our people crossed into their own grounds in their own land—when they'd come up from slaves out of another country. Been down there living like slaves, and now they'd been brought into their own country.

“And she told me how that God provided for them in their journey; how that for forty years out there in the wilderness, without failing one time, God put bread down out of the heavens upon the earth every night for them to get it fresh every day.

“And I used to say as a little boy, 'Mama, it's a strange thing. I do not understand how God does that. Does He have a night shift working up there, and the heavens is all full of bakeries that He bakes the bread, and the angels bakes it, and runs down the ladder and spreads it all over the ground for his children?' I remember I'd ask Mama that.

“And she would say to me, 'My little boy John, of course you understand as a child. But you know Jehovah don't have to do those kind of things. Jehovah is a creator. He doesn't have to have ovens, and bake bread, and go through the procedure that we do. But He is the creator, and all He has to do is just speak the word, and the bread is there.'

“And brethren, today, when Andrew went down there and got that five little biscuits from that little boy that was playing truant from school, and gave us that lunch.... And when I saw Him take that bread and break it, and feed five thousand people, I knowed that wasn't a false prophet. There's some connection there with God, because God alone can do it. That must've been God. And did you notice, He just looked like Jehovah when He stood there picking up that bread?

“And you know, I slipped around behind the rock and got up above and looked over, and I said, 'I wonder where He's getting it?' And He picked up this biscuit. And when He broke the biscuit I watched the end of it, and He handed it out to one of you brethren. When his hand started back, there was the same biscuit again, whole. So He didn't have to bake it any more; it was created right in his hands. So it must have been Jehovah, for He was a creator. I seen the way He acted. It was Jehovah. I know it is. And He's not nothing false. And I'm thoroughly convinced. And that little boy, how I noticed his little eyes as he looked up!”

Now you see, to the little boys here tonight, that little boy was going ... maybe going fishing, or he might have been on his road to school. But when he seen that crowd he—like any little boy—run up as a spectator to see what was going on.

But one time he heard the voice of Jesus, that was better than going fishing. He wanted to listen what was said. Then they asked if there was anything to eat, and he only had his two little fish and five biscuits. And so then, it wasn't very much in the little boy's hand; but when he let Jesus have it, look what it did.

And now, that's what it is. Our lives are not very much as long as we handle it ourselves. But once in the hands of the Creator, how He can take what little we got, and press it out, and feed the multitude. And you just remember that. When you hear Jesus speaking in your heart, just surrender all you've got to Him. Then He'll go to multiplying it, and feeding the others by your testimony. And whatever you have to give Him, He'll bless it.

So when John got through with his testimony, he could no more than hardly get sat down until this great, brawny-backed fisherman called Peter raised up in the boat, looked over to Andrew and said, “I remember when my brother Andrew went to hear John. He told me that he was speaking of a Messiah coming, so I thought it was just another rumor crossing the country—just somebody, as they had been coming and going.

“So, you know, Andrew come in one day thoroughly convinced that this was the Messiah, so he called me to go with him, down to listen at Him one morning. So I told him I would go hear once, because I had made up in my mind that if it was the Messiah I would know Him—because I wasn't going to approach Him by any silly idea; I was going to approach it, the subject, by the Scripture. It had to be by the Bible.

“And Andrew here, my brother, can well remember our old gray-headed father when he sat me on the boat one day, after we'd ... almost out of bread at home, and the barrel was about empty, and the cruse dry, and we couldn't catch no fish.

“And that morning, while we gathered around, we had some debts to pay and we prayed, 'God give us a good catch today.' And Andrew, you're aware how we prayed of those things, and how Dad taught us. And that day we had a marvelous catch—enough to pay off all the debts, and get us something to eat for the day.

“That day Dad took me by the hand and he said, 'Simon, my boy, I have taught you the things that's right. All my days I've longed to see that coming Messiah. I believed that I would see Him. But it's seemingly now that ... I'm old, and I perhaps won't be able to see Him. But you'll probably see Him in your day. We've looked for Him through the generations to come, since the very beginning of time. But some day, Simon, He will arrive. And if He doesn't come in my generation, He may come in yours, because He's a promise of God.”

I like that. God's promise cannot fail. That's right. The Word is positive. It cannot change. It must stay just the way it's written. God will judge the world some day, and the world will have to have a standard. And if the church is a standard, which is ... where is the church? There's hundreds of different organizations of them. But the standard that God'll judge it by is by his Word.

I believe the Word, for in the book of Revelation it's written, “Whosoever shall add one thing to, or take anything out, the same will be taken out from the part of the book of life for him.” So I believe that this Word is just what it is. It's just God's Word.

And I'm going to make this grand old Pharisee, tonight, believe that same thing when he said, “Simon, there will be all kinds of false things rise up along through the ages you live—to be an old man, I hope. But when that Messiah comes, Simon, I'll tell you what He'll be. He'll be just exactly what the Scripture says He'll be.

“Now, Moses, our prophet, has said to us in our scroll on Deuteronomy, that 'The Lord your God shall raise up from among you a prophet like me.' Now, Simon, you'll know Him because He'll be a prophet. And you'll recognize Him by that, because the Scripture says He must be a prophet.

“'So you'll find lots of things going on, but this man will be a prophet. And besides, we Jews know that the Word of God comes to the prophet. [That's exactly what the Scripture says. The Word of the Lord came to the prophet. And so the prophet was to come.] Now, don't you forget that, Simon,' he told me. And almost in his dying words he told me, 'Son, don't forget. Remember, when He arrives He'll be a prophet liken unto Moses, because that's exactly what it says.

“'And how you'll know he'll be a prophet, because Moses has told us, and the Scriptures tell us, that if there be one among you who is spiritual, or a prophet, and what he says comes to pass, then hear him. But if it doesn't come to pass, then don't fear him, because the Word of the Lord is not with him, because God cannot lie. God has to be truth. And if a man tells it, and it comes to pass, then it wasn't the man; it was God. And so, that's the way you'll know Him.'

“And you know, when I went down that day, I kind of doubted Andrew, and I imagine him shaking his shoulders like that.” Said, “I kind of doubted my brother Andrew. I thought it was just something else. But when I walked up in the meeting that morning .... Andrew had got there much earlier than I was, because I had to finish the net ... mending the net.

“And when I come into the presence of Jesus of Nazareth ... looked right straight at me, and He said, 'Your name is Simon, and you are the Son of Jonas.' Not only did He know who I was; He knowed that godly old father of mine.” He said, “That settled it for me. I knowed right then that that was Him, that was the prophet that Moses had spoke of. That convinced me that it was that.”

