Christ is the Mystery no 157
All in the Name no 7
There is Life in the Name
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
This
morning we will again examine from Christ is the Mystery of God revealed to
show you that there is Life in the Name of Jesus. But first before we pray,
let's open our bibles to Romans chapter 8, and we will read from verse 10 and
11 for our text.
Romans 8:10-11 And if Christ be
in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But
if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Let
us pray...
Now
brother Branham said in his sermon, Christ is the
mystery 63-0728 P:216 "Listen closely now again as we go on, going back to the
original
Now,
notice here that brother Branham is saying, if we are truly born of His Spirit,
born again, then there is a life that must be growing up within us. And that
Life is His Life, it is not just you changing your habits, and putting on by
your works. It is actually His Life growing up inside of you just like when a
woman becomes impregnated with the life of the male, there is another life
besides her own that is inside of her body. It is that other
life that begin growing within her cell upon cell upon cell.
And
so when we are born again, he says the very Life of Christ is now within us,
and that Life should have the preeminence in our being. and
if that Life has then preeminence, then he says, "all our actions will
declare Him. Why? Because we have His name, therefore we should be bearing His
name. And remember, we studied last week that the name has a nature of its own.
Every name speaks of the nature of the name. Ricky means rat and Elvis means
cat. There is a nature associated with every name. And the name of Jesus Christ
is no different. It speaks of the nature of the Life that is in that name, the
very Life of God which was manifested through His Son, now manifesting itself
through you when you are yielded to that name, yielded to that Life, then the
very nature of that Life will express itself in you and through you.
Now,
let's read the next pp. 17 And remember, we are now as
His Bride, pregnated with His Spirit. Oh, my. The Church bearing
children (See?), pregnated by His Spirit with His Name, bearing His
Name, bearing His Life, bringing forth the signs of His Life evident
with the preeminences, evidence of His resurrection
showing that He is not dead, but alive forevermore. This is Eternal Life. And
a-vindicates to the world that we are alive in Him. Whew.
Notice
we just read brother Branham saying, "we are now as His Bride, pregnated with His Spirit. Oh, my. The Church bearing children
(See?), pregnated by His Spirit with His Name, bearing His Name, bearing His
Life, bringing forth the signs of His Life."
Notice,
bearing his name and His Life, we are bringing forth the signs of His Life and
His name. And what might those signs of His Life be?
How
about the fruits of the spirit for starters? Because Jesus told us Himself in Matthew
In
other words, we do not associate thistles and a prickly nature to trees that
bear fruit. Only trees that bear no fruit because they lack water such as a
cactus are associated with that prickly nature.
Notice
what the Apostle Paul says as he describes the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no
law. 24 And
they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let
us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying
one another.
Notice
in verse 26 he tells us what the fruits of the spirit will not produce. thorns, prickly nature that results in "vain glory", That
provokes one another, and that envies
one another."
And
if you notice that prickly nature is a result of being self centered and not Christ centered.
And
the fruits of the Spirit come as a result of the Word of God being taken into
our hearts, as he says in Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and right-wise-ness and truth;)
Now, in Romans 8 Paul deals with the nature of the
spirit rather than the nature of the flesh as he spoke of in Romans 7.
In
Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, (past tesnse) the motions of sins,
which were by the law, did (past tense) work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now (present
tense) we are delivered from the law, that being
dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit,
and not in the oldness of the letter.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am
carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow
not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I
would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now
then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth
in me. 18 For
I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no
good thing: for to will is present with me; but how
to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I
do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I
do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that,
when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For
I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But
I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? 25 I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Martin Luther in His Preface to the Book of Romans
said, "God judges according to what is at the
bottom of the heart, and for this reason, His law makes its demands on the
inmost heart and cannot be satisfied with works, but rather punishes works that
are done otherwise than from the bottom of the heart, as hypocrisy and lies. … "The law is spiritual,"
For if the law were made for the body, it could be satisfied with works; but
since it is spiritual, no one can satisfy it, unless all that you do is done
from the bottom of the heart. But such a heart is given only by God's
Spirit, who makes a man equal to the law, so that he acquires a desire for the
law in his heart, and henceforth does nothing out of fear and compulsion, but
everything out of a willing heart. That law then is spiritual which will be
loved and fulfilled with such a spiritual heart, and requires such a spirit.
