Christ Revealed in His Own Word #64

Christ Revealed in His Own Word #117

The Witness of Our Own Spirit #2

Sunday, July 13, 1997

Brian Kocourek, Pastor Grace Fellowship

Wednesday night we spoke from paragraph 146 & 147 of Christ Revealed in His Own Word where Brother Branham seemed to insert the story of how the Message thinking man’s filter came about. Having spent about 5 or more paragraphs on the thought of the evening light being a witness, I wondered how this interjection of this thought on a filter tied in. Then when I thought of how he brought this thought in, I realized that he was letting us know that he had to forget his own thoughts in order to catch what God wanted to show him. Notice in PP 146, Brother Branham said, “something said, "Turn back and pick that up." I thought, "Pick up a cigarette pack, not me." Something said, "Turn back and pick up the cigarette pack." And I went down; there was an old empty pack, and I seen something. And the something he saw spoke of a thinking man’s filter.

So we see how he subjected His own thoughts to the Lords thoughts, and the illustration tells us that we don’t always understand the direction that God has in our life, but we must surely come to know that He will never let us down, and therefore we can see hod God used brother Branham’s conscience to direct him into a greater understanding. And if you will notice, this thought on a filter is perfectly in line with the thoughts of a light bearing witness to The Light, because in order to bear witness, there has got to be a filter in which the testimony is processed through. For if we testify to an event without any understanding of what that event is, then our testimony won’t really make any sense at all. Just as the Cloud that appeared over the Arizona skies back in 1963, meant nothing to millions of people who saw it but did not understand it’s scriptural significance. When Brother Branham explained what it was, and what had taken place using many scriptures as proofs of the meeting with the Seven angels it made [Revelations 10:1-7], [1 Thess 1:7-10] and [1 Thess 4:15-18] and other scriptures become real to us as never before. We began to see the beginning of the end, and we come to understand what Brother Branham meant when he said their is a difference between the Appearing and the Coming.

The same thing applies to the time when Brother Branham was preaching the Rapture and he said, “The Shout is the Message.” Brother Vayle was sitting there in that service and he thought, “Now, brother Branham, I’ve heard you say some very strange things, but this is one of the strangest.” And as he was thinking that thought something interrupted that thought and spoke from within him, and said, “when has he ever been wrong”. And then he heard himself thinking, “The shout is the message.” In other words, a filter came through for him and spoke out and said, “When has he ever been wrong?”

Now, Wednesday evening we began to examine the thoughts of God that were spoke through His Prophets concerning, the ...

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THE WITNESS OF OUR OWN SPIRIT.

[2 Cor 1:12] we saw in this verse that our conscience has a testimony, and that testimony is actually a witness, and the making known of that witness. Therefore, this verse reads like this, “and our rejoicing comes from this, the witness of our conscience,” . And we spoke on the witness of our own Spirit or Conscience, because, we found that unless we can identify with the things that God has manifested openly in this hour, we have no hope. In fact Brother Branham said in his audio letter to brother Vayle, God then, in order to proclaim this, has to send a prophet in order to inject this, make this real again, to show the people the hour that we're living in? Because if they only see it in the hour past, then there's no hope for the church. The church must see it in the present tense. So God sends His prophet to manifest, present tense of it. You see? And then, after it's over, then history is. Now, you might inject that, Brother Lee.

So you see, a witness is no good if they don’t have the right filter or understanding of what they have witnessed. That’s why it was important that Brother Branham said, “My ministry is to declare Him, that He is here.” That ought to tell us that He is a witness to something, and that something is the presence of the Lord. That is why in the message False Anointed Ones at the End-Time, Brother Branham could say, Now, I want you to know this is sure. And you that listen to this tape, you might have thought today that I was trying to say that about myself, being that I was packing this Message. I have no more to do with it than nothing, no more than just a voice. And my voice, even against my better judgment...

Now, remember, Jesus Himself said in John 7:31, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” And if a persons witness is not true, then what is it? It’s a false witness. That’s why I have trouble with the people today who want to just soft peddle every thing, and all this so called lovy dubby phony love. Love is Corrective and it’s based upon the Truth. In [Eph 4:15] Paul taught us that the Five fold ministry was to Speak the Truth in Love that we might grow up... And in [Heb 12:6] He said, “For whom the Lord Loves, He chasteneth, and scourgeth... And to chasten and scourge means to teach or instruct and to discipline when your not getting it.

