God’s Only Provided Place of
Worship # 111
Brian Kocourek,
The
Witness of Our Spirit
Now I will admit that I have hit pretty hard at the
pew lately with these almost a Christian
sermons, but the hour is late and we do not have time to waste in getting ready
for a rapture. This morning, just to be fair, we shall
hit the pulpit and what's behind it with the same zeal. So just bear with me a
little as we quickly review. Wednesday night se spoke on the Witness of the
Spirit where Paul said in [Romans 8 ] That it
is the Spirit that beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the sons of God. We read in pp. 273 where Brother Branham said,
"Just because you were Baptized correctly doesn't
mean you are born again". He said, "you
must be baptized with the Holy Ghost." So then we had to ask the question... Then how do we know we have been born again
by the Spirit of God? By what means do we have confidence that we have been
born again? What is our evidence or our assurance - or witness that we are born again and have been baptized with the Holy
Spirit? And so we must ask ourselves this question. By what witness do we have confirmation that we have been truly born
again? And then I would like to
say, First
of all we know that the Holy Spirit is a
down payment or earnest of our inheritance. We find this in [ Ephesians 1: 13 - 14 ] And secondly,
we know that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is our hope of Glory, or the
earnest expectation that God's mind coming
in and taking over our mind as we find in [Colossians 1: 27, 2 Thess 1: 10 & 1 John 2: 19-21] where John
said,
"we have an anointing which makes us to know all things", and
You'll notice that when we receive this anointing upon our minds and our soul
we are quickened to the Word of God as John said, We know all
things." And this is exactly what
Brother Branham said when He said the Word for our hour becomes all lit up
before us.
Thirdly we know that we are truly looking at a birth, a
genuine birth of a genuine Life that is coming forth into existence as we see
in [ Colossians 3: 1-4, Gal 2: 20 and Eph 2: 1] and it
comes by the Word according to [ 1 Pet 1: 23] ( read)
Here we see that there are actually two different types of being born
again. One which is a denominational type of being born again by a corruptible
seed or word and the other is God's Provided Way of being born again by the Word of God
which is incorruptible in it's nature. Now notice, it speaks of seed and Word
and so if the
incorruptible Seed is the Word of God then the other seed must be a different
sort of word or some others word. And so when the Son of Man went forth sowing
Good Seed or Good Word, we know it is God's Word since Jesus said we should call no man good but God.
And this Seed was called the Good Seed so it then must be the God Seed which is
the Word of God a carrier of God Life.
Then the man in black (which we know is the devil) followed behind,
sowing forth bad seed or bad word, and then we see both seeds growing up
together until the time of the harvest.
Now, knowing then that this new life or new birth
comes by means of the Word of God, then we must ask ourselves, "What
witness do we have that we are truly born again?"
In [ John
[ John 10:25] Jesus answered them, I told
you, and ye believed not: the works that
I do in my Father's name, they bear
witness of me. [Acts 15:8] And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare
them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us; Jesus Himself said we had to have a
witness outside of our own selves. Then He said, God was His witness. Then He said
that God through His Vindication was His witness. So we see then the Word we serve,
must be a manifested Word for the Hour and it must have been vindicated, and
then this vindication becomes our witness.
It all comes down to this, ...
Brother Branham said when we are Baptized with the Holy Spirit the Word becomes
alive to us and becomes all lit up before us. Pp. [275] But when once that Holy Spirit really... genuine Word comes into you
(the Word, Jesus), then, brother, the Message is no secret to you then; you
know It, brother, It's all lit up
before you.
[Hebrews 11:4] By
faith Abel offered unto God a
more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which
he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and
by it he being dead yet speaketh. So we see that His Faith which is revelation was his witness, because only the
Father can give us revelation but it must come through the right channel which
is His Prophets.
Now this morning we will examine just what this faith is or what this witness is and we shall see
how all others continue to look for a witness, something they can identify with
in order to bring an assurance to them. But in their own human efforts they
leave the light for the hour and go back to what is popular and what has
already been proven as a witness in ages gone by. But let me assure you of One
thing, the witness of another
age is not the witness of this age unless you go all the way back
to the beginning for Alpha has got to become Omega. And yet it is not the fruit
of Alpha that we look for but the Seed that was planted in Alpha is what
sprouts forth in Omega. Let's begin at
pp. [279] O come, Lord Jesus, the great
Headstone. Look laying yonder, the dust of them Lutherans that died back
yonder under martyrdom; look at them Methodist. Those Pentecostals and so
forth, coming up now, that real strain they come out. [281] You
Assemblies of God went and organized,
when the very thing God brought you out of, you turned right back like a hog to
its wallow. [
282] You Oneness united, the old J.C. of... Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. One for the colored,
and separated yourselves because of segregation. You that did
that, and then united yourself and call it "United." And then organized, and fussed at the
Assemblies: "As a dog turns to its
vomit. "If the vomit made the dog sick in the
first place, won't it make him sick again? Change your diet from your
denomination to the Word, and live with Christ. Shame on you!
