Faith no 16

Standing Fast in The Faith part 2

or Faith by experience

July 12, 2017

Brian Kocourek, pastor

Philippians 1:27 Let your manner of life be more abounding and fruitful in Jesus Christ as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: That whether I come and see you , or else be absent from you, I may still hear of your affairs, that you are standing fast and firm in one Spirit, with One Mind striving together for the Revelation of the Good news brought to you in this hour.

Sunday we spoke from Brother Branham’s sermon  “Christ is Revealed in His Own Word”, paragraphs 156 & 157, where he talked about how the revival fires are over and what is left is only a stabilization of Gods Elect. Therefore, this evening, I would like to continue with these thoughts as we read again from these 2 paragraphs again from brother Branham's Message, Christ is Revealed in His Own Word.

[156]  A fine minister said awhile ago, said, "Brother Branham, if I could just have the joy of the Lord in my heart..."  I said, "Son, the revival's over." See? Now, the stabilizers is been put on the ship. Great fearful waves are out here before us, but we know just beyond that wave yonder we're nearing the shore. See? We're nearing the shore. Just stay stable. 

Now, I would like to ask the question, how can we just stay stable when we see so much unbelief and insanity among us as we go about our daily lives?

Well, brother Branham goes on to tell us how we can stay stable. He says, 

“Just stay in the Word; stay with God. No matter how you feel, what anything else, stay right with the Word. Let it stay stable. When you see all these great big old clouds around us, and storms a-coming, and atomic bombs, and everything else they're talking about; but our stabilizer is right straight in the Word. God said it would be here; we'll crest every one of them. Yeah. We'll go right over the top of them. Yes, indeed. They can't sink us; they can't drown us. You put us in the grave; we'll come out again. That's just all there is to it. There ain't no way in the world to keep it down there. We'll caress every one of them, 'cause our great Chief Captain is calling at the other side.  We're anchored in Jesus,  The storms of life I'll brave;   I've anchored in Jesus,  I'll fear no wind or wave;

[157] Whatever it might be, let it come, what may, what it will, doesn't make any difference; we're anchored right there in Jesus. If I live, I'll live to the glory of God. If I die, I'll die to the glory of God. I just want... Just to the glory of God is what I want to do. When that's all over, I don't want to stay any longer. I want to go to where--to my reward that He bought for me, not what I earned, but what He bought for me, what He give to me by His grace.

And when I looked again at this paragraph of Brother Branham’s here, I saw where he also talked about the storms as something that should not be feared, because we are anchored in His Word. That brought my memory back to 1997 when it was 102 degrees for 6 days in a row and the people in church were getting sick. So I asked the church to bow their heads and we prayed for God to change the temperature by 30 degrees and within a couple hours God brought on that tremendous storm cloud that was an answer to our prayer as the cloud sucked out all the hot air out and that brought the temperature down to 70 degrees. I am sure others who saw those clouds feared what was coming, but we who were their knew we prayed and those same clouds were an answer to our prayer.

The same thing happened in 2012 down in Argentina, and the storm that resulted as an answer to our prayer was to those who did not know why it came something to be feared, but to the elect it immediately understood that God had sent relief from the heat. In fact that same storm that gave relief to the elect brought with it much damage to the homes of non believers in the area. They even reported the next morning that a tornado had passed by. Oh, how God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.

It just shows how God's blessings and cursing are so exacting in their fulfillment.

Therefore when we can see with our very own eyes that our God most certainly is still on the scene, It ought to do something within our souls, and it should cause us to come to the place of rest and peace that He promised for us, knowing that He most certainly has everything under control, even the weather.

Therefore as we read on what brother Branham said in paragraph 157 we can see a living Word that has been made real to us through what God has performed before our very eyes. And God uses our experiences with him to build up our faith.

Brother Branham preached a sermon in March 25, 1958 called Faith by experience and he told us that God builds our faith by giving us experiences to build it up.

To me, this Word is becoming more of a reality every day we live. We have a living God among us Who is actively watching over us with a desire to be a part of our everyday life.

In Psalm 1:6 we read, "For the LORD knoweth the way (The Lord watches over the way) of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (that word perish comes from the Hebrew word 'awbad' and means they are left to themselves.)

So we see God watching over us and while doing so He sometimes prods us along by giving us experiences that bolster our faith in His Word.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 16 for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

That is the promise we are living under, sons and daughters of the Living God.

