Christ is the Mystery no. 47

Christ Expressed in the Individual
December 12, 2012
Brian Kocourek



  123   So it's Christ expressing Himself in the individual, whether he's intellectual, or whether he don't know his ABC's. Half the apostles didn't know them. That's right. But they knew Christ. They never taken heed to Peter and John, knowing that they had been out of some seminary. They said they taken heed and noticed that they'd been with Christ when they healed the lame man (See?) at the gate. They knew they had been with Christ.

  124   The new birth is Christ, is a revelation. God has revealed to you this great mystery, and that's the new birth. Now, what are you going to do when you get all that group together, where the revelation is perfectly in harmony, and God expressing it through His Word by the same actions, the same things that He did, making the Word manifest? Oh, if the Church only knew its position. It will one day. Then, the rapture will go when it knows what it is. Now, notice. You say, "Brother Branham, but that ain't..." Oh, yes, it is, too. It is the Truth.

  125   Did you notice? Paul never knew Jesus physically. Paul never knew Him. The only way that Paul knew Him was by a revelation, by vision. Is that right? Paul only knew Jesus by the revelation, just like Peter did. Peter had seen Him in flesh, but he didn't know Him by flesh, 'cause Jesus said so. "Flesh and blood didn't reveal it to you. Even My own Life didn't reveal it to you, but My Father which is in heaven has revealed the thing to you," that He is the Word of God. "And upon this rock I'll build My Church." Peter didn't know Him by flesh.

  126   Men walked and handled Him and everything else. Paul had something greater than any of the apostles did. See? They said, "Well, I've got more of a revelation than you, Paul, because, you know, I walked with Him. I went fishing with Him one day. I heard Him talk. He set in a boat with me, and after He told me, 'Let's go over here and fish in this place, and we'll get more fish.' And we did it. (See?) See, we seen Him do things." But Paul saw Him after He was dead, buried, rose again, and expressed Himself in the Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel, knowing... Paul, being a Jew, would've never called that "Lord" unless he'd have seen the expression that He was back the same yesterday, today, and forever. He said, "Paul..." in other words, "I'm the same God today that I was yesterday. Here I am in the same Light, the Pillar of Fire that Moses talked to in the burning bush." No wonder he could separate the Law from grace over in the Book of Hebrews. He met that same Pillar of Fire. He said, "I'm Jesus, Whom you persecute."

  127   And here He is today in the same manner by the same Pillar of Fire expressing Himself and vindicating Himself the same, revealing the mystery of God that's been hid since the foundation of the world. See it? Paul only knew Him by revelation. Peter knew Him by revelation. He walked with Him, talked with Him. Therefore, you can set this Word... Now, I've just said that He was the Word. Now, a scholar can sit down and read that Word till he can just tie your mind up in any way (See?), if he wants to do it; 'cause he's smart, brilliant. Get a Catholic priest, or not so much as that as a real good trained theologian in the Bible, brother--a Baptist, or a Presbyterian or something; he'll make you think that you don't know nothing. See? When it comes to talk... Why? See? Because that he has known Him in the flesh, the Word.

Now, let’s begin reading paragraph  128   But the only way that you're saved is by know Him by revelation. Now, I want to stop right here for a moment, because he’s talking about revelation and in order to understand what he is talking about we must know what revelation is, because when you say the word revealed or revelation, most people will stop at the first definition of the word and think revelation is something that some how you, in your mind just know, and that is not what it means at all.

 

The word Revelation: according to the dictionary means a. The act of revealing or disclosing. So you can’t have revelation on your own, it is something that some thing or someone must disclose to you, reveal to you. So there is a way that this revealing takes place, And that is what I am trying to get across to you tonight and have been for 7 years now.

 

b. Revelation is Something that is revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.

 

Now this is all good to know that revelation is something that you didn’t know but something happened to make you know it. That is good, but that is not it. The knowledge is one thing, but How you get that knowledge is what we call revelation. Not the knowledge itself. But ho you get that knowledge is what is so important for us to understand. Because we could say the knowledge is the knowing, but the act of coming to that knowing is what we call revelation, when something you do not know is made known to you. So the process of coming to this knowledge and then knowing as you are known so to speak. Because there is something about this knowledge that is not mental, it is experiential. You know not because you know, but you know because you have experienced the knowing, or the knowledge that you now possess.

