Faith no 45

Faith produces Character

November 12, 2017

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

Testimony in the Sea  62-0720 When Eliezer was sent from Abraham to find a bride for his son, Isaac (a type of the Father, and the Son, and the servant, and so forth), Eliezer sweated it out until he found character. And when he found character, he had it. And that's what the Holy Spirit's trying to find today, is character. You can't have character until you got faith. And faith produces character.

Now, I would like to look at this thought this morning that Faith produces Character.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope (we have an earnest expectation) of the glory (doxa, the opinions, values and judgments) 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:

2 Corinthians 13:3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

2 Corinthians 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

2 Corinthians 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

2 Corinthians 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

Philippians 2:22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

Martin Luther Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.

And brother Branham said in his sermon Doctor Moses 55-0114 P:4 So it's by faith that I purchase salvation. Faith is not salvation. Faith purchases salvation. Faith... The dime paid for the loaf of bread, but the dime is not the loaf of bread. See? So you believe God, and God confirms your faith by giving you back what your faith produces. You say, "I have faith to be healed." If you have, you're healed. God's obligated to His Word. You see it?

That is why Paul could say in 1 Corinthians 13:13 there remains Faith, Hope and Love these three, but the greatest of these is Love.

Faith is the revelation, it is the access, it is the foundation, it is the starting point, but when Faith truly takes hold of a man, it begins to move the man into an action. And Hope is the catalyst that begins the faith toward action. Faith in itself is a passive thing, but if it is a true genuine faith, then it will begin to move the person who possesses that Faith toward the goal of that Faith. And hope is that thing that causes man to move forward with faith. Faith is the power, but Hope is the steam that is released by that power, and Love is the outward action that comes forth by that Divine Revelation.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness (right-wise-ness) by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

So we see that Faith without Love remains dormant, and passive. And we see that Faith is motivated by Love. Therefore, love is greater than faith because it can move our faith from a passive faith into an active faith.

Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter one that after we (as a church) have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, then our Faith will begin to become manifest in a way that it will outwardly show in our love for the brethren , and at this time, then we will be ready to receive the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation in the Knowledge of God.

From his sermon Queen of Sheba 61-0219 P:33 brother Branham said, We have went, and made schools, and Bible schools, and--and seminaries, and built fine buildings, but that certainly was not the commission. Them's all right, I can't say nothing evil against them, they played their part. But that wasn't the commission. The commission was "Go into the all the world and preach the Gospel." Preaching the Gospel was to demonstrate the power. It had to be. What's the next verse say? "And these signs shall follow them that believe." The manifestations are, the demonstrations are the works out of the Word made positive. When the Word is preached, signs of the Word confirms the Word to be true. If it doesn't, it doesn't come from the heart of faith. It doesn't anchor in the heart of faith. Did not Jesus say that some sowed seeds and when it did it fell by the wayside and the birds gathered it? Some went in stony ground and riches of the earth choked them out, like briers and so forth. And didn't He say some went over and brought forth a hundredfold? See, you must first let the Word fall in the right type of faith. And then that faith produces what the Word said, because the Word is a Seed. The Word of God, right here, is a Seed that a sower sows. And every seed will produce its kind if it's put in the right atmospheres and the right condition.

Hebrews 1: 3 KJV Who being the brightness of His Glory, and the express image of His Person (Hupostasis), and upholding all things by the Word of His power....

Amplified Version He is the sole expression of the Glory of God- the Light - being, the out-raying of the Divine- and he is the perfect imprint and very image of God's Nature.....God's Character...

New American Standard And He is the radiance of His Glory and the exact representation of His Nature.....

So we see then that this word used to describe Faith (Hupostasis) is more than just a mental principle of having assurance, but this word hupostasis actually deals more with the Nature of being sure. In other words, the very character of expressed God in Christ. Being confident. Not just in a positive sense of the word, but from the aspect of your very nature having or exuding and air or atmosphere of being confident.

Since this word is used both for the very Nature of God being manifested through His own Son, and is also used for the assurance that Faith produces in us, then it therefore has to do with our very Nature, and the expression of our character even as it has to do with Jesus Christ the Son of God reflecting God's own Nature and character.