Where that spirit is not in the heart, there sin remains, and
displeasure with the law, and enmity toward it, though the law is good and jut
and holy.
Then
the Apostle Paul carries this argument further showing in chapter 8 to be led
of the Spirit, or rather to live in the Spirit, rather than being led by the impulses
of our flesh, Paul shows the great contrast that will take place in our lives.
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after their own self,
but who walk after the Spirit. 2 For the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin
and death expressed in living for self. 3 For
what the law could not do, in that it was weak through our own self
centeredness, God sending his own Son in the likeness of our own flesh, and for
our unbelief, condemned unbelief in his own self, showing that unbelief can be
conquered in self: 4 That the
right-wise-ness of the law might be fulfilled in
us, who walk not after our own self, but who walk after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after self do mind the things
of self; but they that walk after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind which is
being self centered is enmity against God: for the
mind that is self centered it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be, because it is not focused on Christ but self. 8 So then
they that are into self cannot please God. 9 But
ye are not into self, but you are in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of
God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, that man is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, then the body (you own self) becomes dead to your own
unbelief; but the Spirit which is life take
preeminence because of right-wise-ness, right
thinking because His Spirit living in you is doing your thinking for you. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken or make alive your physical bodies by His Spirit that is dwelling in you. 12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to our own self, to live after our own self. 13 For if you live for yourself, ye shall die: but
if you are alive through The Spirit of God Living in you, then you will mortify
or kill off the deeds of your own self, and you shall truly live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 For
The Spirit (God's
Own Spirit) Itself will bear witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God:
Notice
here that Paul is saying the same thing William Branham is saying. If indeed
you are Alive to Christ and His Spirit is living in you, then you will bear the
fruits of that Life in you. He said, "Then when
we are borned of Him, we are filled with Him. See, your life... His
Life is in you. Then all of our actions should declare Him.
In
other words he said, If we have been impregnated with His Spirit, and His Spirit is
indeed living itself out in our Lives, then we will not only bear His name but
we will also bear the nature of His Name, and his life.
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together. 18 For
I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us. 19 For
the earnest expectation of the creature is waiting for this manifestation
(this expression) of the sons of God.
Expectation 61-0205M P:47 The great Angel appeared to Zacharias, and
he doubted God's Word. He said, "You'll be dumb till the time the baby's born." (You know, God's able of these
stones to rise children to Abraham. If you don't
want to take it, somebody else will.) And he said... When he found
out...She give the salutation, she said, "Oh, the Holy Spirit will come upon me, and
I'm going to conceive. And this holy Thing will be called the Son of God, and I
shall call His name Jesus." Now, little John was six months without moving. Anyone knows
that's sub-normal. Three to four months at the most,
and then here's six months and he hadn't moved. But as soon as she heard that
salutation in her ear from Mary, another one expecting, another one expecting,
both of them...And when Mary said... called the name of the Lord Jesus, the
first time that Name was ever spoke in human lips, a little dead baby in the
womb of its mother leaped for joy. And John received the Holy Ghost in his
mothers' womb and begin leaping for joy. And if the
first time the name of Jesus Christ was ever spoke in human lips made a dead
baby leap in its mother's womb for joy, what ought it to do in a borned-again
church, to get faith for power! I'm not excited! I know where I'm at. See? But
I just get feeling good sometimes when I go to talking about those things. See?
That's right, because it's true; that name of Jesus Christ has life; and
when it's spoke with power and faith, there isn't nothing will stand in its
presence. That's exactly right. Oh, sure, sons and daughters of God.