 

Therefore the dictionary tells us that the number 2. definition of Revelation is that in  Theology: Revelation is a manifestation of divine will or truth.

 

No, notice it is not just knowing the Divine will or truth as though it comes via a mental awareness, but it tells us that Revelation is a manifestation of Divine will or truth.

 

The Apostle Paul tells us how he received the revelation of Jesus Christ and it was not by going to some seminary or from hearing some preacher, but he says in Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

 

Now the question then must be asked, how did Paul come to know the mystery of Christ? Because he didn’t learn it from Jesus Christ in the flesh. And he didn’t learn it from the apostles themselves. And so we hear William Branham tell us that it isn’t how well we knew the man himself. And it kind of sounds to me that he is saying this about those who hung around him as well. Because he talks about those who hunted with him and fished with him. And that they had no clue, but one day God revealed the knowledge to Peter in a way that didn’t come from hunting and fishing and fire side chats with the prophet Jesus. It came from a revelation, a revealing a manifesting of Divine truth and Divine will.

 

So it is this manifestation that is so all important to us. Not what teacher taught you, that is only mental knowledge. But the expression of God-Life made known to you and through you. Now, let’s read again this last paragraph we started here. Paragraph 250 in your books.

 

128 (250)  But the only way that you're saved is by know Him by revelation. If I can take... I can take the Presbyterian doctrine and tie you Pentecostals till you won't know... I can take the Baptist doctrine and show you Pentecostals a million things that you know nothing of. That's right. But that's not it; that's not His Church. That's not His Church.

 

And I would like to add, “ you can take what brother Vayle taught and tie message ministers into knots” and that still isn’t it. It’s not what you know by your mental abilities, brothers and sisters, it’s by Revelation which is an expression. Listen to brother Branham as he dives deeper into this.

 

He says, His Church is Himself revealed (Amen. Do you see it?) and expressed by the Word Itself that He is God.


Now, listen, he said “But the only way that you're saved is by know Him by revelation.” And yet so many think it is by what you know. “well, if I know the doctrine, that means I am saved and spirit filled.” No it doesn’t mean that. You are only fooling yourself if you believe that.

 

Someone said to brother Branham “I believe everything you say brother Branham”, and you know what brother Branham said in reply? He said, “That just means you can read”.

 

From his sermon What Holy Ghost was given for 59-1217 P:38 brother Branham said, “You say, "I believe it because the pastor said so.He's right, but that doesn't count for you. "I believe it because the Word says so.” That's right, but that isn't for you; that doesn't count you. The only way that you can say that Jesus is the Christ, is when the Holy Ghost comes into you, and bears record, and witnesses Itself out; He is the Son of God. That's the only way you know the resurrection, is when the Holy Ghost bears record. "When He the Holy Ghost is come, He will testify of Me, show you things to come, bring these things that I've said to your memories." You'll never find it in the school. See? He will bring these things to your memories.

 

So what’s he saying here? He’s saying that Jesus Christ will live your life for you. He will take your body and live His live in your body and then you will know, because that life will be expressed in you. And that’s what the new birth is all about.

Then faith without works is dead. If you say, "I believe it," and don't make no act... Just like the Message. If you say, "I believe it," don't make no act, what good does it do? See? Noah went to work with his hammer and built an ark to confirm what he was talking about. That's what we have to do too. We have to go to work and prove our faith by our works. Our works proves our faith. Moses had to do it, and Elijah had to do it. Every prophet in his age had to stand up and face these responsibilities. But many of them didn't do like Jonah. He run; they didn't.

 

Now, I know that in reading these quotes my nay sayers will come out of the woods and say, “see?” “he’s preaching works!!!” Well nay say all you wish to brother, but I just read those words from a Vindicated prophet. So whose vindicated you and Him? Huh! I just read from brother Branham’s sermon Man running from presence 65-0217 P:52, but I didn’t tell you before I read it because I wanted those brothers to hear it first and say I was saying that when I was just reading what a vindicated prophet said. And frankly I’ve been too good to these guys, I place my sermons in print online, so they can read them, and I place brother Branham’s quotes in blue and the bible in red so they can quickly tell them apart from my own words in black. But maybe I should start leaving it all in black, and not say when I’m quoting the prophet or the Bible. Just say it and then see how much they come against me and think I’ve gone off the deep end.