He had no more than got through talking, till Philip jumped up and said, “Just a minute, brethren. Oh, I just can't hold it any more.” Turned around, and looked up the front of the boat, and said, “Nathanael, will you forgive me?”

“Why, sure, brother Philip. It's only a privilege to hear you testify.”

“Now, Nathanael and I were boys together. We grew up, we went to the same synagogue, we sat in the same pews. We were boys together, and we both studied the Scriptures very plainly. I was standing there that day when I seen Him, and heard Him tell Simon about his daddy and about him. And I was so thrilled, and we had both agreed that when the Messiah come, He had to be a scriptural Messiah. He had to be a scriptural Messiah. So I took off running as hard as I could.

“And Nathanael, I never forget the morning I knocked on the door over there. I'd almost run day and night to get there. And I knocked on the door, and your wife said, 'He's out in his grove.'

“And I went out there, and you were praying. And I heard you in your prayers saying, 'O God, we have waited so long. But we believe that the hour will approach that when we shall see the deliverer. We are looking for Him at any time. And God, I'm here this morning because something strange struck me last evening. I had a dream that I saw Him. And I'm here this morning praying.' ”

And as soon as he got up, well, Philip said, “Come see who we have found: the Messiah. We've found He that was spoke of by Moses, and the prophets—Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.”

He didn't stop to ask how the orchard was getting along. He was thoroughly convinced. That's what's the trouble today. We have so much other stuff that we pack along, that it seems like we're not exactly convinced. So, if we're convinced, it's right straight to the punch. Believe it!

“Oh, I've come into Brother Roberts' meeting. I'll be prayed for. If I miss it there, I'll go over to Brother Allen's meeting. If I miss it there I'll catch Brother Branham.”

Don't do that. Be convinced that He's God, and believe that his Word is right, and settle it right there—perfectly satisfied. There's nothing in we men; we're men. He's the one that died. He's the one, yea, that raised again, and is alive forevermore. We're mortal beings, his representatives. We die, men; but He cannot die. He's the immortal One.

Now, Philip went right straight to the point, and said, “Come see. We found Him.”

“And Nathanael, do you remember that hot flash that passed through you? You thought, what had happened to me? Surely I'd went off on a deep end somewhere.

“Why, you said, 'Philip, what's happened to you? Why, if the Messiah would come, He would walk right down the corridors of heaven, come right down to our own group. And He would speak right straight to our own group of the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, and be out of it altogether. So there would be nothing else to it. Well, and He would come right up to the temple to the headquarters, and there He would make Himself known to Caiaphas, our high priest, and that would settle it.' ”

But you know, God does things in his own way. He's just got a way of doing it. He always has things like that that He does. He's God, and He works as God. He serves as God, because He's the immortal, infinite. How can our little finite mind ever reach out there to that infinite mind of God? Oh, He's omnipresent, omnipotent. He's God, and there, when....

He said, “I never wasted any words with Nathanael. I said, 'Come and see.' ”

That's a good idea, see. Don't stay home and criticize. Come find out for yourself. That's the best way. “Search the scriptures,” Jesus said, “for in them you think you have everlasting life, and they are they that testify of me.” In other words, “If I do not the works of my Father, then don't believe me. But if I do the works, and you can't believe me, believe the works”; for the works is what testifies of the testimony. You can testimony, but the works that you do, and the life that you live speaks louder than all the testimony that you could give. So the works speaks louder than the testimony. He said, “Believe the works that I do. And if I don't do the works of God, then don't believe me. But if I do the works, then if you can't believe me as being God, then believe the works that I do.” Now notice, He never taken credit to Himself. He said, “It's not me. It's the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the work.”

Now we find that ... Nathanael going along the bank with Philip. And, you know, Philip might have started a testimony like this. He said, “Do you remember Simon, the fisherman, that man that doesn't have any education?”

“Yes. I knowed his father, Jonas. Yes. Remember you bought some fish from him one time? He couldn't sign the receipt.”

“Yes, I remember that well.”

“Well, Andrew, his brother, was a believer on the Messiah, and told him—like you and I have talked—that the Messiah will be a prophet like Moses. That's the scriptural approach to Him. And now, if it is Him, then here's what happened. When he came up in the presence of Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus told him who he was. Said, 'Your name is Simon, and you're the son of Jonas.' And you know what, Nathanael? It wouldn't surprise me if He didn't tell you who you were when you come. It wouldn't surprise me.”

Nathanael said, “Well, Philip, I'm not going to be critical. I'm just going to find out.”

“Well, when we arrived at the meeting, there might have been a prayer line; or they might have been sitting out in the audience, or wherever it was, or standing up. Somehow, there was a group of Pharisees around there, and they knowed....”

Now, they were orthodox, but they didn't believe in the supernatural. So they were standing with their hands behind them. And they seen Jesus performing these signs, and they knowed they'd have to answer to their congregation. And they couldn't say it wasn't done, because it was right before the congregation. So they said, “He's Beelzebub. He is a prince of the devil.” That's what ... in other words, a foul spirit doing that—a devil, a fortune-teller, or some other foul spirit. We all know that fortune-telling, and that stuff, is of the devil. And so they called the Spirit that was in Christ an unclean spirit.

And He told them, said, “I forgive you for that. But some day the Holy Ghost is coming. He'll do the same thing. And to speak a word against that will never be forgiven in this world, nor the world to come.” So, wonder if we could be living in that day?

Anyhow, we find out that when they come up into where the people were, Jesus looked straight around into the crowd, or maybe Nathanael might have stepped in the line somewhere, and Jesus looked at him, and said, “Behold an Israelite, in whom there is no guile.” He never told him who he was, but He said, “an Israelite, in whom there is no guile.”

He said, “Rabbi [which means teacher, master], when did you ever know me? Now, I'm a stranger to you [in other words]. When did you ever know me?”

Here comes the ... here it come back. He said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree I saw you.”

I can imagine old Nathanael raising up on the side of the boat, and shaking his hands, and shouting a little bit, and dancing around the boat. And it might have been Matthew said, “Sit still. You'll turn the boat over.” Oh, they were getting up, and having them a real jubilee then, you know, a real testimony meeting. Don't you like to get into those? Just having a glorious time, said, “Oh, sit still, brother. You'll turn the boat over.”

“Oh, well I remember. That sure took all the starch out of me, for Philip and I'd just been discussing that scripture, if there was one among us that was a prophet.... And we hadn't had a prophet for four hundred years since Malachi, four hundred years before, and the idea of a prophet had faded out. But when that strange man told me where I was before I even come over there, that settled it with me. I knowed.

