Faith for Adoption and
Inheritance of the saints
August 16, 2017
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
This evening I would like to look at the faith that is necessary
to receive the Adoption, and the Inheritance of the saints. To
begin, let us turn in our Bibles to the Book of Galatians, and we will read
what the apostle Paul told us about the Adoption of Sons.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, that the
heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be
lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and
governors until the time appointed of the father.
You see, no man knows the day
or hour except the Father.
3 Even so we, when we were
children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons.
So you see the whole plan of
redemption lays in adoption, The placing of sons.
6 And because
ye are sons,
Now, listen because this is
the key, because ye are sons,
because ye are
sons God hath sent
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Whereforethou
art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then
an heir of God through Christ.
Now, this evening
I want to get our thoughts off of what is taking place in the world, because
with the drama and has is taking place in Washington, it seems to me that the
bride if not careful can be caught up into looking at what the rest of the
world is focusing on right now, and not realizing that what is taking place out
there is not a concern of the elect, because God is not dealing with the church
ages any longer, he is dealing with getting a bride to receive his promises for
her in the bride age.
All we have to do
to understand this is to know that God changes not.
We also know that
the alpha must repeat in the image and at the first Exodus while the plagues
were striking everyone in Egypt, and we that Egypt was a type of the world, and
that as those plagues struck Egypt did not strike the children of Israel who
were warned that they were coming but who prepared themselves by applying the
Token to their house, and those plagues were commanded not to come upon the
children of Israel who were in Goshen, whose house was under the blood of the
Token.
Therefore we
should not worry whether the judgments come to this nation and to the world in
the form of plagues, a grid meltdown, a nuclear war or even a total collapse of
the economy.
Because our focus
is not of this world, and the elect of every age did not focus on the world or
the cares of this life. But our focus should be on getting ready for the next
phase of the rapture which is the Voice of the resurrection. And at that time
the bride is to receive her body change, and since the body change is time
culmination of the spirit of adoption as Paul said in Galatians, "the adoption, to whit the
redemption of then body."
Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to
wit, the Redemption of our body.
Therefore we know
as the shout has taken us into a transformation in our spirit, the choice will
bring us to the change of the body. But it is all during the process of
becoming sons and daughter of God as John tells us in John
1:12
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He
came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power (Exodus is-an ability to make a right
decision) to become (GinoMai - to be fulfilled as) the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
So we are talking
about the spirit of adoption is a time where we are to come to the place of
fulfillment as sons during the time of the dispensation of the fullness of
time. Which is the bride age.
Where I think Pentecost failed -
55-1111 pp 26.
Now, we're going to speak tonight on a subject here found in, over in the book
of Ephesians,
which is a very treacherous thing. And it's
not at all sent to the unbeliever; it's
dedicated, this is, completely to the believer. And now, I will read from
the 3rd
verse, just a portion of the 1st
chapter, of the 1st
chapter of Ephesians.
Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ: According as he has chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in
love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the Good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory
of his grace, wherein he hath made us acceptable in the beloved. In whom we
have redemption through his blood, and forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of his grace; Now, a beautiful reading, and now, I may
not, it's only without the grace of the Holy Spirit to make you understand what
I see here, and applying it to the Pentecostal church. But if you'll notice in the 1st verse of here: Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints...
(not to the outside world. This Book is sent to the saints. And the
saint, the word "saint"
comes from a "sanctified,
or sainted person.")... to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to
the faithful (i-n) in
Christ Jesus: See who it's sent to? Not to the outsider, but to the saints.
And really, that
is what our focus should be on everyday as well. Not with the world or the
things of the world but what are the promises of God for us in this hour.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen
us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him (in his presence) 5. therefore in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Spoken word original seed - 62-0318M ...to the faithful in
Christ Jesus: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (All right.) Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us...
(Now, he's talking to the church
now. This is not the outside; this is
church)... with all spiritual...
(spiritual)... blessings in heavenly places...
(like this morning, those who love it is just eating it up. See?)...
heavenly places in Christ: 119.
