Masterpiece 34
Inspiration
November 27, 2005
Pastor, Brian
Kocourek
THE MASTERPIECE 64-0705 35 Now, a genuine sculptor is inspired, like a genuine
poet or any genuine singer, musician, whatever it might be. All real has to
come by inspiration. Michelangelo must've had the inspiration of what Moses
really looked like, and he caught it in his mind what Moses must've been. So he
set forth on this great piece of marble to cutting to the pattern, and bringing
down, and honing down, until he got to the real picture of what it must have
been in his mind.
This
morning I would like to take our thoughts from this paragraph where brother
Branham speaks about inspiration, and how that anything that is genuine or real
comes from inspiration. Whether it is music, art, poetry, whatsoever that is
genuine and real, must come by inspiration.
So
what does this word inspiration mean?
Well, the word inspiration simply means, “Stimulation
of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.”
Now, that is what it means in lay men’s
terms. But in theology, or in the Christian world it means something totally
different. The word inspiration in theological terms means, “Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind
and soul of humankind.”
Now,
we know that the word inspiration comes from the root word inspire and the very
first definition in our American heritage dictionary for the word inspire is, To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.
So
you see then that we are dealing with a subject that has its very source in
God. And since the word means to affect, guide, or arouse by Divine Influence,
then we are talking about the affect that God’s Spirit has upon man to guide
him, to affect him to action, or to simply influence him in the right direction.
In
fact the Scriptures themselves which any Bible believer considers to be an absolute concerning right and wrong and in
general the way of life, they tell us
that they were inspired by God. In other words, they are God breathed.
2 Timothy 3: 16 All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Several other
translation say, 2 Timothy 3: 16 All scripture is
God breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
Now, the reason
why it is God breathed is because it is the Spoken Word of God, and to speak
you must breathe through your mouth. We breathe in and we breathe out, and you
talk by breathing out. So we are dealing with the essence and influence of God
when we are talking about inspiration as brother Branham is speaking of
concerning music, art, and poetry that is genuine and real.
Now, then it
would suffice for us to say that, that which is not genuine and that which is
not real is not inspired by God. For God
is “The Author” and “God is the Creator”. He does not pervert, nor does He
copy, for He is the Author and Finisher and besides Him there is no other.
You see when we
truly understand the sovereignty of God, then we will know with assurance that
God is The Author, and He is The Creator, and His first thought was His Best
Thought, and His First Words could not contradict His Final Words.
“He is God and He changes not.” “God is the same yesterday, today and
forever”.
Therefore in
order to understand this thought that brother Branham so beautifully presented
to us, we must look at it from two different angles.
Number One,
anything that is genuine and real had its source in God.
Number Two,
anything that is not genuine and real has been influenced by other than God.
That’s John 3: 19-21 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the
light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Now, the
Apostle Paul told us in his letter to the Galatians, the following.
GALATIANS 1:1 ¶
Paul, an apostle (now, the word apostle means one that is sent, and then he tells us who
sent him.), (not
of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him
from the dead;) (so we are told that Jesus Christ sent Paul and not
only Jesus Christ but God who raised Jesus from the Dead sent him.) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto
the churches of
Then after his
eulogy to God and His Son, the Apostle begins to admonish the Galatians for
their lack of holding to the Faith.
He says, 6 ¶ I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel: (Now, the one that called them into the
Grace of Christ is God himself. And Paul tells the Galatians that they have
left this Grace that God gave us through Christ, and then he tells us how they
left this grace. He says by another Gospel. Now this word another was
translated from the Greek word heteros which means of a different nature.
Therefore, Paul
is not telling them that the other Gospel was one altogether different, but it
simply had a different nature to it. They were not believing a Gospel of some
heathen sect, or a Gospel of some other God, but simply the Gospel that they
were believing had a different nature to it than the Gospel he had brought to
them. That is why he says, ) 7 Which is not
another;(and although this English translation chose the same word
another, it does not mean the same thing because it was translated from a
different word altogether. The Greek word here was the word allos, which means
different altogether. And notice Paul said the Gospel they were believing was
different from the Gospel he had preached in its nature although it was not an
altogether different Gospel. In other
words, they were using the same words that Paul used, but when they said it,
the meaning was not the same, and the nature behind what was being taught was
not the same, and therefore it was leading them away from the Message that Paul
taught rather than reinforcing that same Message.)
Now, we find
the same thing holds true for today. They use the same words: Token, holy
spirit, Jesus Christ, etc. but their message is very different from the message
that William Branham brought to us. Although they use his very words in their
preaching, yet the nature of what they are saying is very different from what
he taught.
That is why the
Apostle Paul continues with, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ. So we see then what Paul is alluding to is that
there are those who are teaching the same Gospel but with a twist that in
effect is perverting what he taught. And this word pervert was taken from a
Greek word metastrepho which means to turn around, twist or pervert. Now the
word meta strepho comes from two words, meta which means to come behind, and
the word strepho which means to turn from ones course. Therefore the
combination of the word was used by the Apostle Paul to warn us of those that
would come behind and turn the course of those who had been following after
Paul’s teaching to another course or nature than to what Paul had been
directing them towards.