And what is that character when it is expressed? Brother Branham said in his sermon,

God identifying Himself 64-0320 P:31 Like Paul said, "If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound who will know to prepare for battle?" If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound... Now, if the trumpet is supposed to sound "retreat," that's what we got to do, retreat. If the trumpet sounds "charge," that's what we're supposed to do is charge. But what is the trumpet? It's the Word of God. It identifies God. Whether it's "Go up," "Set down," "Retreat," "Stack arms," whatever it is, it's God's trumpet sound. And an uncertain sound... When the Bible says a certain thing's supposed to happen, somebody says, "Oh, that's for another day, that's..." Then there's a uncertain sound there. Then you don't know what to do. Jesus said, "I have power to lay My Life down and raise it up again." No uncertain sound there. The woman said, "We know Messiah cometh. And when He cometh, He'll tell us the things like He did."He said, "I'm He." No uncertain sound there. "I am He." Amen. They said, "Our fathers eat manna in the wilderness."He said, "They're every one dead." He said, "But I am the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven." No uncertain sound. "I'm the Tree of Life from the garden of Eden." No uncertain sound about that, certainly not, nothing uncertain about it. He was certain in everything that He did. The Bible don't give an uncertain sound. It identifies the characteristic of God in Its sounding.

Now, listen to what he is telling us, because he says God's Word identifies the character of God and there is to be no uncertainty with God or His identification. Then he says, ...

Jesus said in St. John 10:37, "If I do not the works of My Father, and I don't have that character of My Father, then don't believe Me. They are the one... They identify His character in Me, His characteristics, because the Father is the Word." In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the characteristic of God is displayed by His promise for that age.

Then what about the characteristics that are supposed to display the bride of Christ for this hour? She is to be conformed to the image of the first born son. So what is the image of the first born son? It's his character. And he never did anything until the father first showed him what to do. Notice brother Branham said, "Jesus said in St. John 10:37, "If I do not the works of My Father, and I don't have that character of My Father, then don't believe Me.

So then John 14:12 which is the works of Christ identifies the character of Christ in his seed, his sons and daughters.

From his sermon, Choosing of a bride 65-0429E P:33 Remember now, a man and his wife are one. Would you join yourself to a person like that? If you would, it would certainly kind a disappoint my faith in you. And then how about God joining Himself to something like that, a regular denominational prostitute? You think that He would do it? "Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof." He would never do it. She must have His character in her. The real true born again church must have the character that was in Christ, because the husband and wife are one. And if Jesus did only that which pleased God, kept His Word and manifested His Word, His Bride will have to be of the same kind of character.

Now, listen to what Martin Luther said concerning a husband and a wife, and then ask yourself does my marriage look like this? Does my walk with Christ as His Bride look like this?

Martin Luther said, "Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."

Do you make your Husband, Christ the Word want to hang around you? I am going to say something rough here but if you are Anointed with the Holy Spirit you will take what I am going to tell you and compare yourself with it. I believe the way a wife treats her husband shows what her character is.

There are too many sisters in this message that tell their husbands I will respect you when you respect me, and what she is saying is I don't have to respect you as my head, and there sisters you are so very wrong, and anointed with a demon when you says that.

Listen, anything that is contrary to the Anointed Word of God is anti-Christ, and when the Word of God tells you what character you should have and you throw it back into some human logic of yours that says, I will respect him when he respects me, you are wrong right there. The Bible does not command the husband to respect you, it commands him to love you.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

After Paul tells the men they must love their wives even as they love themselves, then he tells the wives, "and the wife, see that she reverence her husband." Now this word reverence is a Greek word, phobeo, it is not phobia.

Now some of you might have a phobia about this phobeo, but it actually has a partial meaning of to fear, to be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm; as those who are struck with amazement.

Now I'm sure this occurs about once every morning when you see that awful looking, unshaven faced man look at you in bed, before he gets up, and you look at him and you cry in your pillow and you say, what a fearful looking monster that is.

But this word also means "to reverence", and "venerate" (which means "to almost worship", and "to look upon with deep feelings of respect and love".)

So we see that if you "reverence your husband with a deep respect and you submit yourself to your husband", and render due benevolence which is to be kind and good will toward him, how could he ever be bitter or angry or stingy with you. What you are doing is you are creating an atmosphere by your word anointed Word inspired character.