According as he hath chosen us...Did we choose Him? Huh? "Oh, Brother
Branham, I beg your pardon, I did." No, you... According to the Word, you didn't. Jesus said, "You never chose Me; I chose you."
Oh, yeah. When did He choose it? When
did Jesus say He chose his church? Before the foundation of the world. According as he hath chosen us
in him... (at the last revival that
doctor So-and-so had? No, no. You might read that in the creed, a text book,
but not in this One. See?)... According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,...
(When were we chosen? At the last revival? The night we got saved? Why, when there wasn't no world, wasn't no
stars, there was no atoms, no molecules, that's when we were chosen.
Amen. Oh, don't let me start preaching on that now. I'm just trying to explain
something here. All right.)... before
the foundation of the world, that we should be... (What? Members. "No,
we should... Oh, after we are saved we just do as
you want to." Hmm.)... we
should be holy and without blame before him in... (Membership?
Oh, no. It's love ain't it? That's right. All right.)...
in love... (Excuse me, I'm just cutting up I guess
now. I shouldn't do it, All right.)... in love. Having...
(What? P-r-e-d-e-s-t-i-n-a-t-e-d...
Oh,)... predestinated us unto the
adoption of children... (the seed from the
beginning... See?)... of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the Good pleasure of his will, 120. Who did it? God. When did He do it? Before
the foundation of the world. Then if we come in a
illegitimate birth through Eve's corruption, making us all her children and
subject to death, then the sovereign God has to make a way to redeem His
children, "And
all the Father hath given Me will come to Me. And no man can come unless My
Father draws him." Oh, my. Now, where's your great big thing you done?
You never done nothing. You ought to be ashamed. God, Who done all
things... The wheel's a working just right.
Doesn't the apostle Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:2 "He (God) is not only the
author but he said He is the finisher of our faith. And Paul also said in Philippians
1:6 that "He (God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" And
again the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13
"For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure."
So all we have to do is to
hear, recognize and act upon the promises of God.
God in His Word 57-0323 P:35 That's right.
Certainly it is; it's a seed, and the life is in the seed. The only thing
you'll have to do is to water the seed. Well, You put me on record tonight in
these recorders. I have no apology for this remark that I'm fixing to make. I
believe, and can prove, that the right mental attitude towards any Divine promise
of God will bring it to pass. Yes, sir. The right mental attitude,
but you've got to have the right attitude. The attitude is what brings the results.
If you say, "Yes, yes, I believe it but I don't know now." That's not
the right attitude. The right attitude is to receive it, and say it's
"THUS
SAITH THE LORD." Then it's right.
Hour is come 51-0415E P:17 Now, the right
mental attitude... All you along here, do you understand what I mean when I
say, "The right mental attitude?" That's... Your right
mental attitude towards God's Divine promise will bring any promise to pass.
Now, maybe you don't believe that. You say, "Well, my faith is weak."
I wouldn't confess it. See? Don't let the devil know that. Always
say, "I have good faith. I believe God with all my heart."
See? Don't testify nothing of the devil. And when you accept Him as
your Healer, don't never act like you're sick or crippled any more. Believe
that you're healed. Take Him at His Word. Then it's all over on God then
and not on you. See? You... As long as you take God at His Word, then the Word will
produce what It promised to do. Is that right? Now, have faith,
believe Him with all your heart.
We would see Jesus 58-0523
P:12 Don't never be afraid to put any Divine promise of God to action. And
remember, don't never forget this quotation: "That the right mental
attitude towards any Divine promise in this Bible will bring it to pass."
Just remember that. The right mental attitude toward any Divine promise
that's written in this Bible will bring it to pass. So now, just
keep that on your mind. If God made a promise, and you'll take the right attitude towards that
promise, God will fulfill everything that He's promised. I know that
to be true.
Five identifications - 60-0911E 103. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all...
(You remember my last two messages?)... all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ: According... (Listen, let this shock
you now.)... According as he hath...
(past tense)... chosen us in him...
(At the last revival? Did I read that right?)... According
as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, before the
world,... (Looky here.)... before
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love: Having... (p-r-e-d-e-s-t-i-n-a-t-e-d)... What did we do? Nothing.