Revelations 21:3-4 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Again let's just read again what brother Branham said in pp  [157]  “Whatever it might be, let it come, what may, what it will, doesn't make any difference; we're anchored right there in Jesus. If I live, I'll live to the glory of God. If I die, I'll die to the glory of God. I just want... Just to the glory of God is what I want to do. When that's all over, I don't want to stay any longer. I want to go to where--to my reward that He bought for me, not what I earned, but what He bought for me, what He give to me by His grace.

And that is the way we want to approach life as well. Why should we worry about what we have no control over. But there is one who is actively watching over our every move and knows our every need. He has control over every situation in our lives.  That ought to put us at rest because we not only know He's here, but we've seen His power in demonstration verifying Himself to be alive and amongst us the same as He ever was. Yes, He has proved to us time and time again giving us precious experiences to know that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

How many believe that God is the same today that He was during the first Exodus with Moses and the Second Exodus beginning with Jesus and moving on through Paul? 

In the first Exodus we saw in Exodus 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts

But did the Locusts attack the people of God in Goshen? No, they East wind brought a cooling to the people of God but that same wind brought judgment to the people of Egypt.

Exodus 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Again, God used the strong wind to bring deliverance to the people of God but destruction to the army of Egypt.

In the book of Psalms we are commanded to talk about all the great and glorious things we have witnessed of the Lord showing us that he i with us, and He is our God. I've said many times that everyone of us should have a book of remembrance that we write down all the great and wondrous things God does to show us along the way that He is with us, and He is our God. Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God and Faith comes by Experience. And when we repeat the experiences we have witnessed to in our children and our children's children we intensify our faith and build up their faith as well. Then they will expect God to do what God loves to do on their behalf, and they that expect it are they that receive the promise.

Psalm 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8  And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. 9  The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. 10  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; 11  And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them. 12  Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. 13  He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. 14  In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. 15  He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16  He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 17  And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18  And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. 19  Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 20  Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? 21  Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; 22  Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: 23  Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24  And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25  Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. 26  He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. 27  He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: 28  And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. 29  So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; 30  They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, 31  The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 32  For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. 33  Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. 34  When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. 35  And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. 36  Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 37  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. 40  How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 41  Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42  They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 43  How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: 44  And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. 45  He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. 46  He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. 47  He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. 48  He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. 49  He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. 50  He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; 51  And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52  But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53  And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54  And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased. 55  He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. 56  Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: 57  But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. 58  For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 59  When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: 60  So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; 61  And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. 62  He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. 63  The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. 64  Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation. 65  Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. 66  And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach. 67  Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: 68  But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. 69  And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. 70  He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71  From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Notice God shows us that He used experience after experience to build the people up in faith and yet because of they soon forgot those experiences their hearts soon became hard to the things of God.

You have to talk this word brothers and sisters, and you've got to talk to your children and tell them of the times when God has personally interceded on your behalf, and has saved you from illness or danger. "Faith cometh by hearing". Hearing what? Hearing the Word of God expressed through the experiences you have witnessed.

When my wife's parents told us of things they saw in the prophet meetings, that encouraged me and built up my faith. when Brother Vayle or Billy Paul told us what they saw, it was as if I was there and saw those things myself. When Br. Bosworth told us of the many times God created ear drums in deaf children who were born without them, it created in me a faith to believe in the Supernatural power of God. When Br. Billy Paul told us the time that he watched the little girl who had no eyes in her socket receive first a white light that gave her eyeballs, and then when his dad prayed again for color, and he saw two blue streaks come down into her eyes, that makes me so full of faith that I feel I was there when that took place.

And these are the things you need to share with your children, and it will build their faith as it builds your own each time you tell those stories.

We read in 1 Kings 18:30-46 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32  And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33  And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34  And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35  And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 40  And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 41  And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42  So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43  And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46  And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

2nd Exodus Matthew 8:23-27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27  But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Luke 7:24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

What kind of people ought we to be? Shaken by the wind or have power over the wind!!

James 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

We've seen God use his mighty wind to show his presence in the first Exodus and the Second Exodus, So then what about this 3rd Exodus we're going through now?

In January of 1958 my Father in law and mother in law were attending God's prophet's meeting in Waterloo Iowa and a mighty rushing wind entered into that place and filled the entire armory with wind that caused the prophets jacket and tie to blow mightily and everyone heard the sound of a mighty rushing wind that sounded almost like a train or tornado. And I believe God is the same and changes not. For the Pillar of Fire is still leading us to the Millennium.

I don’t know about you, but we've seen several times where the mighty winds of God swept in on the scene and brought deliverance to the people and brought judgment to the non believers in the region. There has been very few times that these things have happened in the history of mankind, and yet God has permitted this little group of his children to be eyewitnesses of His majesty and power in such a supernatural way that is millennial in nature.