But I am afraid that too many sisters today have been anointed with the Spirit of the Age which is feminism, and women's rights, and not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit calls for her to respect and reverence her husband, as Martin Luther said, "Let the wife make the husband glad to come home.

Identification 64-0216 P:39 Now, if you find your place, sister, don't let me hurt you, brother, but you'll find your place in the Word as a Christian. Not what the creed said, that's down here in this lower cannon fodder that's going to be destroyed. See? You find your place as a Christian, because your character is molded as Christ. You're Zoe, the same as He was Zoe. Then if the Bible said for a woman not to cut her hair, how can you do it? It says a man's the ruler of the house. How can you women be? What's the matter with you men as sons of God? See? See, you don't find your place. See? Watch now. In... You're invited to come and take His character. By having His character in you, it molds you into the same mind that He was. And His mind was always to do what the Father had ordained Him to do. He said, "Search the Scripture. They testify of Me." In other words, "If I don't do exactly what the Scripture said I'm to do, then show Me where."

And that is the same character that God is looking for in a wife for His son.

It wasn't so from the beginning 60-1127M P:16 Therefore when God once does anything or makes a decision, as I've often quoted, that He always has to stay with His decision. How that ought to enlighten our faiths. See? When God says something, all heavens and earth will pass away, but that cannot pass away. Therefore it should give us character. It should give us faith to take that Word which He has said, and with all of our life hold on to it, because He cannot change it. It's true. Now, God in the beginning He made all things. He made it in form of seed first. It was a seed, and He said in Genesis 1, "Let every seed produce after its kind." And I just wonder as men always tries to pervert what God has did because man in his fallen state, thinks that he can do something better than his Creator did it at the beginning. He's always trying to turn something that God did around and make it something that it isn't.

Unity one God one church 58-1221E P:47 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel," said Jesus, His last commission to the church. "These signs shall follow them that believe." How far? "All the world." Who to? "Every creature." These signs shall follow some of them? The Scripture says, "Shall follow them," all of them that believe. "In My Name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. If they shall take up serpents or drink deadly things, it shall not harm them. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." That's what Jesus said."These signs shall follow believers," not negative thinkers, not intellectual church members, but born again believers who's come from the intellectual to the heart where God takes throne in His control room, to control your emotions, to control your faith, to control your character.

Hebrews Chapter 7 part 2 57-0922 P:31  I'd like to take one more book out of the Book of Hebrews; that is, the 11th chapter of Hebrews, and stay about a week in that 11th chapter, and take each one of those characteristics or characters and bring out their characteristic. See? "By faith, Noah," then take the life of Noah; "By faith, Abraham," then take the life of Abraham; "By faith, Abel," then take the life of Abel. See, and bring that down.

Now, you cannot separate character from the way you live your life, for our character expresses our life, and our character is an expression of how we conduct our lives.

Painted face Jezebel 56-1005 P:14 Now, Jezebel, that's a name makes everybody shiver, just to say Jezebel. That was just a common name, just a name like Martha, Ruth, or Mary, or some other name. But when they just hear the name Jezebel, it was all because of one woman that took the wrong road. Now, I'd imagine Jezebel, just because she had the name of Jezebel didn't make her what she was. It wasn't her name that did that; it was her attitude. That's what made it. And the name shouldn't make us shiver like the attitude that she took ought to make you shiver. But you mention Jezebel, "Ooo, my," But mention some of her sin, "Oh well, that's all right." And it wasn't the... It wasn't the name that made her; it was her sin that made her--made her what she was. Your name don't make what you are. It's your character that makes you. Your character molds you and makes you what you are.

Sudden secret going away of church 58-1012 P:43 You might have the name of church, might have the name of Branham Tabernacle, or Methodist, or whatever church you go. That isn't it, friends. See, it's something different; it's your character; that's what God's a looking at. You might be Methodist; you might be Baptist; you might be Presbyterian. It's not that. It's character that God looks at, not just earthly character, but Holy Spirit character. "These signs shall follow them that believe," said Jesus in the 16th chapter of Saint Mark.

In fact William Branham said the very same thing in his sermon, United under one head 58-0326 P:39 We're united then as one. We won't fuss no more then. We won't argue no more. We'll act like man. We'll dress like man. We'll dress like women. Sons and daughters of God, our character, our conduct, our faith will prove. When God says anything we'll say amen to it. If the Bible says for us to do certain things we'll do it. We won't argue back; we'll just go and do it. That's what God wants us united under. Oh, how we ought to act in this present day.