What He done is what I'm looking at. When did He do? Chose us, put our names on his
Book, on his church Book to be a member of this mystical Body before
the world ever began. And has predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to his own Good
pleasure of his will, 104. Whew. You got to be in that
church, brother, if you make it, for He's coming for a church. Well, what kind
of a church? A church that's without spot or without
wrinkle. How can we be that? By being dead in Christ,
baptized by the Holy Ghost into His mystical Body, and the Blood atonement of
the Son of God laying there for us every hour of the day: found
blameless, that's
the church, without spot, or without wrinkle.
He chose us in Him, and put our names on His Book. The
Bible said that "Jesus Christ was the Lamb slain...
Nineteen hundred years ago? How far? The Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.
Notice brother Branham shows a
person's maturity is associated with his ability to hold beck from fussing. Fussing
doesn't make you an evil person, but when you know where you stand you don't
fuss about it with others, you just stand.
The
Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:13 ...when you have done all you can do to stand, then just
stand....
He also said in Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God: 17
See, God is watching us, and
when we are filled with His Spirit, then our actions will reflect what His
actions would be, for it is the same Spirit that led Him is now in you leading
you. And that is why Paul said right before this God bearing witness with your
spirit, he said in verse 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. So
if you are led by the Spirit of God you will do what God's Spirit will have you
do. And God is watching you to bear witness with your following His lead.
Remember, this same apostle said, "it is God in you
working both to will and to do."
And then after he says Sons of
God are led by the Spirit of God, he adds, "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."
And then he says, 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 the manifestation of the
sons of God.
So we see that
not only God is watching our every move but all creation is watching and
waiting for us to manifest as sons.
Position in Christ - 60-0522M What are we waiting for?
The manifestations. The earth is groaning.
Let's get down to it and read it. All right... predestinated... to the adoption of children by... himself,
according to his Good pleasure of his will, To the praise--to the praise of the
glory of his grace,... What is his grace? Back before, when He
wasn't a Father. his grace, his love, made Himself a child, that we might be predestinated unto the
adoption of children, to the praise of his grace.
See? ... wherein he has made us
acceptable by the... (the Person)... beloved, which is Christ. Made us
accepted how? By Him. How we get into Him? By one Spirit, all baptized into Him.
Listen. In whom we have redemption, we have
redemption through (the) his blood, the forgiveness of...
(s-i-n-s...)
55. How can you preach
predestination of God, foreordaining and setting, unless there's a sin
atonement somewhere? Why is it each day you make a mistake, each day you do
wrong? But if you're born again, man or
woman, as soon as you make the mistake, God knows you're sorry for it. You
can stand in the Presence of President Roosevelt or anybody else and say,
"I'm wrong; God forgive me for this thing." Why? And there's where
the Blood atonement...You notice that s-i-n-s. A sinner is a sinner; he does not commit sins. But the church
commits sin, does wrong, gets a wrong
thought, wrong impression, makes scruples, wobbles like a little child walking,
trying to learn how to walk. He just don't know how to walk good yet,
'cause he's a little boy. But we have a hand that reaches down if we, gets us
and steadies us, and say, "Make
this step this a-way, son." He doesn't pick us up and spank
us because we made a mistake; He doesn't beat us to death because we're trying
to walk. He loves us like we love our
children. 56. A real, real
daddy wouldn't whip his child when he's trying to walk, if he falls down on the
floor. Reach right down with a big strong hand and pick him up, take both
hands a-hold of him, say, "This
is the way you do it, son. Walk like this." That's the way God does His church: reaches
down and gets him in His arm, picks him up, and say, "Walk like this, son. Here, don't say it like
that; talk it like this. Now, I don't care what the church says,
what this says, what that says, you say it like this." Like this, this is It.
"If My Word preaches it, you
stay right with It, walk with It. Stay right with It. Don't care what everybody
else says, stay right with It. Walk like This. This is the way you make your
steps."
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Position in Christ - 60-0522M 38.
Then adoption, placing... Now, God's Goodness ought to work. And now if I can
get this to you, then we'll start right on now the 5th verse, I want to read
It. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to his Own Good pleasure of his will,
It's God's pleasure to do his will:
adopting, placing.