He gave us a  little taste of what the powers of the world to come are all about. Not only with what we saw through his prophet but what this little church and those who have attended our meetings in Congo and Argentina have experienced as well.

Some of you hear are old enough to remember when we were down in Kentucky when God used the breathe of His mouth to move out the hot air and bring relief to his Children, I've seen it in Uganda when God stopped the raging winds and storm twice in one day, and I've seen it in Argentina when God used the breathe of his Mouth to brings strong winds to drive out the heat and bring instant relief to his children. And God is still leading us on and I expect to see more of His supernatural presence among us because we don't look to the vessel God is using but to the God who is using the vessel. And although God changes vessels, He Himself is the same and changes not.

From his sermon, 36  Unveiling of God 64-0614M There's several setting here, a number, that was with us the other day when He came in a whirlwind, told us the day before, Brother Banks Wood, them, when He said, "Take up this rock; throw it up in the air, and say, 'THUS SAITH THE LORD. You will see it right away.'" And I picked up the rock up on top of the mountain, threw it up in the air, and the... 'Course, coming down, it started a whirlwind (See?), the suction of it.   You have to do something to cause something to follow it. Jesus took a piece of bread and broke it, then multiplied from that piece of bread. He took water, poured it into a pitcher. Elijah took salt, put it in a cruse; cut down a stick, throwed it on the water. It's something to symbolize. And picking up this rock and throwing it into the air, and coming down started the whirlwind.

40  Works is faith Expressed 65-1126  So there was about twenty men standing there. We was out javelina hog hunting. And I said... the day before going up the mountain, I said to Brother Banks Wood... All of you know him, a personal friend. I said, "Brother Wood,..." Picked up a rock and threw it up in the air, and it came down. I said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, 'Something's fixing to happen.'"   So he said, "What is it, Brother Branham?"   I said, "I don't know, but within twenty-four hours you'll see. Something's fixing to happen. It's a great sign."

28  Go Awake Jesus 63-1130E Now, turn in your Bibles, if you care to, to the Book of St. Mark the 4th chapter. And my text tonight, I'm going to call it, "Go Awake Jesus." And my subject tonight is, "Calling Jesus On The Scene." Go wake Him, call Him on the scene. Here's the Scripture reading out of St. Mark, 4th chapter, beginning with the 35th verse. And the same day, when the evening was come, he said unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.   And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship... Wouldn't that make a wonderful text, "Take Him as He is"? Take Him the way He's presented to you (See?) take Him in the ship.  And there were also with him other little ships.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat against the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they wake him, and said unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?  And the Scripture says He is the same. The winds and the waves obey Him.

What kind of a man was this? He was the eldest Son in a vast family of brothers, that's what kind of man he was. And are you not also sons of God? Does not even the Word of God say that all of creation is waiting for you to manifest as sons of God? Then expect the impossible, "for all things are possible to them that believe".

121  Sign of the Time  63-1113  Now, Jonah, when he took the wrong ship, the first thing you know, he was going the wrong way and they got in trouble. The winds begin to blow; the waves begin to roar, and everybody thought the ship was going to sink. So Jonah was fast asleep, and they said, "Rise, O sleeper, and call upon your God."   And Jonah confessed that he was in the wrong. He said, "Now, you bind my feet and my hands, and throw me overboard, and then the storm will cease." And they did that. And God had a great fish prepared.

70  Testimony  63-1128M  And standing there at that time, I raised up, and I said, "Lord God, great Creator of nature, I believe that that's You speaking. Not one time have You ever showed me anything that was wrong, and not one time have You let me say anything but what come to pass."  I said, "Therefore, I say to this storm that's a raging, 'Go to your places. Go back, leave this alone. And I command that the sun will shine for the next four days, till these men can get their trophies, and I can help them get them, and get out of these mountains.'"  And the Lord God, Who is my solemn Judge this morning; that rain and things twisting, within a moment's time there wasn't a bit of it. I looked, and there was a wind come from the other way, across the top of the mountain, and lifted up those clouds like that. Within just a matter of a few minutes, the sun was broke up, right through the top, and shining right down, just as pretty as it could be.

Oh God, how I've experienced that myself. And in the afternoon when the winds and rain and hail came back again, God let the other brothers there experience the power of their prayer and command. Faith by Experience, God gave David a lion to kill and he did it. He didn't kill it to be mean, he killed it to save his sheep. Then God gave David a bear to kill. And that was preparation for him to kill the giant Goliath.