 

You know, I’ve thought of doing that for years now. Just give them enough rope to prove they don’t believe their Bibles. But I don’t do that because there are too many brothers who love the blue and red because it helps them to quickly find the quotes and Scriptures.

 

And let’s face it I don’t have anything to say that hasn’t already been said in this bible or by Brother Branham anyway. So I will just leave it as it is.

 

From his sermon Putting on the whole armor of God 62-0607 P:78 brother Branham pretty well nails down how you will know if you are a true believer. And it isn’t by being able to recite the scriptures or an apostles creed or even our prophet of this hour. He tells us point blank that if you truly believe all the Word then it will manifest in your life by doing the very same things Jesus did. That is why I have been preaching John 14:12 so hard. This is th hour for it to express itself in the church.

 

Putting on the whole armor of God 62-0607 P:78 Now. He said what He would do? He would come and vindicate Himself in His church, and they would vindicate His resurrection by His works. See? Yeah, John 14:12. I think that's right: yeah, John 14:12. Jesus said, "He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also." See, what is it? Now, you say, "I believe." That's just a word. But if you truly believe, that's this. If He is the Word, then you got to believe all the Word. "He that believeth all of Me (just don't believe part of it, believe all of Me), then the works that I do shall he do also," for He is still the same Word. So if it's the same Word, it would do the same works. If this Holy Spirit that's here today, if it isn't the same Word that it was in the beginning... If It is, It'll do the same works. That's the reason Jesus said, "He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also." Oh, I'd like to stay on that a little while, but getting too late. Why? The same Word, same works (See?), 'cause Jesus was God's works, we know that.

And again in his sermon Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E P:96 Brother Branham said, Now, you say, "I believe God; I made a confession." But did God give you the seal of the Holy Spirit back on your life of love, joy, fruits of the Spirit, to prove that you been saved?

 

Oh, Oh!! What are we going to do about that you people who believe that you don’t need the fruits of the spirit? What are you guys going to do about that who say the kind old priest had the fruits of the spirit as well? Is brother Branham talking out of two sides of his mouth? I don’t think so, but you see he is saying that you can have the fruits fo the spirit and still not know Christ, and that is true. But that doesn’t do away that the fruits of the spirit are fruits or manifestation or expression in your life that you are being led by the Spirit of God. Just because the kind old priest can act a certain way, doesn’t mean he has them. The devil can impersonate any of God’s gifts. But that doesn’t do away with them. And you preachers out there that refuse to preach that to your people because you fear fanaticism should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

One preacher told me that he wouldn’t touch teaching on the spirit of adoption with a ten foot pole because there are to many fanatics out there teaching on the adoption. Well, someone has to teach it right. That’s like saying, I am not going to teach on the saving power of the blood because the cult down the road teaches that.

 

Good grief, what have the pulpits come to anyway. Well, we know, because Isaiah said all tables (all pulpits) are full of vomit. And that is exactly what they’ve spew out of their mouths in the name of the Message.

 

In continuing from his sermon, Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E P:96 Brother Branham said, Now, you say, "I believe God; I made a confession." But did God give you the seal of the Holy Spirit back on your life of love, joy, fruits of the Spirit, to prove that you been saved?  If He hasn't done that, then He hasn't recognized your faith yet. You've just made a confession; He hasn't accepted it; there's something wrong.

 

And from his sermon “Israel in Egypt 53-0325 P:27 brother Branham said,  It's just a make-belief, mental psychic. When you say, "I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God," that's all right, but, brother, if that isn't coming from the heart, why, it's only mentally. And it can't come from the heart until the Holy Ghost bears record of it. Jesus said no man... Or the Bible said, "No man can say Jesus is the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost." And you can't say it in yourself; the Holy Spirit has to speak it from you.

 

Patmos vision 60-1204E P:39 Now, ask God to... While we're talking on Revelations, ask Him to give you a revelation of this. For it can only be known by revelation, and you can only be saved by revelation. You have a knowledge of it intellectually, but you can't be saved until it's revealed to you. "No man can call Jesus the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost." That's what the Bible says. No man can say Jesus is the Christ until he has received the Holy Ghost. He might say, "The pastor said so; the Bible said so." Them are true. "The church says so." That is true. But you don't know yourself until the Holy Ghost has revealed it to you, and He's become in you. "No man can call Jesus the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost." Not by knowledge, not by intellectual.