Now, what's He doing? Placing his church.
Manifested sons of God - 60-0518 He
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according as his own Good pleasure of his will, How much pleasure? Whose pleasure was it, whose
Goodness? his Own, his own Good
pleasure of his Own will. 63. Now, what is adoption? Now, let me
get this now; I don't know whether... I won't have time to get through this,
but I'll hit it. Then if there's a question, you can ask me a little later on
sometime in the message, something. Listen. Your adoption
is not your birth. Your adoption is your placing. When you were
born again, John 1:17, I believe. When we are born of the Spirit of God we are
sons of God. But we were predestinated. Now, here's what I'm trying to get
you to, for this sons of the last day (You see?), to the... See? We were predestinated unto adoption.
Now, now here we are. Now, this is what hurts Pentecostal a little. They say,
"I got born again. Praise the Lord,
got the Holy Ghost!" Fine. You're a child of God. That's right. But yet that ain't what I'm talking about. See, you
were predestinated unto adoption. Adoption is
placing a son.... 64. A child... How many knows the rules of
adoption in the Old Testament? Of course, you've... Look. A son was born. I believe I got it in some sermon. ..."Hear Ye Him," "Hear Ye Him," the adoption of children. Now, in the Old Testament, when a child
was born in a family, he was a child when he was born, because he was born of
his parents;
Questions and answers COD - 59-1223 77.
In love, chosen us in love before the foundation of the world...
Now, watch: Having predestinated us...
(Now, there's the word "predestinated.")...
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the Good pleasure of his will.
What about that, Brother Mike? Isn't that wonderful? He loved you. He loved you
before there was a world. He knowed your nature; He knowed your weaknesses; He
knowed your habits. He knowed all about you, what you was going to be. And
then, when He looked all over the great universe, as it was, He said, "I choose you."
And when He did that, before there ever was a speck of life, then you're eternal with God. When you
receive the Holy Ghost, then you become eternal, because you're with God, you're part of God. Can you see what I
mean? You are as eternal as God is, because you're... 78. I'm as much Branham as my father was a
Branham, because I'm a blood of a Branham. I'm a Branham with my father,
because I was born of my father. I'm a Branham with him. You're a Wood, because
of your father being Wood. You're as much Wood as Jim Wood is; you're just
Banks Wood. Amen. Oh, my. You're a Neville because that your father was a
Neville. You're just as much Neville as he was Neville. Glory. We're just as eternal as God is, 'cause we
are a part of God, sons and daughters of God by Eternal Life, and can never
perish. "I'll raise him up in the last days."
Baptism of the holy spirit - 58-0928M Now,
listen real close now. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to his Good pleasure of his
will. Having predestinated us to the praises of his glory of his grace, wherein
he has made us acceptable in the beloved. Who did it? 'Cause I quit drinking, 'cause I quit smoking? No. He did it. He made me, before the foundation of the world, acceptable in the
presence of his grace. Nothing
I done; never done a thing about it, didn't have one thing to do
with it.
Therefore this evening
we are examining this subject of the
adoption and the inheritance and to show you that the faith needed for this is the same faith
of the son of God that brings the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is the Spirit
of Adoption because that is what our earthly existence is been all about,
preparing for our exodus and the inheritance that our Father, God Himself has
laid up for us since before the foundations of the world. So what
do We care if the banks go down or the nations crumble. None of that
plays any part in our eternal inheritance which we have in Christ Jesus our
Lord, and which we were predestined to receive before the foundations of the
world.
Now, we read this evening
the word of the Apostle Paul concerning sons and the inheritance of sons,
called the adoption.
And he tells us
that although we are sons, yet for a period of time we are not treated any differently than
anyone else, but as sons we are tutored and trained to know our standing in the
family and our position as sons. And then when the proper time comes we will
receive our adoption or placing as sons.
Now, the world
does not have this promise, nor the Church itself. But the bride has this
promise. The world worries about the here and now, about their earthly
holdings, but they do not realize that the meek shall inherit the earth.