1 Samuel 15:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35  And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36  Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37  David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 38  And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39  And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

And the Apostle Paul told us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Notice David had not proved Saul's theology, and so David put them off. But notice that David relied on his own faith which he learned by experiencing firsthand the power of God to deliver. He had proved that God was with him when he went with just a sling and a knife to kill the lion and the bear.

When the doctor says, "here, take this medicine, it will work, it's been proven in the lab to work... ", you say, "yes sir its been proven to work on mice, But I want time tested proven healing and therefore I will go to the Great Physician "who healeth all my diseases", and This same great physician told me "Only believe, for all things are possible to them that believe."

From his E-113  Audio Letter to Lee Vayle  64-0500 brother Branham said,  "Lee, me standing there looking, I couldn't see a thing but... And I knowed it ain't that wind making a sound of a voice. The wind was blowing, woo, woo, woo [Brother Branham illustrates--Ed.], like that. But it couldn't make them distinctions and quote that Scripture, that wind couldn't. There had to be something there saying that.  I said, "Yes, my Lord."  And He said, "I'm the same yesterday, today, and forever. Speak to the wind; it'll still obey My voice. The storms will cease now as it did then." And I said, "Yes, my Lord. I know that what You say."  You said, "I commissioned you to say. What you say, that's what'll happen." Now that, Lee, you can imagine how I felt.  Well, I raised my head up. And I said, "Thank You, Lord God. I shall obey." I said, "Wind, storm, I command you to cease. And let the sun shine, and let the sun shine continually for four days till all these boys get their game and get out of the mountain. I command that the sun rise normally, and shine normally for four days, and this wind and storm cease at this time."  And Lee, it was like that somebody turned an umbrella over you. That sleet, and hail, and rain, and snow falling like that, it just quit. It ceased. And standing there, and I thought... And all at once, the wind was coming from the west, which the radio (We had a radio down at camp, and in our cars and things.), had said that which way it would come.

And we find the same thing in Matt 14:22-33 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. 23  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. 24  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33  Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

When Peter began to walk on the water, instead of fearing, he should have been ecstatic and overjoyed. When Peter was focused on Christ, everything else just seemed to not matter at all. We so often are limited by the things which we fear. And fear we are told has a penalty.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

And this word torment is a Greek word which means a penalty. And what is the penalty of fear? It is the stopping of forward progress. We are told also in the Scripture that when Joseph heard that Mary was expecting a child, he feared that she had an illegitimate child in her, and so the Bible tells us that ‘Joseph feared to take Mary to be his wife.” And so God sent forth his angel in a dream to quell his fears. That is why it seems that every time the Angel of the Lord came to man, He usually began by saying, “Fear not, for I have come from the presence of the Lord”. 

We also find in 2 Timothy 1:7   For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.

I had been speaking to the brothers in Uganda showing them the relationship between Jesus as the eldest brother in the vast family of brothers and William Branham as an older brother in the same family of brothers, and I had been talking about Jesus as eldest brother being the pattern for all brothers in the family when that huge storm came up. And when I had gone over to set down because I could not even hear myself preach because of the hailstones crashing down on the metal roof and the winds buckling that roof like wobble, wobble, wobble, but something spoke to me and told me to take charge of that meeting. So in obedience to that inner voice I took a step toward the pulpit not knowing how to take charge and before I got that first step completed God showed me a mental vision of Jesus in the boat speaking to the storm and it stopped, then before I got my second step he showed me another mental vision of William Branham speaking to the storm in Colorado and it stopped.

Knowing I had experiences to draw from two of my older brothers, and that my Father was not a respecter of person, I stepped to the pulpit and said "brothers we need to bow our heads and pray", and after I prayed there was such a stillness that the only sound you could hear besides my preaching was an occasional drip, .... drip..... drip..... as the last of the water fell from the roof. It was so quiet in that church you could have heard a pin drop. And the brothers over there still remember when that took place 11 years ago.

I remember full well how after the Lord gave me those two mental visions the devil stepped in and said, "If you do that you will make a fool of yourself". But I was not afraid to be a fool for Christ. In fact my comeback to him was, "I'm a fool for Christ, Whose fool are you."

But so many are afraid to step into their faith and allow it to materialize.