Forsaking all 62-0123 P:42 Now, let's take just a few characters that did forsake all. Let's take first the father of faith, Abraham. Abraham forsook his own land, the property he owned, and everything else. He was called out of Chaldea, the city of Ur. And he forsook his land, his home, his people, and all, and followed God. He had to forsake everything, leave it behind. He forsook his land, his property down in Chaldea, in Ur. He forsaken his property, and God gave him the whole promised land. God pays back with a lot of interest. He gave him... Up there that day, when He met him, He said, "Rise up, Abraham. Look east, north, west, south. I give it all to you. It's all yours."

Expectations 53-0507 P:2 Last night, we were teaching a little about the character, and what type of a person... If you were looking for the Lord Jesus, what type of a Person you'd be looking for, what He would look like, what His Spirit would be. And we typed it through the Scripture, to see just what He was, and what His ministry was, how it acted, and how He acted. And then if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, It acts the same today. And we find out that It does, doesn't it? Just the same Lord Jesus. He didn't claim to be any great Person. He said, He did nothing but what the Father showed Him. And when the Father showed Him anything, why, He did it. Though He knowed the people's thoughts, what they were thinking, what they were doing, what was wrong with them, but He done His miracles as God permitted. And if you notice, everywhere, it was always what the Father told Him. Now, there was some fellows, two blind men, one time, come through the street. They were trying for to get Him to heal them. So He said, just passed on through, went into the house, and they brought the blind man in the house. And He turned to them and touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." Your faith. He had had no vision. For He said, that He only did just what the Father showed Him. Saint John 5:19 said, "What the Father shows Me, that I do. I do nothing except He shows Me." Said, "The Father worketh and I worketh hitherto."

Now, we know that God is watching us to see what our character will reflect, and if it reflects the image of the first born son, then we will receive adoption. If not, then there will be no adoption for us.

From his sermon, Hear ye Him 57-0807 P:29  brother Branham said, "We are born by the Spirit of God into the church of the living God. Certainly is. And then our character is watched by the Holy Spirit.

And when God watches your works He then can see your real character, what it is and how it expresses the Life that governs your life.

From his sermon, Time tested memorials of God 57-0818 P:20 brother Branham said, "You see, a man's character is made known by his works. Whatever you are, your works prove what you are. No matter how much you testify, whatever you say, pro or con, that has nothing to do with it; your works tell what you are, tells what you are inside. Every job that you do manifests what you are. And you business men, if you just do a patched up job, see what I mean, just a halfway job, don't do that. If you can't do it right, don't do it at all. That's right. When you come to Christ, if you can't absolutely sell out lock, stock, and barrel, and come to Christ, don't come at all. But when you really want to be a Christian, stand out, make it real. That's what God wants you to be. And that'll prove... Your works will prove what your character is. Your character is known by the works that you do.

41 years ago when I was in the training camp with the Minnesota Vikings the Holy Spirit kept speaking to my heart the Scripture where Jesus said, "What does it profit you if you gain the world and lose your soul". All my Christian friends in the "Fellowship of Christian Athletes" would tell me, "look at the doors that will open up for you to speak to the youth about Christ if you play Football". But that is not what the Holy Ghost told me. He said "What will it profit you if you gain the world and lose your soul".

I knew that I had a choice to make, either to pursue a career in professional football or become the best Christian I could be by the grace of God, and I knew that I could not do both.

Jesus said, "a man cannot serve two masters," so I had to make a choice. And by His Grace I chose to be led by The Holy Spirit rather than to be led by my Christian friends. And I've served Him ever since and by His grace He has taken this ministry he gave to me into all the world, to every creature. This ministry through our website goes into website goes into 189 countries at our last check, which we stopped ten years ago, because at that time that was all. I believe there are now 196, but we have not checked for a decade.

Identification 64-0216 P:41 The Word molds God's character to us. And anything that tried to be mixed with that character breaks the mold. You can't mix creed with Word. You can't mix the world with the Word. Jesus said you can't serve God and mammon. "Mammon" means "the world." You can't be one or the other. "If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God's not even in you." Is that true? Then, you see, you can't mix it. You can't mix oil and water. It just won't mix. You can churn it up and down, do anything you want to; it won't mix. And your character will not mix with the world, if you are being molded in the form of God, by letting the mind that was in Christ be in you. That's the control tower, the direction.