In the Old
Testament if a slave is given the inheritance of a son, he may enjoy it for 50
years, but when the jubilee sounds it had to revert back to the sons. So who
cares who holds the wealth of the world right now. I know that when the Jubilee trumpet
sounds, the saints shall inherit the
earth. So
let’s get our focus on what is needed for a son to be adopted, for that is all
we should be concerned with in this hour of chaos and the world falling
apart.
Now, there are
260+ places in the scripture that speaks of the inheritance. Not only in the
Old Testament but in the New testament as
well. We already read from Galatians 4 and we see more in Galatians chapter 3
as well, but let’s go to Romans 8 now to see what else the apostle Paul says
concerning this subject.
Let me read
a handful of scriptures which speak of our eternal inheritance.
1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of
God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you,
Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light:
Revelation 21:7 He that
overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of
them who through faith and patience
inherit the promises.
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is
the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints,
Ephesians 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11 In whom
also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance
among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God,
and to the word of his grace, which
is able to build you up, and to give you
an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are
the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
But just as there are many
Scriptures that speak of those sanctified sons who receive the inheritance,
there are many others scriptures that tells us who will not receive inheritance
as we will show after I read the following quote from God's prophet William
Branham.
From his sermon, Position of a
believer in Christ - 55-0227A 60. brother Branham said, "Listen close. ... before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love: (4th verse of Ephesians 1.) Having predestinated...
(or other words, foreknowing)... us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the pleasure of
his Good will. Now, let's take the laws of
the Old Testament for a shadow. And will you bear with me just a moment now,
before closing? Now, under the law of the law of the Old Testament, which was a
type of this today, the new, God... In a family of man, when a child was born
in the family, as soon as the boy was born, he was the son of that family. The father loved him, of
course. And then, if you'll get over in Galatians
and so forth, you can read where the adoption and so forth, the placing of sons... Then the
father had so much work to do over the whole kingdom, he placed a tutor, or a
teacher over the son. And this tutor brought word to the father all the time
how the child was progressing. A teacher, anyone knows that was the Old
Testament rule, a tutor. Paul speaks about the law being just a tutor to bring
us to Christ, or an educator. 61. Now, as this... the tutor begin to watch the boy grow.
He was a son. But yet the father didn't know what to do with him, or what he
would be when he grows up. Now, to my full opinion, friends, listen real
close now and let's pray for me if I'm wrong. What happened when the full Gospel
church, begin way yonder years ago, they
become sons of God when they receive the Holy Spirit. That's right. They come sons. And the Holy Spirit is
the Tutor to raise them in the admiration of God. Now, as the Tutor has been
watching the children, and the Church has been progressing, coming up...
They've seen the age of birth. You say, "Born again." That's right.
Correctly. You're just as much son as
you'll ever be when you're borned again. But the tutor bringing word to
the father. Then if the father, the tutor come to the father, and the boy
become about an age (About where the church ought to be now.), comes of age, brightened up, seasoned, according to time when the boy
become of age, the tutor come to the father. 62. And see the boy, being a son already, but yet, if he wasn't a worthy son, the
father could not adopt him, or place him in his own family. He
couldn't do it, because the boy would run through what he had. He was a
restless child. He didn't have the ability to
carry on with his father's work.
Let me just say this, he didn't have the
ability to believe John 14:12 and step into it. 12 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do
also; and greater works than these shall he
do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And
whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified
in the Son. 14 If
ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If
ye love me, keep my commandments. and then verse 23 Jesus answered and
said unto him, If a man love me, he will
keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him.
So the father just let him go on as a son. He was already his son. But if he was a fine boy. He was about his father's business,
and the tutor brought word to the father, saying that the son is fine. He's
eligible. He's all right. Then the
father took the son out into a public place as a public testimony. And he put a
special robe on him, and set him up before the people. And the father, by doing
this, give the son the authority over his kingdom, over his business and so
forth. The son had a right to go out and do certain
things in the kingdom with the same kind of authority that his father had.