So you see, brother Branham was a true witness because he had no ulterior motives. He just said what He saw, and He knew what He was speaking about. That’s why Brother Branham said, “I wasn't the One that appeared down on the river; I was only standing there when He appeared. I'm not the One that performs these things and foretells these things that happens as perfect as they are; I'm only one that's near when He does it. I was only a voice that He used to say it. It wasn't what I knew; it's what I just surrendered myself to, that He spoke through. It isn't me. It wasn't the seventh angel, oh, no; it was a manifestation of the Son of man. It wasn't the angel, his Message; it was the mystery that God unfolded. It's not a man; it's God. The angel was not the Son of man; he was a messenger from the Son of man. The Son of man is Christ. He's the One that you're feeding on. You're not feeding on a man. A man, his words will fail, but you're feeding on the unfailing Body-Word of the Son of man.”

I hope by this point that you can se how important it is for a witness to not only see, but to understand what he sees. Because, how can you be a true witness if you do not understand what it is that you claim to be a witness to. And yet I’ve heard sermons from other ministers who show no evidence of any understanding of brother Branham’ ministry, yet they preach sermons like, “I am a Witness” and yet they don’t have any understanding what they are a witness to? How can you call yourself a witness to something if you know nothing about the thing you claim to witness? To me, if a man comes forth to declare himself as a witness of something, he had better be able to not only tell what he saw, but he had better know what it was that he saw, and if he doesn’t then he is not only a poor witness, but potentially a false witness.

Brother Branham said, from Lean not to Your Own Understanding “You know, the Bible said you can believe a lie and be damned by it. See? That's exactly the truth. They form, no matter what the Word of God says, they lean to their own understanding. They lean on it; they believe it; they think it's the Truth. You can keep believing a lie over and over and over till it's the truth to you. That's right. But how do we know whether it's Truth or not? God proved it's Truth, 'cause it's in His Word and He a-vindicates It. He does His own interpretation of It.

82 ISRAEL.IN.THE.HOMELAND JEFF.IN IC 129-147 53-0329

the Pillar of Fire has begin to move again. But Pentecost is so organized, it can't go...?... It was so organized, crystallized until it can't go. That's right. That's true. But the Pillar of Fire is moving out, brother, and there's people that's going with It.

Anointed Ones at the End-Time Notice! Come up to the borderline and quit. Pp.195 Going to their home, and when they come up to the place to cross over, they doubted the Word!........What happened? They perished in the wilderness. They stayed right there and organized themselves, and died, every one of them,........ pp.198 "Where the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered......Where the fresh meat is, the Word of the Season, there the eagles will gather." But after it's rottened then the vultures will swarm to it. See, see? See what I mean? When a kill 's made here comes the eagles, but after it lays there and rotten, then here come the vultures. The eagles won't have nothing to do with it. Jesus said, "Where the carcass is, where the manna fell, the night the manna falls fresh, there the eagles will gather for it." That's the manna for the day. See? Pp.214 Notice! But after it gets rotten, maggots get in it, then here comes the vultures. They can't smell it till it gets rotten. Pp.215 Said, "I AM sent me." I AM, not I was, or will be, I AM, present tense, the Word now. Not the Word that was or Word that will come, the Word that's now. Pp.219 "For it is impossible for those which were once enlightened and didn't move on with the Word as it come to pass..." They're dead, gone pp. 233

Then if our witness isn’t true, then what hope have we got? Therefore what I propose to do this morning is to help us to see the importance of the Word upon our own conscience, that it might rule the conscience and bring it into captivity to the Presence of God who is in our Midst.