Why 61-0128 P:59 God's Holy Spirit is the toxin. Yes, sir. And it makes a new creature out of you. It makes a new person out of you. It straightens you up, and makes you what you ought to be. It makes your character different.

In 1983 His Spirit spoke to me in my study and told me to write down my sermons word for word for they would be read throughout the world, and in my own thinking I could not understand how this could ever be possible, but I was obedient to that still voice, and unknown to me that very year ARPANET the first internet was developed and by 1990 it became world-wide. By 1997 my sermons began to be uploaded to the internet and now many of them have been translated into 11 languages. 12 countries stream with us almost every week and view live our services along with you all.

He is faithful to His promises.

From his sermon, Identification 64-0216 P:75 brother Branham said, "It looks dark. The council of churches is going to throw you into that thing, or you're going to have to take a stand and come out. You have to reflect your character. What's she going to do in that time? What's going to happen when you can't buy nor sell, when they have a union of church? Now, you say, "When that happens..." No, no. The flash has done took your picture then. Your character has already told you. You're already in it. See? You know what the Bible said about that. They would come and say, "Yes, Lord, we're coming in now." But it's too late. The door's closed. See? What's going to happen to the little Bride?

And from the same sermon, Identification 64-0216 P:42 he said, "Now, let's look into God's mirror, His Word, and identify our present character by some Bible character. And we'll close just in a few minutes now. Identify ourself. Now, this is a mirror that you want to do like that little boy did: look into. Let's look into this and see if we can see ourself reflected by some Bible character. See what they did under certain circumstances, and see what we are doing now. Now, get me real close now (See?), what your present character as a Christian is. Now, you can judge. That won't make nobody judge you. You judge yourself. See? Nobody's judging. I'm not passing judgment. But let's just reflect--see how it reflects from some characters of the Bible, as we mention them, and see what your character is at this present time. Now, notice. The Word creates a character. We know that. Now, we look into His mirror and identify ourself by some person in the Bible.

And in his sermon The Token 63-0901M P:138 brother Branham said, "And it displays His power. John, 14:12, says, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." New Testament is new covenant, new life. Shows Jesus has met every requirement for us that God required to make us back truly sons and daughters of God, under the Blood where there is no more condemnation. Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in (not those who are believing it), those who are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.""And My Word is Spirit and life?." Oh, couldn't I take a text from that, and stay about a couple more hours, but we'll hurry over it. You see? No more condemnation; free from sin; free from the cares of the world. No condemn... Why? To them that have been by one Spirit baptized into one Body, there the Blood of the Lamb has been applied. The God of heaven has accepted you. And your... His life is in you, and you are sons and daughters of God. Your character is God's character. What is it? A little pushover? No, sir. God's a God of judgment. He's a God of correct. It must be on the line. Nothing else will do. That's the kind of character you are, because you're the character of your Father. See? Watch.

Notice he said, your character is his character. That is what Romans 8:29 is all about, being conformed to his image is being conformed to his character.

When the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

And when he says in Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

he is telling us that we must be conformed to the character of Christ and thus put on or reflect and express and manifest the character of Christ.

Identification 63-0123 P:51 We've got to take the entire full Gospel. We must... And now, being that we have identified ourselves as full Gospel people, let's mold our character. We're invited to be molded in His Image, that we might reflect His Presence. "And the works that I do, shall you do also. The Life that I live, so shall you." We're invited by God to take Him as an Example, and let our character be molded like His. What a thing. My. Then when we let His character be in us, then we have become sons by having the mind of Christ: mind, which is His character. Your mind makes your character. "Let the mind," Paul said, "of Christ, this mind that was in Christ be in you." Let that mind of Christ be in you. It molds the character of a son of God.

So when we read "let the mind that was in christ be in you", we are reading, "Let the character that was in Christ be in you."

The Amplified Version says it this way, 5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus."

In the Expanded Bible it says, 5 "In your lives you must ·think and act like and have the same attitude as Christ Jesus." 

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 the Apostle Paul said, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." The actual Greek says "be ye mimetes (imitators) of me as I am a mimete of Christ (as I imitate Christ).