Now, we have
also seen this in this Message. William Branham came teaching a correct
understanding of the Godhead that there is One God and this One God had a Son,
and that the Son was not God Himself, but that God indwelt that Son, and the
Body itself then was not Deity, But Deity, (God Himself) indwelt that body, and
he told us that the Son of God could not be His Own Father, but had in fact
become a dual being, because God had entered him at the river Jordan and
remained in Him until he left him in Gethsemane.
But men have
come in, as the Apostle Paul warned that men would either rise up from our
midst or would enter in, (from the outside) not sparing the flock, and would
pervert the Gospel that He was trying to get them to believe and understand.
ACTS 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore
watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn
every one night and day with tears.
And thus the
warning was given to the Galatians in which he said, 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him
be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say
I now again, If any man preach any gospel unto you than that ye have received,
let him be accursed. (Now, Paul is telling them that any Gospel that
is not the Gospel that He preached is a perverted Gospel. Then if Alpha has
become Omega, then William Branham would have had to come preaching the same
Gospel that the Apostle Paul preached and we know that He did.)
Then the Apostle
says, 10 ¶ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I
seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of
Christ. (Now, what the Apostle Paul is telling us here is that He
preached what he preached because it was what God told Him to preach. He did
not preach to please men, but to please God. And any man that preaches to
please men is not a servant of God.)
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the
gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it
of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we
see then, that which is genuine and real is from God, but that which is not
genuine nor real, must then be from another source. Now, in the Sermon the
greatest battle ever fought, brother Branham told us that the mind is where the
greatest battle between God and satan is taking place. And a person literally can
be used by both God and the Devil if they are not careful.
David was a
good example of that. He wrote the Psalms which were inspired by the Spirit of
the Living God. And yet this same man got caught up into his flesh and sinned
in his flesh against God and against Uriah the husband of Bathsheba. And David
became anointed in his flesh by the devil.
So here we have
a man that was anointed by God one moment and by satan another.
The same thing
happened with Peter. In one instance we hear Jesus tell Him that flesh and blood had
not revealed to Him that He was the Christ, the Son of the Living
God, but it was revealed
to Him by God Himself, and then in another moment, Jesus tells Him,
“get thee behind
me satan”, and right to his face. So you see Peter himself was a
complex man that was anointed one minute by God and then the next by satan. And
any vessel that God so chooses to use had better be careful or satan will try to
anoint him just as sure as he had been anointed by God.
Why, because
satan in a perverter of the truth. Satan has no word of his own, so he takes
the word of God and twists it for his own benefit.
Man is a
spiritual being, and receives inspiration from God, but can also if not careful
be influenced by the devil. Now, some will say, “oh, no, a man that is used by
God could never be used by satan. And to say that you just don’t understand the
workings of the devil. When Jesus was filled with the very spirit and presence
of God in the river
Now to be
tempted, means that it had to be attractive or inviting, and that is what sin
is all about. It is attractive and inviting, yet God sends us His Spirit to
train us to resist that which seems attractive but that we know is just wrong
to do it. And we know that Jesus was filled with the fullness of the Godhood
and therefore did not fall. But it still was temptation or the scripture told
us an error. In the Proverbs we are told, there is a way which seemeth right
unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death. So sin appears attractive
or it would not be inviting. Yet God gives us His Spirit and His Wisdom to be
able to overcome those inviting attractions that lead to death spiritually and
physically. David was inspired to do things that he thought the inspiration
came from God but it didn’t because had it come from God, God would have given
the inspiration first to His servant Nathan because he was God’s Prophet. Cain had a right sacrifice but it was out of
season and for the wrong purpose.
From His
sermon, I have heard but now I see 65-1127E P:40 Brother
Branham said, There's David, just as inspired as he could be, all the people
shouting and glorifying God, for a reason that seemed exactly Scripture, but he was the wrong person. That inspiration should have come to
Nathan, not David. See? He never even consulted Nathan. You see what
happened? See? God said He does nothing till He reveals It to His servants the
prophets. And Job was His prophet in this day. Now, only thing God had done to
Job: What always give him wisdom and His Word and inspiration, he could get no
inspiration. But he knowed all of his mechanics... He had offered the
burnt-offering; he had done everything
he knowed to do was right, but he couldn't get a word from God. But the Devil
couldn't move him. There you are. Now, there you are when you're prayed
for. You don't have to run back through a line, or go let somebody else pray
for you. When you know you've done
exactly what God told you to do (See?), then wait for that channel of inspiration
to open up to you and "Now, I'm healed." When it drops in there, then it's all over. Oh, you don't need no
prayer lines, nothing else; it's over. It's been revealed to you. See?