63. Now, the church being born
again of the Spirit, back then many years ago, but you broke off in one
group called the General Council, broke off that group the Assemblies of God, broke off in a group called the Oneness,
the Twoness, the Threeness, the Church of God, oh, mercy, every kind of ism. How can God trust you with anything? You're still children. But
you're wondering why the real genuine gifts are not in, and...?... the devil
put the padlock on you and you can't go. Shave yourself back. Simple obedience...?... running after
everything. Brother that's awfully strong. But it's been good, the truth. Now, bring yourself back to God. Come back
to God, till old fashion loving condition that the middle walls of partition is
broke down. The Assemblies has got the
Holy Ghost. The Oneness has got the Holy Ghost. The Twoness, the Threeness, the
Church of God, oh, they've got the Holy Ghost. Quit fussing;
come back in a brotherhood, bringing your churches together for
a old fashion revival and healing...?... holy...?... back together. You'll have
more time to watch what happened in the meeting. The same God will call you
together, pack the church out here, and put the robe of authority on you with
every Divine gift that God has in His bosom. He will put into His servants. But
as long as you're fussing, let a man raise up with a gift.
64 I don't care...?... forth. Why, didn't I
go to the Assemblies out of my Baptist church? Why didn't I go to the Oneness,
or the Church of God? Brother, every little bit of influence that I have would
be placed upon that organization. I didn't take any of them, but I stood right
in the breach saying, "We are
brethren."Forget your traditions. Let's come together as God's
children. And if you can't love one another like that, then there's something
wrong with your experience...?... only saved upon emotion. And you're wondering
why all these false things are rising up in your churches. People impersonating
things is the very cause of it. The church is hungering for it, but you can't
get together. Get yourselves together in Christ Jesus, and God
will give you a real genuine faith.
Hidden life 55-1006A P:44 Now,
notice, the first thing was a refreshment. What
makes the seed grow? Did you ever get up of the morning and find the dew
that fell down from heaven and refreshes the earth? How does it refresh it?
When it's at peace. The dew don't fall in day time. The dew falls in the night time, when everything is at peace. The dew can never fall on you, my brother,
as long as you're fussing, and arguing, and stewing about the things here on
this earth. Get alone with God and let the dewdrops of mercy fall upon you
in the stillness. Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever fill my
soul; in the stillness of the midnight secrets unfold. How that God can get His
believer with the curtains dropped around him alone to himself, He will bring
down a refreshing from heaven, that there's no other person, or no other way in
the world ever know it, only he that's laying there.
So
you see it is your conduct that either allows you to receive inheritance and it
is your conduct that will keep you from receiving it.
1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that
planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own
reward according to his own labour.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I
come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work
shall be.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works.
You
remember when brother Branham was speaking at a Full Gospel Business man's
breakfast, and after he was done speaking a young man came up and before he
knew what he was doing the Holy Spirit anointed Him to prophesy over Branham.
Well let me
read what was said. It wasn't so from the beginning
61-0411 P:69 And this boy, Marilyn Monroe's cousin, Danny Henry, knew not
one word of French. And I've got it
right here which is going in document. Many of you seen the Business Men. Now, here's
exactly something, what he said, speaking to me. Oh, said, "It was spoken
to Brother Branham on February the 11th, in 1961 in the Full Gospel Business
Men's breakfast."Because thou has chosen
the narrow path, the harder way, thou has walked of thy own choosing..." I can understand that. Moses walked of his own
too; he didn't have to do it. I could've maybe had a big meetings, big things,
and great, a lot of flowers and things too. But this is the way I have desired.
See? "Thou has walked of thy own
choosing. Thou has picked the correct and precise decision. And this is My way.
Because of this momentous decision, a huge portion of heaven awaits thee." That's in the vision here which you'll get (See?),
that he knowed nothing about it then." What
a glorious decision thou has made. This..."
(Now, here's what I don't understand.) "This
is that which will give and make come to pass the tremendous victory in the
love Divine."
Notice,
because Brother Branham had made the decision to follow the leading of God,
Remember, "sons of God are led by the Spirit of God",
and because he chose to serve His Father's Family rather than seek fame and fortune
for himself, His reward is to be very large portion.