Now, Wednesday night we sowed how Brother Branham listed the conscience as one of the five inner senses of the spirit that man uses to make contact his soul, in order to bring the body into subjection to the soul. The five inner senses are, #1) Imagination #2) Conscience #3) Memory #4) Reasoning #5) Affection. Now of these five senses there is only one that actually controls the Soul, and that is conscience. Imagination allows the Soul to conceptualize and reason allows it to weigh out and discern, but the conscience is that seat of control that actually causes the Soul to either accept or reject the Word and therefore bring forth a right-wise-ness to the individual. Memory, imagination and reasoning are all passive, and affection is the outlet that brings the Spirit into an active state, but the thing that ties the passive together with the active is the Conscience, because it is the seat or control. No action can take place until the conscience has filtered the situation and gives forth it’s approval. Therefore the conscience is the most important of our inner five senses.

Now, Wednesday night we defined the Conscience and how it operates within the Spirit and how it influences the soul. But what I want to really drive home this morning is what makes the Conscience that you might have a good conscience.

We hear Paul say in [Romans 9:1] “My conscience bearing me witness by the Holy Ghost? And again in [Acts 23:1] he said, “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day;” And if our conscience is directed by the Word, then have we have as Peter describes, “the answer of a good conscience toward God.” “ And in [Acts 24:16] Paul further defined a good conscience as “a conscience which is void of offense.”

Now, the word offense here is the Greek word, ap-ros-kop-os and it means to lead others into error. Therefore to have a conscience that is absolutely void of all offense, we must know and possess....

Þ First, a right understanding of the word of God, of his “holy, and acceptable, and perfect will” concerning us, as it is revealed in [Romans 12:2]. For how is it possible to walk by a rule, if we do not know what it means. [Hebrews 5:14] & [ Hebrews 12:11] & [1 Tim 4:7] & [2 Tim 3:16]

Þ Secondly, there is required (which very few have attained) a true knowledge of ourselves; a knowledge both of our hearts and lives, of our inward tempers and outward conversation: Seeing, if we know them not, it is not possible that we should compare them with our rule. [1 Cor 2:11-16] & [Romans 7:18] & [1 John 3: 2-3]

Þ Thirdly, there is required an agreement of our hearts and lives, of our tempers and conversation, of our thoughts, and words, and works, with that rule, with the written word of God. For, without this, if we have any conscience at all, it can be only in evil conscience. [ 2 Cor 5:14] & [Mark 12:29-30]

Þ Fourthly, there is required, an inward perception of this agreement with our rule: And this habitual perception, this inward consciousness itself, is properly a good conscience; or, in the other phrase of the Apostle, “a conscience void of offense, toward God, and toward men.”

Therefore, whoever desires to have a conscience that is void of offense, must first make sure that he lays the right foundation. Let him remember what Paul said, “other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ,” and we know that He is the Word. And we must also be mindful, that no man can build on this revelation of Christ without having a living faith, or a faith which has been made alive. In other words, once you can truthfully declare, “The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God;” then you may stand in this faith knowing that it worketh mightily in you. John Wesley in quoting from [Hebrews 11] said, “Faith alone is that evidence, (Faith alone is the conviction) whereby the eyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light pouring in upon them, allows us to see the wondrous things of God’s Word”. It is by faith that we behold “the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” as we look into the mirror of Gods Word and no longer see ourselves.

By this alone can that blessed love of God be “shed abroad in our hearts,” which enables us to love one another as Christ loved us. By this is the gracious promise fulfilled unto all the seed of God, where God said, “I will put my laws into their mind, and I will engrave them in their hearts” Let’s read ...[Hebrews 8:10-12] Therefore, by an act of God in this hour, He has come down to produce in our soul, by His Word made manifest, a fulfilling of His Covenant, which is a “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” [2 Cor 10:4-5] Notice, the weapons of our warfare are through God a pulling down of every strong hold or death grip that has us beaten down. & Notice also in [2Thess 1:7-10] we have a promise from God that we are to be at rest and peace and it will only come at His Appearing when He places His Doxa in us. That is also what we hear Peter tell us in [2 Peter 1: 2-4]

Therefore as Jesus said, “an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, so a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. therefore as everything we have need of pertaining to life and Godlikeness comes from God’s Word, then, even our Grace and Peace are multiplied by that very same Knowledge of God, therefore, we can rest knowing that as the heart of a believer, and therefore likewise his life, is thoroughly conformed to the rule of God’s commandments in a consciousness whereof, he can give glory to God, then we can also come to the place where Paul was when he said, “This is our rejoicing, the witness of our conscience,” that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.”