“And I looked around, and I seen my bishop [or whatever you might call him up there, a priest] standing up there. And he give me a great frown, because, you know, I used to be deacon over there. And so, he gave me a great frown, but I was convinced. I knew that was Him. So I just turned my back, and rushed over to Him, and fell down at his feet and said, 'Rabbi, thou art the Son of God. Thou art the King of Israel.' ”

Oh, I can hear him just say, “Excuse me, Philip. I just couldn't let you go ahead. I just had to tell it myself,” see. When it happens to you, you like to tell it yourself. That's it. There's something about it, you get the joy out of telling it. What a testimony meeting! And Andrew just trying to get up, and Simon trying to hold him down, you know, he said, “Me next,” and up he jumps.

Said, “Brethren, let me give a testimony for all of us. You remember the day when He told us He was going down to Jericho?”

“Yes, I remember going down to Jericho,”

“And how that He need go by Samaria? How we wondered in our heart, what's He going way up around Samaria for, instead of going right down to Jericho? But He said He had need to go by.”

One of them said, “Yeah, sure. I remember.”

“You remember down there at the pool of Bethesda, that day, when that man was healed laying there, and that great multitude of people? And He said over there, 'Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in himself but what he sees the Father doing?' See, it must have been that He was led to go up around there, and we wondered why He would go up to those Samaritans.

“And we came to Sychar, and He sat down like He was tired. And He said, 'Go on into the city and get something to eat for us.' And we slipped in, you remember, and what ... while we ... what happened.

“And on our road back we was surprised to see this woman, marked of ill-fame.” You know what I mean. Them days, well, they had to be marked if they were bad women.

So they said, “We saw that woman, and our Master talking to her. What a strange thing, our Pastor talking to a woman like that.”

“There she was, standing there with all of her curls fixed up on her head, and she had this pot of water, and going to get some water. She started to let it down, and we said, 'Oh, oh. She's not one of our race. He'll really tell her off. And look, she's marked. Let's see what He's going to say to her, because she's no good. You can see her mark she wears, that she's branded. So ... and she don't even belong to our congregations at all. She's not even our race of people. So He'll really tell it to her. You just watch and see.' And we slipped up behind the bushes and listened real close.

“And Simon, I couldn't make you keep your head down. So then, you just wanted to look over the top of somebody's shoulder. And so then we watched a little while, and the woman hooked the hooks into the pot, and she started with the windle to let it down, and He said, 'Bring me a drink.'

“And she turned. She had never noticed Him. Probably she'd been out all night, and she was sleepy. And so she never noticed Him sitting there.”

And He was just a middle-aged Jew. He wasn't but thirty years old. But I think, according to Scripture, they said He looked about fifty, because they said, “You say that you saw Abraham? And you're a man not over fifty years old?” So it must have been his ministry wore him a little, you know. And He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That little earthly body had nothing to do with it. So he must have looked about like a middle-aged man, sitting up against the wall there.

“And she said, 'Sir, it's not customary—you don't realize that we have segregation here—that you being a Jew, would ask anything of me, a woman of Samaria.'

“Remember what He said? He said, 'But if you knew who you were talking to....'”

I wonder tonight if we really know what this is that comes down. If we could open our eyes, and see angels in their positions, see the Holy Spirit (glory to God!) ready to do something....

“If you only knew who you were talking to, you'd ask me for a drink, and I'd give you waters that you don't come here to draw.” And she went ahead, and told Him about the well. And you remember the conversation about the worship in Jerusalem? And He told her that God was a spirit, and they that worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

So we find out that the conversation went on. He said to her, “Go get your husband and come here.”

“Why,” she said, “I don't have any husband.”

“Oh, Mark! Did I see the look on your face! You said, 'Here's one time there's a slip-up. Something wrong here, because that she's admitting to Him, or saying to Him, that she doesn't have a husband; and He said she did have a husband. Now what's going to happen?' ”

He said, “Go get your husband and come here.” Singular, husband. She didn't have one like that, that's true.

And said, “Go get your husband and come here,” and she said, “I have no husband.” He said, “Thou hast said the truth. Well have you said it, because you've had five, and the one you're now living with is not yours. In that thou saith the truth.”

“And do you remember,” said Andrew, “the expression on her face? She said, 'Sir [not like those priests was down there when they saw it done. They said, ”He's Beelzebub.“].' She said, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. [Amen.] We know, we Samaritans, we know that when the Messiah cometh He'll tell us these things. But who are you?'”

She had introduced Him as her ... or, was known to her as a prophet. It had to be a prophet. He'd never seen her before. “How did you know this? Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.”

Watch what ... see, she was a Scripture reader. She was in the Word. She probably knowed more about it than a lot of other people does even now. She said, “I perceive that you are a prophet. And we know that when the Messiah cometh ... when Messiah cometh He'll tell us this kind of stuff. This'll be what He'll tell us.”

He said, “I am he that speaks to you.”

How those big brown eyes changed, them pretty curls fell down across her shoulder. She left that old water pot, and took to the city as hard as she could go, saying, “Come see a man that's told me the things I've done. Isn't this the very scriptural sign of the Messiah? If it is He, isn't that what we've been waiting for? Isn't that the very thing that we know will come?”

And you remember when we went down into the city when she.... Now, absolutely she was ... being.... If you know the Eastern customs, the men wouldn't listen to her (no, sir), because she was a woman of ill fame. A man won't listen to her.

But you try somebody that's really found out about Jesus, I don't care what they was, you try to keep them away from it then. Somebody's going to listen somewhere. If you are ever convinced that it's the Son of God, something ... somebody is going to listen. She was shaking the town with her testimony. “Come see a man....” She didn't care whether she was supposed to say it or not. It was burning in her soul.

She was convinced. Said, “He's sitting out there at the gate. I went out there, and He told me my life. This is the very Messiah.” (Excuse me. I oughtn't to be yelling in that like that. Turn it down, see.) Said, “He told me my life. Isn't that the very Messiah?” And the men—on the testimony of that ill-famed woman, without Him doing it one more time—was thoroughly convinced by the woman's testimony that that was the Son of God, that He was Jesus of Nazareth.

Oh, the testimony! How it went on ... could go on in this testimony meeting. One of them might have said, “You remember that day that Zacchaeus got up in a tree? Remember him testifying down there at the meeting? He said, 'I've got it in for him, and I'll climb up in this tree down at Jericho. And when he passes by here, he won't see me. I'll pull all the leaves in around me like this, and camouflage myself right good. I'll get a good look at Him.'

“And He come walking right down the street, stopped right under that tree, looked up. Not only did He see him behind those leaves, but He knowed who he was. He said, 'Zacchaeus [Hallelujah!], come down. I'm going home with you for dinner today.”