Everything about you is expressed in your character, even your name.

Smyrnaean church age 60-1206 P:50 Now, a church... Now, the church name is associated with the nature of its character. Did you notice the Smyrna meaning "bitter"? And you notice each one of the church now, it's the church name has something to do with the character of the church. I could say something here; but I'd better not, 'cause you'd get me wrong. See? Your name does too. You might not know it, but it does. Oh, yeah. You say now, "It's numerology." No, it's not. When Jacob was born, they called him Jacob which was "supplanter"; but when he wrestled with the Angel, God changed his name to Israel, "a prince." Is that right? Saul was "Saul of Tarsus," a mean fellow; but when he come to Jesus, he's called, "Paul." Simon's name was "Simon"; when he come to Jesus, he was called "Peter", "a little stone." Oh, yes, sir. The... Your name associates what you're... It has an impression upon your character.

And that is why when we receive our new birth we receive our new name, for "by one Spirit we are born or baptized into one body or family", and "the whole family in heaven is named Jesus." Ephesians 3:15

Life 58-0512 P:6 And I want to speak on the subject for about twenty thirty minutes, of "Life" Life is what controls us. We are known by the life that we live. And it's been said that your life speaks so loud that I can't hear your testimony. So therefore, to live a sermon would much better, than to preach one. The life you live, shows what character you are, because your life always builds your character. And Jesus said, "By their fruit, you shall know them." So no matter what we would say, or how much we would testify, if our lives doesn't coincide with that testimony, we are doing the Kingdom of God a detriment, by giving that testimony. Because people know what we are.

Identification 63-0123 P:19 Now, Jesus gave us the Example of what we ought to be looking at, when He reflected His Life to us through the Word, what we should see. When we look into God's mirror, we should see ourself identified with Him. That is a perfect Example. Now, but we find out that as we go along through life, that our character molds the image that we are. Each one knows that. You... As you live, so is... Your character molds you to what you are. Now, you have seen people that you just love to be around. Yet they might not exactly be in your bracket of society. And again, they might be of a different race: the colored, or the brown, or the yellow. But there's just something about that character, that you just love to be in their presence. Because each person is a little dynamo of their own, and you put out an atmosphere. And then you see people that were noble people, but yet you were always glad to get away from them. It's just they create such an atmosphere around where you are. Nothing against them, they're nice people, but you just don't like that atmosphere they're in. And their character creates whatever they are, makes them what they are.

Unity one God one church 58-1221E P:47 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel," said Jesus, His last commission to the church. "These signs shall follow them that believe." How far? "All the world." Who to? "Every creature." These signs shall follow some of them? The Scripture says, "Shall follow them," all of them that believe. "In My Name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. If they shall take up serpents or drink deadly things, it shall not harm them. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." That's what Jesus said."These signs shall follow believers," not negative thinkers, not intellectual church members, but born again believers who's come from the intellectual to the heart where God takes throne in His control room, to control your emotions, to control your faith, to control your character.

So you see your life is a reflection of your faith, Your Faith produces the life you live, and that is a reflection of the nature within you which is your character. And what your life produces shows what character or nature your life has.

That is why is in his sermon entitled Life 58-0519 P:47 brother Branham said, "Holiness women wearing these little bitty old clothes and getting out here in the yard, mowing their yard, walking up and down the streets with shorts on, letting your children do it... Then you say, "God, send us a revival." How would God ever put a revival on a bunch of filth? Can't do it. Now you're going to find out why we haven't got a revival. Why did you do it? You see, the world begin to seep in. Many people that call themselves Christians will stay home on Wednesday night from prayer meeting to hear this old, "We Love Suzie" or all kind of nonsense like that, instead of going to a church. Shows what's on the inside of you, what you're thirsting. That's your character, your conduct.

Again in this sermon called Life 58-0512 P:30 brother Branham said, "And these women here, might say, "Brother Branham, we heard you was woman-hater, so now we know you are." That's not so. I'm a lover of the Lord Jesus and responsible for His Word. "So why do you pick on us women?"All right, you men, here you are. Any man that'll let his wife smoke cigarettes, and wear shorts, shows what he's made out of. He's no man. He ain't got an ounce in him, a Son of God, the head of the house. That's right. Now, you know that's the truth. It shows what you're made out of. Man's not measured by muscles; that's beast, brute. Man's measured by character. And if you're a son of God, you're measured by your character. And you're supposed to be the ruler of the house, and God will hold you responsible for what she does. But she's a god in America."