And this conversation that we have in the world means more than just the things that we say, because the actual meaning of this word means to take in our manner of conduct or behavior. In other words, every inward as well as outward circumstance, whether it relates to our soul or body. It includes every action from our heart, or tongue, our hands, or any bodily member. It extends to all our actions and words; and to the setting in motion of all our mental faculties and talents; to the place where we utilize the same with respect either to God or man. In other words, we are consistent in our attitude and in our conscience whether we are dealing with God or the devils own children. And I think that is where we so often fail. We are one way with God, but we change colors and act contrary when it comes with those who are not one with us.

He said, “We have had our conversation in the world;” even in the world of the ungodly: Not only among the children of God, but among the children of the devil, among those that lie in wickedness. As our God is good, and doeth good, so the God of this world, and all his children, are evil, and do evil to all the children of God. Like their father, they are always lying in wait, or “walking about, seeking whom they may devour;” using fraud or force, secret wiles or open violence, to destroy those who are not of the world; continually warring against our souls, and, by old or new weapons, and devices of every kind, laboring to bring them back into the snare of the devil, into the broad road that leadeth to destruction.

But he said, “We have had our “whole manner of conduct,” in such a world, “in simplicity and godly sincerity.” First, in simplicity: This word simplicity doesn’t mean simple minded as though you are ignorant, but it means single-mindedness, as Jesus said, in [Luke 11:34] The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when [thine eye] is evil, thy body also [is] full of darkness. And the meaning is this: If therefore this eye of thy soul be single, or singly focused, having one focus, then all our actions and conversation shall be “full of light,” and a true witness of the light of His Glorious Presence, of love, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We are then simple of heart, when the eye of our mind is singly fixed on God; when in all things we aim at God alone, as our God, our portion, our strength, our happiness, our exceeding great reward, our all, in time and eternity. This is simplicity; when a steady view, a single intention of promoting his glory, of doing and suffering his blessed will, runs through our whole soul, fills all our heart, and is the constant spring of all our thoughts, desires, and purposes.

Secondly, “in godly sincerity.” The difference between simplicity and sincerity seems to be chiefly this: Simplicity regards the intention itself, sincerity the execution of it; and this sincerity relates not only to our words, but to our whole manner of behavior. It speaks of actually hitting the mark, which we aim at by simplicity.

Therefore, Godly sincerity implies that all that we speak and do, as Paul said, “we do as unto the Lord and to the glory of God” that all of our words will not only be focused toward his presence, but actually conducive to receiving His Presence, and knowing that all of our actions will flow in an even stream, uniformly subservient; and that, in our whole life, we shall be moving straight toward God, and that we shall be continually walking steadily on in the highway of holiness, in the paths of justice, mercy, and truth, and as we walk in the light, knowing that He also is in the Light, it not only brings us into fellowship, but into the Presence of the Supreme Judge as well.

This sincerity is termed by Paul as a Godly sincerity, or the sincerity of God; in order to prevent our mistaking or confounding it with the sincerity of the Heathens; For as soon as the grace of God, (his pardoning love), is manifested to our souls, the power of his Spirit, takes place therein. And now we can perform, through God, what to man was impossible. Now we can order our conversation aright. We can do all things in the light and power of that love, through Christ which strengtheneth us. We now have “the witness of our conscience,” which we could never have by fleshly wisdom, “that in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have our behavior ordered in the world.”