In the book of Job we hear Job say these words, “The things I feared the most have come upon me”, and this is not just a truism, but it’s a fact. Because after all, our minds are but a garden of seeds that have we have sown. And whatever seed we sow is what we shall reap according to the law of life as God set forth in the Book of Genesis. If we sow positive seeds of Faith, we shall reap what we have been sowing, and we shall reap the blessings that come by believing. But if we sow negative seeds of doubt, then we shall also receive what doubts we have been sowing. Therefore if we are to doubt anything, we should doubt our doubts. For Faith is the evidence of things which we do not see, touch, feel, smell or hear. Faith is the evidence, therefore if Faith is the evidence, then it is the conviction, and assurance of those things being there, although in our five outer senses we cannot detect it’s presence. And Faith is not only the conviction, but it is the substance. Then if Faith is the Substance, then it is real.

Look, let’s just examine Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God's Word tells us that Faith is not a substance, but THE Substance. And we know that substance according to Webster, is “the real or essential part or element of anything; the essence, reality or basic matter. The physical matter of  which a thing exists.’  Therefore, if Faith is THE Substance, then Faith must be made from the same essence that God is. Right? Now, this word for Substance is a Greek word, Hupostasis and we find this word also uses by the same author of the Book of Hebrews in the first chapter.

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Now, which word do you suppose in this verse is the same word for substance used in chapter 11? It is the word Person. Which describes the very essence of God. Therefore if Faith is THE substance or essence of God, then Faith is no different than the Son of God because let’s face it, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh.”  And since we are also told by Scripture that “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. And Jesus added to that, “Out of the abundance or overflow of the heart the mouth does speak, then a man and His Word are the same.

Therefore a man is the composite of what his thoughts are, and no more and no less than what he thinks in his heart is what he is. 

Therefore as we read in the Book of James, if a man is double minded, if he is unstable in this thinking, then he is unstable in all his ways. because as a man thinks in his heart so is he. I believe this even goes to the point that if we are stressed in our thinking, then we will be stressed in our bodies. If we are uptight in our thinking, then we will be uptight in our bodies. And if we are bound in our thoughts, then we will be bound in our bodies. And just like Joseph, when he feared to take Mary to be his wife, he stopped his forward movement and God had to send an angel to quell that fear.

So therefore, if we are to understand how it is that the Believer can be stablished in the Faith, and stabilized even in times of difficulty, we must know one thing, he doesn’t gain this characteristic on his own. God is the one who has the power to stablish us, and God never operates outside the realm of  His Revealed Word. Therefore is we are to understand the purpose of why Christ is Revealed in His Own Word, we should be able to see that it is for a purpose, and that is to get us ready for the Millennium, where satan will be bound for a thousand years, and what will be the force that binds him?  Revelations 20:1-3 tells us it is a chain that binds him. And what is that chain? Brother Branham told us it is a chain of circumstances, because he can’t get to the believer any longer, because of our body change.

Romans 5:1-11 Therefore being justified by faith, (by Revelation) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2  By whom also we have access by faith (by Revelation) into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5  And hope maketh not ashamed; ...

Now this word tribulations was translated from a Greek word which means pressures, and that is a word we can better understand by experience than the word tribulations. So the Scripture says we glory in pressures) knowing that pressures work patience; and patience is defined as: an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: And notice that the pressures are for a purpose and that is to build an experience which experience produces hope.

So then Patience produces experience and experience hope.. 4  And patience produces experience; and experience produces hope:

Confirmation of the Commission 62-012289 Now, that same Holy Spirit, we find It right amongst the Pentecostal people today, the evening Light, right down amongst the Pentecostal people. What? Preaching the same Gospel, giving vindication of the same Gospel. The same signs that followed there is the same signs that follow now. And if that Pillar of Fire, or Light, that we have with us did not produce the same Spirit and the same evidence that It did when it was in Jesus Christ, then it would be the wrong Pillar of Fire, the wrong spirit, be the wrong thing.

Unchangeable God 62-0120- if you claim you've had the Holy Spirit and had the experience, and then your life don't tally up to God's Word, then you got the wrong spirit (See?),

1Peter 5:10 Amplified  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of Grace - who imparts all blessings and favor - Who has called you to His Own Eternal Glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, and shall establish and ground you securely, and strengthen  and settle you.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is for our edification and building up so therefore the same must be said of what has been brought to us in this hour, since it is the Revealed hour  and God has come to bring to pass what He has promised. Then if all scripture is given for a purpose, what then can be said of that Word when it has been revealed and interpreted?

74  Going Beyond the Camp for He dwells only in His Word to confirm It. The Bible said that He watches over His Word to confirm It.

1  Presence of God unrecognized working for this one purpose, for you to recognize the Presence of Jesus Christ. See? If He is present, then, why, everything is settled. He made the Word. He is here to confirm It. He proves that He'll confirm It. "He is just the same yesterday, today, and forever."                         

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it (for how long?) until the day of Jesus Christ:

let us pray