Now before we begin this morning I want you to recall
how Brother Branham was talking about being born again of the Spirit of God by
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He said just because you were baptized in water
doesn't make it so. And just because you say so doesn't make it so. So it is
not our own witness but the Witness of the Spirit of God upon our hearts and
minds and souls that directs us to the Word for the day in which we live. Jesus
Himself said, "When the Spirit of Truth is come He will Guide you into all
Truth." So we see our
witness is the Spirit of God Guiding us into all truth as John pointed out
in [1 John
You can not use others to be your witness and you can
not use your own conscience to be your witness. The only witness we have by
scripture is Jesus witness where He said, God is my witness. And we see that
God is the Word. And we know He is not the I was or
the I will be, but the I am which is present tense Word which is a living
Word. Now this is where Pentecost went
off because they began to separate God from His Word and when you do that you
are lost. When Jesus said God is My
Witness, He then said, I don't do or say anything but what God My Father shows Me first. Then what He tells Me to
Speak I speak and that is your witness.
He said, My Words are Spirit and they are Life. So then The Witness of
the Father is His own Word. "As a man thinketh in His heart so is
He," and "out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh ." So then God is His Word, period. Then if His
Spirit is He Himself, and His Spirit is Our Witness, then His thoughts and even
His Word expressed in this hour is our witness that we have His Spirit. And if
you have God's Spirit you will think God's thoughts.
Now I want you to notice how brother Branham speaks of these
denominations going backwards instead of forward with Gods plan for the hour.
He quotes from [ 2 Peter
First of all we must ask ourselves who it was that Peter was addressing in
this manner? Secondly
we must know what vomit signifies, and I think we all know that it is
yesterdays food. And Thirdly
why the type with dogs? Why not some other sort of animal? What is a dog anyway? Now,
in order to address these questions let' first take the third question and
examine it first, for the last shall be
first and the first shall be last.
Why dogs? What
do we know about dogs in the scripture? What does a dog represent anyway? Why
do we as human being use the dog in our metaphors when we want to express
something to others.
Have you ever heard the expression, "your
barking up the wrong tree? What does that mean? It means you're telling the
other guy that he's a lying dog! A dog that barks up the wrong tree don't know what He's barking at. He only thinks he's got the
fox treed, but it isn't. Men demean ugly
women by calling them a dog,
and even Brother Branham talked about when Jezebel was thrown to the dogs and
referred to these worldly women who wear makeup as being dog bate. You've heard the expression that this world has gone to the dogs, and men who betray another are called a
dirty dog. So you can see that the use of dogs is not an
uncommon thing in our speech when referring to other people and neither is it
in the scriptures .
First of all we see the Proverb quoted by Peter is in [ Proverbs 26:11]
As a dog returneth to it's vomit, so a fool returns to his folly. Now,
remember our study on the wise and foolish virgins. The wise had a revealed
word and they understood it, but the foolish had no understanding and no
revelation of the Midnight Cry although both heard it. So One clue as to who
these people are that are typed with dogs is that they are foolish, and although they have heard the Word for the hour they do
not understand it. It has not been quickened to them, and although they have lamps which signifies the Word, their Lamps are not lit
because they have no anointing.
Now you might say that is an awful lot to glean from
this Proverb that Peter quoted. But let's keep examining this. Let's turn to [ Deuteronomy
Let's see what else the scriptures have to tell us
that a dog represents. Let's turn to [ Isaiah 56: 10-11] His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb
dogs, they can not bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to
slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which
cannot have enough, and they are shepherds
that can not understand: they all look to their own way, every man for his gain, from his quarter. Now, I
hope you are following this closely hear. It call them watchmen first and then says that these watchmen
are blind which means they can not see. Now how is it that a people would have
a man to be a watchman that could not see and yet we know this is true for just
about every church today with the exception of a few have such watchmen as
their ministers. It calls these men greedy dogs who
can not have enough, and then tells us they are shepherds who are not looking
out for the interest and for the salvation of their people but only for what
gain they can achieve.