I
believe the Bride of Jesus Christ needs to learn to begin saying the Name of
Jesus with a right motive and objective in our declaration. And when we do, you
watch the Life that is in that name come alive in our lives. If all we do and
all we say we do in the name of Jesus, watch your lives change with the name,
because when you bear the name, you are bearing the life and nature of that
name. When we speak of a Bride, we should not be focusing on the woman herself but
our focus should be on the person who has committed herself to the Groom,
because that is what a bride is, she is one who has made her commitment to her
Groom. So it is all about him, it's not about her.
He
doesn't take her name, she takes His name. She becomes Mrs. Jesus, She doesn't
give him life, he gives her His life into her, and that life placed into her
brings forth another life within her. It's not about her, its
about him. And He is Life.
Watching His star 59-0411E P:36 If thou canst believe. I do not know these
people. I've never seen them in my life. What is It, friends? Now, don't go
thinking something mysterious. It's the promise of God, Jesus Christ. As I go
towards that wall, my shadow from a light, the shadow becomes more positive and
positive until it fades into perfect me. And as the coming of the Lord is
coming to the earth, His Presence is drawing closer and closer, until we'll
finally blend into Him, this Spirit will take us with Him." That day you'll know that I am in you, and
you in Me, and I in the Father, and the Father..." so forth.
In other words, we should be becoming so much more
like the positive as we draw closer to Him, we should be more like him. And
when we are not being like Him it is because for some reason He has taken his
leave, because we left him somewhere. We have somehow stepped out of the light
and into our own shadow. And that is exactly what brother Branham said in the
next quotation from his sermon God's provided way.
God's provided way - 53-1201 pp 10 Now, a righteous man is not a sinless
man. For you notice he said, "Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are." He had his ups-and-downs and his
differences. And the Scripture of his life proves that he had his
ups-and-downs like we do. And he had his times of wondering and his
times that his temper got away from him, and he had a lot of things,
that went wrong. But he was still a righteous man, because he confessed
his unworthiness and believed in God. So that's what made him righteous. We're
not righteous within ourselves; we're righteous through Jesus Christ. I
cannot be sanctified within myself; I am sanctified through Jesus Christ Who
stands in the Presence of God in my place. It isn't my holiness; it's His
holiness. My holiness won't work at all, but His does. Because
God done accepted Him. And in accepting Him He had to accept me, because
I'm in Him. Amen. That's what makes it real isn't it. Then we don't have to
depend on our self. Now, that doesn't make us say we can sin. Brother, if
you sin, you're just away from God. That's all. There's only one thing to
do, is confess it and get right with God. As long as you desire to
sin, the desire of sin's still in your heart, then
it's time to stay down at the altar till that thing's taken out. Now you
will sin. You're bound to sin 'cause you just can't help it, but not willful
sin. (and
that is the key, not whether you sin or not, because we all fall short here and
there, but if you willfully sin, if you wilfully disbelieve. That means you
know it is sin to do it and you say, I don't care I'm going to do it any way.) "He that sins
willfully after he receive
the knowledge of the truth (See?), there remains no more sacrifice for
sin." But every day you're bound to sin.
11. And you're bound to be backsliding
constantly, so it takes a constant prayer to God. Paul said, "I die daily." And if Paul had to die daily, how much more I'm going to have to
stay there dead all the time, if Paul had to die daily to stay right
with God. And so, we'll all have to do that, just die
out to our self. And that's getting God's way. Now, there's
only two ways of anything: That's the right way and the wrong way. And them ways are your ways and God's way. And you can't be
in your way and God's way at the same time. You've got to forget your own
way to get in God's way. And you got to get out of your own way to get in God's
way. For as long as you're in your own way, you're out
of His way. So forsake your way, forsake your thoughts, forsake everything,
and just rely one thing, on THUS SAITH THE LORD. That's all. Then you know
you're right. 12. Though you can't see it, none of the senses will say
it's right, every one of them will say it's wrong; but
you know it's right because God said so. That's what makes it right. Now,
that's... His provided way has been His Word; it is His Word. God's provided
way for the human to live is not by your senses; it's by His Word.