One of them might have raised up—it might have been Matthew—and said (the same one that wrote this story tonight), said, “Brethren, do you remember also when He come out of Jericho, how that old blind Bartimaeus laying over there in a corner...? And all the priests, and all of them said, 'Say, you. I hear you raise the dead. We've got a graveyard full of them up here—come raise these. Hey, you false prophet...,' you this, that, and the other—some hollering, 'Hail the prophet,' so forth; and others cursing him, and so forth. But He had his head set towards Jerusalem, to go to be offered up, to Calvary.

“And that poor old blind beggar down there, and that little Christian woman come by, picked him up. He said, 'Madam, what is it?' (See, there's something another about a person that's a Christian. They're always willing to help somebody else to find it.) Said, 'What's all of this going by?'

“She said, 'Are you just a stranger? This is Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet of Galilee. That's the Son of David, the One we hoped for.'

“And he began to cry out. He said, 'Now Lord.... He's probably too far away, half a block away from me.' [There at the walls that was spotted out where he was sitting, and where He was, more than a half of a city block away from it, like that, maybe right on a hundred yards.] And he began to cry out, 'Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.' And somehow or another he touched the border of his garment.

“He stopped. He said, 'Bring him here.' That's Jesus of Nazareth.”

What a testimony meeting! Wouldn't you like to have been sitting out there listening at them?

Now, brethren, the Bible says that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever—same Jesus. If you put the life of any vine ... if you put the life of a vine going up through the branches, and if it bears forth a branch and it comes forth this kind of a branch, and brings this kind of fruit, grapes; if it ever puts forth another branch, it'll bring grapes, just the same.

And He is the vine; we are the branches. And the first branch that ever come out of that vine, they wrote a book of Acts behind it. That's right. And if that ever puts forth another vine, they'll write another book of Acts behind it (that's right), because it'll bring forth the same fruit—'cause He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Remember, He performed that sign of the prophet before who? The Jew and the Samaritan, not the Gentile. Remember, there's only the three races: Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people—Jew, Gentile and Samaritan. Now, He never performed it one time before a Gentile that we have a record of. Why? Because the Gentiles wasn't looking for no Messiah.

That's the reason today they don't see it yet. They're not looking for anything like this. They don't believe the Holy Ghost 'cause they're not looking for such a thing. All they do is join church, and put their name on a book, and say that's all there is to it.

But for those who are looking for the power, those who are looking for the Holy Spirit, those who are looking for the signs of the Bible to be fulfilled, “It'll come to pass in the last days,” saith God, “I'll pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Now there ... yes, He comes to those who are looking for Him.

Now remember. He did that sign to the Jews. They turned it down. He did it to the Samaritans. They accepted it.

Now, remember, Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” Now, let's just stop for a moment, and take just a moment longer now, to get this, because I believe it will drive it down, seal it. Now, He said, “As it was in the days of Lot....”

Now notice, there always three classes of people. God is perfected in three's. Now, there is a believer, make-believer, and unbeliever, and that's in every congregation. A real believer. Now, in the days of Lot that's just the way they were sitting, and that's the same way they're sitting right now—believers, make-believers, and unbelievers.

Now, Abraham was the elected church, the believer who had walked with God. He was the seed, and his seed was going to inherit the earth, and he was the great order of God. And all that was with him was in order with God—all his servants circumcised, and everything. They were waiting for this promised son. Amen. And they'd come right up on the hill and they didn't have things as nice as Lot, the make-believer, down in Sodom. And the Sodomites was the unbeliever. Make-believer and the believer.

And coming to Abraham's tent was three angels. One of them remained with Abraham, and two went down in Sodom—a modern Billy Graham, and so forth. The great evangelists of the day went down there. No miracles—only smote them blind. And preaching the gospel smites the unbeliever blind. That's right. So he went down and preached the gospel, and called Lot out. You see the order of the day?

But to the church elected, Abraham, the real church that wasn't in Sodom.... It was out of Sodom, out.... Won't fellowship with the world. Called-out, separated church, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, called-out, separated, waiting for the promised son. And the One that stayed behind with him, talked with him.

And remember, a few days before that, his name was Abram, and his wife's name was Sarai, S-a-r-a-i. But it had been changed to A-b-r-a-h-a-m, Abraham; and Sarah, S-a-r-a-h, princess. Abraham, father of nations. Now the Bible said this angel had his back turned to the tent, and He had just been eating lamb ... or veal chops, drinking milk, and eating cornbread—a man, dust on his clothes, entertained by Abraham. And then while He was sitting there, He said, “Abraham, where is thy wife, Sarah?” Called him by his prince name, and her by her princess name. “Where is Sarah, thy wife?”

How did He know his name was Abraham? How did He know his name had been changed, both of them? How did He know that he was married, and had a wife? Said, “She's in the tent behind you.” And Sarah ... He said, “I'm going to visit you.” “I...” I is a personal pronoun, see. “I'm going to visit you according to the promise that you've waited twenty-five years to receive. That son that you've looked forward to is coming. According to the time of life I'll visit you.”

And Sarah now (both well-stricken in age—Abraham, a hundred years old and Sarah ninety) was back there in the tent, and she snickered to herself. We call it, you know, she laughed to herself. And said, “Huh! Me, an old woman, have pleasure with my lord, and him being old too?” Abraham. In other words, as husband and wife it'd probably not been with them for fifteen, twenty years, see. “Me have pleasure with my lord? Me old, and him old too?”—both stricken in age. It shocked her so, she kind of laughed up her sleeve, as we'd call it—laughed up her sleeve about it. “How could that be?”

You know what? God would have took her life right then, that's right, for disbelieving Him; but He couldn't do it. Why? She was part of Abraham. He'd have to take Abraham with her. Oh! That's where grace comes in. All the mistakes, and our errors, God holds us because we're part of Christ—the grace of God holding us. Oh, amazing grace! How sweet the sound.

He could not take Sarah, because if He did He'd have to strike Abraham with it. He cannot take the church. With all of its mistakes, it's still his church. Right! He can't take it because He'd take Christ. See, it's part of Christ. She becomes flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. All of our ins and outs, and unbeliefs, and so forth, and scruples—as long as she's into that body, her ups and downs, the grace of God still holds her.

And there she was. She said.... As she laughed He said, “Why did Sarah laugh in the tent? What made Sarah laugh?” What kind of telepathy is that? behind Him, the angel telling Abraham out here what Sarah was doing back behind Him in the tent. Now when that angel left, Abraham called him “God.” Right!