Now, that is
the problem we have so many times in the Christian Faith, and let’s face it the
same problem is in many faiths. The Muslim gets inspiration and thinks it’s
from God, and so he kills those who oppose him. The Pentecostal Believer many
times confuses his or her own inspiration with being inspired from God, and
because they can not tell the difference they think it’s from God and so then
in many cases we find them doing just the opposite from what God’s word tells
them to do. How many people have fallen under lust and yet believe that was the
spirit of God telling them to love that person.
Remember how brother
Branham told the story of the man who would travel with a woman from his church
to different places. He thought God had ordained for it to happen, but what did
happen is that he ended up leaving his wife and children for this woman, and
then wanted to say it was God’s will to do so.
Look, the Holy
Spirit will never influence you away from His own Word. In the Book of Job 32: 8 we read, “But there is a
spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding”. And
we showed you a few weeks ago that sin is a result of not understanding.
Even Jesus told
us in JOHN 6:44 No man
can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise
him up at the last day. 45 It is written
in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. So
you may hear but unless you understand it you will never come to the Father.
And the Apostle
John told us how to discern whether the spirit that is trying to influence you
is from God or not. He said, Give it the word test. He said, “try the Spirit”
but how often do people test the spirit that is influencing them, or better
yet, the spirit that is inspiring them. Because when we are inspired we feel
good about it. No one feels bad when they are inspired. Therefore, why would
you try the spirit that is inspiring you. Yet that is just exactly what God
said we must do. Did not God tell us
that he would allow men to rise up who will be dreamers of dreams and things
just to try us and test us to see whether we will stick with his word or not?
As a pastor for nearly 24 years I have personally
seen many a shipwreck among men and women who thought they were justified in
some action they did because they thought that God was leading them to do the
thing that they did, and yet in every instance it was so far from the Word of
God that they just could not see it. They thought it was ok with God because
they felt it was ok. And by going on their feelings they left the Word of God
that was very apparent that what they were going to do was against His
Word. But just like Eve in the garden,
satan whispers, “God would not punish you for that. Surely you won’t die? And yet
they do. They run the red light and then the next red light is a bit easier to
run through and finally they think nothing of disobeying the Word of God.
There is a way
that seemeth right unto a man, but the way thereof is the way of death. Yet it
seems right, but it isn’t. It may seem
right to the little teenager that they have a right to back talk mother because
after all this is
Brother Branham said in his sermon Hear ye Him 56-0930 P:14
Brother Branham said, Now, when a man is inspired and he reads the
inspired Word, the two inspirations together gives a result. Now, you can
never... No matter how well you study
the Word, It'll never do you no good till you're inspired yourself. It
takes your inspiration with... The
Word's already inspired. So what we need today is an inspiration over us,
God sweeping down with a new inspiration and breathing over us His power, and
His love, and Himself, that it might inspire us to quicken us and waken us to
His Word. And then the Word being
brought into that spirit of inspiration, then you'll see miracles happen, and
things take place, because the two just comes together.
But we must
make sure that the source of our inspiration is God Himself or else we could
fall for the inspiration of the devil. For brother Branham told us that if it
is genuine an real it is inspired from God, but then if it isn’t the
inspiration comes from the devil. That is why there is genuine inspired music
to worship God and then the radio eaves are full of the devil’s inspiration
upon music as well. So how do we tell if our inspiration is from God or the
devil? Give it the Word test.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who saith Lord, Lord shall enter in, but he
that doeth the will of my Father. And the Apostle Paul taught us
that the Just shall live by Faith, and he also taught us there is but One Faith
and that is the Faith of the Son of God. His Faith that He had in His Father.
That’s the One and only Faith that we can go by.
By faith Moses 58-0720M P:17 Now, we lose
our glory, if we lose faith. Now, if we get away from
faith, then we take the church into an intellectual realm. And many
times, it's been thought amongst people, that because a congregation was large,
and they had great churches, great steeples, and a great lot of well-dressed
and groomed people, and a lot of finances, that they could afford such things,
we many times, thought that was inspiring--that this certain church must be
inspired. Or we've often referred to different ministers, who get out on the
field and have great gatherings of crowds, and we think, sometimes, that they
are the signs of inspiration. But that's not altogether the truth. That's human
inspiration. But the real inspiration
comes by doing the will of God (See?), whether it is a one or just a
handful. Whether it is a big church or a small church, it matters not. Whether
he is a great eloquent speaker or just a man that hardly knows his ABC's, it
doesn't matter. It depends on the
message that he brings, whether it is inspired by the Word of God or is it
inspired by intellectuals conceptions of human inspiration. Some people can
be inspired because of an eloquent speaker. That doesn't make it right.
Sometimes they're inspired, because the man is so trained, till he could put
his point over. That doesn't mean that it's of God. See? It's only through
God's everlasting, eternal, blessed Word can we receive inspiration, and that's
given by the Holy Ghost. By faith we receive it.