And again he said in his sermon called Life 58-0512 P:8 "Now, the Christian church should have real character then. And if the Life of Christ is in the church of Christ, then it's got to have the character of Christ. It'll produce the Life of Christ. It's just a no more than just what we call in the south, common sense. If the Life of the Spirit of Christ is in the church, it has to produce that Life, because the life that's in you, makes your character. And what kind of characters ought we to be, who have solemnly promised that we would serve the Lord Jesus as long as we live, and we have been baptized to His death, burial, and resurrection, and have put our names upon the church rolls, take out place in Sunday school, and then go out, and live something different. Oh, it's more... It's more of a detriment to the cause of Christ, than all the bootleg joints we have in America. God grant the day, that when men will live just what they are. And you can always tell them by their nature, their make-up."

And from Identification 64-0216 P:51 he said, "Now, we find out both... This was Moses that he was criticized. And he was criticized by this group. But God said to "Moses, Separate yourself from him, because I'm going to swallow him up in the earth," and He did. Now, see, you must know the hour that you're living. And now, judge your character with what they was. Or in the days of Christ... I want to ask you now. When they had the finest seminaries, the finest ministers, the highest educated, the most holy rituals, and everything that they ever had; and when Jesus come on the scene, He was actually a renegade to them. But you see, God identified His own character in Him by manifesting that He was God. And He said, "If you don't know Who I am, search the Scriptures."They said, "We know Moses. We don't..."He said, "If you'd have knowed Moses, you'd know Me. He wrote of Me."

So brothers and sisters, can you find your character in the Bible? If not you haven't been baptized into the body of Christ yet.

Shalom 64-0119 P:92 Now, the same Word that was reflected in Moses could not be reflected in Elijah, because that was another day. Same one that was reflected in Noah could not be in Moses, 'cause (See?) Noah built an ark. Moses led a people, just exactly what was promised. The same light was reflected in one, wasn't in the other, but one told of the other one. And all the New Testament speaks of this hour. Jesus Christ speaks of this hour. Who is it then, some man? It's Jesus Christ, the Son of God manifesting, reflecting the Light on the Word that He promised for this day. When men see you living like Him, when he sees your character, your conduct with the Word just exactly like He was, the Word being manifested, then men will see Jesus Christ. They won't have to look around anywhere else, say, "What does this creed teach, what does that creed teach?" They'll know what God is when they see you.

That my brothers and sisters is John 14:12, the works that I do you shall do also, that is Romans 8:29, being conformed to the image of the first born son, that is Ephesians 1:3-5, being predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ and that is Romans 8:19 being manifested as a son of God. For Jesus said, "not every one who comes to me in that day and says, Lord, Lord did I not do this in your name, and in your name done this other, and he will say, depart from me ye workers of iniquity," for "by their fruits you shall know them."

And your works, your life, the things you do and say all reflect the character, and your character is produced by your Faith.

Identification 63-0123 P:66 But for you to let your character be molded into the image of God, that He projects Himself, and you are, and you are His idol walking on the earth, the expressed image of Him...

Hear ye Him 57-0519A P:38 Now, when it become a son, when he was adopted into the same family he was born in... Now, listen, Presbyterian friend, Methodist, and Baptist, and Pentecostal, when you're born again, that only puts you in the family. It's your character, your conduct that gives God confidence in you. The reason that we haven't got the great church marching on today, is because God can't find people to put His confidence in. The Holy Spirit keeps saying, "They're tearing up; they're breaking up; they're doing this; they're off on the lines." Stay with God's Word. That's God's Truth; that's the Pattern; that's the Blueprint. That's the reason the church today has got all kinds of isms and everything in it, is because they don't stay with the Word. They won't listen to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit won't testify of one other thing but God's Word. That's exactly right.

God identified by characteristics 64-0311 P:48 I believe that Your character identifies You.

Identification 64-0216 P:76 We got a man here who can turn on the lights."Don't you fear, little sister. We got a Man here Who can turn on the Lights (See?), Who can make the Word of God do just what It's supposed to do. That Man is Jesus Christ. Let your character reflect with His. Let us pray.