Some one said to me not long ago, said, “Brother Branham, you don't believe that that was actually God standing there eating a calf?”

I said, “I sure do.” Abraham called Him “Elohim.” That's right. Anyone knows that's capitol L-o-r-d, which is translated in the Greek, “Elohim,” which means the self-existing one. What was it? Showing there....

Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man.” What is it? Elohim, God appearing in human flesh, his church (Hallelujah!) showing Christ. Jesus said in St. John 14:12, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.” That's right.

Now the church has come from the great reformation of the Lutheran age, and then down through the Wesley age, and into the Pentecostal age. And now it's shaping up like the headstone in the pyramid. Now don't think I'm talking pyramid doctrine, but I'm just showing example, and how that has to fit so perfect in there—because it's not cemented; it's just dropped in there. And how that....

There's a different word used. The appearing of Christ and the coming of Christ, it's two different words altogether, see. Now Christ is appearing in these last days in his church, bringing his church together in unity, and faith, and power in the Word, all together; that when He returns He'll find the same church. What the palmerworm left the caterpillar eaten; what the caterpillar left the locust eaten; on down to the cankerworm. But God said.... “I will restore,” saith God.

Romanism, and so forth, eat that beautiful bride tree of Christ down, till it become a stump. But God brought right back out of that stump, right up through the Lutheran age, right up through the Wesley age, through the Pentecostal age. And now it's in the evening light. “I will restore, saith the Lord, all the years that the cankerworm, caterpillar .... I will restore again that church in her beauty, that church in her power.”

And we see it's evening light coming, the Holy Spirit coming in so strong upon his church, till the ministry of Jesus Christ ... in knowing amongst all of his people. They sit there with faith bringing Him down, powers and gifts working among them; speaking with tongues, interpretation of tongues, and signs and wonders, and miracles. What is it? Christ among his church, getting ready to take her.

In closing, I might say this: out on the sea that night (to finish their testimony—we'll start praying for the sick then), out on the sea that night, while they was having this testimony meeting, they were having a great time; but they done something wrong. In all their excitement of their great revival they just had, they went off without Him.

And I just wonder, brethren, with all good faith, if that isn't just about what's happened in these last days. We've got new buildings, we've built new things, we've increased our organizations, we've done everything else, and put billions and billions of dollars out here; and saying that Christ is coming right away. Why, people are too smart to know ... they know better than that. Our words speak ... our works speaks louder than ... our works speak louder than our words, rather. That's right. We're just look like batting the air.

And there they was—went off, and all excited about the meeting, and forgot to take Him along. Then trouble set in. The devil must have raised up behind them, said, “Uh, huh! There they are in their big programs. So this is the time for me to come in.” Here he come, right down ... begin to blow his old poison breath down. “The days of miracles is past. It's all been a bunch of emotion and excitement.”

The waves begin to come, and the devil sitting on every wave, saying, “We'll get him. We'll sink it.” And the little old boat become water-logged. The oars broke, and the mast pole fell down. All hopes was gone. Then the little old boat rising up fills full of water, and it soaked through. Now all hopes is gone, and....

But you know what? I'm so glad to say this to you now. When they left Him, what did He do? He climbed the highest hill there was in the country. The higher He got, the farther He could see, and He was watching them all the time. I believe He's done the same thing, don't you? Seen us in our mess. Yes. There they was in such a mess. And after a while, when the storm.... And all hopes was gone for another revival across the other country—they was going to get drowned before they got there. Here He come walking on the sea, walking right up to them, and the very.... After all that testimony meeting, they were still scared of Him. They said, “It looks spooky. He might be a spirit.”

When He left us He climbed beyond Calvary. He went on beyond ... He climbed past ... climbed till He passed the sun, moon, and stars. As Brother Outlaw's church was singing the other night, said, “past Jupiter, Venus, Neptune, and Mars.” He climbed till He striked the Milky white Way, went on into heaven, above heaven and went plumb in above heavens, and got a name above everything that is named up there. He has to look down to see heaven. And his eye is on the sparrow, and I know He's watching tonight. Don't you? That's right.

And He come walking to them on the water. The only thing that could help them, and they were afraid of it. Isn't that funny? The only thing that could help them, they were afraid of it. And so has it been now. The only thing that could help the people from communism, from all these things, the American people is scared of it. They say, “It looks spooky. It might be this or that.” Don't do that.

Why don't you invite Him into the boat tonight? Say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Then the thing will calm down. It won't be long till we'll be at shore. Let's bow our heads just a moment now.

Our heavenly Father, such a crude little way of having to bring a message to an intelligent bunch of people. But I'm sure, Father, that You will interpret it to them in the attitude that it was meant in, that it will go in the meaning of love and fellowship, and for faith to the people.

And now, Father, we pray that You forgive us for all of our errors and mistakes; pray that your Holy Spirit will come upon us now. We have said that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Then the works that You did, the church would do also. We've also quoted your words, Lord. Heavens and earth will pass away, but your Word will not pass away. And You said, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man.”

Now the Gentile age is here. You're not a God that would feed part of your children one good food, and leave it off the table for the others, because You're just, honorable, holy, no respect of person.

And when You gave the Jews their last sign, many of them recognized that that was what was spoke of. The Scripture said that would come to pass, and there it was. When You went to that little off-cast group of Samaritans, they believed it. The first thing happened, they believed it.

And now, here you are at the Gentile door. That was the closing of their age, and this is the closing of the Gentile age. God, we pray that all these people in here tonight, that's gifted of the Holy Spirit, will let their faith loose to God; and that God might use it to bring the presence of Jesus Christ in our midst tonight. We ask it in his name, and for his glory. Amen.

I don't know, I suppose we ought to close here real early, but we just.... Tomorrow night we won't be this late. We'll just take a little time, and call the prayer line as much as we can get lined up, and line them up and bring them up and we'll pray for the sick.

Now, where is Billy? He said he gave out from one up to a hundred, prayer cards. All right. Now let's line them up just as they come. Number 1, who has that prayer card? What's the letter? I ... I, like in Indiana. All right.

I 1. Who has the prayer card? The lady? Come right over here, lady, if you will. Number 2. If you'll just raise up your hand, now, number 2. Help me, some.... Oh, 2? Thank you. Number 3. Who has number 3? All right, sir. 4? Good. Now that's right. 5? 5? Help me, someone, if you will. Prayer card 5. 6? All right, 6, 7, 8.

Who has number 8? I didn't see it. Is this the lady here? I believe she has it. All right, 8. 9, number 9. The lady there. Number 10. All right, sir. 11?