This is the only grounds for True Christian joy. Therefore he that hath this testimony in himself rejoiceth evermore. “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior.” I rejoice in him, who, of his own unmerited love, of his own free and tender mercy, “hath called me into this state of salvation,” wherein, through his power, I now stand. I rejoice, because his Spirit witnesses to my spirit, that I am bought with the blood of the Lamb; and that, believing in him, “I am a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.” I rejoice, because God’s love to me brings forth in me a desire to love him, and to love for his sake every soul he hath made. I rejoice, because he gives me “the mind that was in Christ:” — Simplicity, a single eye to him, a focus that is not my own, in every motion of my heart; he gives me power to fix my loving soul on Him who “loved me first, and gave himself for me;” to focus on him alone, — Purity, desiring nothing more but God; “crucifying the flesh with its afflictions and lusts; “setting my affections on things above, not on things of the earth” — Holiness, a recovery of the image of God, a renewal of soul “after his likeness:” — And Godly Sincerity, directing all my words and works, so as to produce for a reflection of his glory. In this I will rejoice, because my conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost, by the light he continuously pours in upon it, that I “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I am called;” that I “abstain from all appearance of evil,” fleeing from sin and as I have opportunity, to do good, in every kind, to all men; that I may follow my Lord in all my steps, and do what is acceptable in his sight. I rejoice, because I both see and feel, through the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, that all my works are wrought in him, yea, and that it is He who worketh mightily in me”. My rejoicing comes because He allows me to see by the light of God, which shines in my heart, with the purpose of giving me strength, to walk in his way; and by his grace, I will not turn from the right hand or to the left.

[1 Peter 1:3-9] This joy doesn’t come from natural causes: It doesn’t come because you have good health or a bed of ease;: Because it’s equally strong whether you’re sick or in pain. In fact suffering actually makes it grow stronger. But, most Christians have never experienced this joy, which fills the soul when their body is worn out by pain. And this joy never comes by outward prosperity, or the favor of men, or of having plenty of worldly goods; Because the scriptures tell us that when our faith has been tried as with fire, which is all manner of outward afflictions, it is then that the children of God begin to rejoice in Him, whom not seeing we love, even with joy unspeakable. And never have men rejoiced like those who were treated as “the offscouring of the world;” who wandered to and fro, in hunger, in cold, in nakedness; who had trials, not only of “cruel mockings,” but, “moreover of bonds and imprisonments;” who “counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so they might finish their course with joy.” [1 Peter 4:12-14]

Secondly, the joy of a Christian does not arise from any blindness of conscience, because this joy doesn’t come until the eyes of your understanding are opened; and you know it not until you have spiritual senses, fitted to discern spiritual good and evil and you have never been so sharp-sighted before: You receive a perception of the smallest things, and you don’t close the eyes of your conscience any more:

Your joy does not come like the sleeping virgin who does not know what is happening. But your joy comes from knowing that you are in the day of the Lord.

Neither does the joy of a Christian arise, Thirdly, from any dullness or callousness of conscience. A kind of joy, it is true, may arise from this, in those whose “foolish hearts are darkened;” whose heart is callous, unfeeling, dull, and without spiritual understanding. Because of their senseless, unfeeling hearts, they may rejoice even in committing sin; and this they may even call liberty! — which is nothing more than a drunkenness of soul, a fatal numbness of spirit, and the stupid insensibility of a seared conscience. On the contrary, a Christian has the most exquisite sensibility; such as he could not have conceived before. He never before had such a tenderness of conscience as he has now, since the love of God has reigned in his heart. And his glory and joy comes from the fact that God hears his daily prayer: —

In conclusion, I would like to say that our Christian joy comes from the love of God that is shed aboard in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, and therefore we are happy to keep his commandments and we rejoice in walking according to His covenant of grace, in holy love and happy obedience. We rejoice in knowing that, “we have already been justified through his grace,” and we have “not received that grace of God in vain:” And that God did this freely, (Not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but through the blood of the Lamb) His own Son, He has past tense already reconciled us back to himself. Therefore this becomes our strength and our joy and this is what sustains us through the trial of our faith, and we gladly “fight the good fight of faith.” We rejoice, through him because He lives in our hearts by faith, and it is through Him that we may “lay hold of eternal life.” This then, is our rejoicing, that as our “Father worketh hitherto,” so (not by our own might or wisdom, but through the power of his Spirit, freely given in Christ Jesus) we also work the works of God. And may he work in us whatsoever is pleasing in his sight! To whom we shall praise for ever and ever!

If we could have the musicians come forward while we bow our hearts in a word of prayer...

Now, let’s sing that Scripture song together, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for He that is mighty hath done unto me great things, and holy is His name...

My Soul doth magnify the Lord, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for He that is mighty hath done unto me great things, and holy is His Name .”