Influences 64-0215 P:12 Now, I think the greatest president though, that we ever had was Abraham Lincoln. Not because he was a Kentuckian too, but it's because that the man come up from nothing. And all the books that man ever owned from the time he was a young boy until he was of age almost, was the Bible and--and Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." See, that molded into him, what that honest Abe, he... What you read, what you do molds your character. It tells what you are. And now, you see, he read where if you did wrong, you paid for it, if you did right, God would honor it. And that molded him what he was. And his mother a godly woman too... He said if there's any credit given anybody, it was a godly mother that raised him right. Now, that's made, I think, I'd say at least one, if not the greatest President that we had. He come up from nothing, and God made him President because he was an honest man and a good man.

Identification 63-0123 P:83 Do you love the praises of them people more than you love the invitation you're give to mold your character into the image of the Son of God? What about it? How can we do it? Oh, my. Can you see yourself identified, popular-loving?

Thirsting for life 59-0613 P:21 Life molds your character. So if you have the Life of Christ in you, then what character can you expect to manifests through you?

Life 58-0519 P:35 Now, there's life. There's one kind of Eternal Life and that's God's Life. And when you receive that, you have Eternal Life. But life has many interpretations as it comes down. There's love, Agapao; love, Phileo; love; lust. See, you just keep dropping on down, dropping down into the lowest of low. But all of that had a beginning so it'll have a end. But those things which had no beginning has no end. So God had no beginning, and His life had no beginning, and it'll have no end. And if you've got Eternal Life, then you have no end to Eternal Life. It's forever. And your character is proven by the life that's in you.

Explaining healing and Jairus 54-0216 P:37 The devil's just trying to scare you out of something. He's trying to put something off somewhere else, say, "Some of these days you'll be this." You are now. Now, we're sons of God. Now, we're seated together in heavenly places. Now, we have all powers in heavens and the earth. See? Now, we have it. Not in the millennium, we won't need it then. We got it now. We're... Right now we are the sons of God. "It does not appear what we shall be, but we know we'll be like Him."What you are here is a reflection of what you are somewhere else. "Those who He called, He justifies." Is that right? "Those who He justified, He has glorified." Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a glorified body. Whew! Wasn't that deep? All right. We'll find out whether it's right or not. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." Is that right? That's right. So right now, and what we are there, is a reflection. Here, what we are here, is a reflection of what we are somewhere else. So if your deeds are evil, you know where it comes from. You know where your other body's a waiting.

Identification 64-0216 P:28 Now, I hope that don't interfere with nothing. You see? And I wouldn't want to say nothing contrary to what you've been taught. But just so that you'd understand what I'm trying to get to here: a reflection. You've got to be identified. And if you are, and you were in God's thinking at the beginning (See?), and was His reflection here on earth, you'll bear record of the heavenly. And as He bore record of the heavenly also, and when He raised up from the grave, and was given a body, we, when we raise up, will have a body like His own glorious body. The resurrection is sure. It's a guarantee. And we have the earnest of it now, as the Holy Spirit comes in and identifies us as God's redeemed person. Amen. When you receive the Holy Ghost you're sealed till the journey's over. That is your Token that you hold that shows that your fare has been paid. You are a redeemed character. Satan has no business with you, none whatever. Just pick up your Token and show him. "My healing is paid for. My trip to glory..."

Questions and answers COD 54-0103M P:32 Now, notice then when they were captured and carried away into Babylon because they tried to impersonate the nations of the world... What a beautiful picture today of the church trying to impersonate the world out yonder, and carried away, carried away with their living. The church lives just the same as the world does, carries on, acts just like it, and everything else, and claiming to be the church. You can't do that. No, sir. Your very life proves what you are. What you are... As I said in the beginning, what you are somewhere else is what you reflect here. What you are, what your celestial or terrestrial body is up yonder, what your celestial body is somewhere else is what you're reflecting back here. In the spirit land, what you are, is what you are here. If you're still vulgar minded and so forth in the spirit land, you're vulgar minded here. If you still got malice, envy, and strife, you're in the spirit land with that, it reflects back here. But if your whole innermost being has become cleansed and purged, it shows that you've got a body out yonder waiting, that's been cleansed and purged, and it's reacting back in the flesh. Don't you see? See, there it is. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." See?

Let us pray...