I do this to keep them from running over one another, you know. This is the house of God, not an arena, see. 11, 12, 13, 14, 14? I don't see it. 14? All right. 15, 16, 16, 17, 17?

Maybe somebody is deaf, now, or somebody can't get up out of a chair, or something. We're going to pray for everybody that comes and wants to be prayed for. A little later on ... this is just a little introduction meeting tonight. We'll be getting a little longer as we go along. Where is that? About 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 20, 20? Well, might be someone stepped in, and out. Billy said that they can't hear too good in the back. All right.

I'd like to ask this, then. Let's wait just a minute now. I want twenty. If they stepped out, put them right in the line, and we'll start right on. All right. Now, how many in here does not have a prayer card? And you believe that ... you have enough faith to believe God will heal you? Let's see your hands. Everywhere now. All right. Just all over.

Now, while the ushers are taking care down there, I'd like to ask you this ... give you a scripture. If ever one time you catch me out of this Bible, you come and tell me, see. All right. Look.

There was a woman, one time, that didn't have a prayer card. We'd say it like this.... That's my ... hope it don't sound sacrilegious. But she had a blood issue, and she said, “If I can just touch his garment, I'll be made well.” You remember the story? Sure, you do. All right. Then she touched his garment.

Now He couldn't have felt it, naturally literally, because the Palestinian garment is loose. It's a robe. And beneath that is the underneath garment to keep the dust off their legs. And He never touched it. She just touched the border of his garment. And even the apostle Peter rebuked Him ... or, rebuked Him when He said, “Who touched me?” He said, “But I perceive that I've gotten weak. Virtue is gone from me.”

Now, how many of you believe that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever? Now watch this glorious bunch of pastors here now. Brethren, doesn't the Scripture teach us that He is a high priest right now? that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? Now see?

How many out there believes He's a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? Now, if He's the same high priest, He'd act the same as He did then. Is that right? Now, how would you know He was acting?

Now, here is what it is. I've just got through saying God is in his people. All that God was, He poured into Jesus. Do you believe that? He was the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And all Jesus was He poured into the church. The Holy Ghost. Is that right? So, it's God in us. God in you. It's not ... it doesn't make you anything. It's not the holy mountain, or the holy church. It's the Holy Ghost; not the holy people. The Holy Ghost, see. It's the Holy Ghost in the people; not holy people—Holy Ghost, see. And that's the thing.

And in ... this Holy Ghost has gifts. And office gifts of the church is apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. Is that right? All for the edifying, or setting together the church, bringing it into order (Are they...? Tell me when they're ready. Okay.), bringing it into order.

Now, I'm going to ask you to do one thing for me now, if you will. If you will just give us.... The rest of the audience, I hope you can understand me real good now. Don't move around now. See, just sit real quiet. From this time on don't move around, see, 'cause it's under a discernment. And when you move, your spirit.... And you realize that you're a spirit. If you don't, you're dead, see. And as long as you're a spirit, and anointing of the spirit here....

This Holy Spirit has contact with every spirit in here. How many knows that? The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. So, it's in contact. Then, when you move, see, that interrupts, see. Now there will be this on the platform moving, because I've got that person in contact, see. Then they are coming. And as soon as the Holy Spirit speaks with them, then you see, then others standing, and something move this way, and wasn't the one.... And see, you just don't know what to do. Then you're just confused. So, if you will ... just for about ten minutes to get through that line, or fifteen....

Now before I do this, I'll ask you something. How many in this line is strangers to me? Raise up your hands. How many in the audience is strangers to me? Raise up your hand. If you know that I don't know nothing about you, just raise up your hand, see. I guess everybody here as far as I can see.

I don't know no one. Don't know but about two of these ministers up here on the platform, two or three. At least Brother Copp and them, I know them. But out in the audience, I don't see one person out there that I can recognize, to call their name, at this time.

But each one of you, God knows you. He knows right where you're sitting. To my way of seeing God, He knowed before the foundation of the world that you'd be sitting there, if He's infinite. Sure. He's infinite, and He knowed everything. That is the reason He can tell the end from the beginning. He's infinite. Now.

Now here ... is this the patient here? Would you come a little closer, lady? Now here is exactly a Bible scene of St. John, the 4th chapter, just what I got through speaking on—one of the illustrations in the testimony meeting. Here's a white man, a colored woman. That was Jesus, a Jew, and a Samaritan woman, exactly two races. And so, she tried to tell Him about it wasn't customary; but He told her ... but He let her know that God made all people, everybody.

We're all come from Adam and Eve. That's the father and mother of all of us, all human beings, whether we raised ... the color changed us. White, brown, black, yellow whatever it was, has nothing to do with us. Each one of us could give one another a blood transfusion. We're all ... God made of all nations one blood. That's right. So that old thing was dead when Jesus come, that old fuss they had. He let them know that God was a God of Samaritans, just the same as He was of the Jew. And the Father was seeking such that would worship Him in spirit and truth, no matter what they were.

Peter said out there, said, “I perceive that God's no respect of no nation; but all those who fear him.” That's right. Well, here's exactly St. John 4. We're strangers to each other. Now, this should settle it. Let me tell you, I'm your brother. I'm Brother Branham, your brother. But I'm not a preacher, which you know. I'd like to be, but I haven't enough education to be calling myself a preacher.

But this is my ministry, that He give me a gift. And that gift is to shake the church, to bring it to a recognition of the coming of Christ, the return of the Spirit of God in the church. It's on you, the same Spirit. It might not be the same gift, but the same Spirit. There's different manifestations, but the same Spirit all the time. The same Holy Ghost you got is the same Holy Ghost I got, the same Holy Ghost we all got. It's all the children of God.

And then, why we come together spiritually now, then that Holy Spirit is there. And if diseases is ... and if children come around where that Spirit is, it detects them, and it can detect you. It's like a gift of prophecy.... Not a gift of prophecy. I don't know, just say it's Christ, you see, coming down among us; 'cause you go to tacking some kind of a name on something, you got yourself all messed up. So let's just say our Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of us. Let's just say that.

Now we're standing here talking to this woman. I don't know her, never seen her. She looks plenty healthy. She might have domestic trouble, financial trouble. She might be an impersonator. She might be a Christian. She might be a sinner. I don't know her. She just come here. But whatever He tells her, she'll know whether it's the truth or not. She'll be willing to admit that. Well, if He can tell her what has been, like He told Philip, like He told Nathanael, like He told the woman at the well; or if He tells her what was, surely she can believe for the future then. Is that right? Will you all believe it, if He'll do it?