 

Discernment of spirit 60-0308 P:56 Well, then somebody might raise up and say, "Why, sure, we So- and-so, we're built upon that." Let's take His Word a little farther. The last commission to His church, He said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." All the world... How long is it to last? All the world. To how many? Every creature. "He that believeth and is baptized," not the church, "he" is a personal pronoun. "He that believeth..." the individual. (Now, brother branham is not talking about one person here, he’s talking about the individual, not a group like a church but in the individual, and that individual can be one or many but not the collective group as a whole.)

 

And then brother Branham continues saying, “As David duPlessis said about the grandchildren, there's no grandchildren in the Kingdom of God; it's children”. (so you see he didn’t say grandchild, he said grandchildren, he’s talking about many individuals here. And he continues) “Your father was Pentecostal and you're just coming here to this church because he come here to Eleventh and Garfield, received the Holy Ghost, just brought you in as a grandchild, you're wrong. God's got to reveal Himself to you. And no man can call Jesus the Christ by intellectual conception. No man can call Jesus the Christ because he feels sorry for his sins and comes and repent. No man can call Jesus the Christ, only by that revelation of the Holy Ghost making it known to him. "Upon this rock I'll build My church, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it." There's the revelation. There it is, what He's built His church upon.

 

And remember revelation is a making known via some manifestation or expression to you and through you.

 

From Why cry speak 59-1004E P:29 Brother Branham said, “Jesus said, "The works that I do, he that believeth on Me..." Saint John 14:7, "He that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he do also. He that believeth on Me..." No man can believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God until he's received the Holy Ghost. You're only taking it by faith and accepting it. You can't say that it is. You can say, "I believe it is." But no man can call Jesus the Christ until the Holy Ghost is in him. The Bible said so. The Holy Spirit has to come in first, then It gives a witness. You know yourself that Jesus is the Christ because He lives in you.

 

Now, you can’t get any plainer than that can you? And that takes us to the next two paragraphs of Christ is the mystery of God Revealed as we see in paragraph 129 and especially 130.

 

  129   How can you say, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" then and be baptized in it? Heathens. Right. How can you say you know Jesus Christ, He's the Word, when there's not a Scripture in the Bible, there's not a place where anybody was ever baptized in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? And you "Jesus Only" people, just using the name "Jesus" for baptism, I'm personally acquainted with four or five Jesus’s myself. So, you see what your denominations lead you into? That's the darkness, the expression of Cain, who brought fruits in the stead of blood. But the revelation come through the Blood, through Jesus Christ, Who is the Blood of God, creative Blood in the womb of Mary.

 Now in closing I am going to read from paragraph 130 of Christ is the Mystery of God revealed so you can see where He is coming to in this sermon of his.  

 

130And Paul knew Him by revelation. (remember, Jesus came to Paul in a manifestation of light and expressed or declared the Word to Him. And then after telling us how Jesus Came to Paul brother Branham tells us)That's how we know Him today, the only way you could know Him. Not say, "I'm Methodist." That means nothing. "I'm Baptist." That means nothing. "I'm Catholic." That means nothing. But by the revelation that God has revealed the Word to you. He is the Word, and the Word, how you know It's revealed? It lives Itself and expresses Itself through you. Oh. Churches has long forgotten that great revelation. That's right. Revelation of the Truth, they have forgotten it.

 

Notice his words here. He says,  He is the Word, and the Word, how you know It's revealed? Now, that’s the question I have been trying to hammer home all night. How do you know you have a revelation and not just a mental conception? He tells us plainly, because if it is a revelation, thenIt lives Itself and expresses Itself through you.” And then he tells us that is what the Churches has long forgotten that great revelation.

Oh, brothers and sisters, when you can see the life of Christ has taken over your own life, because you don’t do what you used to do, but He is living your life for you and through you. That’s the expression that brother Branham is telling us is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Revelation of Jesus Christ in the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the expression of Christ in living in you, which is your hope of Glory.

 

Let’s bow our hearts and our heads in prayer.