Why do you think I have supported my own ministry all
these years like the Apostle Paul? I wasn't looking to go full time in the ministry? I
loved my job and I was content to stay there until the Lord came, but it's not
my will, but His that I am where I am at this time. Listen, this has been no
picnic, believe me. Full time in the ministry can be a trap because once you
are completely dependent
upon the ministry for your lively hood then you are subject to the
same temptations these men are guilty of. So who needs that.
But remember this, Jesus was tempted in all points and He did not succumb. And
I believe the True Five Fold Minister will not either. But look what brother
Branham was talking about here. Greedy dogs, organizing into denominational
packs, and for what reason do they organize? Money! And the more money they
have the more control they have and the more control they have the more power
they have. And yet they are called ignorant and dumb dogs. But you talk about greedy. Like Lee has been
preaching on lately, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money! That's all they want.
Just look at Oral Roberts. He represents the Pentecostals today and yet he said
God held him hostage for 8 million dollars. Look at the Charismatic under Jim
Baker, Money, money, money, money, money! You can't hear anything on these so
called Christian radio and television programs without money being the
subject. God is a good God, He will bless you if you send in your money to me! I
even heard Fibber McGee tell his radio audience that Tithe was in the old testament and went out with the law but in the next
breath he said so you don't need to support your church but send it to me! I'd
say that was pretty brazen and brash!
In [ Philippians 3:2 ]
we read, Beware of dogs, beware of evil
workers, and of the concision." And in [Psalm
So we see that the thing that is so often hit upon by
God's Prophets and Jesus, and Paul and Peter and Brother Branham is this
metaphor where the false ministry are considered to be
nothing short of greedy dogs. Now let's go to [ 2 Peter 2] and see what this chapter is all about so we can see who
it is that Peter was warning us about. [2
Peter 2:1-22] But as there was in Alpha false prophets among the people, even shall there be in the Omega false teachers
among you, who will be of such a character as to subtly and secretly bring in alongside of true doctrine
destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways;( that is to say destructive ways which
have to do with the waste of money and Eternal life. In [Matt 26] this word is used in speaking of the waste of money
because the woman poured out the ointment on Jesus feet) and for this
reason shall the way of truth be
evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth
not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
I'll stop here a moment and comment on this portion of
scripture. Notice we are warned that these false teachers will actually have
ulterior motives in mind when they bring their false doctrine. And that is to
make merchandise of the people. This is the same spirit of hell that the
Catholic church has been successful with for the past
1700 years which began with the Emperor Constantine acknowledging the church
and allowing her to have property and prestige which then went to money
schemes. We find this same word covetous
used in [Luke 12: 15] And
Jesus said to His Apostles, guard yourselves and keep free from all
covetousness - and the desire to have more; for a man's life does not consist
and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance, or that which is over
and above his needs. And then he told them of the rich young ruler who built
bigger and larger barns to hold al his increase and did not realize that God
had said his time was up.
In [Ephesians 4 ]
we find that these men actually lie in wait to deceive the sheep.
Let's pick back up at verse [10] But
these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of
the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own
corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that
count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving while they feast
with you; ( Now this word sporting is a word which means to live luxuriously) And
notice they do so in their own deceiving which we also find in [ Matt 13: 22] which speaks of the deceitfulness of riches choking off the life
of the word.) Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot
cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices;( desires to have more and more) cursed children: Which have forsaken the right
way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who
loved the wages of unrighteousness;
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad
the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are
carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness
is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity,
they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness,(
unbridled excesses) those
that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them
liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollution's of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the
true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Money, money, money, money, money! Just look at the
Tammy Faye’s and the Jim Bakers and the Oral Roberts and the Jimmy Swaggerts
and the other Televangelists. Money, and opulence and
eventually women as well. [ 1 Tim 6: 10] For the love of money is the
root of all evil: while which some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Now don't just think this is the ministers
that he's speaking of here. This holds true for anybody. This is the hour for it . [
I disagree with these ministers who think they should
live heads above their people. That is fine if they work and have a good job, I
don't expect them to work for nothing. But when they work for the Lord, the
Labor is sweet but the wages on this side are not what counts. Jesus said where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
[Jude 11] Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way
of Cain, and ran greedily after the
error of Balaam for reward, and
perished in the gainsaying of Core.
And these are spots in your feats of charity, when they feast with you, feeding
themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about by every
wind of doctrine; trees whose teaching withereth, in fact without real true
teaching, twice dead and plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the peoples nations
and multitudes , foaming out their own shame; wandering stars to whom is
reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
In closing, let's turn to [ Luke