So I
do not care what any brother tells you, your inheritance is associated with the
choices you make in life and the sacrifices you make along the way in being led
by the Spirit of God.
Notice
he taught us that sons are still sons no matter what they do, that does not
change a thing, but your inheritance as a son is all dependent upon whether you
have come to full maturity as a son or not.
Now,
I've shown you several Scriptures that teach us that the saints shall receive
inheritance, but are you aware the Bible is also very specific who will not
receive any inheritance?
Hebrews 6:12 That ye
be not slothful, but followers
of them who through faith and patience inherit
the promises.
So God does
not want slothful children but he wants children who through faith and patience
will inherit the promises.
In Ephesians 5:5 we see some stipulations set on who
will not have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God. "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Not only those
stipulations, but Paul tells us more things that will get you rejected from the
Kingdom as well.
Galatians 5:21 19 Now the works of the flesh (of self) are manifest, which
are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Again we see
in 1
Corinthians 6:9 Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, 10 Nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Notice, no
unrighteous, which means those who are not rightly wise.
So here is the
key. If we are sons of God then God wants to see in us that which would please
him for a son to act. So our character is very important concerning the time of
adoption. For when the Elect knows who she is, and are ready to be placed as
sons, then we will go to our eternal inheritance, and not until then. And we
should understand by now that the only thing we will take with us is our
character. Then if that is so, and a vindicated prophet in this hour told us
that is so, the our only focus every hour of everyday should be our character
and how it is being displayed to not only each other but to God and his Holy
Spirit would is our tutor.
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 The Spirit
itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God.
Notice: not your
spirit bearing witness with God’s Spirit, but His Spirit bearing witness that
indeed you are His son or daughter. So it
is what he sees in you, not what you see in Him.
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.
Now this word "glorified together" was taken from the Greek word “sundoxa” which means "united in the
same doxa" which is the
same opinion, assessment and judgment.)
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory (Doxa) which shall be revealed
in us.
Not to us but in us, the revelation in
us, living and abiding in our mortal beings.
19 For the earnest expectation of the
creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God.
In other
words, all creation is waiting for you to manifest what you were ordained to be
before the foundations of the world. So if you are sons, then act like sons, be
sons, take your position in the body.
20 For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we
know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have
the firstfruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but
hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for
that we see not, then do
we with patience wait for it. 26 Likewise the
Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what isthe mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
There you go, it’s all about our being
adopted but we can not become adopted until we are like the first born son who
also was taken up and adopted. But we are predestined for this, so just let go
and let God. God has a plan, so step into his plan and let your own plans
go.
Brother Branham
said, "Jesus
greatest victory was in Gethsemane, not Calvary ." But "in
Gethsemane" he
said, "God was waiting for his Son to make up His mind," and when he
did, he said, “Not
my will but Thy will be done”, and then
it was finished. The plan of redemption could now be fulfilled, because the
lamb stepped aside from his own will and received the will of His
Father.)
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he
also glorified.
So if we were in
the mind of God before the foundations of the world, then we have already been
ordained to receive the mind of Christ.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If
God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us
all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? It is God
that justifieth. 34 Who is he
that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
From his message Position
in Christ 60-0522M P:88 83 For ye haven't
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit
of adoption. Now, after you're adopted, all right, after you're adopted, you're
placed; then you understand, after the ceremony's said
and you've been put into the Body correctly. You're a son, sure, a daughter; when you're born again you're... that's
your birth. But now you're positionally placed. We've not received the spirit of fear...;
but we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Which
means, "my God." All
right.) The Spirit
itself bears witness with our spirit, that we're children of God: How does it do it? You say, "Glory to God. Hallelujah. It don't bother
me; I'm a child of God," and go
out and do the things you do? The Spirit of God will do
the works of God.
Jesus said, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." See, see? Now, let's read, then well
have to stop, 'cause our time's getting away. All right, in the 9th :. Having made known to us the mystery of his
will... (to adopt us),... according to his good pleasure which he has
purposed in himself: He purposed this Himself before the foundation of the
world. How many understands
it? See? That in the
dispensation... (Oh,
my, here we come again. See? Oh, let's just pass it. See?)... dispensation of
the fullness of time... 89 You believe in
dispensations? Bible said so, "In the dispensation of the fullness of time..." What is the fullness of time?