Now here we are. Here is the Bible. Here's the woman. And here we are standing right here before you all, with our hands up, that we've never met before, know not one another. And we're of a different race of people. She's ... I'm an Anglo-Saxon, and she's African. Now here we are, just as perfect as it can be.

Now sister, just to contact you.... The reason I called you sister, because when I looked around the Spirit caught me, and I knowed you was a Christian. That's right. You're a Christian. Now I do not know you. I'm just standing here. You know I'm doing something. I'm just contacting your spirit, getting it started from around these other people—just drawing you out as one person.

Now, if Christ can use me, as a gift.... Now, He might put his anointing upon me. He's got to put it upon you at the same time, or it won't work. It takes both of us to make it work. The woman touched his garment. Jesus didn't know who did it, but He said, “I perceive that virtue has gone from me,” you see. It wasn't Him. He said, “Thy faith has saved thee,” see. It was her faith.

Now, I don't know you. But if He'll tell you something about your life, maybe something you're here for, somebody you're here for, something you've done that is wrong, or anything like that, you'll know whether it's the truth or not, and then you will believe it. May the Lord God grant it, is my request.

Now you see what a place it puts me in? Here's a time now that what I've preached, and told about Him, it must react; or either I've told something wrong, the Bible told something wrong. Christ isn't alive, or .... See, it's either our religion is right, or it's wrong. It's got to be shown right now, amongst all this fine bunch of men here. Here's the ministers of Christ sitting here.

I've stood before hundreds of thousands—I couldn't even speak their language—and see the thing take place. Before heathens, witch doctors, and what they call holy men of India, and fire walkers, and everything else and see the power of God come down. But He's Christ. If He isn't, I want to know where He's at. I want to find Him. Yes.

The woman is not hypocritical. She's standing here for a cause, and that cause.... She's actually, according to the doctor, she's supposed to face an operation. That is right. And that operation is tumor. That's right. If that's right raise up your hand. Now, do you believe that He knows where the tumor is? Do you believe He could tell me? Do you believe me? It's on the breast. It's on your left breast. That's right. Go believe it now, and you'll never have to have the operation. If you'll believe it with all your heart, God in heaven will take it away from you.

How do you do, young lady? We're strangers to each other, I suppose? Just a man and woman meet. But Jesus Christ knows both of us. He knows all about you, He knows all about me. I'm just his servant. And do you believe that He's here, and can reveal to me something about you? Would it cause you to have faith in Him to know that He's here? Would you accept whatever you're asking for? You would do it.

That man sitting there with his hand up to his chin, like this sitting right here, sitting there praying about a nervous condition, just believe with all your heart. The nervousness is gone from you now. Is that true? Raise up your hand. I want to ask you what he touched. He had faith to bring the Holy Spirit from here out to the man. I've never seen him in my life. He's a stranger to me, as far as I know. But he had faith. That is what it takes—faith to do it. Just believe it.

I just watch a light. Have you seen that picture of it? We got it here, or will have it. It went across this way from him, went out, and I seen it standing over the man there. Just had to say it. Now, there's a man sitting there, just a man sitting in the meeting.

Now, you're sick. You've been to a doctor. You've had some advice from him, but you're scared of his advice. That's right. That's true. Nothing evil. It's right. It's a ladies' trouble. That's what's wrong with you. I can see him ... when the examination, what he said.... Is it all right for me to say what he said? Do you want me to tell you what it is? Actually it's somewhere ... it's a misplaced seed, germ and it's been caught in what's the tube, instead of coming down into the ovaries. It's called pregnated tube, and he wants to operate, and you're afraid of the operation. If that's right, raise up your hand. That's true. Beatrice, do you want to be made well? Go believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Do you believe on the Lord Jesus? What all the Bible prophesied that would come to pass? A man. We're strangers to each other. Do you believe the Lord Jesus is here to help you? Do you believe if He will reveal to me what you're wanting from Him, that it will be granted to you? You do.

I keep seeing a woman come ... sitting right down here, looking at me—suffering with high blood pressure—with the glasses on. Combs her hair back. Don't you see that light hanging above the woman there? Look. Raise up your hand, lady. There you are. Do you believe with all your heart now? Then go home and get well. I do not know the lady. I've never seen her in my life. She's a stranger to me. That's your trouble. If you've had faith enough to touch the garment of Him to turn around like that, you couldn't disbelieve it, could you? You're going to have your healing then.

I want to ask you, what could she touch out there? She's ... I guess thirty feet from me. She isn't touching me; she's touching Him. She touched Him, and He just spoke back, you see. If the church would ever wake up to that, and realize what that is! All right.

Be reverent now. Don't be afraid. “Be not afraid. It is I.” It's the Lord Jesus. You know it isn't me, because.... And it's got to be some spirit and power, so whatever you think it is.... To me it's Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, confirming exactly what He said.

Now sir, not knowing you and we being strangers to each other, if the Lord Jesus will reveal something about you or something you're wanting, or something you're wanting for somebody else, or whatever the case may be, you'll believe Him, won't you?

You're up for an operation. Should have another operation, 'cause you've had one. And that operation was for a kidney stone, and you're back again. That's a chemical condition of your body which is causing that. That's the only thing that can cause ... ever be is for God to remove the chemical part of your body that's causing it to rupture. At least that's what the specialist said.

Your wife is standing right down there in the prayer line, wanting ... kidney trouble too. How about you just turning around, go down there laying your hands on your wife, and praying for her? You believe with all your heart the Lord Jesus will perform, and do, and grant, and make you well?

Our heavenly Father, as they lay hands on each other, I condemn the devil that has done it, and may they both be healed, and go home and be well for the kingdom of God's sake. Grant it, Father. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask it. Amen.

All right, don't doubt in your heart now. Believe with all your heart. Step right out of the line, sister, and go right with him. Go home and forget about ever having it, and get well.

I believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I believe that He's here now. I believe He's the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley, the morning star. I believe that He's here today appearing in among the people, showing to them that the end is nigh; and soon He's coming to catch away a church. And the ministry of his ministers are shaping right into his own ministry that He had here on earth, to catch away the entire church. I believe it with all my heart. All right.

Now, please ... I've run over my time. I'm sorry. Let's have this one woman here. Then, would you ... just a minute.

How do you do, sister? You was up here, so I think you need to be prayed for. I'll pray for the rest of them, but I mean to you for discernment, or what we would call it, whatever it is.

Do you believe me to be his servant with all your heart? Your trouble is in your chest. That's right. But I keep seeing somebody else that's appearing there. It's your husband. He's not here, but you've had him on your mind. You was praying for him. That's right. Do you believe God can tell me what his trouble is? It's in his back. That's right, isn't it? Do you believe you'll go home, and find him all right. All right. Then, just go right on, and believe with all your heart, and you'll find it just the way you believe. Now if you don't doubt, you'll find it just that way.