There's been a dispensation of the Mosaic law.
There was a dispensation of John the Baptist. There was a dispensation of
Christ. There's a dispensation of church organization. There's dispensation of
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Now's the dispensation of adoption, what the world's waiting, groaning. "And when the fullness of time comes, when
the dispensation of the fullness of time..."
From his sermon Total deliverance 59-0712 pp. 55-56 Jesus was completely, totally man.
He could cry like a man, He could eat like a man; He could become like a man.
He was completely, totally man in His physical being. And in His Spirit, He was
completely, totally God, so He made His flesh submissive to the Spirit
that was IN Him. You see, He was tempted in all manners
like we are. He was man, not an Angel. He was a man. He had desires and
temptations just like we do. The Bible said
He did. He was a man, not an Angel above temptation. Hebrews
1 said that He was... Hebrews 1:4 said He was made lower than the
Angels. He was man, completely man, that God took a complete man to
bring total deliverance; and He filled Him with His Spirit; the Holy
Ghost was in Him without measure. And He was tempted like we were. And
He was completely God. He proved it when He raised the dead, when He
stopped nature, the roaring seas and the mighty winds. When He spoke to the
trees, and so forth, they obeyed Him. He was God inside. And He
could've been man, for He was Man, but He totally and completely
delivered Himself as a Man into the hands of God for the service of God.
And He is our example. 56
We are men and women. We're also Christians. If He's our example, let
us completely deliver ourselves into the hands of the Holy Ghost, that we might
be subjects of the Kingdom of God . He was totally man; He
was totally God, but He surrendered His natural parts and His physical parts,
and His Own thinking, and His Own doing, and His Own cares, and "I do only that which pleases the Father." There you are.
Totally delivered from human beings... The priests come to Him, the great men,
and said, "Rabbi So-and-so," and tried to bribe Him into their
affiliations and denominations, but He was totally delivered because He trusted
in God. Did not the Psalmist say, "Thou will deliver Him, for
He has completely trusted in Me"? See?
Hear ye Him 56-1215 P:39 Notice. Now, when this child become at a
certain age, if it'd a been a correct
child, had been zealous
of the father's works, had been stable, always abounding in the works of the
Lord, not tossed about with every wind and care, not one day a
Presbyterian, the next day a Methodist, and the next day a Nazarene, the next
day a Pilgrim Holiness, tossed about like a leaf on a troubled sea. If it was stable,
its mind, no matter where it was at, set on Christ, his affections, working
with one single heart, zealous of getting souls saved and not the church's
fusses...Then in the Old Testament there come a day that this father brought
his son out into the public as a witness, put a robe on him, and set him up
upon a great place where all the city could see him. And they had the law of
adoption. This father to his own son, who had been born in his own family, and
now was of age, and was a child worthy to take his place, he adopted, or placed
his own son into position. Any Bible reader knows that: the placing of
a son. Then after that ceremony, that son had a right, his name was just as
good on the--the check as his father's was. There's where the church should be today. "The
things that I do shall you also; more than this shall you do, for I go to My
Father."
John 1:12 But as many as received him, (The Greek word for received here
is Lambano and it means to
have experienced, or to have taken to one’s self. And it is these that truly experienced
Him, they are the ones He says,) to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name: So
these are believers, predestined from the beginning to believe and receive Him.
And He is the Word. They Believe His word, and they believe in His Name. And to
them He gives power to become sons… Now the word power used here, is
not the Greek word dunamis, which speaks of great miraculous power,
but rather the Greek word “exousia”, which means the power of choice, or the
power to make a right decision.
And the word to become was translated from the Greek
word Ginomai and it means to
generate, or to come forth into manifestation. Therefore, to them that experience Him and openly receive
Him, to them are given an ability to make a right decision and to become what
they were meant to be in the beginning.
Paul said
in, Galatians 4:
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
37-4 CHRIST
IS THE MYSTERY 63-0728 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.
Let us pray