Do you believe with all your heart? Sister, do you believe God can heal arthritis, and make a person well? Just keep on going, saying, “I believe.”

Now do you believe the same thing? That nervousness and arthritis will leave you, and you'll be made well? Go right on. Believe. Thank the Lord. Believe what He's done.

Look this way as you come, sister. God can heal heart trouble the same as He can heal anything else. Don't you believe that? Believe it with all your heart? Then raise up your hands, say, “I accept it.” Go right on your road receiving it in Christ, and be made whole. Go in the name of the Lord Jesus. Go believing. All right.

The man is crippled by some.... Come this way, sir. I see you're crippled up. Look at me and believe. Will you believe it? All right. If you'll believe it, all the arthritis will leave you, and you'll go home and be well. Do you believe He'll do that? Then if you do, just keep on walking, saying, “Praise God.” Let me lay hands on you as you pass by, say, “Thanks and praise be to God,” and believe with all your heart.

I want to ask you something. With that precious book under your arm, what if I just laid my hands on you? Would you believe you would get well? Then in the name of Jesus Christ, go and get well. All right.

Come. What do you think, sister? Them old nervous spells has been bothering you? Do you believe they're going to leave now? As you pass under the shadow of the cross, go on rejoicing, and they'll never bother you no more.

Look this way, sir. You have many things bothering you like prostate, and so forth. But your main thing is heart trouble. Go on your road, and say, “I'm healed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Just believe with all your heart.

Look this way, lady. Do you believe your back trouble will get all right, and you'll go home and be well? All right. Just keep walking, saying, “Thanks be to God,” and you'll be all right in the name of Jesus Christ.

The lady has a ladies' trouble, and also I see she's bothered with smothering in her heart. Come right on past, and say, “I believe with all my heart. I'm going home, and it's going to quit bothering me. I'm going to be all right. Thanks be to God. Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here comes a man who looks like he ought to have faith. What if you just pass by, and I lay hands on you? The Bible says “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay hands on the sick they get well.” Do you believe it? Come right by then.

Nervousness, arthritis, weakness, cramps, and heart trouble. Do you believe with all your heart that you are going to get well now? Go right on the road, just rejoicing, saying, “Thanks be to God,” and God will give you the victory. Do you believe it with all your heart? All right. Somebody else coming now? All right.

Are you going to believe? What if I just laid my hands on you, and didn't say nothing? You know I know what's wrong with you. What if I just laid my hands on you, would you.... When you shouted out there a few minutes ago, what if I told you it left you? Would you believe it? All right.

All right, bring this lady. What do you think, sister, as you come? Do you believe it if I said anything, or didn't say anything, you'd get well anyhow? Would you believe that anyhow if I just laid.... There's some kind of a spirit here, and you know that. Do you believe it's the Spirit of the Lord that's on us? You do? Then your back trouble .... I done told you anyhow, so go on. Believe with all your heart.

How many believes out there with all your heart now? Do you believe? He's God. Do you believe that? He's God on the house top; He's God on the church; He's God in the church; He's God everywhere. He's God.

I thought that light was following a lady, but it was that colored lady sitting there. You. Yes. Do you believe me to be his prophet, or his servant, that colored lady sitting there with the white hat on, and white looking dress? Do you believe God can tell me while you're in contact with his Spirit what's wrong with you? Would you accept it? Then your bladder trouble won't bother you no more.

Will you do me a favor now? Lay your hands over on the lady sitting next to you, 'cause she's bothered with her eyes. That's right. Lay your hands on her. All right. Will you do me a favor next? The lady sitting next to you is bothered with a diarrhea, dysentery, diarrhea. That's right. Raise up your hand. Put your hand over on her, ask that she'll be made well.

What about the lady sitting next to her? Do you believe with all your heart, lady? Your trouble is in your side, your right side. Believe with all your heart, it will leave you. Will you do it? What about the lady sitting next to her? Do you believe with all your heart? You have smothering spells. Can't get your breath right. You will now, 'cause it's God.

Do you believe with all your heart? Lay your hands over on one another now. Now, for the sake of those who are sitting by you, are you a believer? Raise up your hand if you're a believer. Now lay that believing hand over on somebody else. Here's what God said. He said this: “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover.”

The Holy Spirit is out there, just the same as it is up here in these men. He's everywhere. Do you believe it? Then you pray for the person you've got your hand on. Lay your hand over on them, and pray now. Pray for the person.

Heavenly Father, we bring to You this audience of believers, thanking You that your presence is here with us. We don't only feel You, but we see You working among your people, confirming your Word with signs following.

Now there's many sick in the audience. The hours are late. But Lord, Thou art the great omnipotent God. I pray that You will hear the prayer of your servant. And as these believing people have their hands on one another, praying a prayer of faith.... And You said, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick. God shall raise them up.”

Father, what a group of unbelievers it would make us, if we disbelieve your presence here with us now, after we have felt You, see your Word, preach your Word, see your Word operate through all of us here in the building, feeling your presence, knowing You are here. And now we're obeying your commandments as believers to lay hands on each other, that the prayer of faith will save the sick.

Now, Lord, hear my prayer. I lay my prayer upon the altar. I lay my faith up there with them. And in the name of Jesus Christ, we go to meet the devil in his challenge of unbelief. Come out, Satan, from these people. Leave them alone. We charge you by the living God, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave the people and come out of them, that they be made well.

All you that believe that a believer has his hands on you, and you believe that the presence of Christ is here now, if you're not scared.... If you're afraid and say, “Oh, I don't know,” then your little boat might sink. But if you can hear Him say in his message, “Be not afraid. It is I,” Jesus Christ, the very proclamation of the Bible made known, there is enough faith right here now, if you'll just, well, just pray.

Seems like something wants to hold you back, that you say, “Oh, I don't know. I've been in meetings before.” See, I know just exactly what you are thinking. It ain't me; it is Him telling me. If you will do this.... Remember, I say it as a minister, as your brother. If you'll just let all those thoughts lay aside, and know that a believer has laid their hands on you....

And Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover.” And if Abraham, our father, believed God for twenty-five years for a promise, how much more ought the royal seed of Abraham to believe God's promise? Do you accept it? Do you believe it? And if you believe it's the truth, make a testimony to God. Stand up to your feet in a testimony that “I now accept my healing. I believe that I'm healed, because I'm in the presence of God and a believer has laid his hands upon me. Praise be to God who gives us the